The City of Harrisonburg is excited to participate as one of 38 venues in the Arts Council of the Valley's 2024 First Fridays of the Valley Program.
The program will highlight artistic works by city employees and their family members. Visit Harrisonburg City Hall at 409 S Main St on the First Friday of the month from 4:00pm-7:00pm for the opening reception or during regular office hours to see displays.
2025:
January:
The installation of public art plays a key role in building community connectivity and creating a sense of place. Through collaboration with the Arts Council and Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, the City of Harrisonburg was able to highlight local artists’ work on Downtown traffic cabinets, adding vibrant color to our intersections while creating a beautiful place that the community shares and is proud of. Standard traffic cabinets that are a necessary component of signalized intersections now have multiple purposes. Typically, the cabinets enable traffic signals to function properly and now they showcase local artists work, highlight Harrisonburg’s natural surroundings and culture, and make Harrisonburg city streets stand out.
Ten traffic cabinets have been transformed into pieces of art so far, all at intersections in Harrisonburg’s Downtown. The works of local artists were selected by a committee consisting of City of Harrisonburg staff and representatives from the Arts Council of the Valley and Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. The 2024 artists and their cabinet locations include:
- Gay Street & North Main Street – Bryan Luna
- North Mason Street & Gay Street – Katie Cousins
- Wolfe Street & North Main Street – Rebecca Gish
- Wolfe Street & North Mason Street – Alex Dorney
- North Main Street & Elizabeth Street – Jennifer Cottrell
- Elizabeth Street & North Mason Street – Rachel Bryan
- Court Square and North Main Street – Rosa Cruz
- East Market Street & North Mason Street – Ver Ikeseh
- South Main Street and West Water Street – Lana Lambert
- South Main Street and Bruce Street – Melissa Huryk
This art show, Vibrant Intersections – A Harrisonburg Traffic Cabinet Art Project, features details, a sampling of artwork that has been printed on canvas material in the Harrisonburg Public Works Sign Shop by Sign Shop Supervisor Zack Sam. Wooden frames were crafted for the details utilizing locally sourced wood as part of Harrisonburg’s Urban Wood Utilization Program led by Harrisonburg Public Works Greenspace Manager, Jeremy Harold. These pieces were previously hung in the Marketplace Gallery (hallway of Court Square Theater) after a project celebration in October. It is the City’s hope, as the show continues to travel through the galleries of Downtown Harrisonburg, community members will have the opportunity to view the artwork in one location so they may recognize these pieces along City sidewalks in their daily lives.
The City is planning for a second round of traffic cabinet artwork to be displayed on nine additional traffic cabinet locations in 2028. A call for artists for this project will take place at a later date.
2024:
December:
"Reflections: A Year of Creativity Revisited" - Our December exhibit will highlight the artists who participated in our inaugural year of the First Fridays of the Valley. There will be an opening reception on Friday, December 6th from 5-7pm at Harrisonburg City Hall with some of the artists present. Previously displayed and new works will be exhibited.
November:
Brittany Dyer, wife of Police Detective Alan Dyer, will be exhibiting “All the Things I See That Inspire Me,” paintings created with the inspiration of places and travel through the Shenandoah Valley.
Brittany Dyer has resided in the Shenandoah valley for the past 16 years. She is a full time Physical Therapist who loves being outside in nature. As a self-taught artist, painting has been away to escape the stress of everyday life. Mostly focusing on oil paintings, Brittany draws inspiration from the local scenery specializing in landscapes and animal paintings.
There will be an opening reception to meet the artist from 5pm-7pm on Friday, November 1st in the lobby of City Hall, 409 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg. The exhibit will remain during normal City business hours through the end of November.
October:
Experience the heart of our employee teams in "City Works: A Portrait of Public Service," a unique photo exhibit celebrating our public service employees, captured through the lenses of their fellow city workers. In honor of Employee Appreciation Week (October 6th – 12th), this collection features striking images that highlight the daily lives and contributions of those who serve our community.
Join us in recognizing these unsung heroes and the collaborative spirit that strengthens our community. This exhibit invites you to appreciate the vital role of public service and the unique perspective of the employees behind the camera.
There will be an opening reception from 5pm-7pm on Friday, October 4th in the lobby of City Hall, 409 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg. The exhibit will remain during normal City business hours through the end of October.
September:
Emma Rion, an employee with the Department of Public Transportation, will be exhibiting "Life on the Farm". Emma, who grew up on the family farm in Rockingham County, says: "Not everyone gets to experience being around cattle and sometimes I take it for granted how blessed I am to be able to wake up every day and be around them. It's certainly not easy and there will always be challenges, but I love being able to share my cattle with others and hope the pictures bring as much joy to them as they bring to me!"
The exhibit will begin Friday, September 6th from 5-7pm, and will remain posted during normal City business hours through the end of September. (The artist will not be present for a meet and greet on September 6th.)
August:
Diego Perez Camacho's exhibit “Local Lens” features photography, drawings, and poetry about living in the Shenandoah Valley. The exhibit begins on Friday, August 2nd, 2024 with a “meet the artist” reception from 5:00pm-7:00pm. The exhibit will remain open during normal business hours through the end of August.
Artist’s statement:
“My name is Diego, I’m a Mexican-born naturalized US citizen. I come from a big family that has called the valley home for about 30 years now. I now have a beautiful wife and 3 wonderful kids. In my thirties, I have started to explore some of the more artistic things in life and my works are a reflection of that. I have had very supportive family and friends that have made it so fun! These pieces have been moments in my life in which I’ve enjoyed the area. Even my written works are a reflection of my valley experience.”
July:
Jonathan Snoddy, Police Officer with HPD, is displaying his photography exhibit, “Incidents of travel across the world”.
Jonathan Snoddy works full time as a crime scene technician but his passion is traveling the world with his wife in search of unique experiences. We enjoy being immersed in cultures different than our own. My job taught me how to use a camera to capture images but Allen Litten taught me how to take a photograph. Allen started my interest in photography and it continues to this day.
The exhibit opens Friday, July 5th from 5:00pm-7:00pm.
June:
"Counted Cross Stitch… not a forgotten Art” by Svonne Stickley in the lobby of City Hall from Friday, June 7th through Friday, July 5th.
Svonne Stickley grew up in this beautiful Shenandoah Valley which she is proud to call home. She believes people are blessed with many gifts and she is thankful that God blessed her with these talents. Svonne has worked for the city for 11 years in the Information Technology Department and graduated from Eastern Mennonite University. She has been cross stitching for 42yrs. She became enamored with the art that can be created with counted cross stitch. She loves how you can make something that looks like a photograph only with texture.
Svonne has many times used cross stitching as a way of therapy. When her best friend, Mike Ruckman, Jr, was first diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer she decided she would cross stitch, “What Cancer Cannot Do” as a reminder that Cancer can try to steal many things but look at “What Cancer Cannot Do”! During the years that she cross stitched the four Precious Moments prints was when she lost her father and sister a year apart. She gifted the “No Tears Past the Gate” print to her mother, Thelma Stickley, as a way for them to try to heal.
Svonne also loves crocheting, knitting, quilting, beaded jewelry making, sewing, diamond painting, and in the last few years woodworking.
A note from the artist:
“I hope you enjoying seeing some of my art that I've created over the years as I did stitching them. Maybe it will inspire you or a loved one to learn this art. Although many think that this is a dying art, I'm so happy that many young people are learning this art and keeping it alive.”
Opening reception, Friday, June 7 from 5:00pm-7:00pm
May:
CeCe Dodd considers herself a Valley native, having stayed in Rockingham County after graduating from JMU and beginning her career with the City 26 years ago.
An avid gardener and traveler, CeCe fell in love with European gardens and has tried to emulate them in her backyard. CeCe began her watercolor journey by studying floral composition and the abstract method of painting referred to as “loose watercolor.”
The paintings displayed in CeCe’s “Ethereal Spring” exhibit represent new beginnings, the fleeting lifecycle of spring, and the delicate nature of flora.
“Ethereal Spring” will be on display in the lobby of City Hall from Friday, May 3rd through Thursday, May 30.
Opening reception, Friday, May 3 from 4:00pm-7:00pm
April:
Joey Lezotte will have an exhibition of photography: “Sparked to Life".
Joey is a local business owner with his wife Laura training horses on their farm. Joey is also the newest animal control officer in the city of Harrisonburg. Joey studied for 3 years at Bridgewater College in digital media and has been developing his technique and craft since 2010 when he started into photography. His main focus in photography is presenting images that portray a realism putting the viewer in the action and also playing with simple lighting techniques to give an image and viewer a story open to interpretation.
Opening reception, Friday, April 5 from 4:00pm-7:00pm
March:
City Clerk Pamela Ulmer will be displaying her photography in the March exhibition “Oh the Places I’ve Seen”.
Pam’s Artist Statement:
This group of original photographs on canvas is a collection of some of the wonderful things I have seen during my travels. They include photographs from Alaska, Vermont, and Virginia. I love First Fridays in Harrisonburg and it is an honor to be a part of it this month as a city of Harrisonburg employee.
Opening reception, Friday, March 1 from 5:00pm-7:00pm
A list of First Friday venues, an online map, and a downloadable pdf are available at valleyarts.org/first-fridays.
The City of Harrisonburg began participating in the Arts Council of the Valley’s First Friday events early in 2024. The City seeks to provide space for employees (current and retired) and their family members to share their creativity and talent with the community. Applications are being accepted online, hard copies may be picked up at the City Manager’s Office.