By: Peyton Saunders | Staff Writer
Steven Francis Fine Art featured Richard Crozier’s art. Photo by Peyton Saunders. 
Some of Richard Crozier’s pieces. Photo by Peyton Saunders. 
The Lynchburg Public Library Downtown Branch was hosting a Broadway karaoke event. Photo by Peyton Saunders. 
Some walkways were quite treacherous. Photo by Peyton Saunders. 
The Academy of the Arts featured art by Robert Pennix and Alpha Massaquoi. Photo by Peyton Saunders. 
The Academy Center of the Arts had a singer and harpist singing songs that highlighted themes in the surrounding artwork. Photo by Peyton Saunders.
Last weekend, I traversed the icy roads and snowbanks to attend Downtown Lynchburg’s First Friday event. This event takes place on the first Friday of every month, when downtown galleries feature new exhibitions and works by local artists, with free admission for the public.
One of the participating galleries was the Steven Francis Fine Art Gallery, which hosted an exhibition by Richard Crozier. The gallery also featured other artists, including David Baird, Lucia Coates, and the University of Lynchburg’s Assistant Professor of Art, Allen TenBusschen. Snacks were provided, and live music set the mood for the evening.
Richard Crozier is a retired professor of art from the University of Virginia who focuses his art on landscapes and the environment. Several of the pieces are available for purchase at prices ranging from $250 to $600.
Other participating locations included the Academy Center of the Arts, which featured Alpha Massaquoi’s “Black Noise” exhibition and Robert Pennix’s “History Not to be Forgotten” exhibition. These exhibitions are included to acknowledge and celebrate Black History Month. The Academy of the Arts’ Ann White Gallery also had a singer and a harpist to complement the art as well as a vegetable tray and a small cash bar.
The Lynchburg Public Library Downtown Branch celebrated the performing arts with its First Friday contribution by hosting a karaoke event. The library hosts a unique event on the First Friday of each month. In March, they will host a Ceilidh, a traditional Celtic dance. Attendees will be able to learn the dance and listen to traditional music performed on accompanying string instruments.
The Scrappy Elephant was a participant featuring handmade crafts and paintings, as well as an opportunity for guests to make a Valentine in the studio. However, it closed at 6 p.m. before it became dangerously snowy and dark, so I did not make it in time.
I, on the other hand, braved the elements until around 8 p.m. to visit these galleries in an elevated chic dress and Crocs. I only slipped and fell once but got right back up and back on track. For other people who may want to take a smarter approach, First Fridays are every month so if you are free, you should check out the art scene in Lynchburg. The upcoming events are on March 6 or April 3, and we hope they will be snow-free.
