First Friday Artist Noemi Salome

First Friday Artist Noemi Salome

by | Apr 19, 2024 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture

On Friday, May 3rd from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening at The Depot featuring multidisciplinary artist and designer Noemi Salome (she/her)! Join us to welcome her and view her mixed-media gallery entitled Curiosity, and to enjoy refreshments and community. RSVP for this event on Facebook here and get to know her more in her biography below!

*Accessibility Note: This building was previously restored from a fire. The elevator shaft is currently not functioning and there is an absence of ramps in the space. Because the show is on the 2nd floor, this may pose an issue for those who have mobility needs. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.

Bio:

Noemi Salome (she/her) is a multi-disciplinary artist and designer from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Inspired by the natural world, Noemi’s art includes graphic design, sewing, and multi-media experimentation with ink, acrylic, watercolor, pastels, and collage – all of which are featured in her exhibition entitled “Curiosity”. She enjoys making yummy messes in the kitchen, hiking, and learning as much as she can about art and life. You can find out more about her art at noemisalome.com or follow along on Instagram @noemisalomedesign.

 

Artist Statement:

Gallery Title: Curiosity

I have always believed that lifelong learning and exploration are important for a joyful and creatively fulfilling existence that resists confines. As a multi-disciplinary artist, my art follows my free spirit, which lives in a state of constant curiosity. Whether in watercolor, acrylic, or graphic design, my work lingers in the confusing space between the simplicity of the natural world and the complex, tangled mess of human rule, transforming the confusion into something tangible, something beautiful. Welcome to my world of curiosity.

“Curiosity” Sneak Peek

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This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there!

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!

First Friday Artist Claire Parsley

First Friday Artist Claire Parsley

by | Mar 29, 2024 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture

On Friday, April 5th from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to start our First Fridays at the Depot back up again with a Gallery Opening featuring the multi-talented artist Claire Parsley (she/they)! Join us to welcome them and view their mixed-media gallery of cat portraits, entitled Ineffable Cats Through Time, and to enjoy refreshments and community. RSVP for this event on Facebook here and get to know them more in their biography below!

*Accessibility Note: This building was previously restored from a fire. The elevator shaft is currently not functioning and there is an absence of ramps in the space. Because the show is on the 2nd floor, this may pose an issue for those who have mobility needs. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.

 

Bio:

Hello all!

My name is Claire and I am a local artist who has scribbled on every surface and slapped stickers everywhere since I was a wee one. I love the act of creation, especially the 3D kind. I believe in building over buying any day, there is nothing more satisfying than owning something that your own magical mind thought up and your very hands brought to life. The effort and hours adds to the beauty. For this gallery I have poured hours upon hours into making cat portraits of the mixing media variety. I find them immensely silly and I hope they knock your socks off. Take your time to find the buttons, beads and cloths layered in with the acrylic paint! Thanks for coming out to my show!

If you like what you see, feel free to follow my account to stay tuned in! My official art instagram is @cparse.art. If you aren’t engaged with social media, my contact info is on my business card so definitely snag one if you want to inquire about commissions or otherwise!

 

“Ineffable Cats Through Time” Sneak Peek

Multi-media cat on checkerboard portrait by Claire Parsley. Multi-media formal cat portrait by Claire Parsley. Multi-media cat mermaid portrait by Claire Parsley.

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This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there!

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!

Design as an Act of Service

Design as an Act of Service

by | Mar 26, 2024 | citizen architect, community, Empathy

By Designer, Aliyah D. White.

As a firm, we practice design as an act of service. We work closely together with our clients to create projects that are completely custom and unique to their needs. Well-rounded and well-designed projects should aim to better people’s lives by taking in their ideas and input. As designers and architects, we are driven by the passion of using our skills to help people better their environments. Practicing design as an act of service means meeting our clients where they are, working hard to understand their needs, and leading with empathy and patience to help bring their visions to life. These are the projects that have the power to truly connect people and meaningfully better their environment. Here are a few examples of projects we designed with this in mind!

 

Church Street Townhomes

Church Street Townhomes exterior

The Church Street Townhomes project in Christiansburg, Virginia was developed by Habitat for Humanity in New River Valley. Working together with Habitat for Humanity has been a valuable part of us reaching our goal of building strong communities and it is always a pleasure working with an organization that shares our values. The seven conjoined townhomes are fully accessible for people of all abilities and EarthCraft and Energy-Star certified.

 

Speech and Language Center

Speech and Language Center outside ramp

The Speech and Language Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia came to us with a very particular problem. The client needed to grow the functional space of the building while only being able to add a few feet to two sides of the building. We worked closely with the client and the builder to expand the space and were able to successfully deliver the right solution for this business to continue to grow and thrive. Teamwork makes the dream work!

 

Eastern Mennonite School

Eastern Mennonite School

The Eastern Mennonite School in Harrisonburg, Virginia was a renovation project aimed at converting a three-story office building into an elementary school. The project focused specifically on sustainable practices and creation care, which was important to our non-profit client. We worked together with the teachers, administration, and students at the school to create a space that would enhance the learning environment.

 

When engaging a client in the design process it is important for us to make sure they feel heard and know we are here to support them and what they want for the future of their space. We encourage all potential, current, and past clients to engage in conversations with us about what they want for themselves, and their communities, and how we can help them get there. Being in constant conversation with the people we serve is important to us, and we also can do community presentations to share our wealth of knowledge and help advance people’s community building. Including the community in the design process is an invaluable learning opportunity and allows for a greater capacity to make meaningful changes with architecture. Using design as an act of service looks like giving tools to people who do not have them and listening to their wants and needs.

Exploring career options: A high school designers perspective

Exploring career options: A high school designers perspective

by | Dec 22, 2023 | citizen architect, Leadership, Office Culture

For the past 10 years or so, our firm has had high school students, and occasionally college students, here at our office to job shadow for a semester, receiving a class credit. (Check out more of their stories at the bottom of this blog). Each student comes into the experience with different goals and motivations. Some are interested in ruling out architecture as a career and others are looking to expand their knowledge of an architectural career prior to starting college. With each, we adapt their experience as needed to help them achieve their goals. 

Chloe joined us this past semester. She was already confident that she wanted a career in design with a preference for interior design, so we set up a program to allow her to meet with Jarod, our interior designer, and others in the community with an interior design background. While at the office, we encouraged her to learn SketchUp by giving her a house design project to work on. 

The design project is never the important part of the learning experience, it is the questions generated through the design process. Our student job shadow candidates learn how buildings operate, how the industry works, how big a 2 x 4 actually is, what kind of questions to ask when designing, and get to see how we do it. We have had some students go through the process to realize that it was not the right career for them and some that have embraced the profession and confirmed their future plans. Below you will find Chloe’s summary of her experience.

SketchUp rendering of interior layout.

My name is Chloe Emurian, and I am a senior at Buffalo Gap High School. I have always been interested in the design of buildings, so I was placed at Gaines Group Architects with the hopes that I could find just where my passion for design falls, whether that be pursuing a major in architecture or interior design.

Starting out, my mentor, Charles Hendricks, asked me what I needed from the experience to figure out my future plans. He set up meetings with local interior designers so I could learn more about what they do each day and allowed me to attend meetings with him. He also invited me into classes at his office covering different architectural topics. Additionally, I was assigned a project to design a house using SketchUp (a design software used in many architectural and interior design firms). I learned a lot about the software (and the limitations of that software) I was using and a lot about the techniques to design a house. I am hoping as I pursue my degree, I will be able to complete my in-progress house design project. During my time at the firm I learned everything from wall thickness to how big each room should comfortably be, to even a little bit of the structural design required for stairs, second floors, and roofs.

Charles set up visits with interior designers at firms and businesses such as LDD Blueline, Dovetail Cabinetry, and more where I was able to ask designers questions about their careers, as well as talk to them about what they wish they would have known before college and how they got to where they are today.

I want to take a little bit of time to talk about an interview we were assigned as mentorship students. We were asked to interview our mentor and ask specific questions, and I got the opportunity to talk to the interior designer at The Gaines Group, Jarod. His knowledge of design and his love for his job inspired me in great ways. He graduated from the same college I am going to, Liberty University, with the same degree I am going to pursue, and his insight on that program as well as interior design will help shape me into the designer I want to be. This assignment was by far my favorite.

With all the stress of college that my senior year brought, I am so beyond thankful that I was placed at a firm that solidified both my college decision and my career interest. After my mentorship experience, I decided that I am going to pursue a major in interior design at Liberty University. Finally, mentorship has taught me that I am capable of way more than I ever imagined. My mentor has done an amazing job helping me realize how successful I can be; he has shown me ways that I can begin to make a name for myself now by setting up my own personal website and blog. His encouragement and confidence in me have boosted my confidence in achieving my dreams. I am beyond thankful for the opportunities that mentorship presented me, and I can’t wait to see how my future unfolds because of it!

We strongly believe that mentorship is a key part of being a Citizen Architect. Giving back to future generations through On the Road Collaborative or Massanutten Technical Center Summer Academy are keys to this. We also love when we are able to host a student in our office just for a few hours or an entire semester, so please reach out if you know a student who might be interested.

Blogs from previous Job Shadowing Students:

Job shadowing virtually from the university of miami

Job shadowing with gaines group

Learn how job shadowing informs career path

High school students should job shadow

A story of job shadowing during a pandemic

Why you should job shadow while still in high school #futurearchitect

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Exploring a career in architecture: a students perspective

A story of career development by a blue ridge community college student

A story of mentoring in architecture

Red Wing Academy at First Friday

Red Wing Academy at First Friday

by | Nov 24, 2023 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture

Red Wing Academy is back this year to play music for our special Holiday and First Friday event on Friday, December 1st from 5:00 – 7:00pm. We absolutely love supporting and partnering with Red Wing Academy each year, and it is such a pleasure to get to host a small group of these talented students each year for our holiday celebrations.

Red Wing Academy is hosted by Eric Brubaker of The Steel Wheels as a four-day intensive camp, leading up to a performance on-stage with the band at Red Wing Roots Music Festival. It’s open to non-beginner violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, mandolin and banjo students ages 5 – 19. Students receive individual and group instruction from highly trained music teachers and are coached by members of The Steel Wheels throughout the week. It’s an incredible opportunity to play with and learn from music experts.

 

 

Gaines Group Architects sponsors the camp each year as a way to support the next generation of musicians in our community. A focus on musical instruction not only teaches kids how to play, but studies have shown that it accelerates brain development in young children, particularly in the areas of the brain that are responsible for processing sound, language development, speech perception, and reading skills.

A special Thank You to Meg with Tiller Strings for making the partnership possible!

Red Wing Academy string players.

Below, read more about Red Wing Academy and see clips of their performances at EMU and on-stage at the Red Wing Roots Music Festival.

“We see the old lines between instruction and play dissolving, bringing the spirit of traditional American music into the classroom, and fusing the culture of festivals with expert training in string instruments and live performance.
 
Red Wing Academy’s mission is to nurture both the wings and the roots of the newest generation of old time musicians. We provide emerging, student musicians with the skills, talents, and community to go beyond classical training into the culture of improvisational performance and group play, the hallmark of a genre that has always celebrated spontaneity and place as part of its sound and tradition.”

 

This event is free and open to everyone. Refreshments will be served, there will be artists and craft vendors, and there will be opportunities to take photos with Santa himself! We look forward to seeing you there, and you can RSVP at our event page here.

First Friday Artist: Wood and Wool

First Friday Artist: Wood and Wool

by | Nov 23, 2023 | artwork, citizen architect, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Local Leaders, Office Culture

On Friday, December 1st from 5:00 – 7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a special Holiday Celebration/First Friday event at the Depot and host Lynn and Phil Adams of Wood and Wool. Lynn specializes in needle felting and Phil in wood turning. Their holiday-themed creations will be available for sale and make perfect holiday gifts!

Join us to welcome Wood and Wool, enjoy refreshments, and celebrate the holidays with the community. Also don’t miss our other featured artists and vendors, Randy Harman, Russ Eanes, and David Sutton with music by Red Wing Academy. Check out work by Wood and Wool below and RSVP for the event here.

This event is free and open to everyone. Refreshments will be served and there will be opportunities to take photos with Santa himself. We look forward to seeing you there, and you can RSVP at our event page here.

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). This month, artwork by our featured artist, Randy Harman, will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!