by Charles Hendricks | Oct 22, 2025 | First Friday
Join us for First Fridays Harrisonburg in November at the Depot on November 7th from 5-7 PM! We will be featuring Bruce Stambaugh and his exhibition “Valley Moments”
As always, this event is free and open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided by Gaines Group Architects.
Series Name: Valley Moments
Medium: Photography
Artist Statement: “Photography is about capturing moments in time. There are countless photo-worthy moments to capture in the Shenandoah Valley. A wintry reflection on Silver Lake. A classic steam engine chugging along the tracks. The moment an Old Order Mennonite pony cart passes by at sunset. Catching an airliner and a crescent moon. Those are just a few of the Valley Moments Bruce has captured.”
Artist Bio: Bruce Stambaugh (He/Him)
Bruce captures his hobbies with his cameras. He enjoys writing, hiking, bird-watching, traveling, and spending time with his family. He and his wife, both Ohio natives, moved to the Harrisonburg area in 2017 to be close to three of their four grandchildren and their parents.
Bruce has been a teacher, an elementary principal, a volunteer firefighter, an EMT, and a township trustee in Ohio. He also wrote a newspaper column and still authors a weather column for Farming Magazine. In his retirement, he enjoys sharing the world through his stories and photography on his blog at www.brucestambaugh.com.
Bruce’s photos range from birds, butterflies, flowers, wildlife, trains, planes, landscapes, sunrises, and sunsets. He photographs whatever he sees in the moment.
*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 challenges. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.
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!
by Charles Hendricks | Sep 19, 2025 | First Friday
Join us for First Fridays Harrisonburg in October at the Depot on October 3rd from 5-7 PM! We will be featuring Susan Patrick and her exhibition “Intersections”
As always, this event is free and open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided by Gaines Group Architects.
Artist Statement: “My drawings and paintings are made from direct observations of objects and places seen, but not looked at and not explored. I abstract by pushing and pulling on spaces and animating lines and shapes that are still and quiet in the real world.”
Artist Bio: Susan Patrick (She/Her)
Susan Patrick was born in California and spent her childhood traveling with her father, a U.S. Naval officer, her mother, a lover of all arts, and two siblings. She graduated from college in Harrisonburg, Virginia, majoring in art with a certification to teach art and later attended graduate school, receiving an M.A. in painting. After teaching elementary and secondary art in Virginia public schools for 34 years, as well as at the Senior Center, and Village School, a private middle school, Susan resides in Charlottesville, Virginia and currently teaches art privately.
Much of her time is spent in the studio where she paints reactions to personal and societal events. She is an Associate member of McGuffey Art Center. She has taken on the job of curating and hanging Associate shows monthly. Susan has exhibited widely throughout the state in group and one person shows. She received a residential fellowship at Virginia Center of Creative Arts. Her work has been purchased by private collectors as well as Capital One, The University of Virginia Health System, and the Haven.
In 2016, Susan conceived and carried out, with the assistance of the International Rescue Committee, the World Art Exhibit in Charlottesville. Over fifty refugees and immigrants drew from their memories of their home countries. Their work was hung and viewed at local churches, the downtown library, galleries, and government spaces. It came down for the last time in 2018.
*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 challenges. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.
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!
by Charles Hendricks | Aug 13, 2025 | artwork, community, First Friday
Join us for First Fridays Harrisonburg in September at the Depot on September 5th from 5-7 PM! We will be featuring J. Brooke Chao and her exhibition “Everyday Beauty”
As always, this event is free and open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided by Gaines Group Architects.
Series Name: Everyday Beauty
Medium: Mixed Media Acrylic and Watercolor
Artist Statement: “The goodness and beauty of God’s creation is evident all around us: the way that light spills across a doorway, the beauty of unique people, the gossamer wings of an insect, the intricate patterns of plants and flowers, or the brilliant colors of a sunset. God has
also generously bestowed upon us the ability to participate in his creative work both through care of his creation as well as through artistic endeavors like music, poetry, dance and visual arts. My art is my attempt to connect to this creative spirit and the beauty I see all around
me. It also is a way to for me explore and process the complex range of experiences and emotions that are part of being humans created in God’s image.”
Artist Bio: J. Brooke Chao (She/Her) is an artist and graphic designer local to the Harrisonburg area. Brooke’s primary mediums are acrylic and watercolor, although she enjoys creating across a wide variety of mediums and styles including photography, sculpture, wood folk art and mixed media. Brooke is largely self-taught but strives to challenge herself to try new techniques and to learn from artists who have a greater breadth of knowledge, experience and mastery in their mediums. When she is not creating art, she enjoys refurbishing furniture, gardening and enjoying the downtown area with her family.
*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 challenges. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.
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!
by Charles Hendricks | Jul 17, 2025 | artwork, citizen architect, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect, Office Culture
Join us for First Friday Harrisonburg in August at the Depot on Friday, August 1st from 5pm – 7pm for the Exhibition “ICONS” by artist Derrick Chirinos!!
As always, this event is free and open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided by Gaines Group Architects.
Series Name: Icons
Medium: Photography, Digital and Film
Artist Statement: In
Icons,
Derrick Chirinos swaps out live subjects for mannequin heads to capture the small, everyday moments we often take for granted. These silent figures live out ordinary routines: sipping coffee, taking a stroll, laughing with friends. Each scene becomes a time capsule, a reminder that our time on Earth is brief. As our planet’s protections waver and tomorrow feels more uncertain, these photographs stand as proof that at one point: we moved, laughed, and lived freely.
Artist Bio: Derrick Chirinos (He/Him), is a photographer and filmmaker local to the Harrisonburg area who sometimes attempts to control the chaos in his process and other times lets the art come to life on its own terms. Since expanding his skillset to processing and physically altering film to convey a moment in time, Derrick not only unlocked what he thought was possible in art but hopes to inspire others to think outside the image as well. Since 2019, he has exhibited in Brooklyn, NY, JMU, and at his alma mater
Eastern Mennonite University.
*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 challenges. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.
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!
by Charles Hendricks | May 31, 2025 | artwork, First Friday
A Bond with the Landscape
June 6, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
2nd Floor
141 W. Bruce St.
Harrisonburg, VA, 22801
About the artist:
Lori Mier, known online to some as Lori May, is a passionate lifelong learner and a self-proclaimed grief rebel. Her life is a tapestry woven with love for her son (an emerging 7th grader), cherished friendships that have become family, and a dedication to community work. Lori’s enthusiasm for coffee and fashion is matched by her profound appreciation for mountain sunrises.
As the author of
“Merin and Her Very Bright Star: A Story of Resiliency,” Lori draws from her personal journey of loss and healing to let children know that grief is real and it is okay. She is currently crafting a poetic memoir that promises to delve deeper into her experiences. With a degree in Social Work, Lori founded “Through Hiking,” a not-for-profit initiative offering guided hikes to foster care agencies and youth, fostering a connection with nature and resilience.
Lori’s commitment to education and social justice is evident in her past role on the Equity Committee for Rockingham County Public Schools and her current position on the Board of Directors for the
RISE Foundation in Waynesboro, VA. Although not a native Virginian, Lori has found her true home in the Shenandoah Valley.
In August, Lori will embark on a new chapter as a middle school English teacher, building on her timeserving in AmeriCorps when she was 21 assisting in a classroom in the Bronx, NY
,
five years with
RISE Scholars, three years of experience as a substitute teacher and her imminent teaching license. Passionate about nurturing the diverse social, cultural, emotional, and academic traits, and sparking the energy of middle school students, she is intentional and dedicated to igniting a love for reading, writing, and speaking. Her classroom will be a shelter because she is a shelter.
Her journey as a nature photographer began nearly a decade ago, capturing the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains. Her work, featured in publications like AT Journeys and Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, is available on her Etsy shop,
Butterfly And The Storm.
Lori’s artistic journey was unexpected; she embraced the title of photographer only after repeated inquiries about her healing sunrise and sunset images. Her connection to nature traces back to her Minnesota childhood and her early years in Oregon, where her parents tragically lost their lives. A return to Oregon in2020 revealed the striking resemblance between those mountains and the Shenandoah Valley, deepening her bond with the landscape. Through her photography, Lori shares the spiritual and therapeutic essence of her hikes, inviting others to experience the magic of morning and evening light.
*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.
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!
by Charles Hendricks | Apr 28, 2025 | artwork, community, First Friday, Harrisonburg Architect
We love celebrating the arts in the valley, from murals to sculptures to sketches to paintings, art brings us joy. It has the power to change your perspective, evoke inner reflection, and even generate conversation. Each month we host an artist at the Depot we invite you to join us to celebrate the art, artists, and to add to the conversation. This month’s artist is well known in our community and her work is full of energy and depth. I hope you will be able to join us for the May 2025 First Friday opening of “Intrinsic Flow.”
May 2, 2025, 5pm – 7pm
141 W. Bruce St. second floor (at the Depot)
Exhibition Title: Intrinsic Flow
Bio & Artist Statement: Delaney Westwood is a fluid acrylic artist born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley. Her work is rooted in experimentation, using the creative process as a way to explore the universe and the essence of flow. By mixing acrylic paints with a flow medium called Floetrol, she creates pourable blends that move across the canvas through dynamic techniques.
Each piece is completed in a single, cohesive session, sometimes lasting 14 hours or more, allowing the work to unfold organically and intuitively. Delaney seeks to capture the primordial energy of the universe with the aim of evoking peace, resonance, and a sense of inner knowing in the viewer.
“Intrinsic Flow” is a showcase of both abstract and representational works, each one a unique meditation on movement, energy, and form.
*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.
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!
