Fifth Street venues to open Friday

Two venues on Fifth Street will debut art this First Friday, adding some new blood to a lineup of vibrant shows downtown and on Rivermont.

Speakertree Records, an indie record shop at 522 Fifth St., will be showing paintings by Washington, D.C.-based artist Jarrett Fussell. His series, “Party Animals,” depicts Earth’s less-cuddly creatures and explores the idea of living in the moment.

The opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. will be followed by live music at 8:30 p.m. by local talent David Sickmen and Morgan Cornwell. Sickmen toured the country as a founding member of bluegrass band The Hackensaw Boys, and recently settled down in Lynchburg to focus on solo work. Emerging singer/songwriter Cornwell captivates listeners with her rich, alluring voice.

The newly opened Dancing Leaf Florist & Gallery at 409 Fifth St. has a Mardi Gras-themed show that features mannequins in costume, New Orleans-style hand-painted furniture and 3-D Mardi Gras paintings by Glenn Thomas. The night will be rounded out by Creole food, with live jazz and blues guitar during the reception from 5 to 8 p.m.

Other Shows:

-- The Academy of Fine Arts

600 Main St.

The Academy Gallery is showing “Dirty Laundry: A Social and Political Commentary,” a mixed media exhibition by Mona Mullins Williams. The Up Front Gallery features “Unnatural Nature,” a group exhibition of digital art. The First Friday reception will run from 5 to 8 p.m., with music by Peyton Morgan and catering by Avenue Foods.

-- Avenue Arts Studio Gallery

1206 Rivermont Ave.

February’s show, “Wondrous Women,” showcases the work of four Richmond photographers and Virginia Commonwealth University graduates with an opening reception from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Willie Anne Wright’s works come from her “Channeling” series, a photographic montage featuring anonymous 19th-century people. Barbara Ames’ portrait series, “Virginia Women in the great Commonwealth of Virginia,” depicts women who expand their lives beyond traditional roles as secretaries, homemakers and teachers. Marsha Polier Grossman, a special correspondent for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, is showing black and white film photographs that record the many facets of motherhood and parenthood. Anne Savedge uses Photoshop to create art that captures the light, motion and color of belly dancing. Savedge teaches photography and digital imaging at the Chesterfield Technical Center.

-- The Lynchburg Art Club

1011 Rivermont Ave.

This February brings the 77th Annual Georgia Morgan Civic Art Show, “Reflections of Virginia,” to the Lynchburg Art Club. The show features paintings, sculpture and photographs by exhibitors who live within a 35-mile radius of Lynchburg, with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Cash awards have been given for Best in Show and the People’s Choice Award.

-- The Maier Museum of Art

2500 Rivermont Ave.

The museum’s 98th annual exhibit of contemporary art, “Evolutionary Drift: Works by Sue Johnson and Pam Longobardi,” will be on display. A reception is set for 5 to 8 p.m.

-- Rivermont Studio

1204 Rivermont Ave.

The gallery will feature drawings by Doni Guggenheimer, Kristen Harris and Sarah Masters and ceramics by Joe Monk. The reception runs from 6 to 8 p.m.

-- Riverviews Artspace

901 Jefferson St.

The popular kinetic sculpture exhibition by Brooklyn artist Claire Watkins will be on display until Feb. 15. There are seven installations that incorporate magnets, motors and pins that rotate and squirm, creating works that (literally) move. The show can be experienced through a 14-minute iPod tour that gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the artist’s ideas and methods. There will be live music by Randy Riley from 6 to 8 p.m.

-- The White Hart Café

This month’s show includes pottery by Kevin Crowe, stained glass by Jack Glenn and art by individuals from the Central Virginia Training Center. The reception runs from 5 to 8 p.m.