Category Archives: Art

“The Oregon Hill Review” – “New zine a tribute to the small things people love about Richmond”

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Well, given that citizens usually celebrate the birth of this country and its independence and freedoms, and right now it is building concentration camps- can’t say ‘Happy Fourth of July’ today.

But, making a big shout out to new, local, literary zine “The Oregon Hill Review”.

Many missed the it’s release party/reading last month, but relatively new, news source The Richmonder covered it and interviewed its creators.

https://www.richmonder.org/new-zine-a-tribute-to-the-small-things-people-love-about-richmond/

“Like most things in my life,” poet Mathias Svalina said of The Oregon Hill Review, “it started as a joke.”
Contrary to the “ironic gravitas” of its title, he envisioned The Oregon Hill Review as a DIY literary zine focused on small, forgettable, beloved things.
And then “the joke turned into, ‘Oh, yeah, I should just do that,’” Svalina said. He describes the first volume as “a collection of little love letters to Richmond.”

It is worth mentioning that the name of this neighborhood, Oregon Hill, is a bit of a joke. Richmond, the city, was founded to the east of downtown in Church Hill, and the story goes that this neighborhood, when it first began, seemed as far west as Oregon, thus the name.

But it is also meaningful and touching that this zine does celebrate the small things people love about Richmond. Hopefully, this small neighborhood is among those things, and Richmond, despite attacks by Richmond300 and City planners, will continue to hold it as dear as it’s visitors and own residents do.

(It’s also pretty great that donations for the zines are being directed to the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project (RRFP).

“Through The Eyes Of Bill Draper” This Tuesday Evening

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Bill Draper grew up in Stratford Hills near Pony Pasture, and spent his youth hopping rocks, fishing, swimming, and canoeing on the James River. Today, his athletic accomplishments continue to reflect his love for the outdoors and for living a healthy lifestyle. He is a veteran member of the Richmond Sports Backers Marathon Training Team, and is often found cycling on the Virginia Capital Trail or kayaking on the James with friends. He has completed several 500-mile bike rides, two 50-mile ultramarathons, and 31 Richmond Marathons, along with numerous others.
After retiring from a forty-year career in healthcare sales and marketing, Bill began carrying his camera on his outdoor adventures and sharing his photographs of the James River trails, birds, animals, and waterways on social media. His unique photo exploration of the James River Park System has been embraced by the Richmond community, including local media, who often feature his photographs.
Bill will be sharing his photography and the stories behind them at Pine Street. Come and be a part of this special evening. Pine Street is located in the historic Oregon Hill Community. There is a parking lot behind the Pine Street Barber Shop.

Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow Morning

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Tomorrow is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup.

Please go over what can be recycled.

NOTE: CVWMA (Central Virginia Waste Management Authority) has announced that all curbside recycling must now be INSIDE the CVWMA containers with lid closed. Items beside the container or on top of it will not be collected. In fact, incorrect setouts may not be collected at all. This is new as of July 1 for all our curbside recyclers, with the exception of townhomes/condos still using small bins. (And yes, this also applies to flattened cardboard boxes.)

Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If it seems like pickup did not happen, use this online form:
https://cvwma.com/programs/residential-recycling/recycling-service-request-form/

In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news, CVWMA has a blog post about a new statue made up of reclaimed materials that honors Black women.

From the post:

“Umama, and so she sows“ is sculpted primarily from reclaimed materials found and sourced in the community of Richmond, Virginia.

“Umama” was born out of the eight-week Atlas Artist Summer Residency Program facilitated by ART 180 and in collaboration with the Ebenezer Baptist Church and the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. This one-of-its-kind program offers 10 high school students a paid opportunity to experience mentorship and creative development alongside their peers and two professional working artists, with each young artist dedicating over 100 hours to the creation of “Umama.”

This sculpture was skillfully crafted by South African muralist Xolani Zivunda and Petersburg-based sculpturist Nastassja Swift. Xolani focused much attention on the face and hair of “Umama,” using mosaic tiles from pieces of glass and marble, telephone chords and paper, and pieces of loose brick that were found out in the community. Nastassja contributed heavily to forming the Styrofoam base and using reclaimed materials to form the sculpture.

Sionne Neely, a multifaceted creative and community facilitator, provided additional support by connecting both resident teaching artists to the cultural significance of weaving together the complex histories of oppression in Richmond, Virginia and Cape Town, South Africa. Supporters helped to honor the figurehead as a tribute to the presence of Black women in building community.