Our current business hours are: Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 am-2:00 pm or later by appointment (call 540-862-7275 or email info@cfsota.org) CLOSED SUNDAY AND MONDAY
See all of our upcoming classes on the Sign Up For a Class page of our website. You can search for classes by category or instructor, find your next creative endeavor, and register online with a few clicks!
If you prefer a printed schedule, go to bit.ly/cfsota-schedule where you can view, download, or print the full Winter 2023-24 schedule. We also welcome you to visit the School of the Arts to find out more about our classes and register in person!
Click on each flyer below to see classes in that category!
Current Exhibit
Clifton Forge School of the Arts is pleased to announce the opening of its latest exhibition, Sisters at the Loom: The Baer Family Legacy; Featuring the Weavings of Catharine Hagan. The exhibition showcases the rich history of weaving in the Alleghany Highlands and surrounding areas. The tradition of weaving is celebrated through the display of reproductions of nineteenth-century weaving drafts, on loan from Washington and Lee University Library Special Collections, alongside the contemporary works of local weaver Catharine Hagan.
Featured in the collection are textiles produced by a group of contemporary handweavers who utilized patterns collected by the Baer family in the early 1800s. These historic patterns come back to life nearly two hundred years later to provide an in-depth view of the history of household textiles and their uses throughout the home. The legacy of weaving continues with the contemporary work of Catharine Hagan, which includes woven throws, towels, and pillows available for purchase. Visitors will have a hands-on opportunity to try out the art of weaving on small looms and live loom weaving demonstrations are scheduled periodically throughout the exhibition’s run.
“We are excited to showcase the legacy of weaving in our area and how that tradition continues to be carried on by dedicated weavers today,” said Christina Gramm, Director of Education & Programming at Clifton Forge School of the Arts. “We hope this exhibition sparks wonder and curiosity about the importance, function, and artistry of weaving throughout history.” Additionally, the school has been gifted a collection of looms over the years by various donors which will be a cornerstone of future fiber arts programming.
Sisters at the Loom is on view at Clifton Forge School of the Arts from September 14, 2023 through January 26, 2024. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am-2:00 pm, or later by appointment, with occasional exceptions when the Gallery is in use for a class or event.
Clifton Forge School of the Arts For the Artist in Everyone! The Clifton Forge School of the Arts is a private non-profit organization dedicated to teaching the fine and applied arts to people of all ages and abilities living in the Alleghany Highlands and beyond. Located in the heart of downtown Clifton Forge, the School of the Arts opened its doors in January 2011. The School is housed in two historic buildings on Church Street with a nearly two-acre specimen garden between them.
Clifton Forge School of the Arts is funded by tuition fees, rental revenues, individual and corporate donations, and grants. Our arts education programs would not be possible without generous donations of private individuals and the support of the following: The Alleghany Foundation, the Town of Clifton Forge, Alleghany County, the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, WestRock Corporation, Ingevity, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the Richard S. Reynolds Charitable Foundation, the William Reynolds Foundation, the Nettleton Foundation, and local community organizations including the Covington/Hot Springs Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club of the Jackson River Area, and the Alleghany Highlands Kiwanis Club.
Housed inside Clifton Forge School of the Arts, The Art Store is the only high-quality art store in the region carrying a wide range of supplies for professional and student artists. Please stop by during the School’s hours of operation or call proprietor Judith Sivonda at (540) 968-3639 to discuss your individual art supply needs. Store gift certificates available for the budding artists in your life.
