Staunton's Terrain Biennial is a pop-up art exhibit on display throughout the Queen City

STAUNTON — Barbara Bernstein first discovered a love of art in elementary school. In fourth grade her teacher recommended her for a Saturday art program at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. Her dad drove her 40 minutes, both ways, to the program for years.

That developed a lifelong love of art, leading her to the Rhode Island School of Design and a career in teaching art throughout the world. The last stop in her teaching career was the University of Virginia. Bernstein never tried to persuade her students on what type of art they should pursue. She only wanted to encourage them to live a creative life.

Bernstein and her husband, David Garratt, moved to Staunton from Amherst about a year and a half ago. Both are artists.

"We're just so happy being here," Bernsetin said. "There's such a vibrant artistic community here with the theater and the film festival and the visual arts. We're just thrilled."

Both Bernstein and Garratt are taking part in Staunton Outside Arts' 2023 Terrain Biennial — a pop-up art exhibition throughout the city, taking place in people's yards, under-utilized spaces, and other public venues around the city. It will run now through Nov. 15.

Terrain Biennial is a grassroots public art festival that brings artists and neighbors together to put public art on the front lawns, porches, windows, and rooftops of neighborhoods across the world.

Bernstein has two projects on display for the event, one in the windows of 11 S. Augusta St. and another at 110 W. Johnson St. The one at South Augusta is a black-and-white drawing of flowers and plants, connected to one another and flowing across the glass.

Bernstein was taking care of her dying father in 2018. An atomic engineer, Bernstein's dad had been diagnosed with his illness just three weeks before his death. His last words to her were, "Barbara, it's all patterns. And the patterns are love and beauty. Never forget that."

It was a profound experience for the artist, hearing her father's last words. She began experimenting with immersive plants. Nothing is planned. She takes her marker and just starts drawing. The one on South Augusta took her three or four days, spending several hours a day on the work.

"It's fun to do," she said. "When I was doing it people were excited to see it."

This is the second time that Staunton Outside Arts has participated in what is planned to be an every-other-year event in the Queen City.

“Art in public space is a catalyst for dialogue about what’s on people’s minds, what they care about, and, ideally, it’s an unexpected element of surprise and play in people’s daily lives,” said Drea Howenstein, co-founder of Staunton Outside Arts and Hunt Gallery director at Mary Baldwin University. “Given the many crises of our time, art is an essential catalyst for nurturing social sustainability, and it uplifts member of our community who are doing innovative and inspiring things every day.”

SOA is an initiative bringing creative projects to neighborhoods and open spaces around the greater Staunton area.

The organization hosts a yearly festival where artists, curators and local residents work together to create art installations that engage the public in dialogue with daily life and our regional history, culture, ecology and topography.

Hsini Des arrived in Staunton during the pandemic, relocating from New York City to be closer to family. She focuses on sculpture and photography. Her piece for Biennial Terrain, "My Mother's Fingers" is an image featured on a feather flag.

"I am very interested in the commercial form, using that as a way to speak to people but instead of language I have an image on that flag," Des said.

The image continues a body of work she presented at James Madison University last spring. Des's mom is 88 years old. The artist also has a daughter who is almost 4.

"I'm witnessing all these ways that bodies are changing and growing through life," Des said. "My image has my mother's fingers, she has gold painted nails and they will be waving on this feather flag."

Her work is featured in the front yard of another artist's house at 124 Thornrose Ave. in Staunton. Des loves that these pieces are displayed in other people's yards, not the artist's own, because it allows someone like her, relatively new to the community, to meet other people.

Agnus Carter, co-founder of Staunton Outside Arts and executive director of the Staunton-Augusta Art Center, believes Biennial Terrain has something for everyone.

“I think everyone should come out and see this,” he said. “It’s a great way to meet your neighbors, experience the community at-large and experience art on your own terms.”

Terrain Biennial Staunton will also include happenings and events, such as PechaKucha Staunton: Terrain Biennial Edition on Wednesday, Oct. 11 from 7-9 p.m. at Ciders from Mars and workshops and performances at sites throughout the six weeks.

Terrain Biennial events and happenings (free and open to everyone)

Cecilia Kim Film Screening, Friday, Oct. 6, 5-7 p.m., Staunton Augusta Art Center, 20 S New St., Staunton, One night only!

Brickmaking workshop, Oct. 8 (Sunday), 14 (Saturday), 15 (Sunday), 1-3 p.m., Jones Garden, (production garden), Enter at Montgomery Avenue & Mcarthur Street

Terrain Biennial PechaKucha, Wednesday, Oct. 11 ,7-9 pm., Ciders From Mars, 121 S. Lewis St., Staunton

Annual Open Studio Event, Saturday, Oct. 28, Starts at 6 p.m., Sanaa Design, 800 W Beverley St., Staunton ,Please RSVP here

Open House, Saturday, Nov. 4, Noon-4 p.m., Staunton Makerspace, 20 S Jefferson St., Staunton

Assemble adobe bricks, Sunday, Nov. 5, Noon-3 p.m., Jones Garden, Enter at Montgomery Avenue and Peck Street

Artists and locations

Kate Simon (stand alone piece will be on display for the duration), Ciders From Mars, 121 S. Lewis St.

Pop-up Artists, Ciders From Mars, 121 S. Lewis St. (check for pop-up dates and times) 

• Tony Black

• Taylor Hanigosky

• Danny Rose

• Gerry Stowers

• Julia Vessey & Angus Carter

• Richard Waddingham

• Elizabeth Wislar

Ellen Reid, 113 W. Beverley St.

Barbara Bernstein, 11 S Augusta Street and 110 W Johnson Street (windows facing the parking lot)

Cecilia Kim, Staunton Augusta Art Center, 20 S New Street,*Film screening, one night only, Friday, Oct. 6, 5-7 p.m.

Danny Rose, Innovation Hub, 32 N. Augusta St.

Elizabeth Wislar, 405 W. Beverley St.

​Jeremy Starn, 407 W. Beverley St.

​Hsini Des,124 Thornrose Ave.

Angus Carter, 1101 W. Johnson St.

Sarah Jones, 1204 W. Johnson St.

Rob Mertens, 982 Kinzley Court

Greg Stewart, 502 Straith St.

​Louella Hill & Molly Schermer, 220 Reservoir Street, *Come by on Sundays — Cyanotype prints will be posted each Sunday, weather permitting. Feel free to take a print as supplies last!

​Michele Crawford & Traci Wile, Jones Garden, at Peck and Montgomery, *VR installation by M. Crawford, *Brickmaking work-in-progress throughout by T. Wile

Christine Anderson, 27 N. Lynnhaven Dr.

Jordan Fust, Art Hive, 835 Spring Hill Road

Phaedra Beauchamp and John Henry, 442 Mountain View Dr., *Stand alone piece by P. Beauchamp on display for the duration, *Pop-up performance by J. Henry at date/time TBD

David Garratt ,Waverley Hill, 3001 North Augusta St., *Limited viewing hours on Saturday & Sunday only 12-4pm

Staunton Makerspace Open House, 20 S. Jefferson St., *One day only on Nov. 4, Noon-4 pm

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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Staunton's pop-up art exhibit, Terrain Biennial, on display throughout Staunton