Current and Upcoming Exhibitions
2026 Art Opening Dates
November 2026
Open House & Artist Reception:
Friday, November 20, 2026, 5pm – 8pm
Exhibition Dates: Friday, November 20, 2026 – Sunday, January 3, 2027
Join in the festivities and savor delectable drinks, scrumptious food at Lulabelle's, and entrancing music. The event on Friday, November 20, 2026, is the perfect place to explore our latest exhibitions and potentially discover your next favorite artist.
We’re excited to unveil our new exhibitions at our November 2026 Open House + Artist Reception!
This special event promises a delightful showcase of creativity and inspiration, featuring:
🌽 Gallery Member Exhibition — “Cornucopia”
Our members celebrate abundance, creativity, and the many forms art can take.
🖼️ Juried All-Media Exhibition
One of our ever-popular exhibitions, featuring an exciting variety of artistic styles, mediums, and perspectives.
✨ Special Exhibitions
John Balasa
Doug Mock and Students
“The Unexpected”, a themed exhibition presented by Helene Ruiz
Join us as we celebrate our artists, discover new work, and enjoy an evening filled with art, community, and inspiration.
Mark your calendar and come experience the unexpected! 🥂🎨
GALLERY TALK AT 6PM
Keep the art—and the evening—going!
After enjoying the Crossroads Art Center Art Opening, head over to Lulabelle’s for a special fall evening filled with art, flavor, and fun.
4:00–6:00 PM | Happy Hour
Ease into the evening with seasonal appetizers and happy hour drinks in a relaxed, festive atmosphere.
6:30 PM | The Mood Shifts…
Settle in for a fun, artsy sit-down dinner celebrating the colors and flavors of fall.
The evening will feature delicious selections from Lulabelle’s daily menu, along with a few special seasonal dishes created just for the occasion.
🍷 Sip. Savor. Celebrate.
🎨 From art on the walls to art on the plate.
Friday, November 20
Happy Hour: 4–6 PM
Artsy Dinner: 6:30 PM — RSVP Required - (804) 658-3617 lulabellesrva@gmail.com
https://www.lulabellesrva.com/
CORNUCOPIA
A Fall Evening of Art, Food & Friends
Two Featured Special Exhibitions
Doug Mock is also the juror for the 2026 November All Media Exhibition at Crossroads Art Center (CAC).
Doug Mock is an award-winning watercolor artist and teacher living in White Stone, Virginia. Born in 1966 in Central Pennsylvania he was raised in a small dairy farming community where strong work ethic, love of family and appreciation of nature were of major importance. Doug is mostly self-taught, with significant influence by figurative watercolorist Mary Whyte. Mock creates art inspired by people and nature. His work is characterized by unique design, bold color and creative subject matter. Capturing life’s simple moments, Doug’s art connects with collectors on an emotional level. Doug has been juried into and regularly appears in shows and exhibitions throughout the United States. His work is appreciated and can be found in private collections throughout the country. He is a member of prominent watercolor organizations and is a signature member of the Virginia Watercolor Society and the Southern Watercolor Society.
Artist Statement: “I paint watercolors that awaken memories of our youthful exuberance and happiness. People in their natural environment inspire all that I love as an artist. I capture life's simplicity and innocence by using the beauty and playfulness of color and light to bring you joy...to make you smile!”
John Balasa
ABOUT JOHN BALASA
Born in 1951 in Peterreve, part of Hungary prior to the treaty of Trianon of 1920. Attended vocational school from 1967 to 1969 as a decorative painter. I immigrated to the United States in 1972 and resided in New York. Worked with interior decorators, predominately in Manhattan, on up-scale jobs. Residing in Virginia since 1981, with wife Agnes and three children Erica, Jonathan, and Gabriella. I have been working for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for over twenty years. I have a full range of expertise in marbleizing, wood graining, gold leafing, glazing, etc. Some of my work can be seen in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Chrysler Museum, and historical places; Shadwell House in Charlottesville (built by Peter Jefferson), Robert E. Lee chapel in Lexington, Virginia, Chippokes plantation, and many private residential homes. Since 1989, I have been conducting workshops on painted finishes (faux finish). In 1997, I seriously began to paint as a fine arts painter. Although predominately self-taught, I have been painting under Ken Hudler, a fine portrait painter. I have studied under and continue to collaborate with Toth Gabor of Hungary, a true renaissance painter, my mentor and friend.
My inspirations come from the old masters, whose work is mystical. Painting seems easy until you know about painting, then it becomes harder and harder. This is a driving force for the artist. You never know enough. Once an old master said in his late 70's, "now I'm beginning to understand what I was doing all along." I hope God will give me some time to improve and maybe one day I can create the ideal painting
My political and financial paintings are done in Trompe L'oeil style, where I can make it look like pin-ups, or cut outs from newspapers, etc. It mainly reflects political events, for example my painting that I sold, adoption of the 51st state of the United States, could be interpreted as for or against the political mood in the United States of America or predictions for the future. The flying dollar reflects the economic despair, unfortunately so far it is true to today's events, and it is a very powerful statement. As an artist, I present it to you, for your own judgment.
“Crossroads Art Center provides a venue for artists with a wide range of perspectives. Views expressed in individual artworks are those of the artist and do not necessarily represent the views of Crossroads Art Center.”
EXHIBITION THEME: The Unexpected
Presented by Helene Ruiz
The Unexpected is a group exhibition featuring visual artists whose works challenge traditional expectations in material, process, and perception. This exhibition invites the audience to experience creativity that defies the predictable — works born from experimentation, repurposing, accident, and intuition. Each piece represents an act of discovery, emphasizing the beauty and tension that emerge when artists step beyond conventional boundaries.
This exhibition celebrates those moments when art becomes a surprise — to both the creator and the viewer. Whether through the use of nontraditional or discarded materials, the transformation of everyday objects, painting on unconventional surfaces, or the embrace of unexpected outcomes, The Unexpected reveals how innovation and imagination thrive when there are no limits or rules.
PURPOSE AND VISION
The exhibition aims to:
Encourage artists to explore materials and ideas in unorthodox ways.
Engage audiences in a visual dialogue about transformation, adaptability, and creative risk-taking.
Highlight the diversity of artistic voices and approaches.
Inspire new ways of seeing value and meaning in what is often overlooked or unintended.
November Gallery Member Exhibition Themed: “Cornucopia”
Our ever-popular Gallery Member exhibition is being held this month -- live in-house and online with the theme: “Cornucopia”. This show is a Gallery Members Only Exhibit. Become a gallery member today! https://www.crossroadsartcenter.com/pages/gallery-membership
Crossroads Art Center invites artists to celebrate the richness of life, creativity, and seasonal bounty in “Cornucopia,” a themed exhibition inspired by the symbol of overflowing abundance. Traditionally tied to harvest celebrations, the cornucopia represents nourishment, gratitude, generosity, and the beauty found in nature’s plenty.
This show embraces all interpretations of abundance—literal, symbolic, emotional, or abstract. From harvest imagery and natural textures to metaphorical fullness, personal prosperity, vibrant color palettes, or overflowing composition, we welcome artwork that speaks to richness in all its forms.
Theme Inspiration
Harvest scenes, fruits, vegetables, florals, and natural bounty
Textures of autumn, orchards, fields, seasons, and earth
Symbols of gratitude, generosity, and abundance
Still life arrangements bursting with color and form
Metaphorical or emotional “fullness”
Cultural or mythological interpretations of the horn of plenty
Abstract expressions of overflow, energy, vibrancy, or richness
Your work may be traditional, contemporary, whimsical, or conceptual—just let it celebrate “plenty.”
November 2026 All Media Show
All Media Juried Exhibit: There is no theme for this exhibition. Accepted work will be shown LIVE at Crossroads Art Center, as well as Online on the website.
This is a juried show.
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Crossroads Art Center hosts a bi-monthly call for entries for the Juried All-Media Show with cash prize awards. Come explore the selected artworks showcasing local artists and their mastery of form, color, and medium.
Featured Exhibition Dates: Friday, November 20, 2026 – Sunday, January 3, 2027
Featured Exhibition Open House and Artists Reception Date: Friday, November 20, 2026, 5pm – 8pm
Featured Exhibition Hours: Tuesdays– Saturdays, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Noon – 4:00pm Sundays