This sweet little pen and ink on hand made paper, entitled "Dog in Repose" sold this month at Gallery Underground. I am so happy this little dachshund has found a good home. I did a series of sketches a while back of a friends beloved dachshund, Max. He has since gone on to dog heaven but is not to be forgotten... a little dog with a big personality! I love doing these pen and ink sketches, because it is challenging to distill an image (or a dogs personality) down to a few strokes of the pen! My challenge is always to see how few stokes I can make. 

Well, I am pretty excited that my painting, "Across the Universe" won FOURTH PLACE in the Audi Arlington Art Showcase held this week. You might say "Fourth Place?, no big deal" but I was excited because I was up against some amazing Arlington Artists Alliance artists (not to mention the really great, up and coming Art Institute of Washington Artists), but I was also awarded a cash prize! Pretty unusual these days... 

Really what was great was the amazing support that the Rosenthal Automotive Group showed community artists by letting us participate in this contest. And, I am sooooo proud of my fellow Arlington Artists Alliance members, Dana Saxerud for her third place winner, and Nancy Murphree Davis and Pattee Hipschen for the tie for first place. Fabulous artists, all! 

It's getting cold outside and the Holidays are right around the corner, and I hate going to the Mall! Good thing there are some wonderful pop-up Shoppertunities in the area! I am showing my artwork (and doing my holiday shopping!) at the following:

Holiday House at Ft. CF Smith, 2411 N. 24th St, Arlington VA 22207

This lovely turn of the century house has been turned into a boutique filled with hand-crafted items such as: jewelry, ornaments, scarfs, pottery, mittens, stuffed animals, artist made cards, prints, glass platters, table runners, prints, candle sticks and baskets.

Saturday, Dec 7th 10am-5pm
Sunday 8th Noon-5pm
Wednesday, 11th Noon-8pm
Saturday, 14th 10am-5pm
Sunday, 15th Noon-5pm

Art and Frame of Falls Church, 111 Park Avenue, Falls Church, VA 22046

Is holding it's 4th Annual Holiday Show. This local favorite frame shop not only does beautiful framing work, but the owner, Tom Gittens, is a huge supporter of the arts. This holiday show features the work of 30 artists, all from the Falls Church community. Lots of lovely artwork, and fabulous pottery, plus unique artist made items. Open Monday through Saturday 10am to 6pm.

Stifel & Capra, 260 West Broad St, Falls Church VA, 22046

This one-of-a-kind shop is loaded with treasures for you and the ones you love! It features local art and artisan wares, as well as vintage goodies that are perfect for those that are hard to shop for. And did I mention the Sale Room in the old sun porch? While you are there please stop by my studio/gallery space upstairs! I've got some "small" items like ornaments and magnets that are perfect for stocking stuffers. Holiday Hours: Mon-Wed 10am-6pm, Thurs-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm and Sun 1-5pm.

River Farm Garden Shop, East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308

And finally, a wonderful tucked away gift and garden shop that is worth the effort to find… located in a beautiful garden along the Potomac River, it is open to the public! The gardens are open Monday through Friday 9am-5pm, but the gift shop is only open on Tuesdays through Thursdays from 11am-2pm. For gardeners, this well curated shop has a great book selection, some hand tools, and orther gardener favorites, as well as garden-related notecards, prints and pottery. And your purchases help support the American Horticultural Society!

 

Artful Weekend 
Presented by the Arlington Artists Alliance 
Hendry House, Ft. CF Smith Park 
2411 24th Street North 
Arlington, VA 22207 
November 22 - November 24, 2013 

I will be at the Reception on Friday, November 22nd from 6 until 8pm... hope you can stop by and say "hello"! 
 
Arlington Artists Alliance will present the 10th Annual "Artful Weekend" at the 
Hendry House, Ft. CF Smith. The weekend art show and sale features the works 
of over 30 Arlington-based artists, and includes paintings of many genres, 
ceramics, sculpture, artists cards, unframed works and more. The Opening Reception will be held on Friday, November 22nd from 6-8pm, and the show will be open 10am-5pm Saturday, November 23rd and 12 noon-4pm on Sunday, November 24th. The Stardust Dance Band will be providing music on Sunday from 1-3pm. Meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments in the historic 1902 Hendry House. Free and open to the public. 

Dominion Hills Craft Show, a local favorite, is on the horizon for this Saturday. I always look forward to seeing so many friends each year at this fun event. 

Here's the info: 
The tenth annual Dominion Hills Fall Craft Show will present 12 local and regional artisans featuring: paintings, jewelry, fine woodturning, papercutting, stationery, scarves, pottery, bath and body products, felted jewelry and sweets. Admission is free and all are welcome. Come and browse these original, handcrafted works for unique and reasonably priced gifts for the holidays... or for yourself!

Saturday, November 2 from 10am-5pm
Dominion Hills Community House
6000 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22205
FREE admission

Thanks to all my friends, neighbors and patrons who stopped by my Studio today... it was fun visiting with you all, and meeting some new friends, too! I enjoyed myself, and got lots of artwork done, too.... I started on a new "Leaf Painting" (gingko leaves)!, a new watercolor of the beach, and am finishing up a "Leaf Painting" (caladiums) and a "Common Threads" painting. I sold a wonderful new painting "Moonrise" to patrons, and I know it now has a good home! 

I will be working some more in the Studio tomorrow, Sunday, October 26th from 10am - 5pm... Stop by for a tour, and to see the latest!

I am gearing up for the 3rd Annual Arlington Artists Alliance Studio Tour, THIS WEEKEND! Have organized my studio, cleaned the windows, hung my latest paintings on the wall and gotten some refreshments! I will be in my studio working and demonstrating on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-5pm. Stop on by! 1301 N. Quintana  Street Arlington VA 22205

Here's the official announcement:

Free:  3rd Annual Art Studio Tour -Arlington Artists Alliance

October 26 & 27, 2013, 10-5pm Saturday & Sunday

Preview-Reception- Friday, October 25, 2013, 5-8 pm at the Gallery Underground 2100 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA.  Visit our gallery in Crystal City, meet the artists, share a glass of wine, pick up a map and plan your trip.  Free parking, & close to Crystal City Metro Stop.  Two dozen artists of the Arlington Artists Alliance invite you into their private studiospaces. Visit each artist; observe how they work, where they work and the tools they use. Maps can be downloaded from our website:   arlingtonartistsalliance.org click on Events tab.  

Thursday, October 17th is gearing up to be an Artful time in Falls Church! First we have "Third Thursdays" at Stifel & Capra, when all the artists come out to play. I'll be there from 6 to 7pm...This "closed door" event is a fun way to get to see the shop and the artists at work. All are invited, but you must RSVP to be admitted. Here's more info:

Creativity Abounds
Our featured artists Jim & Maureen George will be here
Holly of Handbasket Yarns will be spinning
Diane Felice will be demonstrating PMC jewelry making
The art table will be open to play on 
&
Bob is doing a pie demo, yes, a pie demo.
Admission is free but you MUST rsvp to attend.
Bring a friend!
3rdThursday@stifelandcapra.com 


After that.... head on over to the Opening Reception for the Fall Church Art juried show: ArtisTREE. I am pleased to say that one of my pieces was juried in, and so I will be at the Reception from 7 to 8pm. I hope you can make it too! Here are the details on that!

The nights are cooler, the sun sets earlier, the leaves are starting to change color.... And I start looking at leaves I want to paint! Really, as I am walking along, all of a sudden I look down and see leaf shapes and patterns, so I pick them up and make my watercolor monotype paintings that I like to call Leaf Impressions. 

"Sycamore" which is printed from a HUGE Sycamore leaf, will be on exhibit at the Gallery Underground for the month of October. 

I love painting these Leaf Impressions, because there is that unknown element.... the mystery and surprise of not quite knowing what the outcome will be. Here's a Painting Demo how I do it....