“Artists on the Green” Studio. Photo by Gail Pèan
Great Falls Studios 2014 Studio Tour
Now in its eleventh year, the Great Falls Studios 2014 Studio Tour will take place on three days, October 17-19 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day. It’s a free self-guided driving tour to visit 50 artists in their own creative spaces—from a rustic farmhouse to a contemporary loft, from a converted garage to a contemporary home.
The multi-artist venues are all on Walker Road, including the studio and gallery of Artists on the Green, tucked in the original Village Green on Walker Road, the AHH! (Art Happens Here) Studio located north of the intersection of Walker Road and Georgetown Pike, and the Artists’ Atelier situated in an airy loft at the intersection of Walker Road and Colvin Mill Road.
The Tour Headquarters will be at the Great Falls Community Library, where there will be an example of the work of each artist on the tour. Visitors may sign in to win Art Bucks valued at $50 toward the purchase of art during the tour. Go to the Great Falls Studios website at www.GreatFallsStudi… to plan your visit.
"Artists on the Green," a local cooperative Studio and Gallery, is located in the Great Falls Village Centre in Great Falls next to Jinny Beyer Quilts. Founded in May of 2013 by five artists — Gail Pèan, Layla Gray, Connie Costello, Tom Stack and Mary Nesbitt — the artists' studio is a cooperative workplace that provides a gallery for 12 local artists. Their charter agreement and lease were signed on a bench on the Village Green hence their name "Artists on the Green." Other local artist members include Coty Dickson of Great Falls, and Leslie Anthony of Reston, Yoshiko Doherty of Vienna, Stephanie Pickens of Ashburn, Donna Moseley of Clifton, Moses Rayo and Aliyah Pandolfi of Great Falls.
Each full-time member has designated floor and wall space. Associate members share space and can opt for gallery wall space. A percentage of sales and teaching fees goes to support the studio. The artists have bonded over painting and decorating the studio when they moved in and have continually made space adaptations as they prosper.
Molly Hockman of Great Falls and friend and neighbor of Stack is their volunteer business manager who handles their expenses and rent payment. This frees the artists to spend their time creating and not worrying about the administrative paperwork.
Artists on the Green also hosts guest artist workshops and classes for the members who seek to learn more. On Thursday mornings artist Kurt Schwarz provides instruction and guidance to the members after teaching at the Torpedo Factory on Wednesdays in Alexandria. Trisha Adams held a "Loosen Up" workshop and will provide another in December. These sessions filled up immediately after being advertised to non-member artists. They have been so successful that they are starting a waiting list of associate members.
During the upcoming 11th Annual GFS Studio Tour, Dickson will be teaching children and adults how to paint and provide them with canvases they may take home. Anthony will be painting a crazy cow. Pèan will demonstrate impasto pallet knife painting. Gray will create a landscape painting.
Observers will have the chance to watch the "Alla Prima" process over the three days to see paintings from sketch to completion. "Alla Prima," which comes from Italian is the term for painting wet on wet and not allowing time to dry the painting. Artists will be there to answer questions about their finished paintings and techniques.
They welcome visitors to observe them painting and browse the selection of original oil paintings whenever they are there but especially during the upcoming GFSStudio tour Oct. 17-19.They are #14 on the Green GFSStudio Tour map next to Adler Jewelers and the Brogue. Visit their website at www.artistsonthegreen.net for more info and photos.