great falls art studio tour

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19th Annual Great Falls Studio Tour

Tour: Friday, October 21 through Sunday, October 23 from 10am to 5pm

More information here.

Art Enthusiast Interests Surge Post Covid Isolation

With the 19 th annual Great Falls Studios Tour on the horizon, the “number of artists joining the membership organization has increased dramatically”, says GFS President Linda Jones.  Several of new member artists will be showing art in their studios on the Tour for the first time this year.

Interest in attending and participating in annual art events has surged as the CDC has rescinded COVID restrictions on group activities. Artists around the DMV have noticed the public’s increasing desire to be around artwork, which they attribute to a yearning for new visual stimulation after feeling cooped up for so long. People are hungry for emotional (and physical) escape, inspiration and, sometimes, decorating ideas.

Every October for the past eighteen years, artists and artisans living along the winding country roads of Great Falls, Virginia have opened their studio doors to the public. Visitors meet potters, printmakers, painters, jewelry makers, photographers, and sculptors, all working away in their own creative habitats. The Tour offers an opportunity to enjoy the work of 34 artists in 24 widely varied artist studio settings; ranging from repurposed milk and orchard houses on a centuries-old farm to a newly built contemporary loft set near a mid-century home.

New member artist Pamela Arent’s studio sits near a spring fed pond that features great blue herons regularly fishing for lunch. Pamela uses a variety of mediums to create colorful works that play with patterns, layers, fluidity and form.  Her pieces on paper combine ink, watercolor and drawn lines in deliberate and delicate washes which many find reminiscent of maps.

Another new artist on the Tour is Jenn Griffith describes her 1974 house as looking “like a cross between a Pizza Hut and a lunar landing base.”  But she says that the beautiful, stained-glass domed foyer with two large studios on either side sold them on the house when they bought it a year ago.  Jenn and her husband are both creative types, who love having one studio for her eclectic art (which includes painting, mosaic table making, fiber art and Ukranian psanky egg dying) and another for her musician husband.

Lead sponsors of the Studio Tour this year are TD Bank Great Falls, Brightview Assisted Living Facility in Great Falls — which will be doubling as a tour stop with artists displaying their art — and Moss Building and Design.  Moss helped Parinaz Bahadori, an architect-turned-artist, rebuild her farm-house style home and turn a horse barn into a working studio with a large gallery area.  Parinaz, who has been on the Tour for several years, will be exhibiting her mixed media paintings and demonstrating her collage technique at 4pm each day.

The primary purpose of Studio Tour is educational.  While artists will have work available for sale, the organization’s main objective is to provide a wide array of family-friendly demonstrations and hands-on experiences over the course of the 3-day event.  New member Sandi Buffie will be demonstrating metal-working and jewelry designs; Begonia Morton will teach a painting-with-wine technique; Jennifer Duncan will show how to create an accordion sketchbook; Cindy Grisdela will give live quilting demonstrations; Dorry Emmer will be leading daily garden tours; Robin Smith will help guests try their hand at throwing pottery on a wheel;  Will Tuthill will offer hand-pulled printmaking demos on his antique press; and other artists will demonstrate their widely varying painting styles.

A visit to Jan Heginbotham’s recently custom-built studio will feature oil and gouache paintings, as well as bronze and plaster sculptures.  Jan, who has worked as a classically trained, award-winning sculptor for 30+ years, expanded her repertoire to include painting 8 years ago. Her work straddles the line between realism and abstraction.

Always a highlight on the GF Studios Tour is Hidden Springs Farm.  Owner Laura Nichols — a well-known local potter and founder of the organization — will be working on her wheel and conducting several different types of “firings,” including: raku, saggar, obvara, and naked raku. On Saturday afternoon, Great Falls Studios member Jody Grossman will be at the Farm conducting an Indigo dyeing, allowing visitors to participate with their own fabric, and Nichol’s daughter Jenny will be demonstrating her use of ink and stamps to create prints, cards and textile pieces.

Three working multi-artist studio spaces near the center of Great Falls village will be overflowing with new work and activities. The Artists’ Atelier, which has been a fixture in town for eight years, houses 9 artists.  The art of several other artists will be on exhibit at Artists on the Green and the Artists’ Loft, also on the Village Green.

A piece of art from each participating artist will be displayed at the Great Falls Community Library, where an “advance” peak at the work of each Tour artist will be available the whole month of October. For a full-day Great Falls village experience, visit one of the many fantastic local restaurants or pubs for lunch and dinner.

Visit the Great Falls Studios website at www.GreatFallsStudios.com to plan your art route.  The site has a new section with images and descriptions of work by all of the artists on the tour. A downloadable map and brochure will be available online as we get close to the Tour weekend, or just pick up a brochure at the Great Falls Community Library or at any stop along the tour.

If you share the wide-spread urge to escape from your hum-drum, come enjoy quiet autumnal beauty while visiting with the talented and creative artists of the Great Falls, Virginia area on a self-driving tour.

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Great Falls Studio Free Art Tour This Weekend

Driving tour to artist studios open to the public..

Tour map 2023, See www.greatfallsstudios.com for addresses

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

The Great Falls Studio Tour is celebrating its 20th anniversary. This coming weekend, 42 artists will take part in the free and open-to-the-public tour happening from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20, through Sunday, Oct. 22.

Artists will give live demonstrations and exhibit their work in multi-artist studios at Great Falls Village Center and in private home studios throughout the Great Falls community. 

“The tour provides insight into each artist's life, art practice, and studio location,” said Meralee Fredenburgh, executive director of The Arts of Great Falls. 

“Many of the tour artists offer activities where visitors can try their hand at painting, jewelry making, or wheel throwing,” she said.

The Great Falls Studio Tour is a must-see for art lovers of all ages. Painting, jewelry-making, pottery, mixed media, fiber, printmaking, photography, clothing, wood, and others are examples of artwork media.

Tourgoers may leave with a new piece of art to hang on the wall to wear, or they may be inspired to take a class and start their own artistic journey. Whether the plan is to visit a few studios or “make it a day, there are nearby lunch locations. Among them is the Great Falls Studio Tour's silver sponsor, Our Mom Eugenia, located in Great Falls.

The gold sponsors for the 20th annual Great Falls Studio Tour are Lori Shafran of Yeonas & Shafran Real Estate and TD Bank. OVivid Chill and Great Dogs of Great Falls are the other silver sponsors.

Tourgoers navigate from studio to studio using an interactive GPS site and can pick up a printed tour brochure with a map at any tour stop. Meet the artists and  Download the 2023 Studio Tour Brochure  at www.greatfallsstudios.com/studio-tour-2023-home.

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2022 Great Falls Studio Art Tour: Celebrates creativity

Story by Mercia Hobson

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Meralee Fredenburgh, the new executive director of The Arts of Great Falls, reported the studio broke records left and right during the Great Falls Studio, among them single-day attendance. 

"On Saturday, day two of the tour, we had 318 visitors, a record 20 percent increase," she said.

Activity choices during the tour proved abundant. They ranged from wood carving, metalsmithing, painting, and quilting demonstrations to participatory activities such as wheel-throwing pottery and painting with wine on paper. Visitors chatted with the diverse group of painters, potters, photographers, jewelry makers, fiber artists, sculptors, and others representing a variety of media. They participated in raffles for original works and made purchases of art.

Longtime photographer Walt Lawrence broke the record for the number of pieces sold, selling 18 works. Lawrence is retiring this year after choosing for years to concentrate his photographic works on Great Falls and the Potomac River areas.

https://www.greatfallsstudios.com/

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2022 Great Falls Studio Art Tour: Celebrates creativity

A rtist Parinaz Ziai Bahadori displays her acrylic on canvas work "Too Darn Hot" in her home studio, a renovated barn. Paranaz donates ten percent of the purchase price to refugees. She is joined by Guiti Shahabadi of McLean and Mae Villacortes of Fairfax. Photo by Mercia Hobson .

By Mercia Hobson

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Meralee Fredenburgh, the new executive director of The Arts of Great Falls, reported the studio broke records left and right during the Great Falls Studio, among them single-day attendance. 

"On Saturday, day two of the tour, we had 318 visitors, a record 20 percent increase," she said.

Activity choices during the tour proved abundant. They ranged from wood carving, metalsmithing, painting, and quilting demonstrations to participatory activities such as wheel-throwing pottery and painting with wine on paper. Visitors chatted with the diverse group of painters, potters, photographers, jewelry makers, fiber artists, sculptors, and others representing a variety of media. They participated in raffles for original works and made purchases of art.

Longtime photographer Walt Lawrence broke the record for the number of pieces sold, selling 18 works. Lawrence is retiring this year after choosing for years to concentrate his photographic works on Great Falls and the Potomac River areas.

https://www.greatfallsstudios.com/

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Contents of this site are © Copyright 2024 Ellington. All rights reserved.

Sun, Oct 22

Great Falls

20th Annual Great Falls Studios Art Tour Exhibit

The Artists' Atelier Studio Tour exhibit in The Arts of Great Falls Gallery.

Time & Location

Oct 22, 2023, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Great Falls, 756 Walker Rd, Great Falls, VA 22066, USA

About The Event

STUDIO TOUR 2023

20th Annual Studio Tour

Friday, October 20 - Sunday, October 22

10am - 5pm  |  Great Falls, Virginia

How it works 

Choose your own adventure! It’s up to you where you go and who you see. Check out the tour map to see where you can find the artists, when they’re available and what activities you can experience. Will you create your own “Painter’s Tour”? Or will you make a day of it and see everyone on Saturday? Look out for our road signs; they’ll lead you to each studio. 

Explore activities 

Ever wondered what goes on the mind of a woodworker? Or how thrilling throwing your own pottery could feel? Or just want peruse in the creativity that's in your backyard? Don't miss out on anything! Be sure to check out the artists' activities before you head out the door to make this the most memorable art experience.

Meet the artists 

During the tour you’ll meet a unique and diverse group of artists who are excited to share their vision and engage you in the creative process. Visit artists in unique and unusual studios like remodeled barns, historic farms, converted garages, contemporary and traditional homes, group studios, and even a church! Take in the full spectrum of styles and mediums and share in the joy of creativity.

Visit the website for a list of participating artists, maps, and activities planned. 

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