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“Elemental” Opening Reception
Local artist, Georgia Nassikas is having a solo exhibition of her work, entitled “Elemental” during the month of March. Her paintings are beautiful and you should definitely stop by if you hav ea chance. Opening Reception & Meet The Artist: March 8, 6:30 – 8:30 pm Using beeswax from her own hives, artist Georgia Nassikas creates intriguing textures and layered surfaces in her encaustic paintings. Her intricate, abstracted landscapes acutely capture the ephemeral quality of light...
read moreAnnie Leibovitz Show
Annie Leibovitz, best known for her photos of celebrities, has a show at the Museum of American Art that does not feature a single celebrity or person. Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage focuses on American places and remnants of artists who shaped this country and her own work. Among the 64 photos, you will see photos of Ansel Adams’ studio, Georgia O’Keefe’s pastel crayons, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and Charles Darwin’s research specimens. These images are combined with landscapes of Niagara Falls, Walden Pond, Old Faithful, and the...
read moreDay Trip To Harpers Ferry
During the holiday break my father-in-law was visiting and since he is a history buff, we decided to take him to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia for a day trip. It is only 75 miles from Alexandria and it was a great way to spend the day! The historic town area sits on the point where the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers meet up and it has beautiful views all around. Harpers Ferry, made famous by John Brown’s raid on the Armory in 1859 and its role in the American Civil War is now a historical landmark that offers a great look at history plus...
read moreArt Fest 2011
Next weekend will give you another great opportunity to buy local gifts for your holiday season at the Art League’s Annual ArtFest! This popular open house will let you purchase local ceramics, pottery, artwork and jewelry starting on Friday, December 2nd and running through the weekend. The Art League’s Madison Annex is located at 305 Madison Street in Old Town and the ArtFest will feature artist demos, exhibits, live music, food and drinks plus the opportunity to shop a wide variety of ceramics, pottery and jewelry in every price level....
read moreTwo Ways to See Andy Warhol
Two museums downtown, the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian’sHirshhorn Museum, have shows featuring Andy Warhol that will give you a great look into the artist’s work. The National Gallery of Art opened its first Warhol exhibit in September and the show explores the artist’s obsession and use of news headlines in his artwork. The Hirshhorn displays Andy Warhols’s “Shadows,” a 450-foot-long installation in the round. This marks the first time all of Warhol’s 102 abstract “shadows” have been...
read moreThe Art League
By Torey Vanek When I moved to the Alexandria area a few years ago, I wanted to find a place to take art courses or workshops on the weekends or evenings. Alexandria has such a great art scene and I was excited when I heard about The Art League. The Art League is both a charitable and non-profit educational institution and offers classes in all the fine arts and many crafts. Last summer, I decided to sign up for the Silk Screen Printing course that is taught by local print maker Nancy McIntyre and it was fantastic. I received my...
read moreThe Torpedo Factory Art Center October 2011
The Torpedo Factory Art Center is undoubtedly one of the coolest places to hang out. They always have amazing exhibits, and the fact that the shows are generally Judged, and show works from around the world just makes it that more interesting. The current show in Alexandria is of Masks, and they are having a workshop this weekend for people who want to make Masks, and then they are having a reception on the 13th. It’s amazing to realize that over 500,000 people visit the The Torpedo Factory Art Center on the Alexandria’s...
read moreBed and Breakfasts Near Old Town
There’s really just one Bed and Breakfast in Old Town. Peake-Fairfax House is a Federal home located in Old Town. It only has two bedroom suites available, but there’s not a first floor bedroom. It has a door that faces Cameron Street, that leads to the library. The library is open to guests. The other door leads to the private residence. It has a formal dining room, where guests have breakfast. This home is furnished with beautiful antiques, oil paintings, Persian carpets and a private walled garden The kitchen wing...
read moreWonderful Weekend Getaway
If you are looking for a quick getaway check out Bedford Springs Resort and Spa. Located in Bedford, Pennslyvania, about two and a half hours from DC its easy to get to and well worth the trip. It’s similar in style and charm to The Greenbrier and The Homestead but smaller and more reasonably priced. During its hey day the hotel hosted numerous presidents and dignitaries who would come to take in the natural spring water and stay all summer. By 1986 the hotel had fallen on tough times and the owners went into bankruptcy. It sat...
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