Reston Century After Party!

 Two guys eating snacks in t-shirts

At the welcome booth selling prints

On August 26th, the Reston Bike Club held their 30th annual Reston Century.  While it rained most of the morning, many of the bikers could not be thwarted and continued pressing on even in the midst of storms.  Afterwards, hundreds met back in Reston Town Center for the after party which included music and delicious catering from Silver Diner (they make a GREAT greek salad, just in case you're planning to dine there anytime soon).

It was great to talk to all of the bikers, sign the t-shirts, and sell prints, and it was unbelievably cool to see my print on the back of 1,200 t-shirts.  Congratulations again to everyone who rode!

10 Collectibles That Aren't a Waste of Money

Check it out!  Mainstreet.com wrote an article about 10 Collectibles That Aren't a Waste of Money...the coolest part?  The last tip!  I was excited to be quoted in this article about limited edition fine art prints.  They really are an economical way to be a bonafide art collector and investor!

30th Anniversary Reston Century

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Reston Bike Club's annual Reston Century, a ride throughout the Northern Virginia area with over 1,200 riders anticipated to be in attendance.  The ride is self-paced, and there are three routes to choose from; 34 miles, 65 miles, and the challenging 103 mile route.  The ride begins at 9 a.m. in Reston Town Center, and an after party begins when the riders return.  Proceeds for the event go to various non-profit organizations.

As part of the ride, participants will receive a free t-shirt, and every year, a prospectus is put out through ArtSpace Herndon to create a painting which will go on the back of each shirt.  This years theme is Leesburg and cycling, and I entered the above painting, "Out for a Ride," into the competition.  I was incredibly honored to find out that it won first prize, and will go on the back of the t-shirts!

I will also be selling prints at the start/finish line at Reston Town Center, so please swing by!  If you're interested in learning more about Reston Bike Club, click here!
 

Cherry Blossoms!

Since I had such a great time painting the last mini, Capitol in the Snow, I decided to go ahead and try my hand at DC in the springtime with my rendition of the Jefferson Memorial during the Cherry Blossom festival.  While it's hard to admit, I have to be honest that having lived in DC my whole life, this past year was the first time I had ever been down to see the festival in person.  As this was the Centennial year for the blossoms, it was the perfect time to be there, and was it ever spectacular.  The pink blossoms look so fluffy and frame the monuments and tidal basin perfectly.  If you haven't been, I highly recommend it!

Above is a 2" x 3.5" oil on canvas.  If you would like a close up of this painting, please visit here:  Cherry Blossoms

Don't Forget! Four Seasons of Oatlands Ends July 31st!

In case you haven't yet visited the Four Seasons of Oatlands Art Show and Sale, make sure to head down there!  The show continues on until July 31st, and viewing the show in the Carriage House is free (and air conditioned!)  Since the grounds are absolutely beautiful this time of year, I highly recommend a trip around the estate and also a guided tour at the Mansion.  Tickets to tour the mansion and garden are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and only $8 for students (6-16).  To learn more, check out the tours at http://www.oatlands.org/visitoatlands/tours.asp

Hope to see you there!

DC Capitol Mini

As you might have already seen, I like to paint big.  I started in murals, then moved to canvas, so when you're used to filling up walls that are 7 ft. high by 15 ft. wide, a 24"x36" canvas doesn't seem like too tall an order.  That said, last December I entered into a "minis" show at Oatlands Plantation, with the largest allowable size being on a 5"x7" canvas.  I thought that there was no way that it would be feasible painting on such a small canvas, but sure enough, I found that I actually enjoyed the attention to detail in the size constraints.  So recently I found myself researching the world of miniature paintings, and realized that many miniature artists groups define a miniature painting as no larger than 25 square inches (ex., 5"x5").

Having had a photo of the Capitol in the snow that I absolutely loved, I decided to give an even smaller mini a whirl.  How small you ask?  2.5"x3.5" and I can honestly say I had fun painting every bit of it.  I especially love the scene; not only is it a gorgeous view of an area I grew up close to, its a reminder of the beautiful snowstorm we got a couple years ago that left the DC metro area blanketed in up to 75" of snow, a record breaking season for many cities.

If you would like to see a close up of the painting, click here:  Landscapes

Hope you enjoy!

Fourteenth Annual Four Seasons of Oatlands Art Show & Sale

Photo courtesy of Oatlands.org

Every year, the carriage house at Oatlands Plantation transforms itself into a unique gallery filled with works by artists all over the region.  I am honored to be showing a couple pieces there this year, and am really excited to see the transformed space!  Last year was my first time entering into Oatlands and it was a wonderful time (you can read the recap from last years show here).  Admission to the show is free, and there is a preview party July 1st, which is open to patrons and all friends of the artists.  Let me know if you want to come!

What:  Fourteenth Annual Four Seasons of Oatlands Art Show & Sale

When:  July 2nd - 31st

Preview Party Sunday, July 1st 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Where:  Oatlands Plantation Carriage House

20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane Leesburg, VA 20175

Why: Because it'll be a blast!

Hope to see you there!