Events and Programs

The LABOR DAY SHOW, RAL’s signature event, began in the 1960s and kept growing. It runs six days, ending on Labor Day each year.  The show involves hundreds of community volunteers. Its fame has spread far beyond the Northern Neck.  The 2011 Show is scheduled from Wednesday, August 31 through Monday September 5, and will be held in the auditorium and hall gallery of Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury. The show is open without jurying to the first 200 or so pieces of art entered.  When available, the Prospectus and Entry Forms will be available here or at the Studio Gallery.  Directions to Rappahannock Westminster- Canterbury from Kilmarnock are south 3.2 miles on Route 200 (Irvington Road) turn left on Route 646 (Old Salem Road)and go 0.9 miles to Lancaster Drive and RWC.  From White Stone, go 1.0 miles north on Route 3 (Mary Ball Road) and turn left on Route 646 (Old Salem Road) and go 1.0 miles to Lancaster Drive and RWC.  From Irvington, go 1.0 miles north on Route 200 (Irvington Road) and turn right on Route 646 (Old Salem Road) and go 0.9 miles to Lancaster Drive and RWC.

EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP - Each year the RAL sponsors, with support from Rappahannock Foundation for the Arts, the Lancaster County All School Art Show and furnishes judges from among the professional artists at RAL. $600 grants are given to art departments of the nine public schools in the three counties and to Chesapeake Academy and Northern Neck Boys and Girls Club.  Art Development Scholarships of $300 to $500 are awarded to local students studying art at the college level.  To get more information and an application form, click HERE.  Visual Arts Scholarships of $1,000 are granted to local students majoring in visual arts at accredited colleges, universities or art institutes.  To get more information and an application, click HERE.  Summer Fun Art Camps are sponsored in Lancaster, Middlesex and Northumberland Counties for artists six years old and up with scholarships for kids who need them.  To apply for a Summer Fun Art Camp scholarship, see art teachers or call 436-9309 for registration.

EXHIBIT OPENING RECEPTIONS  are held at the Studio Gallery on the first Friday of each month when there is a show opening.   Open to the public and frequented by artists and other RAL members, receptions are an excellent opportunity to share the art experience.

MONTHLY ART FORUMS for members and the public are held the 4th Monday of each month September through May, except for December, when a Holiday luncheon is enjoyed in lieu of a meeting.  An annual picnic is scheduled every June.   After a brief business meeting, an informative and entertaining lecture, demonstration, film or slide show is presented by a guest speaker, usually a curator or artist from out of town.  Click Here for a summary of 2011 programs.  These programs are of great interest to both artists and those who appreciate art but are not themselves makers of art.

THE EXHIBIT ROOM  The Gallery’s 18’ x 36’ Exhibit Room is home to a variety of month-long exhibits. In October, for the second year, the league will sponsor a juried invitational art show there, inviting other arts groups to join them. Twice a year an exhibit honors one or two of our highly accomplished artists.   Several open membership shows encourage artists not regularly exhibiting in the gallery to show their work.  Spring brings several exhibits of Children’s Art from local schools and in November we usually show the work of our adult classes.  Occasionally we collaborate with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs, the Lancaster Historical Society and the Virginia Pen Women to bring in special exhibits.  Click 2011 for the current schedule.

 COMMUNITY EXHIBITS

In addition to the Labor Day Show and the exhibits in the Exhibit Room and gallery windows, there are Rappahannock Art League exhibits throughout the community.  Some of these feature a specific artist or a group of artists and some are public places where RAL artists hang their work together.

Lancaster Community Library is coordinated by Naomi Myrick, and features a different artist or group each month.  Upcoming exhibitors for the Lancaster Library for November and December 2010 Calendar year 2011 January through December is as follows:

November -	Jeremy Piell
December -	Alfie Butts
January -	Tuesday Painting Group
February -	Jeff Warren
March -	Sue Ramsey
April -	Ron Cox
May -	Lancaster Schools
June -	Monday Portrait/Life Drawing
July -	Barbara Kershner
August -	Matt Johnston
September -	Experimental Painting Group
October -	Anita Baker
November	Mary Ellis
December	Ann Vliet

Northumberland Public Library is coordinated by Sally Vinroot at 580-4591 and srvinroot@gmail.com and Jackie Freeman ar 529-6547.  Features a different artist or group each month.  Artists may sell their works and are encouraged to have an Opening, the date and time of which must be approved by Librarian Jayne Mcquaid.

April	Northumberland High School Art Classes
May	Judy Becker - Painting and Metal Sculpture, Dan Becker - Metal Sculpture, Marsha Peters - Painting
June	Mary Small - Photography
July	Greta Ward - "The Art of Clowning"
August	Dee McCann
September	"Monettes" - Group Water Color Show
October	Bill Martz - Recent Works
November	Mildred Monor - Primitives
December	Lions Club Annual Poster Contest

Rappahannock General Hospital is coordinated by June Higgins (804-438-5924) and is open to individual RAL member's paintings (no prints or photographs).

Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury is coordinated by Pat O'Shaughnessy (804-438-4250) and features a different artist or group each month.

Other Exhibit Spaces are coordinated by Cheryl Mihills (804-438-6111) and include Rappahannock HangUps and Twice Told Tales.

STUDIOS at the Gallery provide a creative environment for artists to draw, paint and photograph together, share new techniques and refine their artistic skills in a relaxed, informal setting.

 Life Drawing - meets at 10 am on Mondays  There is no model fee however, there is a  $6 gallery fee.  The session is open to any members who wish to come.  Space is limited, please contact Johnny Hayes ahead of time.at 804-436-1204.

 Tuesday Painters - meet every Tuesday morning at 10 am for informal painting sessions and to share ideas.  There is a $2 gallery rent fee and all members are welcome.  Contact Betty Taylor at 804-435-2143.

Experimental Group - meets at 1 pm on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to discuss and critique each other's work.  Participation is by invitation, but observers are welcome.  There is a $2 gallery rent fee for participants

Still-Life Group - meets from 10 am till 1 pm on the first Thursday of each month. There is a $2 fee only for the session.

RAL Members wishing to organize other Studios may contact  the Studio Gallery Manager, at 804-436-9309 to schedule a time.  Several of the RAL artists paint individually in the Studio Gallery at various times to demonstrate their work.

ART TOURS to art exhibits in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., New York City, Baltimore, and many other places are popular with non-members as well as RAL members.  A tour of the newly reopened Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was held May 20, 2010.  A tour of the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk and the Peninsula Fine Arts Center in Newport News is scheduledfor Decmeber 2.  Contact Agnes Carter (804-436-1106) or come by the Studio Gallery to register.  The fee is $40.  A Tour of the Picasso Exhibit at VMFA is planned for early Spring.

LIBRARY - The RAL library, located in the Studio Gallery, is a small but useful collection of books on art, artists and art techniques.  A small card file is on the bookshelves for members to sign books out and return books on the honor system.  Good art books are always welcome to the collection.