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 2008 Show runs from August 27 through September 1 and will be held in the auditorium of Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury.  The show is open without jurying to the first 200 or so pieces of art entered.  Prospectus and entry forms for entering works into the show are available in the Spring and can be downloaded by clicking on their name above or obtained at the Gallery or May Artline.  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 Children’s Spring Art Festival for Lancaster County Schools and furnishes judges from among the professional artists at RAL. $500 grants are given to art departments of the nine public schools in the three counties and to Chesapeake Academy and Christ church School.  Scholarships of $300 to $500 to purchase art materials are awarded to local students studying art at the college level.  Scholarships are also granted to children participating in the summer art programs.  In 2007, $10513 in grants and scholarships were awarded.  To apply for a College supplies scholarship call  Mary Grafton Yagel at 435-1492 or see high school art teachers or click here to download an application.  To apply for a children’s workshop scholarship call the registration desk at 436-9309 or see your elementary or middle school art teacher.

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 2008 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.  The 2008 schedule will be available soon.

 

 January  "Winter Fantasy," An RAL Member Show
 February  Area School Student Exhibit
 March 1 - 7  Area School Student Exhibit
 March 8 - 29  Chesapeake Academy Student Exhibit
 April 5 - 19  Christ Church Student Exhibit
 April 22 - 24 Ianvitational Show: "Arts and Flowers"  (RAL in partnership with Northern Neck Garden Clubs)
 April 25 - 30 Area School Student Exhibit
 May  "Celebrating Spirit and Light": The Art of Sue Ramsey and Elise Ritter
 June 2 - 14  "Abstracts" An RAL Member Show
 June 16 - 28  "Life Along the Rivers," An RAL Member Show
 July 1 - 10  Exhibit: "Tribute to the Norris Bridge 50th Anniversary"
 July 11 - 27  RAL Patrons Gala - Art on Display
 July 28 - 30  OPEN
 August 1 - 30  Exhibit: Artists Anne and Johnny Hayes
 September  Exhibit: Award winners: RAL Labor Day Show
 October  Exhibit: "Fourth Annual Regional Invitational"
 November 1 - 15  Exhibit: "RAL Portrait and Figure Drawing Group"
 November 17 - 30  RAL Holiday Shop
 December 1 - 31  RAL Holiday Shop
   

STUDIO GALLERY WINDOWS The work of artists exhibiting in the Gallery is displayed in the windows on a rotating basis.  Ann Vliet (804-435-9808) coordinates the scheduling.  The 2008 schedule will be available soon.

January  Janiece Hornberger, Richard Kantor
February  Nancy Reath, Ernie Memmo
March   Lella Lee Edwards, Karen Williams
April  Kathy Juron, Maud Brumbach
May  June Higgins, Richard Higgins
June  Jane Stouffer, Tom Norris

 

 

 

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 Sandy Harris (804-435-6875) and features a different artist or group each month.  Upcoming exhibitors for 2008 are:

 January  Tuesday Morning Painting Group
 February  Ron Cox
 March  Marquerite Ajootian
 April  Karen Williams
 May  Lancaster County Schools
 June  Monday Drawing Group
 July  Mary Jo Beswick
 August  Marge Van Etten
 September  Experimental Art Group
 October  
 November  
 December  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Northumberland Public Library is coordinated by Adele Harwood (804-580-4801) and features a different artist or group each month.

 January  International Lions Poster Contest
 February  Frank wood
 March  
 April  Northumberland HIgh School Art Classes
 May  

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

Chesapeake Bank is coordinated by Pat Ramey (804-435-2156) and is currently inactive due to bank remodeling.

Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury is coordinated by Pat O'Shaughnessy (804-435-3043) and features a different artist or group each month.

 April  Tom Norris
 May  RWC Residence Artists
 June  Sue Ramsey / Elise Ritter
 July Jane Stouffer
 August  Anne Wilcox
 September  Pam Bowers RWC Class
 October  Pam Bower
 November  Anne and Johnny Hayes
 December  Lancaster Middle School

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.

Portraits - meets the second Monday of each month from 10 am until 3 pm.  Their is a $10 model fee and  $2 gallery fee.  The session is open to any members who wish to come.  Space is limited, please contact Jeff Warren (804-435-2597) ahead of time.

Life Drawing - meets at 10 am on all Mondays except the second. 

There is a $3 model fee and a $20 gallery fee and the studio is open to all members.  Space is limited, please contact Jane Stouffer (804-580-2444). 

 

 

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

New Group - meets at 1 pm on the second and fourth Thursday of each month to discuss and critique each other's work.  Open to all and there is a $2 gallery rent fee.

Still-Life Group - meets from 10 am till 1 pm on the first Thursday of each month.  There is a $5 dollar fee - $2 for gallery rent and $3 for setup materials.  The initial session will be on February 8 (the second Thursday).

RAL Members wishing to organize other Studios may contact  the Studio Gallery Manager, at 804-436-9309 to schedule a time.

Several of 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.  Coordinated by the RAL and sometimes with All Seasons travel, these excursions usually combine art museums with nearby interests such as botanical gardens, theatre productions, architectural sites, aquariums, boat trips and excellent cuisine. Members receive a discount on the package.  

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.

STEPTOE’S WALKABOUT: First Friday Walkabout in Kilmarnock's Steptoe District is sponsored by Rappahannock Art League for the purpose of promoting the arts, supporting the community and showcasing businesses within Steptoe's District.

2007 Walkabouts begin May 4 and run through October 5.  Planning wil emphasize improved advertising and communication and the creation of monthly themes on which merchants can expand.  Walkabout's festive atmosphere of with performing and visual artists and sales and refreshments in shops.  Volunteers wishing to participate should contact RAL, Attention "Walkabout".

RAL's Walkabout committee thanks the volunteers providing refreshments in the Studio Gallery and the artists who demonstrated their talents: Linda Byrum, Lella Lee Edwards,Anne Hayes, Rich Kantor, Don Kennedy, Dorothy Pagano, Jane Stouffer, Betty and Larry Taylor, Charles VanDenburgh, Ann Vliet and Anne Wilcox.  "See you at the Walkabouts"

Carolyn Hawley, Pam White and Agnes Carter,  Co-Chairs

 

 
Copyright © Rappahannock Art League & Studio Gallery 2006.