Post 498: The Brush Speaks at Creative Brush Studio in Manassas

The Brush Speaks at Creative Brush Studio in Manassas 

November 14 - December 24, 2026 will be "The Brush Speaks" art show based on prose and poetry at the Creative Brush Studio and Gallery at 8951 Center Street, Manassas, VA. This is a lovely art studio hosting this art show in Manassas that is not to be missed! Donna Liguria will have 3 of her artworks on display at the art exhibit - and you are invited to come and see!

Creative Brush in Manassas, VA

Art Inspired by Poetry and Prose

"The Brush Speaks" art show opens on the same day as the Fall Gallery Walk in Manassas - Saturday, November 14, 2026 (12-5) and art show will be open at Creative Brush until Christmas Eve, December 24, 2026. 

The Fall Gallery Walk means that artists will be planted ALL over Old Town Manassas in different businesses with their creations and you are invited to visit every one of them...because...there are some fantastic prizes to potentially win, when you visit ALL of the shops on the list!

Totally Vintage Design on Center Street in Manassas is totally geared up with beautiful gift and decor items for the holiday season! Not to be missed!

Donna will be in person at Totally Vintage Design at 9126 Center Street, Manassas Nov 14, and her artwork will be at Creative Brush at 8951 Center Street, Manassas and X marks the spots on the map below. Click on any photo to enlarge.

Old Town Manassas Gallery Walk Nov 14

For the Creative Brush Studio and Gallery, this art show promises to be an exciting one! See the website event page at https://creativebrush.com/events.html. There will be a Q&A and gifts to win as well. 

Light refreshments will be available on Nov 14th.

Donna Liguria's artworks on display at Creative Brush are:

"Hobbiton Village" is acrylic on an 11x14x1.5 canvas

Inspiration is of course, JRR Tolkien's books (and movies) series The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

"Mount Vernon 2" is acrylic on 11x14x1.5 canvas

Inspiration is a poem by Kate Harrington called "Mount Vernon"

The reason this painting is Mount Vernon 2 is that I have painted Mount Vernon before and that artwork was George Washington's home facing the Potomac River. I have a series of Historic Virginia Home Series that includes, Monticello in Charlottesville, Rosemont Manor in Berryville, Gunston Hall in Lorton, the Governor's Mansion in Richmond, and Mount Vernon 1 and 2 in Fairfax County.

Here is a previous blog post from earlier this year when I revisited Mount Vernon.

"Two Roads Diverged" is acrylic on 11x14x1.5 canvas

Inspiration is a poem by Robert Frost called "The Path Not Taken"

Art is good for the soul. Come out to see the art and discover the artworks that are inspired by the written word and how the artists interpret what they've read. Come out and meet the artists that create the art - we are all local artists

Pictures online never to an artwork justice, seeing the works up close and personal gives the art a chance to speak to you.

Please see my Etsy Shop for artwork and prints - Etsy Shop DonnaLiguriaArt
https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com

@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission

Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!

_________________________

Author: Donna Liguria  is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.

 *I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.

Post 497: Annaburg Manor 5th Art Exhibit Oct 23-25, 2026

Annaburg Manor 5th Art Exhibit Oct 23-25, 2026 

Friday, October 23, 2026 Art Reception for Visions Across America at the historic Annaburg Manor at 9201 Maple Street, Manassas, VA. The show is only 3 days so get in to see it right away.

Annaburg Manor Art Reception in Pictures

An art show may look great in pictures (and this art show does) but there is no comparison to seeing an art show in person to fully get the affect in the color, size, emotion of the art when seeing it in person, in your face.

Click on an image to enlarge.

Lower bottom: Donna Liguria's Monticello in Charlottesville, VA which is a part of my Historic Virginia Home Series is now showing at Annaburg Manor

There are various art friends from my art groups including the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) and the Association of Visual Artists (AVA). There are also many other local artists from the surrounding area and so many different styles and mediums. 

Artwork and Artist Sightings include: Sandra McClelland Lewin, Rebekah Keener, Mark Clifton, Mark Murphy, Mike Flynn, Kelly Haneklau, Laura Lavarnway, Zee Berrios, Kwaku "Absku" Ofori-Yirenkyi, Maureen Guillot, and Michele Frantz

Everyone: Go by and see this wonderful art show in this historic location. A percentage of art sales goes to the restoration of Annaburg.

Artists: See your painting? Drop a comment and share!

Check artwork and Historic Virginia Homes prints in my Etsy Shop DonnaLiguriaArt https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com

@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission

Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!

_________________________

Author: Donna Liguria  is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.

 *I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.

Post 496: AVA Art Group Happenings: Annaburg Manor Art Show and More

AVA Art Group Happenings: Annaburg Manor Art Show and More 

The Association of Visual Artists' members have various art shows around the area that they are participating in including this weekend's Annaburg Manor in Manassas, VA and Annmarie Sculpture Gardens in MD. Go see an art show!

Association of Visual Artists (AVA)

AVA is a small art group of artist friends that show their art all around the Virginia, DC, MD area. Here are the current members of AVA:

• Bettie Sperty
• Sandra McClelland Lewin
• Patty Gulledge
• Rebekah Keener
• Donna Liguria

AVA on Facebook please, like and follow!

Annaburg Manor Art Exhibit October 23-25, 2026

Annaburg Manor art reception is Friday, October 23 5-7pm

Show Dates: Friday 5-7, Saturday 12-4, and Sunday 12-4

Name of Show: Visions Across America

Location: 9201 Maple Street, Manassas, VA

Annaburg Manor in Manassas, VA

Click on any photo to enlarge

Bettie Sperty Art at Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center

Show Dates: October 9-January 17, 2027

Location: 13470 Dowell Road, Solomons, MD 20688

Name of Show: The Art of Tattoo

Donna Liguria Art at Annaburg Manor

Monticello in Charlottesville, VA 

Donna will also be at Totally Vintage Design for the Fall Gallery Walk in Old Town Manassas Saturday, Nov 14 12-5 - 9126 Center Street, Manassas. Look for her there!

Sandra McClelland Lewin Art at Annaburg Manor

Summertime

Arizona

Other Art Shows

Other shows our members are entered in are:

"The Brush Speaks" at Creative Brush Studio at 8951 Center Street, Manassas

Show is Nov 14 through Dec 24, 2026

https://creativebrush.com/events.html

Warrenton Small Works

Cast Iron Craft House, 11 South 2nd Street, Warrenton VA 20186

Show dates: Tuesday November 10, 2026 to January 10, 2027 open daily during normal restaurant hours.

All of the art entered is for sale and the maximum price is set at $150. 

@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission

Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!

#AVA #AssociationofVisualArtists 

_________________________

Author: Donna Liguria  is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.

 *I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.

Post 495: Composition 14. Go Into the Light, Attracting Attention

Composition 14. Go Into the Light, Attracting Attention

This is Part 14 of my series on Composition

The use of light and shadow is operating procedure in nearly all artwork isn't it? Gosh, that reminded me of a song I hadn't thought about for years - 'Me and My Shadow'...Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr...anyway, I digress.

If you have light, there is a shadow. It's how you use both in photos and art that can make the piece go from ho-hum to spectacular. Our eyes are drawn to the light - very naturally. The use of the contrast of the two in so many ways can add and make the drama stronger. 

The time of day is an important part of the composition as well as the season of the year which affects the type or cast of light, the angles, the sharpness, the tonal contrasts and the differences between the midday, the morning sunrise and the evening sunsets.

Artificial and/or natural light use can be made even more interesting when they are combined.

Always be aware of the position of the light source is. Your subject and your subject's shadow must follow through when you want something to look realistic.

Playing with the contrasts that can occur with light and shadow can make artwork really pop when you make the contrast the focal point.

 

 

Photo by Justin Luebke on Unsplash  

 

Photo by Darren Richardson on Unsplash 

 

Photo by mirna rivalta on Unsplash 

 

"How to Build Better Composition by Using Light" Stefen Baumann

 

______

This is part of a series of blog posts on the guidelines, or rules of composition. Look for all of them in the Search this Blog feature at the top right by searching for the word "composition". I hope you enjoy the posts!

---

@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission

Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!

_________________________

Author: Donna Liguria  is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.

 *I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.

Post 494: Annaburg Manor Art Show Oct 23-25 in Manassas, VA

Annaburg Manor Art Show Oct 23-25 in Manassas, VA 

The fifth Historic Annaburg Manor Art Exhibit at 9201 Maple Street, Manassas, VA is on the radar with its opening on Friday, October 23 - an art reception from 5-7pm. The show continues on October 24 and 25, 2026 from 12-4 and the name of the show is Visions Across America. 

Annaburg Manor Art Exhibit

This is the 5th art show at Annaburg Manor. The artworks are selected by a jury and any proceeds (a percentage of the sale of an artwork) helps to support the renovations of Annaburg. The show is free to attend and at the art reception on Friday evening, you can meet many of the artists.

Check out the history of Annaburg here https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/155-0021/

"Monticello in Charlottesville, VA" is a part of Donna Liguria's Historic Virginia Home Series. It is 11x14x1.5 in Acrylics and was selected as part of Visions Across America Art Show at Annaburg Manor

Never been to Annaburg? If you've been to downtown Manassas, you have been close! Click on any image to enlarge.

Annaburg Manor at 9201 Maple Street, Manassas, VA

Come out and see the show, supporting the arts and the history in Manassas this weekend!

Donna Liguria on Etsy - Check her art and prints in her Etsy Shop DonnaLiguriaArt https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com including this artwork above.

@2026 Donna Liguria. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited without permission

Like my content? Follow my Blog in the top right navigation!

_________________________

Author: Donna Liguria  is the Blogmaster for Donna's Cave Paintings and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, VA. Donna specializes in acrylic paintings of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.

 *I LOVE reading your comments on my posts! Just remember that the blog comments are monitored so they may not appear right away.