Art All Over Prince William County
I have dabbled in art throughout my life but only in the last year+ have I taken a career in art more seriously and continuously. That has led me to discovering the art life in and around Prince William County, which may be viewed by some as sort of an under the radar art scene to a degree. Do you agree?
Nonetheless, there is a LOT of Art going on in PWC and a LOT of very extremely talented people. This is what and who I have discovered so far.
Prince William Art Society
I joined PWAS in March 2021 after finding it on Facebook. I had passed Tackett's Mill for years, and never knew there was an art gallery called Clearbrook Center of the Arts on the back, lower side of the shopping center. Seeing an art event on Facebook, I popped in the door of Clearbrook, went to a PWAS meeting, and sent in my check to join.
Since joining, I have participated in my first art show -ever- in May 2021 (Spring Art Show at Tall Oaks Community Center in Lake Ridge, VA), have had my art hanging continuously at Clearbrook, displayed at Arts Alive, been juried into several art shows including the Sunshine Ridge Farm Winery Art Show, participated in the Occoquan Arts and Crafts Show, the Fall Tall Oaks Art Show, and more recently at Stonebridge - Potomac Town Center Open Space Art. All while starting some great friendships with other artists and I have learned a lot.
I've also become the Social Media Chair for PWAS recently. We've launched the PWAS Blog on September 1, 2021 called Artistry Spin. So besides promoting my own Blog DonnasCavePaintings https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/ and website Donna Liguria Art https://donnaliguriaart.com/ we push all of the below:
PWAS meets once a month on the fourth Monday of the month at 7:30pm at Tall Oaks Community Center 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA 22192
Clearbrook Center of the Arts
Prince William Art Society are the 'artists in residence' at the Clearbrook gallery. As long as you are an artist in good standing at PWAS and you follow some basic rules on how to hang your art, members can display their artwork there. The gallery changes out the artwork/theme bimonthly and the Changeover dates and any directions are emailed out to the group prior to that time as well as posted on the PWAS Blog Artistry Spin
Clearbrook Center of the Arts
2230 B Tackett’s Mill Drive
Lake Ridge, VA 22192
PWAS Members volunteer some time per month to help at the gallery.
Prince William County Art Council
I joined the PWCAC in June 2021. Arts Alive, sponsored by PWCAC, was a fantastic event for my artwork to be seen, and purchased. PWCAC is also sponsoring the Stonebridge Open Space Art gallery along with JBG Smith which just extended the show for 2 more weeks until Dec 12th.
Herb Williams is the Arts Recreation Specialist with the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism and is dedicated to building a larger membership base and a much stronger awareness of the Arts throughout Prince William County for all of the types of art.
PWCAC holds Zoom meetings once a month on about the second Tuesday of the month at 6:30.
Manassas Art Guild
Joining MAG in October of this year was my latest art group with some great people as well. I was able to take part in the Fall Gallery Walk in Manassas with other Art Guild members, some of which are also PWAS members. MAG members have various art events and art hanging in local businesses around Manassas throughout the year.
MAG holds their meetings at Creative Brush Studio on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30pm.
Creative Brush Studio
And through MAG, I met the wonderful ladies at Creative Brush Studio - owned Mary Reilly and Christine Reilly Raymond. Their studio offers a fine art gallery for art purchase, various shows through the year, classes and more.
So far, I have taken part in 2 juried events:
Best of the Region 4 sponsored by p-ART-ners, this show ran from October to November.
Creative Brush Studio Small Works Show and Sale
The Small Works Show is continuing until Dec 24th. I can't wait for what's next!
Creative Brush is found at 8951 and 8953 Center Street, Manassas, Virginia 20110
P-ART-Ners
I have not joined p-ART-ners but have met some of the wonderful folks associated with the group.
Stonebridge Open Space Art
The PWCAC and JBG Smith are sponsoring Open Space Art at Stonebridge which has been a wonderful opportunity for local artists! The space is beautiful and a lot of people are discovering that Prince William County DOES indeed have an interest in the visual arts and the artists that do what they do.
The Stonebridge gallery was originally supposed to run the weekend after Thanksgiving: November 26 - 28 but JBG Smith group loved 'what we did with the place"! So they extended the show until December 12th! It will be open Friday to Sunday each weekend from 12 to 6pm.
We have met so many people over the weekend that literally did not know that anything "Art" was going on in the county!
This may sound like a lot and in a way it all is. Am I just scrapping the surface of what is in Prince William County or have I covered the art scene in the county? Apparently there is also the West PWC and the East PWC too, so maybe there are more groups.
And then its learning all the ways to get involved with art online! There is a TON to learn.
Nonetheless, building these great relationships with these art groups and studios AND with all the wonderful people that come to view what everyone has created - well, this is enriching my life. Yes, Virginia, there is ART in NOVA.
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