Post 322: Fall Art at the Mill Art Show - A Nice Drive to Millwood

Fall Art at the Mill Art Show - A Nice Drive to Millwood 

Over the river and through the woods, to Millwood, Virginia we go! Sandra McClelland Lewin and I made the one hour and 16+ drive out to the far lands of western Virginia out to the rolling hills - with plenty of wineries and horses to Burwell-Morgan Mill. Our goal: to drop off our art at the mill.

What is Art at the Mill?

Art at the Mill is held at Burwell-Morgan Mill located in Millwood, Virginia in Clark County. The name of the art show is "Art at the Mill" held twice a year as a spring and fall art show with approximately 300 artists and about 1000 pieces of art. AMAZING!

https://www.clarkehistory.org/art-mill.html

Sandra and I from the Prince William Art Society (but representing ourselves) were both selected to show at the Mill. Artists pay a small entry fee and can submit up to 5 pieces - we each had 3 pieces chosen.

The check in process is like a well-running milestone...

And it is, a live mill, water running through it and various types of flour are ground there. It is very cool and the sound of the water strikes you as soon as you enter the doors. Then up the stairs we go...

For those artists selected to appear, they pre-schedule their drop off appointments to help with not only dispersing the volume of people descending on the mill all at once and check in process, but to alleviate the parking in and out. Our drop off time was Friday, September 1 at 1 pm, so not a lot of art has been dropped off as yet - some art is whisked away to store in the upper levels, while some is hung on the walls. 

That is not where it will stay though. The drop-off is a 3 day event - Friday through Sunday. After all the artwork arrives, the busy Millunteers will "hang" the space. Every nook and every cranny will be art-filled making this art show a delight to the eyes. If you LOVE art, creative people, and love supporting the artists - and the mill, come by and see, well, both. The mill and the art!

One of my paintings, "Saltwater Aquarium" in its temporary spot by a Millunteer.

Sandra at the the check-in tables. The Art at the Mill staff have a great, efficient method of checking in the volume of artists in the show - and it makes sense. First is to give your name at one table, the volunteer checks you in on their computers and gives you your pre-printed check-in labels. Next, another check-in point, where you verify the artwork and labels, then finally you hand your art over. The volunteer adheres the labels to the back of the artwork and other Millunteers whisk off the art to make way for the next wave of art and artists.

Sandra at the the check-in tables

One of Sandra's pieces next to the window (lower)

Quite noticeably, there is not a lot of artwork checked in as yet. I suppose the downside of getting there early on a Friday, is not being able to see what else has come in as yet. But early has its advantages too - a quick snack across the street was a nice break in the day too, especially on such a beautiful day.

Well the next important dates are the actual show times.

ART SHOW HOURS 
Art at the Mill will be open 7 days a week
Saturday SEPT 23 through Sunday, OCT 8, 2023 during the following hours:
Sundays through Fridays 12-5 pm
Saturdays 10 am-5 pm

The art reception will be on Sunday, October 1 from 2-5pm.

And another great thing about Art at the Mill is that close to the show opening, their Facebook and website will post a live link to ALL of the art that is on display. People can purchase art - but the Mill does not ship it to them. Artists can watch the progress and see if their own artwork has sold. Such an efficient and marvelous process!

Along with my Saltwater Aquarium painting, these are the other two pieces of mine that were selected:

"No One Can Teach Riding So Well As A Horse" Acrylic on Stretched Canvas 18x24

"Streams Never Stay the Same" Acrylic on Stretched Canvas 11x14

Hopefully we have less or NO art to pick-up when the show ends - wish us luck!

ART PICK-UP:
Friday, Oct 13 OR Saturday, Oct 14, OR Sunday, Oct 15

Art at the Mill on Facebook

More of my blog posts on Art at the Mill:

https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/2023/08/post-319-art-at-mill-fall-2023-and-open.html

https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/2023/05/post-303-art-reception-at-art-at-mill.html

https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/2023/03/post-296-art-at-mill.html

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 312: Artist Support System

Artist Support System

Thank God for friends and family! Especially as an artist, trying to get your art "out there"! I don't know about how you got started in your art journey but I see many an artist, as a youngster, with our biggest fan -your very own mom- putting your major art works (or attempts) on the refrigerator attaching them with those little magnets. 

What Brought About Your Painting Journey?

Many thanks to the Moms out there with their mighty magnets! What an encouragement to the youngsters that explore with crayons, pens, pencils, paints and fingers, doodling and sketching. Maybe some artists take art in school, some go on to college and art classes in some form. Some are self-taught, others learn all the basics and art history in college. I'm the self-taught varietal. 

Thanks Mom - I know there were a LOT of horse sketches around, early on. And she still has this painting I did in my twenties (I think) of Sunday, our beloved dog from a LONG time ago. Hmmm, no cat paintings out of the many felines we had...

Sunday was our family dog when I was very small living in Alexandria, Virginia. Well, my Mom's dog truthfully. She loved Mom's slippers. One great dog.

Another one of my paintings that is at Mom's house from about 2005ish. Mom loves snow... My biggest art fan is a most demanding art patron.

Around 2005, this painting of hollyhocks is still at my Mom's house. Clouds were typically Virginia shaped, don't ask me why. They say, don't compare your art to other people's work but compare it to your own to see how far you've come.

At a friend's house and my version of a Thomas Kincaide's art above her fireplace, my brother (the Dave) in the foreground.

As we grow, sure, many artists take on other jobs to pay the bills, but our love of creating is always there, hovering. In my art journey, there were MANY detours. But periodically, a doodle or an art piece or project popped up. The thought was there briefly, "I still got it" when it was completed.

And then there comes a day, often later in life, when job changes or retirement comes and there is more time to create. And your family, your friends step in again with encouragement and support to help you on your way. Thanks to all those cousins, aunts and uncles, and awesome friends that offered art/work projects! Rooms, murals, canvases - painting jobs that allowed me opportunities to work and grow! And a BIG family always helps an artist's support system too!

Joining a local art group and building new friendships has been a marvelous opportunity too! The Prince William Art Society (PWAS) and the Manassas Art Guild (MAG) have both help develop many new friends and ways for my art to be seen.

Getting out to art show and art galleries is another way to show off what I do, often because of those art groups. Finding someone that LOVES what you do as much as you enjoyed creating it - well, that just makes your day!

Pictures of Paintings With Their New Owners

I have enjoyed getting pictures of family, friends and NEW friends that have purchased my art and I post them on my website whenever possible. Your continued support of me and my art are very much appreciated!

See Happy Clients on my DonnaLiguriaArt.com website

At a friend's house at the beach...

A painting from 2014 but I've done several versions of it in a few sizes since then.

The above painting in my friend's home. Having and seeing my art in its home is just simply one of life's pleasures. Thank you, my friend!

A painting as a birthday gift for a friend, her 2 little dogs in the foreground. 3x4 acrylic mini painting

A recent painting of "Wading Shackleford Pony" plus an art print of "No One Can Teach Riding so well as a Horse" on a friend's local art wall.

"Wading Shackleford Pony" 2023 Acrylic

At my brother's house in Louisa...

Another beach painting because he loved the first one or two I did.

A mini painting 3x4 Sea Turtle

A mini painting 3x4 Woodpecker...my bro and sis in law have a bird feeder at a nearby window and they see these characters.

And this wood plaque painting of the Blue Ridge Shores Main Beach - the way it was when we were kids. Oh the memories! I did some other wall plaques with real sand in them too!

And this is "There's No Place Like Home" (Dorothy's Ruby Slippers) and the peacock mini painting, both at my Aunt's house.

All this to say, thank you to all that have enjoyed and supported my artistic journey. You are all appreciated and I hope these little touches of me, in your homes, brings you joy each day.

Who can you thank that appreciated what you love to create?

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!