PWAS Represented at Art at the Mill Spring Show 2024
Millwood, Virginia. How about plugging 15 Tannery Lane, Millwood, Virginia into your GPS sometime during April 20 to May 5 and taking that roadtrip to go enjoy some art in a real-live-working mill? Art at the Mill is the destination that several Prince William Art Society members traveled after being accepted to show some of their art.
Spring Art at the Mill
There are several PWAS artists that made that roadtrip over the March 22-24, 2024 Drop off dates. Typically, Art at the Mill sends out a Call for Art twice a year asking for artists to submit up to 5 artworks in various mediums. Click Submit. Then the waiting begins, to see if your art was selected to show. Insert the Jeopardy music here.
Finally, the emails arrive - the "Unfortunately" in red and/or the "Congratulations!" in green. Well, we all get the Unfortunately's on occasion. But do consider this:
Art at the Mill will jury in about 1000 art pieces and about 300 artists for each show.
That is a LOT of art. I need to ask at some point how many entries they usually get. Can you imagine jurying and selecting 1000 artworks?
The Show: Art at the Mill Spring Show Saturday, April 20 through Sunday, May 5, 2024
The Artist Reception is Sunday, April 28 from 2-5pm
As far as the Prince William Art Society artists showing at Art at the Mill, here are the ones I know about. Congratulate these artists!
Bettie Sperty
This was Bettie's first time showing at Art at the Mill.
Two Bees or Not To Be
Who Me?
Sandra McClelland Lewin
Sandra has shown at the Mill several times.
Iris Moon
Donna Liguria
This is the third time I have entered Art at the Mill; twice in 2023 for both the Spring and Fall Shows and again for the Spring 2024 show. When I first joined PWAS in 2021 and started taking my art business more seriously, Art at the Mill was often talked about within the group in very awed tones. After seeing it, I understand that reverence now.
It is an incredible art show in Virginia, in an awesome location, is fantastically attended and very well managed. As Bettie said recently, the quality of the artwork is so high, it is a distinct honor to even have something accepted into this show. She mentioned she saw at least 10 pieces she wanted to take home with her. I agree with her!
Here are my two entries for the Spring Art at the Mill Show 2024:
Gunston Hall Virginia Historical Home Series
Monticello Virginia Historical Home Series
Art Drop Off
Here are some pictures from Saturday, March 23, 2024. After the art is selected, the artists sign up for the day and time to drop off. They stagger the artists throughout the day which definitely helps with the traffic flow and parking lots outside.
When you drop off art, the blue T-shirted volunteers even may come out to your car and ask if you need help with your artwork bringing it in!
Enter the Mill and if you hear the thrashing and "machinery" sounds, a grain of some sort is being ground. Looks like cornmeal was on the menu today. You can buy various flours while you are there. We head upstairs.
The first thing the artist does is go to check in. Several volunteers check your name in and hand you the pre-made art labels for your artwork. Going to the left, you unwrap your transportation wrappings and the labels are attached. Your artwork may automatically go up in a hanging position temporarily or go to the top floor holding area. Nothing will be in the same position by the time the show actually starts but ALL of it will be available for sale on the website link that will go-live just prior to the show start. And they sell art, yes, a lot of art is sold. (Hopefully we'll be bringing less art home at the end of the show too!) Those blue T-shirts are constantly replacing art as space is made.
As soon as a purchase is made, it comes off the walls and is replaced. The buyer can take their new artwork home with them right then and there. Their Call for Art/Art at the Mill website lets you know the status of the art at all times. Even at check-in, an email is sent letting you know it was checked in. (I'll share that Spring AATM art link once it goes live.)Yes, the art can be sold if someone sees art they love online too. I believe they call in and make the sale over the phone but artwork is NOT shipped - it must be picked up. See any art you like?
Here is one of Sandra's and one of mine that are temporarily destined for the upper most floor, for now.The volunteers steadily fill in the walls...I LOVED the bunnies!We spotted a couple of Bettie's paintings, can you? As always on this blog, you can click on a photo to enlarge it. Have a look.Yeah, I like that one too.And that one.Impressed yet?And they still have another day for drop off on Sunday after these photos. This was just Friday to Saturday as Sandra and I were scheduled for a 1-1:30 drop off.
Do go downstairs at the Mill too while you are there. Lots of artifacts and antiques and get a close up look at the Mill in operation.
I
am starting to recognize and getting to know more and more artists,
past and present PWAS members, gallery artists, etc. and their art at
the various art shows all over the Northern Virginia area.
March 22-24, 2024 is also the Fredericksburg Fine Arts Show at the Dorothy Hart Community Center at 408 Canal Street, Fredericksburg and we recognized an art piece by Maria Briganti, a PWAS member there. Sandra and I also have art in this Fredericksburg show which is also nicely done as well.
So is a roadtrip in your future?
More Art at the Mill Blog Posts
Author: Donna Liguria
Artistry Spin Blogmaster and an artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA, specializing in acrylic painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com, her Donna's Esty site and her Blog at Donna’s Cave Paintings.
Photography/Video Credits: Donna Liguria
Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm
Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership
Have an idea for a blog post? Are you a writer and want to help with the blog? Let me know! Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment!
Good coverage, Donna! Thanks
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