Blue Sunday, a Day Amongst the Bluebells
Sunday, April 7, 2024. Big blue sky, mud, and blue flowers. It must be the Bluebell Festival at the Merrimac Farm! The farm is located at 15014 Deepwood Lane, Nokesville, Va and there was a LOT of people there. Parking is limited and we understood that folks were waiting to get in or parked way down the road and walked to it. We think it was worth it and you might too once you see it.
The Bluebell Festival
What a wonderful history of this 300-acre farm. Read more here
https://www.pwconserve.org/merrimacfarm/index.htm
The Bluebell Festival provided the tent with one table and one chair, although the tents are shared. Small artwork was the main theme of the day for sales. Be ready next time folks, bluebells all day. Elizabeth Stathis and I were working the table for PWAS and when Tom Payne was finished taking photographs, he helped watch while I did a walkabout.
PWAS Plein Air Posse
A little later in the day, I took a walk to the "Exit" side of the path as I was hearing in that direction was the most BLUE. And our new group with the Prince William Art Society called the Plein Air Posse were supposed to be along the path.
One thing that is so amazing for this Woodbridge girl, is the absolute quiet while out on the path. True, there are other folks walking along here and there, but along certain points once they've trekked on is the stillness, the quiet. An occasional bird chirping or calling. I would imagine the plein air artists had that enjoyment at points in their day.
This was the first outing of the PWAS PAP group and I think they had a great time of it. I would love to hear their stories of lessons learned as most of them were first time plein air painting I believe.
First, I came across Doreen Dauer who was finished painting for the day and heading home.
When they say don't wear tennis shoes, wear rain/mud boots...I'm glad I heeded that advice. I soon came across another painter off the bluebell beaten path (although the warnings were there to NOT pick nor trample the bluebells). David Dillon had picked a spot and was painting away in watercolors.
In the area where David was painting...
David said that Robert Dew had been nearby but had since moved further through the pathways. So through the mud I went, passing many people with their families admiring and snapping photos of the sea of bluebells.
I came across Robert Dew who had already done one painting and was working on another. A lady wanted to buy the first one - I hope they work something out. Robert paints with oils.
To follow the path or go back to the tent...? I went back to the tent to help with sales. We had a few other plein air artists that were somewhere painting but I didn't come across them in my half loop.
As I walked back towards the cottage, the quiet of being out in nature is slowly replaced by the voices and sounds of humanity as I came along the path. It is an awakening of the creative artists and appreciation of plein air painting being out there painting live.
Here are a few photos from Robert Dew
Photo by Robert Dew
Photo by Robert Dew
Photo by Robert Dew
Everyone that worked and volunteered at the Festival was marvelous, extremely knowledgeable and just great people. They would come around periodically and check on us and see how things were going. We enjoyed the day so much! My new friend Carolyn Rubinfeld sent me these great pictures too.
Photo by Carolyn Rubinfeld
Photo by Carolyn Rubinfeld
Photo by Carolyn Rubinfeld
Photo by Carolyn Rubinfeld
Photo by Carolyn Rubinfeld
Photo by Carolyn Rubinfeld
Photo by Carolyn Rubinfeld
Photo by Carolyn Rubinfeld
Photo by Carolyn Rubinfeld
Photo by Carolyn Rubinfeld
I'm thinking to paint MORE bluebells for next year, how about you?
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, Robert Dew and Carolyn Rubinfeld
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
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