Post 579: Annaburg Manor Art Show Oct 24-26, 2025

Autumn at Annaburg Art Exhibit Oct 24-26, 2025

The Autumn at Annaburg Art Exhibit opens on Friday, October 25 with an art reception at 9201 Maple Street, Manassas, Virginia. This is the third art show at the historic Annaburg Manor, and all are invited to come and see the art! And what a show it will be - I just dropped off my artwork this morning (Tues, Oct 21) and saw what has already been brought in. Amazing is not enough of a word, I tell you!

Autumn at Annaburg Manor Art Exhibit, Manassas, Virginia

I recognized a lot of the artists and their artworks, and a good many Prince William Art Society (PWAS) members that are in this show, as well as local artist friends.

The Historic Annaburg Manor is Being Rehabilitated... 

Let's see which PWAS members are showing at the Annaburg Manor...you can always click on an image to make it larger.

PWAS Member Donna Liguria

Donna's painting "Streams Never Stay the Same" was selected to show at Annaburg Manor this weekend. The painting is in acrylics on an 11x14 gallery-wrapped canvas, featuring a stream running through a wooded area. The banks are filled with flowers and grasses and in the distance, a bridge is over the stream. Painting this artwork reminded the artist of growing up in Alexandria with a stream behind her home where every day, the stream was different in so many ways - how it looked, what little kids could find in it, how it flowed. Donna says, "As kids, we were in that stream or crossing that stream every day in summer. We caught crawdads, sometimes minnows, made dams, sailed small boats, and played games."

PWAS Member Scott Elliot

Here is Scott's acrylic art piece, "Senescence" by Scott Elliott. acrylic. 24 x 36 - I loved seeing this in person!

PWAS Member Sandra McClelland Lewin

Sandra brings an artwork I don't remember seeing before! Can she get a Wow!

Sandra McClelland Lewin

The Mum and the Grasshopper

Acrylic

20" x 20" x 1.5"

PWAS Member Zee Berrios

Zee's entry to the Annaburg show is titled "Angela". It is 24" X 36", Acrylic on canvas.

Look's like the show is going to be GREAT!!

PWAS Member Mark Clifton

My entry for the Autumn at Annaburg show Oct. 24-26. 2025,  Annaburg Manor, Manassas, Va.

"Blue Hole" 24x30 oil on stretched cotton canvas, framed.

This picture evolved from a photo I took of Quantico Creek in Prince William Forest Park. "Blue Hole" refers to fishing slang for a deep creek pool.

PWAS Member Tes Sain

“Living in Italy was a life-enriching experience that allowed me to deeply connect with the culture and appreciate its rich history leaving a lasting impact in my perspective.  I was particularly inspired by the rustic charm of the old houses, which sparked a creative vision that ultimately led to the creation of this painting,  “Vecchio Porta Di Casa” 

Oil Painting, 14x18 Stretched Canvas

OK, I think there are a few more members but I didn't hear from them and I'll have to kick off the Wow's in the Comments! 

And More PWAS

And Dear Reader, here's a reminder that the PWAS Fall Tall Oaks Art Show is Saturday, November 1 from 10-5pm at 12298 Cotton Mill Road, Woodbridge, VA. 

 

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Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting 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. 

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 (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).

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 (below)! ...Remember, comments are monitored so they will not show up immediately.

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Post 577: What's on Your Easel? Why do you Create Art?

What's on Your Easel? 

Most months, I like to ask the Prince William Art Society artists a question to something art related but more often I ask what they are working on, sometimes in various ways. What's on your easel isn't always the right thing for every artist as they work in various mediums or surfaces. Nonetheless, let's see what the artists are doing at the moment.

Take note on the painting styles and process visible in some of the artist's work on how they block in and move through the piece. 

PWAS Member Lizzy Javier

I am responding to your request for photos of current projects. I just finished these four paintings for the Waterford Fair. They are all acrylic on canvas and the first three are 11" x 14" size and the last one is 8" X 10".

PWAS Member Bettie Sperty

I do a weekly workshop/class at Creative Brush in Manassas and classes just started up for the fall.  I had to decide what I would paint - which is a one of the most difficult things of the whole class! I thought I would ease into this session by painting from a photo I took at Virginia Beach a few years ago. It was an overcast day in November. The seagulls were active, the waves were beautiful and we had the beach all to ourselves and was sooooo peaceful.  This is the very beginning of the painting. Mary (owner of Creative Brush and instructor) suggested I place my seagulls using white. That way, if I didn’t like the placement I could blend them back into the clouds and try again (I’m using oils). Brilliant !!!!!!!

Mary Reilly is full of useful tidbits. This is 11”x14” on canvas panel.

PWAS Member Zee Berrios

The title will be "Still Death". The medium is acrylic on canvas. It is a small painting, only 20" X 24".

PWAS Member Donna Liguria

I have a few things up my sleeves for some upcoming opportunities.

 

Peacock Fancy Feather 4x12x1.5 in acrylic in progress

 

Red Cardinal 4x4x1.5 in acrylic Bookcase Art in progress - I should call it Cardinal Caboose

 

Yellow Sunflower 5x7x1.5 in acrylic in progress 

PWAS Member Larry Burch

I did this as part of a Paint Manassas show that is now hanging in a small coffee shop in Manassas.  Organized by MAG and pARTners. 

PWAS Member Michelle Evans

My latest piece- Inspired by an upcoming trip to the Oregon coast!  

Why Do You Create Art?

Almost every month, I like to ask the Prince William Art Society artists what they are working on, or some other question or art tip that they want to share. What's on your easel is an often asked question, but there is a question out for "Why Do You Create Art?" Only 2 responses though...

PWAS Member Donna Liguria

I create art for several reasons and I'm not sure I have answered this question before (although I proposed the Q to the PWAS artists). I'm anticipating answers to range from "because I must" to the "I love the hobby" to "it calms me" types of narratives. I always hope that many members will explain their answers to the questions I offer - sometimes some of them do. Life is busy, I know....

The challenges provided in painting and solving how to capture the right colors, getting the lights and shadows just right, the ability to express myself in the enjoyable "work" of the painting process is addicting. Perhaps I can compare it to reading in a way. When reading a book, you can lose yourself and enjoy the story in another place, in another time, in solving the mystery before you get to the last pages.  Painting is much like that for me. Although the mixing of the paint to get it "just right" is challenging, sometimes perplexing, I can lose myself in the process. 

And I like the push to get it exactly where it should be and that often means adding paint, adding paint, tweak those colors. Keep on going, keeping on pushing. Turn it up-side-down for a different perspective and keep on adding paint. Tweaking is a part of the process.

If you are of an age to remember the commercial, you might remember "Calgon, take me away!" Making art, painting, is a way to relax and enjoy the comfort and ART HUG!

PWAS Member Zee Berrios

Art is an outlet to thoughts, energy, feelings and a view into the soul. As some have said: "to express these inner states and also reflect culture, to evoke emotions, tell stories, to invest into humanity's experience."  

Ok, that's the artists that participated this month, what do you think? Drop a comment below.

 

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Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting 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. 

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 (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).

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 (below)! ...Remember, comments are monitored so they will not show up immediately.

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Post 569: PWAS Member Show and Tell

PWAS Member Show and Tell

The Prince William Art Society (PWAS) members meet on the 4th Monday of the month for their meetings where we attend to the business of the nonprofit art group. We go over the facts and finances, updates and art shows, the shows coming up and ask for people that are needed to do the various projects on the agendas. Kinda doesn't exactly sound like fun does it? Au Contraire mon frair!

Monday, August 25, 2025 Meeting

PWAS Meetings are typically held at the Tall Oaks Community Building at 12298 Cotton Mill Road, Lake Ridge, here in Woodbridge, VA. Yep, that's where the pool is on the corner of Hedges Run and Cotton Mill. You know...right down from the Giant off Old Bridge Road. And its also where the Spring and Fall Tall Oaks PWAS Art Shows are every year. For this meeting, the Board and various committee persons gave updates and news, voted on the new By-Laws, and gave some dates for some great art shows that PWAS Members may want to get involved in. Like these upcoming wonderful art opportunities:

• Saturday, September 13 - Art in the Garden at Montclair Library - Plein Air Painting - Contact Robert Dew and David Dillon if you are interested in painting outdoors with them!
• Sunday, September 14 - Arts Alive! at the Hylton Performing Arts in Manassas - PWAS Members need to register with Show Coordinator Robert Dew by August 31 if you want to join us displaying there. For the PWAS Members attending, please review this blog post Using a Point of Sale System. See a previous Arts Alive here and check this blog to learn more about being in an art show.
• Change of DATE to Saturday, November 1, 2025 - Fall Tall Oaks Show in Lake Ridge (need a show coordinator). Want to learn more? See Managing an Art Show for an Art Group.
• November 22 - Artist Inventory Sale in Manassas at the ARTfactory (need a show coordinator). See the one from last year!
• The next meeting on Monday, September 22 will feature a program by the legendary local artist, Mike Flynn.
• A juried art show in July-August 2026 for PWAS Members at the ARTfactory! A theme is needed - contact our Member-at-large, Tom Payne with your ideas!  

The business part of the meeting was followed by a pause for snacks. Biz is hard work, you know. Hey, pass me a cookie! We had several guests and spent a few minutes getting to know them and what brought them there to join us. Now for the really good stuff...

Every once in awhile, a meeting's program is totally ART, and better yet, the art each of us is working on, called of course, "Show and Tell"! Prior to the meeting, the members are requested to bring in an artwork they want to show. Sure, they tell about the artwork - like how its made or what its influenced by, and/or they can ask the members if they have a suggestion for it too if they like. 

All the members that remembered to bring artwork (ha!) brought their art up to the easel...and we admire their handy work. 

 

 

Don't you LOVE it when you see artists taking every opportunity to create wherever they are! 

Actually its interesting to see the artists trying new things, sometimes out of their comfort zones. Or working on emotional artworks that have so much meaning to them - those heartfelt art-felts that mean so much to them and their families/friends. We do love a good Show and Tell! Maybe you can join us for the next time we do one!

 Please follow the blog, share it and drop a comment below. And join us for the next meeting next month! 

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Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting 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. 

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 (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).

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 (below)! ...Remember, comments are monitored so they will not show up immediately.

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