Friday, April 18, 2025

Post 555: Prince William Art Society at the ARTfactory May 15-30, 2025

Prince William Art Society at the ARTfactory May 15-30, 2025

The Prince William Art Society (PWAS) is pleased to announce an art show at the ARTfactory featuring our art group member's artworks on May 15 through 30, 2025. We have very talented artists in all types of visual arts - oil and acrylic painting, watercolor, pastels, mixed media and drawings. We have artists that specialize in digital art, photography and various other specialties. The PWAS members have a very wide variety of styles from realism to abstract - so the visitors to the show will certainly find artworks they love.

For the Art Lovers

There is nothing like seeing the artwork in person for the full impact that each piece presents to get the true feelings, the colors used, the size - everything. Art is an experience!

But to give you a hint of the works selected to appear, please see the Web Gallery found here https://pwasatartfactory2025.artcall.org/.

To clarify...

The Prince William Art Society Member Art Show at the ARTfactory is May 15 - 30.

The Best of the Region Fine Art Show and Sale sponsored by the Prince William Art Society is hosted at the ARTfactory June 3 - 15.

The ARTfactory in Manassas, Virginia painted by Donna Liguria. Acrylic on canvas 11x14x1.5 (not featured in this show)

The historic ARTfactory is located at 9419 Battle Street, Manassas, Virginia. June 3-15, 2025. PWAS invites all artists and art lovers in the area to mark those calendars for this exciting new show!

For the PWAS Members

The artwork has been juried, the emails have been sent. The artists are preparing their artwork for the delivery to the ARTfactory in early May. If an artist has any questions on how to Display their artwork, the link for more info is here.

Help promote your artwork in the show by sharing the artwork in the Web Gallery found at https://pwasatartfactory2025.artcall.org/

Mark your calendars for the Prince William Art Society Member Show on exhibit from May 15 to 30 with an Artist Reception on May 17. Come by and enjoy our art!

AND the Prince William Art Society is sponsoring Best of the Region Fine Art Show and Sale is coming to the ARTfactory June 3-15. That Call for ART is open until April 30 so see the info available on https://bestoftheregionexhibit.artcall.org/

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.

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

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Friday, April 4, 2025

Post 554: Amongst the Bluebells Part 2

Amongst the Bluebells Part 2

The Prince William Art Society (PWAS) along with the PWAS Plein Air Posse were once again at the Bluebell Festival at Merrimac Farm in Nokesville on a glorious Sunday in March. The artists were out in the Bluebell fields and paths, with easel and palette capturing the beauty of nature. At the PWAS table, we had a lot of Bluebell artwork and art prints from many of our members for sale.

We enjoyed the day speaking with all of the guests that came by. And they enjoyed the artwork on display and some purchased a memory of the day out amongst the bluebells.

15014 Deepwood Ln, Nokesville, VA 20181

Painting Bluebells

Photo by Katie Keller Dugan

See Amongst the Bluebells Part 1 here

The PWAS Plein Air Posse artists dispersed early in the day to go in search of a great spot to paint from. Some artists take the day to perfect one painting or sketch, while others take the opportunity to relocate periodically and capture multiple scenes in various ways. There is certainly no 'best way' - it is the 'best way' that works for each artist - absolutely!

Some plein air artists will get the jist of the scene and take photos so they can finish what they started at home. Some of the works that they share on this post may still be in progress. With that said, let's see what the artists shared since Amongst the Bluebells Part 1.

From Katie Keller Dugan - we LOVE these photos!

From Kat Gates, a couple of artworks she started and a photo.

A photo of Nicole Goble

Kathleen said she will be refining these artworks more, so we can't wait until we see how it turns out!

I love the thought of finding a place to paint from and letting it evolve as the day progresses. I heard Kat explaining how the colors of the clothing of the people on the pathways caught her eye. And the artist can leave out the things they don't want to include and add in the things their imagination sees. As Kelly did in her angle of the barn. Leave out the outhouses!! Someone suggested she leave them in but artist's choice ya know.

From Kelly Haneklau, a photo of her painting a barn there at the head of the trail.

The beginning of the walking trail

From Nicole Goble - so this is what she was doing over in that corner of the Stone House! And a few more photos of the day.

From Mark Clifton, an oil panel painting

From David Dillon:

Drop a comment below !

Photography/Video Credits: Katie Dugan, Kelly Haneklau, Nicole Goble, Mark Clifton, David Dillon

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Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Post 553: Announcing PWAS Best of the Region Fine Arts Show and Sale

Announcing Call for Art for PWAS Best of the Region Fine Arts Show and Sale

April 2025. The Prince William Art Society (PWAS) is excited to announce our Call for Art for the Best of the Region Fine Arts Show and Sale (BoR) that is coming June 3-15, 2025. PWAS is sponsoring the art event and the ARTfactory in Manassas,Virginia is where it will be held. An invitation has been sent to some area art organizations and groups to help spread the word, especially for local artists and members. The Call for Art for this show is NOW Open - from April 1 to 30, 2025 11:59pm.

Best of the Region Fine Art Show and Sale

Who

PWAS (Est 1971) is a Northern Virginia Prince William County non-profit art group that is sponsoring the event. PWAS is all about promoting the arts and art appreciation all around us. See About Us

CALL FOR ART: If you are an artist in the areas from the counties of Prince William, Fairfax, Stafford, and Loudoun - you are welcome to submit up to 3 of your best artworks to BoR. It is $35 to Enter. If you are a member of the Prince William Art Society OR are a member of our Sponsoring art groups, your fee is $25.

Help Support Best of the Region - Call for Sponsors

Area Art Organizations: Sponsorship of the event is available through the PWAS website.

Area Businesses: Help us support the arts in Prince William County! Sponsorships of this event is available through the Prince William Art Society website.

Prince William Art Society website.

What

The Best of the Region will be an art show open to local artists, 18 or older, from the above counties. The art show will be juried - which means an experienced and impartial, professional artist will be handling the art selections from the pool of entries to determine the best of the best that are juried into this event.

The Call for Art for this big event will be open April 1 and run until April 30. Please enter and support the Best of the Region!

When

PWAS' Best of the Region Schedule of Important Dates - mark your calendars.

Call for Art: April 1 and run until April 30, 2025

Artists from and Art Call Deadline: Prince William, Stafford, Loudoun, and Fairfax County - April 30 11:59pm

Artist Notification: May 17, 2025

Juried Artists Drop off: June 1, 2025 from 12-4pm

Art Show Start: June 3, 2025

Artist Reception: Saturday, June 7, from 6 to 8pm.

Artist Awards: at the Artist Reception Jun 7 - 1st, 2nd, 3rd places

Art Show End: June 15

Art Pick up: Sunday, June 15 from 3-5pm AND Monday, June 16 10 to 2pm

ARTfactory Hours: Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 AM – 5 PM and Sundays 12 – 5 PM, Closed on Mondays

Everyone: Go to the ARTfactory to see the show June 3 - 15th!

See ARTfactory for more info about this historic building.

Where

The Show

The Best of the Region Show will be held at the ARTfactoy at 9419 Battle Street, Manassas, Virginia. There is plenty of parking in the parking garage, right across the railroad tracks.

The Artists

Apply for the Show at https://bestoftheregionexhibit.artcall.org/ between April 1 and April 30 - the deadline is 11:59 pm - but don't wait til the last minute!

How

PWAS will open the BoR Call for Art on April 1. On the BoR Call for Art page, print out the requirements page and follow those guidelines! They are NOT suggestions.

Many artists know the drill as they have entered their art over the years to so many great art shows all over Virginia, DC and beyond. They all understand the importance of reading the directions thoroughly on the Call and to apply with your best artwork in the way that particular show asks for them.

For some artists, answering a Call for Art could be an unfamiliar process. Every Call for Art or Call for Artists is different so it is recommended to do some research to become familiar on the requirements and expectations. Following the directions gives the artist their best shot at becoming a juried-in artist.

How to Apply to a Call for Art

What Else Do I Need to Know?

PWAS Website

There is an entry fee of $35 for artists to enter up to 3 artworks.

If you are a current member of the Prince William Art Society, or you are a current member of an art organization from the counties that are Sponsors of BoR, the artist fee is $25 for up to 3 artworks. Sponsoring Art Groups: the Manassas Art Guild and Creative Brush Studio and Gallery in Manassas, VA.

PROMOTE YOU: Artists will need to promote the show that they are entered in, correct? Let friends, family, followers, and potential art buyers that love your art and you know where you will be and when to be there. Online and Offline. Help them to know to come support you AND the local arts.

Follow the Prince William Art Society for any updates (and so very much more!)

On Facebook

On Twitter/X

On the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog

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Monday, March 31, 2025

Post 552: Amongst the Bluebells Part 1

Amongst the Bluebells Part 1

The Prince William Art Society (PWAS) had a table again this year at the Bluebell Festival at Merrimac Farm in Nokesville on a glorious Sunday in March. We had a lot of Bluebell artwork, art prints and we had about 8 plein air artists out amongst the bluebells - painting away.

15014 Deepwood Ln, Nokesville, VA 20181

Bluebell Festival Sun Mar 30, 2025

The weather man and iPhone weather didn't really live up to how Sunday, March 30, 2025 turned out. Thankfully. From "It's going to be cloudy all day" and "chance of rain" the big blue sky was doing it's best to impress all morning and didn't give way to those clouds until the afternoon.

Last year's Bluebell Festival was on April 7 so this year's festival was a full week earlier. We heard that the Bluebells were not quite at full bloom as yet, the organizers of the event said to be sure and come back to see them - the full carpet of 'blue' that we had seen last year.

Photo from Katie Dugan of Kelly Haneklau, Staci Blanchard (aka The Goddess of Glitter) and Donna Liguria

Photo from Donna Merchant: L to R - Staci Blanchard, Kat Gates, Robert Dew, David Dillon, Ana Quispe, Cheryl Handley, Donna Liguria, Kelly Haneklau, Nicole Goble, Mark Clifton

PWAS Plein Air Posse

Let's see the day in pictures - I'm hoping that the artists will send me pictures of what they were working on too. So hopefully post 2 on the Bluebells.

The PWAS Plein Air Posse, PWAS Show Staff and artists represented for the Bluebell Festival consisted of:

Robert Dew
David Dillon
Kathleen (Kat) Gates
Ana Quispe
Mark Clifton
Nicole Goble
Kelly Haneklau
Donna Merchant
Cheryl Handley
Katie Keller Dugan
Staci Blanchard
Donna Liguria
Jen Batty
Mihee Rink
Carol Noboa
Scott Elliot
Eric Ndofor
Doreen Dauer
Patty Gutledge
Maggie Milligan

The Bluebell visitors enjoyed looking at the all of the artwork. We talked to a lot of people and answered questions about the Prince William Art Society and told them about our PWAS members out in the field plein air painting.

Photos by Joy Yates: