September Group Show: "The Archies"
Seven Virginia Artists who bond through painting
featuring
Patti MacHale Bartol, Thomas Bradshaw, Coakley Brown, Kim Hall, Marjorie Perrin, Maria Reardon, Jennifer Young
Opening Reception -
Friday, September 5, 5:30 PM - 7:30PM
“It’s been said that corralling artists can be as challenging as herding cats. Naturally independent and each following his or her own drummer, this is the story of a group of uniquely individual artists who attended a plein air event together, sharing the cost of an Airbnb that was frequented by a neighborhood cat named Archie. Despite their different personalities and perspectives, the artists formed a natural bond, and have supported each other’s growth ever since. While Archie is no longer around (perhaps cats just aren’t meant to be herded after all), Archie’s tribe of talented painters continues to share a passion for plein air, traveling and painting together at least once a year. They are present for each other both artistically and personally, whether via ongoing group text or in person, through the daily trials and tribulations of life.”
The First Friday opening reception will take place at Arts on Main on Friday, September 5th from 5:30 PM - 7:30PM. Light bites will be served and beer + wine will be available for purchase. Live music will be performed by Ami Baker. The show will be on display at Arts on Main until Saturday, September 27th. The gallery is open Wednesday - Saturday from 12-5pm.
Many thanks to our September Exhibit Sponsors, Edward Jones/Walk to End Alzheimer’s!
Live music will be provided by Ami Baker at First Friday.
Thank you to our First Friday Music Sponsor, Kathy and Jens Andersen!
Ami Baker is 29 year-old female musician local to Gloucester VA. She is a singer-songwriter, lover of Jesus, and she enjoys writing songs to make people feel less alone.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Patti MacHale Bartole
“It’s in nature that I receive my primary source of inspiration, focusing on the restorative sights and sounds surrounding me. I’m drawn to the places that feel distant from the complexities of modern life: old mills, barns, farm houses, gardens and especially the “untouched” places like shorelines, marshes and mountains. I love to work in the immense “studio” of the outdoors, but I also enjoy working in my home studio in Mechanicsville, Virginia.
I’ve been blessed to have had early exposure to art through my mother, maternal grandmother and great grandmother, who were all painters. As a child, my grandmother would take me on outdoor painting excursions with her painting group. Now, one of my greatest pleasures is painting “en plein air”, in the open air, with other artists.
Art can be a solitary endeavor, so connections to other artists are vital. I’m a member of several art groups that provide fellowship, education and exhibition opportunites: James River Art League, Virginia Plein Air Painters and Virginia Watercolor Society. My work is exhibited with the above groups as well as in several galleries, corporate and private collections. My work is published in the North Light book, “How Did You Paint That? 100 Ways to Paint Landscapes”.
My formal education began with a BA in Fine Art from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Art is a lifelong pursuit and I’ve continued to study through workshops with professionals in various fields. I also enjoy sharing my love of art and years of study through teaching my own classes and workshops. I’ve taught classes in drawing, pastel, watercolor and oil.
Through art, I hope to share my strong connection with the natural world.”
Thomas Bradshaw
Richmond based Plein air artist, Thomas Bradshaw, has been honing his painting skills since he was a small child watching his grandmother create still life paintings in her basement studio. After graduating from the Art Institute of Atlanta with a degree in Graphic Design, he moved west to Jackson Hole, Wy where his evolution into a Plein air artist began to take shape.
Having always loved the outdoors, Thomas began to paint in and around Jackson Hole setting up his easel to capture the breathtaking western landscapes. He soon realized it was the perfect marriage of his two passions, painting and being in nature.“Jackson Hole was a place where I could immerse myself in the style of art that has always been my first love”. Thomas often says “ I have always loved seeing a painterly painted painting”.
His loose painterly style allows him to imply detail without overstating it. Using brushwork and a palette knife to create a textural impression which draws the viewer in for a closer look. Utilizing a limited palette, Thomas is able to create shimmering light through temperature and value and bring to life the way in which it illuminates the scene as a single moment in time. Painting Plein air forces the artist to recognize that light is the heart of any painting and that light is the quality that inspires the dynamic nature of the landscape.
Thomas is currently teaching a Master Class in Richmond and he is enjoying the pleasures and challenges of painting, teaching and spending time with his family.
Coakley Brown
“Drawing from my first career as a science teacher, but rooted in my childhood passion for art, I see with a sense of wonder that overflows into my paintings. I find treasure in the overlap of things convention tells us to separate. Within their interaction, a vibrant truth resonates. Searching for and discovering that truth brings a spirit of bold playfulness to my work as I explore relationships between color, paint application, subject matter, and self. For me, painting means much more than documenting what I see; it’s a celebration of found treasure.”
Kim Hall
“My work is a joyful reaction to the everyday scenes that we might drive past or that stream of light coming through a window as it fleetingly touches on an object. I love the freedom of wandering those backroads and coming upon the perfect spot to pull over and set up my easel. It’s a good balance with the sanctuary of my studio, where I have can work larger, experiment and see where a painting will take me. I have spent much of my life in or around the water and that is reflected throughout my work. My intent is for a painting to be as much about the paint as it is capturing a scene. I really want the viewer to be able to find their own interpretation.”
Marjorie Perrin
Marjorie Perrin paints the world around her using the richness of oil paint to convey mood and sense of place. Her style is influenced by Impressionism and Classical Realism. She taught Studio Art for 30 years at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Studio School and continues to teach art workshops for the VMFA Statewide Program.
Marjorie graduated with honors from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; she also studied at Art Students League of New York and Virginia Commonwealth University. She has received several awards, most recent are Second Place Artists’ Choice Award for Tidelands Plein Air event in Tappahannock, Virginia in 2024, First Place at Gloucester Arts Festival Community Artist Plein Air Competition in 2019 and an Honorable Mention in the same event in 2024 in Gloucester, VA and Third Place in Plein Air Westhampton 2019 in Richmond, VA. She has also received two fellowships to the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.
Her work is included in numerous private and corporate collections in Richmond, Virginia, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, E.R. Carpenter Corp., Medical College of Virginia, Henrico Doctor’s Hospital, and Mutual Assurance.
She is an active member in the Portrait Society of America, Oil Painters of America, the Virginia Plein Air Painters Association, the Maryland Society of Portrait Painters, and the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association.
Maria Reardon
Maria Reardon paints the world around her. She loves being outdoors, immersed in nature, observing and experiencing everything going on first hand. She finds inspiration in rural and natural areas and often features horses, farm animals and wildlife in her landscapes. Her passion is painting on location, Plein Air, using vibrant and diverse colors in an impressionistic fashion, to represent the light and mood of a particular location.
Maria is a Virginia native and received her formal education from Virginia Commonwealth University, earning a Bachelor’s of Fine Art in illustration. She continued her study of the landscape with nationally known artists. Her work has been exhibited and is in private collections. She has received top awards during plein air competitions and gallery shows and her work has been published in art journals.
She is currently represented by Cabell Gallery (Lexington VA), Allure Art Center (White Stone VA) and Franco's Fine Clothier (Richmond VA). Maria enjoys teaching and is an instructor for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Studio School (Richmond VA) and the Tuckahoe Woman’s Club (Richmond VA). When she is not painting outdoors from life, she works from her studios in Rockville VA and Goshen VA.
Jennifer Young
Jennifer is an Ashland Virginia artist who creates vibrant paintings in oil, pastel, acrylic and gouache. Young received her formal training from Virginia Commonwealth University, earning a BFA (cum laude) in painting and art history. Her early work centered on the human figure and garnered gallery and museum shows in United States, at venues such as the Hofstra Museum and Purdue University.
Her work and subject matter changed dramatically after she was introduced to plein air painting. Working directly from life, “en plein air,” is to Young, inspiring, challenging, and endlessly rewarding. It has become a lifelong pursuit.
Jennifer’s professional painting career has spanned almost 30 years. Her work has been in numerous gallery exhibitions and received recognition at juried plein air events. Corporate collectors include Westminster Canterbury Retirement Community, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, VCU Health, Sheltering Arms Hospital, and Tuscan Sun Wines.