There’s nothing quite like the gift of art. Art is personal; it’s a one-of-a-kind gift, and in many cases, something that will last a lifetime. That’s why we’ve done the work for you and rounded up some of our favorite gifts of art currently available in Loudoun County. Stop by any one of these retailers for your holiday shopping and give the gift of art – something memorable that will last a lifetime.
This year Byrne Gallery celebrates its 25th anniversary with a special exhibition including rare works of internationally-acclaimed artist Yuri Gorbachev from his private collection, on display from now until January 3rd. Gorbachev creates colorful, richly-textured canvases in oil and gold leaf. His pieces include a radiant kaleidoscope of folk celebrations, street fairs, circuses, fairy-tales, animals, snowy winter landscapes, and images of the Romanov dynasty. When you purchase an original Yuri Gorbachev piece, you are buying a piece of the Russian heritage and the whimsical nature of their orthodox festivities that come with it. We can’t think of anything more vibrant than an original piece from Gorbachev this year.
In addition to the Gorbachev exhibit, Byrne Gallery will also be displaying pieces from Debbie Cadenas, including a series of hand-painted fox silhouettes by local artists. Stop by today to see these whimsical Hunt Country-inspired pieces in person.
Twigs
Just a few miles north of Middleburg, you’ll find Twigs, a boutique situated in the town of Purcellville, offering an eclectic variety of products including fair-trade and locally made goods. Whether it’s an art print, a piece of pottery, handmade jewelry, or something for the kids, there’s a little something for everyone at Twigs.
This year, Twigs is featuring works from Virginia artists like Clara Cline of the Wild Wander, who creates natural history inspired paper goods and gift, that she says are, “inspired by dusty libraries, cluttered studies full of artifacts, and an abiding curiosity for forgotten history and the natural world.” Cline’s collection at Twigs includes hand-drawn illustrations like these botanical prints you see here.
Perhaps you’re looking for something functional and decorative like a piece of pottery, dinnerware, or trinkets dishes. The artists at Dock 6 Pottery create these stunning pieces of pottery fused with glass to create famous “geode crackle” you see here. These pieces are perfect for everyday use, are durable and don’t lose their vibrant colors over time.
How about a piece of jewelry for the mother, daughter, or sister in your life? Twigs carries a huge variety of bohemian and eclectic jewelry from artisans all over the country.
Anne Vaughan designs and creates handcrafted layered jewelry collections with innovative color palettes that is unlike anything else. Using hand selected gemstones and natural materials, Anne Vaughan’s designs are not only aesthetically pleasing, but sustainable as well. Anne Vaughan Jewelry has grown from a solo artisan venture to a thriving small business in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, so when you shop at Twigs, you are truly shopping local.
In addition to these locally sourced gifts of art, Twigs will be celebrating the holidays every Saturday between now and December 19th from 11-1pm with a variety of food and drink vendors. Get your holiday shopping done while grabbing a bite! The vendors will be on location Saturdays, however Twigs will have extended holiday hours and is open seven days a week.
Paul Bolinger Carvings
Paul Bolinger is the brainchild of the iconic “Father Christmas” carvings seen throughout Neiman Marcus retailers across the country in the ‘90s. Bolinger started carving when he was an executive with a semiconductor company in Silicon Valley and “needed an outlet”. As a self-taught artist, he tells us, “My wife wanted some Father Christmas figures for our house, so I carved a few and she painted them. A friend with a small shop asked if he could try to sell a few in his window; the first three sold the first day they were there. After that we were unable to keep up with the demand for carvings.”
These figures have a distinct “old world” look to them. We call them Father Christmas; they do not resemble American Santa Claus at all. Inspiration comes from pictures of antiques, books about old world Christmas, and the whims of the wood as it is being carved.
While there are no carvings ready-for-sale at this time, Bolinger does take special orders through their website: www.paulbolinger.com. Collectors usually wait 4 to 6 months before carvings are complete.
Located in the heart of Middleburg on Washington Street, Atelier Design offers a variety of contemporary art and gifts from all over the world. Today, Atelier carries work from many different artists including local artist Leslie Archer. While Archer came from a family of artists, her calling into the arts wasn’t clear until she spent two decades working for a think-tank in Washington, DC. It was then that she realized “the calling for the arts was never silenced. Spending my free time with a paint brush in hand, my body of work can now be found in private collections throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.” You can, of course, find many of Archer’s grand-scale paintings throughout Atelier Design. As Archer says, her “love of nature is the impetus for the fluidity, motion and layering” found in her work. Stop in today to see her work in person.
