Staring at lively artwork inside Building Six at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, it’s hard to imagine this space was ever a cold and bare prison.
Detailed portraits by Patricia Rice line the walls alongside the other 19 artists who create in this building, including accomplished landscape artist Lynn Goldstein. The transformation of this place from a bare-walled penitentiary into a dynamic array of colorful compositions exemplifies just how easily local artwork can turn any space from dreary into extraordinary—and all for a surprisingly little cash.
“Making a personal connection with art and artists is very simply good for the soul,” says Holly McCullough, executive director and curator of the Greater Reston Arts Center. “Many people think of art for their home and go to Home Goods or go for a mass reproduction, but GRACE and like centers let you experience the artwork first-hand and get to know the artist personally, helping you collect artwork for your home that speaks to you and is unique.”
Buying quality local artwork can not only transform a home into a lively, self-expressive space, but also helps the community and local economy without breaking one’s bank account.
“It’s important to support local artists,” says Tom Albright, a budget analyst with the U.S. Marshals Service and a frequent patron of the Underground Gallery in Crystal City. “Just like with restaurants, it’s important to support local artists from a cultural perspective.”
For as low as $45, one can buy original local artwork like paintings or glass pieces—sizes vary by artist—and start building an art portfolio. Bigger pieces can go upward into the thousands, but the majority of pieces range from $100 to $400. With art centers—where a portion of all artwork sold goes towards art education—spread throughout Northern Virginia like the Workhouse in Lorton, GRACE in Reston, Underground Gallery in Crystal City and the McLean Project for the Arts in McLean, finding local artwork that speaks to any style and budget is only a short drive away.
Along with the arts centers and small established galleries like Kelly’s Art and Frame in Old Town Alexandria sprinkled throughout NoVA, there are numerous art shows like the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival or the Old Town Art Fair. Buyers can find high-quality artwork for affordable prices at these fairs and meet many of the artists first-hand, says contemporary realist painter Deborah Taylor, an Arlington resident and social worker by day.
“Many of us l[ocal artists] just can’t afford or do not have the time to market ourselves,” Taylor says. “Shows are a wonderful opportunity for people to explore different types of art and mediums at a reasonable price.”
Many local artists like modern abstract painter and Oakton-resident Loren Rosenstein—whose work can be seen at places like Freddie Mac buildings—almost exclusively exhibits her work at art shows; so the misconception that a buyer can only find high-end artwork within city-based galleries, says interior decorators Kari Wekluk and Kate Sable of Etch Design Lab, Inc., a Fairfax-based interior design company, is something people should dispel from their minds.
(November 2014)
