Reception: Sunday, December 5, 2010 from 1:30 – 3:30 PM. Presentation of awards at 2 PM. Light refreshments to follow.

Patuxent Art League 20th Annual Open Juried Art Exhibition

Montpelier Arts Center

Main Gallery December 12 –January 2.

Reception and Awards ceremony: Sunday, Dec. 12, 2-4 pm.

Juror: artist and educator, David Lawton.

Montpelier Arts Center is on the grounds of the beautiful and historic Montpelier Mansion which dates to 1873.

Woodlawn Manor Museum

I delivered three of my paintings to Woodlawn Manor Museum today. I was glad to have help carrying my 3′ X 5′ painting and the two other smaller ones. I was to discover the mystery of the servant’s stair case in this historic manor house, but on the way I passed smaller buildings on the grounds of the museum.

The earth was being dug and carefully sieved, as the study of this historic site continues even today.

I continued toward the manor house, and past the archaeological dig site among the smaller wooden buildings on the grounds. At the manor house, I took a few steps into the servant’s entrance and then found the servant’s staircase. It is long, steep and narrow, with worn sloping steps and doors to every room, both to the right and the left. I could almost feel the thudding steps of rushing servants hurrying to answer their master’s calls. The books I’d read as a child about mysterious hidden staircases finally made complete sense. This ingenious hidden staircase had access to every floor of the house, and every room.

The mystery of this day was how to get a 3′ x 5′ painting up those steep, narrow stairs and around the tight corners.

Once my paintings were placed along the wall in the dining room and ready to be hung, there was time for a look out the dining room window. There was rumor that my large painting would be displayed over the fireplace, but it was still too early to tell.

Then it was time to go. As we left, we drove past a large old stone barn on the expansive property.

I’m looking forward to returning to this beautiful setting for the show.  I hope to see you there!  If you can’t make it to the artist’s reception, and would like to go with me on another day, please let me know.

November 6 – 14, 2010

12 Noon to 4 PM

Artist’s Reception 12 – 4 PM, Sunday, November 7th

Woodlawn Manor Museum

16501 Norwood Road

Sandy Spring, Maryland 20860

Free Admission and Parking

Light Refreshment

Artist’s Reception 12 – 4 PM, Sunday, November 7th

Woodlawn Manor Museum
16501 Norwood Road
Sandy Spring, Maryland 20860

Free Admission and Parking

My oil paintings “Los Alamos Before the Storm,” “Pedernal,” and “Hope Valley” are being shown in this juried exhibition.