Award-Winning Framemaker Todd Healy Returns to Alexandria for One Day Only Event

ALEXANDRIA, VA — If you’ve been meaning to frame that special piece—the family photo, the diploma, the vintage map, or the artwork you love but haven’t quite known what to do with—this Saturday is your moment.

Beloved Alexandria artist and master framemaker Todd Healy is returning to Old Town for a one-day-only appearance at Gadsby’s Tavern, offering his signature eye and craftsmanship to help preserve what matters most. Healy won’t be making the trip alone. His wife, Laraine—a familiar and much-loved presence to many of his longtime clients—will be there too, helping things run smoothly and always happy to chat.

And for those who know Healy’s work, that’s not something to miss.

For more than four decades, Healy was a fixture in Old Town, operating his Gallery Lafayette studio on South Royal Street and building a reputation that extended far beyond Alexandria. His meticulous pen-and-ink drawings of historic buildings—Christ Church, Gadsby’s Tavern, Captain’s Row—have become iconic, capturing not just architectural detail but what he calls “the feeling” of the place. He is also well known for his intricate, hand-watercolored vintage maps of Alexandria and other cities.

But just as notable as his art is his approach to framing.

“I’m an artist who can frame—I’m not a framer,” Healy once said, a distinction his longtime clients understand well.

That artist’s eye is what has kept collectors coming back for decades—some from across the country—trusting him to preserve everything from fine art to deeply personal mementos. His work elevates even the simplest piece into something worthy of display.

Even after “retiring” to Richmond, Healy continues to make regular return visits to Alexandria, where a loyal following still seeks him out for custom framing and his signature prints.

His connection to the city runs deep. Old Town has been both his subject and his inspiration for nearly half a century, and his annual Alexandria calendar—now spanning more than 40 editions—has become a cherished tradition in homes across the region.

Which makes Saturday’s event feel less like a pop-up—and more like a homecoming.

What to Bring

Healy encourages visitors to bring anything they want preserved or elevated:

• Prints and original artwork
• Family photographs
• Diplomas and certificates
• Maps and historical documents
• Personal keepsakes and mementos

If it matters to you, it’s worth framing—and Healy has built a career helping people do exactly that.

Event Details

Saturday, April 18, 2026
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Gadsby’s Tavern
134 N. Royal Street
Old Town Alexandria

Opportunities to work with a craftsman of this caliber—especially one so closely tied to Alexandria’s artistic and historic identity—don’t come around often.

So consider this your nudge: gather those pieces you’ve been meaning to frame, set them by the door, and don’t miss your chance to see Todd Healy this Saturday.

Because in the hands of the right artist, even the smallest items can become something lasting.