The Summer Solstice Segues into Solo Shows, Summer Markets, and Salutes to Our Grand Old Flag
Alexandria, VA – The official start of summer may have come and gone, and post–July 4th can feel a bit anticlimactic—but Alexandria’s art scene is just heating up.
If you missed the elegant exhibit at River Farm curated by Nepenthe Gallery and Robert Murray of von Brahler Ltd., don’t worry—gallery co-owner Carrie Garland has plans to return. Stay tuned for details.
Nancy Patrick at River Farm
Now on view through August 27 at River Farm—the historic home of the American Horticultural Society and one of George Washington’s original five farms—is Inspired by Nature, the first solo exhibit at the venue by local artist Nancy M. Patrick.
Patrick, a biologist and retired educator, presents more than 70 original works celebrating the natural world in both realistic and allegorical styles. “Imagination and reality collide to produce this unique representation of myself,” she explains. “My thousands of photos save the visual memories of nature that are the building blocks for my paintings while claiming the journey, the story, the vision, and that moment in time as my own.”
Her art is a natural complement to River Farm’s lush grounds—flourishing flora, winding paths, and wide river views that echo the vibrancy of her work.
A Creative Late Start, and Swift Rise
Patrick began exhibiting professionally after her retirement in 2018, when her painting Susquehanna was accepted into her first juried show at The Art League at the Torpedo Factory. Since then, her work has been featured in 25 exhibitions—including five solo shows—at 18 venues across Virginia.
A native New Yorker and primarily self-taught, Patrick studied with artist Karl Kuerner in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Her work reflects his influence and the distinctive illustrative legacy of the Wyeth family. She holds degrees in biology and psychology from the City University of New York’s College of Staten Island and earned a master’s in early childhood education from George Mason University.
This summer, Patrick’s art is showing in more than ten venues, including six of the eight gallery groups to which she currently belongs. She has exhibited in more than 40 shows at Del Ray Artisans alone. Just last month, she sold a painting while hanging her solo exhibit—before the show even officially opened.
Her next appearance at Del Ray Artisans will be in the August group show Lovely as a Tree, curated by Robyn McGarry, where her signature arboreal works are sure to stand out.
Summer Art Markets and Community Events
Del Ray Artisans will host its third annual Summer Art Market on July 12 and 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, with different artists featured daily. The gallery will also preview its second annual indoor yard sale fundraiser during Del Ray’s First Thursday on July 3 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The full sale runs July 5–6 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Meanwhile, on June 8, Mayor Alyia Gaskins presented a proclamation to the Multiple Exposures Gallery in honor of its 40th anniversary. Since its founding in June 1985, MEG has mounted more than 400 exhibitions, significantly contributing to Alexandria’s fine art photography scene.
Visitors to the Torpedo Factory can also explore The Art League Gallery and stop by Studio 14, home to Printmakers Inc.—another founding gallery of the Torpedo Factory. Printmakers Inc. offers affordable original artwork and invites guests to observe or even assist artists at work.
Currently on view at Printmakers Inc. is Contemplating Exodus by Ed McCluney, running July 3 through September 14. McCluney’s work has been shown at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the National Center for African American Studies. His work is archived at Georgetown University, and he teaches at The Art League School. The public can meet McCluney on July 13 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Nepenthe Gallery Heats Up July
The Summer Solstice 2025 group exhibition remains on view at Nepenthe Gallery in Hollin Hill through July 16. Open houses this month include:
- July 3, 6–7:30 p.m. – A Collection of Patriotic Art featuring Cey Adams, Pamela Patrick White, and Norman Rockwell
- July 10 – Matrilineal, a group show by female artists including Debra Ferreri, Cara Romero, and Ola Rondiak, on view through August 6
- July 17 – Reception for the Fourth Annual Student Art Anthology, exhibiting selected works by area high school and college students through July 30
- July 18, 6–8 p.m. – Whiskey Tasting Reception co-hosted by the UNC Men’s Rugby Club in celebration of the USA Eagles rugby teams’ doubleheader at Audi Field
- July 24 – Meet plein air landscape painter Anne Meagher-Cook, whose solo exhibit runs through August 20
- Late July – Mixed-media artist Nancy Bruce will debut a solo exhibit of upcycled and found-object collage, on view through August 27
Stay Cool with Art
Summer brings an abundance of artistic offerings and very little time to catch them all. So don’t let the heat get you down—take a break in one of Alexandria’s many galleries. Attend an open house art reception. Take an art class. Make something new. Buy something new. But whatever you do… Find Your Art!
