Special Exhibits

The newest exhibit at Allure Art Center opens July 13th featuring the works of David Aiken in a solo show. The exhibit will encompass a wide variety of mediums that he has worked in over the years from watercolor to metal designs. Art has always been David's main focus. In 1974, he and his wife left the busyness of commercial art studios in Chicago for a year of sailboat cruising. The year became a lifestyle, wandering the Atlantic and Gulf Coast waterways and the river and lake routes of the Great Loop, with the Bahamas as a winter port. The Aikens still live on board, now spending much of the year in the Chesapeake.

Initially a watercolorist, David Aiken developed a technique that differs from some of the more traditional methods used with the medium. And while watercolor remains his favored choice for plein air work, the painting style readily transferred to his larger studio acrylic paintings as well.
David uses direct strokes of color-over-color to bring a strong element of design to his impressionistic style of art, whether the subject is a harbor view, a marshland scene, or people at work or play.

More recently, the same sense of design is evident in a series of David’s “Papercuts,” collages assembled from colored papers, where an Xacto knife replaced paintbrushes to form a graphic presentation reminiscent of traditional silk-screens.

Add to the mix is another batch of cut-outs, the result of a switch to yet another medium. Powder-coated metal wall-hangings and a few free-standing decorative items display themes from nature: herons, geese, dolphins and more.

This special exhibit will run from July 13th until August 12th at Allure Art Center located at 419 Rappahannock Drive in White Stone. Sign up for our email list to receive an invite to this opening reception and many other special events held throughout the year.

Abstract to Contemporary features Virginia artists who work in either an abstract or contemporary genre with some straddling and blurring the lines. From colorful and bright to thought provoking, the works in the exhibit will illicit reaction, emotion and wonderment, which most great art strives to do. The exhibit will run from June 8th until July 1st.

Plein Air Unleashed returned for our second year. The painting exhibit featured 10 artists from across Virginia working in oil, acrylic, pastels and more. The artists worked out at locations throughout selected spots in the region as well as on site at Allure Art Center doing demos and answering questions. Exhibit of the 52 works created during the 3 days is on display now and runs through June 3rd.

October 7th brings a new exciting exhibit, "For the Birds" features several signature artists from the Society of Animal Artists. This is an exhibit focused on art depicting our feathered friends. Some of the artists featured are Sharon Call, Mary Cornish, Dana Lee Thompson and several other artists working in various media all with a bird genre. These works will be on display October 7th – November 11th in the main gallery at Allure Art Center. Opening reception will be October 7th.

July 8th brings a new exciting exhibit, "For the love of equine" opens featuring the works of Daphne Benton, Donna Doyle, Debby Thomas, Marion Mercer, Dolores Flessner, Rhonda Lawrence and several other artists working in various media all with an equine genre. Paintings, sculpture, drawings, hand crafted jewelry and more will all be on display. We may even have actual horses on the property! These works will be on display July 8th – August 13th in the main gallery at Allure Art Center. Opening reception will be July 8th. Several artists are scheduled to be on the grounds working opening day.

April 22nd a new exciting painting exhibit, "Plein Air Unleashed" opens featuring the works of some of the regions finest plein air painters. As part of this exhibit, the opening day - April 22nd - will feature several of the plein air painters doing demonstrations and working on new pieces on the grounds. These works will be on display April 22nd - May 21st 2017 in the main gallery at Allure Art Center. UPDATE: Our exhibiting artists created 24 new works while onsite opening weekend and some of them have been added to the main exhibit bringing the current total to 45 pieces.

July 1st a new exciting painting exhibit, "Old World / New World" opens featuring the works of Gary Edmondson and Anne Murphy. The works of Mr. Edmondson are reminiscent of the old world masters in his technique and subjects with majestic still life and atmospheric landscapes. Mrs. Murphy offers a unique approach to modern abstract themes that experiments with color and textures, mixing acrylics with various mixed media. These works are on display now in the main gallery at Allure Art Center.

Saturday May 14th the Allure Art Center will go to the dogs, cats and other animals. Our artists have created animal themed works to celebrate our furry friends and to help raise money for the Animal Welfare League. In conjunction with the art exhibit in the main gallery, we will have an outdoor artisan market featuring local artisans showcasing their latest works. Come out and bring the family to help with a great cause. Raffle tickets are on sale now at the gallery for one of the sculptures by a local artist with all of the proceeds going to the Animal Welfare League. Show and outdoor artisan market start at 9am.

Bright, Bold and Colorful. That is the prevailing theme in the works of two area painters in a new exhibition at the Allure Art Center in White Stone on September 25th from 5-7pm. Accomplished painter and illustrator David Aiken, featuring paintings that are vivid impressions of the places and people he finds as he travels the water routes of the Chesapeake Bay, United States and the Bahamas and accomplished painter Aaron Bowles, whose themes involve the environment, dreams and mythologies of the land, and the dramatically changing qualities of nature are the featured painters. These artists have been featured throughout the region in juried art shows, in collections and selected for commissioned works.

A new group show of Papier Mâché sculptures featuring fun and whimsical creations from regional artists.
These artists use a combination of wire matrix construction, papering and sculpting to create these fun and
interesting works.

The show will feature Hank Mook, well known regional artist and instructor, along with 4 of his former students
who have gone on to be successful artists exhibiting their works in regional galleries and art shows.
Works by JLyn Henderson, Caroline Garrett Hardy, Cheryl Beahm Connors and Sandra Nahm will be in the exhibit.

Fine Art Photography featuring nature and the river regions

Watercolor Artist featuring landscapes and sea scapes

Papier Mâché sculptures featuring fun and whimsical creatures

Sculpture and Metal Works

Watercolor Artist in a variety of subject matter