PURCELLVILLE, Va. (July 7, 2017) — The seventh in a series of art exhibits in Purcellville's Town Hall features the works of local artist Anne Marshall Block. The show, entitled “Beauty,” runs from the beginning of July to the end of September 2017. A Meet-The-Artist reception will take place at Town Hall (221 South Nursery Ave) on Wednesday, July 26 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. The public is welcome to join Anne and the Purcellville Arts Council for a night of art and light refreshments. The show may otherwise be seen according to regular Town Hall office hours (Mon - Fri 8:00am - 5:00pm, except holidays).
About 20 years ago, Anne Marshall Block’s lifelong love of the outdoors fostered her budding interest in an art career. Anne states that after her first class with artist Dodie Petro and after many years of study with Penny Hauffe, her passion for art has grown. “The tranquility and aesthetic beauty of Loudoun and its surrounding counties helped to serve as my first inspirations for outdoor painting. I am always ready to capture my hiking, biking and traveling adventures on canvas,” she says.
Anne works primarily in oils and a variety of her subjects can be found in the Purcellville Town Hall exhibit. During the fall and spring, you can often locate her painting in the gardens of historic Oatlands in Leesburg, Virginia. “Painting is relaxing and the best way for me to put on canvas what my senses perceive. During the winter months, I spend many happy hours painting in my Leesburg home studio.”
In addition to her local works, Anne has been inspired to travel and paint scenes from East Coast seashores as well as scenes in Italy, South Africa, Victoria's Falls, Zambia, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the California Pacific Coast, Monument Valley, Utah, Grand Tetons, Sedona, Arizona, and many more beautiful parts of the world. Her collection includes elk, pronghorn deer, elephants, a lioness, leopards, a khudu, monkeys, and many more. Stating that her rustic outdoor scenes are painted in vibrant colors, Anne adds, “I especially enjoy the challenge of depicting atmospheric changes, sunrises, sunsets, and rainbows.”
The first floor corridors of Town Hall have a gallery-caliber hanging system which creates an opportunity for local artists to exhibit their work. Art exhibitions in Town Hall ensure that all members of the public have access to art. Art exhibits are currently booked through March of 2018, and the Purcellville Arts Council is accepting submissions for future shows. All artwork is decided upon by an outside jury. Please send inquiries to the Town of Purcellville, attention: Arts Council at arts@purcellvilleva.gov.
