Small Town Life | "A Place for Learning"

Archive for the ‘Small Town Life’ Category

Best of Voting

Posted in Serendipity, Small Town Life, tagged Best of, Best of Awards, Northern Virginia Daily, Voting on June 27, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Layout 1 It’s time to vote in the Best of Warren County survey. Click here and go to the survey and vote for your favorites. We would appreciate you considering voting for The Studio and Kelly in category 5, 34, 99, and especially 107…Best Local Artist. Many thanks. And you can vote each day and share with your friends.

Read Full Post »

Yes, We’re Open!

Posted in Small Town Life, The Studio/Classes, tagged Open on May 19, 2020| 1 Comment »

Over the past few weeks, especially this last one, people seem to be anxious to re-open, to go back to work, to return to the way we did things before we were all hit by the pandemic. It is essential that local economies begin to open, to save our community and our livelihoods. It is crucial that it be done safely…with empathy and understanding for those who are concerned about their physical health as well as those concerned about their economic health. Many people have said that the economic part of this isn’t as important to consider or that it is greed that causes us to want to open but if you are one of us who have no income without your business then you have no idea. It is not greed….it is survival! Be understanding. As we begin to get back to our normal daily lives let us be compassionate. Take it slow. Do what feels right for you! Apply what you have learned from reliable sources. Try not to be judgmental toward those who must work in order to survive. If you are lucky enough not to have experienced a financial downturn during this time, help those who have…not the big box stores but rather the small locally owned shops….the ones who have helped you each time you have asked for donations to your causes and your kid’s causes over the years. These shop owners are the ones who have suffered both financially and by the judgement of those who continually berate them for wanting to get back to work. Understand that many of us have no choice. We are at the point of losing everything. Just because our businesses were shut down our bills still had to be paid, our mortgages came due, none of the expenses came to a stop…just our income. Try to keep that in mind. We know these are most unusual times. But if you feel comfortable venturing out, The Studio is resuming our schedule with regular weekly art classes on Wednesday and Thursday for adults and a variety of Paint Parties with limited number of painters and heightened sanitation of our space. The schedule is here. We hope you will attend an event with us soon…or if you aren’t ready to come out perhaps commission or purchase a painting. You can see some of what is available here. We are just trying to be here when the dust settles but that is looking less likely all the time. Until we do see you again, stay healthy.

Read Full Post »

Train and Station

Posted in art class, daily painter, Landscape, Paint Party, Small Town Life, tagged Depot, Train, Train Depot, Train Station on May 12, 2020| Leave a Comment »

We had a great time painting the Train and Station a few days ago at The Studio. This group has been painting local scenes. Can’t wait to see what they do next!

Read Full Post »

Private Session at Arms Length

Posted in art class, daily painter, Paint Party, Small Town Life, tagged Gazebo on May 1, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday we had a private session….at arms length. Great work ladies!

Read Full Post »

Bentonville Low Water Bridge

Posted in Commissions, daily painter, Landscape, Small Town Life, tagged Bentonville, Bentonville Low Water Bridge, bridge, commission, Low water bridge on April 25, 2020| 1 Comment »

Bentonville Low Water Bridge…just completed this commission. I like it and hope she will too.

Read Full Post »

Please!

Posted in Little Known Facts, Small Town Life, The Studio/Classes, tagged Business, Open business on April 20, 2020| Leave a Comment »

please 2 When we say we want to reopen our businesses to get the economy moving again please don’t respond that we don’t need to get the Stock Market going to make the rich richer. It’s not about the Stock Market. I don’t have any money in the Stock Market. I have money in a small business on Main Street in a small town in Virginia. I have money in my business. I have money in my house…that I would like to be able to keep. Businesses like mine are labeled as “non-essential” but what could be more essential than trying to make a living and feed our families and pay our bills. If we don’t reopen soon I will lose that business I have worked so hard to build. It appears that the SBA Small Business Loans and CAREs act moneys are not going to make it down to a little business like mine. It’s sad that those of us who are self-employed or have one or two employees and need the help the most are the ones who are going to suffer in this. So when we reach out and say please, let us open as soon as possible….find a safe way to do it, don’t respond that by asking to reopen the economy we want to make the rich richer. We just want to make a living!

Read Full Post »

Fighting Depression

Posted in Little Known Facts, Small Town Life, tagged crochet, Depression, flowering branches on April 11, 2020| 3 Comments »

This new reality is difficult for most people….whether it’s because they are isolated with no human contact or whether it’s because they have been asked to sacrifice their livelihood to this pandemic. But for those of us who suffer from depression it is especially difficult. I’m sure many, like me, keep their depression under control most of the time but this isn’t that time. Depression is real…and rears it’s head at the worst possible times….like now. We have to recognize it…and fight it with all we can. Today I am fighting by trying to relax….and breathe. I’m keeping my hands and mind as busy as possible. Lincoln and I took a long walk this morning and cut a few flowering limbs that we are enjoying sketching. And they make a nice background view while we crochet a little too. Here’s hoping all of you are coping with whatever you are dealing with today. Stay healthy.

Read Full Post »

Please Think…

Posted in Small Town Life, The Studio/Classes on April 7, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Think clip art It’s a crazy time. Crazy for everyone. It’s harder for some than others. It’s bringing out the very best and the very worst in people. There are some programs that are being put in place to help everyone during these uncertain times. But as a self-employed, small business owner it is a very scary time. All I, and many other small business owners, are trying to do is to still have our businesses when this is over. When an arbitrary date like June 10th is set for closing, it feels like a death nail. We see reports that loans are in place and will be awarded within three days of applying but in reality they are not. I was told today that the application I submitted a week ago may be reviewed in three weeks….to watch for an email then. That is not very reassuring. When I posted that it looked like I would have to close and not even have small group lessons and someone responds that they “are glad that I am doing the right thing”…let me tell you how that sounds. It sounds like you think it’s fine that I may lose my business. Maybe it’s not what you mean…but it is how it come across. If you are working from home or if you still have your regular income, be considerate in the way you respond to those of us that have no income right now. We are very sensitive now. It’s hard…and hard to put into words. Think about it though…. how you would be feeling if you hadn’t had an income for a few months with no prospect of one for several more months. Would you still be so cheerful about doing “the right thing”?

Read Full Post »

Don’t Let the Virus Kill Art!

Posted in daily painter, Small Town Life, The Studio/Classes on March 17, 2020| 2 Comments »

“The Gardener”

This current situation will kill many, many small businesses. It is difficult for us to close for a month without severe ramifications. The Studio is going to continue to be open. We have sanitized all surfaces and are taking all precautions but we will remain open. We hope to have you come and paint with us. We encourage you to review some of the past images we have painted that you may have missed and yet wanted to do. Now is the time. Just pick your image (and there are tons of them including but not limited to the ones shown here), contact kwalker@thestudioforlearning.com or call her at 540-683-9688, and arrange an appointment to come paint. We will sketch the canvas and have it ready for you to come paint. Please help The Studio remain open if you can by continuing to come in and paint. Thanks!

Read Full Post »

Chester and Main

Posted in art class, daily painter, Paint Party, Small Town Life, tagged Chester and Main, Gazebo on February 1, 2020| 2 Comments »

Chester and Main large sign “Chester and Main” is the name of the next painting we will do at Turnmeyer Galleries on Thursday, February 27th at 6 pm. Click here to register. Space is limited so be sure to register early.