“Member 25” is on view right now in our gallery, celebrating some of the artists who have been exhibiting here for 25 years or more.
As part of the exhibit, we asked the artists to recall stories from their time here, which we’ve posted on the walls. Here are five of them:
“I was in early labor with my second child — still at home making dinner — and I called the Art League Gallery to see whether the drawing I’d submitted earlier had gotten into that month’s show. I had, and I was so happy, I broke into a mazurka in our kitchen after I hung up the phone. Eight hours later, Julia was born.”
“I ‘won’ my first membership as a student back in 1985 and have been a member ever since. I was so honored to receive that first membership! While I have been honored over the years with several awards, I was particularly thrilled with the Anne Banks collage award in 2013 for I Woke up Crying. One of the things I love most about The Art League Gallery is the ‘hive’ when the gallery is buzzing with artists entering shows!”
”The friendly and welcoming spirit of The Art League Staff has been a key factor in deciding to renew my membership year after year, regardless of getting into shows or not!“
“I stop by the Gallery whenever I’m here shopping for paint and whether I’ve been juried in to a show or not, there’s always something interesting and thought-provoking to see. Alexandria is such a beautiful city – full of gardens, forests, dramatic hillsides and of course, the river. As a landscape artist, what better place could there be for me to show and sell those landscapes?”
“At my one-person show, a gentleman and his secretary came in as I was placing my name and title on the wall. He asked, ‘How much for all the prints? I want them for my building going up nearby.’ I said, ‘The opening is not till Sunday.’ The Gallery manager heard this from the other room and came running in saying: ‘I will handle this!’ ”
“Member 25” is on view through Sunday, February 5.
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