There were 14 participants yesterday for the in person with Painting with Padma class (22SP36). This VPA related event was held on Monday, April 18, 2022 at the Spring Hill Clubhouse in Lorton, VA. 

It was a contemporary painting class where students learned about painting from memory.  Students selected reference pictures, and Padma directed students in creating a free, loose drawing that formed the skeleton of the painting.  After establishing the drawing, she guided the students on brush work and to listen to their own internal visual input. 

PADMA SURAPUREDDI is president of the Fairfax Arts League, and has been painting since she was a child.  She is the daughter of Indian contemporary master oil painter, Dr. M. Reddeppa Naidu.

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Artful Meetup with Mark Geiger

This VPA event was held on Friday, December 4, 2021, at the Spring Hill Clubhouse in Lorton, VA.

In this single session, Mark Geiger lectured on the use of the Color Wheel to understand Color Mixing and Color Theory, and then with moderate assistance, participants produced their own work of art to take home using watercolor!  Mark is a DC native and well-known local artist.  As an artist, he specializes in local scenery, particularly using the medium of watercolor, as well as drawings, pastel and oils. His style is impressionistic, and he is drawn to the theory behind light and color.

Mark provided a detailed handout which can be found here.

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Fairfax Art League Meetup to Make Watercolor Paintings

This VPA event  was held on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at the Spring Hill Clubhouse in Lorton, VA.

It was led by local artist Mark Geiger who volunteered to work with LLI/NOVA participants on watercolor painting techniques.  All were welcome to particiapte, whether beginner or expert.  Mark Geiger is a DC native.  As an artist, he specializes in local scenery, particularly using the medium of watercolor, as well as drawings, pastel and oils. His style is impressionistic, and he is drawn to the theory behind light and color.

Mark provided a detailed watercolor handout which can be found here.

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Richmond Museum Visit – April 2019

VPA’s April in Richmond outing began with beautiful gardens and colorful trees everywhere we looked. We started our rainy afternoon with a visit to the Edgar Allan Poe complex, including gar-dens and his childhood home. Afterwards we visited the bucolic and manicured University of Richmond campus to see several exhibitions be-fore checking into our ultra-modern lodging, the Graduate Hotel.

We had dinner nearby at the trendy Max's on Broad restaurant in Richmond’s Arts and Theater District, where a popular local fish dish, Water-zooi, atop local fresh vegetables, was the hands-down favorite.

Saturday morning, we began with a visit to the Valentine Museum complex and afterwards to the nearby John Marshall House. Mid-day, after a five-minute carpool ride, we were at the famous Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for the remainder of the day. At the VMFA, we were wowed with a docent-led highlight tour that ranged from the Faberge eggs and modernity to antiquities from several continents. Also at the VMFA, we had lunch and took a break for a picture with the camel. We capped our long day with a French dinner at the well-appointed Chez Foushee. Patty and Richard Steelman had to skedaddle to catch their 8 p.m. play, Neil Simon's "Broadway Bound."

Sunday morning we continued to bathe in luxury by having breakfast at the renowned Jefferson Hotel before visiting the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. The Jefferson has received both the AAA and the Mobile Five Diamond awards, and Forbes magazine recognized it as the “Best Hotel in America.”

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