Weekend Buzz: April 24, 2025
It's a jam-packed weekend with Falls Church Arts Day at Cherry Hill Park, Independent Bookstore Day and the Indie Bookstore Crawl with One More Books, the Georgetown French Market, a new play – Woman on Fire – at Creative Cauldron, a Teen Spring Skate Night, Forest Bathing, and much, much more! Enjoy!
Falls Church Arts Day: Saturday, April 26
Saturday, April 26, at Cherry Hill Farmhouse and Cherry Hill Park, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Rain date is May 3.
Arts in the Park is part of the City's Art Day celebration. It's a wonderful opportunity to showcase art in such a scenic location like Falls Church City Hall, Cherry Hill Farmhouse, and Cherry Hill Park. Events like these not only provide a platform for artists to display their work but also foster community engagement and appreciation for the arts.
For more information regarding Arts in the Park, contact Virginia Kaylor at janeellis6547@gmail.com.
Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with One More Page
Saturday, April 26, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Over 1,600 stores nationwide to participate in Independent Bookstore Day 2025 on April 26.
Make plans to join One More Page (OMP) for a day of fun! Celebrate independent bookstores nationwide as we say a big thank you to customers and friends of the store who support us year-round – we would not be here without you!
We hope OMP offers a safe space during these times of turmoil and uncertainty impacting many of our friends, families and neighbors, and whose impact goes far beyond our personal lives and borders. Thank you for sharing your stories and for providing support to others who need it. On Independent Bookstore Day, we celebrate the amazing community we are all a part of.
What's happening at One More Page:
• Find the Libro.fm Golden Ticket in the store and receive 12 audiobook credits from our partner, Libro.fm (think Willy Wonka but for audio books)!
• Find an OMP Silver Ticket and select an item from the prize cart stocked with great books.
• Peruse our Free Book and Puzzle tables! Find a new read or try a new author or genre at no cost. Everybody’s favorite!
• Check out new OMP branded merchandise!
Independent Bookstore Day also kicks off the second annual NoVa + Indie Bookstore Crawl which includes 15 independent bookstores across Northern Virginia, Frederick, MD, and Wardensville, WV!
The Indie Bookstore Crawl runs from Sat., April 26, and Independent Bookstore Day, through May 31 with a special Passport to help book lovers explore our region’s growing bookstore scene. Throughout May, customers visit as many stores as they like to collect store stamps. Once they have visited 4 stores, they can collect a book prize. Those who visit 8 stores earn a tote bag. Readers who visit at least 10 of the participating stores by May 31 will be entered to win the Grand Prize which includes items from all participating stores.
Participating stores for the 2025 NoVa + Indie Bookstore Crawl Passport Program include:
• Bards Alley, 110 Church St. NW, Vienna, VA, 22180
• Big Planet Comics, 426 Maple Ave. East, Vienna, VA, 22180
• Birch Tree Book, 11 West Market St., Leesburg, VA, 20176
• Curious Iguana 12 North Market St., Frederick, MD, 21701.
• Fonts Books & Gifts, 6262 Old Dominion Dr., McLean, VA, 22101
• Friends to Lovers, 301 Cameron St., Alexandria, VA, 22314
• Hundred Acre Books - 172 E. Davis St., Culpeper, VA, 22701
• Middleburg Books, 17 South Madison St., Middleburg, VA, 20117
• Old Town Books, 130 South Royal St., Alexandria VA, 22308
• One More Page Books, 2200 N. Westmoreland St., Arlington, VA, 22213 - Your favorite, of course!
• The Open Book, 104 Main Street, Warrenton, VA, 20188
• Scrawl Books, 11911 Freedom Drive, Reston, VA
• Spelled Ink llc, 132 W. Main Street, Orange, VA, 22960
• Winchester Book Gallery, 7 N. Loudoun St., Winchester, VA, 22601
• WordPlay, 50 W. Main Street, Wardensville, WV, 26851
“Independent Bookstore Day is one of our favorite days of the year! It celebrates both the bookseller AND the reader. Indie Bookstore Day is a way to say thank you to our loyal and supportive customers and friends.” ~ Eileen McGervey, One More Page
Independent Bookstore Day is organized by the American Booksellers Association. It was established in 2013 to promote, celebrate, and highlight the value of the independent bookstore community. Over 1,600 stores across the country will participate in Independent Bookstore Day 2025!
About One More Page:
One More Page Books, a woman-owned independent bookstore in North Arlington, is a place of welcome and discovery where a love of reading is cultivated alongside friendship, acceptance, and connection. We strive to be a gathering place for the community and nurturing environment for diverse authors and readers. Store hours are Tues., 11 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Wednesday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.. We're closed on Mondays.
More information can be found at www.onemorepagebooks.com.
For a more in-depth look at One More Page, see our recent article here:
Christopher Jones
Georgetown French Market
Georgetown French Market, Georgetown, D.C., Book Hill, Wisconsin Ave., NW. April 25 - April 27, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Every last weekend in April, the ever-popular Georgetown French Market brings attendees to the charming Book Hill neighborhood of Georgetown as it’s transformed into a Parisian-inspired open-air market.
Je t'aime Georgetown!
Our annual Georgetown French Market is a popular open-air market – originally inspired by the outdoor markets in France – that's become a tradition in D.C., and one of the biggest shopping events of the year for our small businesses of Book Hill. In 2025, we’re celebrating our 22nd edition!
More than 35 local boutiques, antique stores, restaurants, salons and galleries will display their discounted wares for up to 75% off. Neighborhood restaurants will also offer food and drink specials, including lunch items from an outdoor grill, a sale on French wines, and pastries, croissants, and macarons. On Saturday and Sunday, the French Market will also feature live music, roaming entertainment, a unicyclist, pop-up book sales, and more. Visit our official French Market website for the full list of promos and programming!
For more info go here.
For a taste of what Georgetown's French Market is like, see this article I wrote for The Georgetowner:
Christopher Jones
Local Poetry/Music
Celebrate National Poetry Month!
Turn of Phrase: Conversations Between a Poet and Bassist
Saturday, April 26, 2-3:00 p.m. Lower Level Conference Room. Mary Riley Styles Public Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church. All Ages.
Celebrate National Poetry Month by experiencing a poetry reading enhanced by a musical response! Heather and Chris will highlight a few poetic forms and demonstrate the process of their call and response. Join them live as the two exchange a serene dialogue perfectly paired with a relaxing spring afternoon.
About the Performers
Heather Grant is a poet and writer. Her debut poetry collection Where All Is Brought To Light was published July, 2023. She has published two chapbooks and contributed poems to various journals and anthologies. Heather has given poetry readings at the Canal Street Gallery in Wash., D.C.; Divergent Arts Poetry Series, Phoenix, AZ; the former Stacey’s Coffee House in Falls Church with Irish singer, Connie McKenna, and other venues. Her poetry collection will be available for purchase at the event and is also available at Barnes & Noble, local bookstores and Amazon.
Chris Kosky has been playing Double Bass and Electric Bass for more than 40 years and loves playing a variety of musical styles, as well as collaborating with poets and performance artists. Chris was a member of The United States Air Force Band from 1993-2015, and currently enjoys freelancing and teaching in the Washington, D.C. area. She's the author of a Double Bass method book called The Thumb Transition Zone.
For more info go here.
Meet an Author at the Library
Sharon Wishnow – The Pelican Tide
Sunday, April 27, 2-3:00 p.m. Upper Level Conference Room, Mary Riley Styles Public Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church.
On the fifteenth anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, come listen to a talk by acclaimed author Sharon Wishnow on her novel The Pelican Tide, which deals with a Louisiana family whose lives are upended by an oil spill.
After disaster strikes, a Louisiana family and their community need to prove to each other and the world that their bond is thicker than the oil threatening their shores in Sharon J. Wishnow’s stunning debut novel.
It’s taken Chef Josie Babineaux six months to reconcile the debts left from her husband Brian’s gambling along with her broken heart. But now with a promising tourist season heating up and a travel magazine declaring her the spice queen of the bayou, she may be able to save her family’s historic Cajun restaurant. Repairing her relationship with her daughter, Minnow, while hiding the true reason she left her husband is a bigger issue. Just as the first tourists arrive, an explosion on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico shatters their fragile plans. With her island community at the epicenter of the oil spill, everything is endangered, including the restaurant’s beloved mascot — a brown pelican dear to the family’s heart.
About the Author:
Sharon J. Wishnow is a transplanted New Englander who makes her home in Northern Virginia. In addition to writing upmarket fiction with environmental themes, Sharon writes non-fiction in the science, technology, and business categories. Sharon is the former Vice President of Communications for the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA), the founder of Women’s Fiction Day, and the Executive Editor of the WFWA magazine, WriteOn! She has an MFA from George Mason University, a publications certification from George Washington University, and a BA from Clark University. She regularly speaks about research and writing and publishes a regular newsletter, Research for Writers and Other Curious People.
For more info and to register for this event, go here.
Local Comedy
$5 Comedy Night
Friday, April 25. The State Theatre, 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church. Doors: 7:00 p.m. Showtime: 8:30 p.m. Tickets: $5.
For more info go here.
Local Music
DL Funkband
Friday, April 5, 5:30 p.m. Clare & Don's Beach Shack, 130 N. Washington St., Falls Church.
From Dunn Loring, Virginia, right outside of Washington, D.C., the Funkband has perfected a sound so unique – with a fusion of R&B, GoGo, Funk, Rock, and Soul. Take a ride with the FunkBand as they go Old School and New School with that perfect blend to keep you Groovin' all night!
For more info go here.
George Mason University, Dewberry School of Music:
Mason Wind Symphony Concert #4 Spring 2025
Thursday, April 24, 8:00 p.m.
"Niagara Falls: A Journey Through Power, Reflection, and Motion"
Embark on a musical journey through both natural and emotional forces at Niagara Falls, a program capturing the boundless energy of human expression and the unstoppable power of nature.
The evening begins with "Shoutout" by Roshanne Etezady, an exhilarating fanfare that bursts onto the stage with vibrant energy. Built around a rhythmic motif that mimics the articulation of its title, this piece celebrates motion, community, and momentum, setting an electrifying tone for the concert.
Vittorio Giannini’s Symphony No. 3 follows, a masterwork that bridges neoclassical tradition with the expressive depth of the modern wind ensemble. Rich in sweeping lyricism and intricate motivic development, the symphony moves through moments of elegance, intensity, and brilliance, culminating in a dazzling finale that demands virtuosity from every musician.
John Mackey’s "Some Treasures Are Heavy with Human Tears" shifts the program’s tone to one of deep introspection. Written in response to the 2019 Dayton, Ohio tragedy, this poignant work is not a literal retelling but rather an abstract meditation on grief, loss, and resilience. Through delicate oscillations, haunting melodies, and a powerful emotional climax, Mackey’s music offers a moving reflection on how we process and cope with unimaginable sorrow.
Closing the concert is "Niagara Falls" by Michael Daugherty, a whirlwind of sound inspired by the iconic waterfall’s sheer force and its surrounding tourist spectacle. This cinematic work surges with pulsing rhythms, gothic chromaticism, and blues-infused counterpoint, propelling listeners on a thrilling musical ride that mirrors the power and grandeur of the falls themselves.
Join us for an unforgettable evening as we traverse landscapes of energy, introspection, and unrelenting motion at Niagara Falls — a concert that surges with life.
Tickets: $15 General Public, $10 Seniors, $5 Students.
For more info go to: Center for the Arts.
George Mason University, Dewberry School of Music:
Mason Opera Spring 2025 Presents, "27"
Friday, April 25, 8:00 p.m. Saturday, April 26, 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Sunday, April 27, 3:00 p.m. Performances in Harris Theatre, Fairfax Campus at George Mason University.
Mason Opera presents "27," An Opera by American Composer Ricky Ian Gordon from April 25-27.
"American Writer, Gertrude Stein and her wife, Alice B. Toklas weather two wars in their famed Paris apartment at 27 Rue de Fleurus. As the paintings sing, we meet Picasso, Matisse, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and others among the great artists and writers that Stein hosted and mentored."
We are thrilled to announce that composer Ricky Ian Gordan will be joining us for the performances! Gordon will introduce each performance with his own insights about this unique and engaging opera.
This is a performance you won't want to miss! Learn more about the composer and his upcoming residency with the Dewberry School of Music this spring!
Tickets: $20 General Public; $15 Seniors; $5 Students.
For more info go here.
Local Theater
Woman on Fire
A Bold New Voices Regional Premiere. April 24 - May 11, 2025, Creative Cauldron, 127 E. Broad St., Falls Church.
Juanita has reluctantly moved to a small Arizona town so her husband Jared can begin a new government job. Jared surprises her with a canvas, easel, brushes and paints, hoping it will reignite her passion for painting and make her more comfortable in their new home. Her attempts to paint a family portrait are disrupted by an otherworldly presence in their home, revealing a nightmare in her midst. She solicits the help of her sister to perform a ritual cleansing, but soon tensions mount and buried secrets are revealed. Prodded by her visions, Juanita must reclaim her Mexican-American identity and answer the call of the ancestors.
A beautifully crafted ghost story that speaks eloquently to our times.
Written by Marisela Treviño Orta
Directed by Elena Velasco
Enjoy a meal at the neighboring Ireland's Four Provinces, where you'll get 10% off your food order and Creative Cauldron will receive an additional 10% donation!
For more info go here.
Legally Blonde: The Musical
The Arlington Players, Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre, 125 S. Old Glebe Rd., Arlington. April 24, 7:30 p.m., April 26, 3:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m., April 27, 3:00 p.m.
Music and Lyrics by Book by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin Heather Hach. Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture. Directed by Sabrina McAllister.
A fabulously fun, award-winning musical based on the adored movie, Legally Blonde: The Musical follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Action-packed and exploding with memorable songs and dynamic dances – this musical is so much fun, it should be illegal!
Elle Woods appears to have it all. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school. While there, she struggles with peers, professors and her ex. With the support of some new friends, though, Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world.
For more info go here.
The Emperor's New Clothes
Saturday, April 26, and Saturday, May 3, 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry Street, SE, Vienna.
The Vienna Theatre Company hosts the fifth year of its Theater for Young Audiences initiative with a special production of The Emperor's New Clothes, for 4 matinee performances only.
There was once an Emperor who loved new clothes to the point of excess and spent all his money and time buying and showing them off. One day, a lowly tailor boy
comes to town and claims to be able to make beautiful garments, but they're only visible to those of the position they hold, so, they're invisible to everyone else.
The Emperor cannot see a thing either and worries as well that he's not worthy of being the emperor. But, he lies, and exclaims that the patterns and the colors are beautiful. The entire town pretends, also, to see the clothes, until a little boy shouts that the Emperor is naked, and everyone else begins to say the same thing. The Emperor knows they're right, but continues with the procession anyway.
Tickets: General Admission: $5.00: Children; $10.00: Adults; $8.00: Seniors.
Tickets available at the door only.
For more info go here.
Choke ~ Sucede Hasta en las Mejores Familias
World Premiere | Estreno Mundial! April 24 - May 18, GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. Performances: Thursdays – Saturdays, 8:00 p.m., Sundays, 2:00 p.m. | Funciones: Jueves a sábados 8:00 p.m., domingos 2:00 p.m.
By | De Emilio Infante (Mexico/USA). Directed by | Dirigida por Gustavo Ott.
In Spanish with English subtitles | En español con sobretítulos en inglés
Choke: Sucede hasta en las mejores familias tells the story of Esperanza and Gonzalo Guerrero, a Latino couple in Baltimore who have worked all their lives to provide opportunities for their daughter, Cassandra, a professional now living in Los Angeles. When Cassandra and her wife Zulema visit her childhood home, a family medical crisis sparks intergenerational conflict. Set in the looming shadow of an oil refinery, tradition and modern education clash as the family faces a difficult decision: whether to stay in a home that holds both love and decay, a home shaped and shattered by a corporation. With humor, this environmental and family play portrays contemporary American society from the perspective of one of the most exciting young playwrights in the Latino community, Californian Emilio Infante.
For ticket info go here.
cullud wattah
April 3 - 27, Mosaic Theater Company at Atlas Performing Arts Center,
1333 H Street NE.
It is 2016 and it has been 936 days and counting since Flint, Michigan, has had clean water. Third-generation General Motors employee Marion finds herself on the cusp of a promotion until her sister begins participating in protests accusing the company of poisoning the water. Forced to confront their past and weigh their limited options for the future, the family finds their tight-knit unit threatened by more than just the toxicity of the water.
“Laced with humor! Haunting and eye-opening.” ~ The New York Times
“A searing, intimate portrait of a family and city in crisis.” ~ Arts ATL
For more info go here.
Sleepova
U.S. Premiere. March 26 - April 27. Olney Theatre Centre, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Maryland.
- Winner of the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
- Winner of the Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright
This London hit makes its U.S. Premiere in the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab!
Whether or not sleepover parties with friends were part of your upbringing, you’re invited to join Elle, Shan, Funmi, and Rey at theirs. These four Black British teenagers are growing up fast, each coping with unique challenges. But even these issues – whether living with sickle cell disease, coming out to family, a crisis of faith, or a romantic misadventure, are confronted with humor, sincerity, and optimism. Most of all, Sleepova is a testament to the joys of friendship, centering a quartet of young women finding strength in each other, as they face the world together.
“All the clumsiness and wide-eyed excitability of the best coming-of-age dramas… an exhilarating tableau of imperfect young friendship and you leave wanting an invite to their next party.” ~ The Guardian
“I know a good time when I see one, and Sleepova surely is that.” ~ Time Out London
“You can’t help but fall in love with this joyous, exuberant show.” ~ The Evening Standard
For more info go here.
Fake It Until You Make It
An Uproarious New Comedy! April 3 – May 4, Arena Stage, Kreeger Theater, 1101 6th St., SW.
By Larissa FastHorse. Directed by Michael John Garcés.
Doors slamming. Mistaken identities. And stolen cats.
In Larissa FastHorse's uproarious comedy, a collision of friends and foes within the non-profit sector sets the stage for a whirlwind of competition, chaos, and comedic revelation. Meet Wynona, the Native American proprietor of N.O.B.U.S.H., and River, her white counterpart at Indigenous Nations Soaring. Their escalating rivalry ensnares colleagues and bystanders, leading to the unraveling of secrets that highlight the absurdities of ambition and authenticity. Amidst the laughter, genuine connections form, emphasizing the value of unexpected paths to success. Fake It Until You Make It takes an absurd look at what defines who we are, and the lengths some people will go through to change it.
For more info go here.
In the Heights
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Through May 4.
The joyous Tony Award-winning triumph by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) and Quiara Alegría Hudes (Daphne’s Dive).
Lights up on Washington Heights, NYC where the streets are full of music, and everybody’s got a dream. With the neighborhood on the brink of gentrification, and a life-changing winning lottery ticket somewhere in their midst, the vibrant inhabitants share hope, loss and love as they plan their futures while cherishing their home.
Latin rhythms and hip-hop lyrics infuse “96,000,” “Paciencia y Fe,” “Carnaval del Barrio” and the title song as this breathtaking celebration of community and culture energetically bursts off the stage with Signature’s trademark immersive style.
“When this musical erupts in one of its expressions of collective joy, the energy it gives off could light up the George Washington Bridge for a year or two.” -- The New York Times
For more info go here.
Bad Books
Final weekend! Roundhouse Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Md. Now through April 27.
By: Sharyn Rothstein
Directed by: Ryan Rilette
Featuring: Kate Eastwood Norris and Holly Twyford
A National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere
When a troubled teen is given a controversial book, his mother visits the local library to discuss “appropriate” reading material with the librarian. However, their reasonable discussion quickly turns into a heated confrontation, sparking a dramatic chain reaction of unexpected consequences. With both heartbreak and humor, Sharyn Rothstein offers compassion and empathy as an antidote to the deep debates that divide us. Staged in the round, this brilliant world premiere challenges us to see past our political divisions and first impressions, and asks us what it truly means to care for our children. Part of the Bonnie Hammerschlag National Capital New Play Festival.
Bad Books is produced at Round House Theatre as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Other Partner Theaters are Florida Studio Theatre (Sarasota, Florida), Curious Theatre Company (Denver, Colorado), and Williamston Theatre (Williamston, Michigan). For more information, please visit nnpn.org.
For more info go here.
The Immigrant @ Theater J, Washington, DC
Directed by Paata Tsikurishvili
Final weekend! Synetic Theater / Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW. Through April 27.
Theater J presents Synetic Theatre’s The Immigrant, a new project from Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili adapted from the classic 1917 silent comedy originally directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin. A simple, comedic story about the arrival of a new immigrant in turn of the 20th-century New York transforms into the odyssey of the American Dream – arrival, love, family, success, failure, and redemption all told in the heartfelt comedic style of the great silent classics.
As a theater founded, led, and populated by immigrant artists, Synetic considers this the perfect time and opportunity to develop its own version of this story, bringing Synetic’s innovative style and great heart to the legacy of this cinema classic.
Content Disclosure: This performance will include flashing lights, haze effects, and Nazi imagery including depictions of Nazi soldiers.
For more info go here.
Puppet Show
The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen
Final weekend! Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., April 24-27. Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.
The Puppet Co. Mainstage Guest artist Applause Unlimited celebrates one of the 19th century’s greatest storytellers with their award-winning show, The Magic of Hans Christian Andersen. Sometimes serious and heartwarming, sometimes downright silly, but always fun, the show features storytelling and song as well as over twenty hand puppets, rod puppets, and marionettes in three of Andersen’s best-loved tales: The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, and The Emperor’s New Clothes. Filled with humor and messages suitable for all ages, this show presents the stories that grandparents will recognize, parents will love to share, and every child will long remember.
Recommended for ages 4+. Approximately 60 minutes.
For ticket info go here
Register for a Local Arts Course at Artworks Fine Art Studios
See our recent article about Artworks Fine Art Studios on West Broad Street, here:
Christopher Jones
Local Visual Arts
"Faces & Figures": Meet the Artists Reception and Show
Falls Church Arts continues its support of arts in the community through its upcoming exhibit "Faces & Figures."
The recently juried exhibition showcases a vibrant collection of works that capture the human form through a diverse range of expressions and materials. Featuring folk art, naive, and primitive styles alongside striking photography, figure drawings and emotive sculpture, the show highlights the raw creativity and emotional depth of its artists. From bold, unrefined lines to unexpected textures, this exhibition celebrates the power of individuality and storytelling through art.
Faces & Figures will run from April 19 to June 1, 2025. The exhibit will open Saturday, April 19 with a meet-the-artists reception at the gallery of Falls Church Arts from 7 - 9:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The Juror’s Choice Award will be announced at the reception.
Juror Teresa Oaxaca is an American-born artist currently based in Washington, D.C. She's a full-time painter whose works can be seen in collections and galleries throughout the United States and internationally. Her talent has been recognized and rewarded by museums and institutions such as the American Museum of the Cowboy, the former Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Art Renewal Center, the Elisabeth Greenshields Foundation, the Posey Foundation, and the Portrait Society of America, as well as the Museu Europeu D’Art Modern in Barcelona.
Oaxaca's training includes a four-year diploma at the Angel Academy of Art (Florence, Italy), graduate studies at the Florence Academy, an apprenticeship with Odd Nerdrum in Norway, and studies at the The Art League (Alexandria, Va.), where she trained with Robert Liberace and Paul Lucchesi and took many other courses. She teaches workshops around the United States and in Europe.
Artworks will be on display at the gallery of Falls Church Arts at 700-B West Broad St. (Route 7), Falls Church, Va. Admission is free. The gallery is open Tuesdays–Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Artworks will also be available online at https://www.fallschurcharts.org. All pieces are offered for sale and can be purchased at the gallery or on the website.
For more information, please email info@fallschurcharts.org.
Here's our recent article about the Juror's Choice Award for the show:
Christopher Jones
Principle Gallery: Lynn Boggess
Lynn Boggess’ Solo Exhibition The Twentieth Year opens this Friday, April 25. The Opening Reception is Friday evening from 6-8:30 p.m. Lynn will be in attendance. Principle Gallery, 208 King St., Alexandria.
Lynn Boggess is a plein air landscape painter who grew up on a farm near Parkersburg, West Virginia. Growing up in such a rural area allowed Boggess to roam creek beds and hillsides as a child. He received a BA in Art Education from Fairmont State College in 1978 and an MFA in Painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1980. From 1990 through 2007, Boggess was a Professor of Art at Fairmont State College, where he spent years exploring phenomenology and metaphysics in art. Between the years of 1979 and 2000, the artist experimented with a variety of styles, from minimalist abstraction to postmodern-layered imagery. However, during a break from the studio one day in 2000, Boggess decided to go outside to create some nature studies. He picked up a cement trowel on a whim, which then led to an entire summer of artistic exercises. His goal that summer was to create 100 small paintings to see where his new process would take him. Once those 100 paintings were complete, what began as a diversion became an obsession.
“The challenge behind what Boggess does with impasto painting, is to allow the paint to have an expressive force that is inherent to thick, fluid oil paint, while insisting it achieve as much realism as possible. ‘Those two objectives are not, by nature, easily compatible…,” he says. It’s difficult. Very difficult. And that’s what has sustained my interest in it throughout the decades I have been painting. I can honestly say I have never had a boring session. The unpredictable character of painting wet in wet with thick paint is always fascinating. I can’t imagine any other way.”~ excerpt from the article Texture Breathes Life by Chelsea Koressel, American Art Collector, Issue 234.
"City Stories:" Steven John Fuchs
Fred Schnider Gallery, 888 N. Quincy St., #102, Arlington. Through April 26.
Closing Event with Steven John Fuchs on Saturday, April 26, 5-7:00 p.m. at Fred Schnider Gallery.
Joshua Challen Ice: Something to Do With My Hands
Museum of Contemporary Art, Arlington, 3550 Wilson Blvd. Through May 25.
Experimental Gallery
Joshua Challen Ice creates sculpture, kinetic, and light-based installation art to explore ideas related to architecture and philosophy. Drawing on his background in lighting design and technology for the stage, he creates fully immersive works. In Something to Do With My Hands, Ice presents a new installation created for SOLOS 2025 that explores issues of care, maintenance, and creation. The installation takes the form of a “surreal construction site,” as the artist describes it, which has seemingly been abandoned by its maker. In the space, three frames represent different moments in a workspace where, it appears, a laborer was building a simple chair. On closer inspection, the components of the space, plans on the wall, and tools scattered around complicate this simple narrative, evoking questions about the nature of labor and the tension between fine art and more practical forms of craftsmanship.
Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Sunday, 12– 5 p.m.
For more info go here.
Spring Solos
McLean Project for the Arts, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. Through June 14.
Featuring work by Jackie Hoysted, Emon Surakitkoson, and Heidi Fowler.
Artist Talk: Saturday, May 10, 11:00 a.m. Tea & Talk: Wednesday, June 4, 11 a.m.
In the exhibition “Detrimorphose,” Heidi Fowler depicts the power of brokenness and redemption through mixed media paintings. The artists bring together discarded materials (junk mail, plastic, rustic pieces, and old computer parts) in assemblages to inspire a greater consciousness and creativity towards the paraphernalia we would otherwise discard; exploring the tension between the beauty of creation and the priorities of man.
Jackie Hoysted’s Rudimental is an interactive immersive installation that evokes ideas of nature in interconnectedness. Using simple geometrical elements to generate imagery, and meditative sounds the installation harks back to undervalued ancestral connections with the land, the planet, the universe. It is a call for mutual respect, reciprocity and recognition of our minuteness in the universe.
Crossing Culture features two recent bodies of work by Thai-American artist Emon Surakitkoson, a culmination of her professional journey over the past five years. Using multiple conjoined canvases and wood panel, Emon created works that use shape and composition to convey unity among their unique contributing parts. The individual pieces take on new meaning and value when seen as part of a collective. With her sculptural work Emon translates her voice into a new visual language. This collection as a whole is born from Emon’s personal and artistic growth, as she embraces the complexities of her cultural identity as an immigrant from Thailand in the United States.
For more info go here.
A Life in Art: The Work of Sandra C. Dovberg
Now through April 28. The Reston Art Gallery, 11400 Washington Plaza West, Reston. Meet the Artist: April 27, 2-4:00 p.m.
For more info go here.
Matriculture
Tephra Institute of the Arts, 12001 Market St., #103, Reston. Through May 18.
Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) presents MATRICULTURE, the 2025 Mary B. Howard Invitational exhibition.
The Mary B. Howard Invitational is a biennial group exhibition featuring the work of regional contemporary artists. For each iteration of the show, Tephra ICA works with a guest curator to produce the exhibition through an open call for artists. This program values exhibition-making as a meaningful collaboration between artist and curator and a generative process that feeds the development and public presentation of innovative new work. The Invitational is named in memory of Mary B. Howard, an artist, long-time board member, and staunch supporter of Tephra ICA.
MATRICULTURE is supported in part by Reston Town Center Association and presented in conjunction with the RTC Earth Day Celebration taking place on Saturday, April 26.
Guest curated by Liz Ensz, MATRICULTURE features new work by two regional contemporary artists exploring notions of craft, maternal relationships, and nurturing. Devin Harclerode addresses public and private forms of reproductive labor via hand-made silk and SCOBI curtains. Braided steel sculptures, drawings, and animations by Nadia Nazar consider the relationship to her mother, grandmothers, and her motherland, filling the gap of her diasporic experience. Diverse in material, the exhibition is unified by a collective exploration of nurturing and troubling the boundary between compassion and resistance.
For more info go here.
Marie B. Gauthiez: We Dwell in Between
Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art, 11805 Freedom Dr., Reston, Va. Now through June 29.
Gauthiez uses the house as a metaphor for the subconscious. The surfaces of her relief paintings are inspired by walls that show evolution, wear, and tear. Each wall is a chapter of a story with surfaces marking distinctive moments in time. Her mixed media drawings, grid paintings, brick-sized wall fragments, and an immersive plaster wall installation demonstrate the possibility of the medium escaping their containers and pushing against contained surfaces or fixed boarders. These elements, while transient and somewhat elusive, are held together by color, shape, form, and texture. Her work honors what came before and shares new layers.
For more info go here.
Pamela Huffman's "In the Absence of Nurture… Nature"
Be sure to visit Rare Bird Coffee Roasters in downtown Falls Church to see Pamela Huffman's solo exhibition: "In the Absence of Nurture… Nature,' now through June 15.
See our recent article about the show here:
Christopher Jones
A Brighter Light: An Alliance Member-Juried Show
Arlington Artists Alliance, 2700 Clarendon Blvd. Suite R 330, Arlington, Now through May 4.
Alliance Gallery is pleased to present A Brighter Light, an Arlington Artists Alliance member-juried show exploring themes of hope, clarity, renewal, and optimism. The exhibition seeks to present light in a new way through artists’ use of color, shadow, and texture to convey emotions of optimism during times of uncertainty or darkness. How can light change our perspective? A Brighter Light aims to celebrate resilience and beauty in everyday life.
Exercise & Fun for Teens
Teen Spring Skate Night
Takeover the Thomas Jefferson Community Center for a night of skating from 7-10:00 p.m. on Sat., April 26. Enjoy music, snacks, games, open skating and an exciting cycle class (see below). This event is free and open to middle and high school teens. Register for the Spring Break Teen Takeover here.
Explore Outdoors
Forest Bathing
Sat., Apr. 26, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Long Branch Nature Center.
In the spring season the natural world transforms around us in ways that are both subtle and bold. We need only slow down and pay attention. This Forest Bathing program will guide you through woods, by streams and fields where you will be invited to experience the ordinary with your extraordinary senses. We'll finish the experience with snacks and tea. Dress for the weather and the possibility of sitting on the ground or a log. $12. Register here: #632940-X.
Spring Egg Hunt
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 5400 Ox Road, Fairfax Station. Daily, Now through April 30, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Enjoy a delightful Spring Egg Hunt adventure available daily, April 1-30, 2025, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.! Embark on a self-guided hunt through the gardens as you search for treasures – giant eggs! The fun is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3!
- Start you quest at the Visitor Center where you’ll receive your Egg Fun Find Sheet, your key to unlocking the fun.
- Hop along winding paths through the Spring gardens. When you find a giant egg, draw its design on your Egg Hunt sheet.
- Once you have found all of the eggs, show your completed Egg Fun Find Sheet to our staff and receive an EGGcellent prize!
The Spring Egg Hunt is $8 per egg hunter which includes garden admission. Regular garden admission ($5-$8) or garden memberships apply to those accompanying the egg hunters. All fees are paid at the door. All ages are welcome.
For more info go here.
By Christopher Jones
Member discussion