November 22, 2024

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Gari Melchers Home and Studio Joins Special Tour Weekend

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Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont, the 1790s country retreat home for artist Gari Melchers, was open free to the public on September 14 and 15 as part of the “Journey through Virginia’s Historic Home Promotional Weekend.”

Historic Gari Melchers Belmont Estate, Falmouth, VAThe promotional weekend followed Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and First Lady Maureen McDonnell’s declaration of 2013 as the “Year of the Historic Home.” The declaration is in conjunction with the Virginia Executive Mansion’s 200th anniversary.

More than 120 sites across the state are classified as historic homes, ranging from pre-Colonial times through the modern era.

For free admission to all historic sites, visit the Virginia Time Travelers: Historic Homes Edition page and print a passport.

For a list of participating historic homes and their hours of operation on September 14 and 15, visit the Virginia Executive Mansion’s page or call (804) 371-2642 ext. 2460.

Gari Melchers Home and Studio is a 28-acre estate and former residence of the artist Gari Melchers and his wife Corinne. The property, which is operated by UMW, is both a Virginia Historic Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. Located at 224 Washington St. in Falmouth, Va., a quarter mile west of the intersection of U.S. 1 and U.S. 17, it is open daily with an admission charge. The museum also serves as the official Stafford County Visitor Center. For directions and other information, call (540) 654-1015 or visit the museum’s website.

Frame Conservator Presents at Belmont

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This 1929 painting of bride Miep Halff, housed in a one-of-a-kind, “tabernacle-style” frame, will be the focus of frame conservator Sandy Jensen’s presentation.

Frame conservator Sandy Jensen presented “Frame to Painting: The Gentle Art of Matchmaking” at Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. In the lecture, she shared the history behind Melchers’ “Brabant Bride” with museum visitors.

Jensen presented her illustrated talk on the 1929 painting of bride Miep Halff, housed in a one-of-a-kind, “tabernacle-style” frame, which was recently restored from years of deterioration.Jensen outlined the techniques and ethics involved with the frame’s restoration, and also touched on artist’s objectives in matching their paintings to frames.

Gari Melchers Home and Studio is a 28-acre estate and former residence of the artist Gari Melchers and his wife Corinne. The property, which is operated by UMW, is both a Virginia Historic Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. Located at 224 Washington St. in Falmouth, Va., a quarter mile west of the intersection of U.S. 1 and U.S. 17, it is open daily with an admission charge. The museum also serves as the official Stafford County Visitor Center. For directions and other information, call (540) 654-1015 or visit the museum’s website.

Yard Sale at Belmont, 8/17

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On Saturday, August 17, from 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. the Melchers/Belmont Museum Shop is having a Yard Sale like no other. They’re cleaning out the Shop, selling new items at yard sale prices, getting rid of display accessories, and just making room for all things new.  Furniture, art supplies, home decor, silk flowers, table linens, books & more.

Saturday, August 17th, 7:30- 9:30 a.m.
The Parking Lot
Gari Melchers Home and Studio
224 Washington Street  Falmouth VA 22405

 

Gari Melchers Home and Studio Creates “Little Free Library”

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Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont is the site of a new public book exchange, part of the Little Free Library movement. The international movement encourages literacy and community-building through free book exchanges, known as Little Free Libraries. Visitors may pick up and drop off books at any location, completely free of charge.

When Susan Taylor-Schran, Museum Shop and Marketing Manager at Belmont, heard about the movement, she knew it would be a fit for the historic landmark, given the Melchers’ lifelong love of books.

Local woodworker Ken Smith built the wooden structure, located near the entrance of Belmont, and incorporated design elements from Belmont’s studio.

“The idea of placing a Little Free Library at Belmont is in keeping with the charitable works of Gari and Corinne Melchers, whose concern for the citizens of Falmouth and surrounding areas is still remembered by many of our elderly citizens,” said Taylor-Schran.

For more information about the Little Free Library movement, visit http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/.

Gari Melchers Home and Studio is a 28-acre estate and former residence of the artist Gari Melchers and his wife Corinne. The property, which is operated by the University of Mary Washington, is both a Virginia Historic Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. Located at 224 Washington St. in Falmouth, Va., a quarter mile west of the intersection of U.S. 1 and U.S. 17, it is open daily with an admission charge. The museum also serves as the official Stafford County Visitor Center. For directions and other information, call (540) 654-1015 or visit the museum website at http://garimelchers.umw.edu.

Gari Melchers Exhibition Opens 9/1

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Gari Melchers (American, 1860-1932), Sketch of Landscape with Canal and Windmills, undated, watercolor on paper; Gari Melchers Home and Studio, University of Mary Washington

Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont will host the exhibition “Glimpses of Holland from the Portfolios of Gari Melchers” from Saturday, September 1 through Sunday, November 18.

Artist Gari Melchers visited the Netherlands frequently during his career and used the country as an inspiration for many of his works. The exhibition will feature 50 first impressions drawn from Melchers’ portfolios and collection of preliminary oil sketches and studies.

For more information about the exhibit or other fall events, read the full news release.

Bride and Groom Workshop

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Want to be best prepared for your wedding?

Then plan to attend the FREE Bride and Groom Workshop at Belmont on Sunday, August 19th, 2012. 2:00-4:00.

A must attend event for brides and grooms!

This will be an informative bride/groom workshop in the Studio Pavilion. DJ Eric Herod will share ideas to help the men stress less but impress all on the big day! Ashley Alphin of C & A Event Planning will guide the ladies through wedding etiquette and much more. There will be door prizes! And refreshments will be provided by Caroline Street Catering.

Register today!

Gari Melchers Home and Studio to Host Spring Open House

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Gari Melchers Home and Studio will host a spring open house on Sunday, April 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public who will have the opportunity to experience the formal gardens exploding with color as well as the verdant woodland paths and trails. Both the house museum and studio will be open for tours throughout the day.

Amateur and professional artists are invited to use the grounds of Belmont as their own plein-air workshop.  Artists in all media are welcome, as well as photographers and those who want to enjoy the day as observers.  Picnicking on the grounds is also encouraged.

Gari Melchers Home and Studio Installs Interpretive Signs

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Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont recently installed 10 interpretive markers at key sites along its 1.5 miles of public trails.

The markers feature descriptions and photographs detailing important trail sites, including the locations of a 19th-century ice pond and springheads and the ruins of an electric pump station artist Gari Melchers installed to bring water uphill from underground springs to a cistern near the main house. Additional marker topics include the Melchers’ farming practices, the early canal along the Rappahannock River that helped power 18th- and 19th-century mills in Falmouth and a gravesite for members of the family of Joseph B. Ficklen, the Civil War-era owner of Belmont. The George J. and Effie L. Seay Foundation provided funding for the project.

In Corinne Melchers’ will deeding Belmont to the Commonwealth of Virginia, she expressed a desire that the property be developed into a public park for the enjoyment of local residents.

“We are excited about this long-awaited opportunity to increase the appreciation of local history for walkers exploring our network of trails,” said Site Preservation Manager Beate Jensen.

Belmont’s trails are open year round without charge. Trail maps are available on the museum’s website and in the museum shop. Markers at the trail entrances also illustrate the various routes available.

Volunteers from the Virginia Master Naturalists program hold free guided hikes for the public on the last Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. These hikes focus on native plants and animals, as well as Belmont’s historic features.