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.

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 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 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.

Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont is featured in the February 2012 issue of the New England Antiques Journal. The article, “Art, Love and the House of their Dreams: The Virginian Home of Artist Gari Melchers,” shares the history of Gari and Corinne Melchers’ home and includes photos of the building and grounds.