A Bit of History and an Overview
at·el·ier (noun) [àtt'l yáy, ə tèl yáy ]: artist’s studi0
The Artists’ Atelier holds the working studios of seven emerging and established artists. The Atelier also includes gallery spaces with monthly exhibits. Original art is offered for sale by most of the Atelier artists. Purchases are made directly from the artist.
The Atelier is where we show up … on our weirdo schedules … whenever we want/need to be in our studios. We have limited, scheduled open hours … but would love to show you around by appointment or whenever we’re in. The fact that we have limited hours doesn’t mean we aren’t hard-working and happily creating art somewhere. It’s just you never know where that’s going to be.
Moving In Together
The Artists’ Atelier formed in 2006 when seven painters from Great Falls, VA (members of Great Falls Studios) decided to collectively rent a space for their working studios. It was a leap of faith — who knew what it would be like to work side by side? There were all sorts of different reasons why we came together … such as a lack of a home studio, graduating from taking classes to working as a professional (but missing the comraderie), etc.
Mollie Vardell (one of the founding studiomates who is now an alumni) led the effort and made it all happen. As a former space planner, she looked all over town for a suitable space. Our first “home” or “Like an Office for Painters” (the headline for an article written about the Artists’ Atelier in the Washington Post) was in a tiny loft-like space in the Great Falls Village Centre. A year later, we broke through a wall in that space and added four more painters. We were up to eleven.
Our Second Home
In April 2008, we moved to much larger, fantastic new “painters’ offices” on the corner of Colvin Run Road and Walker Road in Great Falls, VA. We missed being in the center of town … but you should have heard the “oohs” and “aahs” we uttered when we first looked at our new space. It was just perfect for us.
And, Now Our Current Spot as of April 2015-- in the Heart of the Village Centre at 756 Walker Road, Great Falls, Virginia
We love it here ... right where the action is, with two porches to sit on and classroom and gallery space right across a hallway. The seven of us -- Jill Banks, Roberta Beasley, Cindy Grisdela, Walt Lawrence, Joyce Lee, Theresa Miller and Chris Rollins -- look forward to welcoming you during regular open hours on Saturdays, 10am to 2pm and Wednesdays, noon to 4pm and any time an artist is in working. We are also open for First Friday Art Walks from April to December, 6-8pm and for special events throughout the year. (John Francis McCabe and Carol Howard became alums in 2021; Jennifer Duncan did in 2022. Elaine Elinsky now participates in some exhibits.) Look for the Open flag on the front porch.
Want to Join Us?
Considering studio space for yourself? Visit the Artists' Atelier or go to the Arts of Great Falls web site for information and an application.
