Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont hosted its second annual Beeping Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 23. The free event, held from 1-3 p.m., provided visually impaired and blind individuals and their families an opportunity to participate in a non-traditional Easter egg hunt. The specially designed plastic Easter eggs, donated by Stafford County-based International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators, emit a beeping sound that allows visually impaired children to retrieve the eggs using their ears. The event also included “touch tours” of Gari Melcher’s studio and home, which allowed visitors to explore various features of Belmont with their hands. Games, Wegman’s-sponsored healthy snacks, a visit with the Easter bunny and a “Touch a Tractor” station rounded out the day’s activities. 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 … [Read more...]

Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont has received a 100-year-old painting on long-term loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The painting, “In The Studio,” is the highlight of a special exhibition in Belmont’s Studio Gallery, along with two early studies for the painting and a related photograph. Artist Gari Melchers painted “In The Studio” in 1912 at the peak of his career. The painting depicts the artist at his easel with prominent German businessman, art patron and friend Hugo Reisinger. Reisinger worked with Melchers on a number of cultural exchanges including contemporary art exhibitions between Germany and the United States. Reisinger’s son gave “In The Studio” to The Met in 1956. 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 … [Read more...]