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Gari Melchers Home and Studio To Co-Sponsor Seurat Sunday, May 4

Seurat Sunday, a day of creativity, will be held at Gari Melchers Home and Studio on Sunday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In case of inclement weather, the event, which is co-sponsored by the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts (FCCA), will be held on Sunday, May 18.

“Amateur and professional artists are invited to use the grounds of Belmont as their own plein-air workshop,” said Director David Berreth.

Seurat Sunday derives its name form the 19th-century French artist Georges Seurat, whose most famous painting, “Sunday Afternoon on Le Grande Jatte,” depicts a crowd of Parisians enjoying a happy outing on the banks of the River Seine.

Artists may work until 4 p.m. anywhere on the estate’s expansive grounds and gardens overlooking the Rappahannock River.  Live models will be strolling and available to pose, and music will add to the ambience. Artists in all media are welcome, as well as photographers and those just wanting to enjoy the day as observers. Participants are encouraged to bring their lunch and picnic on the grounds as they work. Newly opened walking trails to the river and through the expansive woodlands surrounding Belmont add to the variety of settings available for artistic interpretation.

The day will end with a wine and cheese reception from 4 to 5 p.m., during which artists may display their day’s work and share the camaraderie of creativity.

Tickets, available in advance or at the gate, are $16 for members of Friends of Belmont and FCCA, $20 for non-members and $5 for individuals age 18 and under. Guided tours of Belmont’s historic house and studio are included. A $2 discount applies to all adult tickets purchased before May 3. Proceeds will benefit FCCA programming. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts at 813 Sophia St. in Fredericksburg.

Gari Melchers Home and Studio is a 27-acre estate and former residence of the artist Gari Melchers and his wife Corinne. The property, which is part of 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 Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Beginning in April, the museum will stay open until 5 p.m. daily. Admission to the museum is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-18.

For directions and other information, call (540) 654-1015 or visit the museum’s website at www.GariMelchers.org, or contact the FCCA at (540) 373-5646 or visit www.fccava.org.

News release prepared by Michelle Crow-Dolby

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