On October 21, forty-one artists from New York to Georgia arrived in Tappahannock for the opening event of the Tappahannock Art Gallery’s (TAG) Tidelands Plein Air and Art on the Wall. They were welcomed at a reception hosted by TAG members featuring wine, appetizers, and swag bags filled with promotional materials from Tappahannock and Warsaw.
Over the following two days, the artists captured images unique to both sides of the river. Private landowners generously opened their properties, including the gardens at Kendale and the barns at Rose Hill. Other popular subjects included views of the Purdue silos, the Norris Bridge, Naylor’s Crab House, and Totuskey Creek. These works were featured prominently in the Art on the Wall exhibit of 150 paintings held at the Fire House on Saturday night.
Attendees at the event chose Charlottesville artist David Finnell’s “Regarding Jeannette” as their favorite, with past TAG exhibitor Lynn Lewis not far behind with her piece “Gateway” painted at Rose Hill farm in Center Cross.
TAG has hosted an October fundraiser for over a decade, most recently combining it with the Art on the Wall show and sale. At the event, Prue Davis provided a spread of ham biscuits, roast beef, and crab casseroles, TAG members brought desserts and manned the bar, and Peel Dillard provided fresh oysters shucked on-site.
This year, the gallery sold $10,000 worth of artwork. A portion of these proceeds, along with ticket sales and sponsorships from over 30 local businesses and individuals, will directly support TAG’s operations and fund future art classes for adults and children. A complete list of our sponsors is available on TAG’s website at https://www.tapparts.org/tidelands-plein-air.
This was TAG’s best Plein Air weekend yet, with over 150 art enthusiasts attending the final celebration at the Art on the Wall event. If you missed it, please check our website for updates on the 2027 Tidelands Plein Air and Art on the Wall event, as well as the many classes, exhibits, and lectures TAG sponsors throughout the year. https://www.tapparts.org.
