Barrier Island Center hosts Annual Art on the Farm

By Ava Canade

 

The Barrier Islands Center hosted their Art on the Farm event this past Saturday, May 24th from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.  It featured over 30 artists and artisans from across the Eastern Shore, food and beverages from local businesses, and musicians playing roots music from across Virginia.  

Some artists such as Diana Davis, who specializes in watercolor paintings, have been part of the event for many years. She spoke about her inspirations for her paintings.

“Nature is very much part of what I do and the beauty that God’s given us,” she said. 

Artists such as Michelle Truslow, who runs Cape Charles Mudworks, are part of newer artists that learned their craft on the Eastern Shore. She learned ceramics at ESO Arts Center about 3 years ago and joined Art on the Farm for the first time this year. 

“I got my start at ESO, Eastern Shore’s Own Arts Center, in Belle Haven and I took my first pottery class around 3 and a half years ago,” she said. “I took to it like a fish to water and I absolutely love it.”

Along with all of the artists displaying and selling their work, there were students from VCUArts that had an interactive structure for attendees. Similar to an umbrella top, the structure was made of bamboo and the students tied pieces of paper to it after asking attendees about precious memories in their lives. Professor Camden Whitehead explained how VCUArts has been collaborating with the Barrier Islands Center for 3 years now.

“I live out here, about half time, and have been affiliated with the Barrier Islands Center,” he said. “And so, during COVID, when we started thinking about setting up a domestic study abroad program, we thought this would be a great place.”

Art on the Farm highlighted the variety of artistic talent across the Eastern Shore. More information about the Barrier Islands Center can be found at https://barrierislandscenter.org/ .