Scenic Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County
Art Adventures
Galleries, Museums & Murals
<p>Galleries line Washington St in downtown Lexington, and numerous artists create works in studios across Rockbridge County. Galleries and museums at W&L showcase an array of works. In warmer months, don’t miss the First Friday Art Walk, which is hosted by downtown galleries on the first Friday of the month from 5 to 7pm. </p><p><br></p><p><strong>Gallery Row</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Four galleries line Washington Street in Lexington. Dubbed Gallery Row, it’s a great place to start a self-guided art walk. <strong>Nelson Gallery</strong> showcases eight local artists while neighbor <strong>Artists in Cahoots</strong> sells the works of a dozen local artists and craftspeople. Creative pottery lures you inside at <strong>Earth, Fire & Spirit Pottery</strong>, but eye-catching jewelry, wall art, and furniture complement the ceramics. Bucolic landscapes and fancy cows adorn the walls at the <strong>Cabell Gallery</strong>, where fine art pieces include paintings, jewelry, and furniture. </p><p><br></p><p><strong>Museums at Washington & Lee University</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Three museums are open to the public at Washington & Lee. All have free admission, but their hours vary seasonally. </p><p><br></p><p>The <strong>Reeves Museum of Ceramics</strong> shares one of the largest and finest collections of ceramics in the United States, with hundreds of pieces from across the globe. The museum also spotlights the work of Louise Hereshoff Reeves, an early 20th-century American painter. Chinese and Japanese ceramics and engaging temporary exhibits are displayed in the <strong>Watson Galleries</strong>. The Watson House also holds an authentic Japanese Tea Room, with public tea demonstrations throughout the academic year. Closed in summer. Opened in 1868 during Robert E. Lee's tenure as president of the University, the <strong>University Chapel & Galleries </strong>share an exhibition about the history of the school. Edward Valentine's <em>Recumbent Lee</em> statue as well as Lee’s office are also on view.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Galleries at Washington & Lee University</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Inside the <a href="https://my.wlu.edu/lenfest-center" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lenfest Center for the Arts</a>, the <strong>Staniar Gallery</strong> displays contemporary and historical works in all media by a global array of living artists. Guest artists work with students and give talks that are open to the public.</p><p><br></p><p>The <strong>Stan Kamen Gallery</strong>, in the Lenfest Center lobby, is a permanent installation sharing depictions of the American West. Rotating exhibits that are extensions of Staniar Gallery projects are displayed in <strong>Lykes Atrium</strong> in Wilson Hall.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>VMI</strong></p><p><br></p><p>A <strong>Norman Rockwell painting </strong>is located<strong> </strong>on the ground floor of Preston Library on the VMI post. This painting, unlike others by Rockwell, does not capture everyday life in America. Instead, it’s an oil portrait of Henry Fairfax Ayres, a VMI Class of 1906 non-graduate alum. Look for it just beyond the Information Services desk. The painting <strong><em>CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor</em> </strong>by George Walker is currently displayed in the lobby of the Maury-Brooke Hall.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Murals</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Eye-catching murals are scattered across downtown Lexington and Buena Vista. For a full round-up of public art on display across Rockbridge County, check out the Public Art in Rockbridge County guide on this app. </p><p><br></p><p>The <strong><em>Millinery de Rousselot</em></strong> mural at the corner of Main and Washington Streets is a holdover from the movie <em>Sommersby</em>, filmed here in the summer of 1992. This Civil War-era love story starred Jodie Foster, Richard Gere, and Lexington’s very own Main Street. A <strong>sunrise mural</strong> covers the wall beneath the Nelson Street Bridge near the Lexington Visitor Center.</p><p><br></p><p>Several murals are scattered across downtown Buena Vista. <strong><em>Reaching Ever Upwards</em> </strong>captures the city at twilight, with handprints of local children framing the scene. The mural faces the alley off W 21st St near Magnolia Ave. The <strong>Greetings from Buena Vista mural</strong> is a few steps away at the corner of 21st St and Magnolia Ave.</p>
Fine arts gallery featuring two and three dimensional works, both modern & traditional.
A gallery and gift shop featuring a wide range of the works of local artists & artisans.
Earth, Fire & Spirit Pottery Amber Poole, Daniel Caruthers, and Jessy Poole-Caruthers, co-owners of Earth, Fire & Spirit Pottery create functional and decorative artistic pottery. Amber, Daniel, and Jessy have embarked on a mission to create a new legacy following in the footsteps of the founder of Earth, Fire & Spirit, the late Don Poole. They produce handmade, high-fire reduction stoneware with slip trail decoration, copper red, and rutile blue glazes made from family recipes handed down over generations.
Amber Poole, Daniel Caruthers, and Jessy Poole-Caruthers, co-owners of Earth, Fire & Spirit Pottery create functional and decorative artistic pottery. Amber, Daniel, and Jessy have embarked on a mission to create a new legacy following in the footsteps of the founder of Earth, Fire & Spirit, the late Don Poole. They produce handmade, high-fire reduction stoneware with slip trail decoration, copper red, and rutile blue glazes made from family recipes handed down over generations.
Fostering the celebration of beauty, life, and spirit through art oil and watercolor paintings, clayworks, glass art, sculpture, and jewelry.
Museums at Washington & Lee University: Reeves Museum of Ceramics Founded in 1967 with a gift of ceramics from alumnus Euchlin Reeves and his wife, the painter Louise Herreshoff, the Reeves Collection contains ceramics made in Asia, Europe, and the Americas between 1500 and today.These fragile yet durable objects tell stories of design, technology, and trade, and illustrate how people drank, dined and decorated their homes over the past five centuries.
Founded in 1967 with a gift of ceramics from alumnus Euchlin Reeves and his wife, the painter Louise Herreshoff, the Reeves Collection contains ceramics made in Asia, Europe, and the Americas between 1500 and today.These fragile yet durable objects tell stories of design, technology, and trade, and illustrate how people drank, dined and decorated their homes over the past five centuries.
Museums at Washington & Lee University: Watson Galleries & Japanese Tea Room The Watson contains a permanent display of Chinese and Japanese ceramics and two changing exhibit galleries that showcase rotating selections from the fine arts and ceramics collections. In addition, the Watson houses Senshin'an (洗心庵 or "Clearing-the-Mind Abode"), an authentic Japanese Tea Room that is open for viewing, as well as public tea demonstrations throughout the year.
The Watson contains a permanent display of Chinese and Japanese ceramics and two changing exhibit galleries that showcase rotating selections from the fine arts and ceramics collections. In addition, the Watson houses Senshin'an (洗心庵 or "Clearing-the-Mind Abode"), an authentic Japanese Tea Room that is open for viewing, as well as public tea demonstrations throughout the year.
University Chapel & Galleries A National Historic Landmark, the Chapel opened in 1868 during Robert E. Lee’s tenure as 11th president of then Washington College. Non-denominational and unconsecrated, the Chapel housed an auditorium, administrative offices, a YMCA, and a library. In 1928, a museum was installed in the basement. Today, that museum includes an exhibition on the history of the university, a changing exhibition gallery, and a museum shop. Visitors also see Lee’s 1870 president’s office and Edward Valentine’s Recumbent Lee statue.
A National Historic Landmark, the Chapel opened in 1868 during Robert E. Lee’s tenure as 11th president of then Washington College. Non-denominational and unconsecrated, the Chapel housed an auditorium, administrative offices, a YMCA, and a library. In 1928, a museum was installed in the basement. Today, that museum includes an exhibition on the history of the university, a changing exhibition gallery, and a museum shop. Visitors also see Lee’s 1870 president’s office and Edward Valentine’s Recumbent Lee statue.
Staniar Gallery Staniar Gallery is a 1,300 square foot space in Wilson Hall in the Lenfest Center, home of the departments of art, music and theatre at a Washington & Lee University. The gallery is dedicated to the exhibition of contemporary and historical works in all media by regionally, nationally, and internationally recognized artists. The Stan Kamen Collection is permanently installed in the lobby of the Lenfest Center and is regularly rotated for conservation purposes. The collection offers a view of the American West and particularly the "Old West" that has been created by some of America's foremost 20th-century artists.
Staniar Gallery is a 1,300 square foot space in Wilson Hall in the Lenfest Center, home of the departments of art, music and theatre at a Washington & Lee University. The gallery is dedicated to the exhibition of contemporary and historical works in all media by regionally, nationally, and internationally recognized artists.
The Stan Kamen Collection is permanently installed in the lobby of the Lenfest Center and is regularly rotated for conservation purposes. The collection offers a view of the American West and particularly the "Old West" that has been created by some of America's foremost 20th-century artists.
The Millinery De Rousselot mural at the corner of Main and Washington Streets is a holdover from the movie Sommersby, filmed here in the summer of 1992. This Civil War-era love story starred Jodie Foster, Richard Gere, and Lexington’s very own Main Street.