Local Art and Artists

Visitors seeking an original piece of art to take home can easily find what theyíre looking for here in the Lexington/Rockbridge County area. A number of galleries and shops sell works by local and regional artists, from painting to photography, sculpture to stained glass, and jewelry and ceramics.

Probably the most visible, and celebrating itís 25th anniversary this year, the oldest art gallery in town is Artists in Cahoots. Started in 1983, Artists in Cahoots is exactly what itís name implies, a cooperative gallery run by member artists. Currently, a dozen members sell their works through the gallery, but other, non-member local artistsí work is also represented.

A sampling of members and their genres include gallery founder George Makinson, who paints landscapes and seascapes in oil. Greg and Patricia Sandage exhibit original jewelry in gold, silver and interesting gemstones. John Owenís decoys and bird carvings range from shorebirds to swans and herons, in a variety of styles and finishes. Margaret Carroll builds stained glass panels in her original designs. Maureen and Rebecca Worth create traditional pottery and ceramic jewelry.

Artists in Cahoots is located at the corner of Washington and Main Streets in downtown Lexington, and open Monday through Saturday from 10 to 5:30 and most Sunday from 11 to 3. http://www.artistsincahoots.com

Other shops and galleries throughout Lexingtonís downtown offer local and regional photography, sculpture, ceramics, collectible prints and original painting and drawings.

For those using Lexington as a base and taking day trips around the area, the Artisans Center of Virginia, in nearby Waynesboro, showcases the works of over 200 Virginia craftspeople. The gallery features for sale pottery, metal, glass, leather, wood, baskets, fiber, jewelry, furniture and more. Take I-81/64 north and follow I-64 east 10 miles to Waynesboro. http://ArtisansCenterofVirginia.org

Lexington is also home to two internationally-known artists: photographer Sally Mann and painter Cy Twombly. Michael Miley, a local photographer in the mid-1800s, is known for his photographs of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and for developing an early color photography process. Rockbridge Baths was home for many years to Pierre Daura, a Catalan-American artist who's work is becoming more recognized.