Arts Walk: Spirit of the Season
- Climb the spiral staircase at the Torpedo Factory to reach a second level of artist studios and gallery space.
Situated on the scenic Potomac River, Alexandria, Va., serves up Southern hospitality with festive flair. Just six miles south of Washington, D.C., this small colonial city seems far removed from the sobering politics of the nearby nation’s capital. Here, locals and tourists throng historic Old Town’s narrow brick sidewalks and cobblestone streets, dipping into galleries, strolling along the bustling waterfront and savoring seafood brought in fresh from the Chesapeake Bay.
The high-spirited atmosphere heats up during the winter chill, beginning with a holiday tree-lighting ceremony, held on the Friday evening after Thanksgiving at historic Market Square in Old Town. The following weekend is the boisterous annual Scottish Christmas Walk, with kilt-clad bagpipers and packs of dressed-up dogs parading through the city’s streets.
“It’s very colorful and very cold,” laughs Marilyn Whiteman of the Alexandria Visitors Center.
The Visitors Center—the restored home of William Ramsay, a Scottish merchant who was a close friend of nearby resident George Washington— is located in the heart of Old Town (221 King St.; 703-838-4200). Pick up a copy of the Alexandria Visitor’s Guide there, then walk two short blocks to the waterfront, where the sprawling Torpedo Factory Art Center (105 N. Union St.; 703-838-4565) houses a maze of artist studios, galleries, museums and restaurants.
The Torpedo Factory—so named because torpedoes were manufactured there after World War I—is designed to foster face-to-face contact between working artists and art enthusiasts. Inside the 82 glass-fronted studios, sculptors, jewelers, painters and other artists can be seen crafting their work and welcoming visitors.
“The Factory does very well in the winter,” says Virginia Vis, associate gallery director of The Art League (703-693-1780), a gallery that exhibits juried paintings, sculpture, jewelry and fiber pieces by local and regional artists. “We’re inside, we’re warm and dry, and we’ve got three floors of climate control in which to enjoy the artwork.”
Other galleries in the Torpedo Factory include the Potomac Craftsmen Fiber Gallery (703-548-0935), a cooperative of fiber artists. The tiny Enamelists Gallery (703-836- 1561) features the work of locals, including enamels by Kathy Bransford and cloisonné wall hangings by Norma Wangel.
While it’s tempting to spend the entire day exploring the Torpedo Factory, head two blocks up King Street to Artcraft Collection (132 King St.; 703-299-6616). The store stocks spectacular handpainted and one-of-a-kind furniture pieces, including a remarkably comfortable galvanized and painted-steel rooster rocker by Cricket Forge and whimsical wood wine butlers and CD cabinets by Paul Carbo.
Artcraft also offers unbeatable customer service: if someone who lives in Old Town buys a piece of furniture, “it’s not unusual for us to just walk it over to their house,” says store buyer Willie Phillips.
Bundle up for a brisk six-block walk to upper King Street, where a host of fine galleries await. Imagine Artwear (1124 King St.; 703-548-1461) specializes in unusual clothing, jewelry and accessories for women “who want our undivided attention and come in many shapes and sizes,” says sales associate Mary Mills. Especially elegant are hand-dyed and appliquéd silk jackets by Joyce Fogle and sterling silver earrings and necklaces by Alexandria resident Leah Sturgis.
Across the street, Arts Afire (1117 King St.; 703-838-9785) blazes with glorious glass, including a phenomenal collection of handmade kaleidoscopes, plus avant-garde jewelry by artists such as Beth Williams. For the environmentally conscious, there’s festive recycled-glass dishware by Fire & Light, available in a variety of translucent, easily mixed-and-matched colors.
If, like most adults, you’re secretly a kid at heart, pop into the Elizabeth Stone Gallery (1127 King St.; 703- 706-0025), one of only a handful of galleries in the U.S. devoted to the art of children’s book illustration. Stone, a former children’s librarian, stocks original art by American illustrators such as Kathryn Brown, as well as less expensive, limited edition prints.
Nearby, on stately North Patrick Street, La Muse (108 N. Patrick St.; 703-683-1696) showcases the work of local artists such as Chris Ehmann, who crafts her delicate mosaic tables at her home in the emerging Alexandria arts community of Del Ray.
To get to this up-and-coming bohemian neighborhood, take a quick cab ride or drive north along Mount Vernon Avenue. Once there, check out A Show of Hands (2204 Mount Vernon Ave.; 703-683-2905), co-owned by Pat Miller, who also chairs the city’s commission for the arts. The store showcases the work of locals, including turned-wood bowls by Patrick O’Brien, director of the Alexandria Public Library System. Del Ray Artisans (2704 Mount Vernon Ave.; 703-838-4827), open only on weekends, also showcases the work of local artists.
Finally, savor two of life’s greatest pleasures, art and chocolate, at Artfully Chocolate (116 E. Del Ray Ave.; 703-635-7917), where owner Eric Nelson displays his own vibrant artwork while serving up gourmet chocolates made locally by Kingsbury. The tempting truffles come in such flavors as pomegranate, honey- ginger and lavender pistachio. Nelson has positioned a comfortable bench just inside the entrance of the store, perfect for weary winter shoppers to drop their bags, rest their feet and watch the sun set.
