The Byrne Gallery is proud to present Sanctuaries, an exhibition of expressive landscape paintings by Jacquelyn Jouvenal. The exhibit will begin on Saturday, September 1st and continues through Sunday, September 30th. There will be a reception for the artist on Saturday, September 8th, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It is open to the public and everyone is cordially invited to attend.

Growing up a stone's throw from the Potomac River, Jacquelyn spent many of her days enjoying the river's wild beauty. Stemming from those childhood impressions, she seeks out water and nature as constant subjects in her artwork, which is painted mostly in oil and pastel. The artist prefers to demonstrate her subject matter through plein-air painting, where she can observe the intriguing nuances of the landscape and create a spiritual connection with her environment. Her paintings attempt to display in canvassed form the peace and stillness of the countryside trapped within the frantic pace of today's society. Jacquelyn's goal is to compose a simplified version of nature that often goes unnoticed, focusing on quiet sanctuaries, the change in light or the compositional movement of shifting clouds. Her energy flows through her paintings, evident by the dapples of sunlight and color brushed across her canvas. Jacquelyn wants to capture and record a point in time that has moved her spirit, bring that interval to her viewers, and relive that moment with all those who observe her art.

Jacquelyn began her art career in Potomac, Maryland, at the age of twelve and then went on to receive her BFA from Syracuse University and her MEd from University of Maryland. After completing school, Jacquelyn taught in Montgomery County Public Schools for 7 years and taught adult classes at the Yellow Barn Gallery in Glen Echo, MD. Currently, Jacquelyn is an artist in Residence and a faculty teacher at the Foxcroft School, as well as the founder of the Silver Moth Studio, in Middleburg, VA.

Her love of art stems from a long line of family artists. Jacquelyn's great great great grandfather, Jacques Jouvenal, carved the statue of Benjamin Franklin, located in front of the Old Post Office Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue, as well as the Bust of Aaron Burr in the Senate Chamber of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. Her great great grandfather, Rudolph Jouvenal, carved the capstone of the Washington Monument. While her ancestors mastered three-dimensional art forms, Jacquelyn tackles mostly two-dimensional art.

Jacquelyn's artwork can be found on display in private and public collections across the country.

Please come to visit the Byrne Gallery to see and enjoy Sanctuaries on exhibit for September 2018. The Byrne Gallery is located at 7 West Washington Street in Middleburg, Virginia. Gallery hours are Monday and Tuesday by appointment only, Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Contact the Byrne Gallery for more information at (540) 687-6986.