ArtSquare Celebrates One Year in New Location

This month marks the one year anniversary for ArtSquare since moving to its new location last March.

Previously known as Gallery 222, the Loudoun Academy of the Arts Foundation and King Street Studios, which had been located in the historic downtown district since 2001, all three businesses have been combined into one offering a larger space then what was available before.

“It's a larger space, which means we can conduct more classes for more students, which, in the last year our numbers have increased,” said Gail Waldron, previously the executive director of ArtSquare. She said the location was changed due to a “very large” development makeover that was near. “We thought it would be better to get a head of that curve then behind it.”

What's great about the new location, Waldron said, is it offers two gallery spaces instead of one. The rooms are much bigger and offer more light, which is fantastic when it comes to art.

“We also have 14 artist studios on sight on the first floor. So its really a big change,” Waldron said. “We have 14 resident artists who actually rent their studios for a year at time and they are their studios. They come in and paint in their studios, they put their work on the wall, they sell their work. It's a lovely community of artists.”

The other benefit to the new location, Waldron said, is that it is better suited to traffic coming from the east. People from Ashburn, Great Falls, Herndon and Reston are coming to ArtSquare more frequently, she said, then they did to the other location.

“Even though we changed our name, changed our location, we are still voted, for the third year in a row, the number one place to see arts.” Waldron said, in regards to the January announcement that came from Leesburg Today. “That's a big accomplishment when you consider we re-branded our entire name and entity.”

"The space is very wonderful," said new Executive Director Cindy Bridgman, who has been working in the new space for about six month. She was a student and board member prior to her most recent title, which she received March 1.

Bridgman said that the new location offers more opportunity to meet ArtSquare's mission, which includes promoting the arts in Loudoun county. “We're going to do everything we can to keep doing that. We want to be the 'go to' place.”

Both women said they look forward to holding more classes, events and exhibits at the gallery including two that are opening this weekend.

From March 11 to April 3, watercolors by Laney Oxman and sculpture by Elissa Farrow-Savos will be featured, portraying a dynamic focus on women, Walbrom said.

“It really is phenominal space and everyone who sees it is so impressed by the entire site,” Waldron said. “I just want to make sure that more people find out about it.”

ArtSquare is located at the eastern end of Leesburg at 12 Cardinal Park Drive SE, off of Trailview Road, behind Salvation Army's Thrift Store. Call 703-777-8043.