By JOSETTE KEELOR
WINCHESTER — First- time ArtScape participants, Abby Mc-Donald and her son, Asher, are encouraged by their experience to keep up the good work.
“When you win something, you always want to try and try again,” said Asher, 7. “Or if you lose something, you still want to try and try again.”
In his case, it’s a win. The Boyce Elementary School fi rst- grader submitted a painting of a white tiger that he completed when he was 6, and he was accepted into the art exhibit at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. His mother, 32, started painting as a kid but said she didn’t pick up the brush as an adult until she found herself with more free time during the COVID-19 pandemic. She submitted a large, colorful painting of a woman with flowers in her hair, and it also made the show. Their artwork will be displayed at the MSV until July 17.
The show will continue as an outdoor art gallery in mid- June, when banners depicting the artwork will be hung along the Loudoun Street Pedestrian Mall in downtown Winchester. Along
See ArtScape, Page A3
Mother and son artists Abby and Asher McDonald of Boyce both had their acrylic paintings selected to become ArtScape 2022 banners to be displayed in downtown Winchester. The duo are shown looking at Asher’s “ Tiger” painting where it is currently hanging in the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley along with Abby’s “ Flora” painting.
JEFF TAYLOR/ THE WINCHESTER STAR
From Page A1 with about 55 works of art that will be displayed on the banners for a year, Asher’s painting will be near the Old Town Splash Pad and his mother’s across from the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum.
“ I think we’re a little hooked now,” McDonald said of the experience.
Though new to ArtScape, the two had known about it since McDonald’s motherin- law, Audrey Cawley- Lee, of Berryville, previously had her photography accepted.
Most of the show is juried, said Lisa Sipp, executive director of the Shenandoah Arts Council, which is organizing the show in collaboration with the MSV.
Among those included in the 2022 display are several works selected from the Shenandoah Arts Council’s recent Youth Art Month exhibition and the annual Teen Art Club exhibition, a collaboration with the MSV, according to shenarts.org/ artscape- 13.
“ Asher was selected because he entered the Youth Art Month art exhibit in March,” Sipp said.
He was chosen from the 6 to 8 age category, and another young artist was chosen from the Teen Art Club, she said.
Four other youths were juried through the process along with about 50 adults from around the region.
Asher said he painted his tiger from memory and especially likes how fluffy it looks.
Though a big fan of tigers, he plans to move on to painting dragons next.
“ I think we might have a new favorite,” his mother said.
See the ArtScape exhibit on the main floor of the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, 901 Amherst St., until July 17 and view the banners on the walking mall starting June 13- 17, as they’re installed.
Other ArtScape events will include First Friday ArtScape on the Mall in August and September, when visitors can meet the artists and see live art demonstrations, and an October scavenger hunt. For more information, visit shenarts.org/about- artscape.
Boyce artist Abby McDonald had her acrylic painting “ Flora” selected to become an ArtScape 2022 banner that will be displayed in downtown Winchester. Her son Asher, 7, also had his acrylic painting “ Tiger” selected to become a banner. Both pieces are on display along with all of those selected to become banners at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.
JEFF TAYLOR/ THE WINCHESTER STAR