By and For Artists
In 2017, artist David Carlson had a vision to make visual arts more visible in Arlington, VA. There hadn’t been a studio tour in the county since 2013, when Arlington Artist Alliance held its last tour. Meanwhile, artist Melanie Kehoss was in her second year organizing the Greater Westover Studio Tour. David recruited Melanie, along with representatives from MoCA Arlington (then AAC), Columbia Pike Artist Studios, LAC Studios (then Lee Arts Center), Arlington Arts, and Arlington Artist Alliance to organize a county-wide open studio event. Arlington Visual Art Studio Tour launched its first tour in 2018. AVAST is incorporated as a Virginia non-stock company, operating without a profit. In 2020, AVAST began hosting artist exhibitions in addition to the tour. The annual tour is always non-juried and free to the public. AVAST opens doors to the creative process!
Meet the Team
Scroll down to see our sponsors
Beth Rhyne
Director
Beth is a long-time Arlington resident, interested in visual arts and experienced in non-profit management. She is a board member at Grameen Foundation (international development), Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington, and Just Neighbors (immigration legal services). She and her husband raised three children in Arlington and Africa — all graduates of Yorktown High School. Beth is also an aspiring block print artist.
David Carlson
Board President, Fundraising Manager
David works as an artist, teacher, and community activist. He creates beautiful and complex abstract paintings and meditative video works. Since 2000, he has collaborated with performing and visual artists on video projects that embrace humanistic and environmental concepts. His works have been exhibited in the Pretoria Art Museum, Musee Des Tapisseries, Wichita Falls Museum of Art, John Cabot University, McLean Project for the Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington.
Melanie Kehoss
Board Member, Treasurer, Web Manager
Since earning her MFA at Univ. of WI-Madison, Melanie’s art has appeared in over 100 exhibits throughout the country. She teaches drawing and painting at Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington and US Arts Center. In addition to serving as a founding member of AVAST, she is an active member and board member emeritus of the Guild of American Papercutters.
Matthew Rowan
Board Member, Graphics Manager
Matt has a BA in Art & Art History from The College of William & Mary and a BS in Industrial Design from the Art Center College of Design. His nearly 20 years of design experience includes brand strategy, environmental graphic design, and interior design. Having led award-winning creative teams at Gensler and Capital One, he now serves as Vice President of Residential Lighting at Dominion Lighting.
Mary Anne Schnider
Board Member
Mary Anne comes from a family with an active history in Arlington. Mary Anne, with her brother, Marty, opened the Fred Schnider Gallery with a vision to nurture a bond between the diverse people of Arlington and the Visual Arts, building an awareness and appreciation of professional artists in Northern Virginia. The Fred Schnider Gallery is a division of the Fred Schnider Investment Group.
Stephanie Lane
MOCAA representative
Stephanie is a photographer, muralist, and painter, currently with an emphasis in abstraction. Her trompe l’oeil murals are featured at the National Italian American Foundation and the Maritime Institute of Industrial R & D. Her photography and paintings have appeared in exhibits throughout the DMV area. She is a resident artist and teacher at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington.
Joe B. Johnson
PR Manager
Joe is a professional in government public relations with a life-long interest in the visual arts. He also serves on the board of the Public Diplomacy Council of America. Joe and his wife Barbara have lived in Arlington for 26 years.
Plus our other volunteers
Alice Whealin
CPAS representative
Alice is visual artist who served fifteen years as Museum Supervisor at The Phillips Collection. Her exhibitions include The Painting Center, the Museo Della Carta, the Robert Brown Gallery, the McLean Project for the Arts, the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington, and the National Institutes of Health.
Andrea Uravitch
StudiosAt307 representative
Andrea Uravitch is a Cleveland Institute of Art graduate and a long time Arlington resident. Her nature-based sculptures have been included in group and solo exhibitions ranging from New York’s Museum of Art and Design to local venues such as Arlington’s Fred Schnider Gallery. She has taught art and photography for Arlington Schools and has served on Art boards.
Donna Cameron, Nan Morrison, and Robbie Namy.
If you would like to help as a volunteer, intern, or team member, contact arlstudiotour@gmail.com!
Arlington Visual Art Studio Tour is made possible by the generous support of our sponsors and donors
Get Involved!
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There are many ways to support AVAST! Reach out to us to let us know how you’d like to help bring more amazing local art into our community.
arlstudiotour@gmail.com -
We’d love to collaborate with you to promote our vibrant local artist community and their work.
arlstudiotour@gmail.com