Art

Art

Weekend Highlight: The Lake Anne Jazz and Blues Festival

It will be a waterfront dance party when the Lake Anne Jazz and Blues Festival returns to Reston this Saturday, September 3, 2016. Even if you don’t typically listen to jazz music, I highly recommend this festival. The music and atmosphere are fantastic, and it’s one of my favorite events of the year. The Jazz and…

September 1, 2016

Reston Events in September 2016

The arrival of September means that it’s time for two of Reston’s most fun events: the Lake Anne Jazz Festival and the Reston Multicultural Festival. Both are Modern Reston favorites! Other highlights this month include the Herndon Labor Day Festival, ChalkFest, Dulles Day, and some of the last summer concerts. Here’s what’s happening in September in the…

August 31, 2016

Get to Know Reston’s Living Threads Co. and How They Support Traditional Artisans

If you love strolling through Reston Town Center but wish there were more independent businesses among the large chains, then you don’t want to miss one of the area’s newest stores. Living Threads Co. is all about supporting small businesses. It opened earlier this year, bringing handmade products from independent artisans to Market Street. Living Threads…

August 31, 2016

A Herndon Artist Has Been Instagramming Beautiful Illustrations of Olympians

I’ve been a fan of Herndon illustrator Lakshmi Sarkar ever since I found her exquisite fashion illustrations on Instagram. Lakshmi is a painter and illustrator who loves color and is inspired by her Indian roots. She posts regularly to her Instagram account with her gorgeous paintings and drawings. I can’t get enough. (I mean, just take a look…

August 15, 2016

A Reston Photographer Spent His Summer as a National Park Artist-in-Residence

Did you know that the National Park Service offers a program to host artists so they can create art, music, or books in beautiful locations? I didn’t, either. It sounds amazing, and I’d love to be able to take part in this program. One Reston artist had that chance earlier this summer. This year marks the Centennial of…

August 12, 2016

Photo Gallery: Surf Reston Demonstrates Paddleboarding for a CBS TV Show

Residents of Lake Anne Plaza woke up Tuesday morning to discover a paddleboarding party happening outside their windows. (And some of them hurried out to join the fun.) Dozens of local SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) enthusiasts had gathered to demonstrate variations of the sport for the CBS morning show “Great Day Washington.” The show’s lifestyle correspondent, Meaghan Mooney, interviewed Steve…

July 13, 2016

Reston Area Events in July 2016

Mid-summer is here, and the Reston area offers lots of fun ways to distract you from the heat. Now is the time for free concerts, outdoor movies, free children’s entertainment, and more. Here’s what’s happening this month in Reston, Herndon, and Great Falls. FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2016 Friday Night Live – Turtle Recall + Southbay 6:30-10:30pm: Herndon Town Green, 777…

July 1, 2016

The 2016 Reston Summer Bucket List

Reston really shines in the summertime. This season of fun always slips by too quickly — don’t miss it! Here’s a list of some of the best things to do during summertime in Reston and nearby parts of Northern Virginia. How many of these things can you check off this year? You’ll want to bookmark this page and refer to it…

May 31, 2016

Photo Gallery: Reston’s Glorious Springtime

Reston may be best known as a growing urban center, but it is also home to exquisite natural scenery, which is particularly magnificent in the springtime. Here are some scenes from Reston during the last several weeks.                               Photo credit: Charlotte Geary. Prints and…

May 10, 2016

Guest Post: Behind the Scenes with Local Author John H. Matthews and His Latest Action-Packed Thriller

When the Capitol Building is under seize, and all the nation’s leaders are held hostage, one Cabinet member is secure in a distant location. That person is chosen by the president to be the designated survivor. Chantilly author John H. Matthews imagines this scenario in his latest novel, a gripping thriller set in D.C. and Northern…

May 5, 2016

Reston Area Events in May 2016

As summer approaches, many of this area’s most fun events are returning. Highlights this month include the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, the reopening of local pools and water parks, and Memorial Day celebrations. Here’s what’s happening this month in Reston, Herndon, and surrounding areas of Northern Virginia. SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2016 March for Babies…

April 30, 2016

Get to Know Artist Celeste Friesen-Nikkel and Her Unconventional Approach to Painting

The bright colors and fluid lines of Celeste Friesen-Nikkel’s paintings were the first things that caught my eye. Then when I learned that she uses freely flowing paints without brushes or other painting tools, I was especially intrigued. Her pieces are varied and unexpected — ranging from subtle and delicate to bold and intense — but they are connected by their…

April 2, 2016