League Of Reston Artists
Art by Karen Danenberger
Dream. Create. Inspire.
The League of Reston Artists (LRA) is a nonprofit, volunteer-run community of visual artists, photographers, and art supporters dedicated to celebrating creativity and connection. Through rotating group and solo exhibitions, artist talks, workshops, and community partnerships, we create opportunities to learn, share, and experience art in meaningful ways. Our outreach programs bring art into public spaces, support creative education, and fund an annual scholarship for local high school students pursuing the visual arts. We welcome artists, art lovers, and curious visitors alike to connect, participate, and be part of a vibrant creative community.
LRA Calendar
Meet the Maker Spotlight!
Behind every work of art is a unique story—and we'd love to help you tell yours. Every other month, we'll feature one League of Reston Artists member on our homepage, so you can meet the artist behind the artwork. Our inaugural member is…Bonnie Cohen!
Bonnie’s award-winning commissions enhance public spaces, health care facilities, synagogues and community centers in the United States. Several of her installations have been included in the Mosaic Arts International Exhibitions and in 2021 her public art installation was selected as the best architectural mosaic for that international exhibition. Bonnie has been awarded five public art commissions from the state of Ohio’s Percent for Arts program at universities and hospitals throughout the state. She was the recipient of a Knight Foundation grant to work with local high school students during the pandemic to create a mosaic mural for an historic Courthouse in Akron, Ohio. After graduating from Carnegie-Mellon University, Bonnie began her career as an art director specializing in corporate branding, packaging and product design. She left the corporate world after 15 years and studied ceramics and created her own unique style of telling stories in clay. She uses a combination of predominately luminous recycled glass mosaic and richly detailed handmade tiles, metals, smalti, precious stones and 22k gold leaf. Bonnie has partnered with architects, designers and fundraising professionals to create public artworks in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Washington DC., Maryland, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Florida, Rhode Island and Ohio. Bonnie finds her inspiration by listening to people’s stories. She continues to tell visual stories with her mosaic art and loves the challenge of creating inspirational and uplifting imagery reflecting the values, ideas and spiritual core of an organization. See Bonnie’s work below and click on the video link to learn more about her work, and check out her website here!
Plein Air Art Demo!
Join us for a free LRA plein air art event as Rachel Garcia-Palmer walks us through the process of painting outdoors on Sunday, November 8th at 2 PM at Brown's Chapel, 11450 Baron Cameron Avenue, Reston, VA 20190. LRA member Rachel has been a plein air artist for ten years and is co-founder of the Nova Plein Air Artists. Check out some of her plein air work at this link.
All mediums welcome! Suggested materials include an outdoor easel, your favorite paints, paper or canvas panel, brushes, paper towels, bug spray, and sunscreen. However, bring whatever you have; there's no need to buy anything special.
Fluid Art Workshop
Fluid art may look spontaneous, but there’s a lot happening behind all that moving paint! Join LRA artist and instructor Karen Durishin for a fun, hands-on introduction to fluid acrylics. We’ll explore how paint consistency, color, movement, technique—and yes, a little science—work together to create the effects that make fluid art so fascinating. Then it’s your turn to experiment! You’ll work with fluid acrylics to create four individual art coasters, with plenty of hands-on guidance along the way. No experience necessary. All materials are provided—and with just six participants per session, there will be plenty of time to ask questions, experiment, and play.
For more details and to sign up, CLICK HERE.
Fall Into Art Exhibit Winners!
The results for the award winners have been determined by our judge, Bettina Brunner. Bettina used the following criteria in her determination for the awards: Adherence to theme of “Fall into Art”, inviting artists to celebrate the fall season and provide inspiration for their personal interpretation and creativity - warm color palettes, the harvest season, and our changing landscapes; originality in use of media and wow factor; technical excellence; and color and composition. Congrats to the winners!!
First Place: Karen Danenberger, Still Life with Pitcher and Onions: the Harvest
Karen’s vibrant work combines a traditional still life with bold, expressive brushwork. Her color choice is particularly effective, with the onions symbolizing the last harvest of the summer. The decoration on the vase is well articulated, and the rounded onions provide a rhythmic arrangement in the lower half of the picture.
Third Place: Kay Walsh, Feeling of Fall I
Kay’s abstract mixed media piece conveys the theme “Fall into Art” using leaf tones (rust, burnt orange, and ochre) juxtaposed with geometric shapes, dots and scribbles. The composition balances paler areas with more saturated tones, giving the work an energy and spontaneity while the diagonal collage piece draws the viewer’s eye across the page.
Second Place: Ruth Sievers, State of Mind or Taos Mountains in Fall
Ruth’s evocative, melancholy work in charcoal packs a lot of emotion punch with a limited color palette. The swirling clouds indicate a fall storm is brewing while the shading of the mountains provides a sense of stillness. Her bold decision to focus on charcoal, which could have resulted in a monotonous work, has paid off.
Honorable Mention: Bonnie Cohen, Circle of Life
Bonnie Cohen’s work Circle of Life in tile, bead, rock and other mixed media blends organic curves with orderly geometric elements in a puzzle-like format. Mixing African and Asian textures into clay segments of different sizes, Bonnie’s work is inventive and layered, with references to animals, civilization, and the interconnectedness of man and nature. Her award is for originality and the “wow” factor that viewers feel when viewing the piece.
Fall Into Art Marketplace
The Fall Into Art Exhibit reception also featured some of our members selling their smaller pieces and enjoying an afternoon of art, conversation, and community. Visitors had the opportunity to meet the artists, browse a wonderful variety of original artwork, and take home a piece (or two!) created by local artists. It was a great afternoon celebrating creativity and the talented artists who make up the League of Reston Artists.
