Ray Boc

Barbara Heile studied painting and received degrees (BA76 and MFA82) at American University in Washington, D.C. during a time when the faculty was still grounded and sensitive to the tradition of painting as embodied by artists who worked in a visual and refined expressive process.

She works primarily in oil and cold wax and began exploring acrylics in 2022.

Any medium that affords her a visual and painterly way into relationship with what she is feeling - and open to seeing - is her path.

Her approach is truly Aquarian in nature. Her work is original and she is open to the new; honoring of tradition she is not held by it. In earlier years the landscape had her full attention. This gave way to her interest in the abstract surface for its own sake, as expressive paint. The inner landscape of her felt sense is at present her main subject where new shapes come into painted form.

The paintings express joy and freedom and a depth of stillness through the healing qualities of color and light.

The directness and spontaneity of her approach, often using her hand directly to move the paint, can be felt in the surface and in the free interplay of color. She sees her way of painting as a path of expressive contemplation and is grateful for this way of loving the world as a visual artist.

Barbara has been actively showing in group and one person shows since the early 1980‘s and is a familiar face among artists in Rappahannock County. She enjoyed three years teaching Drawing and Painting at Lord Fairfax Community College in Warrenton, VA. Until its closing in 2015, she kept an active and open studio at River District Arts in Sperryville Her daily studio work now takes place at home.

Her natural call to painting supports her wish to share the experience of the mystery we all live in as human beings. A lifelong meditation practice supports the silent depth you can experience in even her smallest paintings. Her paintings have found homes around the world.

Being the mother of three independent and creative sons, raised in Rappahannock County, is by far her most rewarding life experience.

Barbara keeps an active diary of her work in progress on Instagram @bheileart ~~~thank you for looking! ~~~

Raymond Boc

I grew up in Rome in central New York in a Polish family. After earning a degree in civil engineering at Syracuse University in 1964, I spent most of my 37 year engineering career with the US Army Corps of Engineers in New York City. Upon retiring, I moved to Rappahannock County in 2002 and married my childhood friend Barbara Adolfi.

My interest in photography started with a Roy Rogers Brownie camera as a child. I became serious about photography in the 1970’s. I took private lessons and several courses at the New School and the International Center for Photography in NYC, studying under Ben Fernandez, Philipe Halsmann, Ruth Orkin, W Eugene Smith, Jill Friedman and others. I was a founding member of a group of 10 artists and photographers who rented raw space in Soho, NYC and ran the 22 Wooster Gallery on Wooster Street for 4 years. After moving to Sperryville, I studied and worked with Blue Ridge Workshops led by Elliot Stern and Brian Zwit. Their guidance and instruction motivated me to become the photographer I am today.

Since my retirement I have moved exclusively into digital photography and more recently digital infrared photography. I enjoy photographing people and events, the RAAC Community Theatre and contribute regularly to the Rappahannock News. I am a founding and current member of Old Rag Photography Gallery in existence since 2010. I, as well as gallery members Joyce Harman and Francie Schroeder, teach and provide photographic services. My work is available with Old Rag Photography at the Griffin Tavern in Flint Hill, VA and at Blue Wing Frog in Front Royal, VA and on our website:

www.oldragphoto.com

The gallery, www.middlestreetgallery.org and (540) 227-5066, is now located at 311 Gay Street, Lower Level, facing Main Street & across from Ballard’s Washington, VA.