Middle St. Gallery: About Us

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! ~~~

GUIDELINES FOR MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Currently the Gallery actively seeks new members.

The successful applicant will be a practicing professional artist or serious amateur, with a strong and clear artistic vision, a demonstrated level of mastery in their chosen medium.

Membership Privileges:

1. Be part of a community of dedicated artists who support and encourage each other’s development and success
2. Have at least three pieces of art in the display bin at the gallery at all times, and a display book on the shelf behind the sitter's desk
3. Have a solo show at least every 3 years, and participate in a duo show or minishow at regular intervals
4. Enjoy opportunities throughout the year to be part of group shows at the gallery
5. Benefit from the broad exposure afforded by our location in Washington, VA

Membership Responsibilities:

1. Annual membership dues are $770 a year, with a minimum of $55 a year. A member may pay full dues or fulfill this responsibility by a combination of paying dues and gallery sitting, up to a maximum of 13 times a year. The daily rate for gallery sitting is $55
2. The gallery commission rate on sold work is 35% of its price before taxes
3. All Members are responsible for specific task(s) and are part of one of the committees that operate the gallery
4. Members attend meetings on zoom or when scheduled in person.
5. Members attend receptions when scheduled.
6. Members keep informed of gallery business by reading minutes and e-mails

To apply to become a Member:

Send the following to the Chair of the Membership Committee

1. A completed application form -  CLICK HERE
2. 3-5 images of recent work - listed to include dimensions and medium for each image
3. An artist statement
4.    A brief bio
5.    A link to your personal website, or one in which in which photos and a description of you and your work are included

You may download the application form, fill it out and either scan or photograph it and email it together with digital copies of the other materials required, or send everything in paper form:

Digital to:
Joan wiberg Yberg4@msn.com

540-341-7660 (home)

540-359-0491 (cell)

Paper version:

to our mailing address: Middle Street Gallery PO Box 345 Sperryville, VA 22740

The members will consider on the basis of these materials whether a candidate should be admittted to the next and final step of the application process, which involves jurying the actual work and interviewing the candidate.

THE GALLERY

The Middle Street Gallery is an artist-owned gallery run by its members. It was established in 1983 and is located at 311 Gay Street, Lower Level, facing Main Street & across from Ballard’s in the town of Washington, Virginia and is open fri - sun 11 am - 5 pm..

The Gallery's mission is to support quality and innovation in the arts and to promote its members work. As a non-profit cooperative, it also strives to foster interaction and collaboration among members and non-member artists and the general public.

Members' work includes all aspects of the fine arts: drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, mixed-media, photography; the gallery also embraces new developments in art-making.

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.