Our Inaugural Newsletter!
Welcome to the Inaugural Newsletter of the
Faith Chapel Gathering Place
Serving the Lucketts Community
Welcome to the first newsletter of the Faith Chapel Gathering Place, an arts and cultural center housed within the historic Faith Chapel in Lucketts. Our building is at the corner of Chapel Lane and Lucketts Road and is also home to the Lucketts Food Pantry and Faith Chapel Community Church. Our monthly newsletter will be filled with information about the many events at Faith Chapel Gathering Place, local artist spotlights, Lucketts Food Pantry updates, and more.
Have you been in Faith Chapel lately? The building has ungone renovation and is available to the community for events, special occasions, celebrations, weddings, memorial services, classes, and more. Have some ideas for events at the Gathering Place? We’d love to get your input and share our space with you. Contact Amanda Vela at fcgatheringplace@gmail.com to discuss your ideas and for more information.
Camps, Classes, and Events at FCGP
Do you ever wish there were more hours in the day? Reclaim some of your time by spending less time behind the windshield and taking advantage of activities to right here in Lucketts. Faith Chapel has outstanding arts programming available just around the corner from home.
Scholarships Available
The Lucketts Ruritans Club has generously sponsored several full scholarships to the camps at Faith Chapel this summer. Requirements to receive a scholarship to camp are residing within Lucketts and being able to demonstrate financial need or other serious hardship. For more information or to receive a scholarship application, email fcgatheringplace@gmail.com. To register for camps, go to the Camps & Classes page.
Messy Church
Looking for a welcoming, family friendly, inclusive worship experience for all ages? Faith Chapel Community Church will be holding a monthly Messy Church at Faith Chapel. Messy Church is a way to gather in Christ-centered community unlike any other. It is non-denominational and informal, and all ages participate in the fun activities. There are craft stations designed around a Bible lesson, a brief worship session, and we conclude with a shared meal. This summer, weather permitting, we will grill for our shared meal and have yard games for all who wish to stay afterwards and play. We invite you to come as you are, whether you be 9 days old or 99 years old, whether you have never been to church before or go every Sunday, you are welcome here! Messy Church Summer Schedule: Saturday July 8, 4-5 PM and Saturday August 12, 4-5 PM
SONRISE Vacation Bible School
Faith Chapel Community Church is excited to bring a small format version of Riverside Presbyterian Church's SONRISE Vacation Bible School to Faith Chapel this summer. Camp will dates are August 14-18 from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM at Faith Chapel in Lucketts. To register, click HERE.
Other Summer Classes
Calling all artists!
ART CRITIQUE: Join local artist Suzanne Arthur on July 30th from 3:00 – 4:30 PM for an art critique and social to build up community and each other. Bring a painting or drawing you are working on, and receive feedback from other artists in a warm, positive environment. To register, go to https://www.lagoarthurstudio.com.
LOOKING FORWARD TO FALL
SAVE THE DATE!
Loudoun County Symphony Orchestra Chamber Group will perform at Faith Chapel on September 15th. Ticket information will be available on our website soon!
LEARN TO PAINT
Learn to paint sunflowers with Lucketts Artist Suzanne Arthur, in a series of oil painting classes beginning September 11, 2023. To register, go to https://www.lagoarthurstudio.com.
WEEKLY DANCE CLASS
In Focus Dance Center will be teaching weekly dance classes on Wednesdays during the academic year, beginning in fall. Register at https://www.infocus.dance/summercamp.
MUSIC & MOVEMENT CLASSES
Did you know that LCPS will be cutting 10 minutes from elementary school music classes each week, and consolidating two 30-minute music classes a week to one 50 minutes music class a week? There is no better time to enrich your child's life with music classes outside of school than now. Music Together Happy Hearts will teach Rhythm Kids classes for ages 5 through 8 at Faith Chapel during the academic year. You can register for these classes at https://www.musictogetherhappyhearts.com/register.aspx.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS:
Suzanne Lago Arthur
Lucketts has a wealth of talented, accomplished residents. Meet Suzanne Lago Arthur, Lucketts resident, owner of Lago Arthur Studio, and creator of the Creative Contemplation podcast. (insert photo of Suzanne)
Where are some places your art has been displayed?
I have had the great honor of exhibiting in museums and galleries in the DC area, NYC, Santa Fe & Traverse City, Michigan as well as internationally in Havana, Cuba. In 2020 I exhibited my painting “Abby in Contemplation” of Abby Chapel (who grew up in Lucketts) at the Booth Museum in Cartersville, GA.
Locally I have exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Museum of the Americas, the Waterford Festival, and the Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA.
Who was your favorite art teacher?
When I was a girl, I began to take painting classes with artist Tina Blondell in her home. It was the first time I was around a professional artist and I was in awe of her and the way she lived and I knew I wanted to grow up to be just like her. I modeled my own private home classes in the same manner that Tina taught me.
What do you like about teaching art to kids?
I hope to be the spark that inspires a creative child as I was once inspired by my first painting teacher, Tina Blondell.
Where did you go to school?
I hold a BFA from the Corcoran School of Art and an MA in Museum Studies from George Washington University, both in Washington DC. I have recently had the opportunity to teach at my Alma Mater, The Corcoran School of Art, now the Corcoran GWU and I would definitely consider that a career highlight.
How long have you been teaching?
I began teaching children immediately after graduating from the Corcoran at the J studio Art School in Annandale VA.
Then after moving to Village Green with family, I began offering kids painting and drawing classes again in my home studio in 2010 and have continued teaching ever since although I mostly teach adults these days (my summer camps are the exception). In total I am a couple years shy of 20 years experience.
What is your favorite part about teaching?
I believe firmly that anyone can learn to paint or draw and it is extremely rewarding for me to be the one to unlock that gift. Making art is truly a gift because it changes how we perceive the world around us. An artist is attuned to the subtle nuances of color & shape that surround them. To develop these extra sensory artistic skills is to walk through your life with magical glasses on.
What can students expect to learn in your classes? What is the environment like?
I teach the art of Realism which is a skill that is unfortunately not available everywhere these days. It equips the artist with being able to draw and paint accurately, directly from observation.
I reduce the elements of my lessons to their most basic forms which makes them easy to absorb and retain. I prefer teaching in a relaxed, convivial environment where I often play music in the background. In my adult classes, we end the last session with a class party and informal critique where we talk about the growth of every student.
What is your proudest accomplishment as a creative?
There have been several proud moments in my career thus far, it is hard to pick just one.
Being invited to Havana in 2000 by the American Ambassador to Cuba as part of the US Art and Embassies program. During this Havana exhibit, President Carter was photographed in front of my painting.
Seeing my work hanging on museum walls.
Seeing a parent cry tears of joy after accepting a portrait of their child and most recently, producing my Creative Contemplation Podcast which has listeners from around the globe including the United Kingdom, Brisbane Australia and Osaka Japan.
The Lucketts Food pantry serves nutritious foods to our community members in need on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. At our first Food Pantry in June, we distributed 2,520 pounds of food to 72 local families. We'd like to thank our generous donors including Cowbell Kitchen and Loudoun Hunger, and our wonderful volunteers. Special thanks to the Gustafson family for donating tomato plant seedlings that were distributed at the most recent food pantry. Want to help? Email fcgatheringplace@gmail.com for more information, or drop your non-perishable food items in the blue bins in front of Faith Chapel.
Faith Chapel has been the home to worship communities here in Lucketts since 1885. As the times change, we are rethinking what our community wants and needs in a worship community. Messy Church invites you to come as you are to learn, worship and walk the walk of Christ in an informal, intergenerational setting.
Faith Chapel Community Church vision statement:
To gather in intergenerational community, in all our beautiful messy imperfection, to humbly walk the walk of Christ and spread His contagious goodness.
Guiding Bible Verse:
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men”
Colossians 3:23 NIV