ATTENTION: Our CVWG Member Exhibit at The Center at Belvedere is open from May 1st to June 30, 2026. The Garden Club will be installing floral displays for selected paintings on May 13th. Our reception will be held on Thursday, May 14th from 4 pm to 7 pm. PLEASE JOIN US! INVITE YOUR FRIENDS! There are about 57 paintings to look at. The Center is at 540 Belvedere Boulevard off East Rio Road. There will not be a regular MAY Meeting, just the Reception on May 14th.
2026 Next Meeting on June 22nd at 12:30 P.M.
CVWG member meetings are held January-October on the 4th Monday of the month except when these fall on holidays.
Lara Call Gastinger on Botanical Paintings in Watercolor and Ink
Lara Gastinger is a botanical illustrator and chief illustrator of Flora of Virginia a botanical reference. She has been awarded two gold medals at the Royal Horticultural Society Botanical Art Show (2007, 2018) in London. She holds an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in Plant Ecology from Virginia Tech. She is renowned for teaching the perpetual journal process.
Please note our regular starting time!
Challenge! Topics for 2026
At each of our meetings, CVWG provides our members and guests a program related to water-media as well as give a Challenge! topic to inspire you to paint. We invite members to create a new and unique piece of art tied to each month’s theme (no framing necessary). All Challenge artists will be invited to the front of the room to show and make brief comments about their work.
June 22, 2026 Add People into a Watercolor scene
Add People into a scene
- July 27, 2026 Hot Sun- Cool Shade
- August 24, 2026 Paint on a full sheet of watercolor paper
- September 28, 2026 Paint using one dominant color
- October 26,2026 Autumn is an ideal time for watercolor painting
- PROGRAMS: For 2026, Program Information TBD’s will be updated as soon as possible. The dates for meetings are accurate.
For 2026, CVWG will meet on the following dates with the programs and presenters to be added.
| Meeting Date | Presenter | Program |
| February 23 | Linda Abbey | Multimedia Winter Painting |
| March 23 | Katie Kindilien | Painting with Gouache |
| April 27 | Bill Snow | Ways to paint skies in transparent watercolor |
| May 14 | CVWG Art Exhibit | Reception from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Center at Belvedere |
| June 22 | Lara Gastinger | Botanical Illustrations in watercolor and ink |
| July 27 | Joan Ranzini | Critique for Members Bring up to 2 paintings each |
| August 24 | TBD | |
| September 28 | Tentative | Plein air at Botanical Garden of the Piedmont |
| October 26 | Linda Bethke | Mini Workshop |
| December 7 | Annual Potluck Luncheon | Bring a dish and a white elephant gift to swap |
Where?
We meet in the Fellowship Hall at the Church of Our Savior, 1165 Rio Road E., Charlottesville, VA. The Fellowship Hall is toward the rear of the property:
- From Rio Rd, turn onto Huntington Rd;
- Immediately after the church building, turn right into the driveway/parking lot up a slight hill.
- The drive will turn into gravel;
- Proceed downhill to the main parking area;
- The Fellowship Hall will be on the right. There should be signs for Food Pantry or similar.
