Twelve aspiring artists gathered in the new studio space of Rex Rappahannock bookstore in downtown Fredericksburg, Feb. 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
The space, painted a soft yellow, is a new addition to the store, which relocated in January. Co-owners, Heather and Mark Gardner opened the city’s only Catholic gift shop just over two years ago in 2023, which still operates out of the historic Purina Tower building. The Gardners were humbled by the support of their family and parish friends who helped them move on the eve of a snowstorm.
“Without them, none of this would be possible,” said Heather.
Their new corner location gives them almost double the retail space. Its large windows and built-in bookshelves are Heather’s new favorite feature, perfect for displaying liturgical literature.
The extra space allows for more first Communion gifts and saint socks, but it also helps the Gardners start their new initiative, Art at Rex.
“People want a place to relax a little bit and be together,” said Heather. “Also, Catholicism is such an aesthetic faith. The smells, the sounds, the textures, truth and beauty. We are trying to fill that gap we see in people‘s lives.”
Spearheading the classes as lead instructor is Linnea Woolridge, a talented artist, Catholic convert, wife and mom of three living in Bowling Green.
“I am most excited to use my art to share my faith with others,” said Woolridge. “You come home with something that makes your house feel a little more holy.”
Tickets for the first class sold out in just a few days after the Gardners announced it on their Art at Rex Facebook page.
Over the course of the three-hour class on Wednesday evening, Woolridge guided participants through basic watercolor techniques. By the end, all 12 finished an image of Our Lady of Lourdes, complete with praying hands, flowing gown and a grotto framed with yellow roses.
Kiersten Stone, a parishioner of nearby St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church, was one of the first to sign up and she was a little nervous at first.
“I was interested in expressing my spirituality in a creative way,” said Stone. “And meeting fellow Catholics. When you move to a new area, it can take a few years before you feel you are really part of the parish community.”
Friends Krista Litchfield and Torie Baldwin, co-leaders of a Bible study, attended the class together. At first, they were a bit intimidated by the idea of painting a figure freehand.
“I thought we were going to be able to trace over something first,” said Krista. “But then Linnea started putting paint right on paper. There was a point where I thought I had ruined Mary by making her back too curved, but Linnea just kept saying. ‘Trust the process,’ and sure enough, I was able to fix it in one of the final steps.”
Krista is disappointed she won’t be able to participate in more classes, as her family is moving to Florida. She plans to make a prayer nook in her new home and include her picture of Our Lady to remember her friends in Virginia.
Art at Rex has a class catalog with everything from acrylics to embroidery to iconography. They plan to repeat popular classes and include classes for children. And while it’s fun to develop talents, Art at Rex is more than teaching a new skill set.
“These classes are meant to be more than instruction,” Heather said. ”They’re an invitation to slow down, to create with intention, and to gather in community around the sacred.”
Kassock is a freelance writer in Fredericksburg.
