The Byrne Gallery is proud to present Places in My Heart our new exhibition for the month of May celebrating spring. This month, five artists will exhibit their most treasured depictions of the vistas that stir their spirit. Craig Arnold, Laura Bollettino, Katie Flack, Tobin Karicher, and Anne Stine’s paintings will take you on a journey through the season of renewal. The artists’ exhibition will be open from May 6th - May 31st, along with an artists’ reception on May 16th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and an artists’ gallery talk on Sunday, May 31st from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. All receptions are open to the public, and everyone is cordially invited to attend. 

Craig Arnold

Long before I began painting flowers, landscapes were my main interest, and I’m thrilled to be doing them again! I really enjoy the differences in perspective between capturing close-up details of a flower versus capturing all that an expansive landscape offers from foreground to background, and everything in the middle. I’m particularly thrilled when I can create a scene that makes your eyes jump back and forth, up and down, between all that’s before you. I love to travel and visit places of natural beauty that really feed my soul.  These places often become subjects for my paintings, especially when they have unusual perspectives and/or atmospheric conditions. So, if the scene invites you to stay and be there for a while, perhaps feel the energy of the place, then my painting has done for you what it does for me. 

Laura Bollettino

Places In My Heart is a collection of landscapes that reflect not just my favorite places to paint, but the emotional imprints they leave behind. I strive to have each painting capture a moment of connection—where light, memory, and feeling intertwine to transform a place into something deeply personal. Through my mark-making and atmosphere, I hope this work invites you to recall your own cherished places and the quiet stories they hold. 

Katie Flack

My work is rooted in painting directly from life, where shifting light, weather, and atmosphere shape each piece in real time. I’m drawn to the quiet rhythms of the landscape, expansive skies, dense woods, and the subtle movement of water. I aim to capture not just what a place looks like, but how it feels to stand within it. Working outdoors allows me to respond intuitively, translating fleeting moments into layered color and expressive brushwork. These paintings are an invitation to pause, to notice, and to reconnect with the natural world’s sense of stillness and presence. 

Tobin Karicher

I am a fine art painter based in Richmond, Virginia. Many may describe my style as a blend of neo-classical realism with elements of neo-surrealism. The key elements I feature in my work are precise rendering, fluid paintapplication, and a strong emphasis on color, composition, atmosphere, and luminosity. I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University and have been exhibiting my art since 1987. I am also actively working on three series, including "Deep Blue Day Paintings, "Nightflowers,” and "Gloaming Hour Paintings.”  

Anne Stine

I grew up in Virginia, and these landscapes are my way of honoring the places that shaped me. I use encaustic (a mix of melted beeswax, natural resin, and pigment) to capture the joy, movement, and quiet energy I find in nature. The scenes come from my favorite parts of the state, where rolling hills, winding rivers, and open fields always feel like home. Each painting is meant to hold a sense of presence, a pause, and a reminder of how nature can restore us. I hope these works bring warmth, texture, and a bit of nature’s spirit into the spaces where you live and gather. 

The Byrne Gallery is located at 7 West Washington Street in Middleburg, Virginia. Gallery hours are Monday and Tuesday by appointment only, Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Contact the Byrne Gallery for more information at (540) 687-6986 and byrnegallery@aol.com.