2025 Artists–17 artists in seven locations.
Ed Bordett, Vera Dickerson, Dan Jones, Brett LaGue, Cheryl Miller Lackey, Judith F Lochbrunner, Jim Stadtlander and Mark Woodie. Guests artists this year are Karin Carlson, David Jermann, Kristen Kyle, Marsha Heatwole, Diane Harto, Leah Coffman, David Eakin and Susan McLaren.
In addition, The family of Willie Simmons will be representing him this year at his studio, in a memorial tribute to his dedication to Open Studios – Botetourt since it first began.
2025 Artists
Edward Bordett
A painter and printmaker, Edward Bordett lives and work in Fincastle. Bordett’s studio/gallery is located at 5 East Main St in an old Oldsmobile dealership. Located inside is gallery space, as well as studio areas, for painting and printmaking. Ed works in Silkscreen print-making and Mono printing. Bordett also paints using oil and watercolor. Ed’s work depicts urban and small subjects. The work focuses on architecture with great emphasis on geometric shapes and patterns. Bordett’s work can be seen at The Market Gallery in Roanoke and at Artists in Cahoots in Lexington. If interested in a visit to the studio, please contact Ed Bordett directly.
Edward Bordett
5 East Main Street
Fincastle, VA 24090
540-797-6220
Karin Carlson (showing with Cheryl Miller Lackey)
Karin Carlson hand-fabricates all of her unique pieces, beginning with simple sheets of metal and spools of wire in sterling silver, copper, 14 k gold filled, bronze, brass and aluminum, with semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls, Czeck glass and other carefully selected accents.
With a background as a fine jeweler who specialized in custom sterling silver designs, Karin has been creating special pieces for special people for more than 30 years. She now works exclusively as an art jeweler who continues to experiment in high-quality affordable materials that will be as wearable and as beautiful in decades as the day that they were purchased.
Examples of her work can be seen on her website, at City Gallery Fine Arts in Galax, ot by contacting her directly. Her studio is located in Roanoke, Virginia.
Leah Coffman (showing with Dan Jones)
Leah Coffman is a multimedia artist who has been a member of several regional art galleries. Her work was included in the 2019 New River Biennial at the Moss Center in Blacksburg and Art Appalachia: 2020 at the Floyd Center for the Arts in Floyd, VA. She has participated in local and regional art festivals where she enjoys the opportunity to discuss her love of art and hear from the community.
Coffman began painting in earnest following her retirement in 2015. Prior to retirement, she devoted much of her professional career to Workforce Development at Virginia Western Community College. Following retirement, she worked part-time with the Lifelong Learning Institute at Virginia Tech until COVID restrictions went into effect.
Coffman lives in Fincastle, VA with her husband and their assorted menagerie including a horse, a mule, a dog and three cats. In her spare time, she enjoys spoiling her grandkids.
Coffman’s work includes images inspired by her love of animals and of rural country living. Many of her paintings and drawings have a story behind them. Her work ranges from graphite and colored pencil drawings to watercolor and acrylic paintings of landscapes, horses, people, and still life collections. Coffman goal is to capture the spirit of her subject matter in her paintings.
www.hawkhillfarmproductions.com/work
Vera Dickerson
Since early childhood, art has been a part of Vera Dickerson’s life. Academic training played an important part early on,when Vera studied painting and American art history, and she received a MFA from American University.
Dickerson says that studio time brings both joy and frustration, but ultimately, it fills a need to create, to turn ideas into images and to sometimes share her sense of humor with others.
Art is not created in a vacuum, so sharing is important to Vera. Her love of pattern, and the excitement she feels when working with glorious color relations, brings happiness whenever she paints.
Dickerson lives in Botetourt County with assorted cats. Her work has received awards in International exhibitions and is in collections throughout the United States and in Europe. She has been elected to signature status in American and National Watercolor Societies.
Vera Dickerson
148 W. Arrowhead Court
Troutville, VA 24175
540-204-1914
David Eakin (showing with Vera Dickerson)
A native Virginian who resides in Forest, VA, David Eakin received degrees in fine art from Ferrum College, VA and graphic arts from University of Lynchburg, VA.
He has been painting seriously for over 30 years. David has studied with Don Andrews, Carol Barnes, Karen Bowden, Robert Burridge, Kathleen Conover, Vera Dickerson, and Nancy Stark. Since 1999 he has been studying with Rosalie Day White of Lynchburg, VA. He likes to experiment always and paints in watercolor, gouache, acrylic and oil. He paints in the Studio, Plein air and does commission work as well as intuitive painting.
David has been entering competitions since the 1990’s and is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, the Baltimore Watercolor Society, BWS-WM, the Southern Watercolor Society, SW, and the Virginia Watercolor Society, VWS. He has served as chair and co-chair of the Annual Lynchburg Art Club’s art festival in Lynchburg VA for over 20 years. Eakin was a co-chair of the 2014 and is co-chairing the 2024 Virginia Watercolor Society’s 45th Exhibition.
Eakin’s work has been selected for Virginia juried exhibitions along with national andinternational juried shows. His work has received awards in regional as well as national and international exhibitions.
His studio is located at Art on 12TH Studios #7 (422 12th Street in downtown Lynchburg, Virginia).
616-836-6570
www.davideakin.com
Diane Harto (showing with Dan Jones)
All her life Diane has loved the look and feel of wood. With her artistic beginnings based in pen and ink drawing and trained in commercial art, it was a happy transition from flat art to the 3 dimensional challenges of wood carving. She enjoys the whole process of studying her subject, drawing patterns in all views, and finally shaping a wood block into a life-like work of art. The many hours spent shaping, texturing and finishing a carving bring peace and serenity to her being. Her subjects frequently come from the animal kingdom favoring birds and small mammals. Her hope is to capture the spirit and essence of the wild creature.
Marsha Heatwole (showing with Ed Bordett and Brett LaGue)
Marsha Heatwole has been making art, mostly of animals for quite a long time now. Whether portraying dignity or whimsy, it is all about connecting to the viewer. Art making is a healing therapy. A way- “Of knowing that we are tied to the land—the trees and animals and soil and water—and to one another.”
David Jermann
I am a realist painter, working exclusively in oil. I also do highly rendered drawings in graphite, occasionally with chalk on toned paper. My subjects of interest are the figure, still life, and landscape. I have had extensive experience working with the live model, both in life drawing classes and also for my own finished paintings and drawings. The figure is now the primary focus of my work, although I will continue to paint landscape and still life. I am currently running a weekly life drawing class in my studio
Although I now live in the Roanoke area in southwest Virginia, I lived and worked for many years in and around New York City. There I had extensive experience in illustration and mural painting, and also commissioned artwork of various kinds, including portraits.
I have exhibited in a number of galleries, including:
Fischbach Gallery in New York City
Sherry French Gallery in New York City
Bon Atirer Gallery in Piermont, New York
The Johnny Apollo Gallery in Nyack, New York
LinDor Gallery in Roanoke, Virginia
In illustration I worked for Avon, Penguin Publishing and Disney Publishing (Hyperion Books for Children) I illustrated the childrens’ book “The Secret of the Lost Kingdom” by Michael Bolten.
I received my art education at the Art Students League in New York City. I continued to attend the life drawing classes there for many years and was the monitor for the Friday Night Sketch Class.
Dan Jones
Dan Jones and his wife Charlotte are life long natives of Botetourt County. They live on a farm several miles west of Fincastle off Blacksburg Road. The view from their deck is the mountains between Fincastle and Craig County. And the view is exactly what a photographer considers the holy grail of photography—that is, ever changing seasons and ever changing light which provide tranquility and inspiration. They also have traveled extensively both in the states and Europe with the goal of seeing new sights and getting new inspiration. And once back home, Dan heads to his studio overlooking the mountains to create new photographic endeavors. A newer pursuit is printing the photos directly on aluminum sheets giving the photo an unparalleled brilliance and hue and longevity.
Dan currently works out of his studio and gallery at his home. His work has won national awards and is exhibited in board rooms, homes, magazines, books, and on line. He also shows his art in shows by whim or moments of insanity.
Dan Jones
1069 Sprinkle Road
Fincastle, VA 24090
540-580-3713
Kristen Kyle (showing with Ed Bordett and Brett LaGue)
Kristen was born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and received her BFA in Painting and Printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012. Her current work is focused on memories and time- past, present, and future- reusing vintage materials and creating new visions, cherishing how the pieces serendipitously fit together, and all the hands that have touched them before.
Kristen took over her ancestral farmland in Botetourt County, Virginia, in 2021 and is working to revive and reimagine all the pieces there- a serendipitous and cherished process as well.
540-793-5945
Cheryl Miller Lackey
Cheryl Miller Lackey is an artist living in Daleville, VA. She is married to Michael Lackey, a farmer in Botetourt County.
Cheryl grew up in rural Augusta County, VA. She obtained her Masters of Business Administration from Eastern Mennonite University and her undergraduate degree in Business from James Madison University. She enjoyed a career in finance and accounting until her retirement on February 1, 2016. She moved to Roanoke in 2007.
Cheryl has always wanted to paint and is thoroughly enjoying this new chapter of her life. Her love of old barns, buildings, people, and places with a story to tell is a main theme to her paintings. She captures almost perfectly the feel and texture of the rural landscape.
For the past two years, Cheryl has been among the artists participating in Open Studios Botetourt and continues to show at numerous local and regional shows in the Roanoke and surrounding area, including Waynesboro and the Shenandoah Valley.
She recently licensed her work through iCanvas an international print company. Prints of select images of her work may be purchased at https://www.icanvas.com/canvas-art-prints/artist/cheryl-miller-lackey or by clicking on the link on the website.
The artist can be contacted by email to: studiolackey@gmail.com or through her facebook page Artwork by Cheryl Miller Lackey and you can follow her on instagram@cmillerlackey_art
Cheryl Miller Lackey
277 Coventry Lane
Daleville, VA 24083
540-430-6789
Brett LaGue
Currently, Brett’s home, studio and garden are in Fincastle, Virginia – where everywhere you look is a scene waiting to be shared.
Born in Indiana and growing up in Florida, Brett has spent countless hours wandering woods, fields, along riverbanks and at the beach. After wearing out several pairs of flip-flops while attending Ringling School of Art & Design (Now Ringling College of Art + Design) in Sarasota Florida, he graduated with honors in graphic design & illustration.
Looking for that first job, Brett discovered the beauty of Virginia. Twenty-five plus years of Brett’s pursuing a career in advertising eventually led to becoming an artist full-time. He has exhibited in solo and group presentations, art festivals and plein air competitions. In 2019, he served as judge of Plein Air Floyd, an outdoor painting competition, show and sale.
Brett’s work can be found in collections across the United States as well as in England and France, and he is a recipient of a professional fellowship grant from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Brett LaGue
5 East Main Street
Fincastle, VA 24090
540-797-4492
Judith F. Lochbrunner (showing with Cheryl Miller Lackey)
Besides Judy’s passion for art, one thing that has held true no matter where she has lived is her love of gardening. “I’m a bit of a fanatical gardener”, she explains. “You can tell how long I’ve lived on a piece of property by how many gardens there are because I’ll start out with one, then I’ll add another, then another.”
For Judy, the connection between gardening and artwork runs deep. “A lot of artists are gardeners,” she continues, “They seem to be compatible. We like designing spaces, no matter where they’re at. Really it’s the gardens that inspire me. I’ve always liked to paint flowers and outdoor scenes.”
540-293-9642
Susan McLaren (showing with Vera Dickerson)
When I am creating art, I find I do my best work with subjects that I personally love. Just as each individual viewing or buying art is influenced by their own style and taste, so it is for the artist. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to create – just love what you’re doing!
540-589-7661
suemclarenart instagram
Family of Willie Simmons
Willie Simmons’ roots in Botetourt County go back for generations. Willie’s father was a woodworker and made many pieces of furniture for local residents. Simmons had been turning for over twenty years, sadly passing away earlier this year. His family will be hosting his location this year.
Willie Simmons’ shop
329 Botetourt Road
Fincastle, VA 24090
Jim Stadtlander (showing with Dan Jones)
Jim currently lives in Oriskany, VA. Jim’s interest in wood began at an early age. Raised on a small farm in rural Ohio, he watched his Dad “whittle” wood and helped him take care of the family tree nursery. Jim eventually started carving himself around the age of 14. He proceeded to create a life focused on all aspects of wood and farm life. He started a hardwood lumber business, a carving gallery, and a school for aspiring carvers. He continued this until 2018, when it was decided to simplify and focus all his attention solely to creating carvings. He now lives among the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, along with his wife Diane, where he is still able to enjoy a very rural life and all the inspirations such an area can give. Jim has carved professionally for over 35 years. During those early years he has won well over 15 Best of Shows and dozens of blue ribbons at prestigious carving competitions. He taught seminars across the U.S. for carving for many years. His artwork can be found in private collections and on public displays across the U.S. and internationally. He no longer cares so much about those competitions, but now likes seeing others enjoy his work through galleries and art shows. Locally, his work is on display at Lackey Studio and Art Gallery in Daleville, and the Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts Center in Clifton Forge. Jim’s greatest passion is portraying the human form, but is not limited to just that. His carvings cover a wide range subjects: figures, animals, birds, to just name a few. He works in full three dimensional pieces as well as reliefs. He skillfully combines these subjects with a piece of wood’s wonderful grain, texture, shape, and color. Hopefully he brings it out in a way that you can enjoy too.sculptorjims@gmail.com
Mark R. Woodie
I was born and grew up in Botetourt County. We lived beside my Grandfather’s farm where I was always free to roam the beautiful landscape, witness the changing of the seasons and the wildlife that lived there. I have always drawn pictures and made things with my hands. I don’t know if that makes you an artist, but that’s what I turned out to be.
When I graduated from Lord Botetourt High School in 1972, instead of going to a small college and playing football, I went to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and majored in Painting and Print Making. I graduated from VCU in 1976. Two years later I earned a Master of Art and Liberal Studies degree from Hollins College.
For many years I traveled to art shows (festivals), showed my work in galleries in various places. When marriage and the children came along, I went back to school and obtained a license to teach. I taught various stints at both high schools in Botetourt County and retired from teaching art at Central Academy Middle School.
Now, finally as an old man, I am doing what I should have been doing my whole life, Making Art.
My studio is located at 149 Dale Road in Troutville VA where I live with my beautiful wife, Leslie. My studio is open by appointment.
Mark Woodie
149 Dale Road
Troutville VA 24175
540-597-0558
Open Studios - Botetourt 2025 