Benefit Event for The Rappahannock Food Pantry

BOOK READING & SIGNING / WINE & CHEESE TASTING

"Far Flung and Well Fed: The Food Writing of R.W. Johnny Apple, Jr."

To Benefit The Rappahannock Food Pantry

April 24th, 2010

3-5pm

Here are some images of last night's wonderful benefit event at our shop and gallery.

Betsey Apple was joined by close friends and colleagues who honored the memory and food writings of her husband, legendary New York Times journalist, R.W. "Johnny" Apple Jr.  Author and Food Consultant, Clark Wolf, emceed the event and was joined by John Sullivan, (publisher of the Atlantic Monthly), Terence Smith (award-winning PBS journalist), Marian Burros (N.Y. Times Food Writer and FLAVOR contributor), Bill Plante (CBS News White House Correspondent) who all gave brief readings from the book and conveyed personal experiences and memories of their friend, Johnny Apple, Jr. After the readings each collectively signed the book with Betsey Apple, making it a memorable collector's item for all those in attendance.

Food and wine was generously donated for the event by Chester Gap Cellars, Cowgirl Creamery and Red Truck Bakery.

We were happy to contribute a portion of the day's sales to benefit the Rappahannock Food Pantry. Please check out their Plant a Row website to learn about all they are doing for the Rappahannock community and how you can help.

After our book event, many attendees walked down the street to The Meadows, the historic home of Beverly and John Sullivan, who graciously hosted a huge celebration of local, seasonal food and wine from the state of Virginia, all to benefit the Rappahannock Food Pantry. 

Guests enjoyed a lamb and pig roast accompanied by foods from Rappahannock County, a sampling of the best Virginia wines as chosen by D.C.'s top sommeliers and revealed in the April/May 2010 issue of Flavor magazine. Special guests Mark Russell, Betsey Apple, Clark Wolf, Marian Burros, and wine auctions conducted by John Fox Sullivan, featuring selections from the Inn at LittleWashington's wine cellar and R.W. "Johnny" Apple, Jr.'s esteemed private collection. Check out FLAVOR Magazine website for more details of their fabulous event!

RECENT HISTORY New Paintings by Thomas Mullany

 r.h.ballard gallery in Washington, Virginia presents an exhibition 

of Rappahannock artist Thomas Mullany.

April 10 - May 2

Thomas Mullany, who has lived in Rappahannock County with his family for almost 15 years, has absorbed the visual cues of this beautiful landscape and translates those cues into his own vernacular.  This exhibition, consisting of oil paintings, concentrates on this regional landscape.  All the works in this showing are expressive of his unique vision, yet sit within the context of American realism, using his extensive talent and control of the medium.                                         

Mullany’s work continues to be a master an advanced understanding of paint and light reminiscent of a number of his historical mentors, e.g. Thomas Cole and the Hudson River School, as well as such 20^th century American masters as Edward Hopper, Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Wood.

Robert Ballard, who has been exhibiting Mullany’s work for the past seven years, states, “It never ceases 

to amaze me how Tom can consistently mine imagery that is both unique, varied and timeless and represent 

his ideas so fluently.”

A graduate of the Corcoran School of Art, Mullany lives here with his wife Kerrie (also a Corcoran graduate and an accomplished artist) and two boys, Will and Sam. They have a thriving decorative arts business, Mullany Art Studios, in Washington, VA, and are continually sought-after throughout the region and United States for commissions, murals, sculpture, and faux finishing. 

Mullany has exhibited his work throughout the U.S. in numerous one-person shows in Washington, DC, New York City, and Charlotte NC.  He has received a wide range of public commissions as well, in Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, New York, and his work is included in numerous public and private collections.