Flipping through the pages of Our Local Commons—Charlottesville, Volume II, you’ll notice an element unique to this new edition—images of paintings delineating the seasons. These gorgeous paintings are from Isabelle Abbot, a Charlottesville-based artist known for her Virginia landscapes, and they appear in the book thanks to sponsor Worth Higgins & Associates, the Richmond-based printer that produced the new volume of the book.
Isabelle’s impressions of our state’s landscape—and specifically the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains we call home—have long been admired by all of us at Our Local Commons. Her work seemed just the thing for dividing the sections of the new volume of Our Local Commons—Charlottesville, especially given her focus on capturing not only our area’s gorgeous terrain, but its vibrant seasons as well.
From Isabelle’s point of view, her adoration of the region is echoed by what she sees in the work of the Our Local Commons team.
“They investigate Charlottesville and the surrounding countryside through food, meeting farmers and chefs and visiting local restaurants and farms, and I conduct my investigation through painting, trying to recognize and capture the specificities of this area on a deeper and deeper level,” she says. “But even though our method is different, the goal is the same: to really hone in on this one little part of the world and delve as deeply as possible to understand and celebrate all the things that make it so special and unique.”
Scott Hudson, director of Worth Wide—the Worth Higgins’ large-format printing division— says the theme of shared space found in the pages of Our Local Commons—Charlottesville and illustrated in the rich scenes of Isabelle’s paintings made the decision for Worth Higgins to sponsor the paintings a simple one.
“Sponsoring Isabelle Abbot’s beautiful paintings throughout the book was a natural fit for us,” he says. “We are proud to partner with so many amazing people on this project.”
Indeed, Worth Higgins’ dedication to the Our Local Commons—Charlottesville publication—as well as its brilliant UV printing capabilities—helped make it possible for us to produce a second volume that truly reaches new heights. And Isabelle’s paintings provide a beautiful underscore to that partnership.
If you’re anything like us, you simply cannot get enough of Isabelle’s incredible work. Be sure to check out her website. She also teaches workshops and has exhibits at Les Yeux du Monde, Page Bond Gallery, and most recently Bridgewater College.
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