Colored pencil art exhibit to open at The Holmstad

Opening July 18, The Holmstad, a faith-based, nonprofit, continuing care retirement community operated by Covenant Retirement Communities, will host an artists' reception for the "Beech Tree Studio Exhibit" on Friday, July 18, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in the Town Center Gallery, 700 W. Fabyan Parkway, Batavia.

The show will feature the work of approximately 24 students of Geneva's Beech Tree Studio. Mindful of the popularity of the PBS series "Downton Abbey," studio owner Andria Burchett and her students selected "Penny Lane" as the theme for the show.

"With a British-inspired theme, the works will feature something Old World-ish," says Burchett. Guests will see English gardens, high tea, fox hunts, cobblestone alleyway and more.

Burchett notes that the variety and quality of pencils available have made colored pencil an increasingly popular medium in the last 20 years. "They are very versatile and transparent," she explains. "And because they're very tight, you can manipulate them to achieve a lot of different effects."

The artist's reception and refreshments are free. The exhibit of colored pencil works is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sept. 21, 2014. For more information, visit www.TheHolmstad.org or call (877) 226-7310.

About The Holmstad

The Holmstad is a faith-based, nonprofit continuing care retirement community located at 700 W. Fabyan Parkway, Batavia, Ill. It is administered by Covenant Retirement Communities, one of the nation's largest nonprofit senior services providers. Covenant Retirement Communities serves 5,000 residents at 15 retirement communities nationwide and is a ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church. For more information on The Holmstad, call (877) 226-7310 or visit www.TheHolmstad.org.