From decades of involvement in the Arlington Community, Fred Schnider has experienced the vibrant and diverse talent of our local artists. We recognize the value in embracing and supporting the arts, and partnering with the artist community for mutual business success. Art brings people together, making our spaces more vibrant and inspires how we live, work, and recreate. It also communicates to us what our community feels is important, and what they hope, dream and feel. As business people, it is imperative that we listen carefully to these messages and design homes, offices and businesses that align with how people want to live.
A couple of years ago, I was invited to attend the annual Washington Arts Project exhibit at Hickock Cole in Georgetown…an exhibit that grew so popular that attendance was invitation only. The architecture firm has a large space on four floors and every year they clear out all of their furniture to create the art exhibit. The event was so packed that we had to wait in line to enter. The genuine excitement and passion of the art enthusiasts attending showed just how how valued art venues are in the area.
A retail space we owned was available on Quincy Street in Ballston and we engaged the architecture firm of ASD Sky, experienced in galleries and imaginative retail spaces, to design the Fred Schnider Gallery of Art. While we are not experienced gallerists or scholars of art, we knew how to assemble a great team and had the capability to build the space ourselves with our construction manager, Bob Mahoney. Larry Caruso and Bob Pruitt of ASD Sky led the design effort and created a space with best in class materials, finishes and fixtures. The space is as open as possible to accommodate community talks and events, as well as display architecture. Special lighting designed specifically for art galleries, in wide and even swaths of the wall which were finished to the very high level, five standard. The base and wall end caps are finished with stainless steel and the floors have polished concrete and metal finishes.
We are extremely proud of how the space turned out. Mary Anne Schnider, granddaughter of Fred Schnider stepped up to act as the director of the gallery and brings unlimited enthusiasm and energy to make the space contribute mightily to the Arlington art scene and to the two and half million square feet of development that Fred Schnider has been involved in helping create in Arlington. The gallery is currently hosting its third exhibit with commitments already made for exhibits nearly through 2019.
The gallery website will be updated regularly with information about art events in Arlington, the goings on at the Fred Schnider Gallery of Art, as well as the additional development work that Fred Schnider has in the pipeline and how the projects embrace the art community.
