The idea of Salon Arlington came to me after reading about a similar event that was being held in Washington, D.C. in 2015. That event was being held at people’s houses that volunteered their homes for artisans to come in and present their works in a quick, concise manner. It was billed as art for the short attention span, particularly millennials.

Having been interested in art since high school but lacking any type of artistic ability myself, I thought that bringing artistically talented people together with an interested audience would make for an interesting event.

The thought of hosting these events in another’s home seemed like a liability nightmare, so I began thinking of possible spaces to hold the event. My friend Dawn Hart had just opened Village Sweet, a bakery, in the Westover neighborhood of Arlington, not too far from my home. She had decorated her space in what I would describe as a “industrial chic” style with some natural display areas, so I thought that the space might work for the event. When I approached Dawn with the idea, she was in 100% from the beginning and continues to provide her space and time to Salon Arlington to this day. The event has two very important aspects that make the event “go”; Dawn and Village Sweet and the artists that participate at each event.

If you would like to attend a particular event, email Mike Chapman at dustyswb@verizon.net.