Sisters Linda Oates of Chesapeake (left) and May Jane Tillman, a longtime Fredericksburg resident, spent Mother's Day at the Sunday Tea in the new Studio Pavilion at Belmont. 'This is one of my favorite places in the whole world,' said Oates. View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

Pavilion's grand entrance

Area residents enjoy national historic landmark's fifth annual Sunday Tea.

Date published: 5/15/2006

By CLINT SCHEMMER

By all reports, the shakedown cruise went splendidly for Belmont's new Studio Pavilion.

The impressive stone, copper and steel structure in Falmouth--nearly 10 years in the making--made its public debut yesterday.

Area residents enjoyed the national historic landmark's fifth annual Sunday Tea in the new building's bright and airy Event Room--just the ticket for Mother's Day, with refreshments and a fashion show.

The Studio Pavilion had been getting ready in recent weeks with several private events. First, it hosted a wedding on May 6. Then, on Friday, the University of Mary Washington board of visitors dedicated the facility with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. That was followed by another wedding on Saturday.

Tomorrow evening, Friends of Belmont--the museum's membership group--will get their own preview of the new facility. And on Sunday, the Gari Melchers Home and Studio will welcome the public to the Pavilion with free tours from 1 to 5 p.m.

Visitors yesterday judged it a beautiful and sensitive addition to the country home where American artist Gari Melchers and his wife, Corinne, enjoyed rural life in the early 20th century.

"I think it's absolutely lovely," said Nancy Hoffmann, a Gordonsville resident attending the tea with her daughter, Dr. Jessamy Hoffmann of Fredericksburg. "It looks like it has always been here. I love the yellow walls, and the way the stone ties into the older building."

Dr. JoAnn Schrass, UMW's associate dean of academic services, said she found the facility to be "very harmonious architecturally with the rest of it. Even though the pavilion is not the same, it blends in well with the studio."

The multi-use building, which is attached to Gari Melchers' painting studio, is much more than its simple name implies.

With almost 8,500 square feet on two levels, the upper floor provides an inviting lobby and a large, sunlit room for public events as well as business meetings, weddings and receptions. The lower level, reached by a new service drive, includes a catering kitchen and work space for curators, and will house the museum's collection of more than 2,000 paintings in a secure, climate-controlled environment.

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Date published: 5/15/2006