Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Summer 2013 Issue | Page 18

‘A Place Apart’ for the Arts
Paula Neely

Nestled among the trees at the foot of the Great
North Mountain in Orkney Springs, Va., Shrine
Mont is “a place apart” that increasingly nurtures
and inspires artists of all ages.
Since the 1920s when it became the conference center of the
Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, the retreat center has offered
relaxing, restorative respites for church and secular groups,
high school bands and individuals, as well as fun-filled
summer camps for children and youth.

Not surprisingly, the natural beauty of Shrine Mont and
the picturesque towns surrounding it have also attracted,
inspired and nourished experienced and budding artists,
photographers and musicians. Art-related programs offered
by the center have grown accordingly.

Painting, digital photography, flower arranging and
writing workshops and retreats are offered for adults this
year, and young people can attend summer camps that
specialize in art, music and drama. Shrine Mont is also the
home of the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, celebrating
its 50th anniversary this year, and the Annual Bishop’s Jubilee,
a popular Americana music festival.

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Virginia Episcopalian / Summer 2013

Shrine Mont’s first art-focused programs began in the
mid-1990s when the summer camp program for children was
expanded to include an Art Camp. Sculptor James Valentine,
a former camp director and instructor at Shrine Mont, said,
“Art activities were always the most popular among the
campers, so we decided to create a camp where the kids
could focus on art. It took off.”

Activities included digging clay from the mountainside
for pottery and sculptures, drawing during hiking
expeditions, painting, and creating stained glass mosaics and
paper collages. Campers also participated in regular camp
activities and worship.

The success of the Art Camp spawned the Music and
Drama Camp for young people interested in singing, dancing,
music and theater. Participants in each session produce and
perform a biblically based musical.

After teaching children at the Art Camp, Valentine
switched his college major from painting and printmaking to
art education. “If not for Shrine Mont, I would be a different
person,” he said. “I learned a lot from the kids – more than I
taught them. They have a pure naïveté that you lose as you
grow older. There is always something positive in their work.”