News

Gratitude for my Volunteers!

Date: November 25, 2025
Author: Catherine Fetterman
Categories: Client Spotlight/Featured Artist, Community Outreach, News

As we approach Thanksgiving, I’d like to shine a light of heartfelt thanks upon my team of dedicated volunteers who provide invaluable assistance to me both in my classes and behind the scenes!

Firstly, I’d like to thank my Art Together Volunteer Painting Companions! I currently have about 15 of them. Thanks to their loving support, seniors with disabilities and impairments who participate in my group workshops have the assistance that they need.

I’d also like to thank my friends and family who come to my home and help me test supplies and painting techniques, and provide their invaluable advice on everything from product development, marketing research, and organizing my studio!

I absolutely love having collaborators in spreading seeds of joy and love through art! God bless each of you for your dedication, love and gift of your time and friendship in helping me help others.xo

If you live in the Northern VA area would like to learn more about volunteering with my Art Together programs, please click here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbG0iR8pPZUNnynxINJFpTqJfXMUw9__GyBIgbSwel1idsdA/viewform

Christmas Market Dec 7 8am-2pm

Date: November 19, 2025
Author: Catherine Fetterman
Categories: Art by Catherine Obreza Fetterman, Calendar of Events, News

Join me and dozens of other artisans and vendors at this year’s Christmas Market at St Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Purcellville, VA! I’ll have selections of my new hand-painted journals on hand as well as Art Together art aprons and other small gift items I’ve created using my paintings.

Mention seeing this on my website and I’ll give you a free gift when you come! No purchase necessary. 🙂

Retreat for Persons with a Serious Illness

Date: October 15, 2025
Author: Catherine Fetterman
Categories: Community Gifts of Art, News, Resources for Seniors & Caregivers

In October I was so very blessed to be among a team of 19 volunteers who provided a 3 day retreat of respite, love and spiritual inspiration and support for individuals facing a serious illness and their caregivers. This retreat has been offered for about 40 years in my diocese of Arlington, VA. It was started by two women who had made a Cursillo Weekend and later sought the help of a team of nurses, doctors, priests and other volunteers to make it accessible for those with health challenges.

What an amazing experience we all had! I was so blessed to be able to spend a weekend with this beautiful group of men and women journeying together in God’s loving embrace. I was so happy to be able to extend an opportunity for all our retreatants and volunteers to an afternoon of painting and prayer. The theme that God placed on my heart was Psalm 23 “The Lord is my Shepherd”. It was 90 minutes that included singing, prayer and painting the cover of a prayer and gratitude journal.

I want to give a big thank you to Catholic Charities for underwriting the cost of the whole retreat and all the supplies needed for this workshop, and to all those who were so brave to paint with me! Here’s to the gifts of love, faith, and creativity explored together!

Older adult painting journal cover with a landscape assisted by a volunteer
Some of our nearly 30 journals painted during our 90 minutes together
Two journals painted by a married couple

Our Artist Jim Sheffield Spotlighted in Leesburg Leisure Magazine

Date: July 1, 2023
Author: Catherine Fetterman
Categories: Client Spotlight/Featured Artist, News, Testimonials

Thank you so much Melinda Gipson for the beautiful article you wrote about me and one of my talented senior artists, Jim Sheffield, in the July issue of Leesburg Lifestyle! (pg.50) https://citylifestyle.com/washington-dc/articles/arts-and-culture/jim-sheffield-testifies-how-art-together-enriches-his-life

To watch a short video I recorded with Jim (before his debut as a featured artist in a full color magazine!), please visit: https://youtu.be/b0-DIuT3S-4?si=Lbbd9A5AsI5sN60r

Art Together named 2023 Winner of the Leesburg Small Business Arts and Culture Award

Date: May 5, 2023
Author: Catherine Fetterman
Categories: Community Outreach, News

Thank you Leesburg Town Council and Economic Development Commission for recently selecting my business as the recipient of the Leesburg Small Business Arts & Culture Award for 2023! When I went up to the podium I brought with me in my heart all of the people I have been so privileged to have as my students, and in whose honor I accepted the award.

I am so grateful for the caring mentors I’ve had from the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) who have been instrumental in helping start my business 26 years ago, and have given me the self-confidence and resources to serve my community as an artist-teacher-entrepreneur. How blessed I was to have three of those special mentors with me when I received the award (Eric Byrd, Robin Suomi and Ruth Cope) as well as my dear husband and future son-in-law.

A very special thank you to my husband for nominating me for this award. I truly couldn’t be living my dream without his invaluable support.

Inspirational Artist: Jim Sheffield

Date: May 3, 2023
Author: Catherine Fetterman
Categories: Client Spotlight/Featured Artist, News

It is my great joy to share with you Jim’s beautiful journey of self-discovery during the pandemic. Now in his 80s, Jim has discovered a talent he never knew he had, and is enjoying the happiness and peace of mind it brings him as well as sharing it with others. I like to think of him as a “Grandpa Moses” since he definitely has a lot in common with the infamous Grandma Moses who took up painting around the same age and ended up becoming world famous. Jim is painting daily and selling his work to a very supportive audience too. Who knows, this video might help him be an inspiration to others too! 🙂 Enjoy.

Celebrating 25 plus 1!

Date: April 26, 2023
Author: Catherine Fetterman
Categories: News

April 15, 2023 marked my 26th anniversary of being a teaching artist entrepreneur. I can truly say it’s been quite a journey of love, loss, sadness, joy, trust, and beautiful growth! I want to give a shout out to the Loudoun SBDC (Small Business Development Center) which has been such an important partner in my journey, right from the beginning when I was first called LinguaArt Services in 1997, to when I changed my business name to Art Together LLC in 2013.

Since I was grieving my Dad’s passing last year, I haven’t yet been able to celebrate this milestone like I would want, so I have something fun to look forward to this year! (In addition to my daughter’s summer wedding!!!) 🙂

Online shop Embraced by God now selling my art and gift items

Date: March 15, 2023
Author: Catherine Fetterman
Categories: Art by Catherine Obreza Fetterman, Calendar of Events, Client Spotlight/Featured Artist, News

I am super excited and truly honored that Embraced by God, an online shop for resources for joyful living inspired by Saints Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal, is now carrying my cards, journals and gift items featuring my artwork! To see selections of my art currently available for purchase as cards, journals and other gift items, please visit https://embracedbygod.org/product-category/catherine-obreza-fetterman/ It is my deepest hope that these little gifts sown with great love and prayer, will bring God’s peace and loving comfort to those who receive them.

Cards, prints and originals of my art are now available at Jerry’s Flowers and Gifts in Leesburg, VA

Date: December 16, 2022
Author: Catherine Fetterman
Categories: Art by Catherine Obreza Fetterman, Client Spotlight/Featured Artist, News

Big happy news!! My new collection of hand-embellished journals, cards and petite prints featuring my art – as well as my original watercolors – are now available at award-winning Jerry’s Flowers and Gifts in Leesburg, VA. I invite you to stop by 700 Fieldstone Dr. NE to see what’s new and pick up a little something for yourself or a little gift for someone you love.