Eight Tips for Conquering Clutter and Reclaiming Your Space

Whether decluttering and organizing your home are on your New Year’s resolution list or not, it is undeniable that tackling these tasks can dramatically improve your outlook on and quality of life. For many of us, however, it can be hard to know where to start, how to avoid burnout, and how to maintain results. Lauren Malone, professional organizer and owner of Optimistic Organizing, understands these obstacles and has made it her mission to help people overcome them. Malone’s business, which she started in early 2020, was borne of a lifelong talent for—and interest in—organizing.

“Organizing has always been a passion of mine,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed organizing in my own home and helping friends and family. As I saw others creating businesses and being able to put that skill out in the community, it really struck a chord for me. I saw an opportunity to help more people with something that comes easily to me.”

Malone offers free consultations for prospective clients, and she also helped Lynchburg Living compile a list of eight tips to help our readers approach organization with not only an informed plan, but also with optimism.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

If the mere thought of organizing unnerves you, consider reaching out for help, either from a professional like Malone or from a friend.

“I think a lot of people feel stuck and overwhelmed,” noted Malone. “They may feel like they just cannot seem to get a hold of their space. I want to be able to come into someone’s space and immediately let them know that they don’t need to apologize or feel hopeless. I want to empower people and let them know that they’re not alone.”

Optimistic Organizing offers a wide range of services including decluttering, downsizing, unpacking, and organization of individual spaces or throughout the home. Clients can decide whether they want to work with Malone or have her complete tasks independently.

If you would prefer to reach out to a friend for help, Malone recommends doing a swap. 

“If you’re not able to hire a professional, consider swapping with a friend,” she said.” Say, ‘I’ll come help you with your closet, and then you can come help me with mine!’ If you both have kids, the kids can play together while you work!”

Try to keep a positive mindset

For most of us, decluttering and organization are fairly intense undertakings that can stir up tough emotions like guilt and shame. It is no easy feat to overcome these feelings, but being intentional about celebrating small victories, listening to music, audiobooks, or podcasts while you work, and embracing the inevitability of imperfection can help. The goal, as Malone puts it, is to achieve
“a hopeful and confident outlook on life and organization.”

Establish what brings you joy and what weighs you down

Speaking of emotions, it is vital to sit with them when decluttering to figure out which possessions truly enrich your life and which possessions are kept only out of a sense of obligation or emotional attachment.

“Some people can get really emotionally attached to items, especially items that belonged to family members or that were given to them as gifts,” remarked Malone. “Sometimes they get so attached to those items that they continue to fill their space to the point that they don’t have room for things that truly bring them joy. When you walk into a room, you should be able to see things that make you happy.”

Remember that there is value in space

Of course, when you walk into a room, you should also be able to have space to breathe and function. When you strive for a balance between stuff and space, you are much more likely to appreciate the things you own and to find your home harmonious.

“I like to remind my clients that there is value in having space to breathe and move in,” Malone noted. “A lot of people think that acquiring more things is going to help them, but often it can really hold them back.”

Start with the space that causes you the most stress

Starting with the space that vexes you the most will likely provide you with a confidence boost and a sense of accomplishment that will make smaller tasks that much easier to complete. 

“I ask people which space is driving them the craziest,” said Malone. “A lot of times it’s the kitchen because the kitchen is the hub of a home. Sometimes, though, I might think we need to tackle a certain space first but the client wants to prioritize a different space first. Whatever is going to bring them the most relief and the best sense of accomplishment is where we start.”

When in doubt, start with storage

If you are overwhelmed by the state of the majority of your home, Malone recommends starting with your storage spaces. 

“If you’re dealing with an excessive amount of clutter throughout your home, start with storage rooms so you can start with a space that likely contains items that aren’t being used regularly and should theoretically be easier to get rid of,” she remarked. “Remember to keep tabs on things that you put away in storage and make sure that you’re only doing this with things that you will actually use later. Items that aren’t serving you outside a box won’t serve you any better packed away in a box.”

Once you commit to organizing a particular space, don’t leave it until it’s done

One of the most important—and most challenging—parts of decluttering is committing to a single task and seeing it through to completion before moving on to a different task. Stepping away from one space to put even a single item elsewhere will almost inevitably lead to further deviation from your original goal.

“My recommendation for most people is to focus on one room or one space,” noted Malone. “Do not let yourself leave that space. A lot of times people will pull an item out and say, ‘Oh, this goes in my basement,’ and then they will walk down to the basement. Then, suddenly, they are in the basement working on something else, and then they are in the kitchen making a snack. I recommend having a bag or basket for items that don’t belong in the particular space you’re organizing. Put the items in that container, and then once you’ve finished that particular space, you can put those items where they go.”

Use the S-P-A-C-E strategy

Lastly, Malone recommends using the “S-P-A-C-E” strategy, which was created by organization expert and author Julie Morgenstern. After emptying and cleaning a space, take the following steps:

S: Sort the items into categories.

P: Purge any items that you don’t need or that don’t belong in that space.

A: Assign homes to items.

C: Contain the items. For this step, Malone stresses the importance of labels, saying: “A big complaint I get from a lot of people is along the lines of, ‘I know how to stay organized, but the rest of my family doesn’t keep it that way!’ Labeling things goes a long way because it is human nature to put things where you know they are supposed to go.”

E: Evaluate each space at least once a year to maintain results.

For more information about Optimistic Organizing, visit www.optimisticorganizing.com.  

What does it mean to give back? For some, giving back means supporting one of the hundreds of nonprofits and faith organizations in our area who are the boots on the ground, serving our community day after day. For others, giving back means rolling up their sleeves and doing the work themselves. Each year, we have the privilege of honoring the latter—the businesses making a big impact outside of their day-to-day responsibilities and giving back to our community in tangible and sometimes unexpected ways.

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Dawson Ford Garbee & Co., Realtors®
Founded: 1905
Number of Employees:  40

How has your business recently impacted the community?
Most recently, our company has started a podcast to provide a platform for nonprofits and those alike. We provide, weekly, a media space for these groups to engage with the community, and to let people know all about their mission and needs. The podcast is called “Community Love”. People are excited and we are booked six months out.

Why does your business prioritize giving back?
Our company is over 118 years old. It is because of our community and the people who live here, we have been allowed to service folks in their real estate needs for over a century in south-central Virginia. It only makes sense to give back to those who have allowed us to make that happen, and to invest in this community that we hold so dear.

Black Dog Sporting Goods

Founded: 2013
Number of Employees: 3 with 1 full-time and 2 part-time 

How has your business recently impacted the community?
We help local charities and Volunteer Fire Departments raise funds through numerous raffles each year. The raffles are an excellent way for the groups to raise much-needed funds to carry on their charitable and life-saving work. A few examples include college scholarships, youth sports gear, and First-Responder gear and equipment.

Why does your business prioritize giving back?
When you are in a position to help someone, it isn’t just a nice thing to do, it’s the right thing to do. We strive to give back to the community by helping others including many charities and Volunteer Fire Departments.

Collaborative Health Partners 

Founded: 2014
Number of Employees: 310

How has your business recently impacted the community?
Our VTO (volunteer time off) Program allows for employees to volunteer up to 4 hours per calendar year on company time at a charity of their choice.  We also highlight one non-profit per month to educate our teams on our local resources, as well as to make them aware of opportunities where their VTO can be used.  Isaiah House 117, Parkview Community Mission, The Center of Excellence for Polytrauma, YWCA’s Domestic Violence Program, and the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center have all benefited from our team members’ generosity and/or time this year.

Why does your business prioritize giving back?
Excellence, Professionalism, Integrity, Compassion, and Teamwork are the values we live by inside and outside the walls of our organization.  Our business takes pride in contributing to the well-being of our patients and our community.  By engaging directly with local residents and charities, we better understand the needs and concerns of the communities we serve.  We’re here to help people…attain better health for a better life!

FunQuest 

Family Entertainment Center 
Founded: Skateland was founded in 1969 it became FunQuest in 1991
Number of Employees: 25

How has your business recently impacted the community?
Our business has been here in our community for 55 years. Jim and Cindy Anderson who owned this facility previously poured into the kids, the schools and the businesses in this community. When Mason Drew started running the business, we kept that same focus. Every year we donate over 15,000 free passes to our local schools, we have given grants for schools through the Roller Skating Foundation to experience our STEM program for free. We donate to nonprofits and sponsor sports teams in our area. 

Why does your business prioritize giving back?
Our mark in the community speaks to who we are as a business. We truly aim to provide good family fun to the people in Lynchburg and surrounding counties. Our hope is that our small locally owned business would be missed if we were gone, mostly because of the way we have poured into and loved on our community to make it better. 

Patrick Henry’s Red Hill

Founded: Patrick Henry’s National Memorial Foundation was founded in 1944.
Number of Employees: 14 employees (6 part-time and 8 full-time).

How has your business recently impacted the community?
There are many ways Red Hill has impacted the community. One being our recent addition of Red Hill Rediscovered. It is a hybrid virtual and in-person lecture series geared towards an older audience. It is aimed to tell the history of Patrick Henry, Red Hill and his connection through people and places you know through history. 

Why does your business prioritize giving back?
Red Hill prioritizes giving back through education, culture and providing a park like setting for people to enjoy. It’s our mission to reach the younger and older audience who have a passion for history and Patrick Henry. Red Hill aims to provide accurate information by telling the whole truth about its history, Patrick Henry, and the enslaved. Red Hill outreach efforts are on a national and local level to include Appomattox, Campbell, Charlotte, Danville, Halifax, Lynchburg city and Pittsylvania counties. 

Timberlake Animal Hospital

Founded: 1963  
Number of Employees: 14

How has your business recently impacted the community? 
We foster cats at our clinic for the Bedford Humane Society and Harmony Rescue. We also sponsor multiple schools and businesses in the area (JF, Brookville, Timberlake Christian, the Jamerson YMCA, local rescues and shelters, and multiple others). Dr. Pearson has gone into elementary and secondary schools to talk about veterinary medicine to students. We have had over 15 high school and college student volunteers come and shadow regularly at our clinic to learn more about veterinary medicine, as well as veterinary students on rotation from Virginia Tech.

Why does your business prioritize giving back?
As a locally owned and operated clinic, we strongly believe in supporting our local community. We believe it is crucial to pour into our community because when Lynchburg is strong, we are all strong. Our clinic is one of the oldest in the area and we are proud of its history as it has remained locally owned and operated while other clinics have begun being owned by corporate companies located elsewhere. We also believe in investing in the future of veterinary medicine by encouraging the public to learn about its importance and educating the next generation of veterinarians
as well!

Lynchburg’s First Latin Café

Recently opened El Mariachi Café and the adjacent El Mariachi Restaurant provide downtown Lynchburg residents with a taste of Latin American culture through stellar beverage offerings as well as authentic Latin cuisine. 

For cousins and El Mariachi owners Daniel Sanchez and L.J. Pumagualle, the restaurant business has been a longtime family affair. The duo’s family opened its first El Mariachi restaurant in 2008 in Amherst County before starting a second 10 years later in Lovingston, Virginia. In August, Sanchez and Pumagualle decided to open a branch of their own, but this time with the addition of a café.

El Mariachi Café, the first Latin American café in Lynchburg as well as the first café for the El Mariachi brand, offers a robust selection of caffeinated beverages and desserts to customers. 

“We live in a diverse world, so it’s nice to have something for each area,” said Pumagualle, who is Ecuadorian. “Lynchburg didn’t have a Latin café, so we are pushing Honduran coffee, Guatemalan coffee, we want to start pushing Ecuadorian coffee, and Mexican bread and food. The Latin style is very important to me because you can do so much with it.”

While the restaurant provides patrons with a wide selection of lunch and dinner items, as well as a fully stocked bar, the café provides a more laid-back atmosphere for customers as well as includes breakfast options that aren’t available at the restaurant. It also offers specialty drinks that combine coffee with staple Latin favorites such as “horchatte” (horchata and latte combination) and a churro affogato.

Through these offerings, the business looks to share its passion for Latin culture with residents of Central Virginia as well as anyone else passing through the area. 

“I’m Mexican and I’ve kind of been disconnected from my heritage for a lot of different reasons, but this has been a way for me to connect back with my heritage through something I love, which is coffee,” manager Jeremy Angione said. “Not only are you getting the influence through the food and the aesthetics, but you’re also getting it through the people.”

As the café begins to grow and find its niche in the downtown scene, it will continue to evolve as it seeks to best serve its customers. Yet, its focus on authentic Latin cuisine will not change.

“We’re a people with a rich heritage that we like to pull from, with fresh ingredients,” Angione said. “We want to be seen as something more than just a theme or a character in a restaurant. We want to be seen as a people with a rich and diverse culture that we want to share with the people of Lynchburg and Virginia overall.”  

El Mariachi Café and El Mariachi Restaurant are located at 1001 Jefferson St., Lynchburg, VA, and customers can also visit the business’ website at www.elmariachimexfood.com.

Meals on Wheels Delivers Delight to Doorsteps

As Meals on Wheels approaches its 50th anniversary next year, the organization continues to be a pillar of community support in Lynchburg, serving individuals of all ages and income levels. Founded in 1974, the program relies on the dedication of volunteers and local fundraising efforts to provide nourishing meals and essential connections to those in need. 

Kris Shabestar, executive director for Meals on Wheels, said the organization is a community-supported entity that takes pride in meeting the needs of the local population. Unlike other programs that rely on state or federal funding, Meals on Wheels operates independently, enabling them to serve a diverse range of individuals without restrictions. From the youngest recipient at 23 to the oldest at 102, the program is committed to delivering sustenance and support to all who require it.

When government funding often comes with strict regulations and limitations, the nonprofit stands apart as a beacon of independence and discretion. Becky Tweedy, the organization’s communications director, emphasized their unique position, highlighting the freedom they have to use their discernment and adapt to the diverse needs of their recipients.

“There are unique situations that can cause someone to be homebound and we’re able to step in and fill that gap because there is a gap,” she said. “Last year 18 percent of the people we served were under the age of 60 and if we weren’t here to do that, then they wouldn’t have a resource.”

Meals on Wheels does not accept any government funding, Tweedy said, which grants them the liberty to navigate each situation individually and provide the necessary support.

The organization prides itself on its ability to respond swiftly in times of crisis. Shabestar said the organization remains agile and nimble, ready to provide assistance when unexpected situations arise. Through their emergency meals program, they ensure that anyone facing a crisis within their service area receives a meal the very next day. 

“Life happens and crazy things happen,” she said. “We are here for those crazy situations. If there’s a crisis, we can deliver a meal the next day.”

Covering 42 routes across the city of Lynchburg and Amherst and Campbell counties, Meals on Wheels relies on the dedication of volunteers to make their mission a reality. The delivery routes typically take between an hour and an hour and a half to complete, allowing volunteers to contribute their time based on their availability. 

Some volunteers commit to weekly deliveries, while others opt for monthly or occasional shifts. The flexibility and convenience of volunteering make it accessible to anyone who wishes to contribute, Tweedy said.

Tweedy estimates that they rely on the commitment of approximately 108 to 150 individuals. Each new route requires 10 to 12 volunteers, underscoring the perpetual need for volunteers to ensure Meals on Wheels can continue expanding its reach.

She said volunteers often find fulfillment in knowing they are making an immediate and meaningful difference in someone’s life. Recipients, many of whom are isolated and lack family support, greatly appreciate the door-to-door interactions and the assurance that someone genuinely cares for their well-being.

“So many of the people we serve are isolated and many of them do not have any family connections or support,” Tweedy said. “Many of our recipients do not have an emergency contact on file and if they don’t answer the door, you can bet your bottom dollar we’re calling and following up or
going to the hospital. That sort of isolation can just be devastating.”

Beyond the nutritious meals, the Meals on Wheels program serves as a vital safety check
and a meaningful connection to the community for its recipients. 

“It’s a reason to get up in the morning, it’s a reason to read the paper, it’s a reason to listen to the news. It’s someone to talk to about your interests and your habits and your activities,” Shabestar said. “People ask, ‘How’s your dog?’ ‘How’d your doctor’s appointment go?’ Relationships are absolutely vital and that is why we do so much more than just deliver meals.”

Meals on Wheels goes above and beyond the delivery of meals, recognizing the importance of uplifting recipients’ spirits during special occasions. Birthday boxes, poinsettia deliveries during the holidays, and heartfelt cards from community members demonstrate the organization’s commitment to fostering joy and a sense of belonging. 

“A couple of years ago we did a survey of our recipients and 85 percent of those said they feel better, healthier, and stronger because they get Meals on Wheels, and it’s not just the food, it is the relationship we build,” she said. “One lady said this is the only present I will receive this year. Another lady said this was the first present she’s gotten in 20 years.”

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the demand for Meals on Wheels services. They are currently delivering 65 percent more meals than before the pandemic.

While the organization has been able to expand its reach and impact, the need for more volunteers, financial support, and advocates remains critical, Shabestar said.

“We definitely need more volunteers,” she said. “Everyone can do something. We need financial support and we need advocates. There’s a real misunderstanding about what we do, and who we can serve.”

According to Tweedy, the cost of delivering a meal through the organization is approximately $5.49, totaling around $27 per week, $110 per month, and $1,300 per year. She added that it is also noteworthy that 56 percent of the people served by Meals on Wheels live at or below the poverty level. Over 80 percent of these recipients receive their meals at no cost, while 8 to 10 percent contribute what they can afford. The organization operates on a sliding scale, allowing individuals to make a meaningful investment in their care, avoiding the stigma of accepting pure charity.

Shabestar said Meals on Wheels is not solely a long-term commitment but can also be a temporary solution during recovery periods, ensuring individuals regain their independence swiftly.

Recognizing the importance of companionship, the organization has also implemented an animal program. Pets serve as vital companions, particularly for those living alone. Additionally, Meals on Wheels accepts donations of cat food to ensure that pets remain well-fed, thereby alleviating the financial burden for lower-income individuals who might otherwise share their own meals with their furry friends.

“We found that they were sharing their meals, which is not healthy for the person, so we accept donations of pet food, which is collected at a number of veterinary clinics and other sites around town,” Tweedy said.

In September, the organization will serve its three-millionth meal, a major milestone,
Shabestar said.

“We’re delivering right now just under 600 meals a day,” she said. “We deliver every day, 52 weeks a year, even holidays, and that’s all due to volunteers and this community stepping up.”  

Vintage Stores Offering Style and Sustainability

Many people would still prefer to read a paperback rather than an e-reader or capture a touching moment on film rather than on their phone’s camera. Certain things never lose their charm or the experience they give.

Even buying clothes can provide a fun and nostalgic experience for savvy shoppers. While thrift stores are nothing new, the appreciation for vintage clothing is on the rise. For many, thrifting is much more than finding a great deal on clothes. It can be a way to engage in more sustainable consumerism, or to create a signature look that is unlikely to be replicated with the clothes of today.

Tastes in fashion vary from person to person, but there are plenty of options in some of Lynchburg’s newer vintage and thrift stores. Each has its own way of keeping unique styles alive, while also making culturally conscious business choices. 

Mission Thrift

A collaborative project of Freedom 4/24 and Sports Outreach Institute, Mission Thrift is a store dedicated to offering the community an affordable place to shop for many essentials, while also supporting other nonprofits.

“Our goal is to be very collaborative and very community-focused,” Mission Thrift Manager Faith Towles said.

Located on Bedford Ave. in a former Food Lion building, Mission Thrift officially opened January 14, and has seen a consistent crowd ever since.

“We really are seeing the community, as a whole, come in the door,” Towles said.

The building is spacious enough to have several distinct sections for various household items, clothes, and even an entirely different wing of the building dedicated to furniture and large appliances such as refrigerators or ovens.

“We are an avenue for people to not throw away things. It’s amazing what items we get in,” Towles said.

Mission Thrift offers no-charge pickups for anyone wishing to give away furniture or appliances.

Although Mission Thrift offers a variety of products, Towles says that clothing is undoubtedly the biggest seller. Despite the sheer amount of clothing they take in, Mission Thrift still adheres to standards of quality to ensure customers also receive a great product.

According to Towles, if a clothing item is deemed unusable for any reason, it is packed away to be passed along to Mission Thrift’s clothing and textile recycler. The clothes stay out of the landfill and the materials can be given to communities with urgent needs around the world. To date, Mission Thrift has recycled 36,000 pounds of clothing.

Empire Fleet Vintage

With a greater focus on clothing, Empire Fleet Vintage boasts a unique array of styles and time periods on its racks. Owner Lisa Jonas opened the store May 2021, to accommodate her desire to start a business and her love for thrifting.

Part of Jonas’ goal in highlighting vintage clothing is to help combat the waste that “fast fashion” can cause.

“We don’t want to ever look down on people trying to rock their own fashion, but we like to encourage this idea of looking for pieces that are recycled, making it a little more sustainable,” she said.

Aside from the benefits of sustainability, what makes something vintage, as opposed to just secondhand, is the quality that it is made with—quality that is rarely found in modern clothing, according to Jonas.

“Having those time capsules from different periods is also really fun.”

She often gathers pieces for the store that she feels have some unique quality, but still keeps the store stocked with items with broad appeal.

“We do try to keep it curated to a degree that you don’t have to look too hard to find something that suits you,” Jonas explained.

The variety of styles at Empire Fleet is due, in part, to Jonas’ collaboration with other vintage consignors. She finds other people in the community who shop for vintage and offers them an avenue for their respective businesses.

“When they find their treasures, they can resell them here,” she said.

A+ Attire

While there is likely some cliché about couples who thrift together, Felix and Megan Guevara of A+ Attire prove there must be something to the success that their teamwork has provided.

Although you’ll sooner find A+ Attire at a community market pop-up rather than a traditional storefront, Megan also works at Empire Fleet Vintage, so some of her finds can be found there. The A+ team does business wherever they can and have made thrifting a part of their lives.

“Most of everything we’ve owned—furniture-wise, housing-wise, clothing-wise—has been thrifted,” Megan said.

Megan and Felix started A+ Attire just under two years ago. The company is named after their daughter Ainsley, whose blood type also happens to be A positive. However, the A+ also refers to the quality they seek in their repurposed clothes.

“We love to reuse and not let a lot of things go to waste,” Felix said.

Fortunately, after such a short time in business, Felix says that A+ found a degree of success early on.

“There’s a good market for it here in town. It’s an emerging market,” Felix said.

A+ likely has the most specialized vintage wear of the previously mentioned vintage stores—they specialize in vintage t-shirts and hats.

Imagining some of your old t-shirts or hats, you may not see the appeal of A+’s inventory at first, however, much like Empire Fleet, they look for items that stand the test of time and have unique qualities.

“We’re repurposing everything. That’s a big part of it, is repurposing,” Megan said.

Much of A+’s business comes from direct communications with the vintage community and their customers, who, at times, have very specific requests. Felix says that if a customer has a request, they “don’t have to put in the legwork.” Felix hunts down the requested item and notifies the customer when they’ve found it.

Megan recalls one of their more unique finds was a red satin jacket used in the 1960s-1970s television series Dark Shadows. “That was probably one of my favorite finds, to this day.”

Both Megan and Felix agree that they love finding something unique that a customer gets excited about. Continued research and discoveries into unique clothes have been a mainstay of A+’s business.

“We know infinitely more than we did a year ago. Our tastes have refined,” Felix said.  

For many newly engaged couples, wedding planning seems like a dream—until you are faced with dozens of choices all at once. From the venue to the dress (and all of those little details in between), it’s hard to know where to start!

We are here to help. Our Best Of Bridal Picks list tells you who recent brides and members of their wedding parties recommend in 27 categories. Read below to see who made the list!

Julian Raven, Opens Gallery and Studio on Wards Road

When artist Julian Raven shares his story, he paints a picture as vivid and lively as the stunning works he displays in his new gallery on Wards Road.

Raven’s journey from a young English boy living in Spain with a penchant and talent for art to an internationally celebrated artist with a vast and versatile catalog of work has been full of peaks, valleys, and serendipitous moments. He seems to recall every step of his journey with gratitude for bringing him to where he is today.

Raven’s earliest memory of loving art occurred when he was about eight years old and living in Spain.

“I can remember sitting with my father on a veranda in a villa in southern Spain, where I grew up,” he recalled. “It was a sunny day, and I did a colored pencil drawing of some beautiful bougainvillea that was wrapped around a white-washed wall. It was a clear picture of my inclination towards the visual arts.”

When his family moved to Portugal when he was a bit older, Raven attended tiny international English-speaking schools and continued pursuing his passion for art. He won several art contests, but because the arts were not prioritized in these schools, Raven was not fully supported in his pursuit—that is, until the day his math teacher found him sketching in the school’s library.

“My math teacher saw me doodling in the library at the English International College and set a crushed can of Coke in front of me to sketch,” said Raven. “After I was done sketching, he basically took me by the hand and walked me over to meet David Bodlak, an artist and teacher in the art department.”

Bodlak mentored and championed Raven when the latter was in his mid-teens and continues to be a source of great inspiration to him to this day.

“He was a wonderful mentor,” Raven stated. “His enthusiasm and encouraging spirit were incredible. In an art class where you have all different skill levels, he would go from student to student and always find something redeemable about each person’s work. He has had a tremendous impact on me.”

Raven graduated high school at the age of 16 and took a year off to focus on his art. He then went on to study at the prestigious Chelsea College of Arts in London.

During his time at the College, Raven experienced a series of highs and lows. Although he “was in heaven because the facilities were huge,” he was struggling greatly with his father’s death, which happened when Raven was only 10, and with the political climate that surrounded him. He notes that he lost his faith in God and often felt hopeless and lost during this time.

Raven ended up leaving the College and going back to Spain, where he began to work in the bar business. Then, in early 1992, Raven’s life changed dramatically as he sat alone on a mountain.

“I came to faith in God in Spain, alone and sitting on a mountain, contemplating nature,” he recalled.
“That experience changed my life and led me down a spiritual journey where I began to pursue missionary work.”

This missionary work brought him to America. He originally planned to do missionary work in California for six months and then move to Mexico as a missionary, but he ended up moving to Elmira, New York, in 1996 instead. There, he met his wife, Gloria, and they started their own business: Raven’s Custom Creations. As Raven used his artistic skills to create custom-painted and decorative furniture, his passion for art was invigorated.

In addition to thriving artistically, Raven was spiritually and personally fulfilled. He and Gloria had three children, and he opened his own gallery in Elmira in 2007. Then the 2008 financial crisis occurred.

Forced to close the gallery, Raven and his family moved back to Spain for a year and a half. Ultimately, they moved back to Elmira and Raven opened a new gallery.

After entertaining the idea of RVing out west, Raven and Gloria decided to move to Lynchburg, where all three of their children still study at Liberty University. Raven knew that he wanted to open a gallery here; the challenge was finding the right spot for it. Julian Raven Artist, LLC, found a home at 2121 Wards Road and officially opened on March 25.

“I could have gotten a warehouse and been off the beaten path,” he said. “I looked at those options but decided that if I wanted to get up and running, I needed to be in an area with more movement. It’s sort of an unlikely setting for an art studio because I’m stuck between a Wendy’s and a McDonald’s, but it’s also sort of fitting because I’m a contrarian by nature. It just had what I saw as the bones to be something great.”

Raven and his son spent six weeks completely renovating the building, which houses not only Raven’s work, but also what he calls his “Renaissance Creative Palette” of services: painting parties, art classes, portrait painting and photography, and more. There is a screen-printing room downstairs and a brand-new photo studio, for which a ribbon cutting ceremony was held on June 15.

Raven says that his painting parties are a “real way to connect with people,” and adds that “seeing people who have never painted before create works of art is remarkable.” According to Raven, one gentleman came in a couple of times to paint, and after Raven shared the man’s second painting on Instagram, it sold for $100.

When it comes to Raven’s own work, he is a multimedia artist and photographer.

“I have a lot of very broad experience because my artistic hunger has made me curious to discover and try new things,” he noted. “I like to be constantly challenged. I always seem to find difficult things to do!”

That said, Raven specializes in abstract expressionism, which he says allows him “to share his inner-world experience and joy.” He recalls that an attendee of one of his shows referred to him as a “happy Pollock,” a moniker that he happily embraced.

There is no telling where Raven’s journey will take him next, but one thing is certain: he will continue to see the beauty in all things and to share his interpretations of that beauty with others.

“Beauty, for me, is so arresting,” he stated. “When I see true beauty—nature, people—I want
to capture it and share it with others. We live in some pretty serious times right now. I want people to feel lighter after leaving my gallery.”  

To learn more about Julian Raven, his gallery and studio, and his art, check out his website (julianraven.com) and Facebook page.

Not sure where to go for your oral health or dental treatments? Look no further than the experts referenced in our Area Dental Guide. From braces for your kids to the dental professionals you want in your corner when there’s an issue, we have you covered.

Earning a Best of Lynchburg award should be celebrated, and earning this recognition year after year earns a business a spot in the Hall of Fame. 

To place in our Best of Lynchburg Hall of Fame, a business, person, or place needs to have won a gold level award in a particular category for the majority of the last eight years—since VistaGraphics first launched the contest. 

Flip through to see who is the best of the best in the region! 

(Voting for the 2024 Best Of Lynchburg Awards begins July 27. Look for those winners in the January/February issue of Lynchburg Living!)