Saturday, July 02, 2005

Art Walk

Where: Located between New York Avenue and H Street, NW at the former Convention Center Site.

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is seeking 14 artists to take part in a thought provoking giant outdoor exhibit entitled Metamorphosis.

The goals of the Exhibit is to bring together 14 diverse individuals to create an unusual and stimulating exhibit that will draw the attention of residents and visitors to this new venue. This is part of the Arts Commission's new downtown public art initiative with the Washington Convention Center to develop an Art Walk for the former Convention Center site, through the DC Creates Public Art Program.

The debut exhibit will showcase the work of 14 artists with visual imagery created around the theme Metamorphosis. This can include but is not limited to artists who work with mixed media, 2-D, fiber, sculpture, glass, light, the written word, etc., and other materials and techniques, which can create texture and depth when transferred into a digital print. The artwork can be color or black & white. The artist's interpretation of the word Metamorphosis is the premise of the exhibition.

Landscape architects Rhodeside & Harwell, Incorporated and the engineering company of David Volkert & Associates have developed a pedestrian friendly parking facility design, which will transform the former Convention Center site into a fashionable place to park. The design incorporates large trees, colorful recycled glass, eco-friendly materials and an Art Walk, which features 14 display units each stretching 24 ft wide x 6'6" ft tall. Integrated lighting features will illuminate the work at night. The Art Walk will be located between New York Avenue and H Streets, NW creating a venue to showcase two and three-dimensional works of art and over the course of three years.

SELECTION PROCESS: A panel representing diverse interests and expertise will review your original digital image proposed and will recommend 14 artists to form the nucleus of the exhibition. The 14 selected images will be printed on to the exhibit panel size measuring 24 ft long x 6'6' high. The images must have the resolution capacity to be enlarged to that size.

Alexandra J MacMaster
Public Art Program Manager
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
410 8th Street, NW 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20016
Direct (202) 724-5617
Fax (202) 727-4135
TDD (202) 727-3148

Non representational opportunity

If you are a non-representational, abstract or minimalist artist, read this.

Opportunity for Photographers

Deadline July 15, 2005.

W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography.

An annual grant of $30,000 is awarded to a photographer whose work follows the tradition of W. Eugene Smith's work as a photographic essayist. Contact:

W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund
c/o International Center of Photography
1133 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036

Opportunity for Artists

Deadline July 11, 2005

All visual artists in the U.S. and abroad working in all media are invited to submit to Role Play: The Definition of Self in Society. Artists are encouraged to think broadly in responding to the theme.

The juror is my good friend JW Mahoney, who is an independent curator and Corresponding Editor for Art in America.

Cash awards up to $650. Submission fee: $25 for images of 3 works (slides or JPEG).

For prospectus, e-mail: targetgallery@torpedofactory.org or send SASE to:
Target Gallery
105 North Union Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703/838-4565.

Bethesda Artist Market Returns

Next Sunday, July 10, from 10am-5pm, the Bethesda Artist Market returns to Bethesda Place Plaza, 7700 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda (one block from the Bethesda Metro stop). The event features artwork and fine crafts for sale by nearly 30 regional and local artists working in painting, photography, jewelry, turned wood, blown glass, metalwork and mixed media.

Details here.

Opportunity for Artists

The Maryland State Arts Council's Individual Artist Awards Program is now administered by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. The deadline for applications is July 28. For an application, visit www.midatlanticarts.org or e-mail/call Rebecca Scollan at Rebecca@midatlanticarts.org (or call her at 410-539-6656 ext. 101).

Funding Opportunity

The Carl M.Freeman Foundation launches third Annual Major Grants Cycle.

The Carl M. Freeman Foundation (CMFF) has announced its third annual cycle of major grants; a minimum of $250,000 will be awarded. For the first time, the Foundation has created a $100,000 "Opportunity Grant" to help a past beneficiary expand its work in a significant way with a one-time gift.

In addition, all non-profit groups are eligible for other Major Grants awards. For this program, organizations should submit a simple, two-page preliminary application for the Foundation's consideration by August 1st at 5 p.m. The Board of Trustees will review the preliminary applications and request full applications from semi-finalists in September. Grant recipients will be announced in December. Non-profit organizations interested in applying for grants will find guidelines, deadlines, and the applications online at www.freemanfoundation.org. CMFF donates over one million dollars each year, primarily in Montgomery County, MD and Sussex County, DE.

Withdrawn

As posted here, on June 28, Sen. Tom Coburn withdrew from consideration his floor amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill which would have cut FY 2006 funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) by $5 million each.

It became clear to Sen. Coburn that his amendment had little support for passage, in large part because of the outcry from thousands of art advocates. Assuming the Senate passes its version of the bill, as is expected, both houses will then convene a conference committee the week of July 11 to craft a final bill, reconciling any differences between their separate versions.

DC Art News favors the House version, because it contains a higher funding level for the NEA, and also because it would fully fund the NEA's Challenge America program, which primarily supports arts programs in underserved areas. Therefore, we encourage you to contact your Senators and Representatives and urge them to support the House-approved level of $131.3 million, including full funding for Challenge America, during the House-Senate conference.

Contact your elected representatives here.

Lennox Campello by Adrienne Mills

Me at Seven opening, courtesy of Adrienne Mills.

Breedloves... and Seven opening photos

Hisham Singing
Those of you who attended the huge opening of Seven last Thursday at the Warehouse, know that one of the highlights of the opening was the magnificent voice of Hisham Breedlove, who delighted the crowd with not only his painted body, but also with his magnificent voice.

Hisham walked around the seven galleries that make up the show, singing a variety of opera solos; and he was spectacular!

Adrienne Mills recorded the Breedlove's transformation in this series of photographs from the opening of Seven. See them here.

More photos from the opening below (all courtesy Adrienne Mills):

Breedloves with Sandra Fernandez

Breedloves talking with Seven co-curator Sandra Fernandez


Philip Barlow and Vivian Lassman
Philip Barlow and Vivian Lassman


Breedloves with Rebecca Cross
Breedloves with Rebecca Cross in front of her work


Hisham with Andrew Wodzianski
Hisham with Andrew Wodzianski and friend

Friday, July 01, 2005

Portrait of Campello by Roey Yohai, Washington Times
My Roey Yohai (Washington Times), portrait photograph.

Blogger in the news

Canadian art blogger Chris Zeke makes news in his hometown with an interesting (and funny) profile in the Montreal Mirror.

Openings tonight

Being the first Friday of the month, the Dupont Circle Galleries will have their joint openings and extended hours tonight from 6-8PM.

Of special interest is Conner Contemporary's John Kirchner: Certain Distance and Leo Villareal: new work.

JET Artworks will host Matthew Arnold, Knut Hybinette, Emily Noelle Lambert and Jason Robert Bell. Their nearby neighbor, Studio Gallery presents "Points of Tangency," which includes new glass sculptures by Michael Janis and Erwin Timmers, both of whose's work is included also in Seven (in fact Janis' piece in Seven was the first piece sold last night).

'Tis Over 'Tis Finished 'Tis Done

In spite of the humid weather, the opening for Seven went great, and I'd guess around 1,000 people floated in and out of the seven gallery spaces, several sales took place, the press showed up and took notes, and I am sure that more (sales and reviews) will happen during the next few weeks.

The drawing class, organized by Scip Barnhardt and some brave Corcoran art students, went well, and truly underscored the sense that I wanted to give to the room focused on the human figure.

Today I am truly exhausted, and (of course) have two openings to organize for our galleries in the next two weeks - it never ends!

The exhibition runs until September 9. Go see it!

Thursday, June 30, 2005

Seven Opens Tonight

What: Seven, an exhibition of 67 WPA/C artists curated by me.

When: Opens tonight with a catered reception for the artists starting at 6PM. Work on exhibition until Sept. 9, 2005.

Where: The seven spaces that make up the Warehouse Theatre and Galleries complex. Located at 1021 7th Street, NW, across from the new Washington Convention Center.

See ya there!

Offensive Mexican stamp
This offensive new Mexican stamp is causing all kinds of highly deserved uproar, and once again proves the enormous power of the visual image, especially (and unfortunately) when coupled with deeply offensive messages such as this one is.

Read the WaPo story here.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Little Queen of Spades

By Robert Johnson

Now, she is a little queen of spades
and the men will not let her be
Mmm mmm mmm, she is the little queen of spades
and the men will not let her be
Everytime she makes a spread
hoo, fair brown, cold chill just runs all over me

I'm gon' get me a gamblin' woman
if the last thing that I do
Eee hee ee, gon' get me a gamblin' woman
if it's the last thing that I do
Well, a man don't need a woman
hoo, fair brown, that he got to give all his money to

Everybody say she got a mojo
now, she's been usin' that stuff
Mmm mmm mmm, 'verybody says she got a mojo
'cause she been usin' that stuff
But she got a way trimmin' down
hoo, fair brown, and I mean it's most too tough

Now little girl, since I am the King
baby, and you is a queen
Ooo hoo eee, since I am the King
baby, and you is a queen
Le's us put our heads together
hoo, fair brown, then we can make our money green

Calm (NOT) Before the Storm

I am so tired! Early wake-ups all this week; plus late nights at Warehouse for the hanging of Seven.

A couple of small disasters today: One of Rebecca Cross' delicate ceramic pieces fell off the wall and broke; time to scramble and see if Rebecca can replace it with another work.

Then a major piece by a very good artist could not be hung due to weight and size, and now we are left scrambling trying to figure out what to do; things will resolve themselves by tomorrow.

And then there's the artist who wanted his work "hung just so," and so we reserved a very special place for this person, and so far the artist has not delivered any work or returned several messages. Where are you?

And (as anyone who has ever curated a show from slides knows), there's the "surprise."

The "surprise" is that piece of artwork that looks great in a slide, but that once you see it, it... well, uh... disappoints.

Oh well.... one surprise from 67 artists is not bad.

On the pleasant side, Alessandra Torres continues to astound me on the good side; seldom have a seen a young artist be so full of energy and zeal and talent. I predict good things for her.

And Kathryn Cornelius damned near made me a convert to video art; wait until you see her video piece (Titled "Resolve" and being projected on opening night at the top floor - all by herself - and later on a flatscreen in the second floor gallery).

And I predict that Scott Brooks and Samantha Wolov are going to raise some eyebrows (and maybe other body parts on Wolov's case).

The opening is tomorrow, Thursday June 30 at 6PM.

See ya there!

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Distracted Driving

About 90% of the works have been delivered to Seven, and the show is shaping up nicely.

Today Graham Caldwell installed a spectacular set of glass pieces on the second floor gallery walls.

As I was leaving the gallery, my cell phone rang and as I answered it, the cop car next to me at the stop light waved (I thought so anyway), so I waved back as I talked on the phone. He turned his lights on and pointed for me to pull over.

Mmmm....

So the cop comes over (after about an uncomfortable five minute wait, while -- I guess -- they're checking in their computer to make sure that I am not a wanted ax murderer or a dead beat Dad).

"Hang on a sec," I say to the person with whom I am talking on the phone. "What's the problem officer?" I ask in my best Hank Hill voice.

"Driver's license and registration please," the cop says curtly. He's a little, wiry, short guy.

"What did I do?" I say putting the cell phone down and reaching down for my wallet while in my mind Richard Pryor says silently: "I AM REACHING INTO MY WALLET FOR MY LICENSE! - 'CUZ I DON'T WANNA BE IN NO MOTHERF&*%^ ACCIDENT!"

He ignores me.

"What did I do?" I say again, my voice a little louder.

"I'll tell you in a minute," he says gruffly looking at my license and registration.

"You were using your cell phone," he accuses.

I look baffled.

"You WERE using your cell phone," he almost shouts as he walks away.

"Aw, crap." I say to myself... "this is DC and it is illegal to use your cell phone while driving."

Summary: $100 fine for Distracted Driving (Cell Phone).

Congratulations

To Tracy Lee, whose work has been included in The Mammoth Book of Illustrated Erotic Women.

You can see some of Tracy's very moist work in Seven.