Thursday, September 18, 2014

Scotland Independence Vote

Scottish voters (starting at the age of 16) are voting today in an attempt to once again secede from the 307 year-old union with England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A union that was started by a Scottish king, not an English king.

I love Scotland - I lived there from 1989-1992 and was seduced by one of the most beautiful nations on the planet and some of the hardest working, smart, people on the same planet... when you are in Scotland, and walk around the glens, and see the sun poke a hole in the clouds and shine on this planet's greenest pastures, one understands why people believe in magic. And thus my my heart says yes to independence, but the Scottish National Party -- like most politicians on the planet - are a bunch of crooks with half lies, empty promises and jingoistic fervor that history teaches us leads to no good end! What they have promised the Scots, if they vote yes, has been built mostly on deceit and promises of a super nanny state funded by disputed oil resources in the North Sea.

In spite of that, I would think that I would let my heart rule and I would vote yes to secede and take my own chances as an independent nation of very tough, brilliant people... same for the Catalans, who are in a similar situation in Scotland's ancestral home in Spain...

Here's what I'm afraid of -- if they secede...

1. The English will force them off the pound - as they should! Why would Scotland vote to leave, but keep the old currency?

2. They will also boycott any attempt by Scotland to join the European union - Even if they don't, it will take years for the Scots to join the EU.

3. They will actively work to isolate Scotland and teach those Celts a lesson!

4. Scotland is essentially a rural country with a very strong sense of identity, but lacks an industrial infrastructure - because the English have designed it that way for centuries; even the shipbuilding in Scotland is dependent on English imports.

5. The international courts will rule against Scotland for the oil wells outside of the CTML 12 mile limit - this is where future funding for the SNP nanny state is supposed to come from...

6. Scotland will depend on imports to form an industrial base.

7. The English will work to make that difficult.

8. A desperate Scotland will present a BRILLIANT opportunity for China (or Putin) to step in and "help the Scots."

Result? English arrogance and ethnic insolence (they consider Scots as WOGS) - will push the Scots into the arms of the old Reds and the new Reds; Mark my words... So I hope the Scots vote no. And of course... "IF IT'S NOT SCOTTISH ---- IT'S CRAP!"

Need to borrow...

A call out to the DMV arts audience: I am in need to borrow two sets of Pro-panels (http://www.propanels.com) for (e)merge art fair next month... I just need them for about a week during the fair and will gladly trade a piece of original art for them... 

Send me a note if you can lend me some and I will pick them up and return them after the fair.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Live Art Auction at Katzen

The AU Museum exhibit "Estate Art of H. Marc Moyens" will close this Saturday Sept. 20 for Fall for the Arts. The day of art classes, spontaneous performances and fun for the whole family ends with an auction of art from Moyens' collection.
Moyens' collection is unique - the museum exhibited works from the collection in 2006, Remembering Marc and Komei, to rave reviews. Moyens has an interesting back story; he left France in 1946 with $40 in his pocket and arrived in Washington. He became a translator at the World Bank and began to collect art. By 1970, the Corcoran Gallery of Art honored him with an exhibition of his collection. He regularly attended the biennial exhibitions at Venice, São Paulo, Tokyo and Paris as well as Documenta, the Guggenheim and Pittsburg Internationals, the Salons de Mai and Whitney Annuals. According to one review: "At the core of Mr. Moyens’ sensibility is a taste for the fantastic, the magical, and the surreal expressed with realistic detail… Another characteristic common to all of these works is a particularly European pleasure in materials, care and craft of application, and preciousness in handling and feeling… an essentially European and cosmopolitan sensibility.” 

As Moyens' collection grew, he opened his own gallery, Gallery Marc in 1969. Six years later, he joined forces with Komei Wachi to open Gallery K. Besides the great European works in the collection, Moyens also bought the works of important Washington artists represented in the auction, artists like Ed Bisese, James Bumgardner, “Big Al” Carter, Pat Craig, Betsy Falk, Ruby McLain Grady, Robert Hynes, Alfred McAdams, Jody Mussoff, Franklin White, and Washington ex-pats John Harne and Alan Stone. There are also examples of American Folk Art, and Latin-American and Southwestern landscape painting of extremely high quality. Moyens and Wachi both passed away in 2003.

Fall for the Arts is a fundraiser, and all proceeds benefit the arts at AU. Tickets are $25 and $10 for students and those under 18. For workshop schedules, online tickets, and auction information, visit the Fall for the Arts website here.
See the auction items and then and bid here.

There are some great deals to be had in this auction, for example:

Robert Hynes Joe's Soluner Tables, 1976
Graphite on paper, 23 x 27 in.
Starting Bid: $100

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Congrats!

Congrats to the Nats on clinching the division title!

Red Dirt Studio is moving - Party!!!

Firehouse PARTY and Fundraiser!
 
Saturday, September 27 from 4-10 pm
 
4051 34th Street, Mt. Rainier, MD 20712 
(a couple blocks up from GLUT food co-op and Ani Kasten Ceramics)
 
In the early hours: kid-friendly stuff sponsored by Joe's Movement Emporium and Art Works Now, plus steel drums performance...
 
And!!
 
Featuring a special aerial performance by Red Dirt's own, circus professional Kirsty Little --- Kirsty owned her own circus in England (The Wrong Size) and moved to the United States a couple years ago to study performance art.

In the later hours: exciting new compositions by Marc Blackwood's band, InnerLoop, featuring Jill Warren on vocals, plus...
 
They've reserved a keg of Franklin's recent limited edition special brew--come check it out!
 
They've also got Red Dirt t-shirts for sale, and some other awesome stuff...
 
And, they're launching an Indiegogo site on or near same day to begin their fundraising campaign.

Click "join" and look for updates on their Facebook FIREHOUSE FUNDRAISER + PARTY event page here...

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival Call to Artists

Call to Artists

WHAT: A Fine Art Festival 

WHERE:
Bethesda, MD

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday 
           May 9-10, 2015
           Saturday 10-6; Sunday, 10-5 
 
NOTEWORTHY: 

*Complimentary breakfast and lunch for participating artists. 

*Free parking within 1 block. 

*Limited to 140 booth spaces of juried fine art and fine craft.

*Estimated attendance: 20,000. 

*$2,500 in cash awards. 

*24-hour security. 

*Booth sitters. 

*Entry/booth fees: $30/$425 (10x10); $850 (10x20).
*For more details about the show, click HERE
The Bethesda Fine Arts Festival was ranked #78 of the 200 Best Shows by Sunshine Artist Magazine in September, 2008, making it the highest ranked fine art festival in Maryland.  Extremely wealthy community: Average household income, $129,440; median housing value, $734,614. Knowledgeable, art buying public attends. Artists report consistently high sales every year. Electronic application available on the festival's website. 
The Bethesda Fine Arts Festival Show-Rate Score: 87

Additional details about the festival may be found at:  www.theartfestivaldirectory.com
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS: 

Application Deadline: 12/05/14   

Notification: 01/23/15

Booth Fees Due: 02/13/15    

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Opportunity for Artists

LINES DRAWN: America's Artists Look Beyond the Politics of Red and Blue

OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR A JURIED EXHIBIT
LINES DRAWN: America’s Artists Look Beyond the Politics of Red and Blue 
Artists resident in the United States are invited to submit original works of art for a juried exhibit timed to the 2014 Congressional elections; the exhibit will open Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014 at CHARLES KRAUSE/REPORTING FINE ART Gallery in Washington, DC.
Works of art submitted for this exhibit should provide visual evidence of social, economic or political issues which the artist believes are being ignored or inadequately addressed by our Government and political leaders due to the extreme partisanship and political paralysis which characterize Washington today. Artists may also submit artwork which examines the causes of the current political paralysis and/or focuses attention on those political leaders the artist holds responsible for the current paralysis/breakdown of our political system.
SUBMISSIONS: Please send no more than 2 high resolution jpegs of each work, its dimensions, suggested retail price (gallery commission 40 per cent) and Artist’s Statement for each work to LINESDRAWN2014@gmail.com
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 3, 2014
ARTIST’S STATEMENT: Please limit your statement to 150 words. It should state the issue the art work addresses and why the artist believes the issue is important to the future well-being of our country.
SELECTION PROCESS: All work submitted for this exhibit will be reviewed, and the winning entries selected, by a jury of experts selected by Washington’s Millennium Arts Salon.
NOTIFICATION OF WINNING SUBMISSIONS: Artists whose work has been selected for the exhibit will be notified on Sunday, October 5th and will be expected to have their work delivered to the Gallery no later than Thursday, October 9, 2014.
THE EXHIBIT: LINES DRAWN: America’s Artists Look Beyond the Politics of Red and Blue will open on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at CHARLES KRAUSE/REPORTING FINE ART Gallery /1300 13th Street NW, Washington,. DC 20005
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE See Future Exhibitions at www.charleskrausereporting.com or contact Charles Krause at ckrause@charleskrausereporting.com

Friday, September 12, 2014

New G'town mural


Check out this gorgeous new mural by DMV artist Sidney Lawrence... Stays up til Oct 15 on M & 30th in Georgetown.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Lest we forget


Studio View, 9/11 by David FeBland
"Studio View, 9/11"
Oil on Canvas c. 9/11/2001 by David FeBland

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

DC COMMISSION ON THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES 2014 Annual Meeting

DC COMMISSION ON THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES Cordially invites you to 
The 2014 Annual Meeting

Tuesday, September 23, 2014
6:30pm - 7:00pm | Networking | Gallery @ 200 I St.
7:00pm - 8:00pm | Public Meeting | Multi-Purpose Room
200 I Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003
As members of the creative community your attendance and participation are vital to the success of our agency. We invite you to take part in our Annual Meeting and offer your feedback on how we can best serve the residents and visitors of the District of Columbia.
 Please RSVP here  by Friday, September 19, 2014. 
Free and open to the public.
Light refreshments will be served.
Limited seating, admittance as space is available.
For more information call 202-724-5613.

Monday, September 08, 2014

BODY/BUILDING at Maurine Littleton

The Maurine Littleton Gallery will be presenting BODY/BUILDING.... a group interdisciplinary exhibit of thought, architecture and art.

 

Featuring the work of Erwin Eisch, Nancy Genn, Sergei Isupov, Iliya Isopov, DMV über artist Michael Janis, Richard Jolley, Dorothy Simpson Krause, David Dodge Lewis, Stanislav Libensky, Colin Reid, Ginny Ruffner, Joe Sanders, Holis Sigler, James Tanner and Therman Statom.


BODY/BUILDING... From the press release: "investigates radically different subject matter approached with similar sensibilities. Exploring human and architectural forms through Vitreographs (prints made from glass plates), ceramics and glass sculpture, each artist conveys structure & relationships in literal, figurative and poetic terms.

 

The human form and its relationship to the things we make, has transfixed architect and artist a like for centuries. The ancient Roman architect Vitruvius believed the precise mathematical relationships that exist in the human body should be followed in architecture. Plato opined that by defining a singular human archetype, it was possible to create environments that would be universally appealing and accessible to all. As our identities become more complex and our relationships with each other more interconnected, mankind still seeks to find a harmony where the body and space blurs.

 

Alternately eloquent and visceral, BODY/BUILDING offers a collection of what most fascinates us: our bodies, our buildings and our relationships. The works contained within are inclined to represent just enough so that we, the viewer, are encouraged/obliged to imagine the rest: the rest of the building, the rest of the body, but most importantly, the rest of the story."

 

Maurine Littleton Gallery

1667 Wisconsin Ave. N.E.; Washington, DC

Voyage of Discovery at McLean


Sunday, September 07, 2014

Lida Moser's Book

Children, Valley of Matapedia, Quebec by Lida Moser 1950
I've been getting some emails about people asking about Lida Moser and the curious fact that although she was the author of multiple books on photography, there are no books about her photography.

There is one book about Lida Moser. It was published in 1982 and it is titled Quebec a l'ete. These days you can only find it in rare book dealers, where it sells for over $1,000.

Lida wanted to publish another book, and she applied multiple times to the Bader Fund to try to get the funds needed to catalog her photographs and publish a book,  but she was never funded by them.

I'm gathering the idea to work with Schiffer Books (my publisher) to see if they are interested in doing a book on her photographs.

Saturday, September 06, 2014

Feels like 18!


Sandra Ramos at the Katzen


Curator Diane Camber, me, Sandra Ramos and Mayer Fine Arts' Sheila Giolitti at Sandra Ramos' members preview last night at the Katzen Museum at American University.

EXHIBITION OVERVIEW

Curated by Diane Camber, this exhibition is comprised of prints, video, collage, and installations created by Cuban artist Sandra Ramos. This artist reflects on the conflicting experiences of living in her beloved homeland with all of its many challenges. Her work often takes a narrative form in which she depicts herself as a child-like explorer or modern day Alice in Wonderland. Ramos' prints and mixed media works feature exquisite craftsmanship and use of color and naiveté, tempered by wit and irony. This exhibition reflects the mordant wit for which Cubans are famous, as well as a kind of nostalgia and exuberance particular to the artist.

Friday, September 05, 2014

Great opportunity! Deadline next week!!!

Deadline: September 8, 2014

There is not enough that I can say to recommend The Strathmore Fine Artists in Residence initiative (Fine AIR) to all emerging artists.... I have been lucky enough to have been a mentor twice, and can therefore testify what a boost to an artist's career this program is... and it deals and teaches so many diverse areas.... there is nothing even close to it in the DMV, maybe even the nation.

It was established to help cultivate local visual arts talent by connecting established professionals in all aspects of the field with up-and-coming artists.  Emerging artists will be in residence in the Mansion at Strathmore from January – August 2015. During this time, each artist will have the opportunity to develop an audience in the DC metropolitan area, perfect their craft, create and implement an outreach, educational, or special event proposal for Strathmore’s consideration, and premiere a new body of artwork, including a collaborative piece with one’s mentor, commissioned by Strathmore in a culminating exhibition. 

The exhibition of new work will take place in August of 2015 and will reflect the artistic growth of the artist in residence.  Throughout the residency artists meet with a professional artist mentor for career guidance and artistic critique; attend career development workshops; and have the opportunity to teach, lecture, volunteer, exhibit or otherwise participate in Strathmore visual arts programming. Apply here: http://www.strathmore.org/education/series/view.asp?id=10102314

Eligibility:
The Strathmore Fine Artist in Residence Program is open to all emerging visual artists.  All media accepted.
Fine AIR Program Timeline
•             September 8, 2014   Deadline for application
•             September 15 – 18, 2014  Select applicants invited to interview
•             September 29, 2014   Notification of acceptance
•             October 2014   Fine AIR contracts finalized
•             November 2014  Incoming Fine AIR class announced to the public
•             January 2015   Official start of the Fine AIR program
•             August 2015   Exhibition of new work

A Residency at Strathmore includes:
•             An exhibition of new work at the Mansion at Strathmore, Summer 2015
•             Strathmore’s consideration of an outreach, educational, or special event proposal
•             A professional artist mentor throughout the residency
•             Career Development workshops and experiences provided by Strathmore
•             A stipend of $1,000 (Studio space and housing are not available with this residency)

Artist responsibilities include:
•             Mandatory attendance at a Fine AIR welcome event, scheduled meetings with artist mentor, and career development workshops provided by Strathmore.
•             Creation of a new body of saleable work, including a collaborative piece created with one’s mentor, to debut at the 2015 Fine AIR Exhibition at the Mansion at Strathmore.
•             Creation of an outreach, educational, or other visual arts event proposal for Strathmore’s consideration for future seasons.
•             Volunteering at “Discover Strathmore” and “Strathmore Arts Festival” events and by providing an artist demonstration, pop- up of artwork for exhibition and/or sale, or related artistic presence.
•             Volunteer to teach, lecture, and/or demo for the visual art department at least once during residency.  Strathmore charges admission for these programs and all proceeds go toward supporting the Fine AIR program.

Thursday, September 04, 2014

Miami in sight

Yay! We just got accepted (again) into the 2014 Context Art Miami art fair in Miami during Art Basel week...

Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Most expensive GIF file ever

Check it out here.

Read all about it here.

Tuesday, September 02, 2014

Do not miss this opening!


When I was with Fraser Gallery, we first brought the work of Cuban artist Sandra Ramos to the US by giving Ramos her American debut in an independent fine arts commercial gallery in the epic "De Aqui y De Alla" show (that gallery's first "sold out" show) - subsequently Fraser Gallery gave Ramos her first US solo gallery show at our Georgetown gallery.

There are many DC area savvy collectors who bought Ramos back in those early shows.

Ramos has been in many museum and gallery shows worldwide since then, but this special Sandra Ramos traveling museum show comes to DC this weekend September 6 - October 19, 2014. Do not miss the opening!

Opening Reception: September 6 from 6 - 9 PM (My birthday!)

American University Museum at Katzen Arts Center
Tel: 202-885-1300     
Fax: 202-885-1140 museum@american.edu
4400 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC 20016

Admission Free
Tue-Sun, 11:00-4:00
Fully Accessible
See Directions