Monday, June 30, 2008

New at Art-Tistics

Welcoming uberblogger Joanne Mattera, who will be joining us at Art-Tistics soon as the site grows.

Note the new widget to the right - it will keep you updated on the new art posts on that blog - just click on the post of interest and it takes you there.

Congrats!

I still don't know who all the 2008 Trawick Prize finalists are, but I know that both Joe Barbaccia and Warren Craghead are on that list!

As soon as it is made public I will have it here; meanwhile, congrats to Joe and Warren!

Seeking the "Collector"

Today's Washington Post has a list of suspects for DC's almost/quasi famous "Collector" - It also has a quote from me as to why Michael Janis is not a suspect in my opinion.

Read the piece here (scroll down).

PS - Where did they get that pic of Kirk Waldroff? from his High School yearbook?

Podcasting

Just a teaser for now... we will soon be adding regular podcasts to the blog!

More later.

The Artists "Review" Artists Project

J.T. Kirkland over at Thinking About Art has just launched an interesting new project where artists' work is reviewed by other artists.

I'm always talking about important the digital footprint is for artists and this idea seems like an excellent one for that! Now I wish I had thought about it!

Check it out here.

GOGs on Derivative Composition

Stephanie Merry from the WaPo's Going Out Gurus pops in with a good quick look at the "Derivative Composition" opening at the Kennedy Center last week.

Read it here.

Art Santa Fe

Just got through driving a van full of artwork to Brooklyn to be shipped from New York to Art Santa Fe, where we'll be trying really hard to sell some artwork at the coming Art Santa Fe, being held this year from July 10-13, 2008 at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe.

The fair's 2008 Keynote Speaker will be Dean Sobel, the Director of the new Clyfford Still Museum in Denver.

If you're in beautiful Santa Fe during this time, come by booth 52 and say hola!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Reincarnations

"Reincarnations" is an exhibition of art created from found objects and recycled materials. It was curated by art collectors Linda and Steve Krensky. It opens with a reception to meet the artists on Wednesday, July 23, 5:30-8:30pm at Zenith Gallery's Alternative Space (located at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in DC); it runs through Sept. 28, 2008.

The artists chosen by the Krenkys are:

Grif Bates, Chuck Baxter, Adam Bradley, Chris Bransome, Melissa Burley, Carolyn Cates, Scott Cawood, Randall Cleaver, Lee Connah, our own Rosetta DeBerardinis, Laura Dixon, Roger Doyle, Kristin Eager, Ed Gross, Jason Higgins, Andrew Krieger, SuAnne Lasher, Ara Laughlin, Susan Makara, Forrest McCluer, Bodil Meleney, Bogdan Miscevic, Elizabeth Morisette, John Pack, Jane Petit, Caitlin Phillips, George Sakkal, Rima Schulkind, Irma Spencer, Brad Taylor, Erwin Timmers, Mariano Perez Vivanco, Jodi Walsh, and Will Winton.

Commenting on the exhibit, the Krenskys said, “For the most part, we chose the pieces based on the artists’ unusual interpretations and ability to create art from rather ordinary materials. Some of the pieces are beautiful, some amuse and others amaze.”

Mysteries in Richmond

Sheila Giolitti Mysteries: New Work by Sheila Giolitti at Red Door Gallery in Richmond, VA opened this last Friday and if you are in the area you should check out Sheila's work.

In the last fair that we did in NYC earlier month, we sold about a dozen of her paintings.

Go see this show.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Artists' Websites: Emily Piccirillo


"Present Perfect" (detail) by Emily Piccirillo

Emily Piccirillo is stretching the definitions of painting, installations and sculpture. Her work is not only superbly attractive, but also presented in such a way to make it creative and new in its format alone. All about her work here.

Glass prices

"Glass art is attracting more admirers and collectors today and gaining more attention as a fine art, as artists explore more with the medium. Meanwhile, prices for pieces are on the rise."
Read this interesting article The Canadian Press.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Patsy Fleming at Foundry

I'm hearing that the Patsy Fleming show at Foundry Gallery in DC is doing something rare for a DC art show: selling like hot cakes... gangbusters... ah... selling really well with 18 paintings having found a new home on the walls of a collector.

The show closes Sunday, so if you can swing by, check out her work, and maybe buy one.

Listen

If you missed Heather and I yesterday at WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi show, you can hear it online here.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

New York Comments

After you read this article by Sewell Chan in the NYT -- about the debut of “New York City Waterfalls,” Olafur Eliasson’s $15.5 million of temporary cascades around New York Harbor -- continue reading the few hundred comments about the work and price tag.

Opportunities for Photographers

Deadline: Friday, August 15, at 5:00pm.

The 2nd Annual Plein Air–Easton! Photography Contest is open to professional, amateur, and student photographers. All images must depict aspects of the 2008 Plein Air-Easton! Festival. Cash prizes will be awarded and selections will be displayed in a touring exhibit which will continue through the Plein Air–Easton! Competition and Arts Festival 2009.
Deadline for submissions is Friday, August 15, at 5:00pm.

Winners will be announced September 5, 2008, during First Friday Gallery Walk. For more information and contest guidelines click here or email dorbin@paragonlight.com or
call 410-820-7738.

2008 Talbot County Abstract Photography Contest and Exhibition

The 2008 Talbot County Abstract Photography Contest, held by Traces of Us Gallery – Fotografia de Arte and Hobby Horse Photography, is open to all photographers interested in capturing the beauty of Talbot County and downtown Easton from an abstract and contemporary viewpoint. Registration will be held on Sunday, July 20 at Traces of Us Gallery – Fotografia de Arte from 10:00am – 4:00pm and is free with a donation of nonperishable food item(s).

Participating photographers will be required to take their pictures in Talbot County on July 21 and July 22 and in downtown Easton on July 23 and July 24. Each artist must submit one image taken in each location.

An exhibition and sale of all competition photographs will run at the Traces of Us Gallery – Fotografia de Arte from July 26 through August 8. Hobby Horse Photography will exhibit and sell the 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and honorable mentions from August 9 through September 1. For details click here.

On the air tonight at WRNR

I will be on the air around 6:30PM tonight on Annapolis' WRNR 103 FM in Michael Buckley's "Voices of the Chesapeake" show where I will be discussing the coming Plein AirEaston! event in beautiful Easton, Maryland.

If you've never been to Easton, you should seriously consider planning a trip anywhere from July 21-27, and witness as this beautiful seashore town becomes a magnet for thousands of art lovers and collectors as well as the nation's top plein air painters. Check it out here.

On the air today

click here to hear Kojo

Together with the fair Heather Goss from DCist, later on today I'll be on the Kojo Nnamdi Show discussing the Greater Washington area visual arts and artists and art stories as I usually do several times a year.

Tune in to WAMU 88.5 FM around noon - we're supposed to be on air around 1PM.

If you have any questions or art issues, you can call Kojo during the show at (800) 433-8850 or you can email him questions to kojo@wamu.org.

We hope to be able to discuss issues such as the search for a new Executive Director for the DC Arts Commission, also talk a little about that new effort to launch a new DC Art Fair Expo at the Convention Center, talk up some interesting shows and take as many questions and calls as possible.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Brooklyn!

One of mine is in this open show at the Brooklyn Museum.

On the air tomorrow

click here to hear Kojo

Tomorrow once again I'll be on the Kojo Nnamdi Show discussing the Greater Washington area visual arts and artists and art stories as I usually do several times a year.

Tune in to WAMU 88.5 FM around noon - I'm supposed to be on air around 1PM.

If you have any questions or art issues, you can call Kojo during the show at (800) 433-8850 or you can email him questions to kojo@wamu.org.

Also tomorrow I will be on the air around 6:30PM on Annapolis' WRNR in Michael Buckley's "Voices of the Chesapeake" show where I will be discussing the coming Plein AirEaston! event in beautiful Easton, Maryland.

From July 21-27, this beautiful seashore town becomes a magnet for thousands of art lovers and collectors as well as the nation's top plein air painters. Check it out here.

On the DC Arts Commission Director

Ethelbert Miller, one of the District's key arts personalities and a current DC Arts Commission commissioner pipes in with some good reflections on getting a new Executive Director. Read it here.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Grants for Artists

Deadline: July 31, 2008.

Awards up to $1,500 to visual and craft artists living and working in the U.S. Funds are to be used in the planning or a craft or visual arts project. Film projects are ineligible. For more information, send a SASE to:

The Ruth Chenven Foundation
7505 Jackson Avenue
Tacoma Park, MD 20912

Donate to this

The AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts has a major arts fundraising event coming up called ARTcetera 2008.

ARTcetera is a biennial creative black-tie contemporary art auction created and supported by a unique partnership between the visual arts community and the AIDS Action Committee. Guests enjoy fine food and beverages and bid on more than three hundred fresh works by acclaimed local, national and international artists. An exciting live auction and two silent auctions present works in a variety of media, sizes, and styles.

To donate work you have to fill out this form by July 3rd, 2008. As far as shipping work to them, I am working a deal with them where they will take care of shipping of any artwork donated by artists through this blog; work must be shipped by the end of July. You can also choose to receive 25% of the auction price. They will also need an image of the work for the auction catalog. When you fill out the form, make sure to skip data items 13-16 and put "Courtesy of the Artist" in Question 12 unless your gallery or a collector is donating it.

So if you donate a piece, then drop me an email and also put the following in the donation form's box 18:

This work is being donated through a call to artists in Lenny Campello's "Daily Campello Art News" blog and will be shipped to ARTcetera after shipping arrangements have been finalized with Kevin Hudson.
I plan to donate, and since donating artists get a ticket to the black tie gala, I may even swing by Boston to see how the auction goes. There is also a preview party for artists, donors and acquisition committee members happening on October 30 that artists will be invited to attend.

Be generous!

Resignations and Stepping Downs

Betsy Baker, editor of Art in America magazine since 1974, has resigned. Marcia Vetrocq, one of five senior editors, has become the new editor. Read the Lee Rosenbaum scoop here.

Also, Leonard Downie Jr., the longtime executive editor of The Washington Post, is stepping down in September. Read that bit of news here.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Living Without Them

Read the discussion on this Katzen Museum installation here. Comments welcomed!

The Washington Post's Critics Shame

Artomatic 2008 attracted a record-breaking 52,500 visitors as the Washington, D.C. area's homegrown arts extravaganza came to a triumphant close this month, setting new records and breaking new ground for artists in the region.

"Artomatic 2008 was a phenomenal event and it exceeded even our expectations," said Veronica Szalus, Artomatic president. "We are glad to be able to provide this opportunity for artists and to enrich the D.C. creative community."

In all, about 1,540 individual artists took part in Artomatic — also a new high. The total included 740 visual artists — such as painters, sculptors and photographers — who showed thousands of artworks. The event also included individual 800 performing artists, such as dancers, poets, theatre groups, drummers, comedians, fire troupes and musicians. Highlights of Artomatic 2008 included an art-themed fashion show, blood drive, art car foot race, marketplace, book signings and on-site tattoo parlor.

For the first time, Artomatic had a full schedule of free children's events every weekend, including popular workshops on mobile-making, Peeps dioramas, drawing and sculpting. More than 20 children's events were held, attracting hundreds of participants and budding artists.

Adult educational workshops and lectures were also held, focusing on topics such as art collecting and photography techniques. I participated in a couple of these...

And kudos to the Washington Post's Lavanya Ramanathan for providing most of the Post's scant critical coverage of the city's largest arts event.

How my good friend John Pancake, the Arts Editor of the Washington Post, can justify the fact that his two art critics can ignore the largest homegrown arts event in the city, is beyond me. As critical as I am of the WaPo's visual arts coverage, this apathy towards such a large event is beyond belief for even the Post, allegedly the world's second most influential newspaper.

Somewhere in the apathy is a mix of disdain for almost anything that smells of open, public, hands-free, artist-run, uncurated democratic event. The officers and shock troops of the contemporary salons cannot allow such an event to be a success.

Too bad that it is, even with their antipathy.

You reap what you sow; if you don't get it, you don't get it.

Update: John Pancake, the long time Arts Editor of the Washington Post is on the way out, as he took the recent set of buyout offerings from the WaPo administration.

George Carlin

I’m always relieved when someone is delivering a eulogy and I realize I’m listening to it.
- George Carlin
I'm really gonna miss that funny dude.

Opportunity for DC Artists

Deadline: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 5:30 pm

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) is purchasing artwork that captures archetypes of Washington DC. Subjects include specific neighborhoods, parks and circles, festivals, gathering places, or cultural events. Less obvious motifs include downtown redevelopment, restaurants, shops and businesses, work places, or Metro stations. Artists should consider a broad range of subject matter as long as the works have an unmistakable subject reflecting life in the District. Artists should also consider submitting images of Washington that depict the changing neighborhoods and the parts of the city that are disappearing. The Committee is very interested in depictions of all wards of the city. The collection serves to honor and embrace life in the District.

This opportunity is open to all artists who reside and have their studio in the District of Columbia.

For more information and to download the Call to Artist, please visit www.dcarts.dc.gov or to request an application in HTML format, email Beth Baldwin or call (202) 724-5613.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

New Drawing

And in a huge development to my own artwork, color returns to it!

For years I painted in oils and watercolors and also did drawings... but around 1992-1993 all my artwork began to focus on just black and white drawings.

Not any more; color has returned to my artwork...

click here for a larger image


"Last Copy of the Constitution"
Charcoal, Conte Crayons and Colored Pencils Drawing by F. Lennox Campello.
Matted and Framed to 24 x 18 inches

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Congrats!

To B.G. Muhn, winner of the 2008 Bethesda Painting Awards.

Read the Washington Post review here. The show goes through July 5, 2008.

Scene from Bethesda has the story and images as well. See it here.

PMA Announces Interim CEO

Gerry Lenfest, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Philadelphia Museum of Art, yesterday announced the board’s unanimous vote to appoint Chief Operating Officer Gail Harrity as the Museum’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, and Associate Director of Collections Alice Beamesderfer as Interim Head of Curatorial Affairs.

These appointments, effective immediately, follow the unexpected death on June 1 of Anne d’Harnoncourt, The George D. Widener Director and Chief Executive Officer. A selection committee co-chaired by Trustees Martha Morris and Keith Sachs will be organized in the coming weeks to search for a permanent successor.

Congrats!

To the winners of the 41st annual Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2008 exhibition, showcasing the talent, creativity and diversity of Pennsylvania's established and emerging artists. The exhibition opens to the public on Sunday, June 29, at The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg.

The exhibit includes 166 works of art which were selected from over 2,400 entries. This represents 160 artists from 28 counties.

The exhibition runs through Sept.21. For more information, visit this website.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Let's help Hizzoner

A few days ago I noted that Tony Gittens, the executive director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, announced a couple of days ago that he is leaving that post after 11 years.

Mayor Fenty will now appoint a new EA for the DCCAH and we're all hoping that it's not a typical politico nepotista appointment for the $110,000 a year job.

We're all hoping for someone who is qualified for this important job and who also cares deeply about the capital arts presence and its artists.

I have nominated George Koch, but I am curious to learn about other potential nominees out there, so feel free to post some comments with names of those who you think may be candidates.

Go hang your own artwork



"Wallmountables" is DCAC's Annual Open Exhibit - This year it will be from July 18 - August 31, with installation on July 16 3-8pm, July 17 3-8pm, July 18 3-6pm.

They divide the gallery into 2' x 2' squares and you take care of the rest.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Congrats!

To my good bud Jeffry Cudlin, who won First Place in the 13th annual AltWeekly Awards for his art criticism!

Now if Jeffry would only get back to writing a little...

Opportunity for Artists

Click on image for details...

Click Here

Congrats!

To former Manassas, Virginia artist (now in Brooklyn) artist Allison Smith, who was recently awarded a Foundation for Contemporary Arts grant.

Wanna go to a DC opening?

On June 20, from 6-8PM, Georgetown's Cross MacKenzie Ceramic Arts has an opening for the always fascinating theme of trompe l'oeil work, in this case by various artists.

Also take a look at the really good article in the current issue of American Craft magazine about Rebecca Cross MacKenzie and her DC gallery. Read it here.

Meet the dealers

I don't know who the dealers or curators lined up to do this are, but Baltimore's Creative Alliance, on June 22 is offering an opportunity for one-on-one interviews with curators and art dealers representing for-and-non-profit spaces in the region.

Learn what venues are looking for, get feedback on how your work is seen, and hone your presentation skills. Bring what you need to discuss your work (portfolio, artist statement, resume, etc.). Interviews are 15 min each, limited to 4 per artist, and scheduled on a first-come basis. Plan to wait for/between interviews. 2-6pm. $15, $10 mbrs.

Creative Alliance at The Patterson
3134 Eastern Ave
Baltimore, MD 21224
Email: staff@creativealliance.org
Phone: 410-276-1651
Website: www.creativealliance.org

Make Your Emergence!

In reference to my "Who are your notable emerging artist(s) in your town and area?" (Click here), you can also nominate yourself and put up your own website.

Go here, sign in (it's free) and give us a link to any artist website of your choice, including your own.

There may be more coming out of this, but at least you get another Google digital footprint out of it when collectors seek you out.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Wanna go to a Baltimore Opening?

Wanna go to a Tyson's Corner, VA opening?

Wanna go to a McLean Opening?

Let the drinking begin!

Campello Pinot GrigioNow available everywhere, most notably at Trader Joe's.

Reviews and comments here. For around six bucks it's already getting rave reviews!

Emerge already!

C'mon! Who are your notable emerging artist(s) in your town and area? I give you an opportunity to put a digital footprint for the website of your favorite emerging artist and you folks are hemming me up...

Go here, sign in (it's free) and give us a link to the website of your favorite emerging artist. Then maybe later we'll do a poll and see who emerges as the top 2-3 emerging artists around the nation to keep an eye on...

There may even be a prize or two coming down the road... trust me.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Congrats!

To Philly area artist Charles Burwell a new 2008 Pew Fellowships in the Arts recipient!

Mr. Burwell will receive a $60,000 Fellowship - an increase of $10,000 from previous years -and the largest such grants in the country from which individual artists can apply.

This year the awards went to artists working in folk and traditional arts, painting and playwriting, and were selected from a pool of 323 applicants.

"We are proud to continue Pew's long-standing commitment to the community of artists in Philadelphia and delighted to support this year's Pew Fellows in recognition of their exemplary contributions to the artistic vitality of our city and region,"
noted Marian Godfrey, Managing Director, Culture and Civic Initiatives of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Burwell is represented in Philadelphia by the Bridgette Mayer Gallery.

The full list of award winners is here. Other visual artists in the list include Matthew Cox, Anne Seidman and Mauro Zamorra.

Congrats to all!

New Virginia Gallery

Ayr Hill Gallery will hold its Grand Opening Celebration on Friday, June 27, 2008, 5 PM to 8 PM, at 141 Church Street, NW, in Vienna, Virginia. Featured artists Armand Cabrera and Kathryn Ellis will attend the reception.

Canapés, confections, and conviviality will be served. To be included on the guest list, please send your name and mailing address to info@ayrhillgallery.com or call 703-938-3880; additional guests will be accommodated as space permits. Free and open to the public.

On the air next week

click here to hear Kojo

Next week I'll be on the Kojo Nnamdi Show discussing the Greater Washington area visual arts and artists and art stories as I usually do several times a year.

Tune in to WAMU 88.5 FM around noon; as soon as I have a final date (looks like Thursday, 26 June), I'll confirm it.

If you have any questions or art issues, you can call Kojo during the show at (800) 433-8850 or you can email him questions to kojo@wamu.org.

ICA drops admission cost

Beginning July 1, 2008, entry to Philly's Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) will be free to the public for the first time in its history. This unprecedented initiative was made possible by a generous gift from Glenn R. Fuhrman, who is an ICA Overseer and a contemporary art collector.

Museum Residency

Deadline: Postmarked by Monday, July 14, 2008

Applications are being accepted for three artist-in-residence positions at the Newark Museum Arts Workshop for the month of January 2009. The residency offers three artists the opportunity to use the Museum’s professional facilities for creating new work. A stipend will be paid to selected artists. This year because the Newark Museum is celebrating the 100th year of its founding, artists are being asked to submit proposals that relate to this milestone event.

How to Apply: First, there is no application form to fill out, references to seek or fees to pay. Please send 10 JPEG images at 300 dpi on a CD, or a video/film clip of five minutes or less of your current work along with resume, artist statement, residency proposal and SASE. Do please include a hardcopy list of your images and information about them and how or in what manner they should be viewed.

Stipend: Each artist receives a stipend of $1200.00. This includes artist acting as juror to select the next round of Newark Museum Resident Artists for 2010. In addition, in-kind material and technical support is supplied to each artist depending on project needs. Send application material to:

Stephen McKenzie
Manager
The Newark Museum
Arts Workshop for Adults
49 Washington Street
Newark, NJ 07102-3176

Email address: smckenzie@newarkmuseum.org

Monday, June 16, 2008

Call for 3D artists

Alexandria's Gallery West has a call for 3D artwork. Jurying will be from the artwork itself— no slides or CDs. Jury selection is Monday, July 7, 2008, between 11am – 6pm. The opening reception for selected works will be on Saturday, July 12, 5 – 8pm.

Download the entry form from their website.