You read it here first: Jessica Dawson, who has been writing the Washington Post's "Galleries" column for the last few years, will now only be writing the column every other week due to other writing commitments.

Glenn Dixon, who used to be the Arts Editor at the Washington City Paper until a few years ago, and then became the City Paper's ad hoc art critic will now write the "Galleries" column the rest of the time.

Two reviews a month from Jessica and two reviews a month from Glenn... I hope that Jessica gives Dixon a map to where all the galleries in Washington are located.

P.S. - By the way, Dawson's review last week of Carrie Mae Weems at G Fine Art was excellent. In case you missed it, read it here.

The current King Arthur movie apparently has a typical Hollywoodian butchering of fact and history in the introduction of a "new" Guenevere as a Pictish princess.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I keep running into people, who knowing my interest in Pictish history, keep telling me about Hollywood's first ever depiction of Pictish people on film.

The Picts were a real people and I have been working on a book about their singularly unique art for several years now (actually since 1989). Learn more about them at Pictish Nation.

Some of my drawings migrated from their designs are here, and more recent drawings visualizing their tattoos are here.

And having recently seen the spectacular Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya at the NGA, I've decided to contact the NGA and see if I can get someone interested in bringing - for the first time ever outside of Scotland - an exhibition of Pictish art and maybe even some of their sculptured stones to the US.

Opportunity for Photographers...

Deadline: October 4, 2004.

Visual Arts Photographic Competition in Maine. A photograph and photographic book competition to honor and recognize significant achievements within the field. Over $25,000 in awards and tuition grants. For an application contact the Maine Photographic Workshops, 2 Central Street, Rockport ME 04856. 207-226-8571.

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Bethesda Magazine is accepting submissions from amateur photographers who reside in the magazine's circulation area (Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Cabin John, Glen Echo, Kensington, Potomac, Rockville and Silver Spring).

Photographs should depict "life" in the Bethesda area. If your work is selected for publication as a cover image, you will receive $250. Submit either photographs or digital images (Tiffs only on CD, 300 dpi) to Bethesda Magazine, PO Box 15226, Chevy Chase, MD 20825. Call (301) 718-7787 for more information.

New Baltimore gallery is looking for artists.

Montage Gallery, initially opened in Portland, Oregon in 1994. The owners recently relocated to Baltimore and are now looking to review work and bring new artists to their gallery.

Please send portfolios to Mitch M. Angel: Montage Gallery, 925 S. Charles, Baltimore, MD 21230, 410-752-1125.