Sidney Lawrence, who recently retired as the PR person at the Hirshhorn Museum, and who also used to exhibit at the former Gallery K, now writes for Artnet.com, and has this excellent round-up of Washington area shows.

Catriona Fraser's Top 10 Artomatic List

Catriona Fraser, Director and the hardworking co-owner of our two Fraser Galleries walked Art-O-Matic a few days ago and the below list reflects her top ten picks:

BJ Anderson
John Bata
Chris Edmunds
Thomas Edwards
M. Rion Huffmann
Michal Hunter
Syl Mathis
Mary Beth Ramsey
Alison Sigethy
Ira Tattlemann
Denise Wolff

Sarah Finlay and Patrick Murcia's Top Ten Artomatic List

Sarah Finlay and Patrick Murcia, the two hardworking directors of Fusebox Gallery, one of the best galleries in town, send in their top 10 AOM list:

Chad Alan
Kathryn Cornelius
Richard Dana
Frank Day
Nina Ferre’
Mansoora Hassan
Allison Miner
John Olson
Michael Platt
Kelly Towles

I'll be at a conference most of the day today, so check back later for more top ten lists and other stuff.

Tonight at 7PM is the opening reception/party for the artists showing in the fine art glass rooms at Artomatic. Even Gopnik in his root canal of the show had this to say about the glass:

"There may just be a few decent things hidden in the mix -- with so many thousands of objects on display, the law of averages says there must be. But three hours' worth of looking didn't spot too many. Some of the glasswork looked all right. (Glass is such a gorgeous medium it's hard to screw it up, and you need some basic training even to begin to work in it.)"

Talking about glass, the James Renwick Alliance Gala/Auction will be held on Saturday, April 16, 2005 at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C.

This is part of the Alliance's American Craft Masters Weekend 2005 which in addition to the Gala/Auction will feature a Sunday Brunch honoring William Morris/Glass; Judy Kensley McKie/Furniture; Robert Ebendorf/Jewelry; Lia Cook/Fiber and Wayne Higby/Ceramics at the Westin and a free fiber symposium at the Navy Auditorium in the morning of April 16th.

Tim Tate, whose work is represented by us and whose work is in the permanent collection at the Renwick Gallery, the nation's premier contemporary craft venue, will be a featured artist in the Live Auction.

His piece is titled "Nine Years.....Nine Memories" and consists of nine glass globes Tate calls "Reliquaries" which are his newest series. The pieces were acquired by the Renwick Alliance at the current Art-O-Matic and are currently on display at the glass rooms in that show.

"We are delighted to have such an important piece in our Live Auction" said Judith Weisman, James Renwick Alliance's Craft Weekend Chair. "Tim's work resonates with sophistication and meaning."

At the Art-O-Matic building, the glass rooms are at 32 Good Hope Road, Anacostia on your Art-O-Matic map.

Jean Lawlor Cohen's Top Ten Artomatic List

Jean Lawlor Cohen is the editor of Where DC Magazine. Below are her picks for the best from this year's Art-O-Matic.

Cardellino - A six-canvas group of dark landscapes/trees - for impact in small space.

Chris Edmunds — Sculptural heads (one on a spring!) — for irreverence.

Kathryn Cornelius — Audio installation in an ominous sinkroom with seeping water (a Tony Oursler confrontation without the dolls) — for mystery.

Nina Ferré — Bridge installation — for making do with difficult space.

Inga Frick — Couldn’t locate, but, according to her past work, merits hunting down — for whimsy.

Linda Hesh — A time travel alcove — for self-dramatization.

Judy Jashinsky — Cicada-coated homage to Noche Crist — for spirit of camaraderie.

Matt Sesow — Self-described “crumby art” that is Basquiat meets Golub — for fun.

Ruza Spak — Large skyscape paintings with dog / deer a flyin’, what Longo’s pets must dream — for disorientation.

Martha Olsson — Her bold, expressive canvases way up on the 5th floor — for daring.