Washington City Paper reviews Aimee Garcia Show in Georgetown

Louis Jacobson reviews our current exhibition of Cuban artist Aimee Garcia Marrero in our Georgetown Gallery.

This is a very young Cuban artist and perhaps one of the most intelligent and talented painters pushing the ancient medium forward. Her show runs until December 15, 2004.

Want an Interest Free Loan to Buy Artwork?

You spot a Chris Ofili print and think it would look lovely in the front room. You simply must have that Tracey Emin drawing to hang above your fireplace. Then you see the four-figure price tag and think again.

Those frustrations are over, if the Arts Council England gets its way. It is planning to offer interest-free loans of up to £2,000 to aspiring contemporary art collectors, aiming to encourage uninitiated buyers into galleries.

I don't know how I missed this story, but I guess the British, with their 17% Value Added Tax (VAT) on top of things can come up with ideas such as this.

Of course don't forget to add 17% VAT to the Chris Ofili print or Tracey Emin drawing. So the loans appear to be a way to gather some new tax revenues in the form of loans.

Ha! Those devious British taxmen! The Beatles were right!

Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

Opening Night: It Must Mean Rain!

Just back from opening night in Bethesda... and guess what? It rained again!

Not only that, but apparently there was some kind of a huge sinkhole on Wisconsin Avenue just a block from the gallery.

The avenue was closed (which really did a number on traffic of course) and The Madonna of the Trail statue was in such danger because of the sinkhole that opened up right in front of it, that a huge crane was brought up to remove the 17-ton statute. The sinkhole was caused by a water main break.

Nonetheless, small but decent crowds and even a nice group for the guided tours. There were even Christmas Carols singing groups going around making the rounds.

But rain plus street sinkholes plus a large statue in danger of tipping over into the sinkhole plus the closing down of a main street artery do NOT add up to being very helpful for a good opening...

The joys of being a gallerista.

Makes my head hurt.

Tonight is the second Friday of the month and thus the Bethesda art galleries are having their opening night and offer the Bethesda Art Walk.

The Bethesda Art Walk now features free guided tours to participating galleries and studios during select Art Walk Fridays. Guided tours will give Bethesda Art Walk patrons the opportunity to learn about downtown Bethesda’s galleries and studios as well as their current shows featuring exhibiting artists. Tours will begin at 7pm. Attendees can meet their guide at the Bethesda Metro Center, located at the corner of Old Georgetown Road and Wisconsin Avenue.

We will host our annual Winter Group show, showcasing new work by gallery artists as well as invited artists. Our catered opening reception is from 6-9 PM. Free and open to the public.

See ya there!

Museum of Modern ARF AOM Exhibit Opens Tomorrow

John Aaron's Museum of Modern ARF presents "Hand Picked," the first of several city wide exhibitions by diverse galleries derived from the recently closed Artomatic mega exhibition.

Aaron has picked a select group of small affordable works by around twenty of his favorite artists from Artomatic. The opening reception is tomorrow, Saturday, December 11 from 6-9 PM. The exhibition runs until January 5, 2005.

Congratulations!

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, based on our recommendations has awarded the following fellowships to DC area artists, shown in order of votes by the advisory panel members (by the way, the fellowships are partially -- and substantially -- funded by Pandamania "profits"):

Artists Fellowship Media:
Jonathan Gann
Celeste Crenshaw
Holly Tank

Artists Fellowship Visual Arts:
1. Prescott Moore Lassman
2. Joey Manlapaz
3. Byron Peck
4. Margaret Steinhilber (Maggie Michael)
5. Daniel Steinhilber
6. Luis R. Salcedo
7. Patricia Tobacco Forrester
8. Cheryl P. Derricotte
9. Allison Miner
10. Anne Marchand
11. Elaine Langerman
12. Roderick Turner
13. Kris Swanson
14. Anna Demovidova
15. Colin Winterbottom
16. Stuart Gosswein

As I've noted before, I was disappointed on the low number of applications that were submitted by DC visual artists, and hope that the next cycle (deadline is next June) has more applicants.

To get an application, contact the DC Commission and ask them to put you on their mailing list. Congratulations to all selected artists!