Emilio Sánchez

Without a lot of fanfare, the Smithsonian American Art Museum last year acquired a truckload of paintings by Cuban-born painter Emilio Sánchez, all donated to the SAAM by The Emilio Sánchez Foundation.

See and judge them here.

My favorite Smithsonian acquisition of 2011? So far these three by local DMV artist and metal wizard Chris Shea.

The ones that leave the least impression for me? These three gifts to the SAAM by Sean Scully.

Of course, a lot of that is informed by the fact that the SAAM probably wouldn't take any gifts of my own artwork, were I to offer it to them as a gift.

Just sayin' ...