New Drawing

Male Nude in a Barnett Newman Composition (Detail). Charcoal on Paper, 2.75 x 22.25 inches. 2012.

Male Nude in a Barnett Newman Composition. Charcoal on Paper, 2.75 x 22.25 inches. 2012.

Neoscona Crucifera?

As far as I can tell, these huge spiders (who seem to love to build their nests around my deck) are Neoscona Crucifera. They are apparently not poisonous, so I'm leaving them alone, but they are huge (about the size of a quarter) and rather scary-looking.

For PG County Artists

Call for Entries   Under The Influence: The 24th Annual Prince George's County Juried Exhibition Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center 10701 Livingston Rd. Fort Washington, MD 20744 Under The Influence is a juried exhibition of works that show all kinds of influences, including, but not limited, historic, aesthetic and cultural. The exhibition is sponsored by The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George's County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division. The exhibition will be on display from November 5 through December 28, 2012. Juror Mr. F. Lennox Campello is an internationally accomplished artist, author, published art critic, teacher and one of the internet's leading art bloggers. His local, national and international knowledge of and experience with the pulse of the art scene is an invaluable contribution to this year's juried exhibition. Exhibition Dates: November 5 - December 28, 2012 Public Reception: Saturday, November 17, 3-5pm Artist Talk and Refreshments: Saturday, November 24, 12noon-2pm  Eligibility & Submission Criteria This call for entries is open to all artists 18 years and older who live, work, attend school or have studios in Prince George's County, MD. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration. All works must be original (no reproductions). Proposals for installations or performance works should include sample images, video or audio of the type of work being proposed as well as a brief description of the proposed art work.   What to Send A CD/DVD containing images and/or segments of audio/video, each no longer than five minutes in duration. A bio, artist statement with contact info and a list of the works submitted with titles, media, and dimensions in MS Word. If you would like your materials returned, please include a SASE.   Where to Send It Materials can be submitted by mail or delivered in person to the arts office at Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Rd., Fort Washington, MD 20744 or emailed to: Stuart.Diekmeyer@pgparks.com Submission Deadline: Monday, October 1, 2012 All submissions, in the form of digital images, must be received by 5pm on Monday, October 1. Notification of selected works: Friday, October 12, 2012 All selected artists will be notified via email Delivery of artwork to AHHRC: Friday, October 26, 9am-5pm All artists are responsible for the delivery of their artwork to AHHRC Exhibition closes: Friday, December 28 Artwork pick-up: Wednesday, January 2, 9am-5pm Guidelines for Digital Files Efforts will be made to review all submissions, regardless of format. However, please be aware that incompatible files may cause submissions to be rejected. Applicants are encouraged to format files as described below. Name each file according to the following format: "last name" underscore "document". Example: jones_statement.pdf. Please number each image file corresponding to the work sample list. Example: 01_jones_untitled.jpg Image files should not be larger than 1MB, and should be formatted as jpeg, tiff or png. Video and audio submissions may be submitted as a DVD or on a CD and formatted as Quicktime, Windows Media, .wave or .mpeg. Purchase Awards On the recommendation of the juror, the Arts and Cultural Heritage Division will purchase select works of art for the inclusion in the Parks and Recreation art collection. Delivery & Installation Artists are responsible for transporting work to and from the gallery. Art work must be delivered ready to hang and appropriately presented. For works that require projection, sound or other electronic equipment, those materials must be provided by the artist. Art works that differ significantly from the images submitted for judging, or are not ready for gallery installation, may be rejected. If you need to ship the work, please call us to let us know what arrangements you have made. The exhibition will be installed and dismantled by M-NCPPC staff unless the nature of the work requires special assistance. All work accepted for exhibition will remain for the duration of the exhibition. Sales & Insurance The M-NCPPC will retain a 25% commission on all art works sold during the exhibition. The M-NCPPC will insure all consigned artwork in the custody of Arts/Harmony Hall for 75% of it's sale value, from the time they are received by delivery, until the pick up date only. Additional Information If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact: Stuart Diekmeyer, Assistant Director, Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Rd., Fort Washington, MD 20744 or email Stuart.Diekmeyer@pgparks.com. Participation implies agreement with all aforementioned conditions.

Ai Weiwei heading to jail

Ai Weiwei, who has a show opening at the Hirshhorn Museum next week, has been arrested (again) in the People's Workers' Paradise of China and this time it seems like the ChiComms are learning a trick or two from our own IRS.

Read about it here.

WPA Artists' Registry

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
FINAL DEADLINE: October 12, 2012, 5:00pm

Register for the 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory

Published bi-annually, this four-color, 8½ x 5½ inch directory is the definitive listing of established and emerging contemporary artists throughout the Washington region. It is widely used by galleries, curators, art consultants, and art patrons. Copies are distributed to selected art critics and other members of the press, and to museums both within and outside of the region. The 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory will be published in the spring of 2013, and will be available for sale on the WPA website and at select area retail locations at the price of $9.95.

Each participating artist will be featured on a full page (8½ x ½ inches). The page will include the artist's name, a color digital image of their work, their studio address and phone number, email address, web address, categories to describe their work and studio practice, and their gallery affiliation.

All current WPA members are eligible for publication in the Artist Directory. There is an additional participation fee that includes a copy of the Artist Directory.  The registration fee increases to $75. The final registration deadline is October 12, 2012. No submissions will be accepted after this date. 

Registration for the 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory will be handled exclusively through WPA's website.

Each participating artist can upload one image to be featured on their page. Images must be submitted as .eps or .tif files in CMYK format. They must be 300dpi and as close as possible to, but no smaller than 6 inches on the longest side. If you have any questions regarding the 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory or any issues with registration, please contact Christopher Cunetto, Membership Manager, at ccunetto@wpadc.org or 202-234-7103 x 2.

Little Dude likes to measure things

Anderson Lennox Campello (a.k.a. Little Junes, a.k.a. Anderdingus) measuring something in my studio

Art Scam Alert

The asshole using the name Laura, and who uses the email witchates@gmail.com is an art scammer; stay away from this mutant who tries to steal artwork from artists.

Last Resort

Being an old Navy guy, I watched ABC's new Navy-focused series Last Resort...

The problem in watching TV or movies with me is that whenever I am watching a show or movie with Navy characters, as a good Virgo, I am looking for something that TV or Hollywood can never achieve: true depiction of their naval subject.

Last Resort was an ass-kicking action show from the beginning and in spite of its rather unlikely plot, it moved well and kept my attention and I am looking forward to the next show.

There were (as usual) loads of HUGE naval errors that will have old and current Navy guys shaking our heads and saying "Why won't these fuckers hire a Naval advisor?" - I won't go all pedantic on you and start listing them, but someone should discuss with the producers of this show about the capabilities of the Tomahawk missile to start...

But of all the services, the Navy is the most traditional and a lot of Navy routines revolve around tradition and this show (like all Navy-centric TV shows that I've ever seen) display such a spectacular lack of awareness of simple Navy traditions and things that Virgos like me end with a bloody lip (from biting it) at the end of the show.

Having said that (I hate that "having said that" saying), I think that this is a damned good show and I am looking forward to seeing it and finding more technical Navy shit wrong with the show.

Excited

Check out this very young and talented High School artist passion and joy at being selected (by yours truly) for a very competitive national level fine arts competition at the New Wilmington Art Association in Delaware.

We can all learn from her; or better said, remember and rekindle what it was all about.

The Trawick Prize "best of the best" Sapphire Award

Carol Trawick, founder of The Trawick Prize, has established The Trawick Prize "best of the best" Sapphire Award to mark the contemporary art competition's 10th anniversary and honor the Best in Show winners from the past 10 years. In conjunction with the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Trawick will hold a special "best of the best" competition and exhibition, featuring artwork by winners from 2003 - 2012.

A jury comprising the 30 jurors from the past 10 years will determine one "best of the best" Sapphire Award winner, who will receive $10,000. In addition, the public can view the artwork online and vote for a "People's Choice" award winner, who will receive $1,000. 

Online voting will begin on Sept. 17, 2012 and will be open through Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 through a partnership with Bethesda Magazine.

Click here to vote online for the Trawick Prize People's Choice award winner.

Artwork by nine of the 10 Best in Show winners will be on display in a group exhibition taking place Nov. 3 - Dec. 1, 2012 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E. The award winners will be announced Friday, November 2, 2012.

Past Trawick Award Winners 

2003: Richard Cleaver 

2004: David Page  

2005: Jiha Moon  

2006: James Rieck  

2007: Jo Smail  

2008: Maggie Michael 

2009: Rene Trevino 

2011: Mia Feuer 

2012: Lillian Bayley Hoover 

 

The public opening reception will be held Friday, November 9 from 6-9pm in conjunction with the Bethesda Art Walk. Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibit are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 - 6pm.  

The Trawick Prize was established in 2003 by Carol Trawick, a longtime community activist in downtown Bethesda.  She is the past Chair of both the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and Bethesda Urban Partnership, and also the Founder of the Bethesda Painting Awards. In 2007, Ms. Trawick founded the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation to assist health and human services and arts non-profits in Montgomery County. 

Wanna go to an opening this week?

While temperatures hit the 100-degree mark this summer, Washington, DC, area painters were donning hats and sunscreen and grabbing their outdoor easels in a quest to create paintings for their 100th birthday party celebration.

One of the oldest plein air painting groups in the USA, the Washington Society of Landscape Painters started out as an all male clubcalled "the Ramblers." Limited to 40 active members, it now includes both male and female artists who pursue their profession locally, nationally, and internationally.

Visitors will see both large and small oil, watercolor, pastel, and acrylic landscapes displayed by member artists at the McGuire Woods gallery at the Lorton Workhouse, at 9601 Ox Road in Occoquan, VA.  For more information: (www.workhousearts.org/visual-arts).

The public is invited to a free reception on Saturday, September 29, from 5-7 pm.  Come early (10-noon) to watch WSLP artists painting nearby in the historic town of Occoquan. The show runs from Friday, September 28 through Sunday, October 21, 2012.

Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11 am-7 pm, and Sunday from 12-5 pm.  For more information, send email to barbaranuss@wslp.org.

Melissa Ichiuji’s Obama Sculpture Censored?

DMV area artist Melissa Ichiuji currently has an exhibition of her work at Galerie Lareuse in Georgetown, and considering what Lareuse routinely exhibits, it is now clear to the most casual observer that this show is easily the most interesting and so far most controversial show ever staged there.

The artists' website currently says that "Unfortunately I have offended and affected many more people than I had expected. Due to the politically charged nature of our times, this sculpture has been censored. It will be on view at the Gallery opening on Sept 14."

What's the fuss about?

The exhibition, titled "Fair Game," showcases Ichiuji's mastery of the soft sculptures that she's so well-known for, but this time focused on the political icons of the current American political scene. For example, some sculptures are mounted as hunting trophies in a chilling and intelligent commentary on the state of our political discourse.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney is shown, with darkened, closed dead eyes, his head blown apart a-la-JFK, and exposing a variety of metal found objects and gadgets. It is a disturbing image to say the least, but that was not the artwork apparently censored for the show.

Ichiuji targets many other icons of the Republican party — Newt Gingrich has a thing for female underwear, Ron Paul is depicted as a clown, Sarah Palin has antlers. None of those were censored either, although apparently the Palin sculpture may end up in the Todd and Sarah Palin Collection.

The offending piece (which according to the artist's website has been censored) is a portrait of President Obama. Like the Romney sculpture, Obama originally appeared to have a brutal JFK-like wound on his head; at least as initially designed by Ichiuji, not the sanitized version currently on exhibition at Lareuse. According to the CP, "curator Kreg Kelley denies the censorship charge; he says Lareuse asked her to change the piece because it wasn't appropriate for Georgetown." 

Uh? "Appropriate for Georgetown?" More on that later...

According to the CP, Ichiuji says that

"the gallery's owner, Jean-Michel "Meech" Lareuse, asked her to change it before she could exhibit it. She sent invitations to the show, "Fair Game," before it opened on Sept. 15, using an image of the original artwork. She posted the same image to her website. Not long afterward, both the gallery and Ichiuji began getting irate emails—some of them quite threatening. People thought it was "some kind of call to action to hurt the president, which wasn't the intent at all," she says. "It's about pressure, it's about anxiety, and just sort of the political climate overseas." But Lareuse wasn't having it, says Ichiuji. "He said 'We cannot show that piece unless you change it.'" So she did. Instead of a bloody wound, the piece now depicts doves "exploding out" of the president's head"

In her statement about this show, Ichiuji explains that

My current body of work is a series of portrait busts depicting political figures of 2012. I am attempting to challenge the tradition of portraiture that elevates its subject and affirms his or her importance, nobility and power. I wondered what a portrait based on current media coverage might look like. What might these people be remembered for if a snapshot was taken now? What are they thinking? What are their fears? Would they recognize themselves? The title FAIR GAME refers to two things. The position a public personality knowingly and willingly accepts as part of their job and the brutality with which opponents and the media will hunt down, embellish and exploit a weakness or transgression and display it like a trophy.

Here's the two pieces, side by side, with the original version of the Obama bust:

 As it should also be obvious to that same casual observer that I referenced in the first paragraph, both these pieces have something somewhat brutal in common and following the artist's words about "the brutality with which opponents and the media will hunt down," clearly lead to the same conclusions. Both these men have been allegorically hunted, shot and mounted as trophies. 

Romney's head would hang in a boardroom at MSNBC, or The New York Times, CBS, NBC, ABC, NPR and most places referenced in Ann Coulter's best-seller Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right. The President's trophy would hang at Fox News and dozens of syndicated radio stations around the nation and other places referenced in Al Franken's ad hominen best-seller Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations.

In case you disagree with me, the gallery's press release states that:

The show features the severed heads of ten political personalities who have captured media attention for their popularity, alleged transgressions, or general evilness. The heads are mounted on wood panels in the manner of taxidermy trophy heads emphasizing the brutality of media spin and public scrutiny. 

So we got it... right?

So now comes my question: Why is a head wound to Romney's head appropriate for Georgetown? What the heck does that mean anyway? Does that mean that it is OK to show the Republican candidate as having been hunted, shot, taxidermied and hung as a trophy, but not the Democratic candidate?

It gets worse, according to the artist, all of the "irate" and "threatening" emails received by the gallery and by the artist were about the Obama sculpture. Apparently the vast right wing conspiracy hasn't heard about this, and only the even vaster left wing nuthouse has been mobilized to threaten an artist who is well within her right to use her formidable artistic skills to offer political commentary to both sides of the political spectrum.

Because this alleged censorship was between a gallery and an artist, some of the issues get murky, after all, "he who owns the walls" has powerful rights to hang or not hang something in the art world. So I can understand how a "revised" Obama sculpture ends up in the show; that is between Ichiuji and Lareuse. I don't like it, but I understand the process.

But it is the authors of the "irate" and "threatening" emails who deserve a mandatory course on First Amendment Rights, and it is them who really piss me off to no end.

Artists have always, and will hopefully always be able to offer their artistic perspectives on our political leaders. Some of it is despicable (Remember the film Death of a President? a fantasy about the killing of George W. Bush that won the International Critics’ Prize at the Toronto Film Festival?), but - and this is an important but - in view of today's contemporary mob barbarism sweeping many Islamic nations, it is more important than ever to respect and defend our joint first amendment rights, no matter how far away from our own private political stance those views may be.

We may disagree with the way in which Ichiuji decided to portray your political candidate, while liking the way she portrayed the "other guy", but we should all agree that we stand together in defending her right to create art about them in any manner, way or form that she chooses.

Chalk one up for the mob.

Catwoman

The latest piece in my marriage of drawings and paintings with embedded electronics brings to life a charcoal and conte drawing of Catwoman. She is perched on the rooftop of some building somewhere in Gotham, while inside a condo unit below her, a large TV flat screen plays a video compilation of her, Batman and Robin from the old TV show.

Catwoman Naked by F. Lennox Campello. 7 x 21 inches. Charcoal with embedded video. 2012

The Trawick Prize's Sapphire Award

Carol Trawick, founder of The Trawick Prize, has established The Trawick Prize "best of the best" Sapphire Award to mark the contemporary art competition's 10th anniversary and honor the Best in Show winners from the past 10 years. In conjunction with the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Trawick will hold a special "best of the best" competition and exhibition, featuring artwork by winners from 2003 - 2012.

A jury comprising the 30 jurors from the past 10 years will determine one "best of the best" Sapphire Award winner, who will receive $10,000. In addition, the public can view the artwork online and vote for a "People's Choice" award winner, who will receive $1,000. 

Online voting will begin on Sept. 17, 2012 and will be open through Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 through a partnership with Bethesda Magazine.

Click here to vote online for the Trawick Prize People's Choice award winner.

Artwork by nine of the 10 Best in Show winners will be on display in a group exhibition taking place Nov. 3 - Dec. 1, 2012 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E. The award winners will be announced Friday, November 2, 2012.

Past Trawick Award Winners 

2003: Richard Cleaver 

2004: David Page  

2005: Jiha Moon  

2006: James Rieck  

2007: Jo Smail  

2008: Maggie Michael 

2009: Rene Trevino 

2011: Mia Feuer 

2012: Lillian Bayley Hoover 

 

The public opening reception will be held Friday, November 9 from 6-9pm in conjunction with the Bethesda Art Walk. Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibit are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 - 6pm.  

The Trawick Prize was established in 2003 by Carol Trawick, a longtime community activist in downtown Bethesda.  She is the past Chair of both the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and Bethesda Urban Partnership, and also the Founder of the Bethesda Painting Awards. In 2007, Ms. Trawick founded the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation to assist health and human services and arts non-profits in Montgomery County. 

Manon Cleary at 39th Street Gallery

CREATING A LEGACY:

Paintings and Drawings

By Manon Cleary

Curated by F. Steven Kijek and John Paradiso 

September 22 - November 17, 2012

Reception September 22 from 5:00- 8:00 PM

"My art is my legacy, my children. I'm creating a history for myself the same way someone else would carry their genes forth. I care where my paintings go and how they do in the world, every one of them." 

Manon Cleary

In collaboration with F. Steven Kijek and the Cleary Estate, the 39th Street Gallery will exhibit 14 paintings and drawings by the late Manon Cleary.

 

Also Showing in the Corridor Exhibition Space:

COMPANION

Anna U. Davis, Paul Feinberg, Patricia Goslee, Jeanette Herrera, Yar Koporulin, Jared Miller, Jessika Tarr, Tom Wolff.

This is a companion show of 8 artists that were mentored by or had close relations to Manon Cleary.

39th Street Gallery, Second Floor   

Gateway Arts Center 

3901 Rhode Island Avenue.

Brentwood, Maryland 20722

Gallery hours: 

Thursdays & Fridays 7- 9 PM, Saturdays 12- 3 PM 

and by appointment (301-864-3860, x3)

www.39thstreetgallery.com 

Opportunity for PG Countiers!

The Brentwood Arts Exchange would like to share information from another M-NCPPC art center, Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center. Call for Entries   Under The Influence: The 24th Annual Prince George's County Juried Exhibition Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center 10701 Livingston Rd. Fort Washington, MD 20744 Under The Influence is a juried exhibition of works that show all kinds of influences, including, but not limited, historic, aesthetic and cultural. The exhibition is sponsored by The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George's County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division. The exhibition will be on display from November 5 through December 28, 2012. Juror Mr. F. Lennox Campello is an internationally accomplished artist, author, published art critic, teacher and one of the internet's leading art bloggers. His local, national and international knowledge of and experience with the pulse of the art scene is an invaluable contribution to this year's juried exhibition. Exhibition Dates: November 5 - December 28, 2012 Public Reception: Saturday, November 17, 3-5pm Artist Talk and Refreshments: Saturday, November 24, 12noon-2pm  Eligibility & Submission Criteria This call for entries is open to all artists 18 years and older who live, work, attend school or have studios in Prince George's County, MD. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration. All works must be original (no reproductions). Proposals for installations or performance works should include sample images, video or audio of the type of work being proposed as well as a brief description of the proposed art work.   What to Send A CD/DVD containing images and/or segments of audio/video, each no longer than five minutes in duration. A bio, artist statement with contact info and a list of the works submitted with titles, media, and dimensions in MS Word. If you would like your materials returned, please include a SASE.   Where to Send It Materials can be submitted by mail or delivered in person to the arts office at Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Rd., Fort Washington, MD 20744 or emailed to: Stuart.Diekmeyer@pgparks.com Submission Deadline: Monday, October 1, 2012 All submissions, in the form of digital images, must be received by 5pm on Monday, October 1. Notification of selected works: Friday, October 12, 2012 All selected artists will be notified via email Delivery of artwork to AHHRC: Friday, October 26, 9am-5pm All artists are responsible for the delivery of their artwork to AHHRC Exhibition closes: Friday, December 28 Artwork pick-up: Wednesday, January 2, 9am-5pm Guidelines for Digital Files Efforts will be made to review all submissions, regardless of format. However, please be aware that incompatible files may cause submissions to be rejected. Applicants are encouraged to format files as described below. Name each file according to the following format: "last name" underscore "document". Example: jones_statement.pdf. Please number each image file corresponding to the work sample list. Example: 01_jones_untitled.jpg Image files should not be larger than 1MB, and should be formatted as jpeg, tiff or png. Video and audio submissions may be submitted as a DVD or on a CD and formatted as Quicktime, Windows Media, .wave or .mpeg. Purchase Awards On the recommendation of the juror, the Arts and Cultural Heritage Division will purchase select works of art for the inclusion in the Parks and Recreation art collection. Delivery & Installation Artists are responsible for transporting work to and from the gallery. Art work must be delivered ready to hang and appropriately presented. For works that require projection, sound or other electronic equipment, those materials must be provided by the artist. Art works that differ significantly from the images submitted for judging, or are not ready for gallery installation, may be rejected. If you need to ship the work, please call us to let us know what arrangements you have made. The exhibition will be installed and dismantled by M-NCPPC staff unless the nature of the work requires special assistance. All work accepted for exhibition will remain for the duration of the exhibition. Sales & Insurance The M-NCPPC will retain a 25% commission on all art works sold during the exhibition. The M-NCPPC will insure all consigned artwork in the custody of Arts/Harmony Hall for 75% of it's sale value, from the time they are received by delivery, until the pick up date only. Additional Information If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact: Stuart Diekmeyer, Assistant Director, Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Rd., Fort Washington, MD 20744 or email Stuart.Diekmeyer@pgparks.com. Participation implies agreement with all aforementioned conditions.

Tablante on Latinos

Check out this nice piece by Mary Tablante.

Skin Opens at Strathmore

SKIN

SEPTEMBER 15 – NOVEMBER 3, 2012

For some people, the body is a canvas; the ultimate vehicle for self-expression. While it is true that our bodies are “modified” from the day we are born, Skin encourages a different kind of interaction with our evolving self-images. Join Strathmore as they follow the varied paths of body modification—both permanent (like tattooing) and transient (like makeup)—and our own power over the face we present to the world.

FREE OPENING RECEPTION

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 FROM 7 – 9 PM

Join Strathmore on Thursday for a free opening reception! Come see the artwork, meet the artists, and hear curator Harriet Lesser discuss her vision for this thought-provoking collection of images and installations. Henna artist Bhavna Naik, whose work is included in the show, will also be painting guests for part of this two-hour reception.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

MORE THAN JUST SKIN-DEEP!

Strathmore is also hosting several education programs in conjunction with Skin! Join them this Saturday for their FREE Adult Talk and Tour at 1:00 PM (no reservations required)… or bring your children for the children’s tour at 10:15 AM (free; reservations required) and help them create their very own work of art!

Then, on October 27^th, join Paul Roe of British Ink on H Street for a FREE symposium on the art of the tattoo, from ancient Egypt to the present day. The symposium, entitled Unified Elements of Tattooing, takes place at 2:00PM in the music room of the mansion.

Interested in a fun night out with your friends? Look no further than their ART, HENNA & WINE night—Thursday, October 25^th from 7 to 10 PM! This perfect evening starts with a fun printmaking experience with Lisa Murphy, then moves to a demonstration and hands-on workshop on traditional henna patterns. Have your hands painted with temporary henna tattoos, courtesy of artist Bhavna Naik. You’ll create a one-of-a-kind print, and leave with beautiful henna designs meant to bring good joy and fortune. Tickets are available online or by calling their ticket office at (301) 581-5100.

The Mansion at Strathmore

10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, MD 20852

www.Strathmore.org

Chi-comms try to take down US mural

"Mural draws fire from China," announces the headline in this article by Bennett Hall, in the Corvallis Gazette-Times.

The story so far: An American of Chinese ancestry David Lin (who grew up in Taiwan before coming to the US in the 1970s), hired Taiwanese artist Chao Tsung-song to paint a 10-foot-by-100-foot mural last month on the side of a building that Lin owns in Corvallis, Oregon, USA. Lin is is renovating the space for a restaurant and has rechristened the building Tibet House; see images of the mural here.

According to the article,  "In vivid colors, the painting depicts riot police beating Tibetan demonstrators, Buddhist monks setting themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule and images of Taiwan as a bulwark of freedom."

Forgetting that he was assigned to represent a brutal dictatorship in a free nation and not back in China, the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco got wind of this mural (I wonder how?) and then formally fired off a letter to Corvallis Mayor Julie Manning on September 8 complaining  about the mural’s content and asking for the Mayor to help China have the mural removed.

It gets better; in an implied threat of sorts, the letter "goes on to note the strong economic and cultural ties between China and Oregon and suggests that Corvallis would benefit from cooperating with the consulate’s request.

“To avoid our precious friendship from being tainted by so-called ‘Tibet independence’ and ‘Taiwan independence,’ we sincerely hope you can understand our concerns and adopt effective measures to stop the activities advocating ‘Tibet independence’ and ‘Taiwan independence’ in Corvallis,” the letter states.

On September 20, Mayor Manning responded and in-between the lines reminded the Chinese consulate that Oregon was in the USA and not China, when Manning told the consulate:“As you are aware, the First Amendment of the United States’ Constitution guarantees freedom of speech in this country, and this includes freedom of artistic expression.”

Building owner David Lin has no plans to remove a mural promoting independence for Tibet and Taiwan, despite pressure from the Chinese government. (Andy Cripe | Corvallis Gazette-Times)

Clearly the Chinese Consulate was not aware of what the Mayor was talking about and subsequently two Chinese officials, Vice Consul "Guido" Zhang Hao and Deputy Consul General "Carmine" Song Ruan went up to Oregon and met with Manning and another city official. While munching on their cannoli, they expressed "their concern and the concern of the Chinese government about the mural on Mr. Lin’s building.” They also let the mayor know that “They viewed the message as political propaganda.”

Pardon me while I almost choke... the Chi Comms are complaining about "political propaganda"? That's like Bill Clinton complaining that there's "too many ladies in the audience."

The mayor also "had a conversation with them about the U.S. Constitution,” before the two suits headed back down to Shaky Town to file their report with their capo. On the way there they used their Ipad ripoffs to Google US Constitution and see what the heck the Mayor was talking about. Because they didn't put the search term in quotes, I suspect that their report will note some shock and alarm that Manning was possibly threatening China with naval action using the US Navy's oldest commissioned warship.

I tried to reach someone at the Chinese Consulate today, but couldn't get anyone to call me back, or even understand why I was calling, although I may have accidentally ordered information on how to open a Dollar Store.

When Ron Wyden, who is Oregon's senior Senator, heard about this, he put down his chai tea and fired off a beautiful letter to Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yesui ; according to the Gazette-Times:

“I am writing to express my deep displeasure and concern with these actions,” Wyden wrote in his letter to Zhang, the highest-ranking Chinese official in the United States.

He called the Chinese tactics “a grave affront” and went on to lecture Zhang on the First Amendment’s guarantee of free expression, as well as freedom of religion and the press and the right of peaceful assembly.

“While these rights may not be respected in China, they are values that all Americans hold dear,” Wyden noted. “Any attempt by your government to suppress these rights is unacceptable and must not be repeated.”

Also according to the story, subsequently "members of Oregon’s congressional delegation stepped into the fight. Rep. Peter DeFazio, whose district includes Corvallis, blasted China in a speech on the House floor, and Sen. Jeff Merkley issued a short statement applauding Manning and Lin for sticking to their guns."

I contacted the Chinese Embassy today for comments on the letter from Sen. Wyden, but was unable to gather any more information, although I was reassured that my Family Dollar franchise information would be sent to me as soon as possible. I then asked what the difference was between a Dollar Store and a Family Dollar store, as I thought that I had ordered info on the former, not the latter. The nice lady on the phone told me that she "couldn't comment on the letter," so I hung up.

While the story has gone viral, it has been curiously ignored so far by both the New York Times and The Washington Post, which I am sure will now result in another Ann Coulter best-seller. I am also told that USS Constitution's crew has noted a large increase in Chinese visitors over the last few days.

And Oh Yeah... for the ChiComms: Fuck you.

Art Scam Alert!

This is a scam - avoid dealing with this moron:

From: Robert Hallins <sgtrobhallins@hotmail.com>

Date: September 18, 2012 12:35:33 AM EDT

On Sep 17, 2012, at 1:28 AM, Robert Hallins wrote:

-- 

Hi there,

My name is Robert,im from hawaii,was browsing through the internet and my eyes caught this particular work("The Life Force Rests in the Liver",),will like to have it for my new apartment probably this month.please let me know if the piece is available and if yes let me have the detailed price and more information about it. i will be waiting to read from you.Regards.

For tomorrow

Wanna know how to tell it apart? Then check out this panel of curators, academics, artists and critics:

1. John James Anderson, Art Critic for the Washington City Paper, Egghead Professor and a really good Artist

2. Bill Dunlap, Artist, Critic for WETA Around Town show, Curator

3. Harriet Lesser, Curator, Strathmore Center for the Arts and Artist

4. Michael O'Sullivan, Visual Arts and Film Critic for the Washington Post

P.S. Please bring your own examples too!

September 19, 2012 7-8:30 p.m.
Hillyer International Art and Artists
9 Hillyer Court
Washington DC 20008
Free and Open to All

EPA blows it...

In what can be best described as one of the stupidest "you really blew it, dude" emails of recent times, the Environmental Protection Agency yesterday sent an e-mail to its staffers on the issue of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

The EPA's email stepped on its own crank twice:

1.  It contained passages about Hispanic culture apparently copied word-for-word from Buzzle.com. This is perhaps an indication that the author of the email is either a emerging Bidenist or a graduate of the New York Times' Jason Blair School of Journalism.

2. More offensive to the people being honored this month, was that the email also contained an image of the murdering, hemophobic, racist, psychopath known as Che Guevara. The same Guevara who referred to Mexicans as "a band of illiterate Indians” and noted that “The black is indolent and a dreamer; spending his meager wage on frivolity or drink; the European has a tradition of work and saving, which has pursued him as far as this corner of America and drives him to advance himself, even independently of his own individual aspirations.”

According to the WaPo: "The EPA gave Buzzfeed the typical response to such matters: it was the fault of a staffer, no supervisor approved it, the underling has apologized, etc., etc" - That's what you call modern leadership qualities... throw the GS4 who wrote the email under the bus... it wasn't my fault... no one approved that...

Makes my head hurt.

Bad Art / Good Art

Wanna know how to tell it apart? Then check out this panel of curators, academics, artists and critics:

1. John James Anderson, Art Critic for the Washington City Paper, Egghead Professor and a really good Artist

2. Bill Dunlap, Artist, Critic for WETA Around Town show, Curator

3. Harriet Lesser, Curator, Strathmore Center for the Arts and Artist

4. Michael O'Sullivan, Visual Arts and Film Critic for the Washington Post

P.S. Please bring your own examples too!

September 19, 2012 7-8:30 p.m.
Hillyer International Art and Artists
9 Hillyer Court
Washington DC 20008
Free and Open to All

Opportunity for Latino Artists

Entry Deadline:  November 18, 2012

Call For Entries: Converging Cultures: Works by Latino Artists

September 6–October 4, 2013

Entries must be submitted via email.  Instructions are contained in the exhibition prospectus.

Click here to download the exhibition prospectus.

Click here to download the entry form.

Opportunity for Portrait Artists

Deadline: Monday, October 8, 2012 at 5pm

All portrait artists 18 years or older residing in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Delaware are invited to enter ArtSpace Herndon's 4th Annual Expressions Portrait Competition to compete for cash prizes.  

Up to 25 finalists will be selected from the entries to exhibit in the Post Gallery at ArtSpace Herndon in November.  The prize winners will be announced at the exhibit reception.

This year's judge is Kurt Schwarz.  Kurt Schwarz is a portrait and still life painter whose reputation for exceptional use of color has earned accolades. He earned an MFA from George Washington University and teaches at the Loudoun Academy of the Arts and The Art League in Alexandria.     

Please review the complete prospectus for all the rules, dates, and other information.  

Click here for the full prospectus and to enter online!

WPA Artists' Directory: Tonite!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: September 14, 2012, 5:00pm
FINAL DEADLINE: October 12, 2012, 5:00pm

Register for the 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory

Published bi-annually, this four-color, 8½ x 5½ inch directory is the definitive listing of established and emerging contemporary artists throughout the Washington region. It is widely used by galleries, curators, art consultants, and art patrons. Copies are distributed to selected art critics and other members of the press, and to museums both within and outside of the region. The 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory will be published in the spring of 2013, and will be available for sale on the WPA website and at select area retail locations at the price of $9.95.

Each participating artist will be featured on a full page (8½ x ½ inches). The page will include the artist's name, a color digital image of their work, their studio address and phone number, email address, web address, categories to describe their work and studio practice, and their gallery affiliation.

All current WPA members are eligible for publication in the Artist Directory. There is an additional participation fee that includes a copy of the Artist Directory. Participants who submit before September 14, 2012 can pay a discounted early registration fee of $65. After September 14, the registration fee increases to $75. The final registration deadline is October 12, 2012. No submissions will be accepted after this date. 

Registration for the 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory will be handled exclusively through WPA's website.

Each participating artist can upload one image to be featured on their page. Images must be submitted as .eps or .tif files in CMYK format. They must be 300dpi and as close as possible to, but no smaller than 6 inches on the longest side. If you have any questions regarding the 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory or any issues with registration, please contact Christopher Cunetto, Membership Manager, at ccunetto@wpadc.org or 202-234-7103 x 2.