Judith with the head of Holofernes

"Judith with the head of Holofernes" is a charcoal drawing with an embedded digital presentation.

The "heads" of Holofernes rotate inside Judith's sack, showing the heads of the hateful leaders of some of the contemporary nations of the ancient Assyrian Empire, who a few thousand years later still want to destroy Israel... we see Ahmadinejad, Khamenei, Muqtada al-Sadr, Assad, Morsi, Rafsanjani, etc.

The piece measures 16.75 x 12 inches and will be matted and framed to a larger size and (unless some savvy collector buys it between now and then) it will make its exhibition debut at Scope New York next March, where it is sure to piss off a lot of anti-Semites.

Judith with the head of Holofernes

This a "teaser"...

It is the verso of "Judith with the Head of Holofernes" - my first piece of 2013! 

A drawing with embedded digital presentation and which is sure to piss off a lot of anti-Semites when it is shown in NYC next March.

The piece is a contemporary interpretation of the story of Judith.

 In this piece, the severed head of Holofernes rotates every five seconds to change and display a digital image of some of the bad guys around the current countries which were part of the ancient Assyrian Empire and which (a few millennia later) still want to wipe out Israel, as Holofernes once tried until Judith whacked him.

Image of the piece coming soon...

Nolan at Touchstone

UNFILTEREDPaintings by Leslie M. Nolan

Opening Reception, Wine and Live Music:
Friday, February 1, 6-8:30

Touchstone Gallery
Music by Tom Rohde, Classical, Brazilian and Spanish Guitar

Preview: January 30 and 31, 11-6
3rd Thursday Event: February 21, 6-8:30

New Gallery in the DMV

Artful Grand Opening

Reception: 2/16/2013 5-8 pm Location: Color Wheel Gallery 65 703-356-6345 1374 Chain Bridge Road McLean Virginia 22101 Save the Date! Join them as this new gallery celebrates an Artful Grand Opening on Saturday, February 16, from 5 to 8 pm. Visit the inaugural exhibition of Sculpture, Abstract, Figurative, Realism, and Impressionistic Art, meet the artists, and enjoy the festivities. RSVP Requested

About Color Wheel

Home Décor, Paint and Picture Framing

"Color Wheel’s 6,400-square-foot McLean location is three stores rolled into one, featuring decorating services and products, custom framing and a fine art gallery, as well as paint and specialty finishes. Our store professionals are trained specialists whose knowledgeable experience and helpful advice will ensure the success of every project."

For Performance Artists

Deadline: February 8, 2013

Grant Proposals Invited for Southern Exposure: Performing Arts of Latin America

Administered by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Southern Exposure: Performing Arts of Latin America supports projects in which arts presenters from different cities or states work collaboratively to bring exemplary performing artists from Latin America to audiences in the United States that have little access to this work. The initiative supports the presentation of dance, music, and theater artists and ensembles and encourages arts presenters to reach new audiences, including communities with origins in Latin America that reflect the demographic changes that have taken place in the U.S. over recent decades.

The program funds projects that are developed collaboratively by presenter consortia based in the U.S. and its territories and ensure that engagements take place in at least three (and a maximum of five) different cities or towns. In addition to public performances, all projects will include complementary community activities intended to build appreciation for the visiting artists' work and cultures.

Each consortium must consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of five presenting organizations. Priority will be given to consortia that include at least one organization with little to no experience of presenting artists from outside the U.S. Consortium partners must be based either in different states and/or federal jurisdictions or, at a minimum, outside of a fifty-mile radius from one another. Each presenter in a consortium must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or a unit of state or local government and have a minimum of three continuous years of experience offering multiple presentations by professional touring performing artists in a given season

Grants will not exceed $25,000. No presenter request for less than $5,000 will be considered for support. Grants will be made directly to each presenter in a consortium whose project has been approved for support. Grants must be matched on a 1:1 basis. Matches may be achieved through cash and/or in-kind contributions.
The application deadline is February 8, 2013, for projects taking place between September 1, 2013, and August 31, 2014.
Visit the MAAF Web site for complete program guidelines and application procedures.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Chawky Frenn Lecture

George Mason University’s 

sixth annual Vision Series  feature Mason faculty in lively, accessible talks on matters of current interest in their fields.

The Series is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and includes events at all three Mason campuses.

Our next speaker Chawky Frenn, Associate Professor of Art, will present 

Art and Social Justice 

Monday, February 4th @ 7:00 p.m.

Center for the Arts, Fairfax Campus

Tickets are not required for these free events. For more information, please visit

http://cfa.gmu.edu/vision/

Each lecture is followed by an informal reception with the speaker.

Light refreshments are offered. Free parking in lot K

Opportunity for Artists

To apply, click here	Be Part of this Special Outdoor Arts Festival Commemorating 150 Years of the Reservoir at Druid Hill Park  Deadline: March 11, 2013 More than a show, this will be a showcase of art and artists from around Maryland who will display and sell their works. Join us for a day-long celebration that will also feature performing arts from Baltimore area schools, strolling entertainment, children's arts & crafts, some of Baltimore's best Food Trucks and more. This juried arts event harkens back to the city's annual outdoor art festival that was held on Sundays around the Druid Hill Reservoir during the 1950s and 1960s. Artists displayed their works, most of which were for sale. It created a unique opportunity to connect artists with the community. And now that same opportunity is open to you. Entries are currently being accepted in these categories: Ceramics - Clay • Drawing - Painting • Glass • Jewelry • Leather Metal • Mixed Media • Photography - Digital • Textile • Wood Don't miss being part of this one-of-a-kind event. No entry fee Non-refundable $50 show fee upon acceptance No commission on sales Artists must provide 10' x 10' tent with weights and any signage, tables, displays, etc.

America’s Top 12 ArtPlaces for 2013

America’s Top 12 ArtPlaces for 2013 are:

Brooklyn, NY / The intersection of Downtown, Fort Greene, Gowanus, Park Slope and Prospect Heights
Dallas, TX / The Dallas Arts District, with parts of Deep Ellum and Exposition Park
Los Angeles, CA / Central Hollywood
Miami Beach, FL / South Beach
Milwaukee, WI / The Third Ward
New York, NY / Manhattan Valley
Oakland, CA / Downtown, including Chinatown, Old Oakland and Jack London Square
Philadelphia, PA / Old City
Portland, OR / The Pearl District and a portion of Downtown
San Francisco, CA / The Mission District
Seattle, WA / The Pike-Pine Corridor
Washington, DC / The intersection of Adams Morgan, U Street, and Dupont Circle

In addition to the Top Twelve, thirty-two additional neighborhoods across the country qualified as robust ArtPlaces. To read more about these stories and for a complete list of ArtPlaces for 2013, download the full report or check a little write up about it here.

Torpedo Factory Residencies

TORPEDO FACTORY ART CENTER VISITING ARTIST PROGRAM 

Now accepting applications for June-August 2013 residencies. Open to
emerging and experienced visual artists for one-, two-, or three-month
periods. These self-directed, creative residencies are intended as
professional development opportunities and include studio space and
the ability to display and sell original work. No application
fee. 

Details: www.torpedofactory.org/vap or email VAP@torpedofactoryartists.com

The British are coming! (Again)

Using an art exhibition as a bridge between two countries, the Sister City  program will be bringing together Sunderland, England and Washington, DC in a show that celebrates the medias of glass and clay, as well as celebrating the relationships between the two cities.
 

USA / Syl Mathis / Glass 

Opening March 1, 2013, at Washington, DC's Edison Place Gallery will be an exhibit of expressive glass and ceramic artwork, as well as narrative sculptures that blend craft materials with digital technologies and, in turn remove the boundaries between the traditional categories of craft, art, and design.

USA / Novie Trump / Ceramic

 
Artists and artwork will soon be arriving from the UK's Creative Cohesion and University of Sunderland, and DC - based artists represented by the Washington Glass School and Flux Studios will be acting as “cultural ambassadors” facilitating the exchange of ideas and images. 

In addition to a spectacular exhibit, a number of demos and workshops are planned during the month at the gallery and the DC area studios.

UK / Roger Tye / Glass

This will be the third collaboration with DC's Sister City of Sunderland - in 2008 "Glass 3" was held in Georgetown; in 2009, 38 artists from Sunderland participated in the 10th Artomatic, held near the Navy Yard.  
 
 

Washington Glass School's Fulbright Scholars Michael Janis and Tim Tate taught at both the University of Sunderland and at Creative Cohesion studios during their Fulbright assignment in 2012, and look forward to renewing the close relationship created by these collaborations.

US Fulbrighters Janis & Tate 2012 workshop at Creative Cohesion studios in Sunderland, England

The International Glass + Clay show opens March 1st and will run through Friday, March 23, The exhibit is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Gallery Place Metro station is within walking distance of the Gallery. 
The Downtown Business Improvement District (Downtown BID), in partnership with Artomatic, Inc., the Office of the Secretary for the District of Columbia, and Sunderland City Council, have together organized the international exhibit, hosted at Pepco's Edison Gallery. 
International Glass and Clay 2013  Edison Place Gallery 702 Eight Street, NW, Washington, DC 20068  March 1 - 23, 2013

Opportunities for Artists

Deadline: April 1, 2013 

THE ARTIST'S MAGAZINE 30th ANNUAL ART COMPETITION More
than $25,000 in cash prizes will be awarded, and Top Award Winners
will be featured in the December 2013 issue of The Artist's Magazine!

All winners will also appear in a special online gallery. There are 5
categories for you to compete and win. Plus, there's a Special
Student/Beginner Division for new artists. Entry fee. 

For details and to enter, contact art-competition@fwmedia.com

Update: Laurie found a direct link:  
http://www.artistsnetwork.com/the-artists-magazine-annual-competition

OPTIONS 2013

Washington Project for the Arts Presents
OPTIONS 2013
April 10 - June 9, 2013
Location: Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201   

Opening Reception: Saturday, April 13, 6-9pm
Curator Talk: Saturday, May 18, 4pm
Exhibition Hours: Wednesday - Friday, 1-7pm; Saturday-Sunday, 12-5pm

Aaron McIntosh, Dream of Darkness, 2010, Artist's teenage t-shirts and underwear and craft felt; quilted, 60" x 108"

The Washington Project for the Arts has announced OPTIONS 2013, the fifteenth installment of WPA's biennial exhibition of works by emerging and unrepresented artists from DC, Maryland, and Virginia. OPTIONS 2013 will take place from April 10 through June 9, 2013 at the Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201. The exhibition will include work by sixteen artists selected by curator Gerald Ross, Director of Exhibitions and Faculty, MFA in Curatorial Practice, Maryland Institute College of Art.
There will be an opening reception for the exhibition on Saturday, April 13 from 6-9pm and a talk with the curator and participating artists on Saturday, May 18 at 4pm. Both events are free and open to the public.

Participating artists include: Selin Balci (Annapolis, MD), Christina Billotte (Baltimore, MD), Michael Borek (Bethesda, MD), Julia Brown (Washington, DC), Carolyn Case (Cockeysville, MD), Bonnie Crawford Kotula (Baltimore, MD), Evan Hume (Washington, DC), Lisa Marie Jakab (Washington, DC), Magnolia Laurie (Baltimore, MD), Aaron McIntosh (Baltimore, MD), Mark Parascandola (Washington, DC), Wendy Rodgers (Takoma Park, MD), Kathryn Sowinski (Baltimore, MD), Colette Veasey-Cullors (Baltimore, MD), William Whitaker (Washington, DC), and Millicent Young (Ruckersville, VA).

Off and On...

A painting by African-American artist Kara Walker has gone back on display at Newark Library.

The artwork had been covered almost immediately after it was first shown because library workers found it offensive.

Read it here.

 This is not the first time black viewers have expressed disapproval of Walker's imagery. In 1997, artist Betye Saar led a campaign against Walker's work, sending letters to people in the art world, asking, "Are African-Americans being betrayed under the guise of art?"

Read that here.

Makes my head hurt...

The California woman accused of slaughtering her ex-boyfriend at his Arizona home in a gruesome "Fatal Attraction"-style attack has made more than $1,000 hawking her jailhouse artwork online.

Read the whole story here.

Hang her high...

Read this.

Original student-era Keith Haring mural discovered

In the market for some new digs? Check out this 8,200 square foot TriBeCa maisonette, complete with three floors, 19th century adornments, double floor ceilings, factory windows and an original student-era Keith Haring mural.

Read the whole article by Julia Dawidowicz here.

Audrey Wilson

One of the most pleasant surprises that I had in doing the Aqua Art Fair last December in Miami Beach (other than record sales, which is always a good thing), was how efficient and hardworking Audrey Wilson, the gallery's intern for the fair and current intern at the Washington Glass School was. But the real surprise was the beauty and intelligence of her work (which we displayed in Miami and sold well!).

Here's Audrey Wilson's current productions - buy some now.


Bluebook for a Woman's Revenge
Kiln formed tempered glass, found metal, latex
H 9'' W 8'' D 7''

Mechanically Activated Patent US1680
Kiln formed tempered glass, found metal
H 5'' W 4'' D 6''


Quadratically Coupled Optomechanical Doubled Wing
Pate de verre kiln formed glass, found metal, latex
H 7' W 7'' D 6''


Broken Enigma Number Two
Kiln formed tempered glass, found object
H 18' W 18''
In a private collection in New York

Congrats!

To the Prez as he begins his second term. As a lefty on social issues, I encourage him on this front; as a fiscal conservative, I boo him on his fiscal policies, but as an American I applaud him as my President.

Contrail

Alida, Anderson and The Contrail

Mark Jenkins times two

The WaPo's Mark Jenkins (not the Mark Jenkins who is the world-famous Washington-based street artist) has been (in my opinion) the person most responsible for slowly, but surely restoring the WaPo's Style section's coverage of the visual arts to just that: coverage of the visual arts in an area-wide sense, rather than the "focus on a handful of galleries" approach of his predecessor.

His latest set of mini reviews is a perfect example of that; read that one here and another great example is this one.

And talking about the "other" Mark Jenkins (the world-trotting street artist), after all these years I remain puzzled why no gutsy DC area museum curator takes the initiative to give this stellar artist a museum show in his own hometown.

The Artist as Applicant

The artist as applicant is an artist who is applying for an award that offers money, a studio residency, or an honor. The artist as applicant may be nominated or may respond to an open grant application call. Sometimes there are restrictions (age, locale, gender, education). The artist as applicant often but not always, has another source of income -- a day job, a part-time job, or the actual sale of their art. Some artist as applicants rely entirely on grants for their income.

What follows are potential scenarios in the life of the artist as applicant.

Read the whole piece by Rachel Mason at The HuffPost here.

Call for Artists

Art Lives Here is a regional visibility campaign for Gateway Arts District that includes participatory public arts projects, performances, installations and temporary commercial activity. All the details are here

Requests for Proposals

CALL FOR ARTISTS

The following RFPs will provide more than $30,000 for artists to implement creative placemaking activities. All mediums and experiences are encourages to apply. If your project idea does not fit within a category, please send a short summary to project staff. Arts education, youth groups, film, poetry and other art forms will be considered based on merit, budget and schedule.

Please contact neena@joesmovement.org if you have any questions.

Artists Business Partnerships:
Soliciting proposals for temporary and long term art installations, pop-up galleries, or programs within active and vacant local businesses.  Projects will enliven spaces and support the business environment. Sponsorship for materials and supplies by Community Forklift.

Art Attacks:

Soliciting dynamic art education projects that seek to engage under served community members where they live. Rather than asking participants to arrive at a specific location at a specific time, Art Attacks hope to engage community members on the spot, providing a valuable in-the-moment experience that may become the gateway into additional art education opportunities provided in the Gateway Arts District.

Performance:

Soliciting performances and performance concepts by artists living and working in the Gateway Arts District.

All proposals can be submitted to:

Neena Narayanan
Art Lives Here Project Coordinator, Joe’s Movement Emporium
3309 Bunker Hill Road
Mount Rainier, MD 20712
301-699-1819
neena@joesmovement.org

Frida Kahlo's Personal Items on Display

Trawick Prize Call for Artists

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards is now accepting applications for the annual juried art exhibition and awards. $14,000 in prize money is awarded annually to the top four artists and a group exhibition of the finalists’ work will take place in September 2013 at Gallery B in downtown Bethesda. With a top prize of $10,000, The Trawick Prize is one of the largest and most prestigious contemporary art awards in the region.

The 2013 competition will be juried by Cynthia Connelly, Visual Arts Curator at Artisphere in Arlington, VA; Alexander Heilner, Associate Dean of Design and Media Studies at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore; and Vesela Sretenović, Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C.

Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C.  Original painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, fiber art, digital, mixed media and video are accepted.  The maximum dimension should not exceed 96 inches in any direction. No reproductions. Selected artists must deliver artwork to the exhibit site in Bethesda, MD. All works on paper must be framed to full conservation standards. Each artist must submit five images (10 for 3-D work), application and a non-refundable entry fee of $25.

Artists may apply online or download an application at http://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/trawick-application. I have also attached a PDF version of the application.

The deadline for applications is April 1, 2013. Notifications will be mailed April 26, 2013.

Delusions of Grandeur

 “You have to be delusional to want to be an artist,” says Amber Robles-Gordon, who, with Shaunte Gates and Jamea Richmond-Edwards, debuted as the art collective Delusions of Grandeur with two back-to-back exhibitions in the summer of 2011. Originally funded by a grant from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the group has expanded to five members with the addition of Wesley Clark and Stanley Squirewell.

Check out an excellent review and discussion on this group by the WaPo's Michael O'Sullivan here.

39th Street Gallery

3901 Rhode Island Ave.
Brentwood, MD

301-864-3860

This panel is today!

MIAMI ART FAIRS – REAL DEAL OR HYPE? 

FIRST‐HAND PERSPECTIVES FROM EXPERTS AND NEWCOMERS

Date: Monday, January 14th, 2013, 6:30 – 7:30 pm

Catalyst Projects will moderate this discussion, generously hosted by Arch Development and The Hive 2.0. The panel is going to feature Lenny Campello, distinguished art dealer and artist at Aqua; Adah Rose Bitterbaum, owner of the Adah Rose Gallery and exhibitor at Pulse; Tim Tate, established glass artist at Art Miami; Sean Hennessey, glass artist and newcomer to Aqua; and Shaunte Gates, exhibiting artist at Select.

This panel discussion will offer the DC arts community a look at the increasingly important world of art fairs from diverse perspectives.

This event is free of charge and open to the public.

Location:
The Hive 2.0
1231‐B Good Hope Rd SE
Washington, DC 20020

Foundry Gallery has a new President

The Foundry Gallery has elected my good friend Fran Abrams as its new President.

A former Director of Grants for the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Ms. Abrams has had a long career of public service in government and nonprofit agencies.  A resident of Rockville, Maryland, she began working in polymer clay in 2000 and her art has been in exhibits from Virginia to Massachusetts; Since retiring from her day job in 2010 she has worked full time as an artist.

Her selection as President of the Dupont Circle-area art gallery was part of the Foundry's recent election of a new Board of Directors for 2013.  Serving as Vice President is Ed Bear Miller of Washington, DC.  Secretary is Naomi Taitz Duffy, also of Washington, and the Treasurer is Meg MacKenzie of Arlington, VA.  At-large Board members are Ana Elisa Benavent of Alexandria, Katherine Blakeslee of Washington, and Jay Peterzell of Takoma Park.

 

For more than forty years, the Foundry Gallery has supported and showcased some of Washington’s most promising and accomplished local artists. As a nonprofit, artist-run gallery, it exists to offer high quality, affordable original works of art, enrich and educate the community, and nurture, support and recognize local artists.

 

Foundry Gallery

1314 18th St, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20036

Artist busted

Artist busted at SCOPE Miami for copying photographers’ works... read the story here.

Plein Air–Easton

Plein Air–Easton! Artists Prospectus Released, Dates Announced  

9th Annual Competition & Arts Festival to be Held July 15-21, 2013 

The Competition Prospectus for the 9th Annual Plein Air–Easton! Competition & Arts Festival will be released on January 25, 2013. Release of the prospectus marks the official kickoff of the 2013 event and begins the essential selection process for the next Plein Air–Easton! Competition. Amidst an art movement that has spurred hundreds of competitions across the country, Plein Air–Easton! is America’s premier plein air festival. Some of the best plein air artists from across the country and around the globe converge on Easton and Talbot County to vie for large cash and product prizes during a weeklong art extravaganza. In 2013, more than $20,000 in cash and product prizes will be awarded, plus the opportunity to sell their work to a large audience of art buyers. 

The caliber of artists competing at Plein Air–Easton! has strengthened each year, which has been a crucial component in the festival’s standard of excellence. With such stiff competition, the release of the prospectus offers timely and vital information for artists. The prospectus describes the process for artist entries, gives information about the entry jurist and awards judge, and outlines the competition guidelines. It will be released January 25 on the event website, www.pleinaireaston.com. 

Plein Air–Easton! is a rare opportunity to interact with these artists and experience an up-close view of the spontaneous and exciting art movement form of plein air painting—where artists leave their studios to paint “in the moment” outdoors. In just a few days, hundreds of pieces of some of the best representational art in the world are created and sold, making this a major East Coast art sale and a hot spot for art collectors and enthusiasts.  

The pinnacle of the competition is the Collector’s Preview Party which offers the first opportunity to view and purchase the competition paintings and to see the competition exhibit intact before paintings begin to be sold. Winners are announced during an awards ceremony at the Collectors’ Preview Party.  

Artists, art collectors, art and nature enthusiasts, students, tourists, local businesses, and spectators alike have discovered that this event truly lives up to its slogan of offering “Art for Everyone.” Over the past eight years, Plein Air–Easton! has become one of Easton’s largest events, attracting crowds and consistently posting impressive figures for art sales. 

Important Dates  

January 25, 2013 – Artists’ prospectus released  

March 8, 2013 – Artists deadline to enter juried competition 

March 29, 2013 – Competition artists announced. 

July 15-21, 2013 – Plein Air–Easton! Competition & Arts Festival 

July 19, 2013 – Plein Air–Easton! Collectors’ Preview Party at the Academy Museum 

Plein Air–Easton! is the work of the Avalon Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide diversified arts and educational programs that improve the quality of life in the Mid-Shore region. The Academy Art Museum is the museum venue for the competition exhibit. The event is supported by Friends of Plein Air–Easton!, the Talbot County Arts Council, and corporate, media, product, and communitybased sponsors.  

Mark your calendars now for the 2013 Plein Air–Easton! Competition & Arts Festival to be held July 15-21, 2013, with pre-festival events beginning the week before. 

Plein Air–Easton! highlights are available on an extensive video blog available at www.pleinaireaston.com. 

For information, call 410.822.7297 or visit www.pleinaireaston.com.