Update: Women Artists of the DMV!

Update on the Women Artists of the DMV survey show that I am curating: We're now up to 9 art venues & over 250 artists as I've just added Maryland Hall to the list of exhibition venues!

All the details here.

Art Scam Alert!

Be aware of this asswipe trying to scam artists:

From: Scott Carson -- scottcarson2906@gmail.com --​

Hello,I came across your profile on my feeds and I must say you're such a talented artist and I'll like to support you by purchasing some of your arts digitally, honestly this is so great and I'm really impressed with your kind of art 🎨

Beatrice Hamblett at The Writer's Center

Today I visited The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland to see “You Don’t Know Me,” a solo exhibition of photographs and stories by DC photographer, Beatrice Hamblett. The exhibition opened March 6 and will be on view until April 18 with an Artist Talk on March 27 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Joram Piatigorsky Gallery at the Center.

Ready for this? I was floored by this exhibition! In fact, this is easily one of the top, if not the best photography show that I have seen in a loooong time.

We are told that:

“You Don’t Know Me,” introduces viewers to a cross-section of people— fisherman, hunters, church-goers, people living in small towns and “hollers—who reflect the spirit of Appalachia. With this five-year project, Hamblett hopes to bridge the gap between urban and rural people at a time when division runs deep throughout the US. 

This show does that and more. The images are all memorable, and are all eye-opening to not only Americans, but to anyone who has never set foot in Appalachia and relies on Hollywood and politicians to describe a region and a people who are close to the heart beat of our nation.

In the show, Hamblett not only showcases her photographic skills - she's a darkroom photographer who flexes her old-school skills and displays that enviable geekyness of the silver gelatin crowd when she tells me that "all photos are silver gelatin prints, developed and printed in my own darkroom. Film: Ilford HP 5 120 shot with a Hasselblad 501 CM camera. Paper: Ilford Multigrade Fiber-based paper," but she also exposes her equally enviable ability to capture the essence and soul and presence of a special and important segment of our people in this great nation.

Andi Looks Up, Huttonsville, WV

Helping Hands, Squire, WV

You will come out of this exhibition not only lucky to have been exposed (no pun intended) to a great photographer, but you'll also will learn a lot about our fellow Americans from that fabled region; a beautiful and powerful presence in our nation, captured in intelligent and important photographs.

One of the walls at The Writer's Center 

Beatrice Hamblett is also one of the artists selected for the Women Artists of the DMV survey show coming later this September to eight DMV art venues, including The Writer's Center.

Yelp is hiring an intern

From Yelp:

We're officially hiring a new community intern for later 2025 when Riley's time comes to an unwanted end, and we're on the hunt for another perfect fit. As Elites, you know a ton of talented people so we're tapping on you to help us spread the word on this five-star opportunity. If you know someone that is the best at throwing parties, loves all things local, and has brand social media experience, have them apply at the link below.

Apply here.

A modern-day Greek tragedy’: the life and death of artist Thomas Kinkade

In that way, Art for Everybody makes the implicit argument that you can either make art that will win over the establishment or that will win over the greater population, but you can’t make both...

Read the most excellent ‘A modern-day Greek tragedy’: the life and death of artist Thomas Kinkade by Veronica Esposito here.

The crew at the Affordable Art Fair in New York City

Suzanne Yurdin, me, and Steve Wanna posing in front of the booth - missing from pic is the amazing Jeannette Herrera, who was helping out early in the week.

Suzanne Yurdin, Lenny Campello and Steve Wanna
at the 2025 Affordable Art Fair NYC

Jeannette Herrera's amazing evolution

The spectacular new work by Jeannette Herrera in full splendor at the Affordable Art Fair New York!

Jeannette Herrera art at Affordable Art Fair NYC

Arrival in New York

01:30 AM - Wide awake on my bed, thinking about the always dicey unload operations when we arrive at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC later in the morning.

04:00 AM - Out of bed, teeth brushed, coffee made and awaiting for Steve Wanna to arrive.

04:20 AM - Steve Wanna arrives, we load his artwork into my van - somehow it fits.

04:35 AM - We depart and head north on I-95 to NYC.

06:30 AM - Speed camera flashes somewhere in Delaware.

07:45 AM - We're within 14 miles of the Holland Tunnel - about 90 minutes later we enter NYC.

09:15AM - We arrive at the Met Pavilion, check in and then meet artist Jeannette Herrera and her friend Abby, who are going to help us unload.

10:00 AM - Art is unloaded into the booth and the hanging process begins as the empty boxes are re-loaded into the van

Steve Wanna installing at Alida Anderson Art Projects'
booth at the Affordable Art Fair NY

10:30 AM - I drive and leave van in parking garage on 19th Street and walk back to Met Pavilion to continue hanging the work.

3:00 PM - I notice that artist Suzanne Yurdin's work is not lit properly and spring an extra light at $105!

4:15 PM - I walk over to the Chelsea International Hostel, check in and go to my room, unpack and walk out to the shared bathroom, shower and shave, get dressed and walk back to the fair.

5:00 PM - VIP Night starts and the aisleas are packed!

10:00 PM - Head back to the hostel - over 2300 people attended the VIP night... multiple sales of Bisque pieces and a nice painting by Anne Cherubim.

11:00 PM - Out for the night.

Wanting for the VIP Opening!

The VIP opening is in about 30 minutes... huge line outside at the 2025 Affordable Art Fair NYC in the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea!

LEON BERKOWITZ and WAYSON JONES at HEMPHILL

The halcyon years of the Washington Color School, over half a century ago, still represent the deepest fine arts footprint ever made by our (then) regional artists, elevating most of them to (now) a global presence.

There's currently a terrific show at Hemphill showcasing the works of two immensely talented artists: Leon Berkowitz and Wayson Jones.

Jones' work first came to my attention via my good friend Lou Stovall, when Stovall selected Jones in 2010 for the October Members Show in Hillyer Art Space.

I've been following Jones' work for many years, and in 2018 I wrote about his participation in that year's Superfine Art Fair and highlighted the "refined works of Wayson R. Jones, whose technique and presentation just keeps getting better and sharper! This is a key DMV artist deserving of more attention by the curatorial cabal of our area." And two years ago I was in the audience when Jones, who in 2022 was Montgomery College’s Visual and Performing Arts Department's Artist in Residence, presented a really good Artist Talk one September day. 

It has been said that "Leon was a character, a character that stood alone..." 

In "An Interview with Gene Davis" by Walter Hopps, we learn that the The Washington Color School "members" did not feel much camaraderie, with each other, and perhaps even a sense of jealousy? George Hemphill notes that:

There are stories of Davis' extreme annoyance at the Corcoran students gathering in groups and sitting before Berkowitz's paintings while leaving his work absent of attention. Berkowitz's paintings sold as well, possibly better than others. His peers' work may garner greater investment returns today, but none have as much universal and growing appeal.

Leon Berkowitz (Photo by Paul Feinberg - Courtesy of Hemphill)

This is an important show which deserves attention not only because of the historical importance of Berkowitz, but also and equally important, a new and powerful footprint by a superbly talented contemporary artist who clearly represents a 21st century extension of those halcyon days. 

Leon Berkowitz in his studio (Photo by Paul Feinberg - Courtesy of Hemphill)

The show runs through April 26, 2025.

H E M P H I L L

434 K Street NW

Washington DC 20001

202.234.5601

hemphillfinearts.com

The Chronicles of Anderdingus: Team Up

Erik Thor Sandberg: GATHER

SELECT | ERIK THOR SANDBERG: GATHER

March April 2025

TO VIEW   TO INQUIRE

CONNERSMITH is presenting an online view of "Gather" by American surrealist Erik Thor Sandberg, who is easily one of my favorite painters on this planet.

GATHER by Erik Thor Sandberg

This major work features a thoughtful gathering of multiple human figures and a profusion of hybrid animals within a detailed landscape. Though unsettling, and equally grotesque as Hieronymus Bosch’s demons, Sandberg’s fantastical creatures seem vulnerable, perhaps even endearing. “I didn’t want to make them too scary,” the artist elucidates. “I think people conceived of demons as scapegoats for human failings. My creatures aren’t evil; they represent experiences, feelings, motivations - aspects of life that shape us for good or bad. Life throws everything at you. Some things can damn near cripple you; some make you stronger, some make you laugh. They are all important.”

Two standing women dominate the scene. One figure appears astonishingly translucent. The other holds a woven strand of creatures that are being either drawn into, or expelled from, the see-through torso of her companion. “I often present the human form as a vessel for various things,” Sandberg relates. “These creatures fill the figure with aspects of humanity.” The person who facilitates the process has an aspect of resolution, as someone who has already undergone something similar. This scenario evolved from earlier works where Sandberg depicted vessels as biological cells, clumps of earth, watery spheres, or skulls containing multiple figures, each person symbolizing a different aspect of the self. Composite forms are important in the artist’s work, as he explains, “I don’t think anyone is completely good or completely evil. Myriad experiences define intricate layers that make us who we are. I create aggregates to express this complexity.”

The assembly in “Gather” is bracketed between a cat, who watches from the foreground, and a seated woman, who peers out from behind the standing technician. “In some paintings I include one or more figures that I call witnesses,” Sandberg imparts. “They do not participate. They do not interfere. They, like the viewer, are just trying to understand everything that is happening.” Sandberg describes the woman staring out from the background as a companion to the crowned skeleton/death figure on the other side of the technician. He elaborates, “I imagine her whispering without words to the woman standing in front of her.” The theme of watching is amplified by eyes and eyeballs integrated throughout the scene. “Eyes imbue life and spirit into my images,” Sandberg reflects. “After all, seeing and being seen is a basic human desire.”

Art Scam Alert!

Beware of this scam pretending to come from the well-known auction house:

From: Clientservicesnewyorkphillips  - clientservicesnewyorkphillips@gmail.com -

Subject: PHILLIPS AUCTION PROPOSAL

Greetings! We hope this message finds you well. This is the Phillips Auction Team reaching out to express our admiration for your exceptional artwork. Over time, we have closely followed your creative journey and have been thoroughly impressed by the depth and quality of your work. 

After careful consideration, we are excited to extend an invitation to collaborate with you. We believe your unique artistic vision aligns seamlessly with our mission to showcase and celebrate outstanding talent. 

To learn more about Phillips Auction House, please visit our website [https://www.phillips.com/

You may also explore our social media pages for further insights into our initiatives and community. Once you’ve had the opportunity to review our platform, we would be delighted to hear your thoughts and discuss how we can work together.

We look forward to your response and the possibility of collaborating with you.

[Phillips Auction Team]

The Chronicles of Anderdingus

The Chronicles of Anderdingus dropped in today!

You can listen to all the tracks in Youtube here.  My fave is Cubani Fiesta!

You can also listen on Spotify here.

Tiny Vinyl Shop in Adams Morgan presents Flamenco Photography Show by Maryanne Pollock

Come out to see photographs taken by Maryanne Pollock at the Flamenco Festival in Córdoba, Spain, on view to the public for the first time, along with some of her small works on paper. The opening for “Electrico Magnifico Flamenco” will take place at Tiny Vinyl Shop in Adams Morgan on Thursday, March 13 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Enjoy some Spanish wine and snacks as you listen to the sound of Flamenco music on vinyl for a more sensory and immersive experience. All works are available for purchase and on view from March 13, 2025 – April 10, 2025.

About the Artist: Though photography has been a daily practice of Pollock’s since age three, she is known for her paintings. This show represents an exciting new step for the artist — the first exhibit featuring her photography. Maryanne Pollock received her BFA from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia and also spent time studying in Rome, Italy. She continued pursuing her passion for creating art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Corcoran College of Art and Design and American University in Washington, DC. Her love of travel, art and culture have taken her to many places overseas and she has spent time living abroad in Egypt, Italy and Spain. Her work has been exhibited internationally in Venice, Paris, Glasgow, Basel, and Cairo. Most recently her works have been on view at Gallery 2112, Equity Gallery, the Kreeger Museum, the Phillips Collection, Bridgette Mayer Gallery and the Mclean Project for the Arts.

Gallery Hours:

Monday – Thursday 4:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.

Friday & Saturday Noon – 8:00 p.m.

Sunday Noon – 6:00 p.m. or by appointment

Contact Ty Cumbie at (347) 425-2044 or email tcumbie62@gmail.com

Tiny Vinyl Shop

2501 Champlain St NW

Washington, DC 20009

https://tinyvinylshop.com/

Artist Website for Maryanne Pollock: https://www.obeliskgallery.com/about-the-artist

Opening Night Event details:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1043249590970843/

Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tiny-vinyl-shop-presents-photos-and-art-by-maryanne-pollock-tickets-1264596023749

Otis Street Arts Project 10th Anniversary!

10th Anniversary Exhibition!

Opening reception March 22, 6-9PM

Otis Street Arts Project celebrates its 10th anniversary with an exhibition featuring 10 of their favorite artists.

OSAP started when glass artist Sean Hennessey first met sculptor David Mordini and decided to open an art space based on a handshake and good vibes.

A decade later, OSAP remains dedicated to fostering a creative community, warm and welcoming for our in-house artists and one that showcases exceptional artists from the DMV. Over these ten years, OSAP has hosted performance art, exhibitions, small theater, meetings, public critiques and served as a gathering space for the greater art community. We have worked with hundreds of artists and have invited 10 artists to help celebrate this major milestone.

Artists:

Robin Bell, Lorenzo Cardim, Cheryl Edwards, Heloisa Escudero, Adam Griffiths, Sean Hennessy, James Huckenpahler, Zofie King, Carolina Mayorga, Mercedes

Exhibition: March 22–May 3, 2024

Hours during exhibition: Sat 12–4PM and also by appointment

Opening reception: March 22, 6-9PM

The Chronicles of Anderdingus: New Album drops on Tuesday

The Chronicles of Anderdingus drop on March 11, 2025 - really new young rap with excellent, intelligent lyrics!

Check it out here!

Listen to it in YouTube here.

This morning at 10:30am

Cory Oberndorfer at the ACO

hosted by Lenny Campello

Saturday, March 8 from 10:30 - 11:30am 

Click HERE for more info on Cory Oberndorfer and link to the talk!

Join us on Saturday using the following Art Clinic Online (ACO) meeting zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84149389951?pwd

QkNqUU1ZMFJ5SXpSU1dFOVFTeXZZZz09 

Meeting ID: 841 4938 9951

Passcode: 593923

Zenith Gallery's 47th "Amethyst" Anniversary in Honor of Women's History Month

Zenith Gallery's 47th "Amethyst" Anniversary

in Honor of Women's History Month

A Group Exhibition | March 7 - April 19, 2025

MEET THE ARTISTS RECEPTIONS: Sat, March 8, 2-6 pm

ARTIST TALKS: Saturdays in March & April at 2:00 pm (More to be announced)

March 15- Richard Binder, Mihira Karra, Carol Newmyer, Patrick Smith, and Luther Wright

March 22- Julee Dickerson-Thompson, David Glick, Marcie Wolf-Hubbard, and David Hubbard

March 29- Lynda Smith-Bugge, Meredith Osterman. April 5- Katherine Owens

April 12- Anne Calamuci (with Kim Reyes), Cheryl Edwards, Anne Marchand, and Christopher Wagner

Featuring Artists: Doba Afolabi, Linda Atkinson, Bert Beirne, Mitzi Bernard, Joanathan Bessaci, Richard Binder, Jackie Braitman, Ram Brisueno, William Buchanan, Anne Calamuci ,F. Lennox Campello, Sheryll Cashin, Lisa Conway, Lea Craigie-Marshall, Julee Dickerson-Thompson, Marija Djakovi, Buzz Duncan, Renee duRocher, Cheryl Edwards, Cheryl Elmo, David Glick, Margery Goldberg, Carolyn Goodridge, Stephen Hansen, Len Harris, Chris Hayman, Philip Hazard, Bernie Houston, David Hubbard, Hubert Jackson, Robert C. Jackson, Ronni Jolles, Mihira Karra, Susan Klebanoff. Barbara Kobylinska, Joan Konkel, Michela Mansuino, Anne Marchand, Donna McCullough, Carol Newmyer, Tom Noll, Sam Noto, Meredith Osterman, Katharine Owens, Qrcky, Larry Ringgold, Suzy Scarborough, Susan Fay Schauer, Ron Schwerin, Gavin Sewell, Ellen Sinel, Patricia Skinner, Patrick Smith, Lynda Smith-Bugge, Bradley Stevens, Christopher Wagner, Jennifer Wagner, Marcie Wolf-Hubbard, Paul Martin Wolff, Curtis Woody, Luther Wright, Michael Young, and more.

At 1429 Iris Street NW, Washington, DC 20012 | 202-783-2963

Tonight I'm heading to Artists & Makers' 10th!

Tonight I will be at Artists & Makers in Rockville, which will celebrate 10 years of being one of the key parts of the visual arts tapestries of the DMV!  

Let me repeat: Art galleries are labors of love and often run by the skin of the teeth of the owners! 10 year anniversary for art spaces is like 100 years for any other business!

Celebrations are today Friday, March 7, 2025 from 5:00PM - 8:00PM at Artists & Makers Studios, 11810 Parklawn Drive, Suite 210 in Rockville, MD 20852.

The event runs from 5-8pm, with remarks by various folks, including me, starting at 7pm.

A sparkling cider toast to the artists will follow. There are open studios throughout the 13,000 sq ft, five gallery exhibits that include a children’s exhibit in studio 11 (their large classroom) for Bethesda Bannockburn Elementary students, the Women’s Caucus for Art – DC exhibit, the 19 member Gallery 209, the Resident Artist “Best of” exhibit, and a mini-solo show for Resident Artist Kate Bramante.

New show opens tomorrow at DWIGHTMESS!

Two shows, One night! Contemporary art + Comics!

NOIR TOUR

March 7-April 30, 2025

Opening Reception: March 7, 2025, 7-9PM

Celebrate contemporary art created by artists from the Washington, DC region (and also from California!) in this exhibition that meditates on darkness by way of saturation, illumination, and invitation to contemplation. Selection of artworks ranging from painting, to photography, & new media.

Artworks by Chris Combs, Edie Fake, Victoria F. Gaítan, Erick Jackson & Theo Morrow!

ALSO, a comics show in the secret/tiny gallery upstairs!!

Intimate Jam

March 7-April 20, 2025

Opening Reception: March 7, 2025, 7-9PM, 2nd Fl.

JAM/Index, an AutoBio collective sponsored by Dwightmess this year, offers a peek at their intimates, exploring the personal, the fantastic, and the poetic in adult comics and artworks.

Max Barnewitz, John Borstel & Athena Naylor

Location: DWIGHTMESS

805 Silver Spring Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910

This event is free and open to the public.

Light refreshments & beverages served.

Gallery Hours: By Event & Appointment  

Inquiries: adam@dwightmess.com

Saturday: Cory Oberndorfer at the ACO!

Cory Oberndorfer at the ACO

hosted by Lenny Campello

Saturday, March 8 from 10:30 - 11:30am 

Click HERE for more info on Cory Oberndorfer and link to the talk!

Join us on Saturday using the following Art Clinic Online (ACO) meeting zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84149389951?pwd

QkNqUU1ZMFJ5SXpSU1dFOVFTeXZZZz09 

Meeting ID: 841 4938 9951

Passcode: 593923

Barbara Januszkiewicz: The Power of Big Color

 Exhibition: "Big Color" at Jo Fleming Contemporary Art

📅 Artist Reception: Saturday, March 8, 5-7 PM (Artist Talk at 6 PM)

📍 Jo Fleming Contemporary Art, 68 Maryland Ave, Annapolis, MD

A Celebration of Color and Movement

Barbara Januszkiewicz is no stranger to the transformative power of color. As a contemporary artist deeply influenced by the Washington Color School, her work expands the conversation of color abstraction, layering rich, translucent hues to create movement, depth, and emotion on canvas.

Her latest exhibition, "Big Color," opening at Jo Fleming Contemporary Art, is a bold statement in large-scale abstraction. Through fluid, luminous compositions, Barbara merges color fields with gestural forms, creating an immersive experience that invites viewers to feel color in a way that goes beyond traditional painting.

Color as a Language

Barbara’s technique involves staining unprimed canvas, allowing color to soak deep into the fibers, much like watercolor on paper—creating a luminous, almost ethereal effect. Her paintings breathe and flow, echoing the rhythms of nature, music, and emotion.

Her work has been featured in museums, embassies, and private collections, and this new body of work continues her lifelong dialogue with color, light, and form.

Why You Should See "Big Color"

For collectors, art lovers, and those who simply appreciate the emotional impact of color, this is an exhibition not to be missed. The artist reception on March 8 will provide a unique opportunity to hear Barbara speak about her work, her influences, and how she continues to push the boundaries of abstraction.

More Info: https://www.joflemingcontemporaryart.com/exhibitions

Art Scam Alert!

Beware of this mutant trying to rip off artists!

Alexandra - alexandra345654@gmail.com

Hello,

I discovered your artwork on artbuy and I'm impressed by your talent. I'm currently curating pieces for a project and would like to inquire about the availability and pricing of certain works from your portfolio. I eagerly await your response.

Thank you.

Bryan Jernigan upcoming solo show: “Sound of Line”

Coming to Links Bridge Vineyards:

Arlington abstract painter and instructor Bryan Jernigan came to the DMV from rural Oklahoma more than 35 years ago and his upcoming solo show called “Sound of Line” will debut at Links Bridge Vineyards in Thurmont, MD on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

“When I came to Washington, D.C. to live, it wasn’t my first time, but I had only visited once before,” Jernigan said. “Like most young people, I planned to make my name professionally and move on or move back to where I was raised. But D.C. had other plans for me, I guess. Instead, I saw most of my friends peel off and return home, taking back a little piece of urbanity with them. Unlike them, I absorbed the realities of living here – internalizing the highs and lows, taking in the triumphs and suffering through the realities of living the city life, digging in and getting to learn about cultures separate and apart from my own and enduring the everyday realities of things as mundane as seemingly unending traffic commutes.”

Jernigan said coming from the country but choosing to live a city life shaped how he sees the world and how he responds to it in his art.

“In this series – that comprises more than 50 original works on paper and wood panel – the things I noticed most were lines; how they keep us connected, but at the same time how tenuous they are,” he said. “They are less about real things and more about my responses to the things I see - power lines that carry communications from all who use them or lines in pavement that show the age of some parts of the city. The pieces have a gritty feel to them, which is another aspect of living in the city, this juxtaposition between the dirty and the pristine.”

The pieces that span from 12-inch to 3-feet squares include expanses of vibrating actions, scratchy marks and calm respites of undulating non-colors punctuated by bold vibrancy.

“Living in a city is often chaotic, but we do our best to control that craziness in our daily lives. I want the pieces to feel like the embodiment of city living. An homage, so to speak,” Jernigan said. “I hope they are exciting and make viewers feel something akin to a car crash on an otherwise uneventful commute. They are real and they are palpable, and I hope they will resonate with others who live here. We are all different – different backgrounds, different ethnicities – but we all share the same experience of living here and navigating it and getting by.”

Jernigan’s pieces have already received critical acclaim. One of them was chosen by juror Jeffrey W. Allison, the Paul Mellon Collection Educator and Director, Statewide Programs and Exhibitions at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) for the McGuffey Art Center’s Mid Atlantic Juried Exhibition in Charlottesville.

“I’d say one of the artist’s worst fears is that they will muster up the courage to be vulnerable enough to create a body of work and then it gets a bad reception,” the artist said. “So, I entered a show with one of them who offered a well-regarded juror I knew it would be a good test. Happily, I was rewarded by having him choose my piece to include in the show. That little test helped me realize I was on the right track with this series.”

Links Bridge Vineyards will host an opening reception with an artist talk between 1 and 3PM on Saturday, April 5 and the show runs until Friday, April 27. See all the works online at www.bryanjernigan.com.

USS Saratoga (CV-60)

Found these old photos -- this is USS Saratoga (CV-60) doing flight ops somewhere in the Med in 1975!

USS Saratoga (CV-60) flight ops in Med in 1975

Art Scam Alert!

Beware of this scammer trying to rip off artists!

From: Dorothy Ortiz - dorothyortiz864@gmail.com -

I recently found your work, and I’m beyond impressed by your artistry. I’d love to inquire about available pieces for my collection.

Let me know if we can discuss further—I’d be delighted to connect!

Best wishes.

Harriet Lesser

Harriet Lesser notes that she "started out as a poet. Slowly the images behind the words and phrases overwhelmed the words themselves, and I became a painter."

She adds that she "lived as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria, where I met artist Uche Okeke and had the great opportunity to understand narrative line.

In India I experienced working with a new palette and met fearless artists.

In Belgium I encountered new outlooks in art history, and in Rwanda I could work and teach in two languages."

Lesser has been a magnetic leader of the DMV art scene for decades - she has not only exhibited her work, but also curated countless exhibitions and notes that for her, "curating is another form of composing. It is producing artwork of another genre."

Behold "Sugar Cane", a wondrous mixed media work that allows Lesser to showcase her artistic super powers - it will be part of the Women Artists of the DMV survey show coming to eight venues around the DMV this Fall!"

Coming soon: The Chronicles of Anderdingus!

 The Chronicles of Anderdingus will drop on March 11, 2025 - really new young rap with excellent, intelligent lyrics!

Check it out here!

From Instagram to art world darling: The meteoric rise of Danielle Mckinney

From CNN:

Danielle Mckinney’s ladies are in a permanent state of relaxation.

They lounge alone on couches or in bed. They sleep. Some are playful — toying with a butterfly or eying a praying mantis. Others are naked and seemingly unaware of the viewer, cigarettes in hand and gazes soft.

The 44-year-old artist has been painting these women her whole life, she said. As a little girl, she painted little girls, too, but her subjects have aged as she has. In conversation, Mckinney refers to them singularly as her “lady,” and, taken together, the moody portraits reflect intimate moments of solitude and repose.

For years, however, these works were private endeavors by an artist who formally trained as a photographer and only painted on the side. They were never meant to see the world.

Now, a little over four years after first publicly posting her portraits on social media, Mckinney has become one of the art world’s buzziest painters. 

Read the full article here.

For the record: "prints" of a painting are "reproductions", not "prints" - cough... cough...

Art Scam Alert!

Beware of the below asswipe trying to rip off artists!

From: Lisa Martinez -- martinezlisa269@gmail.com --

Hello,

I discovered your artwork on artbuy  and I'm impressed by your talent. I'm currently curating pieces for a project and would like to inquire about the availability and pricing of certain works from your portfolio. I eagerly await your response.

Thank you.

Art Scam Alert!

 Beware of this asswipe trying to rip off artists:

From: ministerpeg@mail.com

​Hello there.

I came across some  of your art piece online and I feel in love with your work and talent. You deserve to be seen and known on a global level, and I can help your with that.

But first i would love to purchase some of your art work on behalf of my clients. I have notable art lovers and collectors like Steve Cohen on my clients list.

My clients are always willing to pay a fortune for an art piece that resonate with them and some of your art work fit into the kind of art work my client likes.

So kindly send some of your available art work or a link to a website so I can see more of your work and have them sent to my clients.

kindly reach me with the details below

Email: art_piece@collector.org

Phone: +13105644618(text only)

I will be looking forward to a response from you.

Best regards.

Updated list of invited artists for Women Artists of the DMV

Another updated list of the DMV area female artists who have agreed to participate so far in the 2025 "Women Artists of the DMV" survey show!

Before I forget: If I've invited you to the show and you've agreed to participate, but you're not listed below, please email me (lennycampello@hotmail.com) and let me know... or if I've misspelled your name :-) 

I've received nearly 4,000 emails, DMs, Facebooks, texts, etc. from female artists interested in being considered for the show.  Granted, there are a LOT of emails from artists living waaaay far from the Greater DC area who are not eligible, but still...

Deadline to apply: April 30, 2025

I have eight venues lined up, and at best I will be able to physically exhibit 240+ artists... but all applicants who meet the "DMV criteria" will be surveyed and catalogued for the SI American Art Archives, as I've contacted the Smithsonian American Art Archives with a proposal to document and archive ALL artists - of them - see that here.

I am also contacting ALL local universities/colleges and ALL of the DMV art commissions to ask them to buy one work by one alumni or county resident for their permanent collections.  I can use some help with that if you know board members, big donors, etc.

I need your help with the various DMV Art commissions/councils from the counties surrounding the DMV (Montgomery, Prince George's, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Arlington, etc.  See this letter/email as an example - feel free to copy and adapt and send to your council members, county executive, art commission, etc.

And the "in the show" list so far...

Shiri Achu 

Esperanza Alzona

Maremi Andreozzi 

Erin Antognoli  

Courtney Applequist

Sondra N. Arkin

Suzi Balamaci 

Michele Banks 

Marilyn Banner 

Kate Barfield 

Veronica Barker-Barzel 

Jennifer Barlow 

Denée Barr

Holly Bass 

Lisa Battle

Jennifer Lynn Beaudet 

Judith Benderson 

Sarah Bentley  

Anne Bouie

Karin Birch 

Jennifer Bishop

Julia Bloom 

Lori Boocks 

Margaret Boozer  

Vian Borchert  

Claire Brandt

Laurie Breen

Lisa Brotman  

Amy Bruce

Dianne Bugash 

Shante Bullock

Melissa Burley 

Judy Byron 

Denise Calisti 

Stephane Calvin

Rachel Carren 

Elizabeth Casqueiro 

Shanthi Chandrasekar

Mei Mei Chang 

Hsin-Hsi Chen 

Anne Cherubim

Irene Clouthier 

Amanda Coelho

Diane Cooper Cabe

Ellen Cornett 

Kathy Cornwell

Rosemary Feit Covey  

Lea Craigie-Marshall

Sheila Crider 

Jacqui Crocetta

Andrea Cullins 

Andrea Cybyk

Joan Danziger 

Delna Dastur 

Anna U. Davis 

Jenny Davis 

Tanya Davis 

Elizabeth Davison 

Danni Dawson 

Patricia de Poel Wilberg 

Wendy Donahoe

Margaret Dowell  

Jen Droblyen

Mary Early 

Susan Eder

Bria Edwards

Cheryl Edwards

Dana Ellyn 

Rita Elsner 

Hyunsuk Erickson 

Cynthia Farrell Johnson 

Felisa Federman Cogut 

Sharon Fishel

Cianne Fragione  

Mary Annella Frank

Helen Frederick   

Jenny Freestone 

Emily Fussner

Marie Gauthiez-Charpentier

Genie Ghim 

Carol Brown Goldberg 

Margery Goldberg

Susan Goldman

Janis Goodman 

Pat Goslee 

Freya Grand 

Graciela Granek 

Josephine Haden 

Debra Halprin 

Beatrice Hamblett

Elyse Harrison

Muriel Hasbun  

Seemeen Hashem

Rania Hassan 

Jennifer Hayes

Mira Hecht 

Michelle Lisa Herman 

Francie Hester 

Ellen Hill 

Pattee Hipschen 

Leslie Holt 

Susan Hostetler 

Sarah J. Hull

Michal Hunter 

Melissa Ichiuji 

Sadieh Ilchi

Selena Jackson 

Martha Jackson Jarvis  

Barbara Januszkiewicz 

M. Jane Johnson 

Jessica Kallista 

Jenny Kanzler

Maria Karametou

Lori Katz 

Sally Kauffman  

Trish Kent 

Megan King

Zofie King 

Kate Kretz 

Bridget Sue Lambert

Susan LaMont 

Linda Lawler 

Ngoc Le 

Jun Lee

Kyujin Lee 

Harriet Lesser 

Carol Levin 

Jennifer Lillis 

Amy Lin

Kara Lin 

June Linowitz 

Barbara Liotta

Kirsty Little

Taina Litwak 

Shelley Lowenstein 

Laurel Lukaszewski 

Dalya Luttwak 

Caroline MacKinnon

Akemi Maegawa 

Susan Makara

Isabel Manalo  

Joey Mánlapaz 

Sheryl Massaro

Katherine Mann

Anne Marchand  

Lucinda Marshall

Isabella Martire 

Amy Marx  

Sheryl Massaro

J.J. McCracken

Sophia McCroklin

Donna McCullough 

Anne Meagher-Cook  

Maggie Michael 

Regina Miele  

Ramona Militaru

Marily Mojica 

Michele Montalbano 

E.J. Montgomery

Sharon Moody 

Ally Morgan  

Meredith Morris

Camille Mosley-Pasley  

Adrienne Moumin

Jody Mussoff

Georgia Nassikas 

Leslie Nolan

Teresa Oaxaca 

Ronnie Offen 

Claudia Olivos 

Helena Gallegos O'Neill 

Erica Orgen 

Marian Osher 

Betsy Packard 

Dora Patin

Judith Peck 

Monica Perdomo

Sandra Pérez-Ramos  

Anne Pham

Pearl Ping Shen 

Patricia Edwine Poku-Speight

Susana Raab 

Gail Rebhan

Carol Reed 

Cindy K. Renteria  

Marie Riccio

Lesley Riley

Marie Ringwald 

Amber Robles-Gordon

Sarah Rodman  

Alla Rogers 

Roxana Rojas 

Lisa K Rosenstein 

Lori Niland Rounds

Christine Ryan 

Madalaine Sargent

Nancy Sausser 

Karen Schmitz

Deanna Schwartzberg  

Martina Sestakova

Lian Sever 

Susan Shalowitz 

Janathel Shaw 

Gail Shaw-Clemons 

April Shelford

Alison Sigethy

Elzbieta Sikorska 

Alexandra Silverthorne 

Pauline Siple  

Judy Southerland 

Molly Springfield 

Pritha Srinivasan

Renee Stout 

Veronica Szalus

Zsudayka Nzinga Terrel  

Kat Thompson

Patricia Underwood 

Christine Uskievitch

Jessica Van Brakle 

Gloria Vasquez  

Rosa Inés Vera  

Claudia Vess

Marite Vidales 

Lori Walsh

Andrea Way 

Ellyn Weiss 

Joyce Wellman 

Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

Sharon Wolpoff 

Helen Wood

Sue Wrbican 

Shawn Yancy

Suzanne Yurdin  

Paula Zeller

Barbara Ziselberger

Helen Zughaib