Today: Book Signing at BlackRock

There will be a book signing for my 100 Artists of Washington, DC book today, February 16 from 6:30 - 8:30PM at the gorgeous BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, Maryland.

Bring your own book (buy it at Amazon here) or get a copy from me at the Center (it will be cheaper at Amazon).

Many of the artists in the book will be there, so this is also a good opportunity to get your copy signed by them as well.

I will also be giving a talk about how this book came to be, and the selection process (an update) for the next two volumes.

BlackRock Center for the Arts
12901 Town Commons Drive
Germantown, MD 20874

301.528.2260 (administrative offices)
301.528.2266 (fax)
info@blackrockcenter.org (e-mail)

See ya there!

Call for Artists: Bethesda Painting Awards

Deadline: Submissions must be received by Friday, February 24, 2012

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is currently accepting applications for the seventh annual Bethesda Painting Awards. Up to nine finalists will be selected to display their work in an exhibition during the month of June at Gallery B in downtown Bethesda, and the top four winners will receive $14,000 in prize monies.

Best in Show will be awarded $10,000; Second Place will be honored with $2,000 and Third Place will receive $1,000. Additionally, a “Young Artist” whose birthday is after February 24, 1982 may be awarded $1,000. Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C.

All original 2-D paintings including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, encaustic and mixed media will be accepted. The maximum dimensions should not exceed 60 inches in width or 84 inches in height. No reproductions. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years and must be available for the duration of the exhibit.

Each artist must submit either 5 slides, application and a non-refundable fee of $25. Digital entries will be accepted on CD in JPG, GIF or PNG format.

For a complete application, please visit www.bethesda.org, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Bethesda Painting Awards
c/o Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District
7700 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814

Or call 301-215-6660 x117.

Tomorrow: Book Signing at BlackRock

There will be a book signing for my 100 Artists of Washington, DC book on February 16 from 6:30 - 8:30PM at the gorgeous BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, Maryland.

Bring your own book (buy it at Amazon here) or get a copy from me at the Center (it will be cheaper at Amazon).

Many of the artists in the book will be there, so this is also a good opportunity to get your copy signed by them as well.

I will also be giving a talk about how this book came to be, and the selection process (an update) for the next two volumes.

BlackRock Center for the Arts
12901 Town Commons Drive
Germantown, MD 20874

301.528.2260 (administrative offices)
301.528.2266 (fax)
info@blackrockcenter.org (e-mail)

See ya there!

February 14

OK, so it may be Valentine's Day today, but for us history buffs, in real history, in 1778 the United States flag is formally recognized for the very first time, in this case at sea by a foreign naval vessel, when French Admiral Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte renders a nine gun salute to USS Ranger, commanded by the legendary John Paul Jones.

That's the spectacular painting by Edward Moran depicting the moment.

Ichiuji on Tom Green


Details here.

Artists' Websites: Russ McIntosh

There are hardworking artists and then there's Russ McIntosh. If I told you that in the last year alone this talented digital artist has been included in over 20 exhibitions around the nation, you'd be as awed as I was when I discovered this fact.

Galadali by Russ McIntosh
Check out his amazing work here.

Fridaphiles of the DMV: Artisphere

Artisphere is the first and only venue in the United States of America to present Frida Kahlo: Her Photos - an exhibition of photographs about one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century.

Free public opening reception: Thu Feb 23 / 7-10pm.

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)’s extraordinary life and iconic biographical paintings have earned her international renown in the world of modern art. Upon Kahlo’s death in 1954, more than 6,500 personal photographs and items belonging to her and husband/artist Diego Rivera were sealed and put in storage. For more than half a century this great collection of personal memorabilia remained hidden from the public. In 2007 this collection was opened and Mexican photographer and curator Pablo Ortiz Monasterio inventoried and catalogued 259 images to create the Frida Kahlo: Her Photos exhibition.

These images reveal a little-known side of the artist and lifelong resident of Coyoacán, a Mexico City suburb and Arlington, Virginia's sister city. The collection of photographs in this exhibition reflect Kahlo’s tastes and interests, the experiences she shared with those close to her, and her complicated, but also thrilling, personal life. Viewers get an insider’s look, not only through who was behind the camera, in front of the lens or the anonymous nature of some of the work but also through the annotated writing found on the back of many of the photographs.

From family pictures and snapshots taken with lovers to images that reveal relationships with Russian Marxist revolutionary Leon Trotsky and American photographers Edward Weston, Alfred Stieglitz, artist Georgia O’Keefe and actress Dolores del Rio, this exhibition provides a glimpse into Kahlo as never seen before.

Many of you know that I've done around 1,000 works of art (drawings, paintings, statues, videos, etc.) about Kahlo since I was hypnotized by her work almost 40 years ago, so... See ya there!

The ultimate toilet paper?

At least for Cubans!

Finally you can now make your Cuban or Cuban-American's dreams come true! Cuba's brutal dictator and for over 50 years the suffocater [[Verb] To stifle; to destroy; to extinguish; as, to suffocate] of the Cuban people, deserves to be in the mierda tanks of history.

Full roll of toilet paper with Fidel Castro's face on every sheet. Ideal for parties, reunions or for plain personal pleasure. Order more than one. The ideal gift for your Cuban friend.

Send me some... por favor!

Ave Frida Es Regina

So here is the next iteration of my marriage of drawing with embedded electronics. In this case my ubiquitous Frida with an embedded video player which gives the owner of this piece to choose between a Power Point presentation or a video of Kahlo.

Above is the drawing with the heart cut out of her bosom - note that Kahlo's heart is fanged - this was a woman who took a bite out of life.


And here is the electronic component which will be installed behind the drawing. In this frame it shows one of the multiple images which play by default when the machine is turned on.


Here's the drawing with the electronics playing the slide show through the heart window.


Here's a close up.


And in this close-up, the video of Kahlo is playing.

And below is the video:

Book Signing

There will be a book signing for my 100 Artists of Washington, DC book on February 16 from 6:30 - 8:30PM at the gorgeous BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, Maryland.

Bring your own book (buy it at Amazon here) or get a copy from me at the Center (it will be cheaper at Amazon).

Many of the artists in the book will be there, so this is also a good opportunity to get your copy signed by them as well.

I will also be giving a talk about how this book came to be, and the selection process (an update) for the next two volumes.

BlackRock Center for the Arts
12901 Town Commons Drive
Germantown, MD 20874

301.528.2260 (administrative offices)
301.528.2266 (fax)
info@blackrockcenter.org (e-mail)

See ya there!

Pencil this in for March!

Born in Dublin, Ireland (which according to Irish creation myths was settled by Spaniards sent by King Milesius and thus why I'm always wondering why Irish people aren't considered Hispanic/Latino... Ireland that is... not Dublin (named after a witch who drowned in a pool of water), which was founded by Vikings and is thus not very Irish after all...), DMV area artist Jackie Hoysted made her home in Maryland in 1996 after working in France, England, Ireland and Florida as a software engineer.

She has a degree is Computer Science from Trinity College, Dublin (which happens to own a lot of my artwork in their private collection) and a fine arts degree from the Corcoran College of Art & Design (which happens to own zip of Campello art... is that weird or what?).

She has had multiple solo shows of her artwork throughout the US and has been featured in publications, including, The Gazette, the Washington City Paper and the Examiner and even here!.

She was selected by Scott Ligon for inclusion his book The Digital Art Revolution and this wizard and talented artist is the creator of the project Send Me Your Last Cigarette.

When you walk into Gallery 555dc you will be surrounded by Jackie’s current series “Out of Context” Girls! Nice Doesn’t Cut It. These women are "not to be messed with, taken for granted or pigeon holed. They can stand alone or together as sisters."

Champagne Reception: Saturday, March 3rd, 1-5pm and the show hangs till March 30th!

Groucho redux

Although it is generally known, I think it's about time to announce that I was born at a very early age.

-- From Groucho Marx's autobiography Groucho and Me (1959)

Heard on Univision

Another woman running for President in Latin America; this time trying to get rid of the despot ruining Venezuela:

Congresswoman and Presidential Candidate, Maria Corina Machado, with the courage that only a Latina can have, stood up and faced President Hugo Chavez, as no one has ever done before in Venezuelan history, and called him a liar and thief.

Read about her here.

Molly Ruppert

The Washington Project for the Arts’ Alice Denney Award for Support of Contemporary Art was initiated in 2006. It is named for the founder of WPA, Alice Denney, and is presented annually to an individual who has supported the organization for many years and has made a sustained commitment to the greater DC arts community.

This year’s honoree, Molly Ruppert, will receive the award at the SELECT exhibition opening reception on February 11, 2012.

Molly Ruppert is one of those key instruments that makes up the DMV's cultural orchestra and which, in concert with the other instruments, makes our cultural art scene one of the best on the planet.

Think of her as the big bass drum, or the cello, or the harp; any of the real key instruments without which the symphony is off and out of synch. Also think of her as working behind the scenes as well as leading it.

Molly - and the entire Ruppert clan have been a powerful force in the DC arts scene. With the multiple opportunities the Warehouse Arts Complex have given over the years, Molly and her family have been one of the most commited supporters of the arts in our region.

Personally, I am also indebted to her.

When I curated the epic exhibition known as "Seven" for the WPA a handful of years ago, it was Molly who stepped up and offered the entire Warehouse complex to house all the WPA artists whom I had selected.

I was very pleased by the spectacular success of that show, but even more pleased when I ended up also meeting there, at one of the talks, the woman who would become my wife and best friend.

Thank you Molly!

Topher Forhecz on Banks and Nordin


The Gazette's Topher Forhecz pops in with a nice review (also nicely illustrated) of Michele Banks and Kendall Nordin's exhibition at The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center on Montgomery College’s Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus.

Read the review online here and then go to the opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 9.

Groucho

"A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five."
-- Groucho Marx

Heard on Univision

Mexican political party Partido Acción Nacional (PAN) has chosen Congresswoman Josefina Vázquez Mota as their Presidential candidate - the first woman candidate with a real good chance of becoming our Southern neighbor's first female Presidente.

We send out congrats to Josefina!

PostSecret 2012 Tour

The local DMV art superstar known as Frank Warren is the only artist on planet Earth (at least that I am aware of) who can sell out college auditoriums and other such audience-venues as he continues to expand and discuss and publish his planetary scale installation megaproject PostSecret.

Check out the 2012 Spring tour video below:

Charity Auction

Distinguished works of art will grace the Middleburg Community Center on Friday, February 24th, in an unprecedented auction of original artwork from the community’s best local artists. Doors for this fundraising event will open at 5:30 P.M., and proceeds will benefit the Middleburg Montessori School.

"It is always impressive when so many artists come together to support a worth-while cause like this one," offered Bradley Stevens, a well-known realist painter. Stevens, a former faculty member at both George Washington University and Georgetown University, donated a children’s group drawing lesson in portraiture and an adult “plein-air,” or outdoor oil-painting lesson, at Barrel Oaks winery in Delaplane. These items, like all other offerings, will go to the highest bidder.

With more than fifteen committed artists, including the furniture of craftsmen at Plank & Nickel, the auction will showcase the art of Misia Broadhead-Barham, Anthony Barham, Kim Basinger, Armand Cabrera, Hwa Crawford, Mikel Diaz, Richard Dimon, Charles Matheson, Lilla Ohrstrom, Dana Lee Thompson, Dana Volkert, Antonia Walker, Charlie Westbrook, Henry Wingate, and Cathy Zimmerman, among others.

A sample of the featured artists:

Armand Cabrera, known for his alla prima work—paintings completed in one sitting in the studio or outdoors—has donated “Farmhouse,” a stunning 8’ x 10’ oil on linen. Armand, a former California-based production artist in the entertainment industry, brings his eye for detail to his exquisite landscapes. His work has been featured in International Artist Magazine and American Art Collector.

Local artist Dana Volkert captures the natural world, isolated and enlarged, in abstract beauty. Her compelling work has been exhibited in galleries worldwide and is a must for the modern collector.

Antonia Walker, whose works are represented in many collections including the Arts-in-Embassy Program of The State Department, has been a visiting artist at the American Academy in Rome. She has studied under Spanish Sculptor Benjamin Saul as well as Brittany, France-based artist William Woodward. Antonia is most well known for her oil paintings of the Virginia countryside and images of Italy and France.

Artist Henry Wingate’s first career was flying airplanes for the Navy. Wingate is best known for his classic oil portraits and his traditional representational works of art, approaches he studied in ateliers, or working studios. An award winning artist, Wingate has been featured in American Artist and Portrait Highlights magazines.

Also included in the auction are handcrafted, reclaimed wood furniture from the designers at Plank & Nickel. Two beautiful live-edge modern benches will be among the offerings.

The public is invited to this open event. Barrel Oak Winery will be providing wine to bidders and guests alike. Delicious hors d’oeuvres from Julien’s on Washington Street will add a touch of French cuisine.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with these talented artists,” explained BethAnn Slater, Head of School of Middleburg Montessori. “Ultimately, we are all coming together to benefit the children in our community.”

For more information about the event, or to become a donor, please contact Middleburg Montessori School at 540-687-5210.

WHAT: Art Auction and Reception, “ART OF THE PIEDMONT”
WHERE: Middleburg Community Center, 300 Washington St. Middleburg, VA
WHEN: Friday, February 24th, 2012 at 5:30-9:30PM (Free to the public)
WHO: Hosted by Middleburg Montessori School. Contact: 540-687-5210

For the big game

For the last two days I've been cooking "Ropa Vieja" in the slow cooker. This is my favorite Cuban dish and it takes forever to cook properly, but when done right... OMG! You start with simply a few chunks of skirt steak, tomato sauce, onions, fresh garlic, and a few key spices and two days or so in the slow cooker.

Since it is the Super Bowl, I also made my own salsa, and not to brag, but seeing that salsa is NOT a Cuban dish to start with, I think I've put my own tag on this most Mexican of foods and may have even put my Mexican compadres to shame; let's just say that garlic and cilantro to an overwhelming state can never go wrong - and then crush some mango into that puppy and Mmmmm...

Now let's hope that the Giants kick some rump.

Chawky Frenn Opening at BlackRock

Tonight: Chawky Frenn at BlackRock

I have always thought that the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, MD has one of the most beautiful and dramatic gallery spaces in the region. With its impossibly tall gallery space, it opens itself to all kinds of great curatorial ideas.

And tonight, GMU Professor Chawky Frenn will be opening his "Be The Change You Seek" solo show. And if you know Frenn's past, then you can expect a show sure to raise some eyebrows. Frenn uses his vast technical skills as a painter like a weapon, aiming his talented brush at social, political and historical issues.

The opening is from 5:30 - 7:30PM. The show goes through Feb. 27.

BlackRock Center for the Arts is located at 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, Maryland 20874. Call them at 301.528.2260 for more info.

See ya there!

Opportunity for Artists

Deadline: Friday, March 9, 2012

The Bethesda Urban Partnership and Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District has announced “Tunnel Vision,” a public art exhibition to be hung in the Metro Tunnel that runs under Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda.

“Tunnel Vision” will showcase the work of 12 selected artists inside the Metro Tunnel. Interested artists are invited to submit up to 5 images of their work for review. Each artist will be paid $500 for the license to use their image. If selected, artists will need to provide a high resolution file for the image of their artwork to be printed on a poly metal material, size 4' high x 8' wide. Artists are encouraged to submit artwork that can easily be sized to 4’ x 8’.

Artists must be residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C. to be eligible for consideration. There is a category for young artists, age 14-17, to apply. The deadline for submitting images for review is Friday, March 9, 2012. Interested artists should visit this website for more information and the application for consideration.

Heard on Univision

The Mexican Minister of Health, Salomón Chertorivski, has announced that the Mexican government has invented a vaccine to prevent heroin addiction.

Details here, in case you think that I'm messing with you.

Torpedo Factory Art Center Visiting Artist Program

Deadline: February 15, 2012. 



The Torpedo Factory Art Center invites emerging and experienced artists to apply for one, two, or three-month residencies between June 1 and August 31, 2012.

The Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Virginia is home to more than 140 visual artists working in 82 studios. Artists create in a wide variety of media including painting, fiber, jewelry, ceramics, printmaking, and sculpture. The Torpedo Factory is open to the public every day; visitors are invited and welcomed into studios to watch artists at work.

Visiting Artists will be provided with studio space and will be able to display and sell original work. The projects undertaken for this self-directed, creative residency must be compatible with available working studio spaces and facilities.

Finalists will be selected by Paula Amt, owner of gallery plan b. There is no application fee. 
You can download the Prospectus from this website.

Spidey is an issue

So far, for my naked Superheroes series of drawings I've depicted the Man of Steel about a dozen times, Batman (and Batman and Robin) 2-3 times, and Supergirl about 6-7 times.

Next is Spiderman, although I am having a hard time visualizing the drawing. It is easy to conceptualize Superman or Supergirl flying in the buff, but why would Peter Parker be climbing the facade of a building in the buff, and somehow still be wearing a mask or somethings that identifies him as Spidey?

The agonies of a brilliant mind...

Maryland Art Place names new Executive Director

Maryland Art Place (MAP) has announced the hiring of Amy Cavanaugh Royce as its new Executive Director. I also know that she is one helluva good cellist!

In her former position as Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of the ARCH Development Corporation in Washington, D.C., Ms. Royce spearheaded the development of four cultural facilities, which now operate as the cultural arm of ARCH organization.

She also co-founded and operated a state-of-the-art contemporary exhibition space, Honfleur Gallery.

John James Anderson and Susan Stacks at Adah Rose Gallery

Adah Rose Gallery (3766 Howard Ave Kensington Md, 20895, www.adahrosegallery.com is a relative newcomer to the DMV art scene, but under the experienced guidance of Adah Rose, it seems to have hit the deck running.

“The Pleasures Here Are Well Known” - work by John James Anderson and Susan Stacks - is their next show, with an opening reception, on Saturday February 11, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (also music by Walker Road).

The printed word and the acquisition of language are the principal ideas in the work of John James Anderson. His first series, “Building Blocks,” adopts the playful vocabulary of pop art with familiar logos and graphics which require reading through a lens that is both nostalgic and cerebral. Mr. Anderson creates a graphic alphabet from the eye-catching lettering of soda cans, candy wrappers and cereal boxes. In his second series, “Out of Print,” language and the evolution of our collective literacy is also explored, this time in the decline of print journalism. Mr. Anderson collected the front pages of national newspapers and carefully erased portions of their content, resulting in graphic and poetic musings on the fate of mass communication.

... Beginning with the unconsciousness of a doodle, but executed with the commitment of surgery, Susan Stacks creates drawings with pencil and pen that are artifacts of a meditative experience. These intricate and elegant works reference landscapes, microscopic forms, and cartography. As Ms. Stacks draws, a twist becomes a tug, a dash a dot. Her influences are as varied as novels, mythological figures, plant and bacterial life, rock stars and vending machines. She refers to her drawings as emotional maps, parasites, friends, and penance.

Artguardian

(Via/Thanks!)

There are an estimated 150 million works of art in the market today – in museums, public spaces and in the holdings of private collectors. Not only because of their material value, but also because of their intangible value they deserve to be handled carefully. However, neither artists nor museums or collectors want to protect artwork from detrimental influences by keeping it in a climate-controlled safe. Art needs the public.

By combining modern technologies from the fields of microelectronics, building physics and information technology, three Fraunhofer Institutes and their partners have now developed a solution that meets the challenges that arise: "Artguardian consists of four sensors invisibly attached to the work of art; they register temperatures, humidity, lighting conditions and any bumps or movements", observes Dr. Stephan Guttowski from the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin." It forwards data at regular intervals to a base station located near the work."

Check it out here.

Google's new search by image function

I'm loving Google's new search by image capability. Now you can drop an image into the search box and it not only finds all "similar" images around the Internets, but also all the websites where that image is being used.

Using that function, I've discovered that many of my drawings are being used all over the place without my permission, and I've only researched about a dozen or so pieces.

Example: "Victorious Pict" is a decade old drawing that was part of my Pictish Nation show at the old Georgetown Fraser Gallery.

After using the Google function, I've discovered that the drawing is in use by all these websites all over the planet.

Go play with it.

How to rip off artists?

According to some of the artists whose work is being sold via this website, the fellow human from our northern neighbor who runs it is allegedly ripping off the artists in question, and despite repeated requests to remove their artwork from the site -- from the artists to the website owners -- it has all been apparently ignored.

For all that matters:

Registrant Name: Alex Munin
Registrant Organization: munin.co
Registrant Address1: 172 Vagan Rd.
Registrant City: Toronto
Registrant State/Province: ON
Registrant Postal Code: m6c3a4
Registrant Country: Canada
Registrant Country Code: CA
Registrant Phone Number: +1.6472284753

Lori Earley is one of the artists being allegedly ripped off. Lori's wondrous work has been exhibited in the DMV by the olde Fraser Gallery - decades ago now! Check it out here.

Anybody out there know anything about this? Mr. Munin? Want to respond? (I found his email address and sent him a request for comments).

Any other artists?

We have a possible Comemierda alert.

Update: Looks like the website in question has been taken down since last night!

Heard on Univision

I just heard that the Spanish language TV show Sabado Gigante, a variety show by Chilean-born TV host Mario Kreutzberger Blumenfeld - known to the Latin American television-watching world as Don Francisco - is celebrating its 50th year anniversary.

WOW!

Congrats Don Francisco!

Wanna come to my book signing?

There will be a book signing for my 100 Artists of Washington, DC book on February 16 from 6:30 - 8:30PM at the gorgeous BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, Maryland.

Bring your own book (buy it at Amazon here) or get a copy from me at the Center (it will be cheaper at Amazon).

Many of the artists in the book will be there, so this is also a good opportunity to get your copy signed by them as well.

I will also be giving a talk about how this book came to be, and the selection process (an update) for the next two volumes.

BlackRock Center for the Arts
12901 Town Commons Drive
Germantown, MD 20874

301.528.2260 (administrative offices)
301.528.2266 (fax)
info@blackrockcenter.org (e-mail)

See ya there!

Call for Artists: Bethesda Painting Awards

Deadline: Submissions must be received by Friday, February 24, 2012

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is currently accepting applications for the seventh annual Bethesda Painting Awards. Up to nine finalists will be selected to display their work in an exhibition during the month of June at Gallery B in downtown Bethesda, and the top four winners will receive $14,000 in prize monies.

Best in Show will be awarded $10,000; Second Place will be honored with $2,000 and Third Place will receive $1,000. Additionally, a “Young Artist” whose birthday is after February 24, 1982 may be awarded $1,000. Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C.

All original 2-D paintings including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, encaustic and mixed media will be accepted. The maximum dimensions should not exceed 60 inches in width or 84 inches in height. No reproductions. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years and must be available for the duration of the exhibit.

Each artist must submit either 5 slides, application and a non-refundable fee of $25. Digital entries will be accepted on CD in JPG, GIF or PNG format.

For a complete application, please visit www.bethesda.org, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Bethesda Painting Awards
c/o Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District
7700 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814

Or call 301-215-6660 x117.

Mitt's Mexican Dad

"White House hopeful Mitt Romney rarely mentions a key fact as he works to woo Hispanics ahead of Tuesday's Republican presidential nominating contest in Florida -- his own Mexican heritage."

I mentioned this back in 2008, but read the more recent update to the story here.

And if we follow the silly definitions of "Hispanic" or "Latino", then Romney qualifies, since his father was born in a Latin American country, and could be the GOP's second "Hispanic" Presidential candidate!

Uh? Well... you see, since John McCain was actually born in Panama...

Makes my head hurt.

Emilio Sánchez

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

See and judge them here.

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

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

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

Just sayin' ...

Book Signing

There will be a book signing for my 100 Artists of Washington, DC book on February 16 from 6:30 - 8:30PM at the gorgeous BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, Maryland.

Bring your own book (buy it at Amazon here) or get a copy from me at the Center (it will be cheaper at Amazon).

Many of the artists in the book will be there, so this is also a good opportunity to get your copy signed by them as well.

I will also be giving a talk about how this book came to be, and the selection process (an update) for the next two volumes.

BlackRock Center for the Arts
12901 Town Commons Drive
Germantown, MD 20874

301.528.2260 (administrative offices)
301.528.2266 (fax)
info@blackrockcenter.org (e-mail)

See ya there!

Call for Artists: Bethesda Painting Awards

Deadline: Submissions must be received by Friday, February 24, 2012

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is currently accepting applications for the seventh annual Bethesda Painting Awards. Up to nine finalists will be selected to display their work in an exhibition during the month of June at Gallery B in downtown Bethesda, and the top four winners will receive $14,000 in prize monies.

Best in Show will be awarded $10,000; Second Place will be honored with $2,000 and Third Place will receive $1,000. Additionally, a “Young Artist” whose birthday is after February 24, 1982 may be awarded $1,000. Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C.

All original 2-D paintings including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, encaustic and mixed media will be accepted. The maximum dimensions should not exceed 60 inches in width or 84 inches in height. No reproductions. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years and must be available for the duration of the exhibit.

Each artist must submit either 5 slides, application and a non-refundable fee of $25. Digital entries will be accepted on CD in JPG, GIF or PNG format.

For a complete application, please visit www.bethesda.org, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Bethesda Painting Awards
c/o Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District
7700 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814

Or call 301-215-6660 x117.

Dennis Ritchie

You just gotta read this...

Read it here and then read the comments.

Smithsonian Institution being investigated by Congress

The Committee on House Administration has initiated an investigation into trips to Cuba sponsored by the taxpayer-funded Smithsonian Institution as part of a cultural exchange program.

On Friday, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, praised House Administration Committee Chairman Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) for looking into the matter, which she publicly drew attention to earlier this month.

Read the article by Debbie Siegelbaum here.

Why is Ros-Lehtinen (who is Cuban-American) doing this? Read that here.

Margaret Bowland and the Stolen Painting - Part II

Remember the whole saga two years ago of how New Mexico art dealer Klaudia Marr allegedly conned the National Portrait Gallery to ship a painting by New York artist Margaret Bowland to a third party who apparently had paid Marr for the painting, even though, according to Bowland, Marr and Bowland had ended their relationship (and Bowland had earlier notified the NPG of this, and claims she has never received a penny from the painting's alleged sale).

Portrait of Kenyetta and Brianna, Oil on linen, 2008. 80 x 72 in. (203.2 x 182.9 cm) by Margaret Bowland
Read this article in the New York Daily News by John Mazulli about a law suit Bowland has filed against the NPG over the loss of her painting. I have obtained a copy of the complaint filed in Federal Court in Brooklyn and it is reproduced below:

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
_____________________________________
:MARGARET BOWLAND HARRIS,
:(A.K.A.) MARGARET BOWLAND,
:Case No : _____________
:Plaintiff,
:
:v.
:COMPLAINT
:PURSUANT TO THE FEDERAL TORT CLAIMS ACT 28 U.S.C. 1346(b) & 2671-2680
:Defendants.
:THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION &
THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY,
_____________________________________

Plaintiff, by and through counsel, alleges as follows:

PARTIES, JURISDICTION & VENUE

1. Margaret Bowland Harris (“the artist”) lives and has a studio in Kings County, Brooklyn, NY. The artist’s professional name, under which she shows her paintings and is known to the public is Margaret Bowland.
2. The National Portrait Gallery and its parent organization The Smithsonian Institution, both located in Washington, D. C. are two of the most prominent museums and cultural forces in the United States. Both organizations are a part of the United States government.
3. This Court has jurisdiction over this matter and venue is proper because the artist’s residence in Kings County, NY is within the
jurisdiction of this Court. 28 U.S.C. 1402(b) & 1346 (a).
4. The artist initiated her claim by filing a Standard Form 95
with the office of the General Counsel of the National Portrait Gallery on January 12, 2011. This date is within two years of the date of the incident or occurrences which form the basis of this claim.
5. The artist was notified on July`22, 2011 by the Office of the General Counsel of the Smithsonian Institution that her claim had been denied.
6. All preconditions for an action based on the Federal Tort Claims Act having been established, the artist then timely filed this
Complaint.

THE PAINTING AND THE PORTRAIT COMPETITION

7. The artist created a painting in oils on canvas entitled “Portrait of Kenyetta and Brianna,” (“the painting”). The painting is approximately six feet six inches tall and six feet wide and depicts three life size female figures.
8. The painting was exhibited at the Klaudia Marr Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico from October 17, 2008 to November 29, 2008.
9. The Klaudia Marr Gallery was owned and operated by Klaudia Marr (“Marr”).
10. On or about November 15, 2008, the artist was notified that the painting had been selected for the Outwin Boocheever Portrait Competition at the National Portrait Gallery (“the NPG”) in Washington D. C.
11. The NPG sent a shipper to pick up the painting at the Klaudia Marr Gallery and deliver it to the NPG on or about November 29, 2008.
12. The artist signed an Incoming Loan Agreement (“the agreement”) dated November 29, 2008 with the NPG. The period of the loan was March 1, 2009 to October 1, 2010.
13. On February 26, 2009, in an email to both the artist and Marr, the NPG stated that Marr had acknowledged that the artist was the legal owner of the painting. Marr never objected to the statement by the NPG that the artist was the legal owner of the painting.
14. The exhibition of paintings from the NPG portrait competition (the exhibition”) opened on October 23, 2009 and ran almost one year, closing on August 29, 2010. The painting was named one of six finalists in the competition and at the end of the show was awarded “The People’s Choice Award.”

THE RETURN OF THE PAINTING

15. Under the terms of the agreement, the painting was to be released by the NPG at the end of the exhibition only to the lender (the artist) unless the NPG was timely notified otherwise in writing by the lender.
16. The artist never notified or authorized the NPG to release the
painting to anyone other than her.
17. Under the terms of the agreement, in case of any change in legal ownership of the painting during the period of the loan, the new owner shall give the NPG legal proof of such a change as soon as possible.
18. The NPG never received notice or legal proof that the ownership of the painting had changed from the artist to anyone else.
19. The credit line used by the NPG during the exhibition and in the catalogue of the exhibition was “From the collection of the artist.”
20. As the exhibition drew to a close, the NPG sent the artist two emails about returning the painting. These emails were sent to an email address that the artist had not used for over a year instead of to the email address the artist had been using for numerous emails between herself and the NPG during the past year. The artist did not receive the emails sent to the old address.
21. The NPG had the artist’s telephone number and street address but did not try to contact her through them. The artist never received any U. S. mail, overnight delivery service mail or telephone calls from the NPG about to whom the painting should be sent.
22. The NPG sent a “carbon copy” to Marr of its second email to the artist on August 27, 2010.
23. Not quite nine hours after the NPG cc’ed Marr with its email to the artist, Marr sent an email to the NPG directing that the painting be sent directly to her client, David Naylor of Santa Fe, New Mexico (Naylor).
24. Despite these facts: that during the exhibition the painting had been credited as being “From the collection of the artist;” that the artist had never authorized the NPG to send the painting to anybody but herself; that the NPG had never received any notice or proof that the painting had an owner other than the artist; and that, once the NPG attempted to confirm where the painting should be sent, the NPG had never contacted the artist by telephone, U. S or overnight mail or by the current email address in its possession, NPG shipped the painting to Naylor.
25. When the artist learned that Naylor had the painting, she contacted him several times in an attempt to either get the painting back or to receive payment for it. Naylor claimed to have already paid Marr for the painting, and to date he has neither returned the painting nor paid the artist anything for it.
26. Marr has never paid the artist anything for the painting.

FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION
BREACH OF CONTRACT

27. By signing the Agreement, the NPG was contractually responsible for returning the painting to the artist.
28. The NPG was in breach of the Agreement when it shipped the painting to Naylor.
29. As a consequence of the NPG’s breach of contract, the artist has been deprived of a valuable work of art which lawfully belonged to her.

SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION
NEGLIGENCE

31. The NPG owed the artist a duty of care to insure that the painting be returned to the proper person.

32. The NPG failed to take reasonable steps to insure that the painting was shipped to the proper person.
33. Failure to take reasonable steps to insure that the painting be returned to the proper person makes the NPG negligent in its duties to the artist.
34. As a result of the NPG’s negligence toward the artist, the artist has been damaged by being deprived of a valuable work of art which is lawfully hers.

WHEREFORE, plaintiff requests this Court to award compensatory damage of $100,000, against the United States of America, the Smithsonian Institute and the National Portrait Gallery and such other and further relief as appears reasonable.

Dated: January 19, 2012
New York, NY

Update: Read Court House News take on the issue here.

Update 2: Read an almost personal attack on Bowland by Julia Halperin in ArtInfo.com here

Book Signing

There will be a book signing for my 100 Artists of Washington, DC book on February 16 from 6:30 - 8:30PM at the gorgeous BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, Maryland.

Bring your own book (buy it at Amazon here) or get a copy from me at the Center (it will be cheaper at Amazon).

Many of the artists in the book will be there, so this is also a good opportunity to get your copy signed by them as well.

I will also be giving a talk about how this book came to be, and the selection process (an update) for the next two volumes.

BlackRock Center for the Arts
12901 Town Commons Drive
Germantown, MD 20874

301.528.2260 (administrative offices)
301.528.2266 (fax)
info@blackrockcenter.org (e-mail)

See ya there!

Zhang Daqian Surpasses Picasso As Top Auction Earner

Chinese artist Zhang Daqian has knocked Picasso from a very high pedestal.

The artist generated $506.7 million from auctions in 2011 alone. Close behind the best-seller was another Chinese artist, Qi Baishi. Warhol was third ($324.8 million) and Picasso ($311.6 million) -- the former top seller -- took fourth. Another Chinese artist, Xu Beihong rounded out the top five with $212.9 million in sales.

Read the whole story here.

New book for 2012?

Just stirring to get a new art book out for 2012... all the stuff has to be done in 2-3 months in order to get a end of year publication.

For 100 Artists of Washington, DC I turned all the material into the publisher by August 2010, and yet the book didn't come out until April of the next year!

By the way, there will be a book signing on February 16, 2012 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m at the BlackRock Arts Center in Germantown.

This is how you do it!

As constant readers know, I often post and bust online art scammers on DC Art News. But now artist and anti art scam samurai Katie Moe has taken the blade directly to the ever growing business of scamming artists out of their artwork.

Her blog Stop Art Scams deserves constant visits.., visit her online here.

Wilmar Villar Mendoza: Another Hero Dies

On Thursday evening, Wilmar Villar Mendoza died pursuant to a 56-day hunger strike protesting his unjust imprisonment by the brutal and murderous Castro regime.

He was imprisoned on November 2, 2011, after participating in a peaceful demonstration calling for freedom, human rights and democracy.

Wilmar was charged with “contempt” and sentenced to four years in prison in a hearing that lasted less than an hour.

Here's a picture of Wilmar during the peaceful demonstration (the "crime" according to the Castro regime) that cost him his life.

The sign reads "No More Lies."

From Human Rights Watch:

Prison guards placed Villar Mendoza in solitary confinement after he initiated the hunger strike on November 25, his wife said. He told his wife he was stripped naked and placed in solitary confinement in a small, cold cell. The last time she was allowed to visit her husband was on December 29, she said.

Read that report here.

In an official statement, President Obama said:

President Obama’s thoughts and prayers are with the wife, family, and friends of Wilmar Villar, a young and courageous defender of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba who launched a hunger strike to protest his incarceration and succumbed to pneumonia.

Villar’s senseless death highlights the ongoing repression of the Cuban people and the plight faced by brave individuals standing up for the universal rights of all Cubans. The United States will not waver in our support for the liberty of the Cuban people. We will remain steadfast in our outreach to the Cuban people through unlimited Cuban American family visits and remittances, purposeful travel, and humanitarian assistance to dissidents and their families in support of their legitimate desire to freely determine Cuba’s future.

Lucy, Desi and Fidel

Below are three shots of "Lucy, Desi and Fidel." Charcoal, conte, LCD screen and Powerpoint presentation on paper. 3.5 x 13 inches framed to 16 x 26 inches.

Update: This piece is now in the collection of a major art collector in Miami Beach, Florida!

Cody Calamaio on Jesse Cohen

The Gazette's Cody Calamaio has a very cool profile piece on even cooler and good bud Jesse Cohen, the founder, driver and soul of artdc.org, now with over 2,400 members.

Read the piece here.

Drawing meet Powerpoint


A work in progress; the alternate Universe story so far:

We're sometime in the late 1950s, and late one night, Cuban actor and band leader Desi Arnaz, one half of the "I Love Lucy" TV super hit heads home to discover his wife, the gorgeous and talented Lucille Ball, in the arms of a fellow Cuban, soon to become an icon himself, if because of more brutal causes. In the background, a B&W TV set from the period plays scenes from "I Love Lucy."

Artomatic Returns to Crystal City in 2012!

Wooo Hoo!

The DMV's most spectacular art energy generator,Artomatic, returns to Crystal City in 2012 for their unique, massive, liberal and most Democratic free arts event, to be held in the biggest Artomatic building ever, from May 18 - June 24.

Artomatic will partner with the Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID) to transform the Transwestern Presidential Tower at 2511 S. Clark St. in Crystal City into a vibrant arts community that celebrates creativity and creates a unique and exciting event for tens of thousands of visitors - all free to visit.

Registration information to exhibit work at Artomatic will be available soon. Meanwhile, check it all out here.

Bethesda Artist Market

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is looking for local and regional artists to display and sell their fine art and fine craft during the Bethesda Artist Market. This year’s Market will take place on three Saturdays this summer: June 9, July 14 and August 11.

· Each artist must submit five images of their work and one image of their booth.

· The images must be representative of the work the artist plans to exhibit at the Bethesda Artist Market.

· A non-refundable entry fee of $15 must accompany the application.

· A $50 booth fee will be required for each Market the artist attends, due after artist is accepted into the show.

Apply online here. If you would like a mail-in application, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

Valerie Hillman
Bethesda Urban Partnership
7700 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814

Free Seminar Booked

On February 11, 2012 from 1-5pm, The Brentwood Arts Exchange and I will be once again hosting my well-known “Bootcamp for Artists” seminar at no cost to the artists.

As I predicted, the seminar is now fully booked. If you are still interested in signing up, contact them at 301-277-2863 / fax. 301-277-2865 / tty. 301-446-6802 and you'll be put on a waiting list.

If you love beauty

Then see this...

Arty Bollocks Generator

Just visit this for your instant "artist statement".

Gopnik on art prices

A pile of stools for $575,000. A cabinet full of surgical instruments for a cool $2.5 million. The global economy’s in a tailspin, but among the world’s elite collectors, works are selling for record prices.

Why Is Art So Damned Expensive? asks former WaPo art critic Blake Gopnik in Newsweek; read the Gopnikmeister here.

Call for Artists: Bethesda Painting Awards

Deadline: Submissions must be received by Friday, February 24, 2012

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is currently accepting applications for the seventh annual Bethesda Painting Awards. Up to nine finalists will be selected to display their work in an exhibition during the month of June at Gallery B in downtown Bethesda, and the top four winners will receive $14,000 in prize monies.

Best in Show will be awarded $10,000; Second Place will be honored with $2,000 and Third Place will receive $1,000. Additionally, a “Young Artist” whose birthday is after February 24, 1982 may be awarded $1,000. Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C.

All original 2-D paintings including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, encaustic and mixed media will be accepted. The maximum dimensions should not exceed 60 inches in width or 84 inches in height. No reproductions. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years and must be available for the duration of the exhibit.

Each artist must submit either 5 slides, application and a non-refundable fee of $25. Digital entries will be accepted on CD in JPG, GIF or PNG format.

For a complete application, please visit www.bethesda.org, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Bethesda Painting Awards
c/o Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District
7700 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814

Or call 301-215-6660 x117.

Cirenaica Moreira

Just had a wonderful few days with the amazing Cuban photographer Cirenaica Moreira (whom we represent), who was one of the invited guest photographers for the National Geographic Magazine prestigious annual Photography Seminar.

"La Libertad es una palabra enorme" [Freedom is a huge word] by Cirenaica Moreira
In addition to Cirenaica Moreira, the seminar included presentations by David LaChapelle with Robert Draper, Kitra Cahana, Gillian Laub, Paolo Pellegrin with Anthony Bannon, Robin Schwartz, and Anthony Suau of Facing Change.

This was Moreira's first ever trip to Washington, DC, although she has exhibited around the DMV widely (read Lou Jacobson's review in the Washington City Paper eight years ago here.

Moreira's discussion of her work, and the natural curiosity that people feel towards Cuba and all things Cuban elicited a lot of good questions from the audience, including several questions that someone who has to return to that brutal dictatorship simply cannot answer for fear of who may be in the audience. This is one gutsy and talented photographer; check out her photographs here.


That's me in the center, with Cirenaica's husband Aurelio to my right and Cirenaica (who bears a striking resemblance to former WaPo art critic Jessica Dawson) to my left, and one of Moreira's photographs - part of the Campello collection - on the wall behind us

Armory Week

Help! Any DMV galleries or dealers that are doing any of the NYC art fairs during Armory Week: send me an email with details, as I have a national art magazine who wants me to write an article focused on DMV galleries in NYC during the fair week.

Deadline in a week: Hurry!

Viva La Revolución Big F-Up!

The company that manufactures Mercedes-Benz luxury cars unleashed outrage among Cuban-Americans in Miami and other cities on Thursday for using the image of Argentine revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara to promote their vehicles.

Read the whole story here.

Free Seminar for Artists

On February 11, 2012 from 1-5pm, The Brentwood Arts Exchange and I will be once again hosting my well-known “Bootcamp for Artists” seminar at no cost to the artists.

This seminar is suitable for all visual artists interested in taking their careers to the next level.

Ever wondered how to maximize the attention your work gets from the press, galleries, and museum curators? How to present your work in a professional manner and save money in the process? How to tap into grants, awards and residencies? How to approach a gallery?

Then this is the seminar for you! This program is free, but space is limited to 40 persons, and last year lots of artists were turned away because it filled up so quickly! You can sign online here.

This program will be held in MNCPPC’s Brentwood Arts Exchange on the 1st Floor of the Gateway Arts Center, 3901 Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood, MD 20722, just over the District line on Rhode Island Avenue.

See ya there!

Four free WPA Memberships

An anonymous donor is offering a free 1-year membership to Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) to four local artists in the DC/metro area. To receive further information or submit your request for consideration, please contact Carolina Salvador at poetsdaughter27@gmail.com.

This is a very generous offer. I have been a member of the WPA for decades and the WPA offers its artist-members some very valuable resources; if you are not already a member, I strongly recommend that you join it.

I hope over time this pledge idea will gain traction among members, donors and other supporters so that more and more artists may join WPA at no initial cost.

A UPI photo of the year!

Congrats to DMV area photog Colin Winterbottom, who if of course not only a highly talented photog, but also one of the artists in my 100 Artists of Washington, DC book, which as someone just unfortunately found out last night (when they needed an emergency copy for some odd reason) is not in stock at Kramers Books in Dupont Circle (what's up with that Kramers?).

Anyway, back on focus: Congrats to Colin, as United Press International has just selected one of his photographs as one of one of its News Photos of the Year for 2011.

Colin took the award winning photograph (I'll have it here later today) from the top of the Washington Monument while working under commission from Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. and the photo was publicly released by the National Park Service in the fall.

Our Small Rooms

Two D.C. artists, Michele Banks and Kendall Nordin, whose work "focus on the delicacy and complexity of autonomic cellular processes: Banks through jewel-toned watercolors, and Nordin via a site-specific mixed-media installation" opened tonight at the gorgeous Open Gallery at the Cafritz Arts Center, Montgomery College, and I've already heard some good things about it.

The show goes through March 9, 2012 and the reception is Feb. 9; more details here.

Open Gallery
Cafritz Arts Center, Montgomery College
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Location: The Open Gallery is on the ground floor of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center located at 930 King Street on the west side of the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus. Parking is available in the West Garage, located immediately behind the center. For more information: Call 240-567-5821 or visit this website.

Calls for Entry: Experimental Media 2012

Interactive Installation Deadline: Friday, January 13, 5pm
Video Screening Deadline: Friday, February 10, 5pm

Curators: Max Kazemzadeh, Assistant Professor of Media Art & Technology, Gallaudet University and Jonah Brucker-Cohen, Assistant Professor at Parsons MFA in Design and Technology and Parsons School of Art, Design, History, and Theory.

Washington Project for the Arts is currently accepting submissions for two open calls as part of Experimental Media 2012. Consisting of an exhibition of interactive installation works, a video screening program, and a series of workshops, Experimental Media 2012 will explore recent developments in the field of art and technology, including the growth of open source software and hardware, the emergence of grassroots do-it-yourself hacker communities, and the increasing ubiquity of networked devices in daily life. While highlighting the creative potential of this new technology, Experimental Media 2012 also seeks projects that explore the broader social and cultural implications of these rapid changes.

Experimental Media 2012: Exhibition Component

Exhibition Dates: April 12 - May 20, 2012
Location: Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA, 22209
Submission Deadline: Friday, January 13, 5pm
Download the full call here
Submit Online here