The curious case of the blowback on the City Paper's Nesbett interview

As first detailed in this post, it all started a while back with DMV artist Barbara Januszkiewicz  noticing and asking a Facebook question about the annual Washington Projects for the Arts fundraising Gala auction (disclaimer: I’ve been part of this auction multiple times in the past). You can catch up on that issue/question here.

Subsequently, and as a result of the nearly 2,000 comments that Barbara’s question received, the Washington City Paper’s freelance scribe Kriston Capps conducted an interview with the WPA’s newish Executive Director Peter Nesbett.  The interview initially missed the key question, but that question was subsequently added in a revised version of the interview, which can be read online here.

I then commented on Nesbett’s answers in this post, essentially noting that Nesbett had missed a golden opportunity to use the Facebook commenting as a perfect way to start a constructive dialogue with the WPA’s artists’ members. Instead he doubled down on his perception that the Janus Facebook post was as triggered as result of Barbara’s personal issues with him, and his public criticism of her work. You can read that post here.

Following the Capps’ interview, the Facebook attention shifted to what many commenters considered Nesbett’s massive foot-in-mouth answer and inexplicable introduction of the race and age card into the discussion.

And not for the first time… cough, cough… DMV artists also began to find issue with Capps’ interview, which many opined only showed one side and failed to present a response from the person (Barbara J) who was essentially being somewhat attacked with claims of aggressive emailing (to Nesbett).

Subsequently a new FB thread focused on Capps and asked:

 Art coverage, Kriston Capps. Some questions.  

Can we talk about Ethical Standards for the Media?

 How do most reporters correct mistakes?

 Are they to be accountable to the public for the fairness and accuracy of in what they write. Should they correct mistakes promptly? Should they take responsibility for decisions and consider the possible consequences of their writing and actions

 respecting the laws of the country and the principles of freedom of the press?

 Should writers who post on blogs could they be providing accurate and balanced reporting, substantiating facts and figures, identifying sources and clearly identifying between fact and rumor?

Criticism of Capps’ article mounted in several comments, as well as some defenders, one noting that:

“There's a lot being asked of a 2000-word interview that earned the author $15 (WCP blog freelance piece fare).

 

At the least you got Nesbitt, on record, outside of Facebook, doubling down on putting his foot in his mouth, and then miraculously sticking a second foot in his mouth.

But, let's not overlook the original substance of all of this: Barbara's legit criticism of the auction, and questions from others on auction functions, to which Nesbitt answered Capps' summary of questions.

Given the response, should future issues occur, I'm guessing the author won't bother with the $15. And everyone will be left wondering, "why is no one writing about this?"

That’s a great point, which shifts Capps’ interview flaws (more on that later) by highlighting the fact that it was via this WCP interview that Nesbett truly stepped on his crank big time.

As I myself noted in the FB comments, I think that the main issue with Capps’ interview is that as soon as (in a "subjective" newspaper article… awright, an “interview”) a point of view (in this case from the interviewee) says something or claims something (or in this case: accuses) about the other side (in this case a person... in the Capps' case Nesbett about Barbara's "aggressive emails") , then one would expect the journo to approach the second person and see about the triggering comment/accusation (is this true Barbara???)

Especially since Barbara’s has stated in various FB comments and separately that this allegation is false, and yet, no one contacted her to verify or get her comments on what Nesbett claims was the main trigger point for the complaint (sour grapes).

It is bad journalism, but arguably passable for just an "interview"by a freelancer done for fifteen bucks… cough, cough.... I can't jump on Capps too much for this... but it is a missed golden opportunity!

Especially when compared to this article in the HudsonValley-Times, where writer Paul Smart does a brilliant job of reporting on Nesbett’s strange experience with the  Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild.  It is not an interview, of course, but Smart does a damned good job of documenting all the strange allegations against Nesbett as well as his point of view and responses. That article ends with the Guild’s President noting that “It’s frightening for me to think of how many people out there were frightened by his words…”

Now More Than Ever

The Last Picasso

"Picasso" by F. Lennox Campello
Limited edition stone lithograph, c. 1980. 5x5 inches.
Done as an assignment at Univ. of Washington School of Art.

Jobs in the Arts

Assistant Director


The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is seeking an Assistant Director at the Brentwood Arts Exchange. Under general supervision of the Director, performs a wide variety of professional work to assist in managing a multi-faceted arts facility that includes a gallery, concerts, youth and adult classes, and fine craft retail. Performs numerous tasks in support of the following job functions: supervises facility operations; participates in planning, organizing and implementing community based arts programs; provides marketing, public relations, and volunteer coordination; assists in exhibition installation; participates in budget formulation; supervises designated staff; maintains administrative records cash reports; coordinates externally and internally to perform special project work in surrounding communities; serves in the absence of director; performs other related duties. Facility operates six days per week. Works varying hours, which may include extended hours, evenings, and weekends.


This is the direct website here.


This is the shorter URL for the job search page, but the job isn’t listed under Arts, it’s only under Facility Management. http://agency.governmentjobs.com/mncppc/default.cfm/


Gallery Assistant


The Brentwood Arts Exchange is seeking a motivated individual who is passionate about the arts for a part time position as a Gallery Assistant. Job duties include but are not limited to the following:
 
· Providing customer service in person and over the phone including retail sales and class registrations
· Assisting with installation of art exhibitions, including basic wall patching and painting, basic art handling and packaging.
· Routine office duties such as, copying, filing, data entry, and record keeping
· Hosting at special events
· Maintaining the cleanliness of all areas of the facility, set up and clean for classes and events


This is an entry-level position with no experience required. The position holder must be able to lift and move up to 25 lbs. and be available to work evenings and weekends. The successful candidate will be outgoing and self-motivated to learn about gallery operations through hands-on work performing the duties above. Positive qualities in consideration for this position include the ability to communicate in Spanish, experience working in a retail environment, knowledge of craft media and techniques, and familiarity with the safe handling of art objects.


Email a resume and a brief cover letter to Phil Davis, Director phil.davis@pgparks.com.

Call for Artists: VSA Emerging Young Arts Program

Deadline: 5/3/17


Apply here


About VSA Emerging Young Arts Program
Since 2002, the Kennedy Center and Volkswagen Group of America have teamed up for the VSA Emerging Young Artists Program, a Jean Kennedy Smith Arts and Disability Program, to recognize and showcase the work of emerging young artists with disabilities, ages 16-25, who are residing in the United States.
Electrify! Theme
Art should excite our senses, awaken our curiosity, and electrify our very being. It has the ability to invigorate and empower the artist and viewer alike, but just as important, art can spark empathy and ignite understanding. We’re seeking artwork that is charged with ideas, art that acts as a conduit for creative reflection on the past, explores the “now,” and invokes a future full of possibility and inclusivity. 
Awards
Fifteen winning artists share a total of $60,000 in awards. Grand Prize is $20,000, First Prize is $10,000, Second Prize is $6,000, and the remaining Awards of Excellence are $2,000 each. Winners will exhibit their selected artwork in a year-long, nationally touring exhibition, and attend an all-expenses-paid professional development workshop in Washington, DC.
Application Process
The applications deadline is May 3, 2017 and winners will be announced in mid-June, 2017. Artwork will be judged by a panel of experts in the field of visual arts who will be looking for artwork that demonstrates a high level of skill, expresses original ideas, and reflects the Electrify! theme. To request an accommodation or receive the application materials in an alternate format, contact Anne-Marie Walsh, awalsh@kennedy-center.org, at least two weeks prior to the submission deadline.
Eligibility
- Artist must be between the ages of 16 and 25 on May 3, 2017 at 11:59 pm.
- Artist must reside in the United States.
- Artist must have a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Note: artist must be comfortable identifying as a person and artist with a disability.
Selected applicants will be asked to submit documents proving the above eligibility requirements prior to advancing to round 3 of adjudication. Eligibility documents include the following:
Proof of disability
This is usually a letter from a doctor or other healthcare professional identifying the applicant’s disability(s). The document does not have to be recent but must state the nature of the disability. Other proof of disability is accepted, such as a statement from a reputable disability association or organization, professional counselor, Individualized Education Program (IEP) documents, or a letter from the head of the IEP team.
Proof of Age
Provide a copy of a government issued ID, such as a passport, birth certificate, or driver's license. To be eligible you need to have been between the ages of 16 and 25 on May 3, 2017.
Proof of US Residence
You do not have to be a US citizen, but you do need to be residing in the United States. Proof of US residency could be a letter from a teacher or professor, a lease or utility bill in your name, a note from an employer, or another official document indicating that you are currently living in the United States.
Other Requirements
- Artwork submitted must be completed within the last 3 years, and after the onset of disability.
- Previous Emerging Young Artist Program award winners are not eligible to apply.
- Submitted artwork must be able to withstand handling, storage, and transportation.
- 2-Dimensional artwork cannot exceed 60 inches in height or width.
- 3-Dimensional artwork cannot exceed 48 inches in any direction when packed for shipping.
- All art forms eligible including but not limited to painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, textile, video, and digital.
- Applicant must be the sole creator and owner of all artwork submitted.
- Work that suggests visual plagiarism, such as direct copy of another artists’ work, will not be accepted.

Why write an artist's Bio?

An artist bio is often the first piece of information available to readers and collectors, and as such it offers you a chance to frame their practice and give collectors a reason to want to learn more. Bios also drive search engine optimization (SEO). When returning search results, Google and other search engines privilege written content that is “sticky” (i.e. readers spend time on the page and continue browsing), so providing an engaging, well-written bio is a great way to increase discoverability for your artists.
These are the three cornerstones—tried, tested, and used today by our writers at Artsy—of the perfect artist bio:

Read the rest of the piece by Jessica Backus here. 

Washington Glass School Job Opportunity

From the Washington Glass School:

Washington Glass School is excited to announce the hiring of a new full-time glass studio manager.  Warm Glass Studio Coordinator

WGS seeks a creative and energetic manager and teacher for a kiln cast glass studio in Mt. Rainier, Md. right outside Washington, DC.  Washington Glass School is a private art studio which focuses on warm glass and mixed media sculpture. 

The glass studio has several missions: 

1) Engaging the surrounding metro area with large scale community involved public art works.

2) Teaching kiln casting classes and others that support our sculptural mission. 

3) Production work for several artists who are based here, including acrylic /resin casting and mold making. Candidate cannot be allergic to these.

The Glass Studio Manager will be responsible for communicating with all of these audiences and ensuring that the studio is serving their needs.

We are looking for someone who is equally excited about glass education, mold making, acrylic casting, glassmaking, and managing and promoting the studio. The Glass Studio Manager should be self-starter who can independently manage studio activities, as well as collaborate closely with WGS’s staff on an overall strategic vision for the organization and its execution in the glass studio. 

Responsibilities:

• Serve as a public face for WGS: act as primary liaison for renters, answer calls and emails about studio, interact with visitors, and attend events on behalf of WGS

• Oversee all activities in the glass studio, including managing studio calendar, scheduling and working with renters, designing and managing classes and demos.

• Manage and assist several artists principles with their work

• Travel to international art fairs to represent WGS artists, with duties including show set-up, sales, packing, shipping, and take down 

• Manage studio inventory and purchase materials and tools as needed 


• Help oversee and fabricate large scale public art pieces, including community involvement workshops

• Attend weekly staff meetings and monthly teaching artist meetings 

Qualifications: 

• BA or BFA with a concentration in glass or life experience equivalent

* Experience managing a glass studio would be helpful

• Understanding of a range of kiln making processes.

• Good written and oral communications skills; ability to interact with all of the audiences at WGS. Intelligence is better than brawn!

• Ability to work as a part of a team while working independently on projects to meet multiple deadlines

* Candidate should very much want to further their own art career and would benefit from their time here. 

* Metal welding, acrylic casting and electronic wiring background would be helpful, but candidate can be trained in this.

* Speed is of the essence here on projects. Speed, staying on task and attention to detail are paramount. Hopefully someone who will treat each work as their own for quality control.

The Glass Studio Manager is a 35/40-hour/week position, including some evening and weekend events. Salary is commensurate with experience. It includes both an hourly salary and teaching bonuses. This is an extremely busy studio. Much of our work goes straight from here to galleries and museums. 

As tough as this job can be, there are rewards as well. Benefits include health insurance and kiln time at WGS as well as use of all equipment and a dedicated work area for your own art. Access to all equipment and materials at cost. 

WGS is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

To apply, please submit a cover letter telling us why you might be a good fit, your resume, and images of past work to TimTateGlass@aol.com.

At the Katzen

April 6 at 6 PM

Gallery Talk and Reception with Frida Larios at AU's Katzen Museum.

Hosted by the Embassy of El Salvador, the evening includes remarks by Ambassador Claudia Ivette Canjura de Centeno, a discussion with the artist Frida Larios, and a reception with tastes of Central America.

Details here.

The curious case of the WPA and the race (and age) card

A while back, I discussed the curious case of DMV artist Barbara Januszkiewicz posing a question on Facebook about the Washington Project for the Art's Gala auction - a question which then received several hundred comments from all sort of DMV area artists and a rather harsh one from the WPA's Executive Director; you can read that post here.

In his response, Peter Nesbett (the WPA's ED) included this comment:

Also it is worth noting to the rest of you that the O has a bit of an axe to grind with me because when pressed by her on numerous occasions to visit her studio and to take a group show she had curated (that included her own work), I told her that I didn't really understand what she was up to in her work because it seemed to ape the work of others a-critically, and for that reason I didn't understand its value. So that is possibly what spurred her post. Who knows. I think it is important to be honest with each other so we don't waste each other's time.

Like many other commenters on the Facebook comment thread, I took exception to Nesbett using that public forum to personally criticize the originator's artwork, and suggested that he should (a) apologize to Barbara Januszkiewicz and (b) use the opportunity presented by the hundreds of commenters to perhaps host a discussion forum on the issue and involve the artist members of the WPA in a constructive dialogue. I noted in the FB comments:

With all due respect, I am a somewhat disturbed that the director of an artists' driven organization takes an open forum to personally criticize the artwork of one of its members - who by the way, as the intense series of comments testify to, has asked a very valid and clearly "needed" question. That is, if one is to judge that by the passion of the comments and thoughts. But what bothers me is that were one to also mimic your viewpoint of "ape the work of others a-critically", then I'd challenge anyone with a simple understanding of art history to not "see" a dozen artists in any and every group show on the planet, any major art fair, and any WPA Gala, regurgitating the concepts and ideas of others who came before them, which in an era of postmodernism - where anything and everything is art - I thought was not an issue... In fact it is often refreshing, as when in this year's WPA Gala I see Chuck Close, Basquiat, Jerry Uelsmann, Goldsworthy, etc. being channeled into new work. It is clear to me that this question poses an opportunity for the WPA to host a panel/discussion on the subject, and it is also clear to me that you owe Barbara Januszkiewicz an apology for angling the discussion to a personal angle... Respectfully, Lenny Campello

Subsequently, at least two local art establishments (Artists and Makers' Studios and Otis Street Project), volunteered their spaces to host a discussion on the subject.


By the way, local artists complaining about the role of the WPA in the DMV is hardly new - as Michael O'Sullivan noted in this 1997 Washington Post story:

[An arts promoter and a jewelry maker] approached a reporter with a press release, revealing that the exaggerated bidding was the scheme of 42 local art supporters, each of whom had ponied up $20 in an attempt to draw attention to their claim that the WPA and its auction have strayed from the original mission."In the past," the statement read, "The Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) seemed focused on promoting new art and artists not represented by galleries. The auction was an excellent way to showcase these new artists while engaging the public's participation. Unfortunately, we now see almost the same artists and collectors year after year."
In addition to the lack of new blood, the consortium also complained about the auction's steep new $125 admission price, which kept many of its members from participating.
"This is about inclusivity and emerging art. It's not about Erick Jackson or artificially inflating the price of his work," said [one of the organizers], who along with her husband... came up with the protest as a form of "conceptual art."

Back to the present: Triggered by the sheer amount of comments on the issue, the Washington City Paper's art scribe and fan boy of the DMV art scene, Kriston Capps interviewed Nesbett on the auction issue and the artists' reactions to it. In the original post, Capps incredibly managed to somehow skip over or miss the row over Nesbett's comment that Januszkiewicz's motive for the post was possibly related to Nesbett ignoring her work/request for a studio visit.
Thus, when the WCP interview was noticed by the FB commenters, it was immediately noticed (and commented on) that Capps had missed 50% of the issue... someone must have brought this up to the attention of the former Grammar Policeman, because subsequently an expanded interview included this question as the first question:

City Paper: Some artists in the Facebook community are upset about a critical exchange you had with Barbara Januszkiewicz, an artist in the area. You said that she had an "ax to grind with me" and that "I didn't really understand what she was up to in her work" in comments. Do you think you crossed a line?

Peter Nesbett: No, I don't. There are a few reasons.  

I don't see why having an opinion about an artist's work is a problem. I know most arts professionals would keep opinions or comments like that to themselves. That is their right. But I prefer more candor. 

I shared a series of exchanges [Barbara] and I had. She was rather aggressive with me over the course of six months about doing a studio visit with her, and showing her work, and I was very frank with her that I didn't understand how her work was anything but the aping of others' work from decades ago, with irony or critical conceit, and so I wasn't interested. She didn't like that. Still I don't want to set up up any false expectations—I want people to know where I stand so we don't waste each other's time. 

The most outspoken people on the Dotted Line are people whom I have either declined studio visits with—I am not going to do them simply as a courtesy—or they are the spouse of a former employee who I let go. I think it is important that people recognize that the motive on there end stems from a place of personal disappointment. 

Finally, have you noticed that nearly everyone who has been critical of the auction or WPA is older and white, and yet they claim to be speaking on behalf of the D.C. artist community? I actually don't think they represent the D.C. artist community today. At least not the communities I have been most involved with or interested in. Those communities are much more diverse.

So instead of apologizing for his interpretation of what had caused the avalanche of comments on the WPA Auction issue, Nesbett doubled down on his perception of the reason for Barbara's posting and repeated his unwarranted negative critical response to her work.

But then, in my opinion, he extended the discussion into a whole other realm, when he makes the completely unexpected and insulting claim that "nearly everyone who has been critical of the auction or WPA is older and white, and yet they claim to be speaking on behalf of the D.C. artist community?"

What?

The race card (combined with the age card) makes an appearance on a discussion about the multiple inclusion of out of area artists for a local artist-driven organization!
There's so much wrong and offensive about this, that I don't know where to start... so instead I've copied what an artist in the comments' thread (who's neither white nor old) emailed me; the artist notes that:

1.Peter solicited and offered to meet with artists in the local community.
2.Barbara has stated that she contacted him with only one email inviting him to her studio. He declined and therefore never saw her work nor engaged in a personal conversation. There has been no proof of an aggressive solicitation as claimed.
3.An online question was posed regarding the auction and it was not directed at any party. It was intended as an invitation for artists to voice their concerns/opinions and to engage in community dialogue.
4.The intent of this forum was not intended to engage in personal attacks.
5.Age nor race was not an issue raised by the artists
6.Anyone who engages in the practice, procurement, sales, promotion, curatorial, purchase, review of art,  etc. should be recognized as a valued member of the art community regardless of age, gender, race or sexual orientation.
7.Personal attacks and harsh public criticism of an artist’s work and value is unwarranted.
8.‘Aping’ the work of an artist in a city that paints its streets with stripes should not be an acceptable value judgment.

Personally, now I think that Nesbett has stepped over a separate line from which there's no apology, and the maelstrom of commenters are now discussing a much harsher response to the WPA than the lost opportunity to engage the artists on a constructive dialogue.

Frankly, I am lost as to why Nesbett went on this race/age card angle? It wasn't needed, and from seeing the names of the artists involved in the hundreds of comments, it is also inaccurate.

As one commenter dryly noted: "I wonder if he feels the same about the demographics of collectors??"

What next?

Wanna go to an opening this week?

"In This Moment"

Christina Tenaglia and Anne C. Smith

March 30-June 4, 2017

Vernissage Saturday April 8 6:30-8:30

Live Music by Terraplane

Adah Rose Gallery

3766 Howard Ave

Kensington MD 20895

Thursday-Sunday 12-5:30 and always by appointment

Mirror to the World 2017

Mirror to the World 2017
A Documentary Photography Exhibition
April 7 - May 14, 2017
Juror: Frank Van Riper

Opening Reception
Friday, April 7th 6-8PM

Photoworks Gallery
1st Floor, Arcade Building
7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MD
Saturdays 1-4pm and Sundays 1-8pm
@glenechophotoworks
www.glenechophotoworks.org
301-634-2274
Exhibiting Artists
Fred Zafran

Darrow Montgomery

Christine Pearl
Valerie Makepeace

Cherry Wyman

Ginger Werz-Petricka

Ron Petricka

Diana Hoppin

Steve Hoppin

Gana Browning

Penny Frates

"Stranger In My Home" by Fred Zafran

Photoworks Gallery presents the 9th Annual "Mirror to the World" Documentary Photography Exhibition at Photoworks Gallery; juried by Frank Van Riper and featuring the work of 11 local photographers.

The exhibit opens April 7th and features 5 in-depth "photo essays" -- accompanied by written text -- on a wide variety of topics ranging from urban DC street photography, to life in rural America and the "dying city" of Civita di Bagnoregio.

Wanna go to an artist talk tomorrow?

Cal for new media artists!

Deadline: April 7, 2017

 

Videos not in excess of 15 minutes are requested for inclusion in Frame & Frequency 3, Vol. 2, an international video art exchange, presented as a series of screenings and exhibitions held concurrently in Medellin, Colombia at the PLECTO Galeria and at VisArts in Rockville, MD just outside Washington, DC, opening May 5th, 2017. 

 

Video, film, and new media work will be accepted: Experimental, documentary, animation, narrative, non-narrative, multimedia, VR (Google Cardboard & iPhone compatible), digital imaging, net art, interactive media, sound art, etc. All foreign language artworks must have English subtitles. 

 

Please send email submissions including - Video links(vimeo), Artwork Synopsis, Bio, CV and Contact Information to:
frank@frankmccauley.com. Frank McCauley, Exhibition Coordinator, VisArts at Rockville. www.visartscenter.org; www.plectogaleria.com. 

 

For information on Frame & Frequency 3, Vol. 1, visit https://www.visartsatrockville.org/more/?p=2177817

Rousseau on Lin

Dr. Claudia Rousseau reviews Amy Lin at Addison-Ripley:

My own answer to those questions was that once past the level of “how amazing,” there is much to be seen and thought about here, particularly in terms of the artist’s self-expression in their creation.

Read it here in East City Reviews.

Paid art fair internship in NYC

Details here.

Frida Kahlo - Picasso style

Anybody like Frida? This very cool painting that I did in art school and which sold originally almost 15 years ago, just showed up at an auction house! Follow the link! At a really good starting bid!

http://www.invaluable.com/catalog/searchLots.cfm…

Frida Kahlo: Picasso Style
Oil on Board, c. 1980
F. Lennox Campello

#fridakahlo #frida #picasso #pablopicasso #fridapainting #lennycampello #artauction

Job opportunity (Conservators)

The City of Rockville is seeking proposals from professional artists, art service providers and art conservators experienced in conducting on-site condition assessments of public art collections that include paintings, sculptures, mobiles, murals, mosaics, bas-reliefs, tapestries, photographs, light/neon artwork and fountains for exterior and interior sites. 

 http://www.rockvillemd.gov/bids.aspx?bidID=394

At booth 1.31 in NYC

Jodi Walsh at AAFNYC

Georgia Nassikas at AAFNYC

Ned Martin at AAFNYC

#affordableartfair #aafnyc

If you're in NYC today and wanna do something in Chelsea...

While I'm in Nevada, the Affordable Art Fair NYC has its VIP opening tomorrow at the Met Pavillion in Chelsea!

Three Campellos in front of Jeff Koons' Popeye
Wynn Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV
Circa 2017, Lenny Campello, Anderson Campello and Elise Campello

Fair runs March 30-April 2 with a VIP Preview on March 29th - Come see fab new pieces by Jodi Walsh as well as terrific new work by Georgia Nassikas and Ned Martin! 

Need passes? Send me a note!

If you're in NYC tomorrow...

We'll be featuring the amazing work of former DMV artist (now Texas) Jodi Walsh, DMV genius Georgia Nassikas and NYC ubertalent Ned Martin!

Send me a note if you'd like a free pass to the fair!