Catalyst Projects Opens New Gallery Space

Catalyst Projects is pleased to announce the opening of its new gallery and project space at Monroe Street Market in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, DC, the center of a fast growing arts community. 

The doors will open for Catalyst on October 10th with monthly, curated contemporary art exhibitions featuring artists from the metropolitan DC area and beyond.  In addition to a robust exhibition schedule, Catalyst will engage the local DC community of artists and arts stakeholders by presenting panel discussions and artist workshops. 

Catalyst was launched on January 1, 2013 by DC artists Zofie Lang and Gail Vollrath.  The duo met while exhibiting at Artomatic the summer of 2012 and soon after began talking about organizing a vehicle for networking artists, collectors and other art enthusiasts.  Since the beginning of the year, Catalyst has organized two discussion panels; Miami Art Fairs, Real Deal or Hype? (hosted by the Hive 2.0 and Arch Development Corporation in Anacostia) and Art and Acquisition, A Conversation with Artists and their Collectors (hosted by the Hamiltonian Gallery and partners ArtSee and Artinista Art Advisory); an art book swap (hosted by Capitol Hill Arts Workshop); and a happy hour event (hosted by the Passenger) where the DC art community came together to share their thoughts on the state of the arts in the region. 

The need to find affordable space where Catalyst could organize exhibitions and host artist workshops was key to rounding out their programming.  In late January, Lang and Vollrath applied for one of 27 studios offered through CulturalDC at Monroe Street Market.  In July, Catalyst was offered a six month lease for Studio 13, to begin in October 2013. 

The new 500+ sq. ft. project space is located a few feet from the Brookland-CUA red line metro stop, at 716 Monroe Street, NE.  Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday noon to 7 pm, and by appointment.

Visit their web site for more information http://catalystartprojects.com
Contact  them at catalystartprojects@gmail.com

Catalyst Projects
716 Monroe Street, NE, St. 13
Washington, DC 20017

Can I Register Multiple Works with the Copyright Office?

When copyrighting published works, each must be registered individually with some exceptions. For unpublished works, there is a bit more flexibility.  First, though, to recognize when these exceptions are applicable, copyright holders must understand the difference between a published and unpublished work.

Copyright law defines “publication” as the distribution of copies of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership or by rental, lease, or lending.

Read online here.

Objects of Desire

Please join lots of us for the exhibition opening of "Objects of Desire" this next Friday, September 20, in Georgetown at Neptune Fine Art from 6 - 8 pm.

 

The opening is free and open to the public.  

 

The show was selected by the Washington Post's arts critic, Mark Jenkins, as one of the "Best gallery exhibits this fall" and was an "Editors' Pick: The Best Washington Art Shows and Events in September" in the Washingtonian.  In addition, a number of galleries in the Book Hill neighborhood will be open, so it should be a lovely opportunity to see art. 

Here are the details:

Objects of Desire

Neptune Fine Art 

1662 33rd Street, NW at Wisconsin Ave. and Reservoir Rd., Washington, DC 20007

Opening Reception: Friday, September 20, 2013, 6 - 8 pm

Exhibition runs September 18 - October 26, 2013

Artists include: William Bruce Adair, Raya Bodnarchuk, Jeff Chyatte, Will Clift, Tazuko Ichikawa, Elaine Langerman, Laurel Lukaszewski, Jimmy Miracle, Wendy M. Ross and Foon Sham

Website: http://neptunefineart.com/inventory/30_Objects-of-Desire_

At the Katzen now...

American University's Fall for the Arts will bring neighbors, students, faculty, and friends together through art. It's on exhibition now through Oct. 5th at the Katzen.

The day will feature an afternoon of dynamic Courses and Workshops including orchestral conducting, the history of audio recording, a playwriting class, and a discussion of the role of interruption as a catalyst for art, to name just a few. Classes suitable for children are so noted in the descriptions. 

Surprise performances will pop up when you least expect them. The day will conclude with an early evening cocktail reception in the Katzen Arts Center and a Live Art Auction featuring local artists. 

The event is open to the public and an invitation is extended to local residents, patrons of the arts, parents of AU students, and the entire AU community.

Check out the details, the artists, and the terrific artwork here. There's an amazing Alan Feltus that someone will get for a steal! Also check out this gorgeous Tim Tate!

You can register here.

Call to Artists

Call to Artists

WHAT: An Outdoor Fine Arts Festival 

WHERE: Bethesda, MD

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday 

May 10-11, 2014

 

NOTEWORTHY: 

*Complimentary breakfast and lunch for participating artists. 

*Free parking within 1 block. 

*Limited to 140 booth spaces of juried fine art and fine craft.

*Estimated attendance: 20,000. 

*$2,500 in cash awards. 

*24-hour security. 

*Booth sitters. 

*Entry/booth fees: $30/$425 (10x10); $850 (10x20).

*For more details about the show, click HERE

The Bethesda Fine Arts Festival was ranked #78 of the 200 Best Shows in the USA by Sunshine Artist Magazine in September, 2008, making it the highest ranked fine art festival in Maryland. Artists report consistently high sales every year. Electronic application available on the festival's website. 

Celebrating Norm Parish

Millennium Arts Salon - In cooperation with many Arts organizations will join in celebrating the life of Norman Parish on Saturday Afternoon, November 2, 2013.

Norman Parish and the Parish Gallery of Georgetown has meant so much to so many: visual artists from around the world...the book signings and artist talks...the photography community...the collectors...the celebrities...the Art Dealers Association...his many, many gallerist friends...All of us have benefited from that signature smile, that stentorian voice, that wonderful jazz, and that conviviality that was so much of the experience fostered by Norm Parish and his widow Gwen through 22 years, 170 exhibitions, and countless special events at the Gallery. 

Let's celebrate Norm's life, and gather to recommit ourselves to embracing each other in the community of art fans and patrons so beautifully fostered at the Gallery.

As details firm, look to this space for details on venue and time.  Those of you who wish to support this celebration, please write back to mel@millenniumartssalon.org with your expressions of interest.

Opportunity for Artists

FLASHPOINT GALLERY

 

Deadline: Friday, 10.18.13, 5PM | application fee: $30

Open to contemporary artists, independent curators and arts organizations. Flashpoint Gallery showcases bold, new work and cultivates emerging and mid-career artists working in a variety of media including site-specific installations, performance pieces, new media and other experimental forms.  Proposals must be submitted online. Visit our website for more information about Flashpoint Gallery and our Request for Proposals. 

Opening in G'town tonight!

“The Art of Political Change” is an invitational show curated by DMV area artist Roy Utley – the show is all about art and politics and has been getting quite a bit of pre-opening attention from the press in this most political of towns.

The Opening Reception is tonight from 6:00 to 10:00 and runs through September 28 at the legendary MOCA DC gallery in Georgetown, and there’s an Open mike political poetry night on Sept 20 from 6:00 to 10:00, followed by a Film screening night on Sept 21 from 6:00 to 10:00 (hosted by Lucy Gebre-Egziabher) and a Closing Party on Sept 27 from 6:00 to 10:00. MOCA is at 1054 31st Street (Canal Square) in G'town.

The show features distinctive works of social commentary by a diverse group of Washington area artists, including yours truly. They come from all across the artistic landscape – painters, sculptors, poets, filmmakers and more. The dozens of works on display by the artists will connect with the viewer on a personal visual level, as only visual art can, while the live video feeds will enable everyone with internet access to view the events as they happen.

See ya there!

The Prez...

Our President doing an Elvis sneer impersonation... cough, cough...

Under $500 at MAP

UNDER $500:  Benefit Exhibition and Artwork Sale
 

CALL FOR ENTRY: Maryland Art Place (MAP) is seeking artists for “UNDER $500” their upcoming benefit exhibition and artwork sale. 

It is scheduled for Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14, 2013, and this two-day event is intended to promote the sale of artwork by artists in the Maryland region. Artists may submit 1-3 works for consideration. Each individual piece must retail for $500 or less. Proceeds from the sale of artwork will be split 50/50 with each artist, with an optional 75% or 100% donation in support of MAP.
MAP envisions this to be a great opportunity to get your work noticed and purchased by area buyers & collectors just in time for the holidays! Participating artists will receive one free ticket to the opening event on Friday, December 13.  

Selected artists will be issued an UNDER $500 Profile Form in an effort to simultaneously promote the artwork and artist during the event.

For complete guidelines visit mdartplace.org.

Wanna go to an open studio?

Pro Panels Anyone?

I'm looking to borrow a set of Pro Panels (or something similar) that I can use at the (e)merge art fair next month.

In exchange I will give the lender a small framed original drawing?

Pro Panels anyone?

Send me an email to lenny@lennycampello.com

Wanna go to an opening party?

“The Art of Political Change” is an invitational show curated by DMV area artist Roy Utley – the show is all about art and politics and has been getting quite a bit of pre-opening attention from the press in this most political of towns.

The Opening Reception is Sept 14th from 6:00 to 10:00 and runs through September 28 at the legendary MOCA DC gallery in Georgetown, and there’s an Open mike political poetry night on Sept 20 from 6:00 to 10:00, followed by a Film screening night on Sept 21 from 6:00 to 10:00 (hosted by Lucy Gebre-Egziabher) and a Closing Party on Sept 27 from 6:00 to 10:00. MOCA is at 1054 31st Street (Canal Square) in G'town.

The show features distinctive works of social commentary by a diverse group of Washington area artists, including yours truly. They come from all across the artistic landscape – painters, sculptors, poets, filmmakers and more. The dozens of works on display by the artists will connect with the viewer on a personal visual level, as only visual art can, while the live video feeds will enable everyone with internet access to view the events as they happen.

My own exposure to political art is that (in the past) it has been usually (or maybe mostly) the left doing negative artwork about the right. 

And that's cool! 

Political art is seldom "positive" (other than in Nazi Germany, the former USSR, North Korea and Cuba - that's a smiling lot ain't it?).

The Presidency of George W. Bush left behind a huge trail of political art of all genres, all harshly critical (and a lot quite threatening) of the former President. 

Some of it was very smart and intelligent and some of it downright offensive and mean, and c'mon - once you step into the White House, you sort of expect to be the target focus of harsh political criticism.

Some artists, such as Richard Serra’s crayon drawing of an Abu Ghraib prisoner with the caption "STOP BUSH”, employed that time sensitive and horrifying war issue to achieve instant fame, and now the minimalist sculptor is perhaps best known for that rather simplistic and powerful piece, which essentially got him a ticket to a Venice Biennale.

From my experience/exposure, other than a few right wing nuts here and there, anti Presidential political art has been all but AWOL during the Obama presidency, perhaps because the mainstream media has been rather successful in re-calibrating their approach to the President and also in exacting harsh revenge on anyone who dares to deviate from a overly positive depiction of our current President.

Even Shepard Fairey’s embarrassing path to the famous “HOPE” poster art from the historic 2008 campaign (he ripped off the image from DMV area photographer Manny Garcia) was not enough to stop the National Portrait Gallery from acquiring the artwork, in violation of its own rules about acquiring portraits of living persons only ifdone from the live subject. They also ignored the fact that the image had been ripped off from another artist.

I sent them an email asking for clarification on this issue, and since I never heard back, then I wrote them a letter... still waiting for a response.

In view of the current multiple woes of the administration, ranging from the NSA revelations to the IRS scandal and others, the vast left wing nuttery has begun to turn on the President, and I will be curious to see if Utley’s political show addresses the anti-Presidential venom so common to past political American art, but now with an Obama focus. 

It is clear from Dana Ellyn's always sharp eye and caustic talented brush, that the answer is apparently yes!

“He’s Making a (Kill) List” by Dana Ellyn 

I love this country! See ya there! 

The artists are:

Alicia "Decoy" Cosnahan
Roger Cutler
Gregg Deal
Cheryl Edwards
Dana Ellyn
Ric Garcia
Lucy Gebre-Egziabher
Grayson Heck
Jeannette Herrera
Regina Holliday
Kevin "Jazi" Irvin
Danny Jean-Jacques
Hanna Kebbede
Fareeha Khawaja
Peter Krško
Carolina Mayorga
David R. Quammen
Lisa Dee Schumaier
Matt Sesow
Eric “E-Baby” Smith
Henrik Sundqvist
Roy Utley
Asad "Ultra" Walker

Wanna go to an opening today?

40 for 40: Celebrating Four Decades of GRACE
September 12 – November 2, 2013
Opening Reception September 12, 6-9pm, free and open to the public 

The Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) is pleased to present 40 for 40: Celebrating Four Decades of GRACE, from September 12 through November 2, 2013. A retrospective exhibition marking GRACE’s 40th anniversary, 40 for 40 celebrates the organization’s continuous engagement with contemporary art in the metro D.C. area since its founding in 1974. The show will feature a selection of forty artists who have exhibited at GRACE, or have been closely involved with the organization, over the course of the past four decades. 

Launching the 2013-14 exhibition season and the Greater Reston Arts Center’s 40th year of operations, 40 for 40 will feature works in a broad range of media including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, glass, and ceramics, the exhibition will celebrate the variety and quality of work that has been exhibited at GRACE since its inception. 

Speaking about the exhibition, Curator of Exhibitions Holly Koons McCullough said, “This show highlights the impact the Greater Reston Arts Center has had within the regional artistic community. Some of the artists on view in 40 for 40 literally founded the institution. Others had exhibitions here that would become important milestones in their careers. Still others exhibited works that have come to define GRACE’s unreserved embrace of contemporary art in this region, in all its diversity and vigor.” 

40 for 40 will present works by some of the pioneers of the institution, including Brenda Belfield, Judith Forst, Joan Kelly, and Connie Slack. These artists held positions on GRACE’s staff and board, and helped to develop the organization’s overarching mission of engaging and educating the community in contemporary visual art. 

Other works on view reflect GRACE’s more recent exhibition history, such as a luminous Mylar sculpture by Rebecca Kamen, a site-specific ceramic installation by Elizabeth Kendall, and cerebral wood-based sculptures by Foon Sham and Evan Reed. Together with works by the other noted contemporary artists featured in 40 for 40, these pieces reflect the broad-minded, progressive nature of GRACE’s exhibitions, particularly since the institution relocated to its current site in Reston Town Center in 2006.

“We are thrilled to be able to highlight the rich and vibrant history of the Greater Reston Arts Center,” notes Executive Director Damian Sinclair. “For over forty years the work of this organization has been central to the cultural growth in our region and we look forward to being a leader of the artistic community in the next forty years.” 

Most of the works in the exhibition are available for sale, and many of the artists are donating 50% of sale proceeds back to GRACE in recognition of the organization’s anniversary and in support of its future. 

Artists Represented in 40 for 40: Celebrating Four Decades of GRACE 

John Adams, Ann Barbieri, Joanne Bauer, Brenda Belfield, Ed Bisese, F. Lennox Campello, Michael Cantwell, Dickson Carroll, Travis Childers, Ellen Cornett, Laura Edwards, Elissa Farrow-Savos, Judith Forst, Heidi Fowler, Suzi Fox, Rik Freeman, Rebecca Kamen, Joan Kelly, Elizabeth Kendall, J.T. Kirkland, Craig Kraft, Robert Lobe, Dalya Luttwak, Carolina Mayorga, David Meyer, Marco Rando, Matt Ravenstahl, Evan Reed, Pam Rogers, Dana Ann Scheurer, Eveleen Severn-Sass, Foon Sham, Connie Slack, Robert Straight, Tim Tate, Novie Trump, Shinji Turner-Yamamoto, Mary LaRue Wells, Millicent Young, and Andrew Zimmerman.

Public Programs:
Opening Reception
Thursday, September 12, 6-9pm. Free and open to the public.
40th Anniversary Family Day
40 for 40 public celebration and family day
Sunday, September 5, 2-5pm. Free and open to public.

Wanna see one of the largest collections....

On September 22 is the Open House for Light Street Gallery in Baltimore featuring the collection of Steven & Linda Krensky.

This is a fantastic private collection and assortment of art that is easily the largest collection of art by DC area artists going back more than three  decades of serious collecting. 

Nearly every DC area artists is represented in this collection - including many pieces that were done when some of these artists were students (and some of those are now professors!).

10 am to 8 pm - complete with some wings that are bigger than most chickens - tasty and delivered fresh throughout the day by Sun Hing takeout across the street. 

1448 Light Street in Baltimore - call for map or directions - 240.506.8943 - 

RSVP is required - so call ahead or be sorry!

Lest we forget...

"Studio View, 9/11"
Oil on Canvas c. 9/11/2001 by David FeBland

Another 9/11 to remember...

Things that I notice...

A few days ago, my amazing athlete wife, who twice represented the US in world competitions, and was once ranked fifth in the world, and was twice the Maryland state Triathlon champion, decided out of the blue to run a half marathon.

So on Sunday she ran the Parks Half Marathon, which starts in Rockville and ends in Bethesda. Even though she hasn't competed in over a decade, she still managed to beat her predicted time by almost nine minutes and finish in the top 10% of runners..

But that's not why I'm posting this.

Over the years of both running and (more recently) waiting at the finish line for my wife, I have perfected the art of people watching, or in this case, of runner watching.

I have noticed a new, unique class of runners, that I must comment on, but first a little side story.

Anderson and I get the the finish area (corner of Elm and 47th Street), and it's pretty crowded, but I noticed about half a block of sidewalk on the inside line that's all empty, and thus we walk over some orange cones and stand there to cheer the runners and wait for mommy.

A race official comes over and warns me that the owner of the house behind me has been coming out and shooing people away from "her sidewalk."

I thank him and shrug my shoulders. After all, this is the People's Soviet Socialist Republic of Montgomery County, and last I've heard, everyone (except David Gregory and apparently this lady) knows that public sidewalks are public property.

Surely enough, soon a nice lady comes out of her huge dacha and asks me politely to get off her sidewalk.

I look at her, sensing that a learning moment for this otherwise Bethesda progressive... cough, cough... is about to take place.

"This is a public sidewalk," I say, also nicely, and pointing to the sidewalk areas that extend beyond the facade of her huge, massive house.

"It's in front of my house," she responds.

"That is obvious to the most causal observer... so it's that park," I note, pointing to the park across the street, "But it is still a public park... and so is this sidewalk..."

"Please get off my sidewalk," she re-affirms, her face full of indignation.

"No," I say, and then add, "Are you aware that it is probably some sort of misdemeanor to claim and usurp public property as your private property?" I say nicely to her. She looks a little puzzled.

"Maybe I should get a nice policeman and ask him if it is some sort of an offense for a citizen to try to kick another citizen out of public property." I start looking around.

She looks a little concerned, and I can tell that my use of the word "citizen" has kicked some dust in her Bolshevik brain... but then she turns around and leaves in a huff... probably returning to her favorite MSNBC show.

Immediately several other citizens, until then crowded in the other side of the orange cones, begin migrating onto "her sidewalk."

Back to my initial observation about runners.

Over the last few years I have detected a whole new "class" of runners whom:

(a) don't usually "look" like serious runners (gaunt, and sunburned, and wearing alien-looking sunglasses, and really expensive running shoes that always look new, because they only run 500 miles per shoe set before replacing them - I know this) and

(b) come to these organized races looking like they're getting ready for WWIII.

They have the most amazing and latest Under Armour outfits: compression socks, glow in the dark running shoes, Batbelts with ten pounds of super-Astronaut food stuff in all kinds of compartments, water camels on their backs, Ipods strapped to their upper arms, really expensive watches that can pinpoint your location on planet Earth within inches, etc.

They looks like dressed down Borgs on PT day!

Funny thing is that the winners of these races are usually long-legged, sleek, beautiful African runners in tiny running shorts, regular running shoes and little else!

Just sayin'

Art Scam Alert!

Beware of this scam artist:

From:	Alison McCoy (a.mccoy009@yahoo.com)
Sent:	Mon 9/09/13 10:26 AM
To:	lennycampello@hotmail.com (lennycampello@hotmail.com)

Hello,

My name is Alison McCoy.  I found your profile on the internet. I am interested in purchasing an artwork from you for the decoration of my guest room at my new residence in Munich, Germany. Would appreciate if you can send me few pictures of the works you have available for sale so that I can make an easy choice of mine. Better still, send me a web link where I can have a view of your recent works.

I look forward to read back from you.

Thanks.

Alison.

36 STUDIOS - PART 2 (Charm City Edition)

Remember when Mera Rubell kick started a sudden new interest in DC area artists with her studio visits? If not, read all about it here.

Anyway - it's all about to happen again in B'more!

Mera Rubell, co-founder of the Rubell Family Collection and co-owner of the  Capitol Skyline Hotel and the Lord Baltimore Hotel, will be conducting studio visits of Baltimore-area artists in a 36-hour marathon session from 6:00 am Saturday, October 26 through 6:00 pm Sunday, October 27, 2013.

Ms. Rubell will be conducting the studio visits in her role as a curator for SELECT 2014, Washington Project for the Arts' 33rd annual art auction exhibition, taking place at Artisphere in Rosslyn, VA from February 27 through March 21, 2014. (Artwork will be available for purchase the night of the SELECT gala, March 22, 2014. Check WPA's website next month for details.) Rubell, who is based in Miami and New York, but frequently visits Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD for 36-hour periods to visit her hotel properties, is known for her passion for contemporary art and her deep commitment to artists. Since the family's acquisition of the Lord Baltimore Hotel in the spring of 2013, Rubell has been increasingly interested in the vibrant Baltimore art scene and engaging with artists there.

In 2009, Rubell and WPA Executive Director, Lisa Gold, conducted a similar studio visit marathon when Rubell participated as a curator for WPA's 2010 auction exhibition, selecting works by 16 artists from the DC region and generating a substantial buzz in the art community. While 36 straight hours of looking at artwork may be considered extreme by some people, Ms. Rubell and her husband, Don, often conduct brief, intense studio visits during their collecting trips to China or Europe, so this project is just business as usual for the Rubells.

"We are thrilled that Mera is set on exploring and discovering the artists of Baltimore, " says Lisa Gold, who will again be accompanying Ms. Rubell on her studio visit marathon. "I was so impressed with Mera's focus and intensity during the entire duration of our last adventure. I'm sure she'll bring it all back to Baltimore so these artists better have their game on!"

Artists will be invited to sign up for a studio visit appointment via an open call. Any practicing artist with a studio in the Baltimore area (inside I-695) can submit their name, contact information, studio address, and website URL to WPA through the WPA website by midnight on October 1 to be entered into a lottery for studio visits. 36 artists will be selected and their studios plotted on a map which will be used to determine appointment times beginning at 6:00 am on Saturday, October 26. From these visits, Rubell will select 12-15 artists whose work will be included in the SELECT exhibition and art auction gala.

Reporters interested in joining a portion of the 36 Studios tour may contact Lisa Gold at lgold@wpadc.org to make arrangements. For more information about 36 Studios, SELECT 2014: WPA Art Auction Exhibition and Gala, or Washington Project for the Arts, please contact Blair Murphy, Program Director, at 202-234-7103 x1 or bmurphy@wpadc.org.