Congrats to the Dylanmeister

Congrats to Bob Dylan on his Nobel Prize! Greatest lyricist ever by far, although that boy couldn't sing a lick, but what a writer!


@bobdylan #BobDylan #NobelPrize

2016 Washington Sculptor's Group Annual Members Image Show

2016 WSG ANNUAL MEMBERS IMAGE SHOW


Wednesday, December 7, 2016

7-9 pm

Location: Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies – House A 3100 Whitehaven St NW Washington, DC 20008 Free and open to the public.   Call for WSG Member Submissions: Submission Deadline: Monday, November 21, 2016 Email jpegs to Greg Braun: greg.r.braun@gmail.com   Each WSG member may submit up to five (5) jpeg images for the Annual Members Image Show presentation (guidelines below). You must be present at the Image Show while your images are projected. New members are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to show their work, and for all members to show new work and receive feedback from the audience. DC area art representatives, gallerists, curators, and reviewers will be invited to attend, so it is important exposure for member’s work. Following the presentation, everyone is invited to stay for drinks, snacks, and discussion. WSG will provide refreshments, and Image Show participants are welcome to bring food to share.   Image preparation: • Resize the dimensions of your images (jpegs) to be no larger than 1000 pixels on the longest side with a resolution of 72 dpi. If you need help with resizing your images, or are unable to resize them yourself, send them to Greg Braun at the above email address, and he will adjust them accordingly. • Please provide images in jpeg (.jpg) format only. • If you would like your website address on your title slide for the presentation, please include it in the body of your email to Greg.   First submitted, first shown. See you there!

Alper Initiative Survey

From the terrific Alper Initiative:

We opened the the Alper Initiative space this past January as a dedicated space within the AU Museum to promote an understanding and appreciation of the art and artists of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Even before celebrating our first anniversary, we've exhibited 65 artists, had 3 opening receptions, 17 salons, gallery talks, panel discussions, even a jam-session, and we're just getting started!

We're looking for new ways to be a resource for local artists through a new program and we're looking to you - artists and community members - for input in shaping this program. We want to provide the space for local artists and art enthusiasts to create social programming that would foster community creativity.

We hope we can have a few minutes of your time to respond to the survey below and send us your ideas. Thanks!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Take the Survey Here 

Opportunity for Photographers

WHAT:

A juried art and photography competition celebrating photography about either:

Food

Fashion

Travel

Health & Exercise

Photos entered compete in the following categories:

• Editorial (including magazine & cookbook photos)
• Commercial
• Personal
• Social Media (eg. Instagram, etc.)

DEADLINE :

All entries to the photo contest must be submitted by October 31, 2016. Entries cannot be accepted afterwards unless the deadline is officially extended. Finalists will be announced in December 2016.

THEME:

The theme of this year's photography awards is "Enticing."

Dictionary definition: Enticing - attractive or tempting; alluring.

THE TASTE AWARDS:

The Annual TASTE AWARDS celebrate the year's best in food, fashion and lifestyle programs on Television, in Film, Online, and on Radio.

GRAND PRIZES INCLUDE:

- Top Photographers receive a TASTE AWARD Medallion to honor their achievement

- An Exhibition at the Red Carpet Reception of the TASTE AWARDS

- 2 Tickets to attend the TASTE AWARDS in California

- Publication on the TASTE AWARDS site, and selected media partner publications

- Authorized use on websites and collateral of the custom "Images of TASTE AWARDS Winners" Logo.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT ENTRIES

COMPLETE INFORMATION: http://www.thetasteawards.com/images-of-taste/

After Hours: Social Rituals

Works on Paper by Christina Girardi Curated by Barbara Januszkiewicz

After Hours: Social Rituals

Opening Speakeasy Sat. Oct 22, 6-9 pm Plus Open Art Studios at 34zeo9 Art Studios and Micro Gallery

The urban watering hole is visually comforting and enticing. There exists a constant familiarity of the physical and symbolic bar, through its creation of pockets of intimacy within a fluid public space. 

Girardi explores the visual and social subjects of the bar through drawings made on-site and from photos of bars she has collected from her social encounters. Through these mixed media drawings, she makes an attempt to mimic and recollect setting, sound, color, and taste of the aesthetics surrounding these memories created through the social habits of today’s young urban and suburban populations. By mixing different media such as charcoal, pastel, gouache, and watercolor, this series not only remains fluid and colorful, like the setting’s main subject, but also honors the craft and versatility of modern bar mixology. By combining seemingly juxtaposed or even redundant ingredients (mediums) in an innovative manner, the visuals mimic the works of art created by the bartenders and mixologists to complete this liquid social ritual. 


“ After Hours: Social Rituals”, says Barbara Januszkiewicz, curator, “is seeing more than just original artwork done by Christina Girardi , it is a reflection on today’s sense of community. Sense of place is not a static concept; rather, it evolves and develops over time, reflecting the spectrum of social values within and around the community. Ms. Girardi's art is about this connection that we have with our hangouts, the bar scene. 

It is about socializing today, outside of work, school, or the apartment, a context that spans from the first pubs to the 21st-century, a location now more prolific and diverse than ever, for many social engagements. 

The Speakeasy event Oct 22 6-9 pm offers an art performance that ties in the fine art context with a non-traditional interdisciplinary expression. This Micro Speakeasy offer a live, unscripted performance bartender who will offer dialogues and spontaneity to audience participation.

Landmarks: Washington Sculpture Group

The King Street Gallery presents work from the Washington Sculptors Group in Landmarks. The exhibit opens October 24, with a reception and gallery talk October 27. Dr. Claudia Rousseau, professor of art history at Montgomery College, curated the exhibition. 

Landmarks explores the concept of a landmark in all its possible meanings: from political landmarks to totems to moments of historical change. Montgomery College invited members of the Washington Sculptors Group to submit works that expressed this concept in sculpture. Dr. Rousseau curated the exhibition, choosing works based on a variety of interpretations of landmark. 

The Washington Sculptors Group (WSG) fosters the exchange of ideas among sculptors, collectors, and the public. The organization curates exhibitions in the DC area and beyond. WSG also organizes artists' panels, presentations, workshops, and social gatherings. WSG received the Mayor's Arts Award for Excellence in Service to the Arts in 2004. 

Exhibiting artists include Jan Paul Acton, c.l. bigelow, Alan Binstock, Nizette Brennan, Jacqui Crocett, Alonzo Davis, Joel D’Orazio, Kate Doyle, Jeffery Cooper, Annie Farrar, Martin Feldman, Mary Annella Mimi Frank, Marilyn Geldzahler, Linda Hesh, Penny Jacoby, Craig Kraft, Ruth Lozner, Rosemary Luckett, Gordon Lyon, Joan Mayfield, Kass McGowan, Rob Muir, Iris Posner, Christopher Romer, Mike Shaffer, Diane Szczepaniak, L. S. Watson, Roy Ysla, and Julie Zirlin. 

Landmarks: Washington Sculpture Group runs October 24–November 22 at the King Street Gallery. A gallery talk occurs October 27 from 5–6 p.m. A reception follows from 6–8 p.m. 

The event is located at the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center. For more information, visit http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/arts-tpss/exhibitions/. 

Free and open to the public.

Cuban by Ancestry...

Below is the video that is embedded in my most recent video work...



As I usually do, I've used the "cracks" on the background wall to (employing the Navy's Falcon Codes) double encrypt a background message (also using Ogham)... more on the show later...

"Cuban by Ancestry, But American by the Grace of God."
Charcoal and Conte and Embedded Video. 18x24 inches, circa 2016.

"Cuban by Ancestry, But American by the Grace of God."
Charcoal and Conte and Embedded Video. 18x24 inches, circa 2016.

"Cuban by Ancestry, But American by the Grace of God."
Charcoal and Conte and Embedded Video. 18x24 inches, circa 2016.

"Cuban by Ancestry, But American by the Grace of God."
Charcoal and Conte and Embedded Video. 18x24 inches, circa 2016.

Opportunities for Artists

Deadline: Midnight, November 27, 2016.


Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art’s (MOCA) annual juried exhibition, New Waves 2017. Cash prizes awarded. Juror: Ken Harman is a curator and gallerist based in San Francisco, CA. He is the owner of two galleries, Hashimoto Contemporary and Spoke Art, which have locations in San Francisco and New York City. Previously, Harman was the online editor for Hi-Fructose Magazine where his writings appeared in multiple print and online features. Submissions currently open. 


Website: http://www.virginiamoca.org/new-waves-2017

Life imitating Art... or ripoff?

This is the most recent Lowe's ad on TV.


This is a still from that ad:

And this is a still from DMV artist Kathryn Cornelius' 2005 video "Resolve"

Life imitating art? Or Lowe's imitating Cornelius?


Just sayin'

PHOTO '16 at Multiple Exposures

October 2016 issue of Washingtonian magazine

“Curators from the Hirshhorn or National Gallery would rather take a cab to Dulles Airport to look at emerging artists in Berlin than they would take a cab to Adams Morgan to look at emerging artists here,” says Lennox Campello, an artist and former gallery owner. “They don’t do a good job of tending their own back garden.”

The current issue of Washingtonian magazine has a terrific article on ubercollectors Mera and Donald Rubell and the powerful impact they've had upon the DMV's art scene and the even more tectonic impact they're about to deliver with their plans for The Randall School:

The Rubells partnered with Telesis, a developer in DC, to buy the old school from the Corcoran for $6.5 million. Twenty percent of the apartments will be reserved for affordable housing, including live/work space for artists. The museum, which will occupy the Randall building, is to house part of the Rubells’ art collection. 

Says Telesis president Marilyn Melkonian: “It will be a total change and regeneration of that whole part of the neighborhood.”

Read the article by Brendan L. Smith here.

Studio space available

If you are a glass artists, and have always wanted a studio space to work on your glass, but didn't have room where you live, or didn't have a huge amount to invest in a giant glass studio.....then you might like the thought of becoming one of the studio artists at the Washington Glass School.


Your table/studio space runs $300 per month, and not only do you finally have a dedicated space for you to work in, but you also join a vibrant and successful community of glass artists and opportunities.


Details here.


3700 Otis Street, Mount Rainier, MD 20712202-744-8222
WashGlass.com

Two down and three to go!

This weekend we did both the Affordable Art Fair in NYC and the Texas Contemporary Art Fair in Houston (thank you Jodi Walsh for manning the booth in TX!).

Brutal work doing an art fair, but nearly always a benefit to an artist and to an art gallery.

Next?

SOFA in Chicago, CONTEXT Art Miami in Miami, and SCOPE Art Fair in Miami Beach!

Art Scam Alert!

Stay away from this scam artist:

From: dave@daveclemsonllc.com

Am interested in some of your products, do you ship to Switzerland and accept US issued credit card as payment?, you will contact my shipper who handles all of my shipment, they pick up the items at your location and deliver directly to my store doorstep without hassle.

Let me know if i can e-mail you what am interested in ordering.

Dave

Top picks for the Affordable Art Fair NYC

The Affordable Art Fair New York opened last Wednesday in Chelsea and runs through the weekend.

This popular art fair, versions of which run in multiple American and international cities, is clearly (based on my observations over many years) one of the key venues to acquire reasonably-priced art, both by new collectors as well as seasoned collectors looking for new talent.

I will also admit that this is one of my favorite art fairs on the planet: cool, trendy, well-organized, and superbly run.

As most seasoned art critics, artists, gallerists and art symbiots know, when you walk through art fairs over a period of years, in diverse cities and settings, often trends and connecting lines appear that are clearly obvious to the most casual observer.

The trend here this year seems to be an over abundance of pop art derivatives from artists all over the planet. There are also many artists, in all sorts of media and substrates, whom are rather effectively channeling the epic artists of the Washington Color School. There is stripe art everywhere, in every shape and form and drip factor!

There are also multiple flat brushes channeling Carmen Herrera minimalist style, which remained ignored though most of her life until the Brits "discovered" her work a few years ago, and suddenly the octogenarian became darling of the New York art scene (she's currently at The Whitney).

Warhol look-alikes are also all over the place, but this Warholian footprint is visible in every single art fair on the planet, from the most exclusive to the lowliest ABMB satellite fair.

Overall though, the fair remains a cornucopia of really good talent at very good prices, and AAFNYC continues to earn its reputation as a solid, good art fair for both emerging artists and emerging galleries. And it is also a place where we also always see some of the top blue chip galleries in the world showcase their new talent.

Here are some pieces that caught my eye:

Michele Mikesell ("Enmascarado" is depicted above) shows with DECORAZON, which has galleries in both London and New York. I was immediately attracted to her work, which reminded me a little of the DMV's Matt Sesow or the early work of Alabama's Michael Banks. Mikesell's wet sanding process delivers a beautifully crafted oil painting whose images are intelligent, disturbing and hypnotizing.

London Contemporary Art, obviously based in London, is showcasing the work of Michael Lukasiewicz, a very talented painter who could teach a lesson or two to the Washington Color School channellers about how a contemporary painter can stand on the shoulders of giants from the past and deliver something related, but fresh and new. Look at the way in his "Breathless" (acrylic and gesso on canvas) uses a little of Sam Gilliam's draped paintings color to offer a radical new approach to the use of color.

"Queen", depicted above, is from a series of gorgeous photographs by Dagmar Van Weeghel, represented by Amsterdam's The Public House of Art gallery. The power, presence and scale (very large photo) make an unforgettable impact from the very beginning. At the risk of revealing my childhood heroes, Conan The Barbarian is not too far from this powerful woman, and in some universe she might be his queen.

I also liked Marek Zya's sculptures with Carmel, Indiana gallery Evan Lurie, and the mixed media pieces by Ruben Ireland with NYC's CURIOOS gallery.

The fair is at the Met Pavilion in Chelsea and runs through Sunday.

"Tipping Point" finds a home in NYC

That's Alma Selimovic's "Tipping Point" being packed up and heading to the home of an NYC collector! We're at the Affordable Art Fair in NYC, booth 1.36

Wanna show your work in Miami?

 Update: All done with the below call...

We have an opportunity to sponsor an artist for a solo exhibition at the "public spaces" of the next Context Art Fair in Miami during Art Basel week. Context is the sister fair to Art Miami and in my opinion one of the top fairs during ABMB. It's the fair that we do each year!

Artist would be responsible for all logistics, costs, etc., and keeps 100% of all sales - we're just the sponsor... Anyone interested send me an email to lennycampello at hotmail dot com for all details...

Hurry! Will pick one person in next 24 hours!

In NYC #aafnyc

Whitney Museum of Art, one street over from my NYC hotel

Arrived at NYC after a surreal drive where I never slowed down all the way from Maryland, all the way through the empty Holland Tunnel, and eerily empty Manhattan backstreets... made it all the way to the hotel on Jane Street in 3.5 hours or so!

$60 bucks a day to park the gallery van across the street from the Met Pavillion, where the Fall edition of the Affordable Art Fair starts tomorrow!

The Affordable Art Fair, specifically designed and curated for those just beginning to collect art as well as seasoned collectors looking for emerging artists, is back in New York, from September 28th to October 2nd!

Van's packed

The van is packed, and we're heading to NYC later tonight - the Affordable Art Fair NYC opens tomorrow. We're featuring Lori Katz, Dulce Pinzon, Elissa Farrow-Savos and Alma Selimovic!


Come see us in booth 1.36.

Tipping Point
2016 by Alma Selimovic
110x60x75in
Welded steel, wire, copper patina, stone

We're going to the fair!

Lori Katz
Wall of Squares
55” x 45” x 2.5"

Stoneware with slips, underglaze, glaze, and mixed media including high-temperature wire,
oil paint, cold wax, metal leaf

You will be able to see this piece and many others works by DMV master ceramic artist Lori Katz in New York at the coming Affordable Art Fair. We will have works by Katz, Dulce Pinzon, Elissa Farrow-Savos, Alma Selimovic and The Lenster.