Washingtonian magazine and DC visual arts

Over the last two plus decades, I've contacted Washingtonian magazine multiple times to take them to task over their absolute apathy and lack of coverage when it comes to any coverage of the DMV's visual arts scene.

Multiple editors over the years have responded to my complaints with mostly never filled promises and/or excuses.  Many of them have been documented in this blog over the decades, as testimony to their lack of interest in DMV visual arts and art galleries and spaces... and artists.

There's new blood and new leadership over at that legendary magazine and today Damare Baker pops in with a really cool opinion piece on which she highlights her ten fave visual art spaces around the DMV.

Check the article out here.  Then email Damare and tell her how much you enjoyed the article and wouldn't it be nice if 2-3 times a year the magazine would review a DC art gallery, or art space, and/or highlight or profile a DMV artist?

Diane Vreeland

 The things that show up at auction! Random!

Diane Vreeland
1978 ink brush drawing, 4x3 inches

Marcie Wolf-Hubbard at Artists & Makers

Artists & Makers Studios on Parklawn Drive in Rockville will showcase the work of Marcie Wolf-Hubbard in her solo exhibit “The Weight of Our Environment” and her connection made during the pandemic with the figure and nature - along with two additional exhibits and Open Studios. 

The March 5th opening will run from 11am – 3pm. Enjoy additional exhibits - “Dark and Light” with A&M Resident Artists, and Gallery 209 Member Artists exhibiting their latest works. 

In “The Weight of our Environment”, Marcie reveals her connection made during the pandemic with the figure and nature. Her initial charcoal drawings, embedded in encaustic medium, become the subject of her encaustic paintings. Additionally, she has translated her 2D drawings to 3D sculptures in wood cutouts, standing forms, and tiny interiors—- created environments for her figures. Her work includes papier mache, cardboard, and encaustic paint. 

Marcie Wolf-Hubbard is supported in part by funding from the Montgomery County Government and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Exhibit curated by Cathy Hirsh.

“The Weight of Our Environment” with Marcie Wolf-Hubbard

“Dark and Light” with Resident Artists

The Artists of Gallery 209

Opening Reception

11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Saturday, March 5th, 2022

Artists & Makers Studios

11810 Parklawn Drive, Suite 210

Rockville, MD 20852

Exhibits for Marcie Wolf-Hubbard and the Resident Artists will run from March 2nd through March 23rd. Gallery 209’s exhibit will run from March 2nd through March 28th. Viewing hours are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday-Saturday, and Sundays by chance or appointment. Masks firmly covering nose and mouth are required in the building.

Descartes Died in the Snow

Morton Fine Art (52 O Street NW #302) is pleased to present Descartes Died in the Snow, a solo exhibition showcasing work by Washington, D.C.-based artist Rosemary Feit Covey, on view from March 3–March 31, 2022. 

Marking both the debut of new work and the reactivation of older works, the exhibition uncovers new dimensions within the artist’s vast oeuvre. Taken as a whole, this collection of work illuminates the fragility of life on our embattled planet, recognizing the catastrophic ecological losses that mark our current era while turning a hopeful eye towards altogether new horizons.

Covey’s current focus on environmental concerns is informed by 20 years of collaborations with scientists, during which biology, ecology, and mortality have remained steady themes of the artist’s practice. The past three decades have seen the artist rise as an established wood engraver, followed in recent years by an expansion towards mediums including experimental printmaking and mixed media. From the replication of the printmaking process to the carving of the printing block, Covey’s works attend to personal analogies of physical and emotional fortitude; through the manipulation of absence and presence, lightness and darkness, the artist evokes a darker psychological sensibility within complex figural representations.

While maintaining the artist's long standing engagement with psychologically challenging—and oftentimes troubling—subject matter, the diversification of Covey’s mediums highlights the artist’s continued innovation in the arenas of both technique and narrative. In a titular nod to the life and work of 17th century philosopher René Descartes, Descartes Died in the Snow reflects Covey’s own artistic philosophy, that of art-as-exploration. In admiration of Descartes’ unfettered curiosity and his resulting great lengths of inquiry, Covey draws parallels with the experimental potential of artistic practice. “We artists can apply logic and intellectual research, then throw it all to the winds, allowing for alchemy and the unconscious to cross-pollinate with the natural sciences as we create,” Covey says.

Moved by recent climate disaster scenarios in South Africa—the country of her birth—Covey’s most recent work responds to the fleeting nature of news cycles and the failure of journalistic channels to manifest sustained public awareness of such crucial issues. Having witnessed this subject matter quickly fall from the front pages, Covey understands her work to serve as an enduring reminder of environmental crises within a global consciousness. Of this profound responsibility as an artist in the present moment, Covey affirms, “In this manner, I am committed to using my skills to portray this delicate balance as we reach a precipice.”

Through delicate lines that comprise masterful compositions, Covey’s work operates at the intersections of beauty and terror, depicting melancholy aesthetics of mourning. From a mass of opalescent strokes, Covey’s Broken Earth (2020) pictures a heap of carcesses, inspired by Covey’s horror of an imagined parched earth. Elsewhere, blooms of pigment suggest oil spills, and falling petals hint at impending decay. Through a push and pull, characterized by sensorial enticement segueing into gripping existential inquiry, the artist’s foreboding imagery unmasks that which is hidden in plain sight.

While often ominous, Covey’s practice nevertheless evades nihilism; through the elevation of phenomena such as fungal networks, the artist’s work also finds its purpose in illuminating the structures which sustain the planet. Resulting from Covey’s partnerships with mycologists, Amethyst Deceivers (2019) depicts the symbiotic relationships between plant and fungal life, relationships that exude restorative potential amidst times of destruction. Through the artist’s lens, Covey’s audience is issued solemn warnings of a speculative future, yet the possibilities for healing are never voided—viewers need only look closer to find them.

Old Navy cartoon drawing

Every once in a while I come across one of these... I used to do a lot of cartoons while I was in the Navy... some were published in base newspapers,  Navy magazines,  Stars & Stripes, etc. 

I gave most of them away over the years... here's one of the fabled Seaman Schmuckatelli (Navy sailors know who this fabled sailor was/is) - do they even have clubs on base anymore??? This one was "Seaman Schmuckatelli about to make a giant mistake"

Seaman Schmuckatelli about to make a giant mistake
A 1983 Navy cartoon by Lenny Campello

The Morrigan

 

THE MORRIGAN
2022 Charcoal & Conte on Unfired Bisque - by F. Lennox Campello

Ophelia

 

OPHELIA
2022 Charcoal & Conte on Unfired Bisque - by F. Lennox Campello

Forest Creature

Forest Creature
2022 Charcoal & Conte on Unfired Bisque - by F. Lennox Campello

 

Rejected!

Holy Smoke! I've been rejected from many art things in my life - but NEVER from an outdoor art show! 

NEVER!

And I was even once the juror for this show! And over the years I've won a few prizes at this festival! And that is why artists need to have a THICK skin! And we move on and apply next year...

On the good news side, I've just found out that the Phoenix Art Museum has just acquired one of my pieces for their permanent collection! BOOM!

Dear F. Lennox,

Thank you for applying to the 31st annual Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art Festival, formerly the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival.

The highly competitive pool of applications was individually evaluated by three independent jurors and selections were made based on their reviews. Unfortunately, your application of works was not selected for display at the Festival this year. We encourage you to apply again next year when we have a new panel of qualified professional jurors whose perceptions may vary. As a 2022 Festival applicant, you will automatically receive notification regarding the 2023 Festival application in the fall.

We sincerely appreciate your support and interest in the Festival, and we wish you much success in all your artistic endeavors.

Sincerely,

Jaynelle Hazard                                                  Hannah Barco

Executive Director and Curator                           Associate Curator and Festival Director

Why do artists need a resume?

 Let me tell you why!

Register for DC Arts Commission Grants Workshops and Live Chats

 From the DC Commision:

Learn more about our current funding opportunities through our upcoming workshops and live chats. We strongly encourage all applicants, especial first-timers, to join any that are relevant to opportunities you're considering applying for.

FY23 General Operating Support (GOS) Workshop 4pm ET, Wednesday, February 16

RSVP for the FY23 GOS Workshop

FY22/23 Grants Live Chat 2:30pm ET, Friday, February 11

Register for this FY22/FY23 Grants Live Chat

FY22 Color the Curb-School Safety Program 12:30pm ET, Tuesday, February 15

Register for this FY22 CTC Live Chat

FY22/23 Grants Live Chat 2:30 pm ET, Friday, February 18

Register for this FY22/FY23 Grants Live Chat

You can find out about additional workshops and live chats on our website.

View our Application Assistance page

How NOT to sign artwork

;

Call to Artists: Submit Artwork for WPA Collectors’ Night 2022

WPA invites artwork submissions for Collectors' Night 2022, their annual benefit auction, which will be held online on Artsy for two weeks in June and will kick off with an event and preview exhibition in DC. The auction’s theme this year—Your Presence is the Best Art—is inspired by the artist James Lee Byars (1932–1997) and celebrates our return to gathering together.

Artworks can be submitted online via this link here. The deadline is Sunday, February 27 at 11:59 pm EST.

Before applying, please review the eligibility & selection requirements carefully. WPA will split sale proceeds with artists 50-50. 

There is no submission fee.

Open Call: April-June Studio Residency at Otis Street Arts Project

Open Call: April-June Studio Residency at Otis Street Arts Project

Otis Street Arts Project is looking for an excited, inspired artist to temporarily join the O.S.A.P. community for a one-time, short-term studio residency. This is a free residency with no fees attached. 

Artists are free to work on projects of their choosing, and are expected to provide their own materials and tools. Artists are expected to work a minimum of 15 hours a week. Artists must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

There is no fee to apply. This residency is open to applicants of all backgrounds and experience levels. Applications are due March 7, 2022 for a residency period of April 1—June 30, 2022.

Benefits include:

• 10x10' studio space with lots of natural light

• Participation in Open Studios May 14th and group exhibition at Otis Street Arts Project.

• Access to Otis Street Arts Project's collaborative community of 11 artists working in a wide variety of disciplines

• Minimal furniture (table and chair)

• Heating and air conditioning

• Loading dock

• Key for studio access

This residency does not include:

• Housing

How to apply

 

To apply, please submit the following via our Google form: https://forms.gle/J45f1huBKEw8BbcT7

If you do not have a Google account or have difficulty with the form please contact OSAP at info@otisstreetarts.org.

• Answers to these questions:

  • What would you work on?

  • What are you hoping to gain from this residency?  

  • How would this residency further your goals?

• 3-5 images or video links that are representative of your work

• Image guide with captions/descriptions

• A short bio

Apply by: 3/7/2022

Notifications by: 3/18/2022