First Fridays in Bethesda returns next Friday!

The Bethesda Art Walk Returns

on Friday, April 12!

The iconic First Fridays are back in Bethesda in full force and that's a great thing, as several new art spaces have popped up in the area in the last few years and the First Fridays is a great way to enjoy a nice walk through Bethesda and see and support our local galleries!

First Fridays were started at the push of the Fraser Gallery in 2001, then located at the 7700 Wisconsin Avenue square where eventually several other galleries popped up! The great space once occupied by that legendary gallery is now where Gallery B is located!

Amy Kaslow Gallery is a great place to start the walk - they opened in 2020 and host a 2,400 square foot space at 7920 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda, just a couple of minutes walk from Gallery B.

Kaslow notes:

We cover a lot of miles exploring creatives and their markets, here and abroad. Washington, DC native Amy Kaslow, who writes and photographs with a lens on at-risk societies, along with her longtime colleague, now Gallery Director Jordan Lee, lead a team to compile research, curate, design and communicate the story of each artist, and every piece on display.

Currently on exhibit through April 14, they have works by Sandra Dooley, in an exhibition titled "Layers." See those works here.

Tonight Amy Kaslow is open until 9PM, so drop by and check Dooley's works - as the gallery recommends: See some gorgeous work, then find good eats at one of the many restaurants nearby. Or stop in after drinks and dinner.

Sandra Dooley  Ojos Bien Abiertos (Eyes Wide Open)  Mixed media on canvas  47 x 47 in

Starting with the April 12 art walk you can meet the artists, view their exhibited works, and enjoy light refreshments. From 6PM - 8PM you'll be able to visit the five participating galleries and studios:

Amy Kaslow Gallery

Gallery B

Studio B

Triangle Art Studios

Waverly Street Gallery

Tephra Arts Festival coming to Reston in May!

Tephra ICA Arts Festival Takes Over Reston Town Center the Weekend of May 18-19,2024!

Now in its 33nd year, the Tephra ICA Arts Festival (formerly titled the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival) will take place that weekend at Reston Town Center. Over 200 contemporary artists and artisans will travel from across the country to present original handmade artwork to share with Festival audiences.

It's worth the visit - I shit thee not!  Free parking, lots of food vendors and great art!

Eyes of Max Scherzer

Eyes of Mad Max Scherzer

"Eyes of Mad Max Scherzer" is an original mixed media drawing/watercolor on pH-balanced, acid free watercolor paper.

Ellen Cornett at Artists & Makers Studios in Rockville

Artists & Makers Studios on Parklawn Drive in Rockville will host Ellen Cornett for the month of April. 

The exhibit runs from April 3rd through April 24th at Artists & Makers Studios, with an opening reception on Friday, April 5th, 5 – 8pm. 

Artists & Makers Studios presents Once Upon a Time, Words and Pictures, illustrations from recently published books by artist, Ellen Cornett. 

Cornett re-wrote these familiar stories, illustrating them in colored pencil and carbon pencil; Hush Little Baby, The House That Jack Built, The Fisherman and the Flounder and Stone Soup. In collaboration with Cornett, professional model and muse, Harry Edgel, posed for the human characters in the drawings. With his bottomless costume trunk and a dancer’s expressiveness, Edgel was instrumental in bringing the characters in Cornett’s illustrations to life. 

Enjoy additional exhibits “Earthbound” with Resident Artists – on view in the Gallery Hall, along with nineteen Gallery 209 Member Artists exhibiting their latest work. Shop and support local working artists, makers, and professionals.

“Once Upon a Time, Words and Pictures” with Ellen Cornett

“Earthbound” with Resident Artists

The Artists of Gallery 209

Opening Reception

5:00pm – 8:00pm, Friday, April 5th, 2024

Artists & Makers Studios

11810 Parklawn Drive, Suite 210

Rockville, MD 20852

Wanna add a line to your art CV?

And also do it for a good cause!

Submission Deadline for mailed US Entries: April 8, 2024

Organization: Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Rochester, New York

Fee: FREE

Event Dates: June 1, 2024 - July 21, 2024

Eligibility: International

Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture

Juried: Nope! It's OPEN! All entries exhibited!

Each summer Rochester Contemporary Art Center’s (RoCo) 6x6 exhibition brings together thousands of original artworks, made and donated by celebrities, international & local artists, designers, youth and YOU. Each artist may enter up to four artworks of any medium (2D or 3D). Artworks must be six inches square and signed only on the back, to be exhibited anonymously. Participation is free. All artworks will be exhibited and for sale to the public for $20 each to benefit RoCo. Artists’ names will be revealed to the buyer upon purchase and all artworks remain on display through the end of the exhibition. Limit four artworks per school or school group (no limit for colleges).

Please call or email with any questions: (585) 461-2222 | info@rochestercontemporary.org - The entry form can be downloaded here.

Best new artist find at Artomatic (so far)

My personal best AOM find of all time was when I ran into Tim Tate at the second ever Artomatic in Tenleytown. The Tatenator was under the stairs on the basement, and in the now mythical story of Artomatic, his work from that show ended up in a major museum, resulted in his first solo show ever at the iconic Fraser Gallery in Georgetown and from all the sales he started, along with Erwin Timmers and Mike Janis, the Washington Glass School in the neighborhood where the Nats' stadium is now.

Back to Artomatic 2024... I was on duty on the fourth floor last Saturday,  and after two and a half hours I completed my circuit of that floor, which is a warren of amazing rooms where artists of all kinds have created some spectacular displays of creativity, zeal and hard work.

And then I walked into room 4123.

James Flowers' artwork in room 4123 at Artomatic 2024

In room 4123 I met the recent works on metal of a new-to-me artist named James Flowers.

Before I talk about the artwork, let me point out something else: the superbly professional presentation - each of Flowers' gorgeous paintings are done on meatl - a nightmarish substrate not for the faint of heart, demanding precise technical skill and patience, and Flowers easily navigates the technical pitfalls of painting on the sexy, shiny surface and achieves the desired effect of superior, professional presentation.

Like most of us at Artomatic, he suffers from the salon-hanging virus that affects nearly each room in the Brutalist building at 2100 M Street, NW - we all want to maximize our $150 half room!

Flowers' approach to the subject matter - in this case mostly beautiful and elegant Black women with a flowing sense of power and presence - is quite distinct. His composition is classical in the sense of the triangular delivery of the subject that given them added weight and presence.

It is the way in which he has captured a psychological subtle message from each subject - this is sooooo easy to write in words and sooooo hard to deliver with a brush, and this is precisely with Flowers has done and accounts for much of his visual success.

There are other clues, such as in the paintings above and below; notice how the subject interacts with something out of the plane of the image above, and interacts with the viewer below.

I predict lots of great things in the future of this artist; there are a lot of great artworks in the room right now!

Artomatic review: the 4th floor

It took me about two and a half hours to finish finish my first walk through of the 4th floor at ARTOMATIC, and then I revisited some spaces and left many comments on the artists' books.

First impressions are: 

(1) A lot of artists channeling Joseph Cornell, which is a good thing, as Cornell was a magnificent artist and his work niche has miles and miles of creativity left to explore!

(2) a lot of BLM-themed artwork, some pretty powerful, some less memorable.

(3) I'm shocked by how many people cannot spell Palestine! 

Now for my impressions, but first, the mysterious, talented and prolific poet known as BRASH has been gifting poetry to ARTOMATIC artists for many years now. And now BRASH has been outed by an artist known as Bebe in room 4043! I really hope that this was an agreed outing!

BRASH by Bebe

Wall mosaic by Peijisan at Artomatic 2024

In room 4066, the artist known as Peijisan has cleverly recycled materials to create a wall mosaic that translates really well and would be a great addition to any public art building - the best of both worlds: re-using materials and in doing so creating really good art!

My personal best ARTOMATIC find of all time was when I ran into Tim Tate  at the second ever Artomatic in Tenleytown over two decades ago. Today when I waked the 4th floor (I'm on duty on the 4th floor), in room 4123 I met the recent works on metal of a new-to-me artist named James Flowers. So far he's the Best New Artist find (for me)... I will explain more in DC Art News later.

Detail of a James Flowers painting on metal

In room 4009 I was superbly impressed by the portrait drawings of Mary Acosta. In these works the artist has easily captured - not only through her technical skill, but also through her ability to "read" the subject -- something special about each person!

Mary Acosta in room 4009 at Artomatic 2024

I am usually highly critical of weird or fancy frames - as opposed to the art word standard of plain frames that do not interfere with the work. In this room I stand corrected! Acosta uses a diverse assortment of interesting exotic frames and I'll be darned if it actually works for her!

Mary Acosta portrait

I mentioned that there are a lot of artists on this floor channeling Joseph Cornell - and below is one of my absolute favorites from Tom Noll in room 4038, which is full of wonderful artsy "upcycled" boxes!

 

Tom Noll at Artomatic 2024


Tom Noll room 4038 at Artomatic 2024

On one of the halls marked 478, I was taken by the pole dancing photographs of Larkin Jones - they are superbly presented, and deliver athletic prowess, eroticism and even humor!

Pole dancing photo by Larkin Jones at Artomatic 2024

Below is my award for possibly the scariest sculpture in Artomatic! It is the superb work of Greg Bailou in room 4013!

Greg Bailou in room 4013

I have admired the works of my good bud Osbel Susman-Peña for decades now. He's a superbly trained artist whose works draws from deep sources loaded with ages of personal meanings to him, and yet the brilliance of his works is how each individual viewer finds its own meanings in his wondrous paintings.  His work is in room 4057.

Some other masters who need no introduction are Colin Winterbottom (easily one of the best DMV photographers of the city) in room 4062, the breath-taking work of Ellen Cornett in room 4085. I am soooo jealous of her enviable technical skill in her drawings - but technical skill alone does not great art make -- and Cornett is also brilliant in her surrealist work that delivers a wondrous bestiary and images that are best reserved for wonderful dreams! She's in room 4085.

In room 4073/74 I ran into a powerful installation by the duo of Claudia Vess and Lucy Blankenstein - two DMV artists who need no introduction. Titled "Apres Moi?", the two-room install is an orgy of recycled white foam materials that somehow in one room deliver modern forms and in the other room a marriage of modern forms with classical busts!

Apres Moi

Apres Moi

More "must see" on the 4th floor: Marcie Wolf-Hubbard in room 4050, Betsy Jones miniature dioramas in room 4015, Monica Perdomo's memorable stitched canvasses in room 4104, and easily the selection for one of the most innovative and serene projects of Artomatic history: Lisa Rosenthal-Yoffe's "Nothing but Blue Skies" in room 4014 -- That's how you do a room installation!

Detail of Monica Perdomo's stitching

More masters at Artomatic: Susan Jamison in room 4099, and the collaboration of David Mordini and Barry Schmetter in 4029, with nine tracks of motion activated cicada songs is spectacularly superior on a planetary scale! May the broods of 2024 bring new sounds to your repertoire!

And of course there's another great room with Richard Schellenberg's latest. This artist - along with Tim Tate a few centuries ago - almost single-handedly invented the niche of art that took video away from DVD players and made it into fine art!  There are also some exceptional minimalist drawings, which I gotta admit, were a surprise to me - the man can also draw! He's in room 4088.

Richard Schellenberg video pieces at Artomatic 2024

Over in Facebook I've been getting my ass chewed by artists who think that no one should get constructive criticism on something that needs improvement - one even called me a jackass. They felt that it was "unneeded" and "mean" that I think that whoever this artist is below, he or she gets the second worst Artomatic installation ever. 

This is ALL that there's in the room:

Why? Because the presentation needs a lot of schooling: there is no information at all, no names, no contact information, etc. And the work is double taped to the wall, which to me does not say that the artist is trying to deliver a message via the poor installation, but that he or she just needs some basic mentoring and information on artwork presentation... Note that I'm discussing the presentation - not the artwork itself - but a lot of otherwise gentle folks over at Facebook are fuming at me for daring to express constructive criticism,

I could be wrong, and if so, I will eat my words -- you readers know that I have done so many times in the past.

Wanna talk about it? Whoever is below artist, email me and let's get together and chat about how to present your work... or you can tell me to fuck off -- either way works... Wanna see the very worst Artomatic installation ever? Click here.

When a painting hits the mark

In room 5015 at Artomatic there is work by an artist named Michelle Ramos, who is new to me.

There are sometimes confluences of things that happen in the process of producing art, which, depending on what the "thing" is, can result in a disaster or in a work of art that moves from the mundane to the sublime.

In 5015 there is such a work.

In that room we find a work where the artist has accepted one of the most difficult challenges in painting: delivering a work of art using colors that reside on opposite ends of the color wheel.

The usual result of that for most of us is a muddy ending,  where the chemical properties of the paint defeat the best artistic intentions. 

And yet, in this work Ramos has not only seduced the combating primary colors into coming into a gorgeous agreement of sorts, but also delivered what can best be described as a triumph of persistence over logic and an enviable and beautiful work of art that defied all painting logic and ends as a brilliant triumph of the brush!

And it is in the middle area transition point where the magic occurs that allow the two colors, always at war with each other, to marry in artistic triumph.

Well done!

26th Bethesda Row Arts Festival

Get ready for the 26th Bethesda Row Arts Festival, happening on September 7-8, 2024! 

They are thrilled to announce that artist applications are now open. Situated in the vibrant heart of Bethesda, Maryland, the festival spans five bustling blocks and has been hailed as one of the top 30 Fine Art Shows in the country by the "Art Fair Sourcebook.

Expect to engage with 25,000 discerning attendees from the affluent and educated communities of the Washington, DC Metro Area, including Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and Upper Northwest. The sphere of influence of the festival extends to a three-mile radius, known for its high average household income of $196,910.

They employ a comprehensive marketing plan that encompasses a wide range of platforms, from a robust social media campaign to traditional print and radio ads. With the support of their PR firm, local chamber of commerce, and urban district, they continually strive to involve the community and reach new potential attendees. Notably, their visibility has been amplified by appearances on NBC, FOX, WTOP (news radio), and WAMU (public radio).

These are the 2024 jurors - click here.

Apply here.

Affordable Art Fair New York City - the last day!

 Sundays are always tough because the lurking end of the fair means the re-packing of all the art, loading the van and the long drive home!

By 6:45PM I was packed and escape from New York had begun! Five long days of hard work behind, lots of artwork stayed behind, but one always wishes for more!

Affordable Art fair NYC Spring 2024 - Day Four

Saturdays are historically the best. There are flood warnings all over the area, but that seemed to drive more people to the fair and we saw large numbers and multiple good sales! Two of Yurdin's large abstracts stayed with a young collector couple!

We also had a visit by DMV ubercollectors Steve and Linda Krensky!

Steve and Linda Krensky chatting with Cory Oberndorfer

I sold several major drawings as well as the never-ending flow of Bisque drawings sales.

The Last Copy of the Constitution 

Sleep is the Cousin of Death

And great crowds!

Affordable Art Fair NYC Spring - Day Three

Friday crowds continued to be very good - and a lot of smaller work is moving well, but still waiting for some of the big sales!

The booth was packed most of the day!

Affordable Art Fair NYC Spring 2024 - Day Two

Throughout the day the crowds have been fantastic - the aisles are packed!

In the early afternoon, we delivered the above Dora Patin private commission! It was delivered to a happy collector... and the crowds remained large throughout the day and evening! A lot of those Bisque drawings continued to fly off the wall!

Affordable Art Fair NYC - Day One

Left the DMV at 4AM and made great time though I-95 all the way to the tunnel, which took over an hour to cross!

Cory Oberndorfer setting up in booth D15 at the Affordable Art Fair NYC 2024 Spring

And then the work of Suzanne Yurdin went up!

Abstract paintings by Suzanne Yurdin at the Affordable Art Fair NYC Spring 2024

And then the amazing prodigy that is Dora Patin went up!

Trompe l'oeil paintings by Dora Patin at the Affordable Art Fair NYC Spring 2024

The "Oberndorfer Wall" in booth D15!

The fair opened at 5PM for VIPs and the press, and the opening night crowds were huge as usual. We sold about 20 of my small Bisque drawings, Oberdorfer had a last minute sale and we also sold the below painting by Dora Patin.

More tomorrow!

Heading to New York! Time for the Affordable Art Fair!

Once again, the van is packed and ready to depart in the wee hours of the morning on Wednesday as once again we head to an art fair in New York City.

This time it is the Affordable Art Fair New York - Spring, which is taking place May 20-24 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea.

The gallery is hosting Cory Oberndorfer, Dora Patin, Suzanne Yurdin and yours truly in booth D15.

Fridas

The Incantation of Frida Kahlo - Version One

 

The Incantation of Frida Kahlo - Version Two

The Incantation of Frida Kahlo - Version Three

The Incantation of Frida Kahlo - Version Four

New Art Gallery in Georgetown!

I fondly recall when the Canal Square complex in Georgetown at 1054 31st Street, NW off M street and 31st was home to SEVEN independently owned commercial fine art galleries!

Ready for some GREAT news?

There's new blood trying to re-start the DC gallery art scene there! From GeorgetownDC.com:

Cabada Contemporary (1054 31st St NW, #9) on March 21 from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at the opening reception for BLOOM – an exhibition co-hosted by the neighboring gallery ArtRobin (1054 31st St NW, #6). Enjoy drinks, light refreshments and conversation with other art enthusiasts. The exhibition features works by acclaimed abstract expressionist artist Javier Cabada and his daughter, figurative artist and gallery owner Sabrina Cabada. The two have not exhibited together in over two decades. Cabada Contemporary will exhibit works by Javier and Sabrina, along with a curated selection of established and emerging local artists. Cabada Contemporary and ArtRobin have united to the form the Galleries at Canal Square and will co-host monthly exhibitions.

BLOOM Opening at Cabada Contemporary

GALLERY RECEPTION: It is our pleasure to invite you to our first opening reception. Join us for an art-filled evening as we  celebrate the unveiling of Cabada Contemporary and the reawakening of the coming season.  BLOOM: A Revival Celebration of Art showcases the vibrant colors of spring. Featuring works by Javier Cabada, Sabrina Cabada and Edward Alan Gross.

Opening Reception:

CABADA CONTEMPORARY 1054 31st Street, NW # 9 Washington, DC    20007

Thursday, March 21st, 2024  6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Artomatic - The 8th Floor

Yesterday I reported for duty at ARTOMATIC, which had been given permission by the City Kommissars to re-open at 6PM. Lots of hard-working people behind the scenes deserve a great THANK YOU!

Cute lady named Kira was on duty greeting all the voluntolds for the 3:30 - 8:30PM Friday shift: Maria, Laila, Martinez, Laurel, Danielle and many others. I lucked out and got floor walker/docent duties on the 8th floor with the nice lady Laila, whom I soon bored with my tales of how nice my cousin's wife Fariba is...

The 8th floor at Artomatic is magical becuse it is wide open, so people can flow from artist to artist without room-gallery feeling of some of the other floors.

8th floor view at Artomatic 2024

As a docent/floor walker, I'm really good at walking, and between 3:30PM to 6PM, which is when the building opened up, I was pretty much alone on the 8th floor, and was able to spend some time with the artwork and installations. I was really taken by Sondra Arkin's kinetic sculpture on one of the 8th floor corners... Sondra wants people to gently experience the sounds of the bamboo... "Bamboo Showers"

Sondra Arkins' Bamboo Showers at Artomatic 2024 - Listen to them below

There are a lot of graffiti artists at Artomatic (as usual), and Luis Rosenfeld stood out to me as one of the better ones whom I've seen over the years! The carefully installed and orchestrated space on the 8th floor testifies to that!

Luis Rosenfeld at Artomatic 2024

Luis Rosenfeld at Artomatic 2024

Like Star Wars and Star Trek, Barbie has been an often common theme at ARTOMATIC since 1999... but as we are now in the era of Barbie the Movie, it is a special treat to award the 2024 ARTOMATIC Barbinator Art Award to Sarah Jane Rodman's super cool 8th floor installation titled "Pink Compass, True North"!

 Pink Compass, True North -  by Sarah Jane Rodman at ARTOMATIC 2024

          

I also discovered that some asswipe/assholish mutants had apparently violated Anthony D'Amico's super intelligent and cool installation, forcing the artist to "tape off" his work's approach area.

 

Anthony D'Amico at Artomatic 2024

What does the Lenster think? I think that Marcos Smyth on the 8th floor has won the "Best Ever Driftwood Sculpture Award" in ARTOMATIC history!

Marcos Smyth - Best Ever Driftwood Sculpture Award at ARTOMATIC 2024

And what can I say but WOW! to the mural by Jeff Huntington? The skill alone leaves me in a state of art flux!

Mural by Jeff Huntington at ARTOMATIC 2024

Almost last but by far not least, is this gorgeous and huge piece by Anthony Maderal! Quite possibly the best Star Trek artwork ever (no idea if this talented artist meant it to be?), but darn if this is not the best BORG cube in artistic history! Sculpture by Antony Maderal is titled "I0I0 - In Our Own Image" - I seriously think that the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities needs to acquire it for the city's public art collection! Can you imagine this gorgeous work of art spinning (where it can't be reached or touched, but seen) at a DC building?

I0I0 - In Our Own Image by Anthony Maderal

I also loved the below sculpture by Dorothy Hickson on the 8th floor at ARTOMATIC. Sort of a cool mix of steam punk with a touch of found objects that deliver danger and macabre... she also had some vagina dentata artwork that was really good!

Dorothy Hickson sculpture at ARTOMATIC 2024

I also quite liked Rashia Sawyer's often erotic somantic photography, whih was also superbly and very professionally presented! Very talented and skilled photographer... and while I am discussing photogs, I also give kudos to Cynthia Herrick!

The 8th floor also hosts several countries' "pavilions"... cough... cough... this is quite "new" for AOM, but a really GREAT step forward! Not sure how they achieved this? Maybe working with the local embassies? This is an area ripe for growth in future Artomatics!

The best Pavilion by far was the Mexican Pavilion, which flexed its muscles in that nation's mythical printmaking scene!.

Mexican artists in the area were all printmakers, and they were all really good!  I especially liked the largest print in the show, a wondrous work titled "El Guardian" (The Guardian) by Daniel Hernandez.

"El Guardian" (The Guardian) by Daniel Hernandez at Artomatic 2024

Other than the Communist slogans, I also really liked the skill in Alev Jaguar's proletariat prints on display. My fave was "Hasta la victoria siempre", which every Cuban knows was a harsh Communist slogan written in blood on the back of Che Guevara's gay men in forced labor camps... I give Jaguar a pass for ignorance, as he/she/them also probably is not aware of what the racist Guevara wrote about Mexicans.

But it is a gorgeous print!

"Hasta la victoria siempre" at AOM 2024 in Mexican Pavilion

There's also a Cuban Pavilion, I assume set up by the Cuban Embassy in the US, since Cuban artists are generally not free to just participate in shows such as Artomatic, and their artwork has to be vetted for international exhibition - if you don't believe me, learn about Cuban artists Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Castillo Pérez.

There I really liked the technical skill in the drawings of Daniel Madruga, who delivers immensely surreal compositions of fantastical animals.

Drawing by Daniel Madruga

Drawing by Daniel Madruga