From Mark Jenkins, the WaPo's freelance art critic and author of that newspaper's sole and only coverage of the DC area's art galleries and visual artists:
My editors at the Washington Post have decided to end the Galleries column. The last one will run in the Aug. 25 paper. I’m very sorry to send you this news. I’ve enjoyed writing the column, and getting to know so many artists, curators, and gallery owners.
Just got a note from an old friend at the WaPo that the "Galleries" column may be nixed in the next few days.
I sincerely hope not, as this is the only remnant of the Washington Post's miserable coverage of area art galleries and artists.
Over the last two decades I have written extensively about the phenomenon of gallery art fairs as the new salons of the 21st century, as art magnets where galleries congregate and collectors and curators, and celebrities, and the illuminati go to see and buy art. Furthermore, anecdotal figures from the major fairs seem to confirm that a lot of artwork is being sold by galleries at the fairs. My own experience in doing art fairs for the last 18 years confirms this fact - I have my own positive empirical evidence, albeit with the caveat that fairs still seem to be recovering from the Covidian monster..
There's another "art world" out there of fine art fairs that - because of the curious highbrow attitude of the "high art" cabal - never really gets any attention from the art media, etc.
I’m talking about outdoor art fairs that some of us know well, and many more others think they know well even though they've actually never been to any of the good ones. I am talking about the outdoor art festivals that get ranked as the top ones by Sunshine Artist magazine and others; fairs such as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver, or the Ann Arbor Arts Festival (actually four separate art fairs that draw over half a million visitors), and of course, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival in Miami, which routinely attracts about 150,000 visitors in the Miami area.
Immediately the clueless “experts” who have never been to one of these top-of-the-line outdoor art festivals will think and imagine what they visualize as an outdoor art market: dried flowers, teddy bears and watercolors of barns.
Don't get me wrong, there are thousands and thousands of these type "art" fairs around as well - but those are NOT the ones that I am talking about.
I am talking about the cream of the Sunshine Artist Top 100 list. These are shows where only original art, not reproductions, are allowed, and photography has very severe rules (must be done by the photographer, limited editions only, signed, archival processes only, etc.). These shows are highly competitive to get in (they're juried), and usually offer quite a lot of money in prizes for the artists. The jurors vary from museum curators, art center managers, art critics, artists (I’ve been a juror myself many times), etc.
I guess I'm saying that there's some curatorial legitimacy to them as well... for the elitists amongst you dear readers.
But the real point to which I am driving here is the mathematics of attendance: thousands.
Locally in our area, there are several of these exceptional fine art outdoor festivals: The Bethesda Row Arts Festival in Bethesda, the Tephra ICA Arts Festival in Reston, and the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival in the Woodmont Triangle area of Bethesda, also attract those numbers of people and are all highly competitive.
Consider the median income in either Bethesda ($185K) or Reston ($135K), and what you get out of it is a lot of people with a lot of disposable income. As a whole, the DMV itself has a median household income of around $100K – one that ranks among the highest among the U.S.'s 25 most populous metro areas.
Art price tags at these local fairs range from $100 to $20,000. As such, there's a somewhat comparable universe of prices to the DC area gallery market, as an example.
And I submit that a lot of the people who attend one of these outdoor fine art festivals do not have the "formation," as a Communist would say, to dare set foot in a white cube gallery... and have probably never heard of Art Base Miami Beach.
Nearly all of these huge and highly successful outdoor arts festivals (as far as I know) only allow individual artists to sell their work at the fairs, and their entry fees are about 1/100th of the entry fees of the “other” art fairs.
Wanna see one? The Bethesda Row Arts Festival, which is the DMV’s largest outdoor fine arts festival, and one of the best in the country, will take place September 7-8. The show will showcase 185 artists in 14 media categories: ceramics, drawing/pastels, fiber/decorative, fiber/wearables, glass, graphics/printmaking, jewelry, metalwork, mixed media 2D, mixed media 3D, oil/acrylic painting, photography/digital art, sculpture, watercolor, and wood. It is located essentially at the intersection of Elm Street and Woodmont Avenue, two blocks from the Bethesda Metro, and there’s a huge public parking garage within the show itself.
Online here: https://www.bethesdarowarts.org
See ya there! I'll be in booth S104!
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| Janis & Porto at Affordable Art Fair NYC |
_Girls_Night_out_Mixed_Media_2021_24x24x7.jpg "Janis & Porto at Affordable Art Fair NYC") |
| Janis & Porto at Affordable Art Fair NYC |
Just back from the opening at Glen Echo's Popcorn Gallery of WOVEN: Threads of Identity in Abstract Expressionism, an excellent group exhibition by the artists of The Black Art Today Foundation.
The news release reveals that the "show showcases the dynamic and powerful works of contemporary Black women artists who utilize the language of Abstract Expressionism" and...
Abstract Expressionism, a movement known for its focus on emotion, gesture, and individuality, becomes a powerful tool for these artists to explore themes of identity, race, and resilience. Through bold colors, gestural marks, and innovative techniques, they challenge traditional narratives and forge their own visual vocabulary.
This exhibition celebrates the artistic mastery and unique perspectives of Black women in the contemporary art world, while also acknowledging the historical exclusion of these artists from the canon of Abstract Expressionism.
This is a spectacular exhibition, and in my many decades of reviewing and attending art shows, this was of the few group art shows where every single work packs an intelligent punch to the solar plexus of the mind in what the artists - and the aim of the show - deliver!
Both Alida and I were immediately drawn to the paintings of Janet Walters, which are harmonious and fluid, flexing the artistic superpower of watercolors, the most difficult of media, at the hands of a very talented artist. She notes that "color on color creates depth and an ethereal feeling, as well as, little spaces ripe to become secret little vignettes. I strive to give the viewer three ways to see my work; a view from some distance, a closer view that shows more detail and an even closer perspective that reveals those little spaces that let viewers feel that they have come upon a secret space discovered only by them."
Another artist in full mastery of her media is Tommi Blake, whose attractive resin paintings (some done in collaboration with fellow artist Marie Antoinette) are not only powerful abstract works, but also beautifully delivered in technical skill. I especially liked a large work titled "In the Beginning", which almost dominates the side of the gallery where it is displayed.
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| Anita Henley Carrington "Riptide" |
Washingtonian Maria-Lana Queen "Black Girl #11" is another work where the title and the energetic work full of marks and forms planted and floated anchor an image delivered by a very elegant abstract work. The piece seduced me visually and mentally.
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| Dr. Yemonja Smalls "Dream Day" |
On the other hand, Washingtonian Dr. Harriet Smith is a self-taught artist whose striking and colorful paintings, especially the one titled "Seventh Space" are the pure essence of what is Abstract Expressionism in all of its wonder! Another artist whose work delivers and does so with exuberance and clear gusto is Alma Roberts. Her superbly composed paintings - she has six in the show - are abstract gems.
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| Alma Roberts "Interposed" |
My kudos to the curators - this is a powerful show with deep resonance and presence. The show runs through September 29, 2024.
Dear Visual Arts, Design, and Media Arts Community:
Congress is on the brink of devastating cuts to education funding! The House Appropriations Committee's FY25 proposal slashes Title I by 25%, eliminates Title II, and proposes the complete elimination of the Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) program. Their rationale? "Funding should focus on core subjects like reading, writing, and math."
We cannot let Congress strip away critical support for arts education and essential federal programs. We need your voice NOW to protect the arts. Join the VoterVoice campaign to tell Congress why arts education matters to YOU. We encourage you to personalize your message and defend the arts in education!
Act today to ensure Congress hears our support for arts education and rejects these harmful cuts. Together, we can protect opportunities for every child!
Join the Campaign
Today I'm going to thank my parents who had the foresight, strength, and courage to escape the Castro brothers' brutalized island; leave everything behind; leave everything they knew, and raise me as an American.
I am grateful to them.
I am so proud of this nation, and so lucky to be Cuban by ancestry, but American by the grace of God.
Happy birthday USA!
These will make their debut at the Bethesda Row Arts Festival this coming September, and then whatever remains (if any) will make an appearance in New York at the Affordable Art Fair in Chelsea, also in September.
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| When the Empire finally arrived, she was the first one to put the video on TikTok |
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| Her pencil skirt always made her feel like a lioness |
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| Medusa |
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| In an alternate Universe, Taylor Swift was a Vulcan |
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| Bats |
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| Bat |
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| Nun on a bike |
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| The Lilith consoling Eve (After the Expulsion) |
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| The G.O.A.T (Homage to Ali) |
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| Assassin Wasp |
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| Biden during his Elvis period |
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| Elvis |
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| She decided to sting the next fucker who tried to step on her |
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| Bat |
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| Hipster Archie |
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| Frida Kahlo |
“All Member Show”- An Exhibit by Foundry Gallery
Opening Reception: July 6, 2024 4PM-6PM
From the gallery:
“Join Foundry Gallery for a tapestry of our gallery’s members, each artist displaying their unique style as a collective narrative that resonates with creativity and passion. Our group exhibit celebrates the diversity of artistic expression among our members by showcasing the spectrum of styles, mediums, and perspectives in a collective exhibit.
Our members invite you to join them to explore the realms of imagination and emotion through their various works of art. Our members will exhibit works such as painting, photography, and mixed media. The "All Member" exhibit features artworks from Duly Noted Painters, Roderick Turner, Josef Isaiah Keyes, Deb Fury, Dilip Sheth, Tasha Overpeck, and many more! Enjoy the watercolor works of the people and places of Washington, DC, vibrant abstract figurative works, and photographs of the world as our members see it.
Foundry Gallery and its members are dedicated to pushing boundaries and challenging perceptions with artworks that tell stories of their journeys with color, form, and texture. Our “All Members” group exhibit is a testament to the amazing artists who call Foundry Gallery home. Our members take this opportunity to showcase their individual voices while harmonizing as a collective in an artistic expression similar to a chorus.”
Multiple Exposures Gallery (MEG) is pleased to announce PROGRESSION, a new fine art photography exhibition.
On display at MEG through July 28, 2024, the exhibition features a sequence of photographs, with each one chosen for its relation to the previous image. The relationships among the 45 included images may be based on composition, color, geography or other characteristics — the choice was left to each of the 15 contributing artists. Exhibition visitors are invited to observe each image as it appears in the sequence and consider what the connection to the previous image might have been.
Exhibition Artists: Stacy Smith Evans, Soomin Ham, Tim Hyde, Eric Johnson, Irina Lawton, Sandy LeBrun-Evans, Matt Leedham, Francine B. Livaditis, Maureen Minehan, David Myers, Van Pulley, Sarah Hood Salomon, Alan Sislen, Tom Sliter and Fred Zafran
Exhibition hours: 11am-5pm daily
Location: Multiple Exposures Gallery | Torpedo Factory Art Center | #312
This 2012 drawing of mine from my "Pictish Nation" series shows up at auction in Florida! Ridiculous starting bid! I sold that drawing during Art Basel week in Miami ages ago for five times that!
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Vicky Surles Exhibition
at Watkins Nature Center
July 1- September 21, 2024
From the news release:
Vicky Surles is an award-winning local artist, member of Wheaton Arts Parade Gallery, Montgomery Art Association, Gallery 209 in Artists & Makers Studios, Rockville and a Juried Member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society. In her figurative drawings, she tries to reflect nature's beauty and order. A love for nature drives her to explore the structure and intricate details of life around her. She mainly works in watercolor and colored pencil. Her work is in many private collections as well as in the United States Department of State's Art in Embassies Program.
You are invited to meet the artist at a free, public art reception on August 11 from 1-3 pm. Light refreshments will be served.
Watkins Nature Center is located at 331 Watkins Dr., Upper Marlboro, MD 20774. Regular visiting hours are Monday- Friday 10am- 5pm and Sunday 10am- 4pm. To see works by Vicky, click here!
DWIGHTMESS Cartooning & Comic Arts, a gallery and arts compound devoted to experimental and cutting-edge independent comics and illustration, is proud to announce the 2024 STORYBOX Comics Fair, now in its second year of convening of capital-area comic creators. Events will take place on Saturday, June 22nd at Dwightmess, and on Sunday, June 23rd at Third Hill Brewing Co. from 12-4pm. Admission to Saturday’s event is free. Admission to the expo at the brewery on Sunday is $10.
The first day of events will be led by our Special Guests; DC-based artist Sierra Barnes, author of “Hans Vogel is Dead,” released by Dark Horse Comics; DC-based Dana Jeri Maier, New Yorker Shouts artist and author of “Skip to the Fun Parts: Cartoons and Complaint About the Creative Process” and Baltimore-based artist Ben Claassen III, former Washington City Paper cartoonist of the long-running comic, “Dirt Farm.”
Visitors can expect to encounter a selection of exhibitors showcasing their self-published comics, illustrations and swag, and participate in discussions and workshops surrounding the craft of making comics. Events include a show of Dana Jeri Maier’s illustration in our secret tiny gallery, an opening reception & BBQ for SWAMP MESS, the gallery’s annual DC-comics creator summer show, featuring artwork by Ben Claassen III, Andrew Cohen, Chris Combs, Liam Crooks, Brandon Geurts, Art Hondros, Marcie-Wolf Hubbard, John Kinhart, and Dale Rawlings, plus an opening reception for Halcyon Scene, our vintage boutique offering sleek 1980’s furniture and decor. (IG: @_halcyon_scene_)
Exhibitor List (Saturday 6/22): Mercedes Campos Lopez, JESSJESS PRESS, TC Pescatore, Anna Selheim.
The second day of the fair is a comics mini-expo taking place at Third Hill Brewing Co. in downtown Silver Spring. Featuring 19 DMV-region cartoonists,illustrators and makers, with book signings by our special guests and workshops led by DC-based autobio-cartoonist Athena Naylor, Washington Post comics editor Hannah Good, and Ray Orr, Former Design and Comics Editor of The Lily for the Washington Post Style Section.
Special Guests: Sierra Barnes, Ben Claassen III, Dana Jeri Maier
Exhibitor List (Sunday 6/23): All the Old Posions, Carolyn Belefski, Kat Brenowitz, Hannah Good, Hobbes Holluck, Art Hondros, Paul Hostetler, Erin Lissette, Alex Lupp, Athena Naylor, Ray Orr, Nami Oshiro, Karly Perez, Perilous Adventure Studios, Dale Rawlings, Christine Skelly, Shannon Spence.
Schedule of Programming :
Saturday, June 22nd, 12-4pmDWIGHTMESS, 805 Silver Spring Ave, Silver Spring MD 20910 (closest to Fenton Street Village Garage)
Swampmess Exhibition Opening Reception/BBQ
1pm Workshop with Sierra Barnes
2pm: Comics Process Town Hall with Ben Claassen III3pm: Book Discussion with Dana Jeri Maier
*All events are free and open to the public.
Sunday, June 23rd, 12-4pm
Third Hill Brewing Co, 8216 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring MD 20910 (closest to Bonifant-Dixon Garage)
1pm: Make a Collage Comic w/ Hannah Good and Rachel Orr
2pm: “Main Character Energy” Workshop with Athena Naylor
3pm Special Guests Book Signings
*$10 Admission.
Event Locations: DWIGHTMESS, 805 Silver Spring Ave, Silver Spring MD 20910, Third Hill Brewing Co, 8216 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring MD 20910
Public Transit Reminder: **Silver Spring Metro Station on the Red Line is currently closed for the summer as well as the Takoma, Wheaton and Glenmont Stations*Options for getting to STORYBOX:
1) Free shuttle buses will run from Fort Totten and Glenmont Metro Stations (add 30 min to your travel time).
2) Uber / Lyft / Taxi / Carpool! Paid Hourly Parking is available at the Fenton Street Village Garage (8110 Fenton St) or the Bonifant-Dixon Garage (1101 Bonifant St).
3) For Alternative Bus Routes, visit:https://www.wmata.com/.../Red-Line-Summer-Construction...
Sponsored by: Third Hill Brewing Co., DWIGHTMESS, DC Conspiracy, and Peoples Book Takoma.
