More Scottish watercolors

You can probably tell that I've got a new gizmo that scans slides (remember slides) as digital files at the push of a button. Subsequently, I've begun the process to scan the thousands of slides that I have accumulated over the years.

The story so far: I lived in Scotland from 1989-1992 and while I was there, I was seduced by that ancient land and produced a lot of artwork focused on all the Scottish visual offerings around me.

Below are some watercolors (and one charcoal drawing) of some the birds which seemed to be constantly flying in formation all year round (especially the Canada geese). Most of these watercolors were rather large (30 x 40 inches) and all of them are in Scottish or American private collections, and a few have even shown up in British auction houses since they were done over 20 years ago.

Canada Geese, Brechin Skies, Angus, Scotland

Flight Formation, Edzell Skies, Angus, Scotland

Flight Formation, Fettercairn Skies, Angus, Scotland

When the farmers plowed the field, 100s of seagulls would fly from the North Sea and hover over the fields looking for insects to eat; as soon as the farmer was out of the way, they would land and start the buffet

Canada Geese, Montrose, Scotland, Charcoal and Conte, c. 1991

Elvis and Buster

"Elvis Presley and Buster Keaton Dressed as Nuns" Charcoal and Conte on Paper, c. 1995 by F. Lennox Campello

Edzell Arch

Queen Victoria, on her way to the Highlands, used to travel through the tiny Scottish village of Edzell, in the Angus region of Scotland. Thus, the locals built an arch to honor their English queen.

From 1989-1992, I lived a few minutes from the village of Edzell, and the arch was a much visited subject of my drawings back then. Below are some examples of those works from those years. These are all in multiple collections in Scotland and the US.

Edzell Arch, Edzell, Angus, Scotland - as seen from the village - c. 1989

Edzell Arch, Edzell, Angus, Scotland - as seen from the village - c. 1990

Edzell Arch, Edzell, Angus, Scotland - as seen from the Edzell to Fettercairn Road - c. 1991

Scottish road

This watercolor shows a winter snowfall on the road from the Scottish farmhouse (where I lived from 1989-1992 (Little Keithock Farmhouse)) that lead from the farmhouse to the the B966 (I think it was also called the Trinity Road) paved road. It was about a quarter of a mile from the farmhouse to the road, but at night in the winter you could not see your hand in front of your face because it was so dark out in brooding Angus.

Winter Road, near Brechin, Angus, Scotland, c. 1990

Olympic Games Opening

What the hell was that opening all about? Was I the only one who thought it was rather unintelligible? And that opinion is coming from someone who lived in the UK for a few years...

What were those guys (dressed like the Monopoly guy) in the top hats supposed to be?

Jitterbugging nurses and doctors?And the scary huge puppets being taken down by the dozens of Mary Poppins (who looked like giant flies coming down)... and what about that giant creepy baby!

Interesting that the Scottish kids sang an anti-English song (Flower of Scotland)... the ahh... National Anthem of England's pesky Celtic Northern neighbor...

Cool part: When the Olympic rings lit up and rained fire... did anyone notice that one of the rings was sort of "leaking" fire for a bit while all the others had stopped?

Awright... the Queen's entrance was cool too...and that bit with 007 eclipsed the robotic Chinese opening four years ago. And Mr. Bean (Blackadder!!!!) was really funny in that subtle English way

I am a big McCartney fan, but... has Sir Paul become the duty "closer" for anything British (or big name musical)? Didn't we just see him doing the same skit for the Queen's 1000th Jubilee?

And after Kobe and LeBron made the comments about this team being better than the dream team, they better not get surprised by Spain, or Argentina, or some Eastern European country...

I'm just saying... cough, cough...

Gallery B call for proposals

  

The Bethesda Arts and Entertainment District and Bethesda Urban Partnership are accepting applications for Gallery B in downtown Bethesda!

This beautiful gallery space (the former Fraser Gallery), located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E in downtown Bethesda, is available to interested artists and arts organizations for one-month rentals. All media including, but not limited to, painting, photography and sculpture is eligible to use the space. Gallery B does not take a commission on any artwork sold during the exhibition.  

They are seeking applications from local artists and arts organizations for month-long exhibitions in 2013.  There is approximately 1,500 sq. feet of available exhibition space.  The deadline for submission is August 10, 2012.

To be considered for a solo or group exhibition, and to review the gallery requirements, please complete this application.

Questions?  Please send them an email to artist@bethesda.org.

Opportunity for Artists

	629 N 2nd St Philadelphia, PA 19123			267.303.9652			info@projectsgallery.com
	About	Artists	Contact	Current	New	Past	Press	Upcoming

CALL TO ARTISTS: “Fresh Impressions” Juried Exhibition
Deadline:  August 20, 2012
Exhibition Dates:  October 5-27, 2012
Nationally known Projects Gallery announces a call to artists for an exhibition.  Occasionally, this prestigious gallery creates opportunities in its exhibition schedule to showcase quality artists in a respected exhibition venue.  The gallery seeks to serve the wider artist community through a variety of thematic group shows, opening new avenues for artists to present their work to a broader audience.  In the past, these types of venues have occasionally resulted in Projects Gallery discovering unique talent, which have resulted in long-term relationships.

The Brandywine Workshop, which is celebrating its fortieth anniversary in 2012, has been a presenting partner with Projects Gallery in the past.  The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) is hosting Full Spectrum: Prints from the Brandywine Workshop, from September 7-November 25th this fall.  Projects Gallery is joining with The Print Center, Taller Puertorriqueño and other art groups to extend the impact of Full Spectrum by providing related programming outside the PMA.  In this particular case, Projects Gallery will partner with the Brandywine Workshop to present Fresh Impressions, which will draw attention to the breadth and depth of printmaking talent and innovative, new approaches. The combined efforts of local institutions and artists will demonstrate the prominence of Philadelphia in the global field of printmaking.

Theme:  Artists are invited to submit examples of contemporary printmaking for review by an expert jury.  Today’s technologies and mixed media approaches challenge age-old forms of printmaking, creating new genres and new forms.  It is a goal of Fresh Impressions to help introduce young artists or those new to the area with a sincere interest in printmaking or print media as a creative process.

Anticipated Jurors: Raphael Damast, Exhibitions Director, Taller Puertorriqueño; Shelley Langdale, Associate Curator of Prints, Philadelphia Museum of Art; Elizabeth F. Spungen, Executive Director, The Print Center

Eligibility:  Open to all non-student artists.  Works for consideration may be of any print media. There is no size limitation but weight may not exceed 50 lbs.  All works must be original, for sale and available for the duration of the exhibition.  Gallery commission on sales is 50%.  An artist statement and resume will be required for all accepted artists.  Artist is responsible for transportation of work to and from gallery.  Projects Gallery will not be responsible for loss or damage of any work while on the premises or during transit to or from the gallery. All works must be exhibition ready, including wire, hooks, etc.  Accepted video artists must supply viewing equipment. Selected artists must permit use of their work images for publicity purposes, including but not limited to print and web. 

To Enter:  Artists may submit via email or snail mail up to three artwork entries.  Three additional detail images are permitted. Entry materials will not be returned. Do not send original artwork.  No slides.   All documents should be in .doc or .pdf format.  All entries for this exhibition must be received no later than Monday, August 20th.  If any of these requirements are not met, the submission will be deemed ineligible. 

Documents required:

1. Artist contact information: including name as it should appear in print, email address, phone number(s) and mailing address
2. List of entries: including the following information – artist name, titles of images, media, date and retail price of work submitted (Smith, Joe / Image 1 – Untitled / mixed media / 24”H x 36”W x 6”D / 2011 / $xxx)
3. Short resume or bio
4. Artist statement

Image submissions: Must be digital 300 dpi and at least 600 pixels but no greater than 1200 pixels in either direction.  Jpg, gif or tiff format. Each image file should be labeled as follows: (LastName_FirstName_TheEntryNumber.jpg (Smith_Joe_1.jpg). 
Email entries to:  info@projectsgallery.com  Please indicate on the subject line “Fresh Impressions”
Snail mail all materials to:
Projects Gallery
Attn:  Fresh Impressions
629 N. 2nd St.
Philadelphia, PA  19123
Calendar for Fresh Impressions

• Entry deadline:  Monday, August 20, 2012
• Final notification via email:  Monday, September 3, 2012
• Selected work(s) to Philadelphia gallery:  Friday, September 28, – no works accepted after September 30th
• Exhibition opens:  Friday, October 5, 2012
• Exhibition closes:  Saturday, October 27, 2012
• Reception:  First Friday, October 5, 2012 6-9 pm
• Work pick up or return shipping:  October 31 – November 3, 2012

All shipped works must arrive in reusable packaging (with complete installation instructions where applicable) and include a prepaid, return-shipping label.  An appointment must be made for hand-delivered works.  Any works not picked up by November 3, 2012 will be charged a $5 per day storage fee.
In addition to the exhibition, press releases and images will be sent out; and the exhibition will be highlighted on the gallery’s website. 
Questions?  Contact info@projectsgallery.com.         

Wanna go to an opening tomorrow?

IN BLACKROCK’S MAIN GALLERY JULY 25-AUGUST 18:

WORKS BY ROBERT STUART COHEN, ELISSA FARROW-SAVOS, FIERCE SONIA

WHO:         BlackRock Center for the Arts

WHAT        An exhibit with works by Robert Stuart Cohen, Elissa Farrow-Savos and Fierce Sonia

WHERE:    Main Gallery at BlackRock, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD

RECEPTION:  Saturday, July 28 5:30 -7:30 pm

WHEN:      Wednesday, July 25-Saturday, August 18, Mon-Fri 10:00-5:00; Closed Sat & Sun

PRICE:        Admission is free

CONTACT: Gallery phone is 301-528-2260, website is www.blackrockcenter.org

Take a cool and inspiring break this summer at BlackRock’s Main Gallery where work by Robert Stuart Cohen, Elissa Farrow-Savos, and Fierce Sonia is on exhibit July 25-August 18, 2012.  Pieces on display include mixed media, sculpture, photographs and acrylics. Hours are Monday-Friday 10:00-5:00. There is an Artist Reception on Saturday, July 28 from 5:30-7:30, which, like the exhibit, is free and open to the public.

About the Artists and Their Work

Robert Stuart Cohen finds painting to be “a process of discovery, in which working with change, matters of perception and color is essential.”  He likes to combine multiple canvases and a variety of techniques, believing “differences working together are beautiful...a new energy emerges and relationships continue to surprise and overlap.”  Cohen taught for more than 30 years at Montgomery College in Rockville and is now a full-time artist. View his gallery online at Robertstuartcohen.com.

Elissa Farrow-Savos tells stories through her sculpture, “each a narrative of some woman somewhere, and every woman everywhere.” She uses common themes, such as physical, emotional, and spiritual burdens, connections lost and found, love and anger, dignity and strength. She incorporates rusty chains, weathered wood, decaying bones, abandoned objects, and scraps of fabric – the debris of life, lived. Says Farrow-Savos, “My women are the same, they show their scars and wear them proudly because after all, they make a good story, if nothing else.”

                                                                                          

Fierce Sonia explores digital and traditional photographic processes in her “Paper Dolls” works. “Paper Dolls” is a series of narrative figurative self-portraits. Sonia combines her photography with collage and painting mediums to construct “an outward expression of an inner fantasy world.”

Little Keithock Farmhouse

Little Keithock Farmhouse, Near Brechin, Angus, Scotland

One of the most influential times of my life were the years that I lived in Scotland (1989-1992). Above is a drawing that I did in 1990 of the farmhouse where I used the live. This haunting (and haunted) place was built in  1681 and there was even an older dovecot right next to it. Its farm fields were adjacent to the Brechin Golf Club, which I think is the second or third oldest golf playing ground in the world.
 
In fact, the dovecot next to it was so much older (built in 1534), that it merited an entry in the Scottish Ordnance Map as an "antiquity," not an easy thing in Europe's most ancient nation.

Anyway, the farmhouse had a beautiful garden, which was surrounded by a tall stone wall. One day, one of the trucks that used the dirt road that ran in front of the house, and led to the nearby potato and turnip fields, lost control, and slammed into the wall, destroying a couple of feet of wall.

A couple of days later, another truck dumped a small pile of new rocks, and soon afterwards an elderly gent showed up, and using nothing but a small hammer, began to rebuild the wall. He re-used the old rocks that had been disturbed by the accident, as well as some of the new ones.

Slowly but surely, over a few days, the wall was rebuilt before my eyes. When it was done, other than the fact that the moss on the stones had been re-arranged, it was impossible to tell that an accident had happened. A year later, the moss was back everywhere and no visual evidence that a chunk of the wall was "new" existed.

Opportunity for Artists

Holy Cross Hospital: Call for Entries

The Community Art Gallery at Holy Cross Hospital seeks local artists to exhibit work-specifically art with strong ties to the Holy Cross mission and community.

The application deadline is August 10, and exhibition period is from September 2012 through August 2013. Four to eight exhibitors will be selected. For additional entry info and specifications, contact Christian Payne at 301-754-7920 or paynec@holycrosshealth.org.

Simon Bolivar's reconstructed 3-D face

 Here's the face of the man named Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Blanco (July 24, 1783 – December 17, 1830), known to most of the world as Simón Bolívar, and also as the man who kicked the Spaniards out of most of the Americas and led Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia to independence.

Brutish thug Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez recently commissioned and just released this 3D portrait of the Bolivar face.

MSAC Awards

REMINDER: DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR A FY2013 INDIVIDUAL ARTIST AWARD IS THIS FRIDAY, JULY 27

The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) Individual Artist Awards (IAA) Program awards grants to Maryland artists through an anonymous, competitive process that encourages the pursuit of artistic excellence throughout the state. The Program is administered by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation (MAAF) and the deadline to apply is July 27, 2012. Awards will be announced in February of 2013.      The 2013 Individual Artist Award application is open for Maryland individual artists practicing within these disciplines:         Fiction Theater: Solo Performance   Visual Arts: Media/Digital/Electronic Arts  Visual Arts: Painting   Visual Arts: Works on Paper      For detailed eligibility instructions and guidelines, please review the FY 2013 Individual Artist Award Guidelines.   Applications must be submitted through CueRate, the electronic grant application system. To apply, visit the MAAF web site and follow the CueRate instructions.

Robert T. Cole at Zenith

Zenith Galleryest. 1978
Celebrating 34 Years

ZENITH GALLERY at Eleven Eleven Pennsylvania Ave, NW

Presents 
 

MATERIAL POWER: PURE METAL 

Sculpture, Furniture and Wall Reliefs by Robert T. Cole

 

MEET THE ARTIST RECEPTION: Wednesday, July 25, 5:00 - 8:00 PM
At: 1111 Pennsylvania Ave NW, WDC 20004 (12th & Penn NW)

  

 SHOW DATES: JULY 16 - OCTOBER 6, 2012
 

Robert Cole has been a major part of the U Street Renaissance and his sculptures can be seen across the DC Metropolitan area.  Some of his commissioned work includes sculptures for the Washington Area Metro Transit Authority at the Naylor Road Metro stop, the Gaithersburg Maryland Humane Society, Jair Lynch Development Partners & AHD Inc. in Washington DC, Bowie State University, and The Washington Post.

  

Cole's art has earned him recognition not only in our nation's capital but also in Italy where he won the Lorenzo IL Magnifico award for his sculpture at the 2003 Florence Biennale.

  

1111 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC, 20004 (12th & Penn, NW)
Open Daily 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
(weekends the entrance is on 12th Street; please knock on the door to be let in.)

press release      view exhibit      read about in Washington Post

Art scammer

Kathryn Delahunty (kattymerchandise@gmail.com) is an art scammer and he/she has been emailing DMV area artists today...

See this link.

Another dissident dies

Leading Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya Sardinas died in a car accident in Cuba on Sunday. He is the second leading leading Cuban dissident to die in an "accident" this year.

According to a statement about the crash issued by the Cuban government late Sunday, the unidentified driver of the car lost control and struck a tree near the eastern Cuban city of Bayamo.

On Sunday, Paya's daughter, Rosa Maria Paya, told CNN that her family believed a second car had struck the vehicle her father was traveling in, forcing it off the road.

President Obama made the following statement on the subject:

 The President's thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Oswaldo Payá, a tireless champion for greater civic and human rights in Cuba.  Payá  gave decades of his life to the nonviolent struggle for freedom and democratic reform in Cuba as the head of the Christian Liberation Movement, the leader of the Varela Project, and through his role as a civil society activist.  He remained optimistic until the end that the country he loved would see a peaceful and democratic transition.  We continue to be inspired by Payá's vision and dedication to a better future for Cuba, and believe that his example and moral leadership will endure.  The United States will continue to support the Cuban people as they seek their fundamental human rights.

 Castro's workers' Paradise claims another courageous life in the island's struggle to free itself from the yoke of dictators.

Wanna be in the (e)merge art fair?

If you are a member of the WPA, then this is a "no-brainer" and a must do; if you're an artist and not yet a member of the WPA, then you've run out of excuses! Join the WPA now and be part of the (e)merge art fair - that alone is worth your membership fee and adds a nice bullet to your artistic CV.

This gets me to thinking about the WPA and art fairs... I do a lot of art fairs and all of them, just like (e)merge, offer special deals, prices and programs for non-profits such as the WPA is... and having the experience of many art fairs, I can tell you right now that the format and program that the WPA will be showcasing at (e)merge is going to be a winner.

This opportunity is a great idea and can grow into a whole new line of opportunities for the WPA's membership.

And not just a winner in the DMV, but this presentation and format will work in New York, Miami and perhaps even LA! So WPA... after (e)merge, why not take your membership to other art fairs around the nation? You've got a winner with this idea...

Call me.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: WPA Members Work on Paper  at the (e)merge art fair

DEADLINE: Friday, August 24, 2012, 5pm
WORK DROP-OFF: September 10 - 14, 2012, 10am-6pm
WORK PICK-UP: October 15 - 19, 2012, 10am-6pm
CONTACT: Blair Murphy, Program Director, 202-234-7103 x 1 or bmurphy@wpadc.org
ONLINE REGISTRATION

VIEW CALL AT WPADC.ORG

Washington Project for the Arts is pleased to announce a call for 8" x 8" works on paper by WPA Member Artists to be on view and for sale in WPA's room at the (e)merge art fair, from October 4 - 7, 2012. All current WPA members are invited to submit one 8" x 8" work on paper. Work submitted MUST be 8" x 8" and must be delivered without a mat, mounting or a frame. If a member artist wishes to submit a work that is smaller than 8" x 8", it must be submitted mounted to an 8" x 8" sheet of paper. WORK THAT IS LARGER THAN 8" X 8" WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
            
Each work will be exhibited on the wall of WPA's room in a grid for at least one full day of the fair. Work will be installed on the wall using removable adhesive mounting squares. When not displayed on the wall, work will be stored in a presentation case and must fit into one of the clear display sleeves.
              
Registration, Drop-off and Pick-up
Current WPA member artists who wish to participate must register online by August 24, 2012 at 5pm by submitting their contact info, cv, work details, and one image of the work they would like to include through this online form. 
                
All work must be dropped off at the WPA office at 2023 Massachusetts Avenue between September 10 and 14, from 10am to 6pm. You will be notified via email by October 11 if your work has sold. Unsold work must be picked up at the WPA office between October 15 and 19, from 10am to 6pm.
          

If you are unable to drop your work off in person, but would still like to participate or have any other questions regarding the submissions process, please contact Blair Murphy, Program Director, at 202-234-7103 x 1 or bmurphy@wpadc.org

  

WPA Member Artists who submit must agree to the following artist agreement:
Washington Project for the Arts will take a 30% commission on Member Works on Paper that are sold. Work will be insured by WPA while it is in WPA's possession. Unsold work must be picked up at the WPA office by October 19, 2012. WPA will not be held responsible for the work after that date. I hereby release WPA, its board of directors, employees, and volunteers and agree to indemnify and hold them harmless against all claims arising out of damage to my artwork arising in connection with my participation in the WPA Member Flat File. I understand that acceptance of my work does not guarantee free admission to the fair.

Lunch at Tally Ho

Little Junes and I had lunch in Potomac's Tally Ho Restaurant today, and since they brought the little guy lots of crayons, Dad went to work on the back of the paper napkins while I waited for my yummy Congressional burger and Anderson for his hot dog.

Anderson finishing up his hot dog

Drawing done on back of my napkin - that's Little Junes atop a bull (he chose the subject)

And that's him having a drink with a pig (he selected that subject as well)

Superheroes book out

The True History of the Superheroes book is finally out from Editorial RM.

52 pages with 20 gorgeous photographs by Dulce Pinzon.

Available in both Spanish and English.

Order it here.

The Beginner's Guide to Art Investments

First and foremost, be sure that the art is something that you genuinely enjoy. The price of art is relatively unpredictable and is heavily based on developing trends; there’s no guarantee that it will have appreciated in value (or even maintained its value) over time, so you may be stuck with the piece for the long haul. Another helpful tip is to always learn the artist’s backstory, as it has a fair amount of weight in the resale value of a piece. Those with interesting stories behind their life or how they got into art tend to have higher values on their pieces; knowing the story behind a piece can be a major selling point for collectors.

Read the whole article here.

I kid thee not...

The theft of the painting was first discovered in late 2002, when the Contemporary Art Museum of Caracas was contacted by a Miami gallery owner saying that someone had offered to sell it to him. 

Experts at the museum inspected the likeness and were shocked to find that it was a fake, and not a very good one, at that. Someone had removed the original painting from its frame and put the fake in its place, leaving it to be exhibited as if it were the real thing. And no one noticed.

Read the full article here.

Was the nude too crude for beach?

Here we go again...

HAMPTON — A sand sculpture of a naked woman has some in the Hampton Beach Village Precinct calling on organizers of the popular annual competition to ask master sculptors to use more discretion next year in their artwork.

Resident Tim Jones called the sculpture "pornographic." The event organizer calls it an issue of artistic freedom.

Read the whole article here.

Anderson sez...

"I push it!"

Airborne

The kid is heading to the Left Coast for a week in San Diego... more later!

Airborne

Heading back home today from Montreal and then heading back out tomorrow morning, this time heading out to the Left Coast (San Diego)...

In Atlanta Airport's cool tunnel of colors between terminals...

Bad taste or offensive?

Ad column in Montreal

I think both...but free countries are free countries for a good set of reasons, some good and some not so easy to understand.

From American Airlines

And airlines wonder why people have low opinions of them... this recently received from American Airlines:

In order to streamline our program, we are announcing a change to AAdvantage miles earned before July 1, 1989, also called Miles With No Expiration.

Starting November 1, 2012, these miles will automatically be converted to Miles Subject to Expiration...

(e)merge announces...

News release from the (e)merge art fair:

(e)merge art fair, created to advance emerging art, returns to Washington, DC this fall. (e)merge welcomes back galleries from across the US and Europe including: BROTkunsthalle, Vienna, Austria; Amstel Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Aureus Contemporary, Basel, Switzerland and Providence, USA; G Fine Art, Washington, DC, USA; Goya Contemporary, Baltimore, USA; and NOMAD, Brussels, Belgium. Among the galleries newly joining the fair are: Bäckerstrasse 4, Vienna, Austria; Flying Rooster Contemporary Projects, Montreal, Canada; Galería Servando, Havana, Cuba; Trailer Park Proyects, Guyanabo, Puerto Rico; Contemporary Wing, Washington, DC, Mixed Greens, New York, USA; LYNCHTHAM, New York; and Project 4 Gallery, Washington, DC, USA. A complete list of gallery and artist exhibitors will be available soon.

(e)merge is honored to have the support of the members of its inaugural Host Committee: Jane and Calvin Cafritz, Carol Feld and David Levy, Izette and Neal Folger, Janice Kim and Tony Otten, Alexia and Roderick Von Lipsey, Kim and Patrick Nettles, Rose Nosseir and Paul Carter, Frederick Ognibene, Lorie Peters, Robert Shapiro, Sid Stoltz and David Hatfield, and Daren Thomas.

“DC is one of the fastest-growing and most prosperous areas in the country, and Washington’s business, tech and collecting communities have rallied to support (e)merge and its exhibitors. With its entrepreneurial spirit and creative energy, this fair can become a model for promoting emerging art and artists everywhere."
- Robert Shapiro, Chairman of Sonecon, LLC
(e)merge is proud to partner with UBS and excited by the support of our sponsors: ESL Group, LivingSocial, HapstackDemetriou, Kaze Design, Vivid Solutions, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Exhibit-E, Industry Gallery DC, and Whiteford, Taylor, & Preston; and media sponsors: The Art Dossier, The Art Newspaper, BrightestYoungThings, DC Modern Luxury, Gallerist, and the Pinkline Project.

“As our culture evolves, moment by moment, the emergence of new ideas about architecture, design and art are changing and enhancing our daily lives. Giving an experience to this evolution is what our partnership with (e)merge is all about.”
- Peter Hapstak & Olvia Demetriou, Principals, HapstakDemetriou
This year the fair looks forward to another series of educational events in October with our cultural partners – The Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the National Gallery of Art, the Phillips Collection, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

(e)merge art fair
Thursday, October 4 through Sunday, October 7, 2012
Washington, DC
www.emergeartfair.com

I used to say neigh

Stories like this one used to spin me up... now I just say: Hey! What the heck... there's plenty of room for all of us in the art world.

After Artomatic

The most common criticism levied upon Artomatic, is that because it is lacking the dictatorial. yet benevolent hand of the curator, it is a jumbled universe of so much art and so many artists, that art critics and other art world symbiots soon run out of brain storage and processing power and all they see is kitsch and trash and dreck.

For the past several years, some enterprising independent commercial art galleries from the region have staged their "after" AOM shows, where they have usually showcased the gallery owner's selection of what artists he or she were the top picks of that particular AOM. That's how PostSecret's Frank Warren and WGS' Tim Tate got their first commercial gallery shows.

Some galleries have also taken my AOM selections and organized post-AOM shows based on my picks, the most recent of which you can read here.

And I can tell you that in that post AOM tradition, next month I will be curating a post AOM exhibition at The Edison Place Art Gallery in Washington, DC.  Then the critics can take their critical pot shots at me, the vastly experienced, highly respected, immensely virile and good looking curator, rather than shoot empty, lazy negative word bullets at a show in general.

More news later as I ramp up for putting this show together in record time.

Montrealing

Bus touring around the Montreal Gay Village

Touristin' in Montreal... can you see me?

Little Junes doesn't want to miss a thing!

Montreal, Canada

We're in Montreal, Canada, where the Professor is lecturing at a conference and I'm gallery hopping in order to write some impressions of Montreal art galleries, as well as meeting and delivering a commissioned piece to a local art collector.

We're staying in the old city, which is a great venue for walking with a stroller, although Little Junes' mom just informed him that she's weaning him out of the stroller pretty soon.

This is a great walking area, packed with tourists, entertainers and lots of people walking around with official-looking badges.

But first things first, and first of all is some good Canadian suds at a local joint off Rue de la Commune accompanied by a nice salad with smoked salmon.

 Tan is compliments of all the time outdoors in the last few days checking out the hole in the roof and clearing out fallen branches from the back yard.

Of course, while waiting I did some sketches on the paper provided... in the end we ended with a set of sketches of Anderson as :

• himself wearing his favorite orange Dolphins ball cap (gift from his padrino Jorge); 
• Junes as a bird; 
• Junes as a bicycle; 
• Junes as a pepper shaker.

Sorry about all the food stains.

Heh, heh...

Airborne

Flying out tonight and heading to Montreal, Canada for a week... no more storms while I'm gone.... please!

Uninformed art critic turns into misinformed opinionist

As someone who resolutely avoids the commercial side of the art world whenever possible and prefers to focus on the artwork itself, my impression of art fairs comes largely from written accounts. Fairs in places like Basel, Switzerland, Miami Beach and New York City have been represented as typically glitzy affairs in which most of the best work sells out during exclusive previews and to which the unwashed public is invited as a kind of afterthought. The idea of bringing this kind of art culture to Buffalo initially struck me, to put it nicely, as unexciting.

But judging only by a walk-through of the fair and of Larkinville Saturday morning, this sort of elitist vibe does not surface in Echo in any way. And while a typical complaint from attendees and exhibitors at other fairs is that they do not provide an ideal place to see or understand work, I found Echo to be a pretty extraordinary one.

This sort of initial misinformation/impressions - largely driven by ignorance - astounds me... how can someone be the art critic for a major city newspaper (we're talking Buffalo here; the second largest city in New York state!) and still has not been to an art fair in 2012!

He lives in New York state! A few hours away from the second largest epicenter of art fairs on the planet!

But more importantly for his readers, how can someone be a newspaper's art critic and still "resolutely avoids the commercial side of the art world whenever possible."

Yikes! And all along here we thought that Blake Gopnik was the only art critic who did that!

And where does that "typical complaint" come from? First heard for me...

Nearly everyone there... was extremely approachable and willing to talk to visitors about their work. That's something you don't get in many galleries...

 What??? Where does this gent get those impressions from? The 1990s?

There's more intellectual disservice to this Buffalo News readers in this article by  Colin Dabkowski and zero actual art review/criticism in the column... maybe I'm missing something, but his title is "Art Critic."

Makes my head hurt... Buffalo News, please send this guy down to NYC or Miami for the next cycle of art fairs so that he can open his eyes a little wider shut.

Heading back

I hear that electricity is back on in my neighborhood, so we're heading back...

Civilian tries to find solutions to the Corcoran's problems

As you surely know, today the Corcoran is in serious trouble, and your help and support is needed at this extremely critical time.

A quorum (not all) of the Board voted on June 5th to price the historic Flagg building that houses both the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Corcoran College of Art + Design. The process to sell the building is moving forward at an extremely rapid pace and the community still has not been invited into the conversation.

Like you, we believe that the Corcoran/Flagg building is an historic cultural icon, deeply tied to the history of Washington, D.C and the nation. Its proximity to the White House, Old Executive Building and National Mall is ideal placement for an art school and a museum, as the location is at the center of national activity and public discourse.

It would be detrimental for the Corcoran to be sold because it not only represents a very important part of this city and our country's history, but it also holds a significant place in current art dialogue. The Corcoran Flagg building (17th Street & New York Avenue, N.W.) is a National Historic Landmark, one of only 2,500 sites and buildings in the U.S. designated by the Secretary of the Interior, and it should be protected and preserved. We believe the solutions to keep the Corcoran where it is can be found within the community that admires, loves, utilizes, and needs it.

Please go here to sign the Change.org petition.

See the below articles:
Maintaining the Artistic Vision of the Corcoran
- June 14, 2012 (The Washington Postl)

Comments on the above

Corcoran Gallery Considers Selling Building, Moving Elsewhere
- June 4, 2012 (Washington City Paper)

Link to all Post articles

Developers cool on Corcoran Gallery of Art reuse
- June 5, 2012 (Washington Business Journal)

Ideas, solutions suggestions should be sent to: savethecorcoran@gmail.com

Twitter: savethecorcoran
Facebook: SaveTheCorcoran  
website: www.savethecorcoran.org

Irish Review

I'm currently in a show titled Eureka! at the Blue Leaf Gallery in Dublin, Ireland. The show focuses on artists whose work incorporates technology into their work.

Deirdre Mulrooney has a nice review of the show in Vulgo; read it here.

Opportunity for Artists

Deadline: July 27,  2012. 

The Cleveland County Arts Council is accepting two and three dimensional art for an upcoming competitive exhibition based on the theme of baseball. The exhibit coincides with the 2012 American Legion World Series in Shelby, August 17 – 21, 2012. Artwork must pertain to or depict baseball. 

The American Legion Baseball Commission will sponsor a $500 Purchase Award. The winning piece of artwork will be placed in the Keeter Stadium. The Cleveland County Arts Council invites artists 18 and older to submit work to the “Baseball as Art” Exhibit & Competition. Work must be original, created by the artist within the last two years and not previously entered in a competition at the Arts Center. 

All two dimensional entries must be ready to hang with picture wire on the back. No saw tooth hangers. The Arts Council reserves the right to reject any entry that requires special installation. Entries may be two and three dimensional but limited to paintings, drawings, sculpture, print-making, photography, and fine craft. There is a $25.00 non-refundable entry fee for up to three (3) entries. Additional entries $5 each (max. 5 entries). Make checks payable to the Cleveland County Arts Council. Shipping to and from the Arts Council is the responsibility of the artist. Deadline to receive accepted work at the Arts Center is July 27th, 2012 and must include a prepaid shipping label or a call tag, check or postage for return shipping. Please include any special packing and/or installation instructions. Any work arriving in packaging not sturdy enough to return/reuse will be returned COD. Cleveland County Arts Council, 111 S. Washington St., Shelby, NC 28150. For more information, visit: http://www.ccartscouncil.org