He bet his fiddle of gold...

"The Devil... after he came back from Georgia"
Charcoal, conte on unfired Bisque
5x6x3 inches, c. 2017

This piece will be at my forthcoming show "The Obsessions of F. Lennox Campello" which opens June 2nd at Artists and Makers Studios in Rockville and located at 12276 Wilkins Avenue in Rockville - reception is from 6-9PM.


It is inspired by Charlie Daniels' "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."

The Devil went down to Georgia,
He was looking for a soul to steal
He was in a bind, 'cause he was way behind,
He was willing to make a deal
When he came across this young man
Sawing on a fiddle and playing it hot
And the Devil jumped up on a hickory stump and said,
"Boy let me tell you what:
I guess you didn´t know it, but I'm a fiddle player too,
And if you'd care to take a dare,
I'll make a bet with you
Now you play a pretty good fiddle,
Boy, but give the Devil his due
I bet a fiddle of gold against your soul
'Cause I think I'm better than you"
The boy said, "My name's Johnny and it might be a sin,
But I'll take your bet, you're gonna regret,
'Cause I'm the best there's ever been"
Johnny, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard,
'Cause hell's broke loose in Georgia and the Devil deals the cards
And if you win you'll get this shiny fiddle made of gold,
But if you lose, the Devil gets your soul!
The Devil opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show"
And fire blew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow
And he pulled the bow across the strings and it made an evil hiss
Then a band of demons joined in,
And it sounded something like this
When the Devil finished, Johnny said,
"Well you're pretty good old son
But sit down in that chair right there
And let me show you how it's done!"
Fire on the Mountain, run, boys, run
The Devil´s in the house of the rising sun
Chicken in the bread pan a picking out dough,
Granny does your dog bite, "No, child, no"
The Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat
And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny´s feet
Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back
If you ever want to try again,
I done told you once, you son of a bitch,
I'm the best there´s ever been"
He played,
Fire on the Mountain, run, boys, run
The Devil's in the house of the rising sun
Chicken in the breadpan a picking out dough,
Granny will your dog bite, "No, child, no"

Gallery B call for applications

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and Bethesda Urban Partnership are accepting applications for a Gallery B November 2017 exhibition! The exhibition will run from November 8 - December 2.

Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda, is a non-profit art space managed by the Bethesda Urban Partnership and the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District.

We heavily market Gallery B through press releases to local media, weekly emails to our listserv of 10,000 contacts, listings in our bi-monthly Events Calendar to 30,000 households, numerous social media posts, advertisements, postcards, and more. Although we ask for a rental fee ($300-$400 per person, depending on how many artists are in the group), the gallery does not take a commission on any work that is sold. 

To be considered for the group exhibition, please email five images of work to artist@bethesda.org by June 1.

 

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

Apply Now - 2018 Maryland Individual Artist Award

Each year, the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) recognizes outstanding artistic achievement through the Individual Artist Awards (IAA) program. Grants of $1,000-$6,000 honor the unique contributions of Maryland artists to the state's creative economy and help support artists to advance their craft. 

The 2018 IAA application is now open to Maryland artists in the following categories: 

• Non-Classical Music: Composition
• Non-Classical Music: Solo Performance
• Playwriting
• Visual Arts: Crafts
• Visual Arts: Photography

MSAC partners with Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation (MAAF) to administer the IAA program.

Applicants can access IAA guidelines, application, and application assistance resources by scrolling down to the "Maryland" section here on MAAF's website. 

The deadline for 2018 applications is

Friday, July 21, 2017 at 4:30 pm EST

 

All applications must be submitted online.

MSAC and MAAF will offer two webinars to guide IAA applicants through the application process. Advance registration is required. 

Monday, May 22, 2017, 1:00-2:30 PM - Register here

Saturday, July 8, 2017, 10:00-11:30 AM - Register here

Good luck! (I've applied like a million times and never been a winner - but will continue to try!)

Eric Hope on Paula Ballo Dailey

Confronting our own mortality is an emotionally fraught process few among us would willingly embrace. It demands honesty in the face of fear and acceptance at our loss of control. Artists in particular, if they so choose, face the added complexity of summarizing this tidal wave of emotions into visual form.  If you knew your next gallery show was your last, what would you display? For Paula Ballo Dailey, the answer was simple—turn your pains, hopes and daydreams into intricate visual narratives that give voice to your core values and personal aspirations.

Read this excellent review by Eric Hope here.

JFK at the NPG

Today the National Portrait Gallery will install a pastel portrait of President John F. Kennedy by Shirley Seltzer Cooper in honor of the centennial celebration of his birth.

 

The Portrait Gallery joins the nationwide celebration of the life and legacy of President Kennedy on the centennial of his birth, illuminating his contributions, policies and challenges he feared in the wake of the civil rights era and present. Kennedy’s portrait will be on view from May 19 through July 9 in the museum’s “Celebrate” space in the first-floor north gallery.

Lida Moser photos acquired by the NPG

The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC just acquired four more photos by the amazing Lida Moser (may she rest in peace). Lida's work is already in the collection of the NPG as well as the National Portrait Galleries of Britain, Canada and Scotland! We miss her and love her and are honored to run her estate.

They've acquired these photos:

• Judy Collins, gelatin silver print, 1961
• Charles Mingus, gelatin silver print, 1965
• Nell Blaine, gelatin silver print, 1968
• Aaron Siskind, gelatin silver print, 1949

 Lida once told me the story of how she photographed Siskind... apparently they were all in Central Park in New York to photograph a zoo or carousel that was being built, and Lida got more interested in Siskind's gestures as he prepared to frame his photographs, and started shooting him, instead of the assignment!

Look at the photo and see the clear and empty surroundings around Siskind, the mud, the water, the stream??? Does anyone know where in Central Park that would have been in 1949?

By the way, that photo is in the permanent collection of many museums, including 3-4 "local" museums here in the DMV. 

One day I will tell the story of the Judy Collins shoot... or even better, the Charlie Mingus shoot.

Aaron Siskind by Lida Moser, circa 1949

Thriving Artists - The Business of Art Workshop

In August Artists and Makers are hosting a "Thriving Artists - The Business of Art Workshop" with Carolyn and Wendy Rosen. It is an intensive two day workshop that provides amazing knowledge, resources, and guidance to artists at all stages of their careers. Details at the link:
http://artistsandmakersstudios.com/from-the-arts-business-institute-and-am-studios/

Worm Rescue Squad

With so much rain over the weekend, the Campello clan usually wanders around the neighborhood after the rains rescuing worms from the road and putting them back on the dirt - when I say "squad", I mostly mean that I point the worms out and Little Junes picks them up and puts them back on the lawn.

The Hat Show

If you are a DMV area artist, gallerist, art dealer, college/university art faculty, museum director or curator, and do not know who Steven Krensly is, then you are woefully out of tune with the DMV art scene.

Krensky is easily one of the most visible faces at nearly every DC area art opening or event - not just because he's a good looking feller (which he is), but mostly because of his haberdashery... and also one of the DMV's premier art collectors.

To say that the Krenskiester stands out in a crowd is a gross under-estimattion.

Krensky is really plugged into the scene - he attends nearly every student/MFA art show around the region, and often discovers artists waaaay before most gallerists, curators, etc.

And as a result, he also has the planet's largest art collection focused (mostly) on DC area artists. And when I say large... I mean humongous collection: 100s and 100s of artists.

Anywhooooo.... Krensky, together with his wife Linda, also often dabbles in curating some exhibitions and he's got a really interesting call for artists for his next one:

Artists and Makers Studios is proud to host The Wearable Hat Show – with Steven Krensky at both A&M locations

This exhibit, curated by Steven Krensky and a mystery juror, will offer artists in the metro area an opportunity to make a statement through the art of the hat. Pick a hat form, any hat will do. Paint it, stitch it, weld it, glue it, glass it, bead it, weave it together with wire or string or any old thing. Your hat can be a reflection of your daily creative process, make a political statement, it can be whimsical, flattering, or funny. It must be functional, but need not be comfortable. Your hat must be for sale!

Artists whose work has been selected will be shown at both locations – the Reception Gallery at Parklawn, and in our Wilkins Avenue Merge Gallery for this month long exhibit. Hats will be pinned to the walls, or displayed on pedestals, at the gallerist’s discretion. Artists & Makers Studios will take a nominal 25% commission on sales from this exhibit. The artist should insure their own work for the duration of the exhibit if necessary.

Submission Requirements
****Submissions due on or before August 1st before 4pm, notification by August 9^th.

Accepted work must be delivered to/and picked up from the assigned gallery, no shipments of artwork will be accepted.

Delivery date deadline, Sept 5th – 10-4 (Parklawn or Wilkins in Rockville)
Opening, Sept 8th from 6-9pm
Show ends Sept. 27th
Pick-up of unsold work Sept. 28th, 29^th, 30th – 10-4

Artists may submit up to 5 jpegs of their work for consideration. The curator will choose works appropriate for public display from among all of the works submitted, and will include as many artists as possible. An artist may have one or more works accepted for exhibit. All work must be available for sale, and functional.

All entries must be submitted electronically in JPG format only. Email your images along with the completed form below to: judith@artistsandmakersstudios.com Please type Hat Show and your last name in the email subject line. For example: Hat Show/heartsong.

Images should be sized at no more than 1024 by 768 pixels, and less than 1 megabite in disk space size. Image file names must include artist’s last name and title of the piece in the following format: 

(ArtistLastName_ImageTitle.JPG) example: vanGogh_StarryNight.jpg

Click here to get a pdf of HAT Call for Entries 2017

Artists & Makers Studios' shows!

Artists & Makers Studios Presents
“The Color of BOOM” with Terry Sitz
“In the Flow” with Cristian Ianculescu
“Unfinished – Small Work Paintings” with John J. Bruns

Artists & Makers Studios on Parklawn in Rockville will present three glorious exhibits in three galleries for the month of June. “The Color of BOOM” - Sparked by her childhood fascination with Christmas lights and fireworks, abstract artist Terry Sitz channels her passion for color onto large canvases heavily layered with paint and up-cycled ephemera. “In the Flow” with Cristian Ianculescu - Like water, women are the primordial source. They purify, bless and transform. Like water they flow over and around all obstacles, and, in the process, they change the world. “Unfinished – Small Work Paintings” with John J. Bruns - with an unfinished look, the collaboration between the artist and the viewer becomes paramount and a story can unfold in between the painter’s brush marks. When the imagination has room to play, the painting becomes more personal. Resident artists’ open studios round out the evening for visitors at Parklawn.

“The Color of BOOM”
“In the Flow”
“Unfinished – Small Work Paintings”

Opening Reception

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Friday, June 2nd, 2017

Artists & Makers Studios

11810 Parklawn Dr., Suite 210

Rockville, MD 20852

Additionally A&M is proud to present 3 exhibits at Artists & Makers Studios 2 at 12276 Wilkins Avenue in Rockville, just 9/10’s of a mile from the flagship location. “The Obsessions of F. Lennox Campello” in his first regional solo show in 8 years. “Shakes Expressions” With shaky hands, Florida artist Ken Radon reminds us all that creativity thrives with physical challenges. A solo exhibit for Montgomery County Camera Club member Arlene K. Polangin, exhibits in New Master’s Gallery, Gallery 209, and resident artists’ open studios round out the evening.

These exhibits at both locations open Friday, June 2nd, and continue through Thursday, June 29th, 2017.  Viewing hours are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Tuesday-Friday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Saturdays, and Sundays/Mondays by chance or appointment.

Artists & Makers Studios on Parklawn Drive in Rockville, established in October 2014 by artist and arts community builder Judith HeartSong, is a 13,000 sq. ft. facility is home to 65 resident artists. Newly opened Artists & Makers Studios 2 on Wilkins Avenue in Rockville is a 23,000 sq. ft. facility with 76 resident artists and more to come. A&M Studios is dedicated to providing a supportive and vibrant environment for artists to realize their creative goals - through studio practice, collaboration, education, opportunities, networking and connecting with the community beyond our doors. 

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival is today and tomorrow

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival
May 13, 10am - 6pm and May 14, 10am - 5pm

Located on Norfolk, Auburn & Del Ray Avenues, the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival will feature fine art created by 130 of the nation's best artists, live entertainment and Bethesda restaurants.

Admission to the festival is free and free parking is available in the public parking garage on Auburn Avenue. This event is held rain or shine.

Join them for a unique shopping experience in downtown Bethesda. Browse jewelry, furniture, painting, photography, sculpture and more. 

Again: Admission to the festival is free and free parking is available in the public parking garage on Auburn Avenue. This event is held rain or shine.


Cool date opportunity! See ya there!

More info.

Arcmanoro Niles

Arcmanoro Niles combines family and memory in his beautiful paintings of Washington, DC's North East neighborhood.  

In the 90s, Washington, DC was thought of as a great American city in decline. Crime and blight dominated representations of the city in the news media, and little was known about the lives of the city's majority black population. 

The artist Arcmanoro Niles, who grew up in Washington, DC, remembers it differently, and in a new solo exhibition, Arcmanoro Niles: The Arena, at Long Gallery Harlem, he explores his upbringing through striking paintings of life size black figures and abstract, lurking, Trickster-esque characters the artist calls "Seekers," all situated within the District's urban landscape. In Niles's paintings, the capital becomes a mise-en-scéne of orange moments mixing fantasy and realism to provide a window into the painter's childhood and the friends, family, and community that existed beyond the headlines.

Read this terrific review by Antwaun Sargent here. 

More Open Studios this Saturday

Hirshhorn Fêtes Five Washington Artists at Spring Gala

On Saturday, May 6, something very rare for a Washington, DC museum happened:

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden celebrated Washington's world-class community of artists and art enthusiasts with a festive evening gala recognizing prominent D.C.-based contemporary artists and Smithsonian collaborators Sam Gilliam, Linn Meyers, Maggie Michael, Jefferson Pinder and Dan Steinhilber, and marking the final weeks of the groundbreaking exhibition "Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors."

 

Hosted by Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton, Hirshhorn Board Chair Daniel Sallick, and Hirshhorn Director Melissa Chiu, the evening began with a glamorous cocktail reception amid Yayoi Kusama's dazzling Infinity Mirror Rooms and artist honoree Meyer's 360-degree installation "Our View from Here," followed by an elegant dinner on the Museum's third floor. The late-night party kicked off with decadent desserts and an electrifying light and sound performance work by D.C.-born, L.A.-based The Holladay Brothers, who choreographed the lobby's decor lighting in time to a live musical score.

 

During the evening, Smithsonian leadership toasted the honorees for their achievements in contemporary art. "As Washington's leading institution of modern and contemporary art, it is a tremendous honor to gather together such exciting creative minds who share our deep commitment to the city's diverse communities," said Chiu. "Since the Hirshhorn's founding more than forty years ago, artists are the foundation and inspiration for all that we do."

 

The annual event welcomed 350 guests, and raised $700,000 to support the Hirshhorn's future exhibitions and free public programs for all ages. The museum's 2017-18 schedule will feature a diverse group of contemporary artists whose work responds to global conversations in politics, culture and history, including German artist Markus Lüpertz, Swiss artist Nicolas Party, Russian artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, and American artists Yoko Ono, Theaster Gates and Mark Bradford.

Gala chairs: Robert and Arlene Kogod; Gala co-chairs: Mary and John Pappajohn; GardaWorld; Museum MACAN, Indonesia.

 

Attendees included:

 

Hirshhorn Trustees: Jay and Jill Bernstein; Tamra and Ken Bentsen; Marcus Brauchli and Maggie Farley; Calvin and Jane Lipton Cafritz; Stephan Crétier and Stephany Maillery; Trinh Doan and Michael Jermyn; John and Stephanie Foster; Aimee and Robert Lehrman; Aaron and Barbara Levine; Adam S. Metz and Martha Metz; Elizabeth Miller and Dan Sallick; Juliana Terian.

 

Notable guests: Ambassador Stuart Bernstein, former Ambassador to Denmark, and Wilma Bernstein; Josh and Lisa Bernstein; Kathleen Biden; Ambassador Herman Cohen, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Suzanne Cohen; Marc and Lauren Cohen; Ambassador Frances Cook, former Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman; Ambassador Robert Gelbard, former Ambassador to Indonesia and Bolivia, and Alene Gelbard; Kate Goodall, S&R Foundation; Marly Graubard, Marie Claire; Larry and Anissa Grossman; Stephanie Hodor, curator; Phillippa Hughes, Pink Line Project; Katty Kay, BBC; Dr. Sachiko Kuno, founder of the S&R Foundation; Sydney Licht, artist; Tom Nides, former Deputy Secretary of State, and Virginia Mosley, CNN; Mono Schwarz-Kogelnik, artist; Virginia Shore, Art in Embassies; Benjamin Sutton, curator; Akio Tagawa; Lauren Wolchik, artist.

For your CV

In my "Bootcamp for Artists" series of seminars, one of the guerrilla tactics that I share and teach is how to build your art exhibition resume, and the key importance of having it for grants, residencies, and of course: sales.


Wanna add a group show to your resume and also contribute to a good cause?

CALL FOR POSTCARDS / DEADLINE MAY 19TH Wish You Were Here 16 A.I.R. Gallery's Annual Postcard Show A.I.R. Gallery is pleased to announce its 16th annual postcard show, Wish You Were Here, which will take place in the entry gallery of our Plymouth Street location from May 25 - June 25, 2017. This inclusive event both raises valuable funds for A.I.R. programs and makes affordable artwork available to the public. Past Wish You Were Here exhibitions have included work by notable artists like Mary Beth Edelson, Dottie Attie, Mary Grigoriadis, and Barbara Zucker. We invite artists from all over the world - female / male / cis / trans / gender nonconforming / neutral -  to participate by donating 1 postcard-sized work (4 x 6 inches) in any medium. Each original work is sold for $45 on a first come first serve basis and the buyer will take the work with them at the time of the sale. All proceeds go to benefit A.I.R. programming and are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. FREE ENTRY & ALL WORKS ACCEPTED! For more information and to submit work for the annual postcard show, click here. Deadline is May 19, 2017 at 6pm.

Wanna go to an opening tomorrow?

GODS, HEROES & FOOLS
Thursday, May 11th from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
The Art League 105 N Union St, Alexandria, VA

The curious case of Miro at the NGA and McGlone at the WaPo

Whitmore’s query highlights a question that arises frequently in museums: How do curators decide what to display? Such decisions are the cornerstone of a curator’s job, said Harry Cooper, head of the National Gallery’s department of modern and contemporary art. “Generally, it’s a fun kind of puzzle to put together,” he said.  

It can be fraught with tension, however, especially because only a small fraction of any museum’s collection ends up on display. The National Gallery of Art has almost 148,000 works in its permanent collection, and only 2,834 are on view.

Read the whole WaPo article by Peggy McGlone here.


BTW: Did anybody in the DMV know that "Peggy McGlone joined the Washington Post in 2014 as its local arts reporter. Prior to that, she covered the arts for The Star-Ledger in New Jersey for more than a decade."


The reason that I find that description from the WaPo's website laughable is that from a quick look at what McGlone has been assigned to cover so far (see that here), it seems like the vast majority of her "local arts reporting" has been on area museums' stories (such as this really good one on Miro's tapestry), but precious little on the "local arts scene" which is a helluva lot more that museum stories.


I'd like to see McGlone start covering some other local arts stories besides museums or otherwise the WaPo needs to change her duties' description to: "Peggy McGlone joined the Washington Post in 2014 as its local art museums' scene reporter. Prior to that, she covered the arts for The Star-Ledger in New Jersey for more than a decade."


Makes me wanna call my good bud and peeps Jeff Bezos and complain to him about this.

Open Studios in the Gateway Arts District

Open Studios in the Gateway Arts District Saturday, May 13, 12-5

See the work of dozens of DC's best artists.

Details here.

An After Party follows at Gateway Arts Center, hosted by the 39th Street Gallery and Brentwood Arts Exchange.

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival next weekend

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival
May 13, 10am - 6pm and May 14, 10am - 5pm

Located on Norfolk, Auburn and Del Ray Avenues, the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival will feature fine art created by 130 of the nation's best artists, live entertainment and Bethesda restaurants.

Admission to the festival is free and free parking is available in the public parking garage on Auburn Avenue. This event is held rain or shine.

Join them for a unique shopping experience in downtown Bethesda. Browse jewelry, furniture, painting, photography, sculpture and more. 

Again: Admission to the festival is free and free parking is available in the public parking garage on Auburn Avenue. This event is held rain or shine.

Cool date opportunity! See ya there!

More info.

Shadow/Casters at the HH

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden will partner with local arts organization Transformer to present "Shadow/Casters," an after-hours performance art event on the Hirshhorn's outdoor plaza Saturday, June 10, 7:30-11 p.m. Guests will be invited to explore the museum during special extended hours, enjoy a cash bar and music on the plaza, and take in four site-specific performances that creatively explore abundance, transition and community through contemporary storytelling and ritual.

Coinciding with Transformer's 15th anniversary and the approaching summer solstice, "Shadow/Casters" features one-night-only performances by Washington-based artists Jason Barnes (Pussy Noir), Alexandra 'Rex' Delafkaran, Kunj Patel and Hoesy Corona.

"Shadow/Casters" will take audiences on a visual journey through culture, time, and space with a variety of immersive performance styles, including dance and drumming. The evening culminates as the moon emerges, with a three-story tall performance that transforms the Hirshhorn's iconic round building into a physical shadow theater and creates a spectacular display of light and shadow, designed to be experienced by the crowds gathered below.  

Tickets are $18, and will be available online May 9. "Shadow/Casters" is presented in conjunction with D.C.'s annual Capital Pride festival, held June 8-11, and in partnership with Smithsonian GLOBE (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Employees).

Silent Auction Fundraiser

The Zenith Community Arts Foundation Cordially Invites You to 

A Silent Auction Fundraiser Event!

To Support ZCAF's Hands' on Workshop (HOW) Programs

Sunday, May 7, 5:00-8:00 pm

At the Washington Ethical Society

7750 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20012  

Don't miss out! ... ONLINE Auction ongoing from now until Sunday, May 7, 3:00 pm est.

CLICK HERE to go to Online Auction

Many more items are up for auction including spa treatments, legal services, 

restaurant certificates, gift cards, and more. 

Food for the event provided by CUBA CUBA Gallery Cafe.
Music by guitarist, Bill Freed.

Honorary Chairpersons: Ward 4 Councilman, Brandon Todd, and Councilman At-Large, Robert White

Hosted by Ron Nessen, who served as White House Press Secretary for President Gerald Ford, 1974-1977

Guest Speakers: Kay Kendall, Chairman of the D.C. Arts Commission, and Linda Donovan Harper, Board President of the D.C. Education Collaborative

Click Here to:  PURCHASE 1 TICKET

Click Here to:  PURCHASE 2 TICKETS

Click Here to make a tax deductible in the amount of your choosing:  DONATION

THANK YOU!

Austin Shull at Micro Gallery

Metro Micro Gallery Presents: 

Austin Shull

Reflections on Ardor

May 6^th – June 10^th, 2017

Curated by Cara Rose Leepson 

Opening Reception: Wednesday May 10^th 7pm

Reflections on Ardor presents a site-specific installation created by Washington, DC based artist Austin Shull which questions dominant tropes of romance and passion. The global allure of love and romance have been magnified by mass consumerism and often, the expectations of these sentimental feelings are skewed by reality. Utilizing a teleidoscope to abstract stereotypical romantic photographic imagery, Shull deconstructs the surface level idealism of romance and engages the viewer by questioning their own personal reflection and participation in this reimagined, seemingly romantic scene. 

“For instance, a common image that comes to mind when thinking about romance is a stock picture of a couple walking down the beach holding hands, or perhaps kissing as the ocean waves lap at their feet. Does this unknowingly become the imagery on which we base our desires and fantasies, and in so doing begin a search for qualities of life founded in dislocated representations.” – Austin Shull

Austin Shull is a multi-disciplinary artist, native of Washington, DC and has been a resident at Arlington Art Center since 2015. He attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture summer of 2008, and the Whitney Independent Study Program 2007-2008. Shull received an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in 2007 and a BA from the Bard College in 2001. He has exhibited work nationally and internationally at venues including the Cooper Union, Syracuse University, International Print Center, Pratt Institute, Nurture Art, and Exit Art.

Guest Curator Cara Rose Leepson brings her vision into this exhibit. She is now part of the pay it forward initiative of Metro Micro Gallery. We welcome her effort in mentoring and guiding Austin Shull in this unique space. Leepson moved to Washington, DC from Charleston, South Carolina in 2010 to pursue her MA in Art + Museum Studies at Georgetown University. Prior to joining the staff of Transformer in early 2016, she worked for a number of arts organizations in DC including Hillyer Art Space and Glenstone Foundation.

Metro Micro Gallery is committed in creating opportunities that will inspire more creative collaborations and enrich our community. 

A experimental gallery that encourages creative collaborations and a respect for diversity through inclusive, non-conventional exhibits and showcases. A small space with big mission, the Metro Micro Gallery offers exhibits and programs to strengthen and sustain our community.  

Barbara Januszkiewicz is the sponsor of Metro Micro Gallery. This is part of the outreach of her studio practice that includes mentorships within the creative community. Plus an effort in supporting public awareness for visual art practitioners. Pay it forward.

Metro Micro Gallery is located at 3409 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA. For more information visit www.metromicrogallery.com. 

Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/919101374899674/

Bettie Page for a great cause!

Wanna bid on this gorgeous Bettie Page? - all for a good cause!

Details and bidding here.


#bettiepage #thenotoriousbettiepage

New Studios in the DMV

open may 5 and 6, 10-6 pm

and

spring art walk
Friday may 5, 6-8pm
MICHELINE KLAGSBRUN
raye leith
joe hall
the tuesday night group

1662 33rd street NW in georgetown
 

SPRING ART WALK:
Seven galleries will host an evening stroll and a viewing of their fine art

exhibitions in the most beautiful part of Washington, DC.

WWW.GEORGETOWNGALLERIES.COM

Wanna draw the figure?

Fridays, June 2 & 16 – Friday ARTnights: Drop-In Figure Drawing – The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) hosts a drop-in “Working from the Figure” session on Friday, June 2, 2017 and Friday, June 16, 2017 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at CHAW, 545 7^th Street, SE. Work on drawings or paintings in front of a live model in a session without formal instruction, facilitated by artist Will Fleishell. Please bring your own drawing materials. Easels are available. The session is $15 for drop-in students. For more information, visit www.chaw.org or call (202) 547-6839. 

Call

Art Impact USA's 2017 Juried Art Exhibition at Pepco Edison Place Gallery is now ready to receive your art entry.  You are invited to submit up to eight works for "Climax: The Best of the Best."  There is no entry fee and over $850 in cash awards and prizes.  


Submission deadline is June 16, 2017, 9:00 pm firm.  Don't wait until the last minute.

The chief juror is Prof. Curlee Holton, Executive Director of the David C. Driskell Center,  at the University of Maryland.  Fewer artists will be chosen and more of their work will be exhibited - four pieces.

Visit this page for all the details:  http://www.artimpactusa.org/climax-call. 

Victor Ekpuk solo at MFA

These Moments

A solo exhibition of mixed media artwork by VICTOR EKPUK

Friday, May 12th - May 29th, 2017

OPENING DAY RECEPTION

Friday, May 12th, 6pm-8pm

The artist will be in attendance. 

EXHIBITION LOCATION

Morton Fine Art (MFA)

1781 Florida Ave NW (at 18th & U Sts)

Washington, DC 20009

HOURS

Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 6pm

Sunday 12pm-5pm

About VICTOR EKPUK & These Moments

What can one say about an artist like Victor Ekpuk? Graphically stunning, with a carefully crafted use of color, and evincing a commitment to the power of the line, Ekpuk's work in These Moments applies Ekpuk's enviable skill, theoretical grounding, and consistent engagement with what it means to be human in a more figurative approach. These Moments highlight thirteen works all grounded by the form, structure, and strength of the bold line's arc through space. Inspired in part by a four-month residency in Nigeria, the country of his birth, Ekpuk was struck by how central the head was in daily life in Lagos. Ekpuk explains that he was "struck by people carrying things on their heads, metaphorically or otherwise."
- Izetta Autumn Mobley, 2017

These Moments marks VICTOR EKPUK's third solo exhibition at Morton Fine Art.  His artwork is included in the permanent collections of the

Smithsonian Institution Nation Museum of African Art, Brooks Museum,

Krannert Art Museum, US Department of State, Newark Museum, Arkansas Art Center, Fidelity Investments,  The World Bank, and University of Maryland University College Art Collection.

Call for Proposals

One month left to submit your proposals for an exhibition at artspace in the first half of 2018

APPLY ONLINE

Entry Fee: $25
Deadline: June 1, 2017

Frida Kahlo Show... and?

Over 20 years ago, The Washington Post called me "A Kahlophile since age 17", and even after all these years, that description still fits me to a tee.


Subsequently, I was lucky enough to curate two (in partnership with the Mexican Cultural Institute for the first one, and with the same Institute and the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City for the second) worldwide "Homage to Frida Kahlo" shows - the first one at Georgetown's iconic Fraser Gallery, and the second one online with art.com.

Campello's works are more than one-liners, though. They're also explorations of one of Campello's pet topics: race. In Las Siete Fridas (The Seven Fridas), he's envisaged Kahlo as Nordic, Arab, African, punk, Native American, Vulcan, and Beatle. The drawing was inspired by the 1980 census, the first to offer a complex menu of ethnicities for each American's self-identification. "This was my way of poking fun at the census and our governmental need to put labels on people," Campello explains on a nearby card. Las Siete Fridas was recently acquired by Seeds of Peace, an organization that promotes cross-cultural understanding.   ---  Pamela Murray Winters, Washington City Paper

Over the years, as documented here, I've done hundreds, if not thousands of works inspired, related or obsessed by Frida Kahlo, the Champagne Communist, pain-ridden lead for the title of most famous and influential Latin American artist... ever. And soon, very soon, I will be announcing another major Kahlo-related project... stay tuned!


Just found out that a new Kahlo-inspired show is about to make its debut in the DMV:

Exhibit:

Frida en Nosotros

Artworks inspired by Frida Kahlo

May 5- May 29

DMV area artists pay tribute to Frida Khalo as a transcendent Latin American cultural icon. Each artist has taken her image or imagery related with her as a starting point to explore how she relates to their own ethnic traditions and customs. Featured artist are Marily Mojica, Osbel Susman-Peña, Nicole Oxendine, Ric Garcia, Marla Mclean, David Amoroso, Gus Rodriguez, Kate Heneghan, Jobi Jovanka Magana, Juliana Vallejo, Shyama Kuver, Cluadio Olivos, Eloy Areu, Sergio Olivos 

Reception:

Opening Night and Cinco de Mayo Celebration

Friday, May 5

5 pm-12 midnight

Happy Hour

Tapas, Vino y Margaritas

Location:

Cuba Cuba Galerie café

2309 18th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20009

An artistic culinary initiative in Adams Morgan, where art, music and Spanish food traditions fuse into a cultural experience. Patrons can enjoy art exhibits in the restaurants' basement gallery space and then pair the experience with a good glass of wine and a variety of  tapas or a dinner that samples Spanish and Cuban cuisine traditions.

Guerrilla Framing Techniques - Number One

Me: Custom framing is expensive!

You: Everybody knows that Lenster!

The average price for custom framing around the DMV is brutal - and sometimes complicated (or made complicated by frustrated designers posing as framers or artists who have seen too many Roccoco framing in museums.

Unless you're Frida Kahlo, generally speaking, the job of a frame for a work of visual art is first and foremost to protect the art.

Period.

And in the 21st century, and most of the 20th, the simpler the better; the less noticeable the frame, the more that the art is noticed.

If you have plenty of sheckels, then a good framer will do a great job. The best and least expensive framer around the DMV is Apex (703/914-1000, ask for Khalid and tell him Lenny sent you)

For the vast majority of artists, a frame should not cost as much as repairing your car's transmission.

You: Can you get to the technique part already?

Most artwork is done on geometric substrates; even if you cut paper or stretch your own canvas, most of the times it is either a square or a rectangle; ovals went out ages ago; in fact they were never really in... cough, cough.

In the USA, these art substrates come in standard sizes that apply not only to the substrates (paper, canvas, board, wood, etc.), but also to mats, frames, and glass.

Thus, if you work on a standard size substrate to start with, you're almost home, because then you can eliminate the middle man to getting your work on a wall: the custom framer.

An 8x10 substrate will fit into an 11x14 pre-cut mat and into an 11x14 pre-cut frame; and 11x14 substrate will fit into a 16x20, a 16x20 into a 20x24 and so on.

Around the DMV, both Ikea and AC Moore's have ridiculously affordable prices for acceptable, minimalist frames. With AC Moore's if you sign up for sales alerts, you'll be bombarded with coupons (the best one is their 25% off for your purchase - including sales items; otherwise you get their 55% off regular price coupon emailed to you every 30 seconds).  Practically every frame at Ikea is a minimalist frame, but be careful because many of them are European size standards, which are different from US; however, Ikea frames generally come with acid-buffered mats, with is a nice "bennie" to have.

By the way, if you need a lot of frames in the same size - let's say two dozen frames, then I suggest that you find the ready made frame that you like and that will accommodate your work (this usually works for photographers), turn it over and see who makes the frame and then contact the manufacturer (if it's in the USA) and see if they will sell you the frames directly. There's usually a minimum order to "qualify" for this option, and thus situations may vary according to your needs.

If you want to do artwork in other than standard sizes, then more power to you, and framing just got a little pricier, but there's also a technique.

First find a ready made frame that is bigger than your odd shaped artwork and visualize the artwork inside the frame. If the proportions are agreeable to you (let's say you have a rectangular work which can be matted with both sides and top the same and bottom "heavy" - that is perfectly acceptable.

Once you have the frame, go to a framer and have them cut you a mat that has the outside dimensions of your frame and have them cut a window that fits your work. Now you are only paying them to cut a custom mat, rather than paying them to do that as well as creating a custom frame and glass from scratch. It should reduce your costs by about 80%.

Then just bring your matted work home, pop it into the frame and as the Brits say: "Bob's your uncle."

Frida Kahlo at a steal!!!

C'mon blogosphere! You're making me look bad!


Anybody like Frida? This very cool painting that I did in art school and which sold originally almost 15 years ago, showed up at an auction house a while back and it is almost over and as of this morning it was available for around $120!


This painting sold for $1200 in the 1990s!


Follow the link! And bid already!

http://www.invaluable.com/catalog/searchLots.cfm…

Frida Kahlo: Picasso Style
Oil on Board, c. 1980
F. Lennox Campello

#fridakahlo #frida #picasso #pablopicasso #fridapainting #lennycampello #artauction

Found in a thrift shop

A Maud Lewis painting, discovered in a New Hamburg thrift store last month, has already set an auction record. 

Bidding has topped $125,208, the most for any original work by the Nova Scotia artist.

Read the story here.