“I Am Offended”: Art & Free Expression

Should art offend? Does it matter if people are offended? Should offensive art be displayed? Should it be censored? Who decides what is offensive or appropriate? Join us to hear a discussion of these questions and more.

A discussion panel featuring Philip Kennicott, Chief Art and Architecture Critic, the Washington Post; Janis Goodman, Panelist, WETA Around Town, Associate Professor of Fine Arts, Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, George Washington University; Lenny Campello, Author, Daily Campello Art News; and Jason Kuznicki, Research Fellow, Cato Institute and Editor, Cato Books; moderated by Caleb O. Brown, Cato Daily Podcast host, Director of Multimedia, Cato Institute.

REGISTER HERE

May 22, 2019 
6:30PM to 8:00PM EDT

Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20001-5403

Phone (202) 842 0200

Hedieh Javanshir Ilchi at Hemphill

One of my fave DMV area artists is having a solo at Hemphill:

HEMPHILL is pleased to announce the exhibition, HEDIEH JAVANSHIR ILCHI: I surrender to you, ashen lands and blue skies, opening on Saturday, May 11, 2019 with a reception from 6-8pm. The exhibition will remain on view through June 29, 2019.

Moving to an aerial view, observing from a distance, there may be no such thing as a cultural war. There may only be a process, a moment in an ever-evolving world of cultural forces. Although this viewpoint does not champion good or evil, it does acknowledge movement and outcome. The paintings of Hedieh Javanshir Ilchi arise from cultures often portrayed at war. Each culture measures itself by a different clock. Each respective clock sometimes runs faster than the other, then slower, sometimes backward and then again forward. The clocks rarely synchronize, until the conflicts are spent and the two clocks merge. Ilchi’s work takes us to an aerial viewpoint where we see traditional Persian imagery merging with modernist American painting techniques. The content is not in conflict, but there is sense of broken parts coming together and things from a past appearing in a present. Contrary to our times, where a speeding flow of expedient information engulfs everything, Ilchi asks us to step back, slow down, take the aerial view. From this vantage point we see intricately executed tazhib patterns, sometimes floating over and at other times captured within scenes of organic chaos. Chaos created by the layering of translucencies, controlled pours and the topographical accumulations of paint. It is as though we are witnessing the reactions of chemical components. It takes time to comprehend the dazzling luminosities of her paintings, to see the merging of two cultures. Yet Ilchi’s work is not of an ideal state, there is a sense of trouble in her pictures, an apprehension of beauty, and a pining wishful-ness for the outcomes we are moving towards.

Hedieh Javanshir Ilchi was born in 1981 in Tehran, Iran and currently lives and works in the Washington DC area. Ilchi received a BFA with honors from the Corcoran College of Art + Design in 2006 and an MFA in Studio Art from the American University in 2011. She has been awarded residencies at the Ucross Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, The Jentel Foundation, and the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. She has exhibited in New York, Switzerland, Washington DC and Winston- Salem, NC and her work is included in several private and public collections. HEDIEH JAVANSHIR ILCHI: I surrender to you, ashen lands and blue skies is the artist’s second exhibition at Hemphill Fine Arts.

Museum call for artists

Sightlines, 2019-2021

Deadline: May 12, 2019

The South Bend Museum of Art (SBMA) is seeking large-scale 2D and 3D artwork for long-term display in Sightlines, a collaborative project between SBMA and Century Center. The two year exhibition will highlight the work of six new artists. Indoor and outdoor sites for the work are available and will be considered for accepted work. 

Artist submission review and selection will be done by representatives from SBMA and Century Center. There is a $10 entry fee to apply. $1000 stipend for each selected artist. A modest printed piece will also be produced. 

For full details and to apply securely online, please visit www.southbendart.submittable.com. 

For more information on the South Bend Museum of Art, please visit this site.

Trawick Prize Deadline: 8 April!

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is inviting regional artists to submit work to the annual Trawick Prize!

This juried art competition awards $14,000 in prizes to four selected winners. The deadline for submissions is Monday April 8, 2019. Up to eight selected finalists will be chosen to display their work at Bethesda’s Gallery B in September 2019.

The competition will be juried by Jonathan Monaghan, Assistant Professor of Digital Art & Studio Art Advisor, Catholic University, and the 2015 Trawick Prize Best In Show Winner; Foon Sham, Professor of Sculpture, University of Maryland, and Sue Wrbican, Associate Professor of Photography & Director of Photography Program, George Mason University.

Submission requirements:

• Artists must be 18 years of age or older
• Residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C.
• All original 2-D and 3-D fine art including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, fiber art, digital, mixed media and video will be accepted.
• Artwork must have been completed within the last two years and must be available for the duration of the exhibition.
• Selected artists must deliver their artwork to the exhibit site in Bethesda, MD.
• Each artist must submit five images, an application and a non-refundable entry fee of $25

The Best in Show will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000. A “young” artist whose birth date is after April 8, 1989 may also be awarded $1,000.

Apply here.

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival Returns May 11 and 12

The Bethesda Urban Partnership has announced the 16th annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival, a two-day event highlighting more than 120 contemporary artists selling their original fine art and craft. The festival will take place Saturday, May 11 from 10am – 6pm and Sunday, May 12, 2018 from 10am – 5pm. 

The festival will once again welcome artists from across the country to showcase and sell their original painting, drawing, photography, furniture, jewelry, woodwork, ceramics and more in downtown Bethesda.

The event will be in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle along Norfolk and Auburn Avenues and will be held rain or shine. The festival will also feature live entertainment, children’s activities and local restaurants. Admission to the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival is free. The festival is located six blocks from the Bethesda Metro station and free parking is available adjacent to the event in the parking garage located on Auburn Avenue.

LeafFilter Gutter Protection, Sunrise Senior Living, Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club and Bethesda Magazine are serving as event sponsors.

For more information, please visit www.bethesda.org or call 301/215-6660.

Washington Sculptors Group Annual Members Image Show

2019 ANNUAL MEMBERS' IMAGE SHOW
Sunday, April 14, 2019, 4-7pm

Presented by Washington Sculptors Group at:

Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies – House A
3100 Whitehaven St NW
Washington, DC 20008
www.chs.harvard.edu

Free and open to the public
Parking on premises and street

The Washington Sculptors Group cordially invites you to attend the Annual Members Image Show! Join WSG members as they offer insight into some of the best work being done by sculptors in the DC area.

WSG’s Annual Members Image Show aims to support the talent and highly diverse work of Washington area sculptors. The Image Show gives member artists the opportunity to present images and videos of their work, and artists have the opportunity to discuss the artwork while it is being shown. New members are strongly encouraged to participate, and all members receive feedback from the audience.

WSG will also invite DC area gallerists, curators, collectors, reviewers, and other art representatives to attend this important member event. Refreshments provided by WSG will be served during intermission; WSG members are also welcome to bring food to share.

Harvard’s Center for Hellenic Studies is graciously hosting the WSG Annual Members Image Show again this year. Join us for an informative evening at the CHS campus, located in the Embassy Row neighborhood of NW Washington, DC.

RSVP to programs@washingtonsculptors.org

WPA: Collectors' Night: A Silent Auction to Benefit Artists

From The Washington project for the Arts:

INTRODUCING THE ARTISTS

We are excited to announce the 84 artists participating in Collectors' Night: A Silent Auction to Benefit Artists on Saturday, May 4. Nearly all the artists were selected from an open call by this year's incredible art committee, with the exception of a half dozen -- among them the inimitable Richard Tuttle -- who were invited by the staff.

Ebtisam Abdulaziz, Kristin Adair, Farnoosh Ahmadi Shirazi, Sondra N. Arkin, Eames Armstrong, Mary Anne Arntzen, Selin Balci, David Barr, Kyle J. Bauer, Mary Baum, Erick Antonio Benitez, Julia Bloom, Chris Bohner, Lori Anne Boocks, Michael A. Booker, Anthony J. Bowers, Nakeya Brown, Gerardo Camargo, Florencio Lennox Campello, David Carlson, Hsin-Hsi Chen, Larry Cook, Kyrae Dawaun Cowan, Markele Cullins, Frank Hallam Day, John Deardourff, Monique Muse Dodd, Alexis Duque, Alex Ebstein, Pam Eichner, Edgar Endress, Nico Fertakis, Amy Finkelstein, Lloyd Foster, Stephen Hendee, Jessica Hopkins, Timothy J. Horjus, Michael Horsley, Erik Hougen, James Huckenpahler, Sarah Hull, Nate Larson, Magnolia Laurie, Khanh H. Le, Kim Llerena, Timothy Makepeace, Tsedaye Makonnen, Jon Malis, Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann, Antonio McAfee, Nat Meade, Veronica Melendez, Linn Meyers, Maggie Michael, Greg Minah, Tyra Mitchell, Goitseone Bothale Moerane, Jonathan Monaghan, Ali Newhard, Lee Nowell-Wilson, Christos J. Palios, PLAKOOKEE, Rodrigo Pradel, Amber Robles-Gordon, Kate Sable, Nicole Marie Salimbene, Kim Sandara, Josh Sender, Joseph Shetler, Alexandra Silverthorne, Dafna Steinberg, Dan Steinhilber, Mark Stockton, Cindy Stockton Moore, Monica Stroik, Martin Swift, Rob Tarbell, Trish Tillman, Richard Tuttle, Julie Willis, Jordann Wine, Ellen Xu, and Helen Zughaib

 Find more information about the artwork selection process and artists here.

LAST CHANCE FOR EARLY-BIRD TICKETS

Don't forget to purchase discounted early-bird tickets while they are available through April 3! 

If you have any questions about tickets or sponsorship, please email Ashley McDonald at amcdonald@wpadc.org or visit wpacollectorsnight.org.

Open Studios!

DC Arts Studios (DCAS) invites you to their annual Spring Open Studios on Sunday, April 28, 10am - 5pm!

Take a self-guided tour through our participating artists' studios and have a "behind the scenes" peek into their creative process -- a great way to introduce kids to the arts and learn about different techniques and mediums! 

Purchase original artwork and other handmade gifts directly from the artists themselves! Featured artwork and gifts will include photography, paintings, mixed media, fiber art, sculpture, stained glass, weaving, art made from re-purposed bicycle and computer parts, and much more. 

Swing by the Willow Street Gallery Group Show and Sale, "ELEMENTS" on our first floor.

Have your photo taken with an Afghan camera box. There will be food and refreshments throughout the studios. 

The event is free, accessible, family friendly, and open to the public.
And please help us spread the word! Share the DCAS Spring Open Studios Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2286059881661833/ 

*This arts event is presented as part of Takoma Park's Art Hop, a neighborhood-wide weekend arts festival. Learn more at Art Hop Takoma.

DC Arts Studios is located at 6925 Willow St NW, Washington, DC 20012, next to Downtown Takoma Park, MD. 

Driving: There is street parking. 

Metro: Take the Red Line to the Takoma DC Metro Station. Walk a few blocks on Carroll Ave towards Downtown Takoma Park, MD. Turn right onto Willow Street. We are halfway down the block on the left-hand side of the street.

Questions? Contact Valerie Fenton, Administrative Director, at office@dcartsstudios.org.

Open life drawing sessions

Hyattsville Figure Drawing Group

Tuesday, April 2, 6-9pm
Model: Jalene

Welcome to open life drawing sessions every Tuesday, 6-9pm in Pyramid Atlantic's gallery space in the Gateway Arts District, Hyattsville. Bring along your favorite art materials and draw with us! Chairs, tables and drawing boards provided.

All are welcome, under 18 legal guardian permission required. Drop-ins welcome, no experience necessary!

Where: 
Pyramid Atlantic Art Center*
4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, MD 20781
Free parking in rear of building

When: 
Tuesdays, 6-9pm

Cost: 
$20/session or $75/5-session punch card or $15/session for Pyramid Atlantic members (proof required)

For more information: 
https://www.meetup.com/Hyattsville-Figure-Drawing-Group-Meetup

Artist as Entrepreneur Program for Visual Artists

Upcoming Event for Artists
American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center

Artist as Entrepreneur Program for Visual Artists
May 18 & 19, 10-4PM 

Applications are now open for this professional development program, presented by New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), in partnership with Alper Initiative for Washington Art at the American University Museum, and provided to selected participants free of charge through the support of the Stephen & Palmina Pace Foundation. 

Open to visual artists (painting, photography, sculpture and installation, ceramics, folk art and traditional, craft, printmaking, drawing and book arts, performance art, film, video and new media) the program has been customized to fit the needs artists in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. 

The Artist as Entrepreneur Program offers the fundamental principles of sustainability—and ultimately profitability—in the arts. This includes topics such as strategic planning, finance, and marketing. Additional material is drawn from NYFA’s popular textbook, The Profitable Artist (Allworth Press, 2018), now in its second edition. Participants have access to flexible and dynamic entrepreneurial tools such as the “Artists Action Plan” and Business Model Canvas (BMC) that provide a blueprint for your practice or specific projects. The structure is a blend of formal lectures and breakout groups, designed to build community among the participants and encourage ongoing dialogue, collaborations and support. 

Artists of all career stages, including students, are encouraged to apply through this Submittable link. Participants will be selected through a panel review process. Please view the required application materials. Application deadline is April 17, 2019. 

Booth at AAFNYC

Our booth at the Spring Affordable Art Fair in New York - booth B4 with work by Matthew Langley, Alexei Tereynin and me!

The Dynamics of Buying a Work of Art

An oldie... but always a goodie:

The Dynamics of Buying a Work of Art

After setting up hundreds of art shows in galleries over the years, and dealing with both novice and experienced collectors, I am sometimes still amused by the dynamics that go into the decision to buy (or more often than not pass) a piece of art.

And I have detected a pattern most easily seen at an art fair.

Put together a few thousand people, paying an entry fee to enter the fair, an assortment of dealers, and a huge diverse variety of offerings and it’s an education in people watching.

The married couple: 
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah, I like it- it’s just what we’ve been looking for.”
“Where would we put it?”
“We have a couple of spots that it’d fit.”
“Do you really like it.”
“Yeah, how about you?”
“Yeah, I kinda of like it.”
“Should we get it?”
“If you want it.”
(five minutes later)
“Let’s think about it.”
“OK” [To me] “Do you have a business card?”

The couple (not married):
Her: “Do you like it?”
Him: “Sssoright”
Her: “Where would we put it?”
Him: “Dunno.”
Her: “Do you really like it.”
Him: “So’OK.. Yeah, how about you?”
Her: “Yeah, I kinda, sorta, really like it.”
Him: “Dunno though”
Her: “What? You don’t like it?”
Him: “If you want it.”
(five minutes later)
Him: “Let’s think about it.”
Her or Him: “OK” [To me] “Do you have a business card?”

The Single Woman (SW) with a Woman Friend:
SW: “WOW! Now, I really like this!”
Friend: “Yeah… it’s nice”
SW: “It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!”
Friend: “I have a friend who does work just like this…”
SW: “I am really drawn to it!”
Friend: “Are you really sure you like it?”
SW: “Uh - yeah!… why? Don’t you like it?”
Friend: “Yeah… it’s OK”
SW: “I think it’s really good… I think it’s the first piece in this whole show that I really like.”
Friend: “There’s a few more booths we haven’t seen.”
SW: “I think I’m going to buy this.”
Friend: “Are you sure?”
SW: “Uh - yeah!… It’s a good price too…. why? Don’t you like it?”
(five minutes later)
SW: “Do you have a business card?”

The Single Woman (SW) with a Man Friend:
SW: “WOW! Now, I really like this!”
Friend: “Yeah… Cool”
SW: “It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!”
Friend: “I think it’s a lithograph” [it's actually a charcoal]
SW: “I am really drawn to it!”
Friend: “Are you really sure you like it?”
SW: “Uh - yeah!… why? Don’t you like it?”
Friend: “I have something like it… I got it cheaper though…”
SW: “I think it’s really good… I think it’s the first piece in this whole show that I really like.”
Friend: “You like lithographs?”
SW: “I think I’m going to buy this.”
Friend: “Are you sure?”
SW: “Uh - yeah!… It’s a good price too…. why? Don’t you like it?”
(five minutes later)
SW: “Do you have a business card?”

The Single Focus Dream Buyer:
[Walks straight up to one piece, never looks at the rest of the work in your booth]
“I’ll take this”
[Me] “Thank you… it’s a very striking charcoal drawing - will be that be a check or charge?”
“Charge”
[Me] “I can send you more information on this artist…”
“That will be great - I love this work - it’s exactly what I’m interested in!”
[Me] “I have a few more pieces here, would you like to see them?”
“No, thanks…”

The “I’m glad you’re here guy (IGYHG)”:
IGYHG: “Hey! I’ve been looking for you!”
[Me]: “Hi, how are you?”
IGYHG: “… been walking this whole fair looking for you!”
[Me]: “Yeah… lots of dealers this year… glad you found us!”
IGYHG: “Howsa been goin’?”
[Me]: “Yes… quite good actually…”
IGYHG: “Well, let me look at what you’ve got!”
[three minutes later]
IGYHG: “Well… I’m glad you’re here… see ya next year!”

The “I Shudda Bought It Last Year Guy (Shudda)”:
Shudda: “Hey! You’re here again!”
[Me]: “Hi, how are you? Yeah… It’s our 7th year here…”
Shudda: “… been walking this whole fair looking for you!”
[Me]: “Yeah… lots of dealers this year… glad you found us!”
Shudda: “Howsa been goin’?”
[Me]: “Yes… quite good actually…”
Shudda: “Well, let me look at what you’ve got!”
[three minutes later]
Shudda: “Where’s that really good watercolor of the fill-in-the-blank?”
[Me]: “Uh… I sold it last year - but I have a few more pieces by that artist.”
Shudda: “Ah! - I really wanted that one! Do you have another one?”
[Me]: “Well, no… it was an original watercolor, and I sold it; but I have —”
Shudda: “I really wanted that piece; and it was a good price too…”
[Me]: “Maybe you’d like some of his new work…”
Shudda: “I shudda bought it last year”
[Walks away]
Shudda: “You gonna be here next year?”

The “Where’s That Piece Guy (WTP)”:
WTP: “Hey! You’re here again!”
[Me]: “Hi, how are you? Yeah… It’s our 7th year here…”
WTP: “… been walking this whole fair specifically looking for you!”
[Me]: “Yeah… lots of dealers this year… glad you found us!”
WTP: “Howsa been goin’?”
[Me]: “Yes… quite good actually…”
WTP: “OK… last year I saw this piece… it was a fill-in-the-bank and I should have bought it then! “
[Me]: “Yeah… that is a nice piece.”
WTP: “I’ve been thinking about it for a whole year”
[Looks around the booth and doesn't see it]
WTP: “Do you still have it?”
[From here there are two paths...]
Path One -
[Me]: “Uh… I sold it last year - but I have a few more pieces by that artist.”
WTP: “Ah! - I really wanted that one! Do you have another one?”
[Me]: “Well, no… it was an original watercolor, and I sold it; but I have —”
WTP: “I really wanted that piece; and it was a good price too…”
[Me]: “Maybe you’d like some of his new work…”
WTP: “I shudda bought it last year”
[Walks away]
WTP: “You gonna be here next year?”
Path Two
[Me]: “Let me get it for you… I have it in the back!”
WTP: “Great”
[I bring it out and give to WTP]
WTP: “Yeah this is it! It’s great!”
[Me]: “This artist has done really well this last year and —”
WTP: [Handing it back] “Excellent! I’m glad you still have it… until what time are you going to be here?”

How to sign your artwork

Years after I wrote this, it is still a pet peeve of mine...

Read my advice here.

MSAC Seeking Panelists for Public Art Project Grant Program

The Maryland State Arts Council is seeking panelists to review Public Art Project grant applications for the 2019 fiscal year. The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) relies on a diverse array of arts experts from the field to do the important work of evaluating grant applications submitted by Maryland arts organizations and arts programs. Panelists review grant applications online, and meet in spring for the Grants Review Panel Meeting. Serving as a panelist is a great opportunity to learn about Maryland arts organizations and the granting processes of the Maryland State Arts Council. Panelist application forms are due, Friday, April 19, 2019. Please apply here.

The Maryland State Arts Council has committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in grantmaking as all funding mechanisms continue to be examined and updated. The design of the Public Art Across Maryland Grant application is meant to inspire authentic reflection and internal analysis for each applicant, with the knowledge that the Maryland State Arts Council is to be seen and utilized as a collaborative partner in the process. 

After applications have been reviewed, panelists are appointed by the Maryland State Arts Council for a one-year term, which may be renewed, and receive a modest honorarium and travel reimbursement for serving.

The Maryland State Arts Council uses Google products for all panelist activities. Applicants must have a Gmail account to apply. You may establish a Gmail account here.

Two new exhibits at Howard County Arts Council

The Howard County Arts Council is pleased to announce two new exhibits, opening on May 3, 2019: Resident Visual Artists Exhibit 2019 and No Boundaries.                                                                                                   

In its 35th year at the Arts Council, Resident Visual Artists Exhibit 2019 features recent work created by artists with studios at the Center for the Arts: James Adkins, Joan Bevelaqua, Han Jeon, Myungsook Ryu Kim, Art Landerman, Diana Marta, Brendan Nass, Joyce Ritter, Jereme Scott, Alice St. Germain-Gray, Andrei Trach, Jamie Travers, Mary Jo Tydlacka, and David Zuccarini. The artists work in a variety of media including oil and watercolor painting, drawing, fiber art, and glass bead-making. 

In partnership with Howard County Recreation and Parks’ Department of Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services, No Boundaries showcases work by youth and adult artists with developmental disabilities, created in the Exploring Art and Focus on Art programs offered by the Department of Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services. In these programs, youth and adults with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to explore a variety of media, styles, and methods of creating art. 

A free public reception will be held on Friday, May 10 from 6–8pm. The Arts Council’s resident artists will also open their studios to visitors from 7–8pm that evening. Both exhibits run through June 14, 2019. 

Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Sunday 12 - 4 p.m. The Galleries are closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 27, 2019. For more information about Howard County Arts Council programs and exhibits, call 410-313-ARTS (2787) or visit hocoarts.org.

TFA Emerging Artist Fellowship Call for Entries is Open

Apply here

Bummer

Bummerstein!

My proposal was to present my lecture/question & answer presentation titled: "On Identity in the Arts: What does it mean to be Latino/a?"

I've presented this in various colleges across the US, but so far oh for two with MD... it is usually well-received and kick starts a lot of good discussion and gets a lot of muddy waters cleared...

events maryland 

Good Afternoon,

Thank you for submitting a proposal for the Maryland Arts Summit 2019. Unfortunately, your proposal was not selected to be presented at this year’s conference.

This process elicited an overwhelming response from the Maryland Arts community, which led to a very competitive pool of applicants and more quality proposals than we had space for in this year’s Summit.

We hope you will consider joining us for the Maryland Arts Summit 2019 as an attendee and that you will apply again in the future.

Sincerely,

The Summit Staff

Heloisa Escudero at Otis Street Arts Project

“INTEGRATION”

Heloisa Escudero

Opening Reception March 30, 2019, 6-9 PM

Special performance April 27th 2-5 PM

Solo Exhibition of new work created for Otis Street Arts Project by Heloisa Escudero.

Every human being follows a unique life path, with no two paths being alike. All of these paths are governed by countless life equations, where all of our phobias, fears and anxieties are parameters and variables that define a part of this equation, and the values of which may determine our learning directions.  The solutions to these multivariable and complicated equations are held inside each of us, we hold all the secrets to our unique self.  This exhibition aims at the realization of the (unique) self. By direct visualization of our phobias, it makes our parameters explicit. And by creation of rituals that provide positive thinking, it aims at finding solutions to our life equations.  One of the main goals is that the viewer actively integrates their life path while interacting with the art. 

About the Artist:
Heloisa Escudero grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, but relocated to the United States in 1987 where her interest in Fine Arts developed. She obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Massachusetts College of Art and a Master of Fine Arts from the San Francisco Art Institute. She holds American, Italian and Brazillian citizenships.  She is interested in conceptually based art that is both tactile and interactive. Her most recent art projects focus on art that emphasizes the participation of the viewer. In 2007 she moved to Sweden where she worked as a full-time artist, creating four successful projects and exhibiting in Sweden at the Uppsala Art Museum and in Spain at the University of Valencia.  Her art was mentioned at the the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, Resource Magazine, Harvard University Archive and etc.  
  
Otis Street Arts Project is located at 3706 Otis St., Mount Rainier, MD.
March 30- May 4, 2019
Hours: Saturday 12-5, M-F by appointment.

Art Scam Alert!

Beware of this rip off artist: 

Captain Ralph ralphlauren0072@cox.net  

Good Day How are you doing? My name is Ralph Lauren from NC.I observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop and i guess she likes your piece of art work,. I stormed on some of your works which i found quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit your doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do. With that being said, I would like to purchase some of your works as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $450 to $5000. I look forward to reading from you in a view to knowing more about your pieces of inventory.(ralphlauren0072@gmail.com) Best regards, Ralph

Wanna help out our local arts community?

Then read the note below from one of the DMV's leading art presences:

We are asking you, our community, for your help and kind assistance!

By now you know us well, we will never ask you for monetary donations, but right now there IS something you can do to help A&M! We are working to open our third location as a part of a mixed-use development waiting for approval in the beautiful town of Kensington. The developer brought us in specifically to help make more of an arts anchor and presence in this (already) art-filled community, and we could not be more excited about this amazing opportunity.

If you love Artists & Makers Studios, and what we do in and for the community, would you please help us by doing one of the following to help us grow our vision to expand into our third art center?

1. Show up - Come to the Kensington community meeting next Thursday March 28th at 7pm, and join us in support. Newport Mill Middle School Cafeteria, 11311 Newport Mill Road, Kensington, MD 20895

2. Contact me if you would like to speak about your experience at A&M as a resident or visitor!

3. Jot me an email about your experience with A&M and I will print and deliver it to the council.

We need community support to help get this project up and running, and any one of the three steps above (or any combination of all three) will be invaluable in helping get this project approved and started!

The developer engaged three new architects to take all of the community input offered so far, and is bringing a brand new vision for the building design to the meeting. lt is gorgeous and a building we would love to inhabit on that prominent corner in Kensington.

Our vision statement:

Artists & Makers 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.

My email: Judith@ArtistsAndMakersStudios.com

www.artistsandmakersstudios.com

New shows open at the Katzen

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM at the KATZEN ARTS CENTER, led by the amazing super powers of Jack Rasmussen continues to outshine a lot of other DMV museums... Check out the new shows below:

Opening Reception: April 6, 6-9PM 

• Forward Press: 21st Century Printmaking
• Squire Broel
• Testament of the Spirit: Paintings by Eduardo Carrillo 
• Kenneth Victor Young: Continuum 
• Peripheral Visions (MFA Studio Art First Year Exhibition)

Read more about their Spring exhibitions here.

Trawick Prize Deadline April 8

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is inviting regional artists to submit work to the annual Trawick Prize!

This juried art competition awards $14,000 in prizes to four selected winners. The deadline for submissions is Monday April 8, 2019. Up to eight selected finalists will be chosen to display their work at Bethesda’s Gallery B in September 2019.

The competition will be juried by Jonathan Monaghan, Assistant Professor of Digital Art & Studio Art Advisor, Catholic University, and the 2015 Trawick Prize Best In Show Winner; Foon Sham, Professor of Sculpture, University of Maryland, and Sue Wrbican, Associate Professor of Photography & Director of Photography Program, George Mason University.

Submission requirements:

• Artists must be 18 years of age or older
• Residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C.
• All original 2-D and 3-D fine art including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, fiber art, digital, mixed media and video will be accepted.
• Artwork must have been completed within the last two years and must be available for the duration of the exhibition.
• Selected artists must deliver their artwork to the exhibit site in Bethesda, MD.
• Each artist must submit five images, an application and a non-refundable entry fee of $25

The Best in Show will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000. A “young” artist whose birth date is after April 8, 1989 may also be awarded $1,000.

Apply here.

Bethesda Row Arts Festival

Each October, 190 leading artists nationwide turn Bethesda Row’s Arts and Entertainment District into an outdoor art gallery, featuring juried fine arts and fine crafts. “Art Fair Sourcebook” has recognized the Bethesda Row Arts Festival (BRAF) as one of the top 30 Fine Art Shows in the United States, attracting 45,000 art patrons over the two-day event.

Bethesda Row, just outside of Washington, DC, features more than 50 fine shops, upscale galleries and unique restaurants with outdoor seating. A few short blocks from the Metro, and on the Capital Crescent Trail, the area is accessible to the entire region by subway, bus, car and bike. 

Details and application here.

I've done this show several times over the years and I'm thinking of doing it again and doing some artist interviews and vlogging live - more later.

CHAW's 50 States Project

Tomorrow will be the official launch of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop's groundbreaking, artist-led mobile artist residency program, The 50 States Project.

Beginning Fall 2019, painter Kate Fleming and photographer Tom Woodruff will spend a year traveling in a small camper van to all 50 states, exploring regional similarities and differences through art. This national project will concurrently serve as a mobile classroom for students at CHAW in a new Social Justice youth arts program. 

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) is excited to announce the launch of The 50 States Project, a groundbreaking mobile artist residency. Beginning Fall 2019, painter Kate Fleming and photographer Tom Woodruff will spend a year traveling in a small camper van to all 50 states, exploring regional similarities and differences through art.  This national, artist-led project will concurrently serve as a mobile classroom for students at CHAW in a new Social Justice youth arts program, striving to raise critical consciousness, build community, and motivate students to promote social change through artistic means. For more information, please visit www.the50statesproject.com

Near Toyota Dealership by Kate Fleming

“Meaningful conversation is largely absent amid the intense division and discord found across the American landscape today,” says Amy Moore, CHAW’s Executive Director. “CHAW believes artists are uniquely situated to contribute by capturing and interpreting the ideals of our nation. Alongside the residency, CHAW’s new youth Social Justice program will allow students to explore how art has been used as a means to record history, shape culture, cultivate imagination, and harness individual and social transformation.”

As they travel to all 50 states, artists Kate and Tom will conduct their own individual research, producing works of visual art engaging with a particular theme or research question of their choosing. The artists will anchor their trip with stops at arts organizations across the country, engaging with at least one formal arts community in each state. Upon returning to DC in the fall of 2020, the artists will present their research through an exhibition, public programs, and an exhibit catalogue which will be shared with the communities they will have visited.

“By physically immersing ourselves in other American cultures during both an election year and a census year, we will learn and share the stories of our fellow Americans,” says artist Kate Fleming. “The artworks we create along the way will act as a vehicle through which others can experience and develop empathy for these people and places.”

About the artists:

Kate Fleming is a painter, printmaker, muralist, and installation artist based in her hometown of Arlington, Virginia. She has shown her work throughout the DC area and across the U.S. at galleries and mural festivals including POW! WOW! DC; Site:Brooklyn in New York; and Flatbed Press in Austin. Kate was artist-in-residence at CHAW in the Spring of 2018 and she has also completed residencies at Virginia Center for the Creative Arts in Amherst, Virginia and Penland School of Craft in Bakersville, NC. Additionally, Kate has worked as a set designer with CHAW’s resident theater company, Taffety Punk, whom she met during her residency at CHAW. Kate conducted an artistic survey of biodiversity in North Carolina in 2017 with fellow artist Kristen Orr, painting her way across the state on an intensive seven-day road trip.

Tom Woodruff is a photojournalism graduate student at Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication, with an expected completion date of May 2019. He has undertaken multiple long-term photographic studies of place, including photo essays on tourism and the National Mall, gentrification of DC’s Massachusetts Avenue, and perseverance of community in the small coal mining town of Hemlock, Ohio. Tom works to develop trust with the communities he photographs through his working philosophy of empathy, rather than of exploitation. In 2019, Tom was a finalist for the Reinke Grant for Visual Storytelling. Kate and Tom spent six months traveling around Australia in 2016, living and traveling in a camper van for two months of the trip. In 2017, the pair presented their Australian artworks in a two-person collaborative exhibition at Falls Church Arts in Falls Church, Virginia.

Art Blossoms

New “Art Blossoms” exhibit at the Torpedo Factory Artists @ Mosaic Gallery coincides with the arrival of the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin.

Cherry Blossoms by Min Enghauser

Nothing signifies the arrival of spring quite like the blooming of the cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C. 

Now, a new exhibit at the Torpedo Factory Artists @ Mosaic Gallery in Fairfax, Va., offers its own interpretation of the splendor of nature in a show titled “Art Blossoms”, featuring 13 juried artists from the highly-acclaimed Torpedo Factory Art Center. The artists represent a variety of mediums, including painting, printmaking, photography, and 3D media.

The Torpedo Factory Artists @ Mosaic is a popup gallery sponsored by the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association, and is located in the upscale Mosaic District shopping area in Fairfax, Va.

“Art Blossoms”, March 20 – April 8, Torpedo Factory Artists @ Mosaic, 2905 District Avenue, #105, Fairfax, Virginia. Open Wednesday thru Sunday 11 – 7.

In addition to what’s going on at the gallery in connection with the cherry blossoms’ arrival, there will be various events throughout the Mosaic District, including art demonstrations by Torpedo Factory artists, and numerous other activities sponsored by the Mosaic District.

At the MCI

Mexican Cultural Institute 2829 16th Street Northwest Washington, DC 20009 (View on map)