36th Annual Northern National Art Competition

I am honored to announce that I have been selected to be the Juror/Judge for the 36th Annual Northern National Art Competition in Rhinelander, Wisconsin!

This national show is held at the beautiful Nicolet College campus on Lake Julia, Wisconsin. The competition began in 1988 with a mere 37 entries. Thirty-six years later, it attracts work of artists from all over the United States- this year they had 646 entries as diverse as the artists themselves!

The calendar for 2023:

1/9/23: Registration opens via Cafe

3/24/23: Registration deadline

4/21/23: Acceptance notification

5/15/23: All shipped work due at Gallery

6/12- 6/15/23: Judging, Judge's dinner, Opening Gala/Reception

More later!

Shark Tank Idea for Smash & Grab Robberies

A daring robbery crew that raided a high-end Park Ave. jewelry store early Saturday snatched pricey jewelry and watches likely worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, police said.

The three smash-and-grab thieves busted their way through the glass front and side doors of Cellini Jewelers near E. 56th St. in Midtown at about 3:30 a.m. The store is two blocks from Trump Tower and four blocks from the Museum of Modern Art.

See the video here.

My shark tank solution is easy: Develop these jewelry containers to be pressurized so that they can be loaded with a super-powerful sleeping gas that is released if the case is smashed and knowcks out the would be thieves.

Investors being sought... cough... cough...

Meet the Artists of Otis Street Arts Project

When: Saturday October 22, 1-5-PM

Where: Otis Street Arts Project, 3706 Otis Street, Mount Rainier, MD 20712

What: Spend a casual afternoon with the artists of Otis Street Arts Project.

Meet the artists, view their latest exhibition "ARTgineering v2.0," and be prepared for some enjoyable conversations. Check out the new mural by Jeff Huntington. Plus, see an aluminum casting demonstration.

On View Now: ARTgineering V2.0

Gallery hours through December 3: 12-4 PM Saturdays, Tue-Fri by appointment

On view now: Art + Engineering = Artgineering: “the action of working artfully to bring something about”

ARTgineering v2.0 is a sequel to Otis Street Arts Project’s 2017 exhibition, “ARTgineering.” It reexamines engineering in art with a group show of eight artists, working in both 2D and 3D media: interactive electronics, geometric paintings, and 3D-printed action figures. These artistic explorations are infrequently considered, and can be stimulating to neuroplasticity—elasticity of the mind. In this “Version 2.0” show, we dive deeply into the formal engineering, structural engineering, and conceptual engineering of art.

Featured artists:

Jason Bulluck

Melissa Burley

​Emily Francisco

Billy Friebele

Jason Gubbiotti

Kelly Heaton

Michelle L. Herman

Frank McCauley​​​​

UNDER $500

CALL FOR ENTRY: Have your work noticed and purchased by local buyers & collectors, just in time for the holidays! Maryland Art Place (MAP) is seeking artists for “UNDER $500”, our upcoming winter benefit exhibition & affordable art sale. The exhibition will include approximately 1-3 works by each selected artist (scale dependent – in the case of smaller works more than 3 pieces may be accepted). Each individual piece must retail for $500 or less. If selected you will be issued an UNDER $500 profile form to fill out inquiring anecdotal information to help better engage patrons with the artists and their work alike. 

Proposals should be emailed to under500@mdartplace.org no later than Monday, November 14, 2022, at Midnight.  Subject line: Under $500 Application. OR fill out this FORM online.

UNDER $500 is MAP’s winter benefit. Proceeds from the sale of artwork will be split 50/50 between Maryland Art Place and the artist. The event is ticketed ($25) however participating artists are welcomed free of charge,

UNDER $500 is a hybrid, physical and virtual exhibition event. The physical exhibition opens Friday, December 9th from 6 pm-10 pm. Artworks may be purchased by patrons and taken off the walls on a first come first served basis that night. All works will be wrapped in brown paper with MAP’s signature holiday bow.

The virtual sale will launch the very next day, Saturday, Dec. 10 at 10 am and run through Wednesday, December 14th, 10 pm. The virtual sale will include more artists than the physical sale. *Please note: applications received will be selected for either the virtual sale (featured online) exclusively or for both the physical (featured in gallery) AND virtual exhibition (featured online). Your acceptance letter will indicate in which capacity your work will be presented.

MAP will maintain gallery hours from Saturday, Dec. 10 through Wednesday, Dec. 14th from noon-4pm for any remaining physical works that may be left for purchase.

AFTER PARTY: On December 9th, once the sale closes, MAP will open up its basement venue, UNDERBar for a post-event party, Ticket holders and artists have access to both the sales event and party. Guests can expect light fare, an open bar, our fabulous drag queens, and music from DJ Aran Keating of Ridiculous Entertainment. This year's theme? UGLY SWEATER!

TIMELINE 

• October 12 – Call For Entry Announced
• November 14 – Call For Entry Deadline
• Week of November 21 – Artists Notified of Selection
• Wednesday, November 30 – Saturday, December 3– Artwork Drop Off – 11 am-4 pm
• Friday, December 9 (6 – 10pm) & Saturday, December 10, 2022 (12 to 4pm)– Under $500
• Saturday, December 10, 10 am  – Wednesday, December 14, 10 pm – Virtual Exhibition & Sale

Wanna go to an art opening tomorrow?

 "Sense of Place"

Opening Reception

Friday, October 14th

Gallery B welcomes, "Sense of Place." The exhibit's opening reception will be Friday, October 14, from 5-8 pm. Come view a collection of paintings and mosaic plates from five different artists from the group localColor.

localCOLOR is an organization bringing artists together in the Greater Washington, D.C. The exhibit will include a combination of work from Anne Albright, Shelley Dane, Courtney Severe, Judy Gilbert and Jean Schlesinger.

Gallery Hours: Thur.-Fri., 12-6pm

Sat., 12 - 5pm

Sun., 11am - 3pm

Gallery B is located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E - the site of the old Fraser Gallery.

Call for Art

World AIDS Day is observed around the globe in remembrance of those who lost their lives to the disease and as a reminder that, while there has been progress, the epidemic is not over.

This year, to coincide with CAMP Rehoboth’s World AIDS Day commemoration, an AIDS related community art exhibition “ART & AIDS, A Story to be Told” will be hosted in the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery.

The exhibition will open on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2022 and will be on display through January 6, 2023. Multiple visual art forms will be included – paintings, photography, digital art, video, sculpture, glass art, fabric art, and more.

Click the link below to register. You will be asked to provide contact information, a description of your work, a jpeg if you have it, and a description of how your artwork relates to the exhibition theme.

ART & AIDS, A Story to be Told Registration

The first 12 artists to register will each be able to exhibit one original work in this exhibition. The registration period will close when 12 artists have registered. Registered art will need to be delivered to CAMP Rehoboth on November 22, 28, or 29 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The purpose of this exhibition is to promote dialogue and raise awareness. HIV/AIDS has a complicated story, one of devastation, loss, anger, and isolation, as well as survival and hope. There are many aspects to consider: the deep cultural history of HIV/AIDS and activism, contemporary issues around Black and Brown lives, the disproportionate infection rates among youth of color, homophobic and transphobic driven laws still present today, and the hope for a future in a world without AIDS.

AIDS experiences have changed the world of art. Self-expression and social commentary are important aspects of the art we create. How have you used your art to give voice to these issues?

CAMP Rehoboth looks forward to including your art in this thought-provoking exhibition.

ARB at ACO

 On Saturday, October 29, Art Clinic Online (ACO) will have an exciting guest, and one of the DMV's hardest working art dealers!

The guest is Owner/Director of Adah Rose Gallery, Adah Rose Bitterbaum.

Saturday, 10/29 at 10:30am - details here.

About Art Clinic Online (ACO)

The mission of the Art Clinic Online (ACO) is to create dialog, relationships, and community among artists of all levels working in the DMV area.  Every other Saturday, we virtually join together to discuss art. At least once monthly, a featured artist showcases their work and takes questions from participants. At the ACO, our aim is to curate a variety of different presenters’ perspectives, backgrounds, and art making styles in order to highlight the diversity of our incredible DMV artists. 

The ACO is FREE. 

No membership required. 

"We’re providing artists and art supporters with a platform to talk about local art, often their art. Please show support by attending, asking questions, and spreading the word! We’re hoping this experience is educational and provides different perspectives for everyone involved."

- Jordan Bruns

Girl Power with Gallerist Myrtis Bedolla

WHAT: The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) monthly talk show connects viewers to the museum and special guests who consider topics relevant to our world and offer insight into collaborations that the museum is fostering while the building is closed.

Joining in this episode is Myrtis Bedolla, the owner and founding director of Galerie Myrtis, an emerging blue-chip gallery and art advisory specializing in 20th- and 21st-century American art with a focus on work by African American artists. Established in 2006, the gallery aims to raise awareness of artists for their contributions in portraying our cultural, social, historical and political landscapes and to recognize art movements that paved the way for freedom of artistic expression. Bedolla recently gained national press in the New York Times article “Black Gallerists Press Forward Despite a Market That Holds Them Back” and wrote “Why My Blackness is Not a Threat to your Whiteness” for Cultured Magazine. Bedolla holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland, University College, and received her curatorial training at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland.

WHERE: Online.  

WHEN: Tuesday, November 8, 12–12:45 p.m.

PRICE: Free. Registration required.  

Nueva Vida - Save the Date!

The Trail of Painted Ponies Holiday Design Contest 2022

The Trail of Painted Ponies invites artists to let their imaginations run wild, using three-dimensional horse forms as a canvas for creative expression. Cash Prizes: 1st Place - $1,000, 2nd Place - $500, 3rd Place - $250. Every year The Trail of Painted Ponies releases new Holiday figurines and corresponding ornaments. These are extremely popular among collectors, and everyone looks forward to seeing which holiday designs will become the next Painted Ponies. Artists from around the world are invited to submit designs, which may be presented on one of the Painted Ponies templates. The most outstanding designs may be crafted into figurines and ornaments in the future. No entry fee. Deadline: November 20, 2022.

DEADLINE: November 20, 2022

DATES: December 1, 2022 - January 1, 2023

FEE: Free to apply

AWARD INFO: Cash Prizes: 1st Place - $1,000, 2nd Place - $500, 3rd Place - $250.

WHO: International; Painting on pre-determined 3d horse forms. 

APPLY: here

Help MSAC build the future of the Independent Artist Award!

Paid opportunity for artists: revising the Independent Artist Award program.

Deadline: Friday, November 11, 2022

This fall, MSAC is facilitating a public-led revision of the Independent Artist Award (IAA) program, which has recognized achievement by Maryland artists making work independent of institutions or organizations. This revision effort is based on data collected since 2020 from applicants, panelists, and award winners, who have made suggestions on how to improve the IAA program’s service to the public. The next step of this process is to identify a panel of editors who will work with MSAC staff to further refine the suggestions into clear policy recommendations, which will be carefully considered as MSAC further develops the IAA program.

Consider completing an application to serve as an editor in this process. All selected editors will be expected to:

• Become familiar with previously collected data and current MSAC efforts to support artists through the IAA program.
• Work with MSAC staff to consider how to improve the service of the IAA program to Maryland artists in light of other MSAC opportunities, including the Grants for Artists program, set to pilot in winter 2023.
• Participate in at least two virtual meetings discussing the above issues and developing procedure and policy recommendations for further consideration by MSAC staff, council, and Department of Commerce leadership.

What they are looking for:

Maryland artists with backgrounds in a variety of disciplines (e.g., literary, performing, visual, media, and traditional arts, etc.), or who are interested in learning how changes are considered and implemented within MSAC.

IAA winners, applicants, and panelists from the past three years are strongly encouraged to apply.

How to apply:

Click here to log in or create a free account in SmartSimple. You must be registered as an “Independent Artist” to apply to be an editor. 

Under Funding Opportunities, select "Public Call."

Select "Program Editor" from the first drop down option. 

Select “Independent Artist Awards” as the Grant Program from the second drop down option.

Click "Save Draft" at the bottom to populate the application.

Complete the application and click “Submit.”

Editors will receive a minimum of $400 upon completion of assigned tasks, with the possibility of additional compensation if more than two virtual meetings are needed.

Space Foundation accepting artwork to send to space

The Space Foundation and Boeing are collaborating to send students’ artwork into space on Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner.

The Space Foundation said that the showcase called “Art in the Stars” was created in a partnership with the Space Foundation and Boeing, which will launch digitized artwork submissions into space aboard the upcoming Starliner Crew Flight Test. Every Student artist will be issued an official “Certificate of Flight” for each submitted piece of artwork.

The Space Foundation encourages young artists ages 3-18 to create original, space-oriented artwork based on the theme, “Breaking Boundaries in Space.” Students are encouraged to draw inspiration from diverse historical figures who broke boundaries to become a “first” or blazed trails for those who came after them.

Read the article by Brett Yager here.

Born to do this job

I am fascinated by this amazing lady, who is the ASL person always in the TV inset whenever Governor DeSantis briefs on TV about the hurricane recovery efforts in Eff -L-A.

This human being was born for this job! I am in love with the size of her hands and the energy and gusto that she brings to this important job!

Talking about born to do a job, I am told by a friend who works in the Supreme Court that Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, on her first case a couple of days ago managed to piss off both the Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts and Justice Kagan, as Brown Jackson repeatedly interrupted Kagan and others, apparently a faux pas in Supreme Courtin' - at one point Roberts passed her a note, which I hope the Smithsonian gets to keep one day.  What did the note say? Probably: "Please stop interrupting."

Rapture in a Dark Church

Tacoma Little Theatre's 'Off The Shelf' Presents a Reading of AMONG MANY WORLDS and my daughter Elise Campello is in it!

RAPTURE IN A DARK CHURCH

Book by Deanna Martinez - Music by Daniel J. F. Wolfert - Lyrics by Daniel J. R. Wolfert and Deanna Martine

Featuring: Arron Rorick Clark, Andreya Pro, Elise Campello, Richard Cubi Diaz, Chandler Thomas, Ariona Thompson & Keoni Dilay

Directed by Deanna Martinez

When Tabitha invites Amy to her youth group's overnight lock-in, skeptical Amy takes a chance on it. Instead of the clean, Christian fun she expected, Amy is met with an overzealous youth group leader and an adrenaline fueled game where she has the honor of playing the antichrist herself. Over one night and a groovy score with retro, Christian rock inspirations, Amy and the youth group will question what exactly being a good Christian kid means.

Wanna go to an opening this Thursday?

The Nomadic House Project • Cloud(s) 

An in situ installation by the Icebox Collective on view at the front garden of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington DC through the end of November.  Please see attached for details.

Cloud(s) is the new version of The Nomadic House Project dedicated to immigrants at the US/Mexico border; it’s made out of water jugs, like the ones left by and for the immigrants on their journey. The artists responsible for this installation are Irene Clouthier, Courtney Applequist and Edgar Endress who want to invite people to be present and connected to the human aspect of this crisis and see or reflect for the human stories behind each water jug left behind, so that we can all be more empathetic and connected to each other.

Reception Thursday October 6, 6:30pm (artists present, and remarks by Ambassador Ana Luisa Fajer).

Details here.

Mexican Cultural Institute 

2829 16th Street N.W. 

Washington, DC 20009

Emergency Grant applications for Maryland artists

From the Maryland State Arts Council:

Emergency Grant applications for Independent Artists are currently being accepted for $2,000 grants! If you have experienced a loss of income due to an emergency scenario that impacts your work as an independent artist, we encourage you to apply. Reach out to Program Directors Laura Weiss at laura.weiss@maryland.gov and Emily Sollenberger at emily.sollenberger@maryland.gov for more information.

Applications accepted on a rolling basis and awarded monthly. Apply now!

Nevermore

One this day in 1849, Edgar Allan Poe was found delirious in a gutter in Baltimore ---  it was the last time he was seen in public before his death four days later.

The Fake artistry of Ebay fakery

eBay is chockablock with fake art. On one hand, if you do a search for any famous artist you’ll find sellers claiming to have pricy originals (or prints) that seem too good to be true. On the other hand, sometimes sellers are ambiguous about what you’re getting: they don’t quite say the piece is authentic, but they also don’t quite say that it is a fake or done as an homage.

Read the article by Brandon Zech here.

Multiple Exposures Gallery Photography Exhibition

In the last 30 years or so I have been honored with the task of jurying a show for Multiple Exposures Gallery three or four times, starting when it was called Factory Photoworks back in the 1990s.

See the show that I've just juried for MEG here.

These shows have always had one thing in common: they are exceptionally difficult to jury because of the exceptional quality of nearly every entry.  When essentially every entry presented to me or any other juror showcases the enviable talent roster that MEG possesses, it makes the selection process a combination that not only celebrates photographic skill, but also a wide array of other artistic vectors that influence the difference between a good photo and a great photo.

Issues such as composition, employment of light, range of tones, subject matter, and most human of all, the juror's own agenda and subjectivity, all come to play to deliver a final set of works for a show.

Over the same range of years I have juried and curated hundreds of art shows, and thus this next statement comes with the backing of all that experience and exposure to art (pun intended): This MEG exhibition is one of the best photography shows that I have ever juried!

And photographic history has come in full circle for me when it comes to jurying a show. I recall in the 90s when digital photography was still excluded from some exhibitions and only traditional darkroom or pinhole photography was allowed. How provincial must that look now when we're about to see an all digital show where powerful photographs and talented photographers flex their artistic muscles to show that it is the art of photography which delivers results, not just the means to create the photograph.

Many years ago I wrote in an essay for some magazine or newspaper about the DC area region, and in that essay I noted that MEG was one of the key artistic jewels which make up the tapestry of the Greater Washington region's visual arts footprint; this show will once again prove that, and I congratulate every single one of you selected for this show!

Chrissie Iles and Meg Onli will curate 81st Whitney Biennial

Meg Onli and Chrissie Iles
Photo: The Whitney Museum of American Art.

The Whitney Museum of American Art has announced that curators Chrissie Iles and Meg Onli will co-assemble/curate/organize the 81st Whitney Biennial, slated to open in the spring of 2024.

Onli rocking a super cool hairdo!

Another child art prodigy? Yawn. Wake me up when one of them paints the ‘Mona Lisa’

... But one thing I do know: Every few years, a child artist emerges from obscurity, hailed as a pint-sized Pollock or Picasso. Far too young to have attended art school or to have studied anything about the history of art or the development of abstract painting, the child emerges from diapers, allegedly, as a fully formed abstract artist.

Each origin story is similar to the next: The child started painting as a toddler, they need a step stool to reach the top of the canvas, their parents are perplexed by all the attention and worried it will be harmful to their emotional development. Until, that is, it becomes clear that people pay money, lots of it, for this sort of novelty. Then the parents reluctantly allow the child to keep working … and keep selling.

Read the opinion piece by Robin Abcarian here.

Studio space available!

Artists & Makers Studios flagship operation is an art center complex in Rockville, MD. Hosting a wide variety of Resident Artists and Affiliate members, it offers studios for rent, extensive classroom/workshop spaces, and several galleries. Exhibitions are juried and curated by Cathy Hirsh under the direction of executive director Judith HeartSong. They have some studio openings! Read on...

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.

To apply for their wait list, please email your resume/bio, website link and/or jpegs, studio requirements (how much space you are hoping for), whether you are willing to share a studio, monthly budget, and all pertinent details about your medium. Oil painters must use fume-free solvents. SPECIFY MARYLAND, ARIZONA, SAN GABRIEL, or NORTH HOLLYWOOD LOCATION in your email. Send to Judith@ArtistsAndMakersStudios.com

Studio 5 1/3 share of the space on the A hallway with two large windows to the outside will be available October 1 - $274/m for 81.02 sq ft

Studio 9 on the A hallway with a full glass door & tile floor will be available October 1 - $395/m for 104.77 sq ft

Studio 15 in the B1 hallway is freshly painted and available now -  $385/m for 91 sq ft

Studio 37 on the newly refurbished Gallery Hall with white tile floors will be available October 1 - $400/m for 92 sq ft

* Liability insurance is required for artists joining the program.

Paid opportunity for artists: revising the Independent Artist Award program

Paid opportunity for artists: revising the Independent Artist Award program.

Deadline: Friday, November 11, 2022

This fall, MSAC is facilitating a public-led revision of the Independent Artist Award (IAA) program, which has recognized achievement by Maryland artists making work independent of institutions or organizations. This revision effort is based on data collected since 2020 from applicants, panelists, and award winners, who have made suggestions on how to improve the IAA program’s service to the public. The next step of this process is to identify a panel of editors who will work with MSAC staff to further refine the suggestions into clear policy recommendations, which will be carefully considered as MSAC further develops the IAA program.

Consider completing an application to serve as an editor in this process. All selected editors will be expected to:

• Become familiar with previously collected data and current MSAC efforts to support artists through the IAA program.
• Work with MSAC staff to consider how to improve the service of the IAA program to Maryland artists in light of other MSAC opportunities, including the Grants for Artists program, set to pilot in winter 2023.
• Participate in at least two virtual meetings discussing the above issues and developing procedure and policy recommendations for further consideration by MSAC staff, council, and Department of Commerce leadership.

What they are looking for:

Maryland artists with backgrounds in a variety of disciplines (e.g., literary, performing, visual, media, and traditional arts, etc.), or who are interested in learning how changes are considered and implemented within MSAC.

IAA winners, applicants, and panelists from the past three years are strongly encouraged to apply.

How to apply:

Click here to log in or create a free account in SmartSimple. You must be registered as an “Independent Artist” to apply to be an editor. 

Under Funding Opportunities, select "Public Call."

Select "Program Editor" from the first drop down option. 

Select “Independent Artist Awards” as the Grant Program from the second drop down option.

Click "Save Draft" at the bottom to populate the application.

Complete the application and click “Submit.”

Editors will receive a minimum of $400 upon completion of assigned tasks, with the possibility of additional compensation if more than two virtual meetings are needed.

Sing Along

"Sing Along", Etching, Dry point and water colors by the great Marianela de la Hoz sold to an NYC collector at the Affordable Art Fair New York City in Chelsea!

Early start at 10 am today... long day through 8pm. That's Cory Oberndorfer working the stroller crowd at the Affordable Art Fair New York City.

AAFNYC Day 2

 Art fair people

Line of art lovers

 Line outside waiting to get in to the Affordable Art Fair New York City

AAFNYC Fall 2022

 Wall with Bisque works at the Affordable Art Fair NYC Fall 2022 - Opened tonight!

Star Trek at the Affordable Art Fair NYC

"Before Assimilation", Acrylic on vintage Star Trek blueprints by Andrew Wodzianski will be at booth D15 with Alida Anderson Art Projects, at Affordable Art Fair New York City in Chelsea Sept 22-25!

Before Assimilation
Acrylic on vintage Star Trek blueprints by Andrew Wodzianski

Frida Flower

This work, "Frida Kahlo Flower" will be part of the Nueva Vida Charity Auction for cancer survivors and caregivers to be held at the Cultural Institute of Mexico in Washington, DC.

Frida Kahlo Flower by Florencio Lennox Campello, c. 2022

Save the date!

Cultural Institute of Mexico

2829 16th St. NW

Washington D.C.

Oct 15th, 2022 5:30- 9:30 pm

https://instituteofmexicodc.org/

https://issuu.com/nueva-vida

Nueva Vida - save the date!