City Gallery

A new cooperative gallery on the H Street corridor NE
By Bruce McKaig

Last month, a group of artists formed a new cooperative gallery on the second floor at 804 H Street NE. City Gallery, with approximately 20 member artists, opened March 6th, 2010 with a members group show and will cycle through the membership hosting solo exhibits for most of the year ahead. Members work in diverse media; painting, drawing, photography, sculpture etc.

The gallery’s principals, Philip Hutinet, Geoff Ault, and Ellen Cornett make the decisions about membership and exhibition scheduling, but all members can participate in meetings as part of the decision making process. Membership exists at two levels: full membership and associate membership. Each category has different terms and perks.

When the trio decided to open a gallery, they took a look at how other cooperatives work to assess strengths and weaknesses. One thing they felt important: do not require members to take on gallery responsibilities. As a new facility, they are still forging some of the policies and practices they will eventually establish and hope to develop relationships with other art groups in the area and eventually beyond to bring member art to other venues and perhaps host nonmember work in their space. As well as hosting exhibitions, City Gallery also provides gallery space rental and catering, art advisory and curatorial services, art installation and new collector consultations.

The current exhibition, Magical Realism, displays watercolors and collages by local artist Gina Clapp.

A long-term personality in the Capitol Hill arts scene, Gina’s works demonstrate a rigorous understanding and control of her medium though the subject matter sometimes sits shallow. Gina’s meticulous control of the medium stands out in the gallery, despite the diversity in sizes, eclectic framing and assorted subjects.

Song of late summer. Watercolor by Gina Clapp
The exhibition also includes recently made collages. These collages also demonstrate Gina’s firm grip on visual composition, but with surprising material choices, including sequined cloth. Whereas her mastering of materials is part of what holds the watercolors together, somehow it seems a bit unresolved in the collages. With the more adventurous, want-to-be playful choice of materials, perhaps the collages are waiting for a looser, more playful gesture in their construction.

In Gina’s words:

My watercolor work often takes weeks/months to paint. Collage takes less time and is relaxing and more cerebral. I like to arrange the shapes and colors to depict a mood without having to do the intense realistic studies beforehand. The other aspect of collage that I enjoy is collecting and using odd bits of Japanese papers, exotic or florid fabrics, and papers with unique textures. Combining these scraps with some watercolor, I create collages that are more symbolic of a mood, time of day, landscape, or place. They are rather abstract, the watercolors more realistic. Yet in both I strive to suggest the motion, life, and magic of living things, and their relationships with objects that surround them.

City Gallery’s presence on the H Street corridor brings the number of galleries in the area to seven. The various galleries are pursuing possible ways to collaboratively work to bring more artists and art aficionados to the area.

The next exhibition at City Gallery will be Light and Allusion, showcasing works by Nancy Donnelly (glass) and Jill Finsen (painting) May 1-29. The opening is May 1st, 6-9pm.

City Gallery
804 H Street NE Washington, DC 20002
202.468.5277
Hours: Friday 1-5, Saturday 1-5 and by appointment
For more information about City Gallery:
www.citygallerydc.com
For more information about the author: www.brucemckaig.com

Wanna go to an artist's talk tomorrow?

Our own Rosetta DeBerardinis is giving an Artist Talk on Sat. April 17th at 7pm in conjunction with her solo exhibit, "Coming Home: A Collection of Works by Rosetta DeBerardinis" at the Corner Store.

The Corner Store is at 900 South Carolina Ave., S.E. @ 9th Street near the Eastern Market. The band Gessford Court to follow. Contact Kris Swanson @202-544-5807 for additional info.

19th Annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival

Check out the artists juried into the 19th Annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival. This is one of the best outdoor art festivals in the nation. It takes place on the streets of the Reston Town Center — Reston, Virginia, May 15 & 16, 2010. 10am — 6pm daily.

Pencil it into your schedule and drop by and say hi at Booth 204.

Tax Day

According to the Tax Policy Center, a Washington research organization, about 47 percent of Americans will pay no federal income taxes for 2009.

Having paid income tax since my very first job ever at age 13 (after school vacuum cleaning several stores along Pitkin Avenue in Brooklyn and also cleaning their bathrooms after they closed), I've managed to pay income taxes every year since that year and this past year was the most brutal tax year ever for me.

It has also always escaped me the fairness of having about 1% of US households pay about 40% of all taxes collected in this nation and the other top 9% of US households combine to pay almost 75% of all taxes collected.

The reason that most European nations and especially the new democracies from the former Soviet empire adopted either a flat tax system or a Value Added Tax (VAT) system is simple: "It's simple!"

Every nation in Europe that I've lived in had a flat tax, except for the UK, which has a VAT (17.5%).

But here, the tax laws are so complex, and the tax load so disparate and so huge, that we need an army of IRS folks to enforce them and an even bigger army of accountants and lawyers to interpret them.

Makes my head hurt; check's on the way.

LottoHEART

CAMP Rehoboth in Delaware is an awesome GBLT advocacy group has grown up from a grassroots effort reacting to a health epidemic to a powerhouse fighting for human equality. This year they celebrate their 20th year anniversary.

Their annual fund raising art event has evolved to a week-long exhibition that culminates with a boisterous Game Show Event and Live Auction at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on Saturday, July 3rd. Last year was a great success – thanks to everyone, they raised over $35,000 for the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center.

How to Participate:

This year they’d like 200+ artists to each create one original, unframed, 5" x 7" (exactly) work in any medium — it should not be matted or framed. All works are donations and will be sold for $100 — the catch is that your identity will not be known by the buyer until after the purchase. Also, the order in which a buyer gets to select their art is random (hence "lotto") and will be pulled off as part of the LottoHEART Game Show on July 3rd.

Here is one great success story: DeMarquis Johnson, a participating artist from Mississippi, was contacted by the person who got his work, who in turn suggested his work for a show in DC! Look for DeMarquis Johnson’s work hanging in Vastu on 14th Street NW in DC June 14 – August 19, 2010.

Register Online Today — Number of participants limited so sign up today here.

DEADLINE TO SIGN UP – May 7TH
ARTWORK DELIVERY – JUNE 20TH
PREVIEW RECEPTION AT CAMP REHOBOTH – JUNE 26TH
LOTTOHEART GAME SHOW – JULY 3RD

While the deadline for registration is May 7th — the number of participants is limited. Over 100 artists are already signed up. Join them today. I registered yesterday - take a peek at who is participating here.

100 DC Artists

I have been retained by Schiffer Publishing to edit and create a coffee table size book titled “100 Washington, DC Artists” as part of their series on national artists.

This was based on a proposal that I sent to them a while back, and I am happy to report that they have approved it for publication in the spring of 2011. The book will cover 100 key artists working in the Greater Washington, DC area which encompasses the District and surrounding suburban areas of Maryland and Virginia.

Like all Schiffer art books, this will be a high quality book which will be available nationally and online, as well as available locally at museum gift shops and local area bookstores. Each artist will have a two page spread, with 3-4 images of their work, a small head shot, and a 300 word essay about their work.

I've got most key DC area artists already selected and I've been in contact with them with details, etc. I'm aiming to include all the major DC area visual art names from William Christenberry on down the list, as well as key emerging artists.

Speaking of key, two artists that I'd like to include in the book, but which I have been unable to contact either through their dealers or directly via email are Iona Rozeal Brown and Yuriko Yamaguchi. If anyone who reads this blog knows them personally, please tell them to contact me at my email address even if it to say that they're not interested. I'd hate to skip these two important DC artists because they're not reading their email!

Still speaking of key, I've also asked several key DC area art dealers and collectors and even art critics for their input, just to make sure that I'm not forgetting a key name in our visual arts community.

I'm quite stoked about this project, although one of the drawbacks can be that I'd have 100 happy artists and 1,000 bummed out ones.

For the latter I've only one thing to say: a book titled "Another 100 DC Artists" is already in my mind.

Special Seminar: Social Networking and Marketing Your Art

Saturday April 24, from 1-3PM. All the details are here.

The Muckin' O Geordie's Byre

Just in case you think that Old Scots is English... here's one of my favorite Andy Stewart tunes:

Noo whan Ah-want-ta lauchin Ah think of the scene
Whan aa'body roon cam ower tae clean,
An claarted themsel's richt up-ta the e'en
At the muckin o Geordie's byre.
Wi Robbie the Rochie an Willie the Doo,
The officer fell fur Jeannie McGrew;
And aa'body else that hud hud a capoo
At the muckin' o' Geordie's byre.
Och! siccan a sotter wis aa'body in,
Five mile awa ye cud hear the din;
Even the verra-coo hud to grin
At the muckin o Geordie's byre.

Noo the bobby cam roon tae quell the fowks doon
The cratur gat loast whaur the ricks hud thur foon
He fell in the midden, wis like tae droon
At the muckin o Geordie's byre.
The wecht o him syne sends the barrow in bits,
The wheel cairries oan an the officer hits;
Losh ye shud hiv seen hoo she did the splits
At the muckin o Geordie's byre.
Och! siccan a sotter wis aa'body in,
Five mile awa ye cud hear the din;
Even the verra-coo hud to grin
At the muckin o Geordie's byre.

Oh the whisky gaed roon, Tammy's fleein the doo
An aye as they drank, the mair they gat fou
The only yins sober, the calf an the coo
At the muckin o Geordie's byre.
Tammy roared oot, "Ring the bell fur mair"
Syne he tuggit the coo's tail, an pult oot a hair;
She kickit oot an gaes up in the air
At the muckin o Geordie's byre.
Och! siccan a sotter wis aa'body in,
Five mile awa ye cud hear the din;
Even the verra-coo hud to grin
At the muckin o Geordie's byre.

Artist Interview: Marianela de la Hoz

Mejor que la liposuccion (Better than Lipsuction), c.2008. Egg tempera on board. 4 x 2.3 inches
Born in Mexico and currently residing in San Diego Marianela de la Hoz is absolutely one of my favorite artists, period. I first came across her meticulous work at an exhibition of contemporary Mexican work at the Cultural Institute of Mexico years ago, and have been a fan ever since. We asked her our usual questions:

DC: Who or what has been your biggest influence as an artist?

Since I was a little girl my maternal grandfather introduce me to the arts, we used to enjoy many art books and I fell in love with Leonardo and the Flemish painters, then I discover Goya and there I found the most appealing images for my own aesthetics. His etchings, full of dark imaginary and dark humor have been my biggest influence.

DC: What are some of the challenges or mistakes that you have experienced as an artist and what did you learn from it?

One of the toughest challenges in life was deciding to leave my career as a Graphic designer and dedicate my life, body and soul to painting. I studied Graphic Design at the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana in Mexico City and I work as a graphic designer for 14 years, I was successful, earn good money and yet something was missing; it was not until my second child was born, almost 18 years ago, that I had enough clarity to convince myself of something I had always known but was afraid to accept. I wanted to dedicate myself to art and in painting I found the deep meaning of my whole existence, that passion surrounded me completely.

DC: Do you use a method for pricing your artwork?

My artwork is not easy to price because of the very small formats.

The first time I had an exhibition in Mexico City , the gallery owner set the prices and I trusted his knowledge about the art market, the collectors and my pieces, when I arrived 8 years ago to San Diego something similar happened when David Zapf the owner of the gallery I began working with did the same.

After building my own market, I have been able to set prices calculating the hours I dedicate to each painting, egg tempera requires a lot of time to be finished, I could not fix prices taking the size as a variable because of my very small formats

DC: Have you done any of the art fairs? If so, does your work do better at the fairs or at the gallery shows?

I have done several, Scope, Bridge, Pulse, Artamericas, the NY Affordable Art Fair. I would say that though I have sold in some of the fairs, my principal sales have been in my hometown galleries, first Mexico City and second San Diego.

DC: What advise would you give to emerging artists?

To always be honest and true to their believes and voice, betraying this principles in the pursuit of fame and money would not be soul satisfying. To work hard, use discipline everyday, inspiration is fine but daily work is the one that moves a true artist to a solid body of work, Don't trust excessive EGOS , and last to have an iron stomach to stand destructive criticism or excessive praises

DC: Who is your favorite DC area artist?

I don't know if he is local, I know that Conner Gallery represents him, Erik Sandberg

DC: Anything coming up in the near future for you?

Last March 25th I had the opening for my solo show "Mise en scene" at the Noel-Baza Gallery, San Diego CA.

Marianela shows with some of the top galleries around the nation and would probably make a great fit in a DC area gallery. If you want to get in touch with her, drop me a note.

Seminar Pics

Yesterday's Bootcamp for Artists Seminar at the Gateway Arts Center was packed with a standing room crowd. About 60 people showed up (only 50 had RSVP'd). The seminar was free, courtesy of Gateway CDC in partnership with MNCPPC.

That's me discussing the ever popular subject of juried art competitions. Photo courtesy of Terry Ward.


And that's me and a partial shot of the crowd. The discussion now is the even more dicey subject of how to price your artwork. Photo courtesy of Terry Ward.


After the seminar there was a closing reception for the current show - which I had curated. Here are artists Rosetta de Berardinis, who is back in the DC area after a three year exile to Baltimore and Alexa Meade, whose amazing work is really lifting her young career to new heights.

And the kid with artist Terry Ward.

Great deal on Ebay

Check out one of my vintage mermaid drawings (done 11 years ago) currently on Ebay. Initial bid makes it a steal. See it here.

Wanna go to an opening this Friday?

Sold

The Mera Rubell effects tide continues; a major art collector just acquired both of these pieces, which I had done for the Rubell studio visit:

"Asere, Si o No?" 19"x48" Charcoal on Paper
About this piece: The appropriated image of Che Guevara from a photograph by a Commie photographer somewhere (ironic that Communists always nationalize and appropriate private stuff, so I have no issues appropriating their imagery) is to the left in a very Christ-like pose. Behind him, a slogan or graffiti on the imperfect wall asks the question in Cuban slang: "Asere, Si o No?" which means "Friend, Yes or No? in Cuban street dialect and is meaningless to all other Spanish speaking peoples. The capital letters answer the question by spelling out ASESINO or assassin.


Finalmente Denunciamos a el que traiciono al Che (Finally we denounce he who betrayed Che). 4 x 24 inches. Charcoal on paper
The Spanish words announce that "finally we denounce who betrayed Che." The capital letters answer the statement: FIDEL.

Thank you Mera.

Rule Number 8

My posting on the rules for the Post's Real Art D.C. has drawn out a large number of comments both here and in Facebook.

Dawson on Lass

Jessica Dawson reviews Berlin-based photographer Anne Lass. Read the review here.

Bravo to Dawson for asking the photographer questions about the work. In my opinion, often art critics seem to avoid this part of the critical process - the gathering of information from the source.

2010 Sondheim Artscape Prize semifinalists

There are some refreshing surprises and some of the usual suspects; an overwhelming majority of the artists are from Baltimore. The 2010 Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize semifinalists are:

Alzaruba, Baltimore, MD
Lawrence Lee, Baltimore, MD
Christine Bailey, Baltimore, MD
Kim Manfredi, Baltimore, MD
Kathryn Bell, Baltimore, MD
Ben Marcin, Baltimore, MD
Amita Bhatt, Baltimore, MD
Christina Martinelli, Baltimore, MD
Travis Childers, Fairfax, VA
Sebastian Martorana, Baltimore, MD
Leah Cooper, Baltimore, MD
Alexa Meade, Chevy Chase, MD
Brent Crothers, Bel Air, MD
Maggie Michael, Washington, DC
Oletha DeVane, Ellicott City, MD
Ledelle Moe, Baltimore, MD
Annie Farrar, Baltimore, MD
Cory Oberndorfer, Washington, DC
Shaun Flynn, Baltimore, MD
Matthew Porterfield, Baltimore, MD
Dawn Gavin, Baltimore, MD
Siobhan Rigg, Washington, DC
Breon Gilleran, Baltimore, MD
Michael Sylvan Robinson, Baltimore, MD
Amy Glengary Yang, Washington, DC
Rachel Rotenberg, Baltimore, MD
Ryan Hackett, Kensington, MD
Adam T. Rush, Baltimore, MD
Michelle Hagewood, Baltimore, MD
Christopher Saah, Washington, DC
Matthew Janson, Baltimore, MD
Hadieh Shafie, Baltimore, MD
Evan La Londe, Baltimore, MD
Dan Steinhilber, Washington, DC
Nate Larson, Baltimore, MD
Melissa Webb, Baltimore, MD
Christopher LaVoie, Baltimore, MD
Karen Yasinsky, Baltimore, MD

The award announcement and reception takes place July 10 at 7 pm at the Baltimore Museum of Art. An exhibition of the remaining semifinalists’ work will be shown during Baltimore's Artscape weekend in the Decker and Meyerhoff galleries of MICA, located at 1303 West Mount Royal Avenue.

This year’s jurors are Robert Nickas, Magdalena Sawon and Hamza Walker. Congrats to all the semifinalists!

Wanna go to a closing reception tomorrow?

The closing reception for Artists of the Gateway Arts District, an exhibition curated by yours truly, offers an impressive highlight of the art and artists who make the Gateway Arts District great and one of the highest concentration of artists' studios in the DMV. The exhibition features work by 26 artists; brand new faces as well as well-known DC Metro arts powerhouses; including: Alan Binstock, Kyan Bishop, Margaret Boozer, Laurie Breen, Ed Burck, Katie Dell Kaufman, Alison Duvall, Pete Duvall, Cheryl Edwards, Kate Hardy, Joe Hicks, Tom Hill, Michael Janis, Jonathan Kellogg, Davide Korte, J.J. McCracken, John Paradiso, Lindsay Sherman, Shahin Shikaliyev, Tim Tate, Valerie Theberge, Erwin Timmers, Sarah Wegner, and Ellyn Weiss.

The closing is from 5-8PM.

Brentwood Arts Exchange at the Gateway Arts Center
3901 Rhode Island Ave.
Brentwood, MD 20722
301-277-2863; TTY 301-446-6802

See ya there!

WaPo is seeking works by local artists

"Jessica Dawson is hitting the studios to uncover Washington talent.
It's all part of Real Art D.C., the Washington Post's exciting new platform for contemporary art in the Washington region. There's also a related competition open to all area artists.

What is Real Art D.C.? An online virtual gallery of works by local artists that will allow Post readers to discover and connect with Washington's newest talents. Artists themselves will post their own work -- and so will dealers and teachers on their behalf -- and anyone can click through and see the spectrum of local creativity."

Read all about this interesting new venture by the WaPo here.

As part of the effort, Dawson will select "a new artist-finalist every few weeks and visit the artist's studio, reporting about what she finds on the Real Art D.C. site."

I like it!

Here is where you upload your images to be considered.

Before you do that, I recommend that you read the Terms and Conditions and pay very careful attention to rule number 8 which states:

8. Submitted Entry Materials will be posted on WashingtonPost.com, and may be included in both print and online features and promotions. In addition, by entering you grant Sponsor a license to publish, reproduce, use, transfer, and otherwise display your Entry Materials in any medium and for any purpose in Sponsor's sole discretion.

I'm having a little trouble digesting that condition, which essentially all but gives the copyright of the image to the Washington Post and I am not sure why the WaPo would want to "use" the artists' entry in "any medium and for any purpose", unless they're planning to put some images on T-shirts and sell them at the next Crafty Bastards fair (not a book though, as rule 20 clarifies).

I want you readers to comment on that condition (number 8) and let me know what you think.

Wanna go to an artist talk tomorrow?

Michelle & Michael Singletary's current show at Parish Gallery in Georgetown is "Music, Dance, and Michael Jackson," showing through April 13, 2010. There's an Artist Talk on Saturday, April 10, 2010 from 4:00 to 5:30PM.

Artist get together

Join WPA staff and artist members at Jackie’s Restaurant on April 14th at 8pm for a cash bar and mingling with fellow artists in the Silver Spring area! Happy hour prices for attendees at Jackie’s new Sidebar!