Congrats!

On Thursday, February 9, the Friends of the Torpedo Factory Art Center named my good friend Susan Makara, their 2012 Artist of the Year. Laurie Fields was named runner-up.

In selecting Ms. Makara, Juror William Schran, Assistant Dean of Fine Arts at Northern Virginia Community College, said, “Susan demonstrates a command of the medium with powerful imagery that speaks to the viewer, yet presents a sense of mystery. There is a haunting dream-like quality with the figures, all hidden behind masks. Behind the mask, who is looking at whom?”

Ms. Makara’s entry is entitled “Masks.” The series includes 15 works, ten paintings and five sketches. In Ms. Makara’s words, “Masks showcases my strongest and most fantastical work to date. The ideas for the series come from my imagination, visible only in my minds’ eye until I paint them. We all wear masks. Our true feelings and thoughts are not always revealed for others to see. Sometimes we hide the person within.

Susan Makara holds a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. She served as assistant art director at a Model Secondary School for the Deaf in Washington, DC and as art director for the PBS series “Powerhouse.” Her work can be found in the School of Art Museum in Buenos Aires, at the U.S. State Department, in the homes of James Brady and Barbara Bush, and at the Garden Court in Jordan’s Royal Palace.

Ms. Makara’s winning works will be exhibited in the Target Gallery from July 1 to July 29, 2012. A reception will be held in her honor on July 12 in the Target Gallery, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served. The event will be open to the public.

Art for Humanity Auction

I am honored to be one of the invited artists to participate in the first ever Art for Humanity Auction & Cocktail Reception 2012, which is the first annual fundraiser to support the work of Habitat for Humanity in Washington, D.C. It will take place on Thursday, March 29, 2012.

DC Habitat will be honoring Peggy Cooper Caftritz for "the significant role she has played in advancing the arts and education in Washington, D.C."

Produced in collaboration with artnet Auctions, the Art for Humanity Auction features a collection of work by prominent contemporary artists from the local, national and international communities, including yours truly.

The event will take place at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, a "spectacularly modern space designed by award-winning architect Mark McInturff and Theatre Projects Consultants. Located in the heart of Washington’s Penn Quarter, at the corner of 7th and D Streets, NW, the theatre is easily accessible to parking garages."

Music by The Washington Jazz Arts Institute Ensemble.

Details here.

Eve sees her face for the first time

And here's a second version of the collaborative piece that I am now doing with about 60 women from around the planet (and I need more! Up to 200 faces needed!) in which our Biblical Mom sees her face for the first time.

I need faces from women of all four races, all ethnicities and all ages. All that you need to do is send me an image to lenny@lennycampello.com - all participants gets a free print or some form of artwork from me as a thank you!

Opportunity for Artists

Deadline: March 19, 12

Forged: Torpedo Factory Art Center/Target Gallery. Exhibition Dates: May 19th - June 24th, 2012.

Description: This is a media specific sculptural exhibition that explores the contemporary approaches to forged metal work. The work can range in size with the stipulation that it incorporates forged metal elements. This is open to all artists nationally and internationally.

Juror: Twylene Moyer: Twylene Moyer, managing editor of Sculpture magazine, has published numerous articles and catalogue essays on contemporary art. She has been a featured speaker at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and at SOFA Chicago and has juried and curated several exhibitions, including “Insight Out” and “Disintegration” at the Arlington Arts Center. She is the co-editor of The New Earthwork: Art, Action, Agency, A Sculpture Reader, Conversations on Sculpture, and Landscapes for Art, all distributed by the University of Washington Press.

Website here.

Opportunity for artists

Deadline: This Friday!

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is looking for local and regional artists to display and sell their fine art and fine craft during the Bethesda Artist Market. This year’s Market will take place on three Saturdays this summer: June 9, July 14 and August 11.

· Each artist must submit five images of their work and one image of their booth.

· The images must be representative of the work the artist plans to exhibit at the Bethesda Artist Market.

· A non-refundable entry fee of $15 must accompany the application.

· A $50 booth fee will be required for each Market the artist attends, due after artist is accepted into the show.

Apply online here. If you would like a mail-in application, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

Bethesda Urban Partnership
c/o Valerie Hillman
7700 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814

Artists' Websites: Richard Paul Weiblinger

Richard Paul Weiblinger writes that "Through my photographs I strive to reveal a passion for exploring nature and our world. I prefer subjects that lead to images with chromatic strength and use creative lighting to not only illuminate my subjects but also to give them a dream-like, surreal quality. The process of photography allows me to pursue the art of transforming everyday objects into images that progress from "everyday" to art."



Check him out here.

Another DC gallery bites the dust

(Via) The Lamont Bishop Gallery, which just opened last year, is already closing its doors.

Furthermore, according to their landlord “They are 6 months in arrears in rent etc. and an eviction is forthcoming.”

“H@ndymen” - Balancing Work, Art, and Cultural Themes

Takoma Park Community Center Atrium Gallery will have a series of paintings by Silver Spring artist Harry Stone.

Harry Stone is a contractor/business owner/family-man by day, and an artist by night.

A self-taught painter in acrylics and oil who works from a studio in his suburban Silver Spring home, Harry spends free hours pouring over books on art, history, science, philosophy, and technology. He is interested in the way public figures become purveyors of pop culture, accepted theory, mass marketing, and popular opinion.

Harry’s paintings portray the tension of balancing contracting work, creative output, personal introspection, and social commentary. In his dozens of joyfully textured, patterned, and stylized portraits, Harry depicts one particular type of bearded male subject again and again. The hands depict the mood of the subject. His abstracted figures are often shown with tools of the construction trade alongside reference to art and mainstream culture. Harry’s purely intuitive approach is original, layered, and fresh; derivative of graffiti, primitively rendered.

Often using text in his paintings, Harry forges intellectual connections with the viewer by quoting and purposely misquoting accepted genius, referencing the ubiquitous presence of a Hollywood icon, or turning a familiar quote on its head. The text functions as both art and sub-caption. With a nod and a wink, Harry Stone acknowledges the prominence of original ideas, puts them into a new context, and challenges their permanence in today’s world.

Acrylic Paintings by Harry Stone will be featured in an exhibition at the Takoma Park Community Center Atrium Gallery, located at 7500 Maple Avenue in Takoma Park, MD, from March 16- May 10, 2012.

An artist’s reception will be held on Friday, March 23, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM in the Atrium Gallery. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information contact:

Harry Stone, harrystonestudio@gmail.com 240.476.7007
Alison Carr, ExhibitsDirector@takomagov.org 240.938.0457

C'mon women!

Yesterday I discussed my new digital drawing titled "Eve sees herself for the first time" and I told you that I need help with it!

Wanna be in this piece?

In the pond in front of our Biblical mother, I will insert a digital device which will play 200 portraits of women of all ages, all four races and multiple ethnic backgrounds... if you're a woman interested in being in the piece, send me an email to lenny@lennycampello.com with your picture... free signed print to all participants!

I've received about 30 submissions so far, but I can load up to 200, so the more the merrier!

Below are some early tests with some of the images received so far (and guys, don't feel bad - the call for assistance for Adam is coming soon):

Wanna be in my next digital drawing?

This is "Eve sees herself for the first time" and I need help with it!

Wanna be in this piece?

In the pond in front of our Biblical mother, I will insert a digital device which will play 200 portraits of women of all ages, all four races and multiple ethnic backgrounds... if you're a woman interested in being in the piece, send me an email to lenny@lennycampello.com... free signed print to all participants!

New Gallery in town

La Luna Gallery is new to me and they wanted me to invite all of you to the exhibition and opening receptions of leading contemporary Irish artist, Roisin Fitzpatrick. This is a wonderful opportunity to see Ms Fitzpatrick's art in Washington D.C.

Roisin's original artworks, created with the finest quality crystals and silk on canvas, with themes inspired by her Celtic heritage and the cosmos have been described as:

"Inspiring!" Deepak Chopra

"A great example of contemporary Irish art." H.E. Michael Collins, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States

"Inspires us to connect with the light within, creating more peace and joy in our lives." Mark Burnett, TV producer of Emmy Awards and The Voice and Roma Downey actress from Touched by an Angel

"Brings beauty and nature together, expressing intricate patterns with simple elegance." Forbes

"Fitzpatrick's rise in the art world in New York has been nothing short of meteoric." Arts Editor of the Irish Central and Irish Voice.

Exhibition Dates: March 1 to April 30, 2012.
Opening Reception: with Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley on Thursday March 22nd, from 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.
Party: with the Artist on Saturday March 24, from 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.

RSVP: as early as possible to info@lalunagallerydc.com or 202 316 4481, as spaces are limited.

Tour of exhibition with the artist: Call Roisin on 347 549 0551 or visit during gallery hours, Mon- Sat, 11 am-6 pm & Thurs 7pm.

La Luna Gallery, Palisades, D.C.
5171 MacArthur Blvd, NW
Washington, DC 20016

Woody quotes

I've never been an intellectual but I have this look.
-- Woody Allen

Opportunity for DC area artists

Deadline: April 19, 2012

The Capitol Hill ART League presents its Third Annual Metro DC open juried exhibition: It’s a Wonderful World?

All artists, 18 years of age or older residing in the Washington, DC metropolitan area are eligible to enter.

Deadline for submissions is Thursday April 19, 2012.

The Capitol Hill ART League (CHAL) is a program of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop. Located in the historic Capitol Hill neighborhood in Washington, DC, CHAL is composed of approximately 100 artists. Each season CHAL mounts a series of seven juried exhibitions and conducts gallery talks at the openings; CHAL hosts lectures on a variety of art related topics, offers workshops, and strives to develop a supportive artistic community. The greater Washington community is encouraged to participate in all of these events.

JUROR: I am honored to return as this year's juror.

ENTRY: Selections for the show will be made by the judge from JPEG images submitted by the artists. All work must be original and signed by the artist. Any work previously shown at a Capitol Hill ART League juried show is ineligible. All work must have been created within the last three years.

ENTRY FEES: Up to 3 entries may be submitted for a non-refundable fee of $15 for current Capitol Hill Art League members or $30 for the community at large (non members). Up to two additional entries may be submitted at $5 each. Artists submitting 3-dimensional work may provide two images of each piece.

AWARDS: Awards will be decided by the judge and will include cash awards for ‘Best in Show’, and ‘Merit’ awards. Two Honorable mentions will be awarded. All awards will be presented at the opening reception with the judge’s talk on Saturday, May 12, 2011 from 5:00-7:00 PM.

SALES: A 30% commission will be deducted from CHAL members’ exhibition sales and 35% commission on all non-member exhibition sales. All work must be for sale and the price submitted on the registration form will be the price presented at the time of the show for accepted work.

Exhibition Calendar:
April 19, 2012 - deadline for entries
April 30, 2012 - Notification sent to accepted Artists
May 4-9, 2012 - Art delivery dates
May 12, 2012 - Artists’ Reception and Awards, Presentation (5:00 - 7:00 pm)
June 1, 2012 - Exhibition closes
June 2-6, 2012 - Pick up artwork

Contact info: caphillartleague@yahoo.com Prospectus at: www.caphillartleague.org

Monster

There's a really cool group show coming together at Marlboro Gallery at Prince Georges Community College. Each artist was asked to create new work and a statement in two months based on the theme "Monster."

Curated by Adam Bradley, I can see that this is a really great group of artists and I bet there will be some fantastic work in the show.

It opened Monday, there is a reception on Thursday the 8th from 6-8:30PM. Here is a list of artists:

Thomas Berault
Adam Bradley
Scott G. Brooks
Lisa Montag Brotman
Patrick Burke
David D'Orio
Margarida Kendall-Hull
Steven Jones
David Lee Page
Suzanne Pender
Erik Thor Sandberg
Rachel Schmidt
Megan Von Wagner
Sean Watkins
Sarah Wegner
William Whitaker

Construct::Destruct

Opening reception March 9th 6-8.30pm


CountDown Temporary Artspace presents its ultimate exhibition.

Of its own volition, CountDown will implode in the very near future, go underground and may or may not reincarnate in another form, at another time, at other places.

To commemorate its short-lived life, CountDown has invited four DMV artists to participate in this event: Jessica van Brakle, Mei Mei Chang, Scottie Fleming and Thomas Drymon.

Each will construct site-specific works that relate to the theme of construction and destruction. Their works will not be cherished but rather demolished with the art space.

They are open until implosion! Opening reception March 9th 6-8.30pm. All other visits by appointment only - please contact Jackiehoysted@aol.com for details

Virtually Digital VI at Montogomery College

Virtually Digital VI is a biennial exhibition that features the fine art work of regionally, nationally and internationally known artists who incorporate some form of digital method in the creation of their art. Works in this exhibition includes drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, video and mixed media.

The organizer and curator of the Virtually Digital biennials is Professor Mike Cantwell who is the coordinator of the Computer Graphics: Art and Animation program at Montgomery College.

The exhibit will open today, March 5th and runs through April 6th. There will be an artist reception on Wednesday March 21st in the CAT (Communication Arts Technologies) Gallery at Montgomery College Rockville Campus from 6 to 8 PM. The reception is free of charge and open to the general public.

The participating artists are Professor Anne Benolken, Richard Dana, Clay Harris, David Kastner, Agniezka Ligend, Russ McIntosh, John McMahon, Professor Harry St. Ours, and I am honored to have been invited to exhibit in this show as well.

The Gallery is located in room 106 Technical Center (TC) on the Rockville campus, Montgomery College and is open Monday through Wednesday 10 AM until 6 PM, Thursdays 10 Am until 8 PM, Fridays 10 AM until 1 PM, and Saturdays by appointment.

For more information call 240-567-7535, 240-567-7520 or e-mail mike.cantwell@montgomerycollege.edu.

See ya there!

T-Shirt God

Here's the initial step, a the charcoal drawing of the psychopath Che Guevara, one of my recurring themes. The drawing is on watercolor paper, which gives it that rough texture.


Ready to acquire a halo


Che Guevara with his halo


He begins to turn into an icon (is if)... the Latinized inscription reads T-Subula Deus or "T-Shirt God". Notice that I've cut a window in the forehead.


And here's the small LCD screen which will be embedded behind the drawing.


And here's the final set up, with the LCD screen playing about 75 images of Che's ubiquitous appearances on billions of T-shirts.


And here and below are some close-ups of some of the images which rotate through the embedded LCD screen.

Fellow Potomackers: Fresh Flowers and Furry Friends tonight!

I would have picked somewhat of a better title for the show, but watercolors by Barbara Bell, collages by Merry Lymn, digital work based on photographs of flowers by the very talented Bert GF Shankman, fused glass portraits of dogs by Shirley Hendel and ceramics featuring cats by Leigh Partington all make up the next show at Potomac's Gallery Har Shalom (located at Congregation Har Shalom, 11510 Falls Road, Potomac, MD) and because we're neighbors, I really want to make sure that this gallery gets some attention! And when was the last time that a gallery held an opening reception that started at 11AM?

Opening Reception: Sunday, March 4, 2012, 11am - 1 pm
Exhibit dates: Friday, March 2 - Monday, April 30, 2012
Call for hours and directions: 301-299-7087

Barbara F. Bell uses her own photographs as a major resource for her watercolor paintings. She focuses in this exhibit on regeneration and renewal in the natural world, her palette reflecting the early light and gentle colors of May along the riverbanks, and in the forests and fields of England and America. Barbara began her formal training in art while on academic leave from university teaching. She worked in studio arts at Montgomery College (Rockville) in the 1980s. Retirement from teaching in Montgomery County Public Schools twenty years later afforded her the time to resume her artwork. See www.bellslessons.com for more information.

Merry Lymn began taking formal collage classes in October 2008. In 2009, she was juried into her first art show, and since then she has been juried into several others. She divides her work into five subject areas--landscape, still life, people, Judaica, and wildcard. For this show, the pieces are exclusively flowers for which she created special Jewish flowers including a Shin Flower, a Vase with Shin Flowers, a Shofar Flower, and a Lily from the Song of Songs. See www.artlymn.com for more images.

Bert GF Shankman presents his Flemish Series of flowers in this show. He first saw this technique of painting when he minored in Art History for his AB at Case Western Reserve University. He practiced this style, called Chiaroscuro, when he studied at the Corcoran College of Art and Design. These pictures use light and dark to model the shapes and forms of the flowers and vases. They are done digitally starting out with photographs of flowers which he grows in his garden. Though decidedly different, they give a feeling of 16th century Flemish art. Visit www.cameraflora.com for more details.

Shirley Hendel was an award-winning decorative painter for many years. Several years ago she was introduced to fused glass and became fascinated with the possibilities for expression that glass materials and techniques offer. She now works exclusively in that medium while trying to maintain the perspective that decorative painting provides. She specializes in pet portraits, especially dogs, but also other creatures both real and whimsical. Her fused glass portraits (you could almost call them caricatures) are not based on actual dogs and cats as much as they are reminiscent of the lovable mutts and house cats that we grew up with or may still be in our lives. Just like these mixed-breed pets, these portraits come in assorted shapes and colors; no two exactly the same.

Leigh Partington has been doing ceramic art for over 30 years. Her work has evolved to include a combination of whimsical wheel-thrown and hand-built pieces that emphasize her love of and appreciation for animals, birds and nature in general. As a feline fancier – cats have always been a part of her life, she portrays them as functional pieces and decorative objects. She combines different clays for a marbled effect in some of her pieces. All pieces are bisque-fired. Then she adds detailed illustrations painted on with Speedball underglazes and dips the pieces in a transparent glaze. She uses a combination of overglazes sponged on the exterior for mottled color effects. The pieces, including ceramic pitchers, garlic keepers, egg separators, ocarinas, and platters, are then oxidation fired in an electric kiln.

Just back...

Just back from the WPA Select Gala on L Street in DC. As usual, tons of collectors, loads of bids and plenty of good art.

Like any auction or group show curated by a diverse set of eyes, there were mostly excellent superb choices; amongst my favorites:

Joan Belmar. Talking Wood #2, 2011. Acrylic, ink, Mylar, wood, and vinyl on plywood, 30″ x 30″


Victoria F. Gaitan. Bustle No. 2, 2011. Archival print on 100% cotton paper, Edition 1/3, 22” x 33”

See all the artists here.

Looking for...

I'm looking for an emerging hyper-realist painter or a trompe l'oeil painter for a special project... send me some names or websites.