Saatchi Art’s The Other Art Fair

The Other Art Fair, a leading artist fair for discovering emerging artists, today announced its 2021 exhibition plans. The 2021 schedule includes plans to re-introduce in-real-life events once it is safe to do so, as well as the launch of corresponding six-day Virtual Reality (VR) editions.

DMV artist Anne Cherubim is participating and so we have an insider in the fair! She notes:

Among the various interactive activities for this virtual experience, there are curator led tours, a painting class, short films, a talk on art collecting by Saatchi's Rebecca Wilson, a sound installation I'm looking forward to, you can have your portrait drawn -- just a heap of fun things to do virtually.

One of my limited edition Recycled Art Project pieces is part of the Director's Picks:

https://www.saatchiart.com/art-collection/Fair-Director-s-Picks-The-Other-Art-Fair-Los-Angeles-Virtual-Editions/320013/407958/view?page=2

One of my smaller paintings is highlighted in the $500, or thereabouts, section.

I'd be remiss not to tell you to come check it out. I'm in Room 2, apparently diagonally across from Brandon Boyd of the band, Incubus. Today was the first day of the fair, and it continues 'til Sunday, April 4th.

There are videos telling you about each artist at the front of each booth, along with a guestbook you can sign, and a way to schedule video appointments to chat with us, for those wanting to share comments, or who have questions about work. 

See my video here: https://youtu.be/uxOzze_MxHU

Visit the fair here. The Fair Program will point people to all the different activities.

An open letter to DMV area universities

There are several important, major universities in and around the DMV area. In most cases each is working, as most universities do, their own, individualized visual arts exhibition program, which is normally mix of exhibitions by their students, faculty, and sometimes invited artists.

Almost without exception there is very little coordination between the different university/college venues, which in some cases boast some of the nicest exhibition spaces in the area - none better that American University's spectacular Katzen Arts Museum. 

This "little coordination" is not unusual, as I imagine that in most cities this is also the same case, as the focus of the university gallery is in fact the university itselg.

And here is where we can make a major change, and use the extraordinary resources afforded to our area by these venues, and their academic standing, to help Washington expand its worldwide visual art standing.

What we need to happen is for one of the local university art school chairs, or college deans, or even university gallery directors, to take the initiative to start coordinating a joint effort to create one annual combined, joint exhibition that synchronizes a focused exhibition that is spread throughout the Greater Washington area.

Imagine a national survey of art, with a good title and perhaps even a good, donated chunk of money as a prize. Say we call it “The Capital Art Prize” (OK, OK we’ll have to work on the title) and because good ideas sometimes attract funding, maybe we can convince a major local company like Lockheed Martin or Marriott or Booze Allen and Hamilton, or (be still my beating heart), The Washington Post (owned by the planet's richest Cuban-American), to help fund it on an annual basis.

This synchronized event can be modeled somewhat on what the Whitney does, but better. The Whitney Biennial’s Achilles heel is its over-reliance on hired curators. Unless an artist lives and works in NYC, LA or SF or is already in the local radar of one of the curators for that particular year, chances are slim to none that the artist will come to the attention of those Biennial curators. Hence great art and potentially great artists may and often are ignored.

And the Whitney Biennial is not what it used to be... not even close.

In addition to the use of invited curators, also imagine that this event puts forth a national call for artists, independent and museum curators, schools, art organizations, and galleries to submit works for consideration - all to be done online, of course, and without an entry fee.

Anyone can submit and in a fair selection process, since art is truly in the eyes (and agenda) of the beholder, anyone can be selected to exhibit. A truly American concept for a national American art survey that will leave the Whitney and other continental Biennials in the dust.

And because the exhibition venues are spread around the capital area region, in galleries at Georgetown, George Mason, George Washington, American, Catholic, Howard, University of Maryland, Montgomery Community College, Northern Virginia Community College, and the many others I am sure to be forgetting momentarily, we could put up one of the largest, most diverse, and influential American contemporary art surveys in the nation.

This will take a lot of work to set up initially, as one key university person needs to take the lead and emerge from the pack of largely unknown, anonymous group of academics currently running our area’s university art programs. On the other hand, this could be an exhibition that can and will put names and faces on the international art world map, much like the Whitney Biennial sometimes elevates its curators a notch above the rest

Some universities will resist, as the easiest thing to do is to do things as they have always been done, and not really create “new” work. But given that a strong leader among our academic community emerges and takes the lead for this idea, then even if we start with a set of four or five venues, in a joint, coordinated effort, others will follow.  When it all else fails to get an university or college to play along, then they must be hit via the Board of Trustees of that University.

Boom! A trustee drives the idea and the university will suddenly pay attention!

This will not be an easy job to do, and as it grows, so will the bureaucracy around it. But starting it up will be the hardest part, and as momentum grows, things will become easier. Whoever, if anyone, takes this idea and runs with it, will face many huge obstacles and many negative people. He or she will need to convince other university/college gallery directors to participate (unless a Trustee is involved). They in turn, will have to convince their superiors, who will, in turn have to approve (and perhaps help kick-start the funding) the joint project.

This leader will also have to coordinate the approach to get a local giant to fund this effort, but I suspect that once he has aligned a few colleges and universities, this may become easier (it’s never easy) as the “buzz” and need for the event develops.

This is all a lot of work, and initially, until a bureaucracy is established around the annual event, many, many volunteers will be needed. I hope that some of these can be drawn from the school’s student body, alumni who are artists, and other local artists, much like Art-O-Matic draws from the collective muscle of our area’s significant artist population.

Our area universities and colleges already have significant media resources at their disposal, to help spread the word. They run school newspapers, radio stations, etc. and also provide a constant flow of new blood to our major mainstream media.

The goal (or perhaps “the dream”) would be a national level survey of art, which may look, review and/or jury the work of maybe 50,000 artists around the nation, and select perhaps 100 each year, showcase their work around a dozen academic galleries, and award a $100,000 cash award as the Capital Art Prize, plus various other awards (Emerging Artist, Young Artist, etc.). Art of a nature and scale that will attract visitors to the university galleries, attention to our area, piss some people off, excite others, create interest, discussion and buzz around Washington and our art scene.

I initially proposed this idea locally about two decades ago - and everyone ignored it.

In a weird way that the the Covidian Monster could have never predicted, the potential end of the Covidian Age may be in fact offering us the time for this idea to spring.

There’s nothing more empowering than an idea whose time has come.

Best Art Blogs in the World

For like the 18th year in a row, my blog has been ranked as one of the "Top 100 Art Blogs in the World" and "Top 100 Art Blogs, Websites & Influencers in 2021"

I'd like to influence you to buy some of my artwork! Look into my eyes!

The book that saved my art life

The number one spot in my top ten most influential books (on me) of all times has been occupied since 1977 by The Painted Word by Tom Wolfe.

I think that this book should be required reading for all art school freshmen across the nation, as it will prepare and armor them against all the bull that the art world will be about the heave at them. If you have not read it, please do.

Below is the text of a review of the book that I wrote for Amazon:

Can I start by saying that this book "saved my art life"?

Let me explain. In 1977 I started art school as a not so impressionable 21 year-old with a few years as a US Navy sailor under my belt. But in the world of art, there's a lot of molding and impressions being made by a very galvanized world. And although I was a few years older than most in my class... I was probably as ready as any to swallow the whole line and sinker that the "modern art world" floats out there.

Then I read this book - it was given to me by Jacob Lawrence, a great painter and a great teacher --- although I didn't get along with him too well at the time. I read it (almost by accident and against my will --- it was a get-a-way "love weekend" with my then-girlfriend - it went sour). And this book OPENED my EYES!!! It was as if all of a sudden a "fog" had been listed about all the manure and fog that covers the whole art world.

I used it as a weapon.

I used it to defend how I wanted to paint and feel and write. And it allowed me to survive art school.

And then in 1991 - as I prepared to look around to start my own gallery - I found it again, in a gallery (of all places) in Alexandria, VA. I read it again, and to my surprise Wolfe was as topical and effervescent and eye-opening as ever!

Wolfe has a lot of bones to pick with the art world -- 25 years ago!!! He destroys the proliferation of art theory, and puts "art gods" like Harold Rosenberg, Clement Greenberg, and Leo Steinberg (who have ruined art criticism for all ages - by making critics think that they "lead" the arts rather than "follow the artists") into their proper place and perspective. He has a lot of fun, especially with Greenberg and the Washington Color School and their common stupidity about the flatness of the picture plane.

Here's my recommendation: If you are a young art student or a practicing artist: SAVE YOUR LIFE! Read this book!

Studio space available

As of July 21st, 2021, 1/2 of studio 17 (in section B1 by the galleries) will be available for lease on Parklawn Drive in Rockville, Maryland. This 1/2 studio share rents for $195/month. Get in touch now for jurying to reserve!

What's a print? What's a reproduction?

The most misused word in the world of art is the word "print," as used in defining work as "limited edition print," etc.

In the narrow, but true art definition of what an original art print is, a print is a work of art produced from an image worked by the artist on another material, usually a metal, plexiglass, wood, linoleum, plastic plate, etc.

Everything else is a reproduction.

And lawsuits will happen if suddenly a collector discovers that their "print" or "original" is in fact a reproduction.

So if an artist paints or draws an image on any medium, and then has multiple images made from that original by an electro-mechanical or mechanical process using photographic or digital images (such as Iris or Gyclee), those images are reproductions - not prints.

However, because it would really be hard to market an artist's work as "limited edition, signed and numbered reproductions," the word "print" has been kidnapped by the marketers of art to apply to any set of multiple images - regardless of how they came to be, or what part the artist played in its creation.

It gets a bit murky when it comes to digital art - that is artwork that is created from scratch through the use of a computer or a photograph taken with a digital camera.

Once the file is done and finished and saved, then one can say that the image that comes out of the printer is the "print" in the true sense of the narrow art definition - much like the negative in traditional photography produces the photographic print.

However, a photograph that is taken, developed, printed in the darkroom and then scanned so that Giclees or Iris "prints" can be made from the photographic image means that those are reproductions made from the original photograph. 

But a photograph taken with a digital camera and then has Iris/Giclees or any other digital prints made from the digital image in the memory card is a "real" print!

So a digital medium like Giclee/Iris can be either a reproduction or a real print - it all depends on what the original source of the image is!

Printmakers are especially sensitive to the misuse of the work "print" to market reproductions of artwork. One of the best places in town to buy true prints from very talented printmakers is the Washington Printmakers Gallery in the Dupont Circle area.

Shiri Achu virtual exhibition

41inPrint:Worldwide

A VIRTUAL ART EXHIBITION

By Award-winning International Artist SHIRI ACHU

SAT. APRIL 10TH – MON. APRIL 19TH 2021

_________________________________

April 10th - Private Zoom Opening party

April 11th – 18th - 41InPrint Virtual Exhibition (7:00 pm – 7:30 pm daily)

April 19th - Virtual book launch.

From my good friend Shiri Achu:

Tune out and Zoom in from the comfort of home with a glass of wine to the Opening party of 41InPrint:Worldwide on Saturday 10th April at 7pm EST. Following the Zoom Opening Party, again, tune in, this time on YouTube and Facebook where the International artist Shiri Achu will be hosting DAY 1 of her first ever online exhibition entitled, 41InPrint:Worldwide. This 8 day long Virtual Exhibition will be opened to the public - WORLDWIDE - from Sunday, April 11th 2021 through to Sunday April 18th 2021, starting each day at 7:00pm EST. Each day of the exhibition will have its own theme and will be presented by one of four seasoned hosts; Diane Daiga of Ddtalks, Gwendoline F.D of Gwendy Media, Nico Kang and MC Chaz. The program will also have a daily special guest for the ‘4+1 talk’, interview segment. This is not an event to be missed!

Born in Cameroon, raised in London, and now residing in Washington DC, this marks the 6th of such ‘InPrint’ exhibitions. With her ‘InPrint’ annual series of exhibitions, Shiri selects a focal destination city to exhibit her art and to showcase and expose the African culture to its citizens. The first of the InPrint series, 35InPrint:LONDON took place in April 2014 at The Strand Gallery in Central London. 36InPrint:DC took place in May 2016 at Gallery A in Central Washington DC. 37InPrint:AUSTRALIA took place in July at Mama Jambo in Australia. 38InPrint:JAMAICA took place in August 2017 at The Regional Headquarters of the University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica. 

39InPrint:TORONTO, took place in November at Ariilon, Toronto, Canada.

This time, because of the Worldwide Pandemic, the gallery comes to you in an intimate series of daily online unveilings of skillfully crafted depictions of everyday life and culture throughout the continent of Africa. Shiri Achu’s fluid yet grounded style creates layers of dimension and emotional depth that allow the viewer to truly enter into the earthy yet colorful lives of everyday lives all across Africa. The online exhibition will also feature a host of special guests daily including, Famous American Soul Singer Angie Stone, renowned Jamaican Dub Poet Mutabaruka, Nigerian movie industry pioneer, actor Zack Orji and revolutionary Cameroonian musician Witty Minstrel among many others. During the ‘4+1 TALK’ time, Shiri talks about ‘art’, the pandemic and other topics with each of her special guests.

All art pieces unveiled during that day of the exhibition will be available on her website www.shiriachuart.com immediately after the exhibition for purchase. The last piece on day 8 will mark 41 pieces exhibited throughout the 8 days. On Monday April 19th, Shiri Achu will launch a Virtual book, an anthology collection inspired by her art.

Everyone (art lovers, supporters, fans, where ever you are in the world etc) can register for the exhibition on her website www.shiriachuart.com and receive a 20% discount on all art purchased throughout the exhibition. Registered persons will also receive the Private viewing ‘Opening party’ zoom link. During the 8 daily exhibition broadcasts, a secret number or letter will appear in the live stream, and the first three people who correctly guess the secret word or phrase will be eligible to win some awesome prizes.

Wherever you are in the world, you are cordially invited to 41InPrint:Worldwide. Take a journey through the motherland and enjoy the daily unveiling of fresh, bold African inspired art.

41inPrint:Worldwide

8 Days Exhibition & Special Guests on ‘4+1 TALK ’

Day 1 - Sunday 11th - Bishop Darlingston Johnson & Pastor Chrys Johnson

Day 2 - Monday 12th - Witty Minstrel

Day 3 - Tuesday 13th - Jessica Mbangeni

Day 4 – Wed. 14th - Naomi Achu & Myra Maimoh

Day 5 - Thursday 15th - Blick Bassy

Day 6 - Friday 16th - Mutabaruka

Day 7 - Saturday 17th - Angie Stone

Day 8 - Sunday 18th - Zack Orji

Michelle L. Herman at VisArts

Michelle L. Herman will be showing her work at the Common Ground Gallery at VisArts in Rockville from April 2–May 14 as part of the MICA MFA in Studio Art 2020 Thesis Exhibition. 

Michelle L. Herman is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans theoretical and philosophical research, feminist and disability politics, comedy, and conceptualism. Herman’s work broadly traverses the margins between ability and what is beyond our reach: particularly the limits of perception, attention, connection, and categorization in the digital age. Through installations, sculptures, and video Herman investigates the ways in which we negotiate and push these boundaries every day. Herman has shown nationally in both group and solo exhibitions at locations such as the Hillyer Art Space, Arlington Art Center, Visarts, the Washington Project for the Arts, the Corcoran, The Smithsonian Institution, and The Kennedy Center. Herman’s work has been written about and featured in Hyperallergic, New American Paintings, The Washington Post, NPR, and East City Arts. Herman is an alumna of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MFA, 2020) and the Sparkplug artist collective sponsored by the DC Arts Center.

Read the essay by my good friend Kristen Hileman here.  

How to sign artwork

 One of the most curious things that I have puzzled about in the many decades of making art, presenting art, selling art and dealing with both artists and art collectors (as well as art dealers), is how often artists anguish over a signature.

There are gazillions of ways to screw up a work of art with a signature - the most common one is where a work of art is marred by a giant signature in glow-in-the-dark silver color marker or some hideous color like that.

Even a tiny and elegant signature can distract from a work of art if placed in the wrong area of the work. Imagine an elegant abstract, such as a Mondrian, with a signature in the middle of one of the color geometric shapes.

And, the real truth is that if you care at all about art as a commodity, then I will tell you that most collectors, especially the savvy ones, will always ask about the signature, if one is not apparent at first inspection. You can give them all the certificates of authenticity on the planet, but they want that siggie somewhere.

"A Picasso with a signature may be worth twice as much as one without a signature," said Mark Rosen, former head of the print department at Sotheby's, which sells approximately thousands of prints per year with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to over $100,000. "Chagall did a series of prints called 'Daphne and Chloe' and those that are signed are worth 10 times as much as those that are unsigned. Otherwise, they are the same prints."

By now you're itching to yell at me: "Lenster! What is this? Damn if you and damn if you don't?" 

Nope - it's just damn if you don't; just do it in the proper place(s).

Some easy to remember DO NOT Rules when signing artwork

• Never sign with a gigantic signature; a normal signature (or even smaller than normal) will do fine.
• Never sign anywhere on the surface where it interferes with the composition.
• Never sign with that glows, shimmers, is metallic or will fade.
• No need to put the little "c" inside the circle "copyright" sign by your signature. You already own the copyright no matter what!
• If you sign on the back (verso in Sothebyse), make sure that it doesn't bleed through!
• Don't sign using inks that will fade in time, or worse, separate, such as "Sharpies" do after a few years, when they acquire a yellow border around the faded black ink.

You want to know where to sign, right?

Cough, cough...

By the way... I'm meandering all about signatures on two dimensional work; you sculptors are all on your own, as long as you don't pull a Michelangelo on the Pieta stunt.

Where to sign two-dimensional work

1. On the back (make sure that it doesn't go through and can be seen from the front); in fact, the more info that you can put on the back to help art historians of the future, the better.

2. On the lower margin of the piece (usually the right margin, but that's up to you).

3. Photographs can either be signed (and numbered in a small edition, cough, cough) on the verso (there's a million "special" photo-signing pens for all you photo geeks; they "write" on photo paper and dry in nanoseconds and don't smear, etc.) Or you can sign them if you leave a white border all around the printed photo. Even signing the mat in the lower margin in pencil was in vogue in the last century and is OK.

If you don't believe me about the power of a signature, then just go online and research the difference in price between a signed Picasso (most of them) and the two dozen or so fully validated, authenticated and documented unsigned Picassos (the ones that he gave to one of his ex-wifes that he hated).

That will learn y'all a lesson about signatures and art, Jethro...

Art Fair Types

As we approach (we hope) the end of The Covidian Age, and art fairs (hopefully) make a come back, and as we prepare to do art fairs in NYC, Miami, Houston, London, and maybe Seattle, I thought that this would be a good time to republish this post from 2004:

---

One of the more eye-opening things in attending an art fair is seeing the dynamics that go onto the decision to buy a piece of art. 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..."  (He/She buys it and walks away)

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?" [Walks away...]

Skies over Gig Harbor, Washington

Things that you find in storage: "Skies over Gig Harbor, Washington", these are several 1980 watercolor assignments from the University of Washington School of Art that I did while a student on a field day trip to Gig Harbor.

#gigharbor #gigharborwa #gigharborrealestate #gigharborliving #universityofwashington

Why most of the DMV's museum curators... are not DMV curators

 This quote from this article in Washingtonian is as true today as it was when first published...

“Curators from the Hirshhorn or National Gallery would rather take a cab to Dulles Airport to look at emerging artists in Berlin than they would take a cab to Adams Morgan to look at emerging artists here,” says Lennox Campello, an artist and former gallery owner. “They don’t do a good job of tending their own back garden.”

Anatomy of another commission

More later on what this new commission for a nice Illinois couple will end up as - but here are the draft sketches... the last one borrows heavily from a Romantic period piece that I once saw in a museum (can't recall the artist).

More get a thick skin ops!

 As I preach - artists need a thick skin!

Dear Florencio,

On behalf of the Washington Project for the Arts, I would like to thank you for submitting your work to the open call for our Collectors' Night 2021 benefit auction. And to thank you for your patience. With the extended deadline, we had many more submissions to review and consider in relationship to the auction's theme "Am I Altering Your Aura?" and the Audre Lorde quote. We regret to inform you that your work was not selected for inclusion in the auction this year.

We know that you invested time and energy in this process and that this might be disappointing news. If you are interested in remaining connected to WPA, we encourage you to sign up for our e-newsletter or to follow us on Facebook or Instagram--if you haven't already. We post opportunities throughout the year and we review submissions to Open Call for Ideas on a quarterly basis.

As we come up on a year of the pandemic, we look to the future with hope and wish you all the best!

Sincerely,

Emily

Emily Fussner, Event Manager

WASHINGTON PROJECT FOR THE ARTS

Maremi Andreozzi and Wayson Jones at Adah Rose

 Awright folks - the Covidian Age is almost over (one hopes) - time to start getting back to visiting galleries, creating art, doing art fairs...

Start here:

"May You Live In Interesting Times" -- Maremi Andreozzi and Wayson Jones at Adah Rose Gallery

Maremi has created a remarkable and sensitive group of portraits of women entitled "History Adorned". Some of the women are famous, others have only recently begun to have their fascinating stories told.  They range from teachers to doctors, queens to courtesans, scientists to poets, couturiers to activists. Each is painted in silhouette, ageless and beautiful. Their adornments; brooches, lace, earrings, hats and dress are exquisite and give them each a wonderful uniqueness.

Maremi grew up and lives in Alexandria Virginia. She earned a BFA from Cornell University and a MFA from Clemson University. She was an artist in residence at the International Artist Residency in La Macina di San Cresci in Chianti, Italy. She has exhibited at the Tephra Institute for Contemporary Art, the Smith Center, the Rachel Schlesinger Art Center/NOVA, the Torpedo Factory, Radford University, Glenview Mansion and the Howard County Council for the Arts. Her work is in many private and public collections including Marriott Corporation and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. This is Maremi's first show with Adah Rose Gallery.

The paintings of Wayson Jones are a mere six by six inches, yet each has a monumental presence. They are tactile, lavish, alluring and modest. The physicality of paint is explored in each painting and the beauty of color. Some of the paintings have a rich impasto with bold gestures and energy. Other works are smooth as silk. Wayson has a background in music and each painting performs in wonderful and powerful ways.

Wayson is a painter, musician, and spoken-word artist. He received a degree in music from the University of Maryland and later went on to perform with the renowned poet Essex Hemphill, as part of Washington DC's burgeoning Black gay and lesbian arts scene of the 80's and 90's. The two performed at DC Space, Blues Alley, The Kennedy Center, The Painted Bride (Philadelphia), LACE (Los Angeles) and LaMama Theater (NYC) They appeared in works by filmmaker Isaac Julien and Videographer Marlon Riggs. Wayson's visual art is informed by his performance experience and an exuberant approach to materiality and process. He has exhibited at the Black Rock Center for the Arts, Arts/Harmony Hall, Northern Virginia Community College and DCAC. 
Wayson received a 2017 Individual Artist Fellowship from the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council. His work is in numerous public and private collections including the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the MGM National Harbour. This is Wayson's first show with Adah Rose Gallery.

March 3- April 10, 2021

Open by Appointment Most Days

Adah Rose Gallery

3766 Howard Ave

Kensington MD 20895

301-922-0162

www.adahrosegallery.com

Thick skin

 I'm always preaching that artists need to have thick skins... 

Dear Florencio,

 Thank you for applying for an Independent Artist Award (IAA) from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC). Unfortunately, panelists did not recommend your submitted work for an IAA this year. Please know that this decision in no way diminishes the fact that MSAC values the work of every artist in our state and honors your contributions to improving the quality of life for all Marylanders. A list of the 2021 MSAC IAA Panelists as well as a complete list of artists selected for 2021 awards will be posted on the MSAC website, msac.org, by May 15, 2021.

Information about MSAC’s regular grants and programs - including Creativity Grants that support independent artist’s projects and Professional Development Grants that support learning opportunities for artists - can be found at msac.org. Additionally, MSAC offers an array of online offerings, including professional development topics, which can be found on msac.org/events/virtual-events

We also look forward to launching our new website in the coming weeks, and invite you to create or update your Artist Registry profile so MSAC can showcase and promote your work for sale. Please keep an eye out for instructions to update your profile soon. To stay connected with the latest Maryland arts events, opportunities, and news, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @mdartscouncil.

Thank you again for participating in this year’s program, and we encourage you to apply again in the future. Should you have any questions, please connect with Program Directors, Emily Sollenberger or Laura Weiss for further information.

Thank you,

Maryland State Arts Council

Patria y Vida

Titled "Patria y Vida", this video is incredible! Why? Because it comes out of Cuba and it is Black Cubans taking the lead in the start of a new Revolution to get rid of the Marxist yoke!

They're coming!!!

The 17-year-cycle of cicada invaders is coming! That's Anderso when he was around 4 playing with a couple of the giant bugs!

Nolan Ryan

Nolan Ryan
1979 pen and ink drawi g by F. Lennox Campello done whila at art school

 

Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens
1984 litho by F. Lennox Campello