Old art school drawings

Just for fun.., a few drawings, collages, paintings, etchings, linocuts, stone lithos, etc., executed as assignments during my schooling at the University of Washington School of Art in Seattle (1977-1981).

Most of these were sold by me at the Pike Place Market, also in Seattle, where I used to sell all my school assignments as soon as they were graded... usual going price was between $5 and $25 bucks, plus a traded a lot of work to the fishermen who worked the market... usually not for fish, but for geoducks or clams or mussels.

Pi Day and Stephen Hawking

I'm sure that someone else (probably thousands of people by now) has noted this, but I've just realized that Stephen Hawking died on Pi Day! 

WTF? The number one rule of Cryptology is: There are no coincidences! I'm sure that by now SH has gone through a black hole and popped up somewhere else in the Universe where I wish him nothing but fair winds and following seas!

He was also born on the 300th anniversary of Galileo's death.

Einstein was born on Pi day.

David FeBland: Stories Red and Blue

Road Trip, Oil on canvas, 54 x 34 

David FeBland’s work considers issues of privacy, conflict and isolation in contemporary urban life, employing a colorist’s eye and a strong sense of formal compositional structure. He describes the interaction between man and our physical universe through a series of invented truths, a sleight of the facts as it were, inspired by observations. His paintings, drawing upon experiences over a wide range of geographical locations, are driven by a conviction that certain behavioral responses to ones environment are universal.

Critic Brett McCabe described his paintings as such: “These images are disarmingly involving. His ability to instill strongly emotive elements into his work also hints at the more graphic work of Ben Shahn and Diego Rivera. It suggests an evolution of socially conscious realism that both Ashcan artists and Shahn flirted with, a very modern response to the Soviet socialist movement that embraces its more expressive elements…. {this is} a quality that gives the movies of Spike Lee their poignancy, and it’s a spirit that FeBland’s works achieve better than his contemporaries.”

In FeBland’s words, “I’m not particularly interested in making references to popular culture in my work because so much of what we commonly associate with that culture is itself distilled through some medium, originally television but now so many other forms of social media, rather than from direct observation. By creating paintings that derive from my own experience, I become the medium rather than a response to it.”.

This is David FeBland's first show at Susan Calloway Fine Arts. 

Where:
Susan Calloway Fine Arts
1643 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC, 20007

When:
On view: March 23 - April 21, 2018
Reception: March 23: 6 – 8pm

Artist Talk: March 24: 3 – 4pm

Lida Moser at Dickinson College

Read this cool article about the talented Lida Moser (may she rest in peace) and the very cool show at Dickinson College... Read it here.

Wanna teach?

The Brentwood Arts Exchange is expanding its class offerings with the addition of a computer lab as well as a new event space that can be used for classes. Our goals are to meet community interest in hands-on arts activities, to provide in-depth learning opportunities for teens using technology in the arts, and to provide affordable access to technology for artists.

If you are interested in teaching classes at the Brentwood Arts Exchange, please send your resume and a proposal describing classes that you would like to teach. Proposals should include class titles, the age ranges for the students, the ideal number of class sessions and class durations, and descriptions of the classes that are not more than two paragraphs. Of special interest are proposals for classes for teens and adults in the computer lab, which will have 8 workstations, a large format printer, and 3D printer. Please understand that regulations require that most instructors become employees of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

Email proposals to Phil Davis, Countywide Arts Coordinator phil.davis@pgparks.com

Opportunity for muralists

Submission Deadline: Friday, April 13, 2018 at 4:00 PM EDT

Request for Qualifications
FY18 MuralsDC Graffiti and Aerosol Mural Artists
For individual artists and artist teams

FY18 MuralsDC Artist Request for Qualifications (RFQ) - The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), in partnership with the DC Department of Public Works (DPW), seeks graffiti and aerosol mural artists and artist teams to design, create and install aerosol murals as part of the MuralsDC program. The MuralsDC program was established to replace illegal graffiti with artistic works, revitalize sites within communities in the District of Columbia, and to teach young people the art of aerosol painting.  

Interested artists and artist teams (of no more than two artists) are invited to submit to this RFQ for consideration to be included on the FY18 MuralsDC artist roster. 

Complete submission guidelines are available in the above-linked RFQ. For additional information or assistance, please contact Keona Pearson, public art coordinator, at: keona.pearson@dc.gov or 202-724-5613. 

Radhairc agus Glórtha na hÉireann Faoi Láthair

Sights and Sounds of Ireland Today

Exhibition March 16-31, 2018

Opening Reception: 7pm Friday, March 16

Solas Nua, in collaboration with Dupont Underground is proud and excited to present Sights and Sounds of Ireland Today or in Ireland’s native Gaelic language Radhairc agus Glórtha na hÉireann Faoi Láthair. It is an exhibition that explores the field of contemporary video art production in Ireland today. It is the first significant survey of Irish visual art to be presented in the Washington DC area. 

The vision for this exhibition was to discover what Irish visual artists considered video art to be today and what they wanted to communicate through their work. One of the big questions when curating this exhibition was to determine what video art is and how it differs from film. Traditionally, video art in visual art was defined as differing from film in its disregard for the mechanisms of traditional movie-making (i.e. it has a storyline with actors and dialogue) – while the video artist is concerned with exploring the medium itself, or to use it to challenge the viewer's ideas of space, time and form. Today however, that definition is no longer applicable as visual artists will adopt a range of styles and tools and frequently crossover to traditional filmmaking. Decisions on what works to include here were based on artistry, skill and subject matter. What do these works convey to us about Ireland, its artists and its people? You to viewer are invited to decide.

Opening night will feature curator, Jackie Hoysted in conversation with Andy Johnson of the Corcoran College of Art and artist, Jonah King. 

Featured Artists: David Bickley, Myrid Carten, Conall Cary, Brian Crotty, Lisa Freeman, Ruth le Gear, Michael Hanna, Anita Groener, Jonah King, Pawel Kleszczewski & Kasia Zimnoch, Hugh McCabe & Suzanne Walsh, Noel Molloy, Jenny Newman, Leonard Sheil, Fifi Smith, Mieke Vanmechelen, Mary-Ruth Walsh, Adrian Wojtas and Sean Wrenn.

Location: Dupont Underground, 19 Dupont Circle NW, Washington, DC 20036

Stolen Norman Rockwell!

Norman Rockwell, A study for Willie Gillis in College, 1946, oil on board, 29 x 27 cm.

Art Recovery International is searching for Norman Rockwell's A study for Willie Gillis in College, 1946. If you have seen, been offered, or have any information as to its whereabouts, please contact:

Christopher A. Marinello 
chris@artrecovery.com
Italy mobile: +39 329 693 2606
UK mobile:  + 44 (0) 7702 206 913

All communication will be kept strictly confidential.

Details: This is the original study done by Norman Rockwell for the final painting which appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post on 5 October, 1946. The final version is slightly different (painted on canvas) and was owned by the Washington Mutual Bank of Seattle. This version, painted on board, was reported stolen between 1-2 April 2003 in Atherton, California during a chaotic family move.

Judith Peck at Penn College!

Hope and History
The Gallery at Penn College
One College Avenue
Williamsport, PA 17701-5799

Reception: March 15th 2018 4:30-6:30
March 13 - April 18, 2018
For further information please email Judith at judithepeck@gmail.com or visit http://judithepeck.blogspot.com/  or 
https://www.pct.edu/gallery/schedule#jpeck

Our next art fair

Campellos at auctions

These three vintage drawings and lithos of mine just showed up at an auction house in Charlottesville! They are all starting at really low bids! See them here!

Eve, Running Away from Eden

Mermaid (The Deep)

Mermaid (The Deep)

Opportunity for artists and curators

The Brentwood Arts Exchange is seeking proposals from artists and curators to present exhibitions for available dates November 2018 - December 2020. 

Solo and group exhibitions are welcome. 

We support art in all media and forms. Proposals may be for the Main Gallery, the soon-to-open Lab Gallery, or both. Proposals will also be considered inclusion in exhibitions curated in-house. The Deadline is April 14, 2018. Full information and the application is online at https://m-ncppc.submittable.com

Frida with Cuba

Out of nowhere I get an email from a collector in Spain who happens to be the son of a man who bought the below piece from me back in the 1980s. He wanted confirmation that this was indeed my work, as it is being offered for auction in the near future.

"Frida with Cuba" was done by me in 1978 as part of a freshman or sophomore painting class at the University of Washington School of Art, which I attended courtesy of a scholarship from 1977-1981. It was part of my infatuation with the Kahlomeister, who back in the late 70s was essentially still known as Diego Rivera's wife.

I suspect that at the time, most of my UDub art professors (Jacob Lawrence, Alden Mason, Norm Lundin, Frances Calentano, and others) had no idea who Kahlo was, much less why I painted her (sort of comic book style) holding the island of Cuba.

I sold this painting at the Pike Place Market, where from 1978-1981 I sold almost every single art school assignment ever finished by me... once it was graded - it was up for sale... This piece probably went for around $25 at the time.

Kahlo (unfortunately) like most of the intelligentsia of her times, was a naive Communist, sort of a champagne Communist if you will, and even though she died several years before the Castro brothers began to brutalize Cuba under the yoke of Communism, I suspect that had she lived to an older age, she would have been a fan of the Castro's oppressive regime, and thus my painting.

"Frida Kahlo and Cuba"
20x16 inches. Oil on Paper, c. 1978 by F. Lennox Campello

#fridakahlo #universityofwashington

A wind day?

Everything is closed in the DMV because of wind... I almost started to make fun of that and then I opened my front door!

And then I went to the backyard and the trees were doing this!

Lida Moser: A Lens Without Limits

A LENS WITHOUT LIMITS

The Photography of Lida Moser

Opening Reception: Friday, March 2, 5:00pm–7:00pm

Those of you who know me well, or who read my words here and there, know what a great follower of the great Lida Moser I was, am will forever be... tomorrow a fantastic exhibition by Lida opens at Dickinson College:

This exhibition considers the work of New York City commercial photographer and photojournalist Lida Moser (1920–2014). She is best known for her pioneering work documenting the City from its post-war era up through the gritty 1970s. Moser first worked as an assistant in Berenice Abbott's studio and later moved on to a solo career, gaining assignments from a number of leading publishers, including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Esquire magazines. She was a member of the Photo League and the New York school of photography and produced portraits of many of the leading cultural figures of the second half of the century.  

The Trout Gallery maintains a large collection of the works by Lida Moser and is the first to survey her extensive photographic work. This project is produced through the generous cooperation of the artist's estate. 

This exhibition is curated by senior art history majors Jacqueline Hochheiser, Kate Marra, and Monica Skelly, under the direction of Elizabeth Lee.

Details here. 

See lots of Lida's images from her estate here.

Touchstone Foundation Fellowship

Open Call for Local Artists.

NO FEE TO APPLY.

Deadline: March 19, 2018 11:59pm ET

WHAT is it?

The Fellowship provides a 2 year artist membership in Touchstone Gallery in downtown DC. This guarantees a solo exhibition at the end of 2 year, participation in monthly gallery group shows, and a presence on the gallery website. The monetary value of the fellowship exceeds $4200.

WHO is Touchstone Foundation for the Arts (TFA)?

Touchstone Foundation for the Arts (TFA) a non-profit organization, created in 2012, committed to community outreach and involvement. Its Fellowship program has been ongoing since 2014. The Fellowship is awarded based on artistic merit and the ability of the fellow to benefit by association with the Touchstone Gallery. Artists eligible to apply if they have not been exclusively represented by a commercial gallery in the previous 10 years. Founded in 1976, Touchstone Gallery is an artist-owned commercial gallery located in the heart of downtown DC at 901 New York Avenue NW and was named Best of D.C. by The Washington Post in 2016/ 2017.

WHO can apply?

We encourage all interested artists to apply. Artists are eligible to apply if they have not been exclusively represented by a commercial gallery in the previous 10 years, can commit to a 2 year fellowship term and can fulfill the responsibilities above.

Application Process:

Detailed instructions and application are available at www.tfawdc.org

Selection Process:

Applications will be reviewed by the Touchstone Foundation for the Arts Board of Directors in March-April, 2018. A small group of finalists will be asked to bring physical artwork for review in person and invited to interview with TFA Board in May 2018. The final review and decision will be done by Touchstone Gallery Member artists. One or more applicants will be awarded a Touchstone Foundation Fellowship for 2018-2020, to begin in June 2018.

Alcalde on Tuckman

Living in Egypt as a child during WWII, Diane Tuckman recalls, “they were shooting Jewish girls in the street…My family and I escaped [in 1949] and went to France.”Though less harrowing, even in France “it was a very difficult time after the war, with ration tickets and very little housing.”

But eventually, Paris became home and much more to Tuckman. For it was there that she learned the art of painting on silk — a traditionally Asian way of painting dye on silk fabric.

Read  Rebekah Alcalde's fascinating piece about DMV artist Diane Tuckman here and visit Diane's website here.

Treasures of the Heart

There's an interesting upcoming exhibition at the Arts Club of Washington. I am about Everitt Clark's work from Treasures of the Heart: anonymous photographs of the prized possessions of people who have hoarding tendencies. He notes that his "goal is to reveal the variety of human experience, the depth of feeling, and the startling beauty that hide behind that ugly word, 'hoarder'."

You are invited to the opening reception, in the historic Monroe-Adams-Abbe House, on Friday, March 2 from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM. The show will be up through March 30th.

The Arts Club of Washington

2017 I ("Eye") St. NW

Washington, DC 20006

General Hours:

Tuesday - Friday 10 AM - 5 PM

Saturday 10 AM - 2 PM

DC's new "Cultural Plan"

DC has published a new "Cultural Plan" and is accepting comments on the plan until this coming Wednesday February 28th.  The city needs to hear our voices!!

URGENT! Please sign the Change.org petition today.

Given the outflow of artistic talent from DC over the past decade, we, the undersigned, demand a DC Cultural Plan that values the presence and contributions of professional artists in our city. The current draft of the Cultural Plan does not.

To that end, we need a revised plan that:

• Makes the retention of visual artists among the city's primary goals.
• Is led by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, the city agency with arts expertise and the closest ties to the arts community.
• Is guided by a task force comprised of local artists, designers, and creative professionals.
• Allocates dollars to the goals and investment recommendations.

DC needs its artists now more than ever. 

To read the Cultural plan please click here

Art Scam Alert!!!

Beware of this asswipe trying to rip off artists!

From: Stephen Egan stephenegan828@gmail.com

Date: February 24, 2018 at 7:43:58 AM EST

Subject: Artwork Needed!!!

Greetings!

My name is Stephen Egan from TX I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop and i guess she likes your piece of work, I'm also impressed and amazed to have seen your various works too.You are doing a great job. I would like to receive further information about your piece of work and what inspires you. I am very much interested in the purchase of your pieces to surprise my wife. Kindly confirm the availability of beautiful pieces for immediate sales.

Thanks and best regards

Campello at auction!

This cool vintage 1997 male nude study just showed up at auction in the United Kingdom! Bid for it here.

Carol Brown Goldberg at AU

New group show at Gallery B

Gallery B’s March exhibit will feature a group show by Teresa Jarzynski, Vatsala Menon, Robert O’Brien and Barbara Pliskin. The exhibit will be on display from March 7-31, 2018.

Located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E, Bethesda, MD, Gallery B will be open Wednesday – Saturday, 12-6pm. The gallery will also be open for the exhibit’s opening reception on Friday, March  9, 6-8pm.  

Teresa Jarzynski’s portfolio of work includes a variety of subjects, as she takes turns painting landscapes, portraits, still life’s and an occasional abstract. Jarzynski received her associate’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology and her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Lorenzo de’ Medici School, Florence, Italy. She supplemented her studies at the New York Studio School under the direction of Joseph Santore. In 2012, following her schooling, Jarzynski re-located to her hometown of Bethesda, MD to dedicate her time to studio practice. She draws her ideas from observation, memory and imagination and prefers to work through challenges and decisions directly on the canvas, finding great pleasure in the experimentation and surprise of each vision as it evolves.

Vatsala Menon, originally from India, moved to the United States in the 1990’s, upon which her passion for painting also bloomed. Largely self-taught in the practice, Menon committed to painting fulltime in 2012 and continues to hone her craft, her love of art propelling her forward. She is an abstract artist because, as she explains, abstraction gives her freedom, a creative space and the spontaneity of composition. She finds great joy, energy and satisfaction in creating works on canvas, a happiness that permeates all areas of her life.

Robert O’Brien is an artist and mathematician specializing in the human form. He received his Certificate in Painting from Washington Studio School in 2002 and has exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions. He considers himself a painter who bridges abstraction and realism and follows the tradition of Titian, Velázquez, de Kooning and Pollock. O’Brien exhibited at the Kramer Gallery in Silver Spring, MD and Black Rock Center for the Arts in Germantown, MD as well as had a solo show at the National Symphony Orchestra Concert Hartke Theater in Washington, D.C.

Barbara Pliskin was an art teacher for 30 years with Dade County Public Schools in Florida before moving to Maryland. She has worked in many different mediums, including both painting and metals. The move north 12 years ago didn’t change her focus, and Barbara continues her practice of painting and metalsmithing, often incorporating her knowledge of human anatomy in her work. As she creates her pieces she lets the medium dictate the design and guide her process. Most recently Barbara was a member artist with Waverly Street Gallery.


For a closer look, please visit www.bethesda.org.