Wanna go to a great DC opening tomorrow?

Women's Work: Five Distinct Points of view from Young Female Artists, featuring the work of Molly Brose, Mary Chiaramonte, Jenny Davis, Laurel Hausler and Abbe Mcgray opens tomorrow at DC's Nevin Kelly Gallery on U Street. The opening reception is Thursday, March 15th, 6 - 9 PM.

Two of my favorite young artists are on this list: the super talented Molly Brose, whose work hangs in my house, and the equally talented Jenny Davis, whose work first amazed me when she was 13 years old.

Tip of the Year

There's a small 8x10 inches painting by Clark/Hogan that has found its way to Miss Pixie's shop on 18th St in Adams Morgan in DC. She's selling it for $135.

While they were married Michael Clark and Felicity Hogan used to be my neighbors in Canal Square in Georgetown, where they usually painted together and ran MOCA/DC, and this is one of their signature pieces: a Washington portrait. I have one in my personal collection.

Clark is in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, and has also been in a past Corcoran Bienial, and is also in the permanent collection of the Corcoran. Hogan now lives in New York, where she is an art dealer and an artist.

The Trawick Prize

Deadline: Tuesday, April 10, 2007

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is now accepting submissions for The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards. The 5th annual juried art competition awards $14,000 in prize monies to four selected artists. Deadline for slide submission is Tuesday, April 10, 2007 and up to fifteen artists will be invited to display their work from September 4 – September 28, 2007 in downtown Bethesda at Creative Partners Gallery, located at 4600 East-West Highway.

The Trawick Prize is without a doubt, the key fine arts competition available to DC, MD and VA artists and has already produced some spectaculaer results for its winners.

This year's competition will be juried by Anne Ellegood, Associate Curator at the Hirshorn Museum & Sculpture Garden; Amy G. Moorefield, Assistant Director and Curator of Collections for Virginia Commonwealth University’s Anderson Gallery and Rex Stevens, Chair of the General Fine Arts Department at Maryland Institute College of Art.

The first place winner will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000. A “young” artist whose birth date is after April 10, 1977 may also be awarded $1,000.

Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C. Original painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, fiber art, digital, mixed media and video are accepted. The maximum dimension should not exceed 96 inches in any direction. No reproductions. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years. Selected artists must deliver artwork to exhibit site in Bethesda, MD. All works on paper must be framed to full conservation standards.

The Trawick Prize was established by local Bethesda business owner Carol Trawick. Ms. Trawick has served as a community activist for more than 25 years in downtown Bethesda. She is the Chair of the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and past Chair of the Bethesda Urban Partnership. Additionally, the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation was established in 2007 after the Trawicks sold their successful information technology company.

For a complete submission form, please visit www.bethesda.org or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc., c/o The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, 7700 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Opportunity for Painters

Deadline: Monday, April 9, 07, 4pm.

Last year I told you all the story of my experience with this very good painting competition. Read it here and then enter this show.

The McLean Project for the Arts: Strictly Painting VI has their call for the sixth version of this show. They will notify accepted artists on May 4. Artists will be notified by email or postcard. Please do not call.

The juror is my good friend Kristen Hileman, who is the Assistant Curator at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Eligibility: All Mid-Atlantic artists (DC, VA, MD, PA, NJ, DE, WV) are invited to submit up to 4 slides or jpegs of paintings on any two-dimensional surface completed in the last two years and not previously exhibited at MPA. Paintings that are influenced in some way by the Washington Color School will be considered. Work that combines painting with other media is acceptable as well. Each of the submitted works must be available for exhibit if chosen by the juror. Works must fit through an 81" x 65" doorway.

Awards: Cash prizes up to $2,000 will be awarded by the juror.

Entry fee: $25. Fee waived for current MPA members. Fee includes one-year artist membership to MPA. Make checks payable to: McLean Project for the Arts. Artists may submit up to four 35mm slides in a slide sheet or four digital images on a CD. Submit to:

Strictly Painting
McLean Project for the Arts
1234 Ingleside Avenue, McLean, VA 22101

For further information email Nancy Sausser: nsausser@mpaart.org.

Opportunity for Textile Artists

Deadline: June 29, 2007

The Julia A. Purnell Museum, a museum of regional history with a substantial textile and costume collection is seeking fiber artists and fashion designers to participate in a fashion show to take place in October 2007. The show, entitled "Once Upon a Runway: Tradition & Innovation," will stress the artistic nature of fashion design.

The museum is seeking to represent a wide variety of styles and techniques, including, but not limited to: quilting, hand-weaving, knitting, and hand-dyeing.

Hobbyists, students, professional and non-professional designers and artists are encouraged to apply. Work from patterns is acceptable, especially in the cases of knitwear, historic costume recreations, and hand-wovens, as long as the pattern-maker is noted and credited. The show will be juried by members of the museum staff and the Central Delmarva Fibers Guild, and applicants will be notified of their acceptance no later than July 27, 2007. The fashion show and luncheon will take place on Saturday, October 20 at the Nassawango Country Club in Snow Hill, Maryland. To request an application, or get more information, contact the Julia A. Purnell Museum at (410) 632-0515 or mail@purnellmuseum.com

Multimediale

Multimediale is a four-day multimedia DC area arts festival that brings together artists from the Washington, DC region centered around the theme: Capturing the Capital!

Multimediale seeks to energize the DC arts community with new ideas about art, society and politics. Visit their Web site at www.multimedialedc.org for news and dialogue. Multimediale is organized by Randall Packer and curator Niels Van Tomme. All events are free and open to the public.

Sirius on Tate

Sirius Satellite Radio will be recording a segment on DC area uberartist Tim Tate sometime next week. Details to follow.

Smithsonian to launch TV station

I was reminded today that the Smithsonian Institution will be launching its own television station later this year. It's a joint venture between the SI and CBS/Showtime Networks.

2007 DC Mayor's Arts Awards

The fun, entertainment and presentation of the awards will take place on Monday, March 19, 6:00pm, at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.

Hizzoner Mayor Adrian Fenty will preside over his first Mayor's Arts Awards, the highest honor conferred by the District of Columbia in recognition of artistic excellence and service among artists, organizations, and patrons in the District.

The 22nd Annual Mayor's Arts Awards will be held on Monday, March 19th at 6:00 p.m. in the Concert Hall at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Grammy Award winning a cappella group, Sweet Honey In The Rock will perform and accept the Lifetime Achievement Award.

My good friend WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi is the evening's Master of Ceremonies. Legendary choreographer, director, producer Debbie Allen, D.C. Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Clifford Janey, and Norman Scribner, Artistic Director, Choral Arts Society of Washington are among the presenters.

The evening will feature an award presentation for Excellence in an Artistic Discipline, Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education, Excellence in Service to the Arts, and Innovation in the Arts and others.

Winners will be announced "live" from the stage and receive a statuette specifically commissioned for the ceremony. This event is free and open to the public and I have attended many times over the years and it is a boatload of fun. No tickets are necessary for the award ceremony, but reservations are recommended. The audience should RSVP to artsawards@dc.gov or 202.724.5613.

Grants for Artists

The LEF Foundation accepts grants applications on an ongoing basis. They offer funding for contemporary works in the visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, architecture, design, film and new media. The intent of the grants are to provide opportunities to produce and present new work; to honor creative merit and foster critical discourse; encourage dissemination of work by emerging and under-recognized artists; increase exposure of established artists in regions where they have not been widely represented; to promote new concepts, technologies, and approaches that are experimental or innovative; to support work that may be considered controversial or provocative; and to enhance the voices of marginalized cultures. Interested applicants should send a one page Letter of Intent. For more information or program guidelines, contact:

LEF Foundation
945 Greene St.
San Francisco, CA 94133

Wanna go to nude body painting opening in DC this Friday?

On Friday, March 16, 2007, the five Canal Square Galleries in Georgetown (Parish, Alla Rogers, Rebecca Cross, Anne Fisher and MOCA DC) have their usual 3rd Friday Georgetown openings and MOCA DC is hosting its Erotica 2007 show opening starting at 6 pm until the beer and wine runs out. They will also have a nude body painting event (three females and three males) as part of the festivities.

Oh yeah! The event is free and open to the public.

Jasper Johns and Target

Adam Benforado (identified as "a lawyer and art history buff") writes a really insightful and sensitive piece for the WaPo on corporate sponsorship of art, an issue which has been largely ignored by most art critics, writers and other artworld symbiots.

Currently hanging outside the East Wing of the National Gallery is a large banner of Jasper Johns's 1955 "Target With Four Faces," advertising a show celebrating the first decade of his work. The painting is dominated by the title motif: a blue dot surrounded by four concentric circles of alternating yellow and blue. Walking in recently, I joked to my companion that I was surprised that Target wasn't sponsoring the show.

Out of the mouths of babes . . .

It turns out Target is sponsoring it, "proudly," in fact.

Offering financial backing to the exhibition was undoubtedly a savvy move for Target. After all, the show is filled with paintings that, though they aren't red and white, evoke Target's corporate logo. Johns's targets also appear on the exhibition catalogue and posters for sale in the gift shop. On the busy Sunday I was there, hundreds of people were strolling through, staring intently at various depictions of an image that has been engrained in our heads as standing for one of America's most powerful and successful companies.

And then Adam Benforado offers up a solution:

First, if we care about art -- if we value it as a social good -- we must increase public funding so that museum directors and artists can remain independent. While the United States is unlikely to shift to the centralized European model of art sponsorship, the federal government's stingy arts budget could be increased without any of us feeling much of a bite in our pocketbooks.

Second, we should demand that corporations give money to art galleries without sponsoring particular shows. If Target is really committed to "arts and education," as it says in the Johns show brochure, then it should be just as satisfied with its donation going to support the excellent exhibit on Rembrandt's prints and drawings in the adjoining building.

Or the operating budget for the WPA/C, or finding a place for the Wyeth mural, etc. My kudos to Adam. Read the whole article here.

Sight Scene

Several writers from the WaPo Express have been surveying the DC area art scene including some good postings by SSGT Capps and Kriston & Co. have been doing an excellent job. His most recent survey of some terrific DC area shows is here.

On the Lot

My good friend, the very talented Jon Gann has applied for a new reality TV show called "On the Lot." This American Idol styled show will involve 16 filmmakers from across the country competing for a $1 million development deal at Dreamworks. The show is a co-production of Steven Spielberg, Mark Burnett (Survivor) and FOX, and is scheduled to air in May.

The show's producers have finally uploaded Gann's 2004 award-winning film, "Signs" as a sample of his work.

We can help: Please visit a web site that Gann has put together at PutJonOnTV.com. The site has information on how you can register, watch his film, rate it, and leave a comment on his blog. By participating in this process, we can all help increase his chances of getting the interview that he needs to be cast.

Randall School renovation discussions

The Southwest advisory neighborhood commission draft agenda for its March 12 meeting has a discussion on the Randall School renovation issue.

For interested artists and other interested parties, the meeting begins at 7 p.m. on March 12 at 25 M St., SW. For more information, call (202) 554-1795.

A Breath of Fresh Art Writing

One of the most pleasantly shocking things to unexpectedly find in the Washington Post's Style section on a Monday morning is a huge profile by the WaPo's chief art critic of a DC area artist.

Gopnik profiles DC area glass sculptor Graham Caldwell, whose show at G Fine Art runs through March 31, 2007. We also learn that Graham, is apparently soon leaving the DC area and heading back to NYC as well as the fact that "Caldwell, normally a trendy dresser -- a shy smile, slight build and artfully tousled hair give him teen-idol looks -- is in old khakis and a scruffy shirt."

This is the first time in my memory that I recall the WaPo profiling a living DC area artist; usually such profiles come in the form of an obit-type article. Kudos to Gopnik.

While I was gone

And nu, I am back from Sedona after an unexpected one day stop at Phoenix courtesy of US Airways.

I have tons of interesting stuff to discuss and report, but first I'd like to make sure that no one misses on the good stuff that happened while I was gone and playing hooky on blogging duties.

DCist Exposed opened at the Warehouse Gallery and it appears that Heather not only did a great effing job, but all of us in the rarified atmosphere of the fine arts arena may have seen the shape of things to come. From the volume of emails that I have received about this show, the opening was a spectacular success and has once again proven the power of the web. I add my vote to those hoping that DCist does this again and maybe even expand the concept, say to my idea about videos and DC, or painting, or sculpture. Bravo to DCist and Heather Goss! Go see this show and buy some really good affordable photography.

One of DC's best-known artists (with hundreds of Indie films about him) Tim Tate opened at Fraser Gallery [formerly co-owned by blah, blah, blah], sold a ton of stuff and had a cool article about the show at the Washington City Paper and a nice mention in the WaPo. Which brings me to the question: This is Tate's fourth solo show in DC and still he has never, ever been reviewed by the sole WaPo art critic charged with reviewing DC area art galleries. Why is GWU art history student Jessica Dawson ignoring Tim Tate? Who knows? Is the fourth time a charm? Maybe Jessica will now take the Metro to Bethesda and offer her thoughts on the artist bringing glass to the 21st century like Stieglitz brought photography to art. Go see this show and this may be the last chance for budget-minded collectors to acquire an original piece at very, very reasonable prices by this artist - news to follow!

My good friend Staff Sgt. Capps has a really good update on the hot issue of the Randall School, the Corcoran and the artists who have studios there. Read Capps' piece here and artist Karen Joan Topping's issues here and also artist Ellyn Weiss issues here.

Artomatic is one of the United States of America's premier visual art events, especially for emerging artists and beginning art collectors. It is usually denigrated by repressive art neocons and traditional art writers stuck on the mental payroll of an elitist artworld itself stuck on the shift gear of booshwah museum curators, symbiotic writers and critics, and a handful of NYC art dealers, all so far removed from 9to5 jobs and glued to oversized glossy magazines and books, that they (we) have failed to realize and actualize on the beauty and raw power and energy of the common human and their visual art creations. If you live anywhere near the DC area and want to know what being an artist, feeling like an artist and rejoicing in the spectacular sensuality and power delivered by being able to create and showcase art, then make sure that you become part of (as a participant, volunteer or visitor) Artomatic. And don't let the Hamelin-pied-piper minded neoconcritics scare you away from Art-O-Matic; I can fill pages of this blog with the success stories of artists who first surfaced through this most plebian and democratic of art events, including the top three new DC area 3D artists (artists that these same critics now (probably) wish they had acquired back in those seminal AOM exhibits). Who will be the new star of this coming AOM?

N.C. Wyeth mural to be moved

"The Apotheosis of the Family" is a 60-foot-by-19-foot mural by American art icon N.C. Wyeth which is to be moved from the Wilmington Savings Fund Society in Wilmington, Delaware (where it has been since 1932) to an unknown location.

I am told that the developer will move it to another spot (so far unknown to me). The final location of this massive mural has been uncertain since 2005, when the Wilmington Savings Fund Society announced plans for a new headquarters.

As part of the project, the WSFS "struck a deal to sell the building for about $4 million to Wilmington real estate developer Buccini/Pollin Group Inc. The deal is expected to close in early April."

This huge work of art belongs in Delaware, and "art conservators have estimated the cost to remove the painting's five canvas panels would range from $100,000 to $200,000," which is a very realistic and affordable price for a work of art that belongs in the tiny state for which it was created. Furthermore, considering the massive "old money" wealth of some Delaware families and businesses, this seems to be a prime (and cheap) opportunity for some company to get some great positive publicity in moving and re-installing this work of art in a Delaware institution.

"So far, "discreet inquiries" to find a new home in either a public building or a museum have not been fruitful, said Joyce Hill Stoner, a professor at the Winterthur/University of Delaware program in art conservation and the expert who oversaw conservation work on the mural in 1998. Stoner has been consulting with Buccini on the mural for more than a year.

Danielle Rice, director of the Delaware Art Museum, said Wednesday the museum has no space to accommodate such a large work.

"We would have to build a building for it," Rice said.

James M. Duff, director of the Brandywine River Museum echoed that sentiment."

"We hope this wonderful mural will be preserved, but it is too large for the Brandywine River Museum," Duff said in a statement.

The Delaware State Arts Council has had trouble finding a potential spot because of the "overwhelming size," said Stoner, a member of the council.

So far the real estate developer (Buccini/Pollin Group Inc.) has stated that "if possible he would prefer to see the work stay in the region," which is good news.

This is a call for the ubercompanies to come through with a good solution. Calling AOL, Lockheed Martin, MickeyDees and others.

Update: Check out a video of the mural by BB's Video Press here.

Returning home all sun burned and charged up from all the hiking and eating and gallery hopping. More later...

Sedona Vortex


A few days ago we hiked up to one of the Vortex sites overlooking Boynton Pass near Sedona.

One to watch

Every once in a while I keep harping about some DC area artists that in my professional opinion, sometimes colored by nepotism and enthusiasm, are not only "must haves" for collectors, but also excellent buys due to their current price points and level of artwork being produced.

Amy Lin is one of those artists that I have been recommending for a while. Her recent last solo at DCAC sold extremely well and now Washingtonian magazine is including her in a forthcoming article on "people to watch" under 40 years of age and they're profiling her for the article.

Venuszine recently also interviewed Amy; read that interview here.

I'm still in Sedona, AZ, and it continues to amaze me. Later today after some hiking I'll be doing some gallery hoping.

Weekend Openings

Even from way out here in Sedona, it's easy to see that the coming weekend is certainly one filled with the opening of important and interesting shows in the Greater DC area. Take a look below, set aside some gallery time and go out and see some shows.

Greater DC

Friday, March 9: It's the second Friday of the month, so it is time for the Bethesda Art Walk.

Tim Tate's "...but what have we gained?", his fourth solo at Fraser Gallery opens in Bethesda with an opening reception for the artist who [total lack of objectivity follows] many recognize as one of the leading forces in the movement that is dragging glass from the confines of craft and firmly plants it in the conceptual realms of contemporary art. I'm far from being objective with Tate's work anymore, but be ready soon for a major jump for this artist, and in this show Tate takes glass to new places again, including video. Go see the marriage of video and narrative glass. Opening reception for Tate from 6-9PM. Through April 7, 2007.

Jayme McLellan's Civilian Art Projects stops roaming around the capital and finds a permanent home at Cheryl Numark's original space on 7th Street, and Jayme has double Jasons for an opening offering: Jason Falchook "Contours & Detours" and Jason Zimmerman "Natural Acts" as well as a group exhibition in the project space with works by artists including Ken Ashton (DC), Jason Balicki (NY), Lisa Blatt (CA), Keshaun Blunt (VA), Breck Omar Brunson (DC), Erick Jackson (DC), George Jenne (NY), Jason Kalogiros (CA) and Nilay Lawson (DC). Opening Reception is Friday, March 9, 2007 - 6:30-8:30 p.m.

9x10 : WPA\C Member Show. In tribute to the late William Warren Parker’s support for emerging DC artists, his family has generously donated space at the William W. Parker (WWP) Gallery – housed in Mickelson’s Fine Art Framing at 629 New York Ave NW - to WPA\C for a new "nine-by-ten" exhibition series: 9 shows of 10 member artists each. These shows will provide a new outlet for WPA\C member artists, and each exhibition will present a diverse cross-section of the WPA\C membership to the public, showcasing works in all media. The 9x10 exhibitions will run monthly from March 2007 to January 2008. Show #1` runs from March 9 – April 6, 2007and features Stephen Borko, Sabine Carlson, Sheila Crider, Joel D’Orazio, Kid Flash (Steve Frost), J.T. Kirkland, Jeanette May, Betsy Stewart, Gia Tkablazde and Andrew Wodzianski. Opening reception: Friday, March 9, 6-8pm, WWP Gallery (Mickelson’s Fine Art Framing), 629 New York Ave NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20001. Info: 202.639.1737.

Saturday, Match 10: Long View Gallery in the city has opening on Saturday, March 10 from 6-8pm for Chicago-based artist Gerard Erley’s Poetic Landscape.

Sunday March 11: Super-talented photographer Jim Steele has an opening reception for his exhibition at the beautiful Athenaeum in Old Town Alexandria. The reception is from 2-4PM.

In Sedona

I'm in amazing Sedona, Arizona for the week for some hiking and some gallery visits to Scottsdale.

This place has been called the most beautiful spot in America and they were right! More later, including a very important DC area opening this Friday.

Hot Rockwell Found

“Russian Schoolroom,” a Norman Rockwell painting stolen in 1973 has been found by long-time Rockwell collector Steven Spielberg. Read the story here.

Airborne again today and heading to Sedona, Arizona for a little R&R and some gallery hopping around Scottsdale. More later...

Drawn to Art

Every once in a while I get an email from someone asking about where to take drawing classes in the Greater DC area.

The WaPo's Michael O'Sullivan answers that question and more in today's excellent article "Drawn to Art."

The League of Reston Artists also organizes and monitors life drawing sessions at the Reston Community Center at Lake Anne in Reston. Their schedule is on their web site here. The fee is $6 for Reston residents, and $8 for non-residents.

This coming Sunday

If you saw the piece about the Nevin Kelly Gallery and the 4Traits on DC's Fox5 Morning News this morning then you may know that The 4Traits, a group of four artists doing assembly line portraiture, will be in the Nevin Kelly Gallery on this coming Sunday from 1-5pm. Stop by 1517 U St NW in DC to have your portrait drawn for free.

Last Night

Was a packed house at Mate in Georgetown, where nearly everyone and anyone with a footprint in the Greater DC area visual art scene was present for the launching festivities for artDC.

Believe it or not, I hadn't been to G'town since we closed the original Fraser Gallery, which is about a block up the street on 31st Street, NW in Canal Square. The Parish Gallery, which used to be our neighbor in the Square knocked down the wall between the two galleries and now Norman Parish's old space looks really nice with the expanded area.

Anyway, Mate was packed to the gills and there was good food and an open bar, and all the head honchos for ArtDC were there, as well as their media co-sponsors, DC Magazine.

In addition to a significant number of handsome men and goodlooking women, who came clearly because of the magazine's co-sponsorhip of the event, many of DC area [also goodlooking] gallerists such as Leigh Conner, Martin Irvine, Julia Morelli and others were present, as well as some of the folks from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, a museum director or two, including Jack Rasmussen from the Katzen, a lot of curators like Vivienne Lassman, Sarah Tanguy, Angela Jerardi and others, and even some of the folks from the mainstream media who rarely come to openings showed up, including WaPotistas Michael O'Sullivan and the fair Jessica Dawson. Also saw some of DC's rare and few ubercollectors, such as Dr. Ognibene, Podestas, etc., some of which were actually co-sponsoring the event.

Didn't see too many artists, other than painters Candace Keegan and Sondra Arkin.

We were told by Ilana Vardy, the fair's director, that so far 80 or so galleries from 12 countries have been accepted into DC's first major international commercial fine arts fair, and it is clear that the artDC organizers are trying to align every possible thing that can be aligned to ensure that the fair takes root and that it becomes not only a commercial success, but also a recurring event.

The fair will take place April 27-30, 2007 at the Washington Convention Center, Hall E. Details here.

Lilith Waiting for the Apple

While I was in Colorado last week, I did a couple of drawings while watching TV in the hotel room at night.

Below is "Lilith Waiting for the Apple," 14" x 4" on 300 weight Rising white paper and executed while watching Rome on HBO, by far the best series on TV these days. Click on the drawing for a larger version.

Gopnik and African Art

The WaPo's chief art critic's recent review of "African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection" again presents this intelligent man's Oxford-made and flawed Anglocentric view of the art history of the world (remember the El Greco fiasco?) and has raised some interesting comments here and the ire of the Right Reverend.

Wanna go to an opening tonight?

The head out to the University of Maryland's Union Gallery for "I Walk the Line: Three Abstract Artists in the 21st-Century: Mary Early, Linn Meyers, and Douglas Witmer" curated by Jonathan Walz – PhD Candidate, Art History. Opening Reception: Thursday, March 1, from 5-7 PM and the exhibition runs through April 12, 2007.

Jury Duty

Last night was the first of a few nights hanging around Flashpoint in DC as part of a jury team selecting new media works for artDC. Together with ubercollector Philip Barlow, David Gariff from the NGA, independent curators Angela Jerardi and Laura Roulet, and Art in Embassies boss Sarah Tanguy, we spent a few hours reviewing the submitted works and found several good ones, but loads more left to review.

It was a long day, as I had spent the entire day in meetings in DC prior to circling 9th and G for 15 minutes looking for a parking spot at 5PM.

More later...

Congratulations

To super hardworking DC area artist Matt Sesow, who has one of his paintings being shown on the VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown (started last Saturday Feb. 24th). It repeats until this coming Saturday. Matt has built a mini-video on his website that shows the segment where they show his work. Click here to see it.

Matt also has a solo show opening next Saturday, March 3, 2007 in Oceanside/San Diego at the D Gallery. They have just under 70 of his paintings on display. Matt Sesow paints, shows and sells a lot.

Weekend Openings

Because it is First Fridays, the coming weekend is certainly one filled with the opening of important and interesting shows across the Middie-A. Take a look below, set aside some gallery time and go out and see some shows.

Greater DC

Friday: It's First Friday and most of the Dupont Circle area art galleries will have either openings for new shows or extended hours.

Studio Gallery will be featuring Jan Willem van der Vossen, who will be showing paintings on tile, cityscapes, and collages. A reception will be held Friday, March 2, 6- 8pm (in conjunction with the Galleries of Dupont Circle 1st Friday openings) and a second reception will be held on Sunday March 4, 2.30 - 5.30pm.

Conner Contemporary will be kicking-off Matthew Sutton's "The Kudzu Project" from 6-8 PM. Details here. Leigh will also have new drawings by Mark Bennett (same opening times).

Saturday: Andy Moon Wilson is at it again and this time Curator's Office will showcase a 1000 business card drawing installation plus additional large-format and scroll drawings. Let me be the first one to congratulate Andrea Pollan on taking on this hard-working young artist and also the first one to feel sorry for her in having to hang 1000 drawings in her office/micro-gallery! Business by Andy Moon Wilson runs Saturday, March 3 through Saturday, April 7, 2007 and opens on Saturday, March 3 from 6:30 - 8 pm.

Also on Saturday, Irvine Contemporary has "Joseph McSpadden: Flesh and Bone," on exhibition from March 3 - April 7, 2007 and opening reception with the artist on Saturday, March 3, 6-8 PM.

Baltimore

Thursday (OK, OK not really weekend): The Maryland State Arts Council 40th Anniversary celebration multi-media exhibition "New Legacies and Living Icons" at the James Backus Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland from March 1 - May 4, 2007. On exhibit recent works by Denee Barr, Min-Jung Cheon, Linda Day Clark, Richard Cleaver, Pepe Coronado, Jane Cottis, Annet Couwenberg, Brent Crothers, Laure Drogoul, Luis Flores, Carol Frost, Joan Gaither, Craig Herndon, Jose Mapily, Ulysses Marshal, Nancy Roeder, Jann-Rosen-Queralt, Joyce Scott, Rene Trevino, Deborah Winram, Gene Young, and Al Zaruba. Opening Reception Thursday, March 1st from 5-7pm with Gallery Talk at 6pm. Curated by Dr. Leslie King Hammond, Dean of Graduate Studies at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Location: Maryland State Arts Council James Backus Gallery 175 West Ostend Street, in Baltimore.

Friday: It's also First Fridays in Baltimore and most of the Fells Point galleries and art venues will have openings and extended hours. Details here.

Philadelphia

Friday: It's also First Fridays in Philly and most of the Old City's galleries and art venues will have openings and extended hours. Details here.

Projects Gallery concludes its group show season as it stages an exhibition that challenges the typical vision of the landscape show. Projects Gallery has selected artists who present a different view of the subject of landscape: “Altered Landscapes” opens Friday March 2 with a First Friday reception from 5-9PM. Work by Douglas Wirls, Nic Coviello, Frank Hyder, Steve Cope, Tom Brady, and Venezuelan painter Henry Bermudez. The exhibition continues through April 1st, 2007.

ColorField remix

More than 30 Washington area museums, galleries, arts organizations and businesses are participating in ColorField remix, the largest celebration of painting ever held in the Washington area.

Per the news release and website, "the event honors the 1950s and 1960s Color Field visual art movement and the Washington Color School, which put Washington, DC on the art world map. ColorField remix includes exhibitions, public art projects, artists' talks, lectures, children's programs, and special events honoring Color Field and Washington Color School painters as well as contemporary artists influenced by those movements. The project was conceived by The Kreeger Museum and is being held in partnership with Cultural Tourism DC, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Washington, DC Convention & Tourism Corporation."

Check out all the events, details and exhibitions that will be synchronized across the DC area between April - July 2007. Details here.

Around the Reviewsphere

Greater DC

At ARTifice, Lauren Rice reviews Stanley Lewis at the Katzen. Also at ARTifice, David Waddell reviews the third Maria Friberg exhibition at Conner Contemporary.

At Thinking About Art, JT reviews Colby Caldwell at Hemphill Fine Arts and also reviews Graham Caldwell at G Fine Arts.

At the Washington City Paper, Jeffry Cudlin reviews the Phillips Collection’s current show, Moving Pictures: American Art and Early Film. The CP's photography critic Louis Jacobson also reviews the Sixth Annual International Photography Competition at Bethesda's Fraser Gallery. The CP also has a Kriston Capps review of "5 + 5" at the District of Columbia Jewish Community Center’s Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery. Also at the CP, Dave McKenna profiles High School photographer Fireu Retta.

The Baltimore Sun's art critic Glenn McNatt takes a rare trip outside of Baltimore and also reviews the Phillips Collection's "Moving Pictures: American Art and Early Film."

And The Examiner's Robin Tierney also reviews the Phillips Collection's "Moving Pictures: American Art and Early Film." Robin also delivers a superb profile and review of "Together One Hundred and Eight," at Art Enables’ new location.

In the Gazette newspapers, Dr. Claudia Rousseau reviews Baltimore-based artist Joan Erbe at the Heineman-Myers Gallery in Bethesda.

At Solarize This, Alexandra has a review of Tim Laman at the National Geographic Society.

In the WaPo, Blake Gopnik questions African art in his review of "African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection" at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art. The Gopnikmeister also has this to say about the exhibition. Also in the WaPo, art critic Michael O'Sullivan reviews "Girl Power! Girls' Comics From Japan," at the Japan Information and Culture Center.

The Georgetowner's John Blee reviews Marsha Mateyka's group show.

Maryland

In the Baltimore City Paper Deborah McLeod reviews Maryland Institute College of Art’s retrospective "The Visual Journalism of Jan van Toorn". The BCP also has a byline-less review of Glittering Ruin at Current Gallery.

At the Washington City Paper photography critic Louis Jacobson reviews the Sixth Annual International Photography Competition at Bethesda's Fraser Gallery.

At the Gazette, Dr. Claudia Rousseau reviews Baltimore-based artist Joan Erbe at the Heineman-Myers Gallery in Bethesda.

In the Annapolis Capital, Theresa Winslowprofiles some of the art treasures at The Hammond-Harwood House.

Philadelphia

At the Inquirer, Edith Newhall reviews Jina Valentine at the Fleisher/Ollman Gallery and also Jon Poblador at Larry Becker Contemporary Art.

In the Philly City Paper, Shaun Brady reviews Ted Knighton at International House. Also in the PCP, Robin Rice reviews Mark Blavat, Syd Carpenter, Quentin Morris, David Stephens at Art Around Gallery.

Opportunity for Artists

Deadline: Nov 30, 2007

The Korean Cultural Center in LA is seeking submissions from US artists for the Center's 15th Annual exhibition. Open to all media. Awards of up to $2,900. No entry fee. Send SASE to:

Korean Cultural Center
15th Annual Exhibition
5505 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Or call them at 323-936-7141 or fax them at 323-936-5712(FAX) or email them at exhibition@kccla.org

Opportunity for Video Artists

Deadline: March 10, 2007

Call for Video Submissions. In 2007 VVVF, Venturous Vanguard Video Festival, is celebrating its third year. VVVF is curated by the artist Shoshana Brand and funded by Contemporary MAP: Contemporary Modern Art Projects.

In April, 28, 2007 VVVF will be screened in Mission College, in Sylmar, California, together with the 4th Annual Carless Drive-In Video Festival.

VVVF presents video shorts made by international artists. The 2007 Festival theme is: "Laugh, Cry, Be Poetic, Get Crazy" for which all interpretations will be considered. They are accepting short movies, 10 minutes max, from all over the world. Entries are juried. No entry fee. Submission deadline: March 10, 2007. (postmark) Selected movies will receive a VVVF Favorite Cash Award. VVVF is accepting few experimental movies, longer than 10 minutes, for a special guest screening. To obtain an entry form and guidelines, email them at info@contemporarymap.org.

Call for Artists

Beyond the Canvas gallery in California is seeking professional artists in all mediums. Send them 8-10 images that show range of work, description of pieces including title, size, and medium. Also include your bio and artist statement. Prints, CD, or Jpegs. No entry fee. Send Package to:

Beyond the Canvas
27758 Santa Margarita Pkwy #337
Mission Viejo CA 92691

Scope NY

Scope is apparently going gangbusters in New York, and hardworking Maryland private art dealer Rody Douzoglou got a nice mention in this ArtInfo report by William Hanley.

Congratulations

To DC gallerist Marsha Ralls, recently profiled (Gallerist Snapshot) in the current March issue of Black & White Photography magazine.

Read it here.

Marsha is also taking work by the artists that she represents for a four day exhibition at the Four Seasons Exclusive Club in Dubai March 6-10, 2007.

Greenhalghian Love

The March Washingtonian magazine issue has a must read article on Corcoran Director and President Peter Greenhalgh and the upcoming $2 million Modernism exhibition which opens March 17 and claims to be "another debut moment for the 138 year old Corcoran Gallery of Art."

"Greenhalgh is the son of a blue collar construction worker, a divorced father of two grown sons with a strong charm & personality that has made him a hit at 'a quarter of a million cocktail parties' as he tries to figure out Washington society."

More importantly, he already owns local art! He recently purchased Linda Hesh's table centerpiece at the recent WPA\C auction.

Returning home a bit earlier. The newsfolk in Denver were talking about a possible snow storm late on Friday, so considering that Denver has been attracting snow in the kind of immense quantities that cause travel nightmares, I decided to bite the bullet, and pay for a ticket exchange and leave earlier.

So I called United on Friday, pay $115 samolians to change my departure from 4:51PM on Friday evening to 12:15PM on Friday afternoon.

About 6:30AM on Friday morning my cell rings and it is one of the worst computer voices that I have ever heard, butchering my name, and then telling me that the 12:15PM flight has been cancelled, but they have managed to re-sked my departure on the 6:38PM.

Crap!

And so I call United and tell the nice lady who answers the phone the whole story, hoping to have her find the logic of the fact that I paid United an additional $115 bucks to leave earlier, and now I have been re-booked on a flight that actually leaves later than my original sked.

She understands my telephonic bewilderment when she informs me that it is not United policy to return the exchange money, since it was I which initiated the exchange. True, says I, but United did not deliver on the contract to deposit me home earlier.

She wants to talk to her sup.

A significant amount of air minutes later, she comes back, offering me, provided that I can get to the airport in time to catch a 10:23AM departure to San Francisco (by now is around 8AM and I haven't packed nor checked out of the hotel), to then get me home on a nonstop from Frisco to Philly.

I just want to get out of Dodge Denver before the snow hits the fan and so I agree.

With speeds closely approaching the original Star Trek warp factors I somehow get from Littleton to Denver International in under an hour and happily, just barely make my flight.

Home...

Opportunity for Artists

Deadline March 14, 2007

OPTIONS 2007 - Call For Entries

OPTIONS features talented under-recognized and emerging artists in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia region.

* Artists working in all media will be considered.
* No Entry Fee.
* Artists with gallery representation are ineligible. (ie: having a gallery/agent working on behalf of the artist to promote or sell his/her artwork.)
* Artists who have exhibited in past OPTIONS exhibitions are ineligible.

OPTIONS 2007 Curator:
Paul Brewer is an independent curator and writer based in Brooklyn, NY. Previously, he was Director of Exhibitions for the Corcoran College of Art + Design where he organized exhibitions by artists such as Tara Donovan, Critical Art Ensemble, Anthony Goicolea, and Seimon Allen, among others. His writing has appeared in museum publications and art journals in the US, Europe, and Latin America. He is currently a consultant to the Office for Contemporary Art Norway in the areas of communications and international programming.

Download the prospectus here.

Opportunity for Silver Spring, MD Artists

Deadline: 5pm March 16th, 2007

Gateway's Heliport Gallery is seeking works from Silver Spring based artists for an
exhibit in April, 2007.

The show will predominantly be curated through online submissions via artdc.org. Curators for the show are Nevin Kelly Gallery Deputy Director Julia Morelli and Gateway's Silver Spring Project Manager David Fogel.

Artists of all mediums are encouraged to submit three jpgs. (1000 x 1000 pixels max optimized for the web) of exhibit ready work. Submissions should include:

Medium and Size of piece. Artists will also be required to submit their zip code. Artists whose studios or homes are in Silver Spring qualify.

Submission deadline is: 5pm March 16th, 2007.

Find the call here.

Job in the Arts

Executive Director: Cecil County Arts Council, Inc. - Maryland
CCAC is the county's umbrella cultural organization and awards grants to school and nonprofits presenting arts programs. It has a two-person full-time staff, including E.D.; $92K budget from state grant funding/ dues/ corporate support/fundraising. Programs include visual arts exhibitions, concerts, poetry/art workshops, scholarships , after-school outreach programs. E.D. qualifications: Commitment to community outreach; ability to maintain/nurture/inspire membership; knowledge of art-related issues; managerial, grant writing/fundraising experience; outstanding communication/presentation/ public relations skills; experience in working with a board of directors.

Qualified applicants can expect a salary starting at $38,000-$41,000. Benefits: health/dental coverage, retirement, paid vacation/holiday/sick/personal time. Send resume, cover letter , references to:

Personnel Committee
CCAC
135 E. Main St.
Elkton, MD 21921

Or email copy of resume to maggie.creshkoff@gmail.com.

New Arts Blog

ARTifice is a new (new to me anyway) visual arts blog by AU students. Loads and loads of art reviews by AU students! Visit them often here.

Airborne again today and heading to Denver. More later...

Time for the Trawick Prize

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is now accepting submissions for The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards. The 5th annual juried art competition awards $14,000 in prize monies to four selected artists. Deadline for slide submission is Tuesday, April 10, 2007 and up to fifteen artists will be invited to display their work from September 4 – September 28, 2007 in downtown Bethesda at Creative Partners Gallery, located at 4600 East-West Highway.

This year's competition will be juried by Anne Ellegood, Associate Curator at the Hirshorn Museum & Sculpture Garden; Amy G. Moorefield, Assistant Director and Curator of Collections for Virginia Commonwealth University’s Anderson Gallery and Rex Stevens, Chair of the General Fine Arts Department at Maryland Institute College of Art.

The first place winner will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000. A “young” artist whose birth date is after April 10, 1977 may also be awarded $1,000.

Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C. Original painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, fiber art, digital, mixed media and video are accepted. The maximum dimension should not exceed 96 inches in any direction. No reproductions. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years. Selected artists must deliver artwork to exhibit site in Bethesda, MD. All works on paper must be framed to full conservation standards.

The Trawick Prize was established by local Bethesda business owner Carol Trawick. Ms. Trawick has served as a community activist for more than 25 years in downtown Bethesda. She is the Chair of the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and past Chair of the Bethesda Urban Partnership. Additionally, the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation was established in 2007 after the Trawicks sold their successful information technology company.

For a complete submission form, please visit www.bethesda.org or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc., c/o The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, 7700 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Job in the Arts

Curator, Firehouse Gallery in Burlington, Vermont. This position is responsible for selection, installation, and interpretation of exhibitions and artwork displayed in the Firehouse gallery, and to act as a representative of the City's commitment to the Visual Arts to the community.

A Bachelors degree in studio art, art history, or related field required as well as an additional year of experience, at a minimum, in a museum or gallery.

Pay: $17/hour. Details here.

Also more locally, the National Arts Organization has several art related jobs open, ranging in starting salary from $45,000 - $58,000. Contact for more information: The Rosen Group, Inc., 3000 Chestnut Ave #300, Baltimore, MD 21211. Phone: (443)451.7906; E-mail: jobs@rosengrp.com