The inaugural Bethesda Fine Arts Festival, which took place over the weekend was a spectacular success. I would guess around 20,000 to 25,000 people showed up to view the work of 122 artists from around the nation. From talking to the artists and crafts people, sales were quite brisk as well, which is always good to hear. I sold about twenty drawings.

This fine arts festival is well on its way to become one of the top ten outdoor art festivals in the country. Area artists should really consider doing it next year. Contact Bethesda Up! for details for next year's festival.

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Teaching Position at AU

Applications will be reviewed June 1 - Studio Teaching position, American University – DC. American University. Assistant Professor, temporary one-year position. Beginning Fall 2004.

Qualifications: MFA in Painting. Exhibition record and teaching experience. Proven ability to work in an effective manner with both undergraduate and graduate students.

Responsibilities: Teaching: Teach undergraduate courses in painting, drawing and general education studio courses. Teach in graduate thesis seminars, drawing and graduate critiques; student advising. Scholarship/Creative Work: Active exhibition record. University Service: Serving on Department, College and University committees.

Salary competitive dependent on experience and qualifications. Applications will be reviewed beginning June 1, 2004 and continue until the position is filled. Include letter of application, curriculum vitae, 20 slides of own work and 20 slides of students' work, three letters of recommendation and SASE.

Studio Search Committee Department of Art
American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington DC 20016-8004.

Questions? Call or email Glenna K. Haynie at ghaynie@american.edu, (202) 885-1671

Glen Echo Park Call to Artists for Course Proposals.

Deadline May 24, 2004.

The Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture Inc (GEPPAC) invites artists to submit Course Proposals for their Fall and Winter 2004-05 sessions.

Course proposals are sought for all age groups in the areas including fiber arts, decorative arts, metals, jewelry, enameling, art history, and other arts, crafts and media. Course proposals for ages 13 and older should not include the subject areas of pottery, drawing, painting, and photography. Deadline for Fall/Winter ’04-‘05 Course Proposals is Monday, May 24, 2004. You will be contacted no later than June 2 with your proposal status.

Applicants should have relevant teaching and/or professional experience. When submitting your course proposal, include resume with three professional references, teaching experience, and education history.

GEPPAC is a non-profit organization, newly established to manage the operations, facilities and programs in Glen Echo Park. Its mission is to manage educational, artistic, historical, cultural, environmental and recreational programs at the Park in a manner that is attractive and accessible to a diverse population of users, financially self-sustaining, and sensitive to the needs of the neighboring community. Glen Echo Park is host to a variety of arts, cultural and environmental education programs, some operated by resident groups and others managed directly by GEPPAC.

For more information about course proposal requirements visit this website and click on Teaching Opportunities. Or contact Adrienne Lewis, the Education Program Manager at alewis@glenechopark.org.

Just back from spending the day burning in the sun at the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival.

It was great! Lots of people, and I sold quite a bit of work... in fact I came home ready to frame new pieces for tomorrow, but got engaged on the phone in a great conversation with a kindred ancient soul and now it's too late for framing, so instead I'm posting some recent thoughts and news.... see below.

Come see 120 plus artists tomorrow at the Festival. I'll be there.

Do you want to know why art criticism can never ever be objective, but always comes loaded with a critic's personal agenda?

Read Blake Gopnik's piece in the Post. Gopnik does not like painting, and subscribes to the somewhat dated and debunked theory that "painting is dead."

Since painting refuses to die, and collectors refuse to let it die, and dealers refuse to let it die, and curators refuse to let it die, the pushers of this antiquated theory that once made news in the 60s, try to rationalize it, as Gopnik brilliantly does in this piece.

However, once you realize that this is on the "agenda" of a particular art scribe, it sounds as empty now as it did in ther 1960s.

Notice how he labels Robert Hughes, one of the planet's most respected and influential art critics, and probably the best-known contemporary art critic in the world, as "Conservative" simply because Hughes would bury the "painting is dead" slogan in the same grave as "happenings" from the 60s and 70s.

It is a shame that such a gifted and influential writer as the Washington Post's chief art critic is, will go all the way to London to visit that distant city's art galleries, but cannot be bothered to visit or write about his own city's art galleries on a regular basis.

Yawn...

One of the things that seems to have hindered the visibility of the Greater Reston Arts Center is the development of a genuine and credible exhibition committee or group or guidance to advise on the programming and exhibition philosophy of the new Arts Center.

In my opinion, after sliding by far too long with inconsistent policies and practices, I’m happy to report that a friend of mine tells me that such a panel was instituted a few weeks ago!

She says that the new panel is being chaired by Michael Monroe, formerly of the Renwick. GRACE will be retaining Deborah MacLeod (former director of McLean Project for the Arts) to help develop and/or curate a new direction in their programming and exhibitions.

I am posting this because I hope this means that GRACE is moving in the right direction. It is a very nice space, and having curated a show there a few years ago, I really want to see them become a firm member of our arts tapestry.

GRACE also needs to do something to restore the reputation of their Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, which has slipped in the last couple of years, and was even boycotted by many artists last year for their huge price increase for an exhibition booth. This is one of the great outdoor art festivals in the nation, but it needs to be more artist-friendly.

Tomorrow and Sunday is the inaugural Bethesda Fine Arts Festival. The event will feature 120 national artists representing photography, painting, jewelry, furniture, pottery and mixed media, plus live entertainment and Bethesda's best restaurants. The artists' booths will be around Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle along Norfolk and Auburn Avenues.

See you there!

Artist Studios

Artist Studio Space Available at Passageways Studios, Riverdale.
$185 per month, approximately 200sf, skylight, 24hour access, all utilities included. For more information call Debbie Hoeper at phoeper@aol.com or call 301-622-2915.

Studio Space Available. Located on Rhode Island above the Mount Rainier Post Office. Space is approximately 2300sf, excellent light with northern and southern exposure. Suitable for graphic design artists, painters, musicians. $8/sf. Call 202-746-1038 for more information.