Art Enables
Art Enables is a not-for-profit arts studio for persons with developmental and/or mental disabilities. They work with artists from throughout the region - DC, MD, and VA.
On July 22nd, they are hosting their first-ever regional art event, a one day juried exhibition of outsider/folk/visionary artwork produced in 14 programs located in DC, Baltimore, and the region.
The exhibition features the work of over 60 artists, most of whom have not been exhibited before.
Although Art Enables is the host for the exibition, the show includes work created by outsider artists through a diverse group os organizations, such as Miriam’s Kitchen, Prisons Foundation, Smith Farm for the Healing Arts, Create! For Seniors, Anchor Mental Health, Art for the People, Studio Downstairs, Mitch Snyder Arts and Education Center, Life Skills, Arc of Baltimore, St. Luke’s House, ARTiculate of WVSA arts connection, and Arts for the Aging.
The juried show, on July 22, 2006, is at MOCA DC in the heart of Georgetown. It is a one-day event, 11 am to 8 pm (reception from 6 pm to 8 pm). The exhibit and gala are free and open to the public.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Phantom Floor
Phantom Floor is a new exhibition opening this coming Thursday, July 20, 2006 from 6-9pm (show runs through August 11, 2006) at Salve Regina Gallery, Catholic University, 620 Michigan Ave. NE, Dept. of Art, Salve Regina Hall. Red Line Metro, Brookland/CUA stop.
The exhibition is curated by Lea-Ann Bigelow, and according to the news release, the exhibition explores the following:
"In the shifting territory between the real and the (imag)ined, the material and the ephemeral, the defined and the unbounded, the self and the other – there dwells the phantom.
For their existence, phantoms draw deeply on individuals’ desire to conjure, project and believe-in alternate and ofttimes contested truths based on their singular, personal experiences.
With Phantom Floor, guest curator Lea-Ann Bigelow brings together the bold new work of three young Washington-area artists – Phoebe Esmon, Tomás Rivas and Karen Joan Topping – in a collective engagement with the liminal and powerfully evocative notion of the phantom.
Through site-specific installations, sculpture and mixed media compositions, the artists excavate, (re)interpret and unleash a host of histories and memories - of places, of people, of things – in a strategic haunting of the gallery, and in so doing remind us of the willful defiance of established truths that fuels artistic creation itself."
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Who's he calling an idiot?
Jackie Trescott has an interesting interview and profile with the Corcoran's new director: Paul Greenhalgh.
Pronounced Green-halggg, or maybe Green-HA-elgg; no wait: Green-halsh! In what language does "halg" sound like "halsh" anyway... silly Brits.
Anyway, it sounds like Greenhalgh is taking the Corcoran by the horns and doing a superb job so far - this appears to be a man who knows that he needs to clean up house, fix it up and then re-establish it as one of America's great art venues. So far it seems like his hiring was the right thing and the right choice.
And I like Greenhalgh's firmness in his words and beliefs.
And I wonder if he is responding to the Blake Gopnik recommendation that the Corcoran become a museum of photography when he says:
"The idea that you would brand yourself with one message is, of course, the idiot's approach to museums," he says. "Museums are complicated places. There is no reason we can't be the edgiest institution and the most experimental over a period of years."Now, that's what I call a response... if he's responding... ehr.. to the photography idea... that is.
Last night
Great opening at my last show with Fraser Gallery. Thanks to all of you who came by to say "goodbye" and "hello" in my new incarnation sans Fraser.
NBC 4 was there filming the opening and discussing my next moves and the history of DC Art News, etc. They also interviewed the fair Katie Tuss, who will be one of the writers helping me expand DC Art News.
There were also a couple of newspaper writers, a few gallerists (I finally met face to face with Nevin Kelly), some curators, a museum director and tons of artists and friends. Thanks to all of you for coming.
Brisk sales, including both pieces by Amy Lin, who is very hot right now - my advice: Buy Lin now before she skyrockets. Lin is currently in at least two more shows around town and selling well everywhere. And she should sign up with a gallery soon.
Best in show winner was a new artist (new to me anyway): Taryn Wells from Medfield, Mass. Powerful, powerful skilled drawings that convey not only exceptional techical skill but also that immensely hard ability to deliver a powerful message via a visual image.
Both of Wells' pieces also sold as soon as the show opened, and I see bright things in the future of this artist.
Award winners:
Best in Show: Taryn Wells
First Place: Andrew Decaen
Second Place: Joseph Hamilton
Third Place: Jenny Davis
Hon. Mention: Anna Conti
Hon Mention: Roland Delcol
Hon. Mention: Angela Grey
Friday, July 14, 2006
This is the kind of lunacy that makes me wanna...
From: Luis A. LunaThis will be the subject of a rant from me later on... below is "The Red Man Takes the Mochila."
Assistant Administrator, Office of Administration and Resources Management
To: All EPA Employees
As you may know, on March 15, 2005, GSA initiated the Section 106 consultation process, under the National Historic Preservation Act, regarding the current setting of the historic murals in the headquarters Ariel Rios North and South buildings. GSA established a consulting group and developed a Web site to solicit comments from interested parties: www.gsa.gov/arielriosmurals.
An executive summary of these comments is now posted on the Web site.
The next steps of this process include GSA identifying a panel of experts that will meet in mid-October to provide them with a higher level of information and input on the murals. EPA employees, members of the Native American community and other interested parties will be invited to participate. At the completion of the forum, the recorded dialogue will be made available to the general public and a final round of public comments will be taken. Based on the information derived by the forum and the public comments, GSA is expected to make its final determination regarding the murals by January 31, 2007.
In the meantime, GSA has completed the design of a temporary screen that will be placed in front of the murals on the 5th floor of the Ariel Rios building. The screen is expected to be ready for installation no later than July 21, 2006.
