Wanna try for a book?

Deadline: September 5, 2008.

The Center for Documentary Studies/Honickman First Book Prize in Photography is a biennial prize offering $3,000 in grant money, inclusion in an exhibition, and most importantly, the publication of a book of photography, published by Duke University Press in association with CDS Books of the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. To learn more, go to this website or send an SASE to:

CDS/THF First Book Prize in Photography
Center for Documentary Studies
1317 West Pettigrew Street
Durham, NC 27705

East of the River

Anacostia River that is, and "East of the River" is the title of the exhibition by Anacostia's 's Honfleur Gallery, as it celebrates its Second Annual East of the River Exhibition, opening 7pm on August 9th 2008. Site specific installation, photography, painting, mixed media sculpture, collage, prints, drawings, written & spoken-word and functional craft demonstrate the broad range of the works in the show. Exhibitors range from emerging to seasoned professional artists.

Artists in East of the River include: Randall C. Holloway, Stephen James Terrell, Kerry Richardson, Kamala Subramanian, Douglas Eatmon, Martha Jackson Jarvis, Matthew Mann, Dominic Bracco, Sherry Ways, Anne Bouie, Marcia Greene, Fred Joiner, Malik M. Lloyd, Bruce McNeil, Lance Wiggs, Wesley Clark, Brian Martin, Kerry Richardson, Amber Robles-Gordon, Beatrice Martin, Craig Vaughn, Howard Fleming, and Gilbert Trent. The exhibit was juried by Carl Cole (Ward 8 Commissioner, DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities), Kim Ward (Director, Washington Project for the Arts), Juanita Britton (Anacostia Art Gallery), Andrea Hope (ARCH) and Briony Evans (Honfleur Gallery).

The East of the River opening reception is on August 9th at 7pm. The exhibition is on view from August 12th to September 19th, 2008.

Art Auction Fundraising Tips

Enough said here.

How's Norfolk going to handle this?

If Norfolkians were offended by a work of art depicting female breasts, how are they going to react to the Aug. 23 "National Topless Protest Day"?

U.S.-based organization www.GoTopless.org claims that women have the same constitutional right as men to go bare-chested in public. What's more, the group is encouraging women nationwide to rally bare-chested in public on Aug. 23, the date selected for the organization's "National Protest Day."

"As long as men can go topless, women should have a same and equal right," said Rael, spiritual leader of the International Raelian Movement and founder of GoTopless.org. "Otherwise, men should also be forced to wear something that hides their chests."

Raelians consider a National Protest Day necessary because women who go topless in U.S. public places are currently arrested, fined, humiliated and treated as criminals.

"Women should go topless and rally publicly in great numbers on August 23 to protest that despicable treatment and exercise their rights," said San Diego resident Nadine Gary, a Raelian guide and one of the event's principal organizers. "We encourage all women's groups and individuals to join us at these rallies. Together, with peaceful femininity but unshakable determination, we'll protest this gross inequality in the law. We'll demand that our right to go topless be recognized in accordance with the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and that all state laws be amended to reflect that right."

For more information about National Protest Day, visit www.GoTopless.org.

New Herndon, VA Gallery

Start making plans for your Labor Day weekend and plan to visit the new ArtSpace gallery during its grand opening event: "Paint Herndon" over labor day weekend (August 29th - Sept 1st).

Nationally recognized and regional painters are coming to town to compete for cash prizes. There will be an Artist's Award Event Monday Sept 1st at 6:00pm.

Wanna go to a DC opening this week?

"Turning the Page" has a reception this Thursday from 5-7PM. It is a virtual exhibit featuring the work of James W. Bailey, Cleve Overton, Kevin Kepple, and Michael Fitts. All of the artists were chosen from the previous WPA's Artist Directory and the ArtFile Online.

Curated by Jessica Granda and Lexi Kirsch.

Alison Sigethy

DC area artist Alison Sigethy is not only a very talented artist, but also a world-class kayaker, and currently Alison is part of a team kayaking across Arctic Canada to raise awareness and create community action in response to global warming.

You can keep track of Alison's progress in her blog here or read the official expedition blog here.

Allison was not too successful in fund-raising ahead of time, so she's deeply in debt from this trip. If you'd like to help out, any amount would be sincerely appreciated. Donate here or buy some artwork here.