Saturday, April 24, 2010

Paneling

I'm part of the panel Special Seminar: Social Networking and Marketing Your Art, which is is today Saturday April 24, from 1-3PM. All the details are here.

Why not the visual arts?

A while back I was told by a writer (and later by a photographer) from the Gazette newspapers (which are owned by the Washington Post), that the WaPo has been using articles originally published/done for the Gazette to augment its coverage.

Years ago I suggested to the WaPo Arts Editor exactly the same thing: that they augment their visual arts coverage by publishing the reviews from the Gazette in their Style section, especially during the Dawson/Gopnik off weeks.

It made sense to me; they own the articles, so why not re-use them as needed. Like the Post has done with all of my constructive criticism and improvement ideas, they filed it in the round file and I've never heard back from them.

But apparently this "re-use" has been happening with some Gazette articles recently - but not the visual arts. I don't know which articles, and I don't know how to find out, and I am told that the Style section co-editor/editor (I'm not sure what he is) Scott Vogel doesn't answer emails, and I don't know who to ask.

However, it still makes sense to me. The Gazette has two really good writers in their employ to this end: Dr. Claudia Rousseau and Jordan Edwards.

Rousseau is a highly educated art critic and scholar with an impeccable pedigree and highly respected not only in our area, but also in Latin America, where she wrote art criticism in Spanish for many years before returning to the US. Read some of her recent reviews here.

Edwards is a journalist with a taste for the fine arts. Since I've been back living in the Soviet Socialist Republic of Montgomery County, I've been following his writing in the Gazette and he has earned my respect for the mind-boggling diverse genres of art that he covers for them. Check him out here.

How about it WaPo? If you don't get it, you don't get it...

Friday, April 23, 2010

Congrats!

The Cultural Development Corporation (CuDC) has announced the 2010-2011 Creative Communities Fund (CCF) grantees. Just over $50,000 will be awarded to 25 outstanding artists working in the DC-metro area. Grants will be given to artists participating in the Flashpoint Gallery, Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint and Source Festival programs.

Grantees include a wide range of visual, literary and performance artists; funds will support the creation of 12 new works for the stage and five exhibitions from visual artists.

“We are thrilled to provide cash grants to artists along with the space and support we offer through the Flashpoint and Source programs. The Creative Communities Fund enables Cultural Development Corporation to provide artists with the nurturing environment necessary to develop outstanding new work,” says CuDC Executive Director Anne Corbett.

Launched in 2005 by The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, CCF seeks to improve the ability of artists to live, work and flourish in the DC-metro area. In 2008, CuDC was selected to be the Fund’s lead agency and entered into a two year partnership with The Community Foundation for the program’s transition.

The visual arts grantees are:

* Patrick McDonough, media: installation
* Adam Griffiths, media: drawing, installation, mixed-media and painting
* Adam de Boer, media: painting
* Alexa Meade, media: installation, mixed-media, new media, painting, photography, sculpture, video and performance art
* Michael Dax Iacovone, media: photography, installation
Also my good friend Kristina Bilonick for the Source Festival | Artistic Blind Dates.

Gleeks

My daughter Elise is auditioning for Glee's nationwide auditions. You can view her audition as she sings "Rehab" and then and vote for her here.



Statement

Glee | MySpace Video


Rehab

Glee | MySpace Video

Superman Flying Naked (version III)

Superman drawing by F. Lennox Campello


"As The Man of Steel flew closer and closer to the sun, his Superman suit burned away, leaving him naked" c. 2010
F. Lennox Campello. 30 x 22.5 inches. Charcoal on Paper.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Bourgeon: A Local Arts Magazine

Bourgeon’s mission, through our online publication and community initiatives, is twofold: to increase participation in the arts and to improve access to the arts. Although artists and audiences are diverse, often they are not equally represented in the mainstream press. We believe that greater involvement in the arts can strengthen individuals and communities. Bourgeon is a program of the not-for-profit Day Eight.
It's an excellent resource (they've been around since 2005!) to our area's art scene. Check it online here.

New drawing of an old drawing

This is my second version of this drawing, image courtesy of my reliable source book of poses for artists. In this version I expanded the negative, clean space dramatically and it has a huge effect on the composition - both visual and psychological - on the drawing. This is my third drawing of 2010.

Nude drawing by F. Lennox Campello


"Suddenly, on a Wednesday afternoon, she discovered that she wasn't afraid of him any longer."
Charcoal on Arches Watercolor Paper, c. 2010. 30 x 22.5 inches.



Detail