The more things change...

"At the height of the Washington Color School's popularity, Washington and New York art elites inhabited the same circles. Reed recalls meeting the abstract painter Robert Motherwell at an opening. Motherwell was married to Frankenthaler but was accompanied by Lisa Fonssagrives, the world's first supermodel, who was married to iconic photographer Irving Penn. "He moved in great feminine circles," Reed says.

But financial success eluded the artists. The Jefferson Place Gallery that supported so much of the Color School's work closed in 1975. The '80s were a bitter period for Washington art dealers, but the pressures on Reed did not change much for the worse. "It was always difficult. I have to sell. It's curious. I'm just about poverty level. Here I am this famous artist," Reed says.

He doesn't say whether the spotlight would have shined on Washington longer had a collector base emerged to support its painters."

The more they stay the same... Kriston Capps has an excellent piece on Paul Reed, the last of the Washington Color School painters; read it here.

Critical mass

A critical mass is about to occur between many art organizations.

Target Gallery, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, is sponsoring an outdoor exhibition of artist-made nests created by local arts groups. The event will take place just outside of Washington, DC at the Torpedo Factory Art Center along the waterfront of the Potomac River in Old Town Alexandria from Sunday, April 10 through Sunday, May 15, 2011.

The goal is to inspire people to look more closely at their own habitat. Coinciding with Earth Day and Mother’s Day, they hope to increase environmental awareness and encourage care for the planet that we all call home. They will also highlight Habitat’s work for building decent and affordable homes.

All nests will be composed primarily of natural renewable resources like leaves, twigs and driftwood, as well as recycled or re-purposed materials. The intent is to do no harm to the natural environment or wildlife, and everything will be removed at the end of the exhibition. Nest sites will include docks, decks, tree stumps, outcroppings of rock, and selected trees.

Free maps will guide visitors on a nest spotting walking tour, along the waterfront, through a park, into the Torpedo Factory and ending at Target Gallery, where the exhibition Nest can be seen.

What Does Home Mean to You? The public will be invited to participate in the building of a large community nest installed on the main floor of the Torpedo Factory, right outside the Target Gallery. They will provide long strips of paper for the public to answer the question “What does home mean to you?”

They will then be invited to weave their paper into the nest structure. The strips of paper will be for sale for $1 with all proceeds going to benefit the Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia.

To learn more, or donate to fund this project and make it a reality, visit this link.

American Contemporary Art magazine

The current issue of the magazine is out and I have a two page spread on pages 28-29 which cover a few key DMV area shows. Read it online here.

Little Havana Drinks

They don't call it Little Havana for nothing.... the last time that I was in Miami for the MIA Art Fair in January, I dropped by a local bodega for some pastelitos and a medianoche sandwich, and when I opened the cooler to get a cold drink I was amazed by the selection being presented:


Check out the "Cuba Herbal Energy Drink" can... heee heee... only in Miami...

More on Fraser Gallery closing

Jordan Edwards in the Gazette has some more insights into the recent and shocking announcement that one of the DMV's major art galleries, Fraser Gallery will close.

Read it all here. Just as I predicted, in a smart move, the owner will continue to do art fairs as a private online dealer.

I wish her the best.

Lenny-o Video

From the recent awards ceremony at Gallery West...

Mirror art at ARTiculate Gallery

There's a cool upcoming exhibition opening at VSA's ARTiculate Gallery. The show, "Reflections" was inspired by local artist Bob Benson and his work at the American Visionary Art Museum.

Benson worked with the artists in the ARTiculate Program (which provides artistic and vocational training to youth and adults with special needs) to create "mirror art" using glass-cutting techniques in a variety of styles, and the artists have created a unique body of work.

The opening will take place on Thursday, March 10th between 5:30 and 7:30pm at the ARTiculate Gallery, located at 1100 16th St NW. The reception will be free, open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.