USN

Happy birthday to the United States Navy, established 237 years ago today, 13 October 1775. 

To all my Shipmates with whom I had the honor of serving so many years ago, I hope that you are still enjoying fair winds and following seas.

Minnie Mouse at 5'11" and size 0

From Ragen Chastain:

Lenny -

What's the world coming to when we're telling little girls that Minnie Mouse is too fat? Believe it or not, that's exactly what the department store Barney's is doing.

For a holiday window display, Barney's and Disney have agreed to showcase Minnie Mouse wearing a designer dress -- and distorted so she looks like she's 5'11" and size 0.

I work with kids who have eating disorders, so I'm not exaggerating when I say the message this sends is deadly. According to one study, hospitalization for children younger than 12 with eating disorders went up 119% from 1999 to 2006. Younger than 12.

I don't think Barney's and Disney should be telling little girls that Minnie Mouse needs to be skinnier, so I started a petition on Change.org asking them to cancel this window display. Click here to add your name.

Studies warn again and again of the dangers of promoting an unrealistic body image. 81% of 10-year-old girls say they're afraid of being fat, and 47% of girls in 5th-12th grade say they want to be thinner because of the pictures they see in magazines.

There is nothing wrong with tall, thin women. There is something wrong with changing a beloved children’s character’s body so that it looks good in a dress that almost nobody looks good in.

Earlier this year, Seventeen magazine agreed to stop photoshopping all models after 75,000 people signed a petition asking them to do so on Change.org. I know that if enough people sign my petition, we can convince Barney's and Disney not to distort Minnie Mouse to make her look tall and skinny.

Click here to sign my petition calling on Barney's and Disney to leave Minnie Mouse alone.

Thank you,

Ragen Chastain
Los Angeles, California

Mid City Artists Open Studios this weekend

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
Sondra N. Arkin
Chuck Baxter
Scott G. Brooks
Jane Cave
Robert Cole
Susan Cole
Michael Crossett
Aster da Fonseca
Thomas Drymon
Gary Fisher
Glenn Fry
Charlie Jones
Sally Kauffman
Miguel Perez Lem
Regina Miele
Lucinda F. Murphy
Betto Ortiz
Mark Parascandola
Dave Peterson
Brian Petro
Peter Romero
George Smith-Shomari
Robert Wiener
Colin Winterbottom

Talk, talk talk...

No, not the VP debate tonight (Man... Joe Biden has some really awesome, pearly white teeth!), but my talk earlier today at Montgomery College - it was well attended and there were great questions and all the free artwork disappeared!

The talk now goes to some other venues around the nation - stay tuned!

Don't miss this tomorrow! Free Artwork!

Those of you who know me well, and those of you who know me through my writing, know that one of my pet peeves is the usage of "labels" to box people and art, or art and people, into easily distinguishable categories.

One such label is the American invention of the Hispanic (now apparently not a PC term because technically it includes two European nationalities) or Latino label to pass for ethnicity and often and always wrongly for race.

What does that mean in art? And what does it mean to "Latino" artists? Does it mean anything?

If you want to hear my opinion on the subject then come by tomorrow, October 11, 2012, where starting at 4PM I will be presenting a lecture titled "On Identity in the Arts: What Does It Mean to be Latino?" at Montgomery College in Silver Spring, MD.

Note that it is at 4PM! ---- A change from previously announced times!

Prepare to understand why us "Latinos" are often as confused by the use of this term as the rest of the world. Bring an open mind and be prepared to be educated, entertained, and possibly pop-quizzed (kidding!). There will also be some free artwork to people chosen at random (not really) by me.

Plenty of free parking! Directions here.

Lori Anne Boocks at Studio

“Evidence” by Lori Anne Boocks

EXHIBITION DATES: October 31 - November 24, 2012

First Friday Reception: Nov. 2, 6:30 – 8:30 PM

Opening Reception: Nov. 10, 4 – 6 PM

WHERE: Studio Gallery, 2108 R Street N.W. Washington, DC 20008 

Lori Anne Boocks's solo show at Studio Gallery is a dynamic exploration of the power of stories and memory. In her acrylic paintings, she renders text in expressive charcoal and forces the personal to become universal. Words are rehashed, reworked, and stripped down to the bone then built up again. Layers of color are added and partially removed to become a lens through which she shares her cache of stories and invites viewers to reflect upon their own.

By documenting the past, she is gathering evidence: Evidence to describe what a memory looks like and how it changes over time. Evidence from the little crime scenes of our lives and the things we walk away from—or the things we can't. Through these works, Boocks offers visible proof of the significance of the many moments that make up our lives while questioning her own remembrance of events.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Lori Anne Boocks received her BFA from Old Dominion University. Her work is included in private collections in the Metro DC area, California, and beyond. Recent solo and group shows include the University of Maryland University College, Delaplaine Visual Arts Center, Maryland Federation of Art, and Adah Rose Gallery.

For more information about Lori Anne Boocks visit:

http://www.studiogallerydc.com

Paintings: lorianneboocks.com
Art Blog: laboocks.blogspot.com

The Trawick Prize "best of the best" Sapphire Award

Carol Trawick, founder of The Trawick Prize, has established The Trawick Prize "best of the best" Sapphire Award to mark the contemporary art competition's 10th anniversary and honor the Best in Show winners from the past 10 years. In conjunction with the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Trawick will hold a special "best of the best" competition and exhibition, featuring artwork by winners from 2003 - 2012.

A jury comprising the 30 jurors from the past 10 years will determine one "best of the best" Sapphire Award winner, who will receive $10,000. In addition, the public can view the artwork online and vote for a "People's Choice" award winner, who will receive $1,000. 

Online voting will begin on Sept. 17, 2012 and will be open through Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 through a partnership with Bethesda Magazine.

Click here to vote online for the Trawick Prize People's Choice award winner.

Artwork by nine of the 10 Best in Show winners will be on display in a group exhibition taking place Nov. 3 - Dec. 1, 2012 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E. The award winners will be announced Friday, November 2, 2012.

Past Trawick Award Winners 

2003: Richard Cleaver 

2004: David Page  

2005: Jiha Moon  

2006: James Rieck  

2007: Jo Smail  

2008: Maggie Michael 

2009: Rene Trevino 

2011: Mia Feuer 

2012: Lillian Bayley Hoover 

 

The public opening reception will be held Friday, November 9 from 6-9pm in conjunction with the Bethesda Art Walk. Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibit are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 - 6pm.  

The Trawick Prize was established in 2003 by Carol Trawick, a longtime community activist in downtown Bethesda.  She is the past Chair of both the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and Bethesda Urban Partnership, and also the Founder of the Bethesda Painting Awards. In 2007, Ms. Trawick founded the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation to assist health and human services and arts non-profits in Montgomery County.