Gateway Arts District in jeopardy

The Dept of Housing and Community Development in Prince George's County have stated that they will not give a community development block grant to what have proven to be very effective arts and economic organizations in the Gateway Arts District.

County Council meetings are coming up Tuesday, Apr 8.

Even if you don't live in Prince George's County, this is the time to spend a few minutes and support an arts endeavor which has visible results.

Please sign here and say why you like visiting the Gateway Arts District.I've already done it!

Of the organizations that this affects and that is mentioned in the petition, and the PGC organization that I personally have had the most contact and sexperience with is the Gateway CDC, and I can testify that this hardworking lot already has had a profound positive impact not only on their surrounding community (already one of the largest concentration of artists' studios in the DMV) but also has become a key player in the visual arts tapestry of the DMV.

We need the CDC to keep working to improve PGC. Check out their web page for more info at : http://gatewaycdc.org/

Also, come to the Open Studio Tour 2014 on Saturday, May 10th. Also, organized by Gateway CDC, it features 100+ artists. It's just one of the many things the Gateway CDC is behind.

Philly

View from the hotel in Downtown Philadelphia... Right on Market Street...

Alchemical Vessels

Photos by the very talented DMV artist and Art Advisor Sharon Burton - they are images of the Alchemical Vessels show at the Joan Hisoaka Healing Arts Gallery in DC. Year after year this is one of the coolest shows of the DMV art season and it's not only a Who's Who of DMV Artists, but also an amazing and powerful proof of what gifted minds can create with just about any substrate.

At $125 a vessel, it is also a steal and for a great cause... Go buy one!

Details here.

And (of course) my contribution...

Suddenly, She Wasn't Afraid Any Longer. 2014 Charcoal on Vessel by F. Lennox Campello.

Asshole of the Week: Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

(Via) U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) appeared on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell slamming U.S. efforts to provide Cubans with a Twitter-like social media network.

This was part of a broader, global Obama Administration program to provide connectivity to the censored citizens of closed regimes.

As a matter of fact, Senator Leahy has been a champion of these programs throughout the world, but apparently feels the Cuban people aren't worthy of the same support merited by Syrian, Iranians, North Koreans and the victims of other repressive regimes.

Here's language from Leahy's very-own 2014 State, Foreign Operations Appropriations bill:

SEC. 7072. (a) Of the funds appropriated under titles 8 I and III of this Act, not less than $44,600,000 shall be made available for programs to promote Internet freedom globally: Provided, That such programs shall be prioritized for countries whose governments restrict freedom of expression on the Internet, and that are important to the national interests of the United States: Provided further, That funds made available pursuant to this section shall be matched, to the maximum extent practicable, by sources other than the United States Government, including from the private sector.

Thus, we ask Senator Leahy:

Is Cuba not a government that restricts freedom of expression on the Internet?

Is Cuba not important to the national interests of the United States?

Or, are Cubans just second or third-class citizens less deserving of Internet freedoms?

In Leahy's false outrage on MSNBC, he also stated:

“If you’re going to do a covert operation like this for regime change, assuming it ever makes any sense, it’s not something that should be done through USAID."

Really, Senator?

So how come your very own bill states:

Funds made available pursuant to subsection (a)  shall be—made available to the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for programs to implement the May 2011, International Strategy for Cyberspace and the comprehensive strategy to promote Internet freedom and access to information in Iran, as required by section 414 of Public Law 112–158.

Senator Leahy should be commended for his global commitment and leadership on Internet freedom. However, Senator, be consistent -- for Cubans are no less deserving of these freedoms.

 And to the left (of course) that's Leahy all smiley with one of the Castro brothers, heads of the one of the most racist, repressive and brutal dictatorships in the world.

Go see this MFA show

Adrienne Gaither's MFA fine art thesis defense is on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 @ 6PM. It will be hosted by Deep Space Arts at The Warehouse (411 New York Ave, NE: 3rd Floor). This location is metro accessible (NOMA) and there is parking available. 

You want to go see this MFA show and you want to buy one of these paintings now...

Please RSVP by Friday, April 11, 2014.

This is why galleries do art fairs

Nassikas on the way to a collector's wall

That DMV artist Georgia Nassikas taking one of her paintings to get wrapped at the VIP Preview of the Affordable Art Fair last night.

That painting is now hanging on a wall of a very happy art collector in NYC.

If you want some passes to the fair this weekend, send me an email.