Thursday, September 18, 2014

Scotland Independence Vote

Scottish voters (starting at the age of 16) are voting today in an attempt to once again secede from the 307 year-old union with England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A union that was started by a Scottish king, not an English king.

I love Scotland - I lived there from 1989-1992 and was seduced by one of the most beautiful nations on the planet and some of the hardest working, smart, people on the same planet... when you are in Scotland, and walk around the glens, and see the sun poke a hole in the clouds and shine on this planet's greenest pastures, one understands why people believe in magic. And thus my my heart says yes to independence, but the Scottish National Party -- like most politicians on the planet - are a bunch of crooks with half lies, empty promises and jingoistic fervor that history teaches us leads to no good end! What they have promised the Scots, if they vote yes, has been built mostly on deceit and promises of a super nanny state funded by disputed oil resources in the North Sea.

In spite of that, I would think that I would let my heart rule and I would vote yes to secede and take my own chances as an independent nation of very tough, brilliant people... same for the Catalans, who are in a similar situation in Scotland's ancestral home in Spain...

Here's what I'm afraid of -- if they secede...

1. The English will force them off the pound - as they should! Why would Scotland vote to leave, but keep the old currency?

2. They will also boycott any attempt by Scotland to join the European union - Even if they don't, it will take years for the Scots to join the EU.

3. They will actively work to isolate Scotland and teach those Celts a lesson!

4. Scotland is essentially a rural country with a very strong sense of identity, but lacks an industrial infrastructure - because the English have designed it that way for centuries; even the shipbuilding in Scotland is dependent on English imports.

5. The international courts will rule against Scotland for the oil wells outside of the CTML 12 mile limit - this is where future funding for the SNP nanny state is supposed to come from...

6. Scotland will depend on imports to form an industrial base.

7. The English will work to make that difficult.

8. A desperate Scotland will present a BRILLIANT opportunity for China (or Putin) to step in and "help the Scots."

Result? English arrogance and ethnic insolence (they consider Scots as WOGS) - will push the Scots into the arms of the old Reds and the new Reds; Mark my words... So I hope the Scots vote no. And of course... "IF IT'S NOT SCOTTISH ---- IT'S CRAP!"

Need to borrow...

A call out to the DMV arts audience: I am in need to borrow two sets of Pro-panels (http://www.propanels.com) for (e)merge art fair next month... I just need them for about a week during the fair and will gladly trade a piece of original art for them... 

Send me a note if you can lend me some and I will pick them up and return them after the fair.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Live Art Auction at Katzen

The AU Museum exhibit "Estate Art of H. Marc Moyens" will close this Saturday Sept. 20 for Fall for the Arts. The day of art classes, spontaneous performances and fun for the whole family ends with an auction of art from Moyens' collection.
Moyens' collection is unique - the museum exhibited works from the collection in 2006, Remembering Marc and Komei, to rave reviews. Moyens has an interesting back story; he left France in 1946 with $40 in his pocket and arrived in Washington. He became a translator at the World Bank and began to collect art. By 1970, the Corcoran Gallery of Art honored him with an exhibition of his collection. He regularly attended the biennial exhibitions at Venice, São Paulo, Tokyo and Paris as well as Documenta, the Guggenheim and Pittsburg Internationals, the Salons de Mai and Whitney Annuals. According to one review: "At the core of Mr. Moyens’ sensibility is a taste for the fantastic, the magical, and the surreal expressed with realistic detail… Another characteristic common to all of these works is a particularly European pleasure in materials, care and craft of application, and preciousness in handling and feeling… an essentially European and cosmopolitan sensibility.” 

As Moyens' collection grew, he opened his own gallery, Gallery Marc in 1969. Six years later, he joined forces with Komei Wachi to open Gallery K. Besides the great European works in the collection, Moyens also bought the works of important Washington artists represented in the auction, artists like Ed Bisese, James Bumgardner, “Big Al” Carter, Pat Craig, Betsy Falk, Ruby McLain Grady, Robert Hynes, Alfred McAdams, Jody Mussoff, Franklin White, and Washington ex-pats John Harne and Alan Stone. There are also examples of American Folk Art, and Latin-American and Southwestern landscape painting of extremely high quality. Moyens and Wachi both passed away in 2003.

Fall for the Arts is a fundraiser, and all proceeds benefit the arts at AU. Tickets are $25 and $10 for students and those under 18. For workshop schedules, online tickets, and auction information, visit the Fall for the Arts website here.
See the auction items and then and bid here.

There are some great deals to be had in this auction, for example:

Robert Hynes Joe's Soluner Tables, 1976
Graphite on paper, 23 x 27 in.
Starting Bid: $100

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Congrats!

Congrats to the Nats on clinching the division title!

Red Dirt Studio is moving - Party!!!

Firehouse PARTY and Fundraiser!
 
Saturday, September 27 from 4-10 pm
 
4051 34th Street, Mt. Rainier, MD 20712 
(a couple blocks up from GLUT food co-op and Ani Kasten Ceramics)
 
In the early hours: kid-friendly stuff sponsored by Joe's Movement Emporium and Art Works Now, plus steel drums performance...
 
And!!
 
Featuring a special aerial performance by Red Dirt's own, circus professional Kirsty Little --- Kirsty owned her own circus in England (The Wrong Size) and moved to the United States a couple years ago to study performance art.

In the later hours: exciting new compositions by Marc Blackwood's band, InnerLoop, featuring Jill Warren on vocals, plus...
 
They've reserved a keg of Franklin's recent limited edition special brew--come check it out!
 
They've also got Red Dirt t-shirts for sale, and some other awesome stuff...
 
And, they're launching an Indiegogo site on or near same day to begin their fundraising campaign.

Click "join" and look for updates on their Facebook FIREHOUSE FUNDRAISER + PARTY event page here...

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival Call to Artists

Call to Artists

WHAT: A Fine Art Festival 

WHERE:
Bethesda, MD

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday 
           May 9-10, 2015
           Saturday 10-6; Sunday, 10-5 
 
NOTEWORTHY: 

*Complimentary breakfast and lunch for participating artists. 

*Free parking within 1 block. 

*Limited to 140 booth spaces of juried fine art and fine craft.

*Estimated attendance: 20,000. 

*$2,500 in cash awards. 

*24-hour security. 

*Booth sitters. 

*Entry/booth fees: $30/$425 (10x10); $850 (10x20).
*For more details about the show, click HERE
The Bethesda Fine Arts Festival was ranked #78 of the 200 Best Shows by Sunshine Artist Magazine in September, 2008, making it the highest ranked fine art festival in Maryland.  Extremely wealthy community: Average household income, $129,440; median housing value, $734,614. Knowledgeable, art buying public attends. Artists report consistently high sales every year. Electronic application available on the festival's website. 
The Bethesda Fine Arts Festival Show-Rate Score: 87

Additional details about the festival may be found at:  www.theartfestivaldirectory.com
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS: 

Application Deadline: 12/05/14   

Notification: 01/23/15

Booth Fees Due: 02/13/15