Saturday, January 04, 2020

The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant

The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant is awarded annually to under-recognized American painters over the age of 45 who demonstrate financial need. The mission of this grant is to promote public awareness of and a commitment to American art and to encourage interest in artists who lack adequate recognition.
WHO: U.S. painters aged 45 years or older at the time of application. A need for financial support must be clear and demonstrated. Applications must be submitted by an individual working artist or collaborators in an artist group; organizations cannot apply.
FIELD: Painting. For the purposes of this grant, painting is considered the application of various wet media (oil, acrylic, gouache, ink, tempera, watercolor, egg tempera, casein) on paper, canvas, fabric, or wood. This excludes mixed media, encaustic, collage, pastels, digital paintings, prints, and work in graphite or drawings. The use of multiple paint mediums is allowed (i.e. mixing acrylics with oil paints).
AMOUNT: Awards include a cash grant, ranging from $5,000 to $35,000 and an exhibition at PAAM.
DEADLINE: April 1, 2020
Full grant information and the online application is available at www.paam.org/grant.

Friday, January 03, 2020

Wanna go to an artist talk on Sunday?

Artist Talk featuring Eve Stockton and Kyujin Lee
Sunday, January 12
2-4pm

Join MPA on Sunday, January 12 from 2-4pm as they kick off the New Year with an artist talk featuring Eve Stockton and Kyujin Lee. 

Ms. Stockton and Ms. Lee will discuss the thoughts and processes behind Eve Stockton: Origin Stories and Replay and Reshuffle: Paintings by Kyujin Lee, currently on display in MPA's Emerson and Atrium Galleries, respectively. 

This event is FREE and open to the public. 

RSVP now.

About Eve Stockton and Kyujin Lee

Known for large-scale woodcut prints, Stockton's works are inspired by a close observation of nature and an eclectic interest in science. Combining her prints and stone sculpture, she works to create an atmosphere that can subtly envelop the viewer. 

Combining the spontaneity of surrealist automatism with refined illustrative skill, Kyujin Lee draws on the world of fairy tale to compose paintings exploring dreams, identity and personal transformation. 

Origin Stories and Replay and Reshuffle run through February 29, 2020 at MPA@MCC.

Thursday, January 02, 2020

“The Year of the Woman” in Maryland

Our great Governor Larry Hogan recently proclaimed 2020 as “The Year of the Woman” in Maryland, as the state prepares to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote. 

“Our state’s history has been shaped by extraordinary women leaders, and our administration remains committed to empowering and advocating for women in Maryland,” said Governor Hogan at the announcement, held at The Lightbox Studio in Annapolis. “I look forward to the many events taking place statewide to commemorate the Year of the Woman.”

Wednesday, January 01, 2020

Happy new decade

My son was born in 2009 - that means that he has now lived in three decades... sounds weird uh?

Let me start 2020 with some questions:

Dear artists who read this blog: this is the year to stop whining about lack of opportunities and do something! For art sake's! (Your art) - if you live in the DMV then come to one of my free seminars (thank you PG County) and revolutionize how you make sure that your artwork ends up in other people's walls! The next free seminar is April 18 - details here.

Dear Art League, Greater Reston Art Center, Rockville Art League, Fill-in-the-blank artists' group/league: I keep giving you hint after hint: When are you guys gonna reach out to me and ask: "Hey Lenster, how do we take this artist group to the next level in this new century?" (instead of still operating in the 20th century model). 

Dear DMV museum directors and curators (except for the Katzen): I've been asking this question since 1992: "When are you going to look at your own backyard for some museum shows for area artists?" Does anyone recall that last time that a DMV area art museum (other than the Katzen) had a full museum show for a DMV artist?

Dear art fair organizers: Thank you for trying to make an art fair work in the DMV - in the last decade the people who run Art Miami and the Superfine! people, as well as the (e)merge art fair stint, all tried to make a successful art fair around the DMV - after all, this area is the second highest concentration of wealth on the planet... and yet. But there are a few key things to try which no art fair organizer has ever tried.

"What about you Lenster?", you might be asking... "whatcha got goin' in 2020"?

For 2020 I'm planning to be doing the Art on Paper fair in NYC, then one of the two Affordable Art Fairs also in NYC, and then the Pulse Art Fair in Miami Beach during Art Basel week.  I've also got two major curatorial projects brewing - one will revisit the theme of Superheroes in art, and the second one (to open during January 2021 actually) will curate a three-gallery show on the 20th anniversary of my Survey of Washington Artists show that I organized in 2001 and which was one of the most popular shows of that year and one which marked a key point in my curatorial trajectory.

More on both of those later... meanwhile, have a great 2020!

Monday, December 30, 2019

Wanna go to a gallery opening?

MK Gallery Presents: Suh Yongsun & Kathleen J Graves

'Midtown and Beyond'

From January 4 to February 4, 2020.

Opening Reception on Saturday, January 4, 4-6pm.

Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday: 12 pm-6 pm, Saturday & Sunday: by appointment

MK Gallery
1952 Gallows Rd. #202
Vienna, VA 22182
703-734-7777/ 571-215-3029

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Open call

This year, MSAC will present four seasonal open-call exhibits in their gallery space!

They are kicking off the year with "Dear Mom" – a non-juried show that features visual art and written messages between children and mother-figures in the form of greeting/postcard art. The exhibit celebrates and embraces the relationships between artists and their mothers and/or mother-figures through a compilation of visual art and written communication. 

Submission deadline: January 6, 2020
Exhibition period: January 9 - March 19, 2020 

Please follow the instructions here to submit.