Call for Artists for Dulaney Plaza Mural

For more than 60 years Dulaney Plaza has been a cornerstone of the Towson community, serving the needs of residents, visitors and students. The Plaza began as a single family-owned retail store selling automotive parts, and over the years has flourished into the mixed-use hub it is today - with four generations (and counting) of that same family as a part of the management team, guiding the development and expansion of the center. Now the Plaza is a community of over 30 office tenants, a vibrant marketplace for food, attire, and daily life. 828 Dulaney Valley Road is an integral part of the Towson ecosystem, adapting to the ever changing tastes and trends of those who rely on the Plaza for every-day goods, a quick bite, or change of fashion.

TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET: Current project budget is $10,000, but may be negotiated after selection.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Dulaney Valley Plaza is inviting artists to submit proposals for a public mural. Wall space is 73’ by 9’4 ½” vertical (687.37 SQF), located on Dulaney Valley Road. Each concept must take into consideration these dimensions once scaled. The mural does not necessarily have to cover the entire available space and may only occupy a portion of the available space depending on artist vision and budgetary restrictions.

The Dulaney Plaza branded logo must feature into the mural in a notable capacity, but incorporation and presentation is left to artist discretion. Otherwise themes, imagery, and composition are also left to artist discretion but depictions/representations of local (Maryland/Baltimore County) flora and fauna, landmarks, history and tenant businesses of the plaza (barring the usage of branded logos) are preferred.

DEADLINE: Deadline for submissions is April 7th 2023.

APPLICATIONS: Mail applications to: Lauryn Lukin 828 Dulaney Valley Road Suite 5 Towson, MD 21204. Digital proposals to lauryn@taubprop.com. Proposals may also be hand delivered to [Lauryn Lukin 828 Dulaney Valley Road Suite 5 Towson, MD 21204]. All formats will be accepted. Included in the application and sent work should be an artist bio and artist statement alongside the applicant's name and address.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Maryland based and artists originating from Maryland are welcome; however, there are no other limiting factors, all skill levels and backgrounds are welcome. Selection will be performed by a juried panel.

Mac Stacks

A nice preview of the work by Jennifer Kahn Barlow that Alida Anderson Art Projects will be bringing next month to the Affordable Art Fair in New York City!

Dusted in the Middle by Jennifer Kahn Barlow

Intense Mac Stack by Jennifer Kahn Barlow

Mild Mac Stack by Jennifer Kahn Barlow

Patriotic Mac Stack by Jennifer Kahn Barlow

America's Crossroads: Six Contemporary Photographers in Dialog

This has the makings of one of the top photography shows of the year!

The OAS AMA | Art Museum of the Americas announces America’s Crossroads, an exhibition opening at the OAS F Street Gallery (1889 F Street, NW, Terrace Level) featuring six artists in a visual dialog. Carlos Bautista Avila (Mexico), Rene Campos Navarro (Mexico), Luis Delgado (United States-Mexico), Gisele Martins (Brazil), Cirenaica Moreira (Cuba), and Diana Ramirez Lopez (Mexico) provoke through their work mixed responses as they reflect, manipulate, rethink, and question on a local level who we are in the Americas. The people in the Americas share a common history that is manifested in local terms, becoming a conglomerate of different cultures of an ever-dynamic changing history of native Americans, settlers, and migrants.

La Industrial, lavandería Habana de la serie Metálica, 1998-1999
Cirenaica Moreira

Exhibition Opening: Thursday, February 23 4:30-6:30pm

HOURS: By appointment only, Monday-Friday 10AM-5PM

LOCATION

OAS General Secretariat Building, Terrace Level

1889 F Street NW

Washington, DC 20006

ADMISSION: Free

The Last Unicorn

Between 1977-1981 I sold all my art school assignments from the University of Washington School of Art in Seattle at the Pike Place Market.  In 1979 a classmate's mother was printing a private illustrated edition of Peter Beagle's "The Last Unicorn" and hired me and several other artists to do some illustrations for the lavishly illustrated book.

I did several pieces for the book, and then had prints made from the originals and sold them at the Market.  Nearly 500 pieces of the below work sold between 1979-1981.  Sometime in 1991, when I was living in Sonoma, California, where I was the Executive Officer of the Navy base at Skaggs Island, I sold the original mixed media painting.

Today I got an email from someone in the Pacific Northwest who found it in a store up there and is now the surprised owner of a 44 year-old legend!

THE LAST UNICORN by F. Lennox Campello circa 1979

Isla Golpeada

 

Pobre Cuba - Isla Golpeada
Acrylic on hand-made paper with embedded leaf and wood branches
circa 1980 by Florencio Lennox Campello

A modern classic

This official US Navy photo of sailors pulling up the wreckage of the PRC spy balloon reminds me sooooo much of the classical painting "The raft of the Medusa" by Géricault.

 U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tyler Thompson

The Curious Case of the Celia Cruz American Quarter and being labeled Afro-Latina

About 24 hours ago the US Mint announced that Celia Cruz, the Cuban-born "Queen of Salsa" had been chosen to be one of the five women whose face will be in the 2024 edition of their American Women Quarters Program.

The news outlets and Al Gore's internets went crazy dubbing this as "Queen of salsa Celia Cruz will be the first Afro Latina to appear on a U.S. quarter" proclaimed NPR and all others.

And Cuban Twitter and Cuban Facebook went nuts that she's been referred to as an "Afro Latina" and not just as a "Cuban" or "Cuban-American."

It is very clear that the Cuban social media opinions were angry about the fact that in nearly every instance Celia was being identified and labeled as a "Afro-Latina" first and in the article's headlines, and Cuban in the text... and the Internets blew up!

Teresita Fernando wrote: Stop adding adjectives to her birthplace She was CUBAN She is CUBA Period

Hilda Suarez opined: She was not an Afro-Latina, get your information straight and make the quarter with another person and leave Celia's memories with her people, THE CUBANS, and maybe someday, not too far from know, we could have her picture on a Cuban coin. Thank you.

Alina Vals says: Not Afro Latina.  She is Cuban American. We do not accept those "woke" terms.  At the end of the day we all belong to the HUMAN race.

Mayra de Armas notes: Afro Latina? NO, Celia Cruz is Cuban American, her race is black but she is not Afro, She is 100% Cuban, period.

Suzanne Bruno adds: Outstanding!!! But NOT afro Latina....100% Cuban.

Raul Gomez is angry: She's Cuban, stop putting your woke bullshit labels on her!

Jorge Ravelo says: Afro-Latina?  As one who followed her for three decades and met the Queen and Pedro Knight on several occasions she would be insulted. She was as Cuban as the Royal Palms, a Cuban with African and Spanish heritage.

Mara Salis: She is NOT afro Latina she is CUBANA!!!