Who's Yvonne?

Settle down far from town get him a pirogue

And he'll catch all the fish in the Bayou

Swap his mom to buy Yvonne what she need-oh

Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the Bayou

The Kara Walkerization of Georgetown University

The Georgetown University Art Galleries will present two exhibitions of new work by Kara Walker. The de la Cruz Art Gallery will exhibit Kara Walker: Back of Hand, and the Spagnuolo Art Gallery will present Kara Walker: Prince McVeigh and the Turner Blasphemies. Both will be the first exhibition of these works in Washington by this internationally renowned artist. 

These exhibitions will be on view from September 21st, 2023 - December 3rd, 2023. They were organized by Dr. Katie Geha for the Athenaeum, the University of Georgia. An Opening Reception will take place on Thursday, September 21st from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Registration for this event is not required, and all exhibitions and programs at the Georgetown University Art Galleries are free and open to the public. 

Kathy O'Dell - the new Chair of the Maryland Public Art Commission (MPAC)

Kathy O'Dell, Ph.D. (Baltimore County), has been named Chair of the Maryland Public Art Commission (MPAC). 

A commissioner since 2015, O'Dell brings many years of arts leadership experience to the role and will take the helm at a pivotal point as the Artwork Commissions Program launches a new artwork procurement method, the forthcoming Maryland Public Artist Roster.

Every Maryland artist needs to stay tuned to the Maryland Public Artist Roster's announcement - once final.

Good bye Jimmy

Jimmy Buffett died yesterday - thank you for all the great songs!

Where it all ends I can't fathom my friends

If I knew I might toss out my anchor

So I cruise along always searchin' for songs

Not a lawyer a thief or a banker

But a son of a son, son of a son

Son of a son of a sailor

Son of a gun, load the last ton

One step ahead of the jailer

I'm just a son of a son, son of a son

Son of a son of a sailor

The sea's in my veins, my tradition remains

I'm just glad I don't live in a trailer

Leanne Hickman at Moses Lake Museum & Art Center

Sometimes, often more common than we realize, randomness introduces interesting paths in Einstein's many multiverses.

The path in this universe started by me coming to visit my daughter Elise and her family in Gig Harbor, Washington... and spend some time with her and her husband and my gorgeous grandkids.

For this visit we decided to go exploring the other side of Washington state and ended up with three days in Moses Lake, about four hours east of the green side of Washington and crossing the mountain pass into what then becomes the desert side of the state, where the mighty Columbia River rolls on.

As most of you know by now, I went to art school at the University of Washington, on the other side of the state, and in a city (Seattle) galaxies away from Moses Lake.

And in Moses Lake we explored around, and ended up in the rather elegant Moses Lake Museum and Art Center, where the show on display was "Leanne Hickman and John Hickman: Feathers vs. Charcoal" showing through September 1, 2023.

As I entered the spaces, a very friendly and smiley receptionist welcomed us - already a positive change from the usual.

I entered the ground floor gallery... and saw this:

Paintings on feathers... mmm. Immediately my antennas went up in snobbish art alarm. Art criticism brings a lot of subjectivity to it, and art critics who claim to be objective are rotten liars.

And thus, initially I was prepared to sigh and dislike this exhibition... but then two things happened: first I recalled my experience decades ago with the Quilts of Gee's Bend; and second, I recalled my anger when the Hirshhorn Museum director told me - also decades ago that the "Hirshhorn did not collect glass."

In the first, prejudice against the art substrate (quilt) and in the second, the lesson learned that it is the art that matters, not the substrate (glass... or feathers). 

Remember that I even gave this issue a name: The Quilts of Gee's Bend Syndrome.

And when I walked in to see the exhibition, my eyes and mind re-tuned by those memories, I was superbly impressed by the gorgeous paintings by Leanne Hickman... on feathers.

Feather painting by Leanne Hickman at Moses Lake Museum

Each one of these intimate works delivers a well-packed punch of color, composition, and well-developed painting skills - they are small worlds depicting limitless, open scenes - most of them with a western theme, but all really nicely composed and delivered.

From a little online research we discover that:

She is a local resident of Moses Lake and “true farm girl” raising horses and peacocks. These beautiful species come together in her inspired acrylic works where she physically paints on peacock feathers. "Inspiration, perseverance and a strong sense of God's directions, are my mainstay and motivation as I pursue my dreams."

The works were a steal: matted and framed and under a hundred dollars! They were all framed like this:

 

My one constructive criticism to Ms. Hickman would be for her to frame all the works in white conservation mats, so as to have the intelligent use of color not be influenced by a colored mat.

In summary, this was a wonderful, elegant and superbly well-curated show which not only impressed this big city art critic, but also re-taught him a lesson about art, good art.

Art Season Opens in the DMV

 Early peek at my September article here.

As September arrives in the DMV, it marks the beginning of another “art season”, which these days have somewhat returned to old-fashioned openings where people mingle, discuss art and get their creative juice flowing!

Affordable Art Fairs

Next month I'll be at the Affordable Art Fair in Chelsea, New York City - we'll be featuring the works of Steve Wanna, Christina Helowicz, Seth Fairweather, Dora Patin, Ally Morgan, Jennifer Barlow and Mandy Coelho... and yours truly!

And the month after that we'll be at the Affordable Art Fair Battersea, London in England, with works by Simon Monk, Kathleen Hope, Jodi Walsh and me!

Drop me a note if you'd like some complimentary tickets to either of those art fairs.