WaPo's Galleries column terminated

From Mark Jenkins, the WaPo's freelance art critic and author of that newspaper's sole and only coverage of the DC area's art galleries and visual artists:

My editors at the Washington Post have decided to end the Galleries column. The last one will run in the Aug. 25 paper. I’m very sorry to send you this news. I’ve enjoyed writing the column, and getting to know so many artists, curators, and gallery owners.

More on this later.

Is the Galleries column dead?

Just got a note from an old friend at the WaPo that the "Galleries" column may be nixed in the next few days.

I sincerely hope not, as this is the only remnant of the Washington Post's miserable coverage of area art galleries and artists.

Bethesda Row Arts Festival coming September 7-8

Over the last two decades I have written extensively about the phenomenon of gallery art fairs as the new salons of the 21st century, as art magnets where galleries congregate and collectors and curators, and celebrities, and the illuminati go to see and buy art. Furthermore, anecdotal figures from the major fairs seem to confirm that a lot of artwork is being sold by galleries at the fairs. My own experience in doing art fairs for the last 18 years confirms this fact - I have my own positive empirical evidence, albeit with the caveat that fairs still seem to be recovering from the Covidian monster..

There's another "art world" out there of fine art fairs that - because of the curious highbrow attitude of the "high art" cabal - never really gets any attention from the art media, etc.

I’m talking about outdoor art fairs that some of us know well, and many more others think they know well even though they've actually never been to any of the good ones. I am talking about the outdoor art festivals that get ranked as the top ones by Sunshine Artist magazine and others; fairs such as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver, or the Ann Arbor Arts Festival (actually four separate art fairs that draw over half a million visitors), and of course, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival in Miami, which routinely attracts about 150,000 visitors in the Miami area.

Immediately the clueless “experts” who have never been to one of these top-of-the-line outdoor art festivals will think and imagine what they visualize as an outdoor art market: dried flowers, teddy bears and watercolors of barns. 

Don't get me wrong, there are thousands and thousands of these type "art" fairs around as well - but those are NOT the ones that I am talking about.

I am talking about the cream of the Sunshine Artist Top 100 list. These are shows where only original art, not reproductions, are allowed, and photography has very severe rules (must be done by the photographer, limited editions only, signed, archival processes only, etc.). These shows are highly competitive to get in (they're juried), and usually offer quite a lot of money in prizes for the artists. The jurors vary from museum curators, art center managers, art critics, artists (I’ve been a juror myself many times), etc.

I guess I'm saying that there's some curatorial legitimacy to them as well... for the elitists amongst you dear readers.

But the real point to which I am driving here is the mathematics of attendance: thousands.

Locally in our area, there are several of these exceptional fine art outdoor festivals: The Bethesda Row Arts Festival in Bethesda, the Tephra ICA Arts Festival in Reston, and the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival in the Woodmont Triangle area of Bethesda, also attract those numbers of people and are all highly competitive.

Consider the median income in either Bethesda ($185K) or Reston ($135K), and what you get out of it is a lot of people with a lot of disposable income. As a whole, the DMV itself has a median household income of around $100K – one that ranks among the highest among the U.S.'s 25 most populous metro areas.

Art price tags at these local fairs range from $100 to $20,000. As such, there's a somewhat comparable universe of prices to the DC area gallery market, as an example.

And I submit that a lot of the people who attend one of these outdoor fine art festivals do not have the "formation," as a Communist would say, to dare set foot in a white cube gallery... and have probably never heard of Art Base Miami Beach.

Nearly all of these huge and highly successful outdoor arts festivals (as far as I know) only allow individual artists to sell their work at the fairs, and their entry fees are about 1/100th of the entry fees of the “other” art fairs.

Wanna see one? The Bethesda Row Arts Festival, which is the DMV’s largest outdoor fine arts festival, and one of the best in the country, will take place September 7-8. The show will showcase 185 artists in 14 media categories: ceramics, drawing/pastels, fiber/decorative, fiber/wearables, glass, graphics/printmaking, jewelry, metalwork, mixed media 2D, mixed media 3D, oil/acrylic painting, photography/digital art, sculpture, watercolor, and wood. It is located essentially at the intersection of Elm Street and Woodmont Avenue, two blocks from the Bethesda Metro, and there’s a huge public parking garage within the show itself. 

Online here: https://www.bethesdarowarts.org

See ya there! I'll be in booth S104!

Janis & Porto at the next Affordable Art Fair

 

Janis & Porto at Affordable Art Fair NYC

Janis & Porto at Affordable Art Fair NYC

At the next Affordable Art Fair

 

WOVEN: Threads of Identity in Abstract Expressionism at the Popcorn Gallery

Just back from the opening at Glen Echo's Popcorn Gallery of WOVEN: Threads of Identity in Abstract Expressionism, an excellent group exhibition by the artists of The Black Art Today Foundation. 

The news release reveals that the "show showcases the dynamic and powerful works of contemporary Black women artists who utilize the language of Abstract Expressionism" and...

Abstract Expressionism, a movement known for its focus on emotion, gesture, and individuality, becomes a powerful tool for these artists to explore themes of identity, race, and resilience. Through bold colors, gestural marks, and innovative techniques, they challenge traditional narratives and forge their own visual vocabulary.

This exhibition celebrates the artistic mastery and unique perspectives of Black women in the contemporary art world, while also acknowledging the historical exclusion of these artists from the canon of Abstract Expressionism.

This is a spectacular exhibition, and in my many decades of reviewing and attending art shows, this was of the few group art shows where every single work packs an intelligent punch to the solar plexus of the mind in what the artists - and the aim of the show - deliver!

Both Alida and I were immediately drawn to the paintings of Janet Walters, which are harmonious and fluid, flexing the artistic superpower of watercolors, the most difficult of media, at the hands of a very talented artist. She notes that "color on color creates depth and an ethereal feeling, as well as, little spaces ripe to become secret little vignettes.  I strive to give the viewer three ways to see my work;  a view from some distance, a closer view that shows more detail and an even closer perspective that reveals those little spaces that let viewers feel that they have come upon a secret space discovered only by them."

Another artist in full mastery of her media is Tommi Blake, whose attractive resin paintings (some done in collaboration with fellow artist Marie Antoinette) are not only powerful abstract works, but also beautifully delivered in technical skill. I especially liked a large work titled "In the Beginning", which almost dominates the side of the gallery where it is displayed.

Anita Henley Carrington "Riptide"

One of the most powerful weapons of Abstract Expressionism is the ability to deliver nuanced psychological messages, which in the hands and brush of a gifted artist can be a memorable experience. In the painting titled "Riptide", artist Anita Henley Carrington delivers this exceptionally well, not only by offering us a beautiful painting, but also planting the image in our minds with an intelligent title, that forever moves that abstract painting into a recognizable event. 

Washingtonian Maria-Lana Queen "Black Girl #11" is another work where the title and the energetic work full of marks and forms planted and floated anchor an image delivered by a very elegant abstract work. The piece seduced me visually and mentally.

Dr. Yemonja Smalls "Dream Day"

In every thematic group show there's always a work that stretches or redefines the focus of the show. In this case it is a powerful substantial work by Dr. Yemonja Smalls titled "Dream Day." It is not Abstract Expressionism by any definition of the genre, and personally, I do not care as I was enthralled by the multimedia, three-dimensional work, which managed to showcase Smalls' painting skills in the background of the work, and enviable design talent in the construction and incorporation of the figure atop the painted surface - it has not only presence, but WOW factor!

On the other hand, Washingtonian Dr. Harriet Smith is a self-taught artist whose striking and colorful paintings, especially the one titled "Seventh Space" are the pure essence of what is Abstract Expressionism in all of its wonder! Another artist whose work delivers and does so with exuberance and clear gusto is Alma Roberts. Her superbly composed paintings - she has six in the show - are abstract gems.

Alma Roberts "Interposed"

Both Dr. Vanessa Chappell Lee and Marie Antoinette also deliver superb works well within the lanes and footprint of Abstract Expressionism, with Antoinette's frenetic paintings full of energy bursting out of the paintings' surfaces - this is painting superpower at a nuclear chain reaction pace. Chappell Lee's "Hidden Figures" teases the viewer by hiding in plain sight dozens of figures, which pop in an out of the painting as they tease the eye.

My kudos to the curators - this is a powerful show with deep resonance and presence. The show runs through September 29, 2024.

Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) program

 

Dear Visual Arts, Design, and Media Arts Community: Congress is on the brink of devastating cuts to education funding! The House Appropriations Committee's FY25 proposal slashes Title I by 25%, eliminates Title II, and proposes the complete elimination of the Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) program. Their rationale? "Funding should focus on core subjects like reading, writing, and math."   We cannot let Congress strip away critical support for arts education and essential federal programs. We need your voice NOW to protect the arts. Join the VoterVoice campaign to tell Congress why arts education matters to YOU. We encourage you to personalize your message and defend the arts in education!   Act today to ensure Congress hears our support for arts education and rejects these harmful cuts. Together, we can protect opportunities for every child! Join the Campaign