The Lenster on Canvas Rebel Magazine!

Check out this cool article on CANVAS REBEL Magazine about yours truly!

Link: https://canvasrebel.com/meet-florencio-lennox-campello/ 

Voices Through Visuals at Del Ray Artisans Gallery

Last night was the opening for the Celebrating Hispanic Heritage: Voices Through Visuals at Del Ray Artisans Gallery, show curated by the human tornado known as Laura Ramirez Drain!

The place was packed,  with over 200 people being counted in over the 4 hours that I was there as the awards juror. 

The curator did such an exceptional job in selecting the works, that it was immediately apparent that I was in for a very tough night in awarding the top three prizes and the four honorable mentions!

Frida Kahlo's iconic image was ever present as multiple artists interpreted her image, including powerful works by David Amoroso and Lian Sever.

Also liked the entries by Blanca Belisario, Evgenia Andreeva, Silvia Martinez, Amy Marx and many others!

Prizes awarded as follows:

First Prize: Gloria Valdez for her spectacular double self portrait.

Second Prize: Luis del Valle for Frida with Butterflies.

Third Prize: Paloma Vasquez for Drowning Quietly.

Honorable Mention: Leilani Checo for La Paleta de Fresa.

Honorable Mention: Kelly MacConomy for De Generacion en Generacion. 

Honorable Mention: Betsy Jones for her tiny work Rosario and Alex: Secret Lovers.

Honorable Mention: Walter Gordon for La Llorona II.

First Prize winner Gloria Valdez

Third Prize Winner Paloma Vasquez 

Paloma Vasquez - Drowning Quietly

Kelly MacConomy - De Generacion en Generacion

Betsy Jones - Rosario and Alex: Secret Lovers

Leilani Checo - La Paleta de Fresa.

Walter Gordon - La Llorona II

Frida with Butterflies by Luis del Valle 

The first Prize winner by Gloria Valdez "Tarasca"

Many Countries in One

Call for Artists for "Many Countries in One: Immigrant Artists" at the gorgeou ARTSpiration venue  in Frederick!

Here is the link for new artists to apply - all preselected artists are already in the show, but as this new venue is sooo much bigger, we can select some more:

 

Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise: The Phillips Collection Juried Exhibition

Juried by Leila Grothe, Operations Manager at the Ruth Arts Foundation and Jordan Martin, the former Curatorial Production Manager at the Washington Project for the Arts (WPA), and curated by Tie Jojima is Curator of Global Contemporary Art at The Phillips Collection and Tsedaye Makonnen, an award-winning interdisciplinary artist, the current exhibition "Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise" at The Phillips Collection continues the refreshing newish approach by the Phillips to become a local museum who looks in its own backyard to showcase our area's artists.

The call for artists received about 1,500 entries, which is more than enough proof for the hunger that area artists have for this kind of call.  And I am about to confess that until today, I had no idea that this call for artists existed, and I suspect that had I received a news release or any indication that the call was active, once announced her they would have probably received 3,000 entries!

Of the 1,500 entries, 56 works were selected by the jurors, and it includes a refreshing number of "new" artists - and when I say "new", I mean new to me, which counts for something after almost 40 years of being around the DMV visual art scene and curating over 200 exhibitions. On the other hand, there are a lot of "out of town" artists from Baltimore, which is technically not the DMV, and so.... Anyway, back to the "new" artists: This is GOOD and my kudos to the Phillips and the jurors and curators for being able to reach deep into the local area and giving these new artists a showcase at one of the planet's most distinguished venues!

Also noted that the jurors, when they liked someone's work, opted for including more than one work by that artist, which is unusual, as jurors often opt for adding more artists, rather than multiple works from one.

There are also some well-known DMV area artists such as Alexandra Silverthorne, Mary Early, Cianne Fragione, Leslie Holt, Joey Mánlapaz, Gail Shaw-Clemons and others, but the vast majority are refreshing new names.

I was especially taken in by Baltimore's Mark Armbruster's entry titled “How long will it take for the sea level to rise two feet? I mean, think about it, if your ice cube melts in your glass it doesn’t overflow; it’s displacement. I mean, this is some of the things they’re talking about mathematically and scientifically..."

How long will it take for the sea level to rise two feet? I mean, think about it, if your ice cube melts in your glass it doesn’t overflow; it’s displacement. I mean, this is some of the things they’re talking about mathematically and scientifically... by Mark Armbruster

I gotta admit that I am a sucker for artists who not only create great art, but also take the time to come up with great titles that transport the art from the visual to the mentally sublime... well done Mr. Armbruster!

Paloma Vianey from DC has a couple of pieces in the show, both of which show not only well-honed painting skills, but also intelligent presentation.

Chamarra No. 30: Viva México by Paloma Vianey
30 x 26 x 0.5
Medium: Oil on canvas and zipper

Finally, I was also very impressed by Aishwariya Chandrasekar's small but packed with visual action embroideries on cotton cloth.

The artists in the show are:

Negar Ahkami, Arlington, VA 

Sobia Ahmad, Silver Spring, MD

Mark Armbruster, Baltimore, MD

Hannah Atallah, Baltimore, MD

Aliana Grace Bailey, Baltimore, MD

Sasha Baskin, Baltimore, MD

Diego Borgsdorf, Washington, DC

Kara Braciale, Falls Church, VA

Danyela June Brown, Washington, DC

Thea Canlas, Baltimore, MD 

Adam Chamy, Washington, DC

Christina Chan, Washington, DC

Aishwariya Chandrasekar, Columbia, MD

Alexandra Chiou, Arlington, VA

Se Jong Cho, Baltimore, MD

C.S. Corbin, Washington, DC

Pamela Crockett, Baltimore, MD

Mary Early, Washington, DC

Erin Fostel, Baltimore, MD

Cianne Fragione, Washington, DC

Emily Francisco, Washington, DC

Kyle Hackett, Washington, DC

Leslie Holt, Takoma Park, MD

Kei Ito, Baltimore, MD

Savannah Faith Jackson, Washington, DC

Omari Jesse, Washington, DC

David Joo, Alexandria, VA

Khin, Washington, DC

Don Kimes, Rockville, MD

Sharon Cheuk Wun Lee, Washington, DC

Madyha Leghari, Hyattsville, MD

Ringo Lisko, Baltimore, MD

Joey Mánlapaz, Washington, DC

Aynex Mercado, Frederick, MD

Margaret Murphy, Baltimore, MD

Danielle Mysliwiec, Takoma Park, MD

Abdulrahman Naanseh, Fairfax, VA

Javaid Nayyar, Washington, DC

Jhon Ochoa, Chevy Chase, MD

Katie O’Keefe, Baltimore, MD

Nami Oshiro, Falls Church, VA

Mojdeh Rezaeipour, Oakton, VA

Gail Shaw-Clemons, Washington, DC

Alexandra Silverthorne, Washington, DC

Anne C. Smith, Washington, DC

Bria Sterling-Wilson, Owings Mills, MD

Melissa Sutherland Moss, Baltimore, MD

Paloma Vianey, Washington, DC

This special exhibition is on through September 20th.

What if art lovers from across Maryland could discover your work?

Having an open studio - even if your studio (like mine) is also known as the laundry room - is one of the best, tried and true ways to easily expose your work! And you constant readers know how I stress how artists need to work to get their work seen as much as possible!

This series was created to help all artists learn how to open their studios, but is especially focused on preparing for the upcoming Artist Open Studios tour of Maryland.

Since 2024, Maryland Artist Collective's Artist Open Studios Tour has brought Maryland artists and art lovers together for two days of studio visits, art discovery, and personal connection. Every year they have grown exponentially. More artists, more locations, and more sponsors that generate buzz around the state. This year, we’re building together an even stronger tour, and we want to show you how to be part of it.

In this free informational webinar, you’ll learn how participating in the Tour can help you expand your audience, build relationships with prospective collectors, and sell your work commission-free in your own space.

They cover:

• How AOS can expand your reach across Maryland through statewide marketing, publicity, and promotion
• How your work stays visible beyond Tour weekend through your year-round AOS artist profile
• How art lovers discover and find you through the interactive map and professionally designed Tour Guide
• What marketing tools AOS provides to help you promote your own open studio
• What resources and guidance you’ll receive to help you prepare for a successful Tour
• How to participate if you don’t have a studio, including options for sharing another artist’s studio or joining a group location
• What participation involves, including key dates, fees, deadlines, and registration
• You’ll leave with a clear picture of how the Artist Open Studios Tour works, what AOS provides, and what you need to do to participate.

Ophelia

 

Ophelia
Graphite & Conte drawing on broken, unfired Bisque by F. Lennox Campello

Homage to Frazetta

 

Homage to Frank Frazetta
Graphite & Conte drawing on broken, unfired Bisque by F. Lennox Campello