Showing posts sorted by relevance for query artomatic. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query artomatic. Sort by date Show all posts

Tuesday, November 01, 2016

This Thursday: Artomatic 2016 Opens!



Artomatic 2016 comes to Montgomery County, Maryland, for the first time in its nearly seventeen year history, for its signature free arts event to be held from November 3 - December 9.


Yep! The planet's largest free and open group art show... the show that artists and the public loves - and art critics hate - is back!


Artomatic 2016 comes to Park Potomac, a Montgomery County neighborhood.


Park Potomac is located where Montrose Road crosses I-270; Artomatic will be held at 12435 Park Potomac Avenue. With 45,000 square feet of display space on the 5th and 6th floors featuring 380 artists, Artomatic will include a special opening weekend celebration beginning on Thursday, November 3.



"By artists and for everyone," Artomatic is well-known for temporarily transforming empty spaces into vibrant arts events that celebrate creativity and create a unique and exciting opportunity for tens of thousands of visitors. This is the show that we all love, and art critics hate (mostly because they usually don't have the mental batteries to write about an art show that can include 1,000 non-juried artists!).

Anyone and everyone can present their art at Artomatic, and presentation spaces are always selected on a first-come, first serve basis -- so it’s a great way to discover new art and artists. This is what makes this show unique on the planet - it is a great charging of artistic batteries for artists, and a great place for beginner and experienced collectors to pick among the 100s of artists to find that gem!



Perfect timing if you wanna see artwork that will range form the sublime to the mundane! Artomatic is about to open up again... It's a little smaller than usual, but still around 350 artists!! Details at http://www.artomatic.org/
 

I'll repeat: It's easily the best place to find the wildest range of art on the planet! See a review of one from 2012 here: http://dcartnews.blogspot.com/2012/06/artomatic-2012-review.html
This one from 2009: http://dcartnews.blogspot.com/2009/07/final-artomatic-top-10-artists-of-2009.html and here: http://dcartnews.blogspot.com/2009/06/my-artomatic-picks-now-that-i-have.html
2011: http://dcartnews.blogspot.com/2011/10/artomatic-frederick-i-finally-made-it.html
2004: http://dcartnews.blogspot.com/2004/12/artomatic-2004-review-slightly.html
Wann know why art critics hate Artomatic, but everyone else loves it: http://dcartnews.blogspot.com/2009/06/criticism-journalism-ethics-and-aom-ive.html and also: http://dcartnews.blogspot.com/2009/05/artomatic-opens-tomorrow-if-you-are.html


At a time of regional transformation, people are looking for art and gathering destinations right where they live, and Artomatic brings this "New Suburbanism" place-making to Montgomery County. People want a sense of interaction; Artomatic has shown that it can catalyze a sense of greater community within a community that transforms people and places. This is why Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Arts & Humanities County of Montgomery County are Artomatic’s enthusiastic sponsors.
Every day and night of the event, people visit Artomatic to discover new art, engage other likeminded visitors, bring friends, grab a drink, listen to music, and mingle with the creative community and get to know the surrounding community of Park Potomac. Says Lisa Wood of Foulger Pratt, "We’re always looking for ways to introduce Park Potomac’s uniqueness and engage with our wonderful community. 
This is an amazing opportunity and we are excited to host this innovative organization." Artomatic’s online calendar lists performances times and special events, including Saturday workshops for parents and kids. No matter what kind of creative events you or your friends and family like, you’ll find something to enjoy at Artomatic.

Visitors will enjoy easy access to Artomatic from the Montrose West Exit off I-270. The Park Potomac community, with its colorful floral mural is a landmark. Enter the complex by the lane marked for Park Potomac Avenue, circle the round-a-bout, and follow the signs to Artomatic at 12435 Park Potomac Avenue. Plentiful two hour free garage and surface parking is on site.

Or come by Metro via Red Line and transfer to RideOn buses 42 or 47. Check WMATA Trip Planner for further information, and see the Artomatic website about Foulger-Pratt weekday shuttle service from White Flint Metro Station direct to Artomatic.

For the latest information about Artomatic 2016, how to participate in the future, when to visit, the activities and events calendar, subscribe to Artomatic by email or Facebook and visit www.artomatic.org.


What: Artomatic 2016, an arts spectacular at Park Potomac in Montgomery County.

When: Thursday, November 3 – Friday, December 9, 2016:


Thursdays: Noon – 10 pm

Fridays: Noon – Midnight

Saturdays: Noon - Midnight

Sunday: Noon – 6 pm

Closed on Thanksgiving Day
Where: 12435 Park Potomac Avenue, Potomac, Maryland, Floors 5 and 6.

Who: For everyone and for free. Persons under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Performance: For information about how to perform at Artomatic, visit:


http://www.artomatic.org/participate/artists/performing
Website: www.artomatic.org

Social Media: Facebook: Facebook.com/Artomatic Twitter: @ARTOMATIC

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Artomatic - The 8th Floor

Yesterday I reported for duty at ARTOMATIC, which had been given permission by the City Kommissars to re-open at 6PM. Lots of hard-working people behind the scenes deserve a great THANK YOU!

Cute lady named Kira was on duty greeting all the voluntolds for the 3:30 - 8:30PM Friday shift: Maria, Laila, Martinez, Laurel, Danielle and many others. I lucked out and got floor walker/docent duties on the 8th floor with the nice lady Laila, whom I soon bored with my tales of how nice my cousin's wife Fariba is...

The 8th floor at Artomatic is magical becuse it is wide open, so people can flow from artist to artist without room-gallery feeling of some of the other floors.

8th floor view at Artomatic 2024
8th floor view at Artomatic 2024

As a docent/floor walker, I'm really good at walking, and between 3:30PM to 6PM, which is when the building opened up, I was pretty much alone on the 8th floor, and was able to spend some time with the artwork and installations. I was really taken by Sondra Arkin's kinetic sculpture on one of the 8th floor corners... Sondra wants people to gently experience the sounds of the bamboo... "Bamboo Showers"

Sondra Atkins at Artomatic 2024
Sondra Arkins' Bamboo Showers at Artomatic 2024 - Listen to them below

There are a lot of graffiti artists at Artomatic (as usual), and Luis Rosenfeld stood out to me as one of the better ones whom I've seen over the years! The carefully installed and orchestrated space on the 8th floor testifies to that!


Luis Rosenfeld at Artomatic 2024
Luis Rosenfeld at Artomatic 2024

Luis Rosenfeld at Artomatic 2024
Luis Rosenfeld at Artomatic 2024

Like Star Wars and Star Trek, Barbie has been an often common theme at ARTOMATIC since 1999... but as we are now in the era of Barbie the Movie, it is a special treat to award the 2024 ARTOMATIC Barbinator Art Award to Sarah Jane Rodman's super cool 8th floor installation titled "Pink Compass, True North"!

Pink Compass, True North -  by Sarah Jane Rodman at ARTOMATIC 2024
 Pink Compass, True North -  by Sarah Jane Rodman at ARTOMATIC 2024
          

I also discovered that some asswipe/assholish mutants had apparently violated Anthony D'Amico's super intelligent and cool installation, forcing the artist to "tape off" his work's approach area.
 
Anthony D'Amico at Artomatic 2024
Anthony D'Amico at Artomatic 2024

What does the Lenster think? I think that Marcos Smyth on the 8th floor has won the "Best Ever Driftwood Sculpture Award" in ARTOMATIC history!

Marcos Smyth - Best Ever Driftwood Sculpture Award at ARTOMATIC 2024
Marcos Smyth - Best Ever Driftwood Sculpture Award at ARTOMATIC 2024

And what can I say but WOW! to the mural by Jeff Huntington? The skill alone leaves me in a state of art flux!

Mural by Jeff Huntington at ARTOMATIC 2024
Mural by Jeff Huntington at ARTOMATIC 2024

Almost last but by far not least, is this gorgeous and huge piece by Anthony Maderal! Quite possibly the best Star Trek artwork ever (no idea if this talented artist meant it to be?), but darn if this is not the best BORG cube in artistic history! Sculpture by Antony Maderal is titled "I0I0 - In Our Own Image" - I seriously think that the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities needs to acquire it for the city's public art collection! Can you imagine this gorgeous work of art spinning (where it can't be reached or touched, but seen) at a DC building?

I0I0 - In Our Own Image by Anthony Maderal

I also loved the below sculpture by Dorothy Hickson on the 8th floor at ARTOMATIC. Sort of a cool mix of steam punk with a touch of found objects that deliver danger and macabre... she also had some vagina dentata artwork that was really good!

Dorothy Hickson sculpture at ARTOMATIC 2024
Dorothy Hickson sculpture at ARTOMATIC 2024
I also quite liked Rashia Sawyer's often erotic somantic photography, whih was also superbly and very professionally presented! Very talented and skilled photographer... and while I am discussing photogs, I also give kudos to Cynthia Herrick!

The 8th floor also hosts several countries' "pavilions"... cough... cough... this is quite "new" for AOM, but a really GREAT step forward! Not sure how they achieved this? Maybe working with the local embassies? This is an area ripe for growth in future Artomatics!

The best Pavilion by far was the Mexican Pavilion, which flexed its muscles in that nation's mythical printmaking scene!.

Mexican artists in the area were all printmakers, and they were all really good!  I especially liked the largest print in the show, a wondrous work titled "El Guardian" (The Guardian) by Daniel Hernandez.

"El Guardian" (The Guardian) by Daniel Hernandez at Artomatic 2024
"El Guardian" (The Guardian) by Daniel Hernandez at Artomatic 2024

Other than the Communist slogans, I also really liked the skill in Alev Jaguar's proletariat prints on display. My fave was "Hasta la victoria siempre", which every Cuban knows was a harsh Communist slogan written in blood on the back of Che Guevara's gay men in forced labor camps... I give Jaguar a pass for ignorance, as he/she/them also probably is not aware of what the racist Guevara wrote about Mexicans.

But it is a gorgeous print!

"Hasta la victoria siempre" at AOM 2024 in Mexican Pavilion
"Hasta la victoria siempre" at AOM 2024 in Mexican Pavilion

There's also a Cuban Pavilion, I assume set up by the Cuban Embassy in the US, since Cuban artists are generally not free to just participate in shows such as Artomatic, and their artwork has to be vetted for international exhibition - if you don't believe me, learn about Cuban artists Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Castillo Pérez.

There I really liked the technical skill in the drawings of Daniel Madruga, who delivers immensely surreal compositions of fantastical animals.

Drawing by Daniel Madruga
Drawing by Daniel Madruga

Drawing by Daniel Madruga
Drawing by Daniel Madruga

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Artomatic Returns!

Artomatic returns for its signature free art event to be held this year in Hyattsville, Maryland. Artomatic draws over 1000 artists and performers throughout the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area to showcase their talents for a six weeks long free exhibition that routinely attracts more than 75,000 visitors.

This year, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Department of Parks and Recreation welcomes Artomatic to Prince George’s County in a 90,000 square foot space, located at 8100 Corporate Drive in Hyattsville with a Halloween themed opening weekend celebration.
Artomatic is well-known for transforming empty spaces into vibrant arts communities that create unique and exciting events for tens of thousands of visitors - all free to visit. Anyone can show art at Artomatic - it is non-juried and art is selected on a first-come, first serve basis - so it’s a great way to discover new art. In addition to creative art, Artomatic also features a plethora of performing art forms throughout the exhibition – live music, dance, spoken word, comedy as well as professional development series and special events showcases.  Every night of the event, thousands of people visit Artomatic to discover new art, grab a drink, listen to music, go on dates, and mingle with the creative community. No matter what kind of creative events you like, you’ll find something to like at Artomatic.

“We’re excited to be working with the M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation who, like Artomatic, understand the importance of art to help foster community,” said George Koch, Founder and Chair Emeritus. “Our diversity of artwork is unmatched because both emerging and established artists present their work side by side, which helps attract the broadest range of visitors.”
“It is our pleasure to host such a renowned art experience in Prince George’s County which complements the numerous arts offerings of the County and the Department of Parks and Recreation,” says Ronnie Gathers, Director of the M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation. “Artomatic will also help provide visibility for the thriving artists and art districts in the community, like the Hyattsville Arts District.”

Visitors will enjoy easy access to Artomatic with the New Carrolton METRO Station, as well as plenty of parking and bus stops nearby.

For the latest information about the event, how to participate, and when to visit, please subscribe to Artomatic by email or Facebook, or visit our website at www.artomatic.org.

What:  Artomatic 2015

When:  October 30th – December 12th

Where:  8100 Corporate Drive, Hyattsville, Maryland

Metro:  New Carrollton, Orange line

Who:  Artists, and everyone. This event is free.

Event Registration:     Registration details on how to exhibit work, perform, or volunteer at Artomatic will be available soon. Please subscribe to Artomatic by email or Facebook, and check the Artomatic website for updates.

Website:  Artomatic.org.
Social Media:  Facebook: Facebook.com/Artomatic Twitter: @ARTOMATIC

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Artomatic review: the 4th floor

It took me about two and a half hours to finish finish my first walk through of the 4th floor at ARTOMATIC, and then I revisited some spaces and left many comments on the artists' books.

First impressions are: 

(1) A lot of artists channeling Joseph Cornell, which is a good thing, as Cornell was a magnificent artist and his work niche has miles and miles of creativity left to explore!

(2) a lot of BLM-themed artwork, some pretty powerful, some less memorable.

(3) I'm shocked by how many people cannot spell Palestine! 

Now for my impressions, but first, the mysterious, talented and prolific poet known as BRASH has been gifting poetry to ARTOMATIC artists for many years now. And now BRASH has been outed by an artist known as Bebe in room 4043! I really hope that this was an agreed outing!

BRASH by Bebe at AOM 2024
BRASH by Bebe

Wall mosaic by Peijisan at Artomatic 2024
Wall mosaic by Peijisan at Artomatic 2024

In room 4066, the artist known as Peijisan has cleverly recycled materials to create a wall mosaic that translates really well and would be a great addition to any public art building - the best of both worlds: re-using materials and in doing so creating really good art!

My personal best ARTOMATIC find of all time was when I ran into Tim Tate  at the second ever Artomatic in Tenleytown over two decades ago. Today when I waked the 4th floor (I'm on duty on the 4th floor), in room 4123 I met the recent works on metal of a new-to-me artist named James Flowers. So far he's the Best New Artist find (for me)... I will explain more in DC Art News later.

James Flowers at Artomatic 2024
Detail of a James Flowers painting on metal

In room 4009 I was superbly impressed by the portrait drawings of Mary Acosta. In these works the artist has easily captured - not only through her technical skill, but also through her ability to "read" the subject -- something special about each person!
Mary Acosta in room 4009 at Artomatic 2024
Mary Acosta in room 4009 at Artomatic 2024

I am usually highly critical of weird or fancy frames - as opposed to the art word standard of plain frames that do not interfere with the work. In this room I stand corrected! Acosta uses a diverse assortment of interesting exotic frames and I'll be darned if it actually works for her!

Mary Acosta in room 4009 at Artomatic 2024
Mary Acosta portrait
I mentioned that there are a lot of artists on this floor channeling Joseph Cornell - and below is one of my absolute favorites from Tom Noll in room 4038, which is full of wonderful artsy "upcycled" boxes!
 
ARtsy upcycled box by Tom Noll at Artomatic 2024
Tom Noll at Artomatic 2024

Tom Noll room 4038 at Artomatic 2024
Tom Noll room 4038 at Artomatic 2024

On one of the halls marked 478, I was taken by the pole dancing photographs of Larkin Jones - they are superbly presented, and deliver athletic prowess, eroticism and even humor!

Pole dancing photo by Larkin Jones at Artomatic 2024
Pole dancing photo by Larkin Jones at Artomatic 2024

Below is my award for possibly the scariest sculpture in Artomatic! It is the superb work of Greg Bailou in room 4013!
Greg Bailou in room 4013 at Artomatic
Greg Bailou in room 4013

I have admired the works of my good bud Osbel Susman-Peña for decades now. He's a superbly trained artist whose works draws from deep sources loaded with ages of personal meanings to him, and yet the brilliance of his works is how each individual viewer finds its own meanings in his wondrous paintings.  His work is in room 4057.

Some other masters who need no introduction are Colin Winterbottom (easily one of the best DMV photographers of the city) in room 4062, the breath-taking work of Ellen Cornett in room 4085. I am soooo jealous of her enviable technical skill in her drawings - but technical skill alone does not great art make -- and Cornett is also brilliant in her surrealist work that delivers a wondrous bestiary and images that are best reserved for wonderful dreams! She's in room 4085.

In room 4073/74 I ran into a powerful installation by the duo of Claudia Vess and Lucy Blankenstein - two DMV artists who need no introduction. Titled "Apres Moi?", the two-room install is an orgy of recycled white foam materials that somehow in one room deliver modern forms and in the other room a marriage of modern forms with classical busts!
Apres Mois at Artomatic 2024
Apres Moi

Apres Mois at Artomatic 2024
Apres Moi

More "must see" on the 4th floor: Marcie Wolf-Hubbard in room 4050, Betsy Jones miniature dioramas in room 4015, Monica Perdomo's memorable stitched canvasses in room 4104, and easily the selection for one of the most innovative and serene projects of Artomatic history: Lisa Rosenthal-Yoffe's "Nothing but Blue Skies" in room 4014 -- That's how you do a room installation!

Detail of Monica Perdomo
Detail of Monica Perdomo's stitching

More masters at Artomatic: Susan Jamison in room 4099, and the collaboration of David Mordini and Barry Schmetter in 4029, with nine tracks of motion activated cicada songs is spectacularly superior on a planetary scale! May the broods of 2024 bring new sounds to your repertoire!

And of course there's another great room with Richard Schellenberg's latest. This artist - along with Tim Tate a few centuries ago - almost single-handedly invented the niche of art that took video away from DVD players and made it into fine art!  There are also some exceptional minimalist drawings, which I gotta admit, were a surprise to me - the man can also draw! He's in room 4088.

Richard Schellenberg video pieces at Artomatic 2024
Richard Schellenberg video pieces at Artomatic 2024

Over in Facebook I've been getting my ass chewed by artists who think that no one should get constructive criticism on something that needs improvement - one even called me a jackass. They felt that it was "unneeded" and "mean" that I think that whoever this artist is below, he or she gets the second worst Artomatic installation ever. 

This is ALL that there's in the room:


Why? Because the presentation needs a lot of schooling: there is no information at all, no names, no contact information, etc. And the work is double taped to the wall, which to me does not say that the artist is trying to deliver a message via the poor installation, but that he or she just needs some basic mentoring and information on artwork presentation... Note that I'm discussing the presentation - not the artwork itself - but a lot of otherwise gentle folks over at Facebook are fuming at me for daring to express constructive criticism,

I could be wrong, and if so, I will eat my words -- you readers know that I have done so many times in the past.

Wanna talk about it? Whoever is below artist, email me and let's get together and chat about how to present your work... or you can tell me to fuck off -- either way works... Wanna see the very worst Artomatic installation ever? Click here.

Saturday, March 09, 2024

Artomatic - Opening Night

Attended AOM's opening night last night - I arrived a bit early in order to walk the 5th floor and begin the process of awarding my usual Artomatic awards and eventually pick my top 10 AOM artists.


The 2100 M Street, NW building is a HUGE Brutalist maze - just the 5th floor took me over two hours and towards the end I was rushing in order to be back in my room in time for the evening crowds to arrive. In my opinion, the amount of visitors was steady and decent for a Friday night opening, but based on the 5th floor alone, a little less than my usual recollection from previous (and much smaller) AOMs, so that perception is probably somewhat flawed from both those factors.

Met loads and loads of artists friends, many of whom I had not seen in years, usually since the pre-Covidian Age and in some cases, decades! I was also told that the Washington Post's freelance galleries' art critic Mark Jenkins had been passing through - good luck trying to write a one column art review of a 1,000+ artists art event - to be fair to Jenkins, the WaPo should send him over to AOM multiple times and have him write a column for each floor!

In a preventive strike, the great Michael O'Sullivan, who used to write about the DC art scene, had a great piece on the history of AOM and also covered this iteration. Read that here.

During the opening ceremonies, I am also told that Mayor Bowser had to be rushed away to safety as:

What the Mayor of DC has to do with "advocating for a cease-fire in Palestine" escapes me, but you reap what you sow. On the one hand, Andy Shallal and the other protesters can go fuck themselves for using an artists' event - who never get any press attention in the District - to bring attention to themselves and their cause... may the bluebird of happiness shit all over your birthday cakes.

On the other (third hand), and a perfect example of the law of unintended consequences, because of the protest and rushing the AOM stage, this Artomatic has already received more press coverage on its opening day that probably all other Artomatics put together! So, thank you Andy Shallal and your gang! Thank you and I hope that they arrested all you fuckers!

Back to the arts... as I noted, I strolled through the 5th floor, which seems to have an unplanned concentration of some of the better-known artists of the DMV, such as Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, Michael Janis, Alison Sigethy Patricia de Poel Wilberg, (see a glass pattern here?), Laurel Lukaszewski, Andrew WodzianskiShanthi Chandrasekar, Ric Garcia, Steve Wanna, J. Jordan Bruns and others.

Let us start a stroll through the 5th floor then... and from my 5th floor walk through at ARTOMATIC, it's gonna be hard and next to impossible to best Melissa Burley in the Best Steam Punk art category! She's in room 5103 and knocking it out of the ballpark with her gorgeous and entrancing sculptures!

Melissa Burley in room 5103 at Artomatic 2024
Melissa Burley in room 5103 at Artomatic 2024

There's a 16-year-old artist in room 5045 (Evelyn Johns) whose paintings also caught my eye for the natural painting skills that she's already exhibiting (pun intended) and so far she has earned my Best Young Artist award.

Evelyn Johns in Room 5045 at Artomatic 2024
Evelyn Johns in Room 5045 at Artomatic 2024

Like previous Artomatics, there's plenty of bad photography and also plenty of spectacular work!  Possibly some of the most powerful photographs that I have ever seen is in the "Scars" series being exhibited by (new to me) photographer Rahul Saha in Room 5026. See all of them here.  They are not only beautiful photographs of (mostly) beautiful bodies, but also deliver a powerful punch to the solar plexus of the mind's eye!

These were my favorites amongst many superb works:

Holly from the SCAR series by Rahul Shah at Artomatic
Holly from the SCAR series by Rahul Shah at Artomatic


Lila from the SCAR series by Rahul Shah at Artomatic
Lila from the SCAR series by Rahul Shah at Artomatic

And also just like all other Artomatics, this one is full of Star Wars art, and just like previous AOMs, artists love to combine porn and Star Wars, and so far, leading in the Star Wars Porn category is the artist who goes by Lucky Art Studio in room 5090. Please notice how Chewbacca got a full body shave in this treatment of the Wookie.

Lucky Art Studio in room 5090 at Artomatic 2024
Lucky Art Studio in room 5090 at Artomatic 2024

Another category usually overloaded with work is food art, and so far Anna Katalkina is leading the Yummy Art award. These are delicious paintings by clearly a spectacularly skilled artist! She's in room 5087

Anna Katalkina in room 5087 at Artomatic 2024
Anna Katalkina in room 5087 at Artomatic 2024

As by my own assessment, I am the planet's leading expert on Washington area glass art, it is always exciting to me when I discover a new talent, and on the 5th floor, close by the elevators in that central area where all the artists from the Washington Glass School are located, I discovered the work of a young new glass artist named Griffon Dillon whose work was really refreshing and new.

Social Media Art Award - Michele Banks' intelligent approach to the monster inside social media - I don't need to visit the other floors! She's in room 5108.

Michele Banks in room 5108 at Artomatic 2024
Michele Banks in room 5108 at Artomatic 2024

Salon Hanging Style Award - Easily won by Joseph Shepperd Rogers in Room 5091.
Joseph Shepperd Rogers in Room 5091 at Artomatic 2024
Joseph Shepperd Rogers in Room 5091 at Artomatic 2024

Best Abstract Action Painting on the 5th floor - Marthe McGrath in room 5011... this is a pending review of other floors award - but certainly worth a visit!

Scariest Pussy Award - This is a tentative award, until I visit all floors, as in the past Andrei Trach has always won this coveted category and I do not know if his work is in this edition of Artomatic. Pending further exploration, so far the award is going to Phyllis Mayes in room 5063!

Scariest Pussy Award at Artomatic 2024
Phyllis Mayes in room 5063

Best Teddy Bear Noir Award - I'm pretty sure that she invented this new category, but the award is clearly merited by this talented photographer! Victoria Pickering in room 5065!

Victoria Pickering in room 5065 at Artomatic - Teddy Bear Noir
Victoria Pickering - Teddy Bear Noir

Open Invisible Worlds Award - Gorgeous close up photography by Stuart Diekmeyer in Room 5060. This kind of work is soooo hard to do, and even harder to present in such intelligent manner!

Stuart Diekmeyer Gallery of Photos at Artomatic 2024
Stuart Diekmeyer Gallery of Photos at Artomatic 2024

Best Presentation of the Subject Matter (Ever!) - Easily won by the intelligent substrate used by J.L. Hussey in presenting the Musicians series in room 5014.

J.L. Hussey in presenting the Musicians series in room 5014.
J.L. Hussey - Musicians series in room 5014

J.L. Hussey in presenting the Musicians series in room 5014.
Little Walter by J.L. Hussey from the Musicians series in room 5014

Best Ever Interpretation of Picasso's Guernica - Judith Benderson in room 5012.

Best Frida Kahlo (2D) in a floor with lots of Frida Kahlos was a really tough category... on just this floor there are a LOT of art pieces about the Fridanator, including a really good one from a Lebanese artist.  But what really stood out to me was this work by fellow Cubano artist Ric Garcia. And at $75 Samolians, this is clearly one of the best - if not the best! - deal at Artomatic! Buy them now!

Ric Garcia FRIDA KAHLO at Artomatic 2024
Young & Frida V by Ric Garcia in room  5033

Most Fantastical Glass - Alison Sigethy in room 5075 - I've said enough over the years about this amazing master... and yet every time that I see her work, it WOWs me!

Another new award category, and I am pretty sure that this artist is the final winner, as perhaps she is the ONLY artist on the entire planet, maybe even the galaxy, focusing on this subject! In any event, the Best Beaker Art Award goes to Jenn Bock in room 5073!

Best Beaker Art Award goes to Jenn Bock in room 5073 at ARTOMATIC 2024
Beaker artwork by Jenn Bock in room 5073 at ARTOMATIC 2024

Best Poor Sport Award is awarded to Andrew Wodzianski who cheated and awarded it to himself before I could check out his brilliant work in room 5061.

Best Poor Sport Award is awarded to Andrew Wodzianski who cheated and awarded it to himself before I could check out his brilliant work in room 5061.
Andrew Wodzianski in room 5061.

Best Mixed Media (Ever) - Another "ever" winner is J. Jordan Bruns, who is one of those fantastic artists who can created really good art is pretty much any genre, and also teach it, and also present it really well... and so on! And yet this series of works always stuns me by their unusual ability to cross around art boundaries and deliver.  The Brunsdinator is in room 5062 and you can connect with him in his great Glen Echo classroom here.

J. Jordan Bruns mixed media work at Artomatic 2024 - Plagiarizing Lenny Campello
J. Jordan Bruns mixed media work at Artomatic 2024

And all of that was just one floor! Do you now understand why Mark Jenkins' task from the Washington Post is impossible!

More floors later...