Ai Weiwei: Wonderful dissident, terrible artist

My sense, at least on the weekday when I visited the show, was that visitors welcomed the opportunity to focus on the hardships of life in contemporary China as well as on Ai's extraordinary courage as a social activist. Although some museumgoers may be surprised to discover that Ai often favors a chaste minimalist style as he spotlights some of the horrors visited upon the Chinese people by the country's authoritarian regime, others will take the style in stride, regarding it as a generic documentary approach perfectly appropriate for Ai's torn-from-the-headlines subject matter.

Read Jed Perl's review in the New Republic here.

East of the River Distinguished Artist Award

ARCH Development Corporation (ADC) announces the second annual East of the River Distinguished Artist Award (EotRDAA); an award with a $5,000 prize presented by Honfleur Gallery with funding from the Gautier family. This annual award recognizes an artist living East of the Anacostia River for creative excellence as well as for having had a significant impact on the cultural landscape of Washington, DC.

The main purpose of this award is to celebrate the achievements and contributions of East of the River (EotR) artists who, individually and collectively, have enriched the arts in Washington, DC. In recognizing them, it will help document the EotR cultural history and continue the long tradition of outstanding artists. The first annual EotRDAA was awarded to artist BK ADAMS*I AM ART last summer.

To be eligible, applicants must be artists who currently live in neighborhoods East of the Anacostia River and whose careers have made a substantial impact on the arts in Washington, DC. Individuals working in all disciplines-including dance, film, literature, music, theater, photography and visual arts-will be considered.

ADC is proud to formally establish this award as an annual prize as it helps to fulfill the organization's effort toward creating a home for the creative economy, artists, arts and cultural organizations in Ward 8. The establishment of this award carries on the mission of revitalization and sustainable economic development in Historic Anacostia that ADC has pledged since 1991. A few of ADC's current projects include: Honfleur Gallery, The Gallery at Vivid Solutions, The HIVE, The HIVE 2.0, and the Storefront Improvement Program.

Artists will be assessed by an esteemed panel of judges that will be announced after the deadline of submissions. The panel will then recommend a selection of candidates to ADC's board of directors, who in turn will choose the final artist. The award ceremony will take place July 25, 2013.

Applications are due by June 7, 2013. The East of the River Distinguished Artist Award will include an awards ceremony currently planned for July 25, 2013. The artist must be present to accept this award. Interested parties can find complete information about the contest and learn how to apply online at www.archdevelopment.org and www.honfleurgallery.com or in person at ADC project locations.

Art and Social Justice

George Mason University’s 

sixth annual Vision Series  feature Mason faculty in lively, accessible talks on matters of current interest in their fields.

The Series is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and includes events at all three Mason campuses.

Our next speaker Chawky Frenn, Associate Professor of Art, will present 

Art and Social Justice 

Monday, February 4th @ 7:00 p.m.

Center for the Arts, Fairfax Campus

Tickets are not required for these free events. For more information, please visit

http://cfa.gmu.edu/vision/

Each lecture is followed by an informal reception with the speaker.

Light refreshments are offered. Free parking in lot K

Judith with the head of Holofernes

"Judith with the head of Holofernes" is a charcoal drawing with an embedded digital presentation.

The "heads" of Holofernes rotate inside Judith's sack, showing the heads of the hateful leaders of some of the contemporary nations of the ancient Assyrian Empire, who a few thousand years later still want to destroy Israel... we see Ahmadinejad, Khamenei, Muqtada al-Sadr, Assad, Morsi, Rafsanjani, etc.

The piece measures 16.75 x 12 inches and will be matted and framed to a larger size and (unless some savvy collector buys it between now and then) it will make its exhibition debut at Scope New York next March, where it is sure to piss off a lot of anti-Semites.

Judith with the head of Holofernes

This a "teaser"...

It is the verso of "Judith with the Head of Holofernes" - my first piece of 2013! 

A drawing with embedded digital presentation and which is sure to piss off a lot of anti-Semites when it is shown in NYC next March.

The piece is a contemporary interpretation of the story of Judith.

 In this piece, the severed head of Holofernes rotates every five seconds to change and display a digital image of some of the bad guys around the current countries which were part of the ancient Assyrian Empire and which (a few millennia later) still want to wipe out Israel, as Holofernes once tried until Judith whacked him.

Image of the piece coming soon...

Nolan at Touchstone

UNFILTEREDPaintings by Leslie M. Nolan

Opening Reception, Wine and Live Music:
Friday, February 1, 6-8:30

Touchstone Gallery
Music by Tom Rohde, Classical, Brazilian and Spanish Guitar

Preview: January 30 and 31, 11-6
3rd Thursday Event: February 21, 6-8:30

New Gallery in the DMV

Artful Grand Opening

Reception: 2/16/2013 5-8 pm Location: Color Wheel Gallery 65 703-356-6345 1374 Chain Bridge Road McLean Virginia 22101 Save the Date! Join them as this new gallery celebrates an Artful Grand Opening on Saturday, February 16, from 5 to 8 pm. Visit the inaugural exhibition of Sculpture, Abstract, Figurative, Realism, and Impressionistic Art, meet the artists, and enjoy the festivities. RSVP Requested

About Color Wheel

Home Décor, Paint and Picture Framing

"Color Wheel’s 6,400-square-foot McLean location is three stores rolled into one, featuring decorating services and products, custom framing and a fine art gallery, as well as paint and specialty finishes. Our store professionals are trained specialists whose knowledgeable experience and helpful advice will ensure the success of every project."

For Performance Artists

Deadline: February 8, 2013

Grant Proposals Invited for Southern Exposure: Performing Arts of Latin America

Administered by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Southern Exposure: Performing Arts of Latin America supports projects in which arts presenters from different cities or states work collaboratively to bring exemplary performing artists from Latin America to audiences in the United States that have little access to this work. The initiative supports the presentation of dance, music, and theater artists and ensembles and encourages arts presenters to reach new audiences, including communities with origins in Latin America that reflect the demographic changes that have taken place in the U.S. over recent decades.

The program funds projects that are developed collaboratively by presenter consortia based in the U.S. and its territories and ensure that engagements take place in at least three (and a maximum of five) different cities or towns. In addition to public performances, all projects will include complementary community activities intended to build appreciation for the visiting artists' work and cultures.

Each consortium must consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of five presenting organizations. Priority will be given to consortia that include at least one organization with little to no experience of presenting artists from outside the U.S. Consortium partners must be based either in different states and/or federal jurisdictions or, at a minimum, outside of a fifty-mile radius from one another. Each presenter in a consortium must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or a unit of state or local government and have a minimum of three continuous years of experience offering multiple presentations by professional touring performing artists in a given season

Grants will not exceed $25,000. No presenter request for less than $5,000 will be considered for support. Grants will be made directly to each presenter in a consortium whose project has been approved for support. Grants must be matched on a 1:1 basis. Matches may be achieved through cash and/or in-kind contributions.
The application deadline is February 8, 2013, for projects taking place between September 1, 2013, and August 31, 2014.
Visit the MAAF Web site for complete program guidelines and application procedures.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Chawky Frenn Lecture

George Mason University’s 

sixth annual Vision Series  feature Mason faculty in lively, accessible talks on matters of current interest in their fields.

The Series is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and includes events at all three Mason campuses.

Our next speaker Chawky Frenn, Associate Professor of Art, will present 

Art and Social Justice 

Monday, February 4th @ 7:00 p.m.

Center for the Arts, Fairfax Campus

Tickets are not required for these free events. For more information, please visit

http://cfa.gmu.edu/vision/

Each lecture is followed by an informal reception with the speaker.

Light refreshments are offered. Free parking in lot K

Opportunity for Artists

To apply, click here	Be Part of this Special Outdoor Arts Festival Commemorating 150 Years of the Reservoir at Druid Hill Park  Deadline: March 11, 2013 More than a show, this will be a showcase of art and artists from around Maryland who will display and sell their works. Join us for a day-long celebration that will also feature performing arts from Baltimore area schools, strolling entertainment, children's arts & crafts, some of Baltimore's best Food Trucks and more. This juried arts event harkens back to the city's annual outdoor art festival that was held on Sundays around the Druid Hill Reservoir during the 1950s and 1960s. Artists displayed their works, most of which were for sale. It created a unique opportunity to connect artists with the community. And now that same opportunity is open to you. Entries are currently being accepted in these categories: Ceramics - Clay • Drawing - Painting • Glass • Jewelry • Leather Metal • Mixed Media • Photography - Digital • Textile • Wood Don't miss being part of this one-of-a-kind event. No entry fee Non-refundable $50 show fee upon acceptance No commission on sales Artists must provide 10' x 10' tent with weights and any signage, tables, displays, etc.

America’s Top 12 ArtPlaces for 2013

America’s Top 12 ArtPlaces for 2013 are:

Brooklyn, NY / The intersection of Downtown, Fort Greene, Gowanus, Park Slope and Prospect Heights
Dallas, TX / The Dallas Arts District, with parts of Deep Ellum and Exposition Park
Los Angeles, CA / Central Hollywood
Miami Beach, FL / South Beach
Milwaukee, WI / The Third Ward
New York, NY / Manhattan Valley
Oakland, CA / Downtown, including Chinatown, Old Oakland and Jack London Square
Philadelphia, PA / Old City
Portland, OR / The Pearl District and a portion of Downtown
San Francisco, CA / The Mission District
Seattle, WA / The Pike-Pine Corridor
Washington, DC / The intersection of Adams Morgan, U Street, and Dupont Circle

In addition to the Top Twelve, thirty-two additional neighborhoods across the country qualified as robust ArtPlaces. To read more about these stories and for a complete list of ArtPlaces for 2013, download the full report or check a little write up about it here.

Torpedo Factory Residencies

TORPEDO FACTORY ART CENTER VISITING ARTIST PROGRAM 

Now accepting applications for June-August 2013 residencies. Open to
emerging and experienced visual artists for one-, two-, or three-month
periods. These self-directed, creative residencies are intended as
professional development opportunities and include studio space and
the ability to display and sell original work. No application
fee. 

Details: www.torpedofactory.org/vap or email VAP@torpedofactoryartists.com

The British are coming! (Again)

Using an art exhibition as a bridge between two countries, the Sister City  program will be bringing together Sunderland, England and Washington, DC in a show that celebrates the medias of glass and clay, as well as celebrating the relationships between the two cities.
 

USA / Syl Mathis / Glass 

Opening March 1, 2013, at Washington, DC's Edison Place Gallery will be an exhibit of expressive glass and ceramic artwork, as well as narrative sculptures that blend craft materials with digital technologies and, in turn remove the boundaries between the traditional categories of craft, art, and design.

USA / Novie Trump / Ceramic

 
Artists and artwork will soon be arriving from the UK's Creative Cohesion and University of Sunderland, and DC - based artists represented by the Washington Glass School and Flux Studios will be acting as “cultural ambassadors” facilitating the exchange of ideas and images. 

In addition to a spectacular exhibit, a number of demos and workshops are planned during the month at the gallery and the DC area studios.

UK / Roger Tye / Glass

This will be the third collaboration with DC's Sister City of Sunderland - in 2008 "Glass 3" was held in Georgetown; in 2009, 38 artists from Sunderland participated in the 10th Artomatic, held near the Navy Yard.  
 
 

Washington Glass School's Fulbright Scholars Michael Janis and Tim Tate taught at both the University of Sunderland and at Creative Cohesion studios during their Fulbright assignment in 2012, and look forward to renewing the close relationship created by these collaborations.

US Fulbrighters Janis & Tate 2012 workshop at Creative Cohesion studios in Sunderland, England

The International Glass + Clay show opens March 1st and will run through Friday, March 23, The exhibit is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Gallery Place Metro station is within walking distance of the Gallery. 
The Downtown Business Improvement District (Downtown BID), in partnership with Artomatic, Inc., the Office of the Secretary for the District of Columbia, and Sunderland City Council, have together organized the international exhibit, hosted at Pepco's Edison Gallery. 
International Glass and Clay 2013  Edison Place Gallery 702 Eight Street, NW, Washington, DC 20068  March 1 - 23, 2013

Opportunities for Artists

Deadline: April 1, 2013 

THE ARTIST'S MAGAZINE 30th ANNUAL ART COMPETITION More
than $25,000 in cash prizes will be awarded, and Top Award Winners
will be featured in the December 2013 issue of The Artist's Magazine!

All winners will also appear in a special online gallery. There are 5
categories for you to compete and win. Plus, there's a Special
Student/Beginner Division for new artists. Entry fee. 

For details and to enter, contact art-competition@fwmedia.com

Update: Laurie found a direct link:  
http://www.artistsnetwork.com/the-artists-magazine-annual-competition

OPTIONS 2013

Washington Project for the Arts Presents
OPTIONS 2013
April 10 - June 9, 2013
Location: Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201   

Opening Reception: Saturday, April 13, 6-9pm
Curator Talk: Saturday, May 18, 4pm
Exhibition Hours: Wednesday - Friday, 1-7pm; Saturday-Sunday, 12-5pm

Aaron McIntosh, Dream of Darkness, 2010, Artist's teenage t-shirts and underwear and craft felt; quilted, 60" x 108"

The Washington Project for the Arts has announced OPTIONS 2013, the fifteenth installment of WPA's biennial exhibition of works by emerging and unrepresented artists from DC, Maryland, and Virginia. OPTIONS 2013 will take place from April 10 through June 9, 2013 at the Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201. The exhibition will include work by sixteen artists selected by curator Gerald Ross, Director of Exhibitions and Faculty, MFA in Curatorial Practice, Maryland Institute College of Art.
There will be an opening reception for the exhibition on Saturday, April 13 from 6-9pm and a talk with the curator and participating artists on Saturday, May 18 at 4pm. Both events are free and open to the public.

Participating artists include: Selin Balci (Annapolis, MD), Christina Billotte (Baltimore, MD), Michael Borek (Bethesda, MD), Julia Brown (Washington, DC), Carolyn Case (Cockeysville, MD), Bonnie Crawford Kotula (Baltimore, MD), Evan Hume (Washington, DC), Lisa Marie Jakab (Washington, DC), Magnolia Laurie (Baltimore, MD), Aaron McIntosh (Baltimore, MD), Mark Parascandola (Washington, DC), Wendy Rodgers (Takoma Park, MD), Kathryn Sowinski (Baltimore, MD), Colette Veasey-Cullors (Baltimore, MD), William Whitaker (Washington, DC), and Millicent Young (Ruckersville, VA).

Off and On...

A painting by African-American artist Kara Walker has gone back on display at Newark Library.

The artwork had been covered almost immediately after it was first shown because library workers found it offensive.

Read it here.

 This is not the first time black viewers have expressed disapproval of Walker's imagery. In 1997, artist Betye Saar led a campaign against Walker's work, sending letters to people in the art world, asking, "Are African-Americans being betrayed under the guise of art?"

Read that here.

Makes my head hurt...

The California woman accused of slaughtering her ex-boyfriend at his Arizona home in a gruesome "Fatal Attraction"-style attack has made more than $1,000 hawking her jailhouse artwork online.

Read the whole story here.

Hang her high...

Read this.

Original student-era Keith Haring mural discovered

In the market for some new digs? Check out this 8,200 square foot TriBeCa maisonette, complete with three floors, 19th century adornments, double floor ceilings, factory windows and an original student-era Keith Haring mural.

Read the whole article by Julia Dawidowicz here.

Audrey Wilson

One of the most pleasant surprises that I had in doing the Aqua Art Fair last December in Miami Beach (other than record sales, which is always a good thing), was how efficient and hardworking Audrey Wilson, the gallery's intern for the fair and current intern at the Washington Glass School was. But the real surprise was the beauty and intelligence of her work (which we displayed in Miami and sold well!).

Here's Audrey Wilson's current productions - buy some now.


Bluebook for a Woman's Revenge
Kiln formed tempered glass, found metal, latex
H 9'' W 8'' D 7''

Mechanically Activated Patent US1680
Kiln formed tempered glass, found metal
H 5'' W 4'' D 6''


Quadratically Coupled Optomechanical Doubled Wing
Pate de verre kiln formed glass, found metal, latex
H 7' W 7'' D 6''


Broken Enigma Number Two
Kiln formed tempered glass, found object
H 18' W 18''
In a private collection in New York