Thursday, August 01, 2013

Opportunity for Artists

Deadline: May 1, 2014

The Battle Creek Education Society, in support of the Calvert County Division of Natural Resources, is pleased to issue a Call to Artists to submit artworks inspired by the natural world of Southern Maryland. 

The exhibition, “Nature’s ARTcade,” will be held June 7 – June 29, 2014, at Flag Ponds Nature Education Center on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. 

Artist entry forms and show information may be found at www.calvertparks.org/ARTcade. Prize monies for this exhibition will total $2,000. 


The curator for this exhibition will be Dr. Margaret Dowell, artist and adjunct professor of art at the College of Southern Maryland. Prize jurors include Jayme McLellan, artist, educator, curator and founder/director of Washington DC’s Civilian Art Projects, and Tom Horton, former environmental editor for the Baltimore Sun and author of several books about the Chesapeake Bay. 


Deadline for submissions is May 1, 2014. Questions may be directed to Anne Sundermann, Executive Director, Battle Creek Nature Education Society: anne@calvertparks.org, 301-204-4730.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Donate to Bike to the Beach

I donated to Bike to the Beach to support Autism awareness and research.  Did you know that:
  • Autism affects 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys
  • Autism costs a family $60,000 a year on average
  • Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases
  • Boys are nearly 5 times more likely than girls to have autism
  • There is no medical detection or cure for autism.
A friend of mine is participating in this event -- to support his ride and help in bringing awareness to the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. click here.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Wanna be part of a museum show?

Extreme Exhibit Makeover at the Sandy Springs Museum


The Extreme Exhibit Makeover is a process of creating new exhibits in the museum through the collaboration of professionals from different fields – history, art, exhibit design, and so on – and a member of the local community.

The process involves identifying experts in various fields who will be placed on one of two teams.  Each team will consist of a historian, an artist – either a visual artist or an exhibit designer – a curator, and a member of the public.  Working collaboratively, each team will come up with an idea for an exhibit that focuses on an aspect of local culture and its historic roots.  The teams will have three months to conduct the background research, select artifacts and photos, create graphics, and design the exhibit.  At the end of three months, the teams will be brought together to install their exhibits on the same day.  The exhibit installation will be open to the public who will vote on the “people’s choice” winner.

The purpose of this project is to reinvigorate the museum with new exhibits; to get new people involved in the museum; to get new perspectives on local history; to make the exhibit process more contemporary by incorporating pop culture (“extreme” reality shows and team competitions) and social media (by posting frequent behind-the-scenes updates); and to incorporate a performance art aspect by allowing the public to watch the installation.

The museum will launch this program in September and plan to have the exhibits ready for installation by January.  A $200 stipend will be paid to each participant. Help fund the Extreme Exhibit Makeover - Click here!

If you are interested in participating, please send the information below by August 25, 2013 to Allison Weiss at aweiss@sandyspringmuseum.org
  • A letter explaining why you want to be part of this program and what skills you bring
  • An example of something creative that you have done
  • Your resume

Monday, July 29, 2013

This week: The Art of The Superhero Opens


Simon Monk - Spiderman
The Washington Project for the Arts announces The Art of the Super Hero – Revisited, a group exhibition organized by Lenny Campello exploring our cultural fascination with masked men and caped crusaders. 

The artists included in the exhibition approach their topic with a mix of levity and seriousness, using the figure of the superhero to explore issues of identity, immigration, and the struggles of daily life.  

The Art of the Super Hero - Revisited features photography, painting, and mixed media work by F. Lennox Campello, Carla Goldberg, Jeannette Herrera, Simon Monk, Dulce Pinzon, and Andrew Wodzianski. 

The exhibition opens with a reception in the Capitol Skyline Lounge on Friday, August 2, 2013 from 6-8pm and runs from Friday, August 2 through Sunday, August 25, 2013. 


Friday, August 2 – Sunday, August 25, 2013
Opening Reception: Friday, August 2, 6-8pm
   at the Capitol Skyline Hotel , 10 I (eye) St. SW, Washington, DC

Participating Artists: F. Lennox Campello, Carla Goldberg, Jeannette Herrera, Simon Monk, Dulce Pinzón, and Andrew Wodzianski

ABOUT HOTHOUSE
Hothouse is a new series of exhibitions, installations, and events organized by Washington Project for the Arts and taking place in the Capitol Skyline Hotel Lounge. Created as a way to provide new opportunities for WPA member artists and forge new connections within DC’s creative communities, Hothouse will present member-initiated programming on a regular basis.

ABOUT WPA
Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) is an independent, nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization whose mission is to serve as a catalyst for contemporary art.  WPA supports artists at all stages of their careers and promotes contemporary art by presenting exhibitions, issues, and ideas that stimulate public dialogue on art and culture.www.wpadc.org.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

New Acquisitions at the NGA

The National Gallery of Art has acquired dozens of new paintings, sculptures and drawings, including its first paintings by 17th-century Dutch Golden Age painter Cornelis Bega and 19th-century French artist Jean-Léon Gérôme. The works were approved by the National Gallery of Art’s board of trustees in May and acquired with private money and donations. Among the other acquisitions were two sculptures by Robert Smithson, ambrotype self-portraits by the photographer Sally Mann, and a Florentine wax relief attributed to 18th-century sculptor Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi.
Details here.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Art traded for smiles

Bren Bataclan watched from behind a tree as a young couple approached the fountain in Dupont Circle and studied a small square object leaning against the base of the monument. From his hiding spot, he could see the woman reach down with empty hands, then stand back up clasping a canvas. The duo held a brief conference, their mouths moving but their words too faint for Bataclan to hear. Finally, they reached an agreement that pleased Bataclan: The woman walked off with the artwork, grinning broadly.

The painting was Bataclan’s eighth giveaway of the day and the 114th since he set out this summer on a cross-country expedition supporting his SmileyB project. More important, with this canvas, he released two more smiles into the world.

“I like to help others, and in my own small way, I’m doing that,” said the 44-year-old Boston-based artist.
Read the whole article by  Andrea Sachs in the WaPo here.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Swiss Freeports Are Home for a Growing Treasury of Art

They come for the security and stay for the tax treatment. For as long as goods are stored here, owners pay no import taxes or duties, in the range of 5 to 15 percent in many countries. If the work is sold at the Freeport, the owner pays no transaction tax, either.
(Via) Read this cool article in the NYT - the interesting thing is that I believe that there are several "off-the-grid" such locations around the world, including a massive one just outside of Boston... cough, cough.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Job in the Arts

 Deadline: August 10, 2013
 
The Brentwood Arts Exchange is in need of experienced instructors to teach comic book making for teens, painting and drawing classes for teens and adults and are requesting proposals from individuals interested in teaching those subjects.  Classes should run for 4 or 6 weeks, and be held in the afternoon (for teens) or evening hours (for adults).  Include a class outline and a materials list in your proposal.
 
They're always interested in hearing good ideas.  If you would like to send a proposal on other art related classes and have experience teaching, they will accept those as well.
 
Send to Frannie Payne, Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood, MD 20722 or send to FrannieD.Payne@pgparks.com

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Art and Labor in the US

How are artists who have been systematically denied fair wages and access to basic services like healthcare and unemployment protections gaining access to those things today?
Even after reading this article by Alexis Clement, I'm not sure who the systemic denier is/are, but I suspect that (like everything else) it is Bush's fault (not Bush The First, he's now a good guy, but Dubya)... Details here.

Alexis Clement will be facilitating a class on this subject (cough, cough), titled Rights, Demands, and Radical Reimaginings: Art and Labor in the US at the Hyperallergic offices starting August 27. Registration info is here. Hyperallergic readers can get $15 off with the code HYPER.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Art Scam Alert

Beware of this mutant who is currently trying to scam artists and galleries:
From: Gregory Butler <gregbutlergroups.llc@gmail.com> To: Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 10:17 AM
Hi, 
My name is Greg, I recently visited your website and found your Work of arts to be appealing. I am very impressed with it and would be interested in purchasing it for my new apartment I am moving into this month. Please do provide me with the price and details if it is available.
 
Greg

New "Who's a Washingtonian?" Grant


Proposals Due: Sunday, September 1, 2013
Funding Amount: $5000
Match Required: 1:1; cash or in-kind  

Details here.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Head StART in ART program

Visual and performing artists are needed for residencies for the Head StART in ART program for the 2013-2014 school year. Residencies will take place at the Ellicott City Head Start Center or the Tubman Head Start Center in Columbia. Artists seeking a residency must have experience working with children; experience with pre-K is preferred. The performing artist residency will conclude with performances by the Head Start children. The visual artist residency will conclude with the completion of an art project for display at their Head Start Center or individual projects for students to take home. Applications are available online at www.hocoarts.org or at the Howard County Center for the Arts, 8510 High Ridge Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043. The deadline for proposals is August 15, 2013.
 
The Howard County Arts Council coordinates, administers, and funds Head StART in ART, with additional funding from Isadore and Bertha Gudelsky Family Foundation, Inc. and a grant from PNC for the 2013-2014 school year.  HCAC selects the artists and works closely with them and the Head Start staff to create a thematic program.
 
In FY2000, the Howard County Arts Council developed a partnership with the Ellicott City Head Start Center to establish an artist-in-residence program.  This partnership, Head StART in ART, provides the children with an in-depth, hands-on artistic experience they might never have otherwise and ensures them access to the arts.  Participation in such a program during the formative years can have a significant impact on a child’s future appreciation of and involvement in the arts and may also advance language and learning skills.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Jenkins checks in

I know that I've said this before, but the WaPo's Style art critic Mark Jenkins has really brought a fresh, new perspective to the WaPo's coverage of DC visual arts and is a huge improvement over his predecessors.

Read his current set of reviews here.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Celebrities Failing at Art

Allison Meier is a bit unfair to artsy celebrities in this cool article, but then again, it is hard to be a celebrity and then try your hand at art and then expect that people will take you seriously... cough, cough.

If anything the Bronx cheer should go to artists like Marina Abramovic for being part of the celebrity worship.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Announcing DC Artist Exchange (DCax)

Artomatic, in collaboration with several DC-based arts and cultural organizations, has announced the DC Artist Exchange (#DCax). 
 
This kick-off series includes five Panel Discussions on artist space in the city and four Swap Meets. Swap meets pDC Artist Exchange Logorovide a forum for the exchange of creative services or materials and the opportunity for community networking. 
 
Best of all, events are FREE to attend. 
 
Come to one session or the whole series. The series kicks off this Saturday, July 20th and runs through the summer season.
View the schedule and sign up today

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Becoming a Collector: How to Know What You LIke and Where to Find It


Thursday, July 25, 7pm in the Emerson Gallery at McLean Project for the Arts
MPA Exhibitions Director, Nancy Sausser, will give a talk about collecting art and how to get started.

Free, but reservations are required. Email info@mpaart.org to reserve your spot.

McLean Project for the Arts is located at 1234 Ingleside Avenue in McLean VA
For more information visit www.mpaart.org or call 703-790-1953

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

2013 Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize

Congratulations to Corcoran College of Art and Design faculty member Gabriela Bulisova, who was awarded the 2013 Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize on Saturday, July 13.

A faculty member in both the Photography and New Media Photojournalism degree programs, Bulisova was awarded the $25,000 prize for her multimedia project, "Time Zone."

The project - a collection of photographs and 12-minute video - focuses on 39-year-old Washington resident Lashawna Etheridge-Bey's effort to recreate a life after 18 years in prison. "Time Zone" features interviews with Etheridge-Bey, her mother, children and friend.

Gabriela Bulisova is a documentary photographer from the former Czechoslovakia, based in Washington, D.C. She travels to marginalized places such as Chernobyl, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria to give voice to those who have been silenced.

View images from "Time Zone" here. View the video here.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Amazon to Start Selling Fine Art On Line

Reports from the Art Newspaper and the Wall Street Journal say Amazon is making plans to sell fine art online. The reports say the company is working with galleries around the U.S.—perhaps more than 100—to act as an online art market and collect a commission on the sales.
Amazon tried this once before in 2001, but in partnership with Sotheby's. It was very successful, so much in fact that Sotheby's decided to go on their own, broke their contract with Amazon (and paid them a ton of money to do so) and was selling about a million dollars a day at one point.

Ebay noticed this and tried to start doing the same thing via a short-lived venture titled Ebay Premiere; they failed miserably.

Then Ebay started courting Sotheby's and the fools decided to partner up with Ebay and the whole entire thing tanked in record time, forever poisoning the well for online fine art auctions.

The formula for selling fine art online demands a legitimizing name (such as Sotheby's or Christie's or MoMA or such a recognizable "art name") - it fails miserably anytime anyone else tries it.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Woman as Color, Light and Form

Galerie Myrtis located at 2224 North Charles Street in Baltimore has an upcoming exhibition titled Woman as Color, Light and Form that has caught my eye.   The Opening Reception will be held Saturday, July 27, 2013, from 6:00pm – 9:00pm.  The reception is free and open to the public. An Artists’ Talk will take place on Sunday, August 11, 2013 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm and is part of the Tea with Myrtis series of art salons. Fee:  $20 includes tea sampling and sweet and savory treats.  
In challenging the notion of the feminine archetype, artists embrace and reach beyond the boundaries of the female form to express the essence of a woman, figuratively, conceptually and metaphorically. 
As Color, alluring imagery stretches the imagination and explores a woman’s sexual and intellectual power through aggressive gestures and symbolic references to the feminine life-giving force. As Light, provocative photographs portray a woman’s physical strength and ubiquitous presence in nature. As Form, moving two and three dimensional objects, emblematic of the ethereal qualities of a woman, reveal the complexities, convictions and intuitiveness of the feminine expressed as the divine; a ritualistic-based video serves as testimony to one woman’s personal journey of renewal, and others speak to healing, identity, memory and transformation in tableaus that embody a woman’s unbridled spirit.
Edwin Remsburg Diapotheque Series 9/22
The sixteen participating artists express their artistic voices through installations, paintings, photography, prints, and videos.




Artists:  Sondra Arkin, Maya Freelon Asante, David Carlson, Phylicia Ghee, Michael Gross, Nora Howell, Ada Pinkston, Edwin Remsburg (that's his powerful image Diapotheque Series 9/22 to the left), Jamea Richmond-Edwards, Rachael Rotenberg, Amy Sherald, Mary Walker, and Sigrid Vollerthun along with Sondheim Semi-finalists: A. Moon and Adejoke Tugbiyele

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Washington Studio School Annual Students Juried Show

The Washington Studio School 
is pleased to announce 
the Opening Reception of the Annual Students Juried Show 2013 

Friday, July 19th
From 6-8pm
"The work selected for this year's Juried Student Exhibition displays the progression of learning and skill-building that occurs at the Washington Studio School. The focus on drawing and understanding dynamic spatial relationships is evident in student's artwork of all skill levels.  

From figure drawing studies to sculpture, to drawings, paintings and collage that explore abstraction, to paintings in which one can detect a developing individual aesthetic and intuitive process, we can clearly see evidence of growth and the positive results of a highly focused and directed school environment. This exhibition is a showcase of some of the most dynamic student artwork as well as a wonderful insight into the Washington Studio School teaching approach." 
 Milena Spasic, Juror