Friday, April 28, 2023

Tomorrow: Insights with Laura Roulet

Insights: Laura Roulet

Tomorrow, 4pm–6pm

Join the Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art in Reston, Virginia tomorrow for an Insights program spotlighting an academic perspective of the work currently on view at Tephra ICA. This Insights program will feature my good friend independent curator and writer Laura Roulet who will speak about the Hacia la Vida | Toward Life exhibition.



Please RSVP here. In addition to the in-person program, Insights will be livestreamed beginning at 4:30pm and guests are welcome to join via Zoom with this link. This program is generously supported by Reston Community Center.

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival

On May 13 & 14, 2023, the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival takes over Woodmont Triangle, along Norfolk, Auburn & Del Ray Avenues, welcoming over 100 of the nation's best artists, live entertainment, and Bethesda restaurants. 

Take a glance at the artists attending this year's festival by clicking here

Admission to the festival is FREE and free parking is available in the public parking garage on Auburn Avenue. This event is held rain or shine. Sign up to volunteer here.

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Sold!

This is why I always tell artists to do the OUT OF ORDER show at the Maryland Art Place in Baltimore!



Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Black Art: In the Presence of LIGHT

Bethesda's Gallery B welcomes The Black Art Today Foundation for the first time, exhibiting their latest show, “Black Art: In the Presence of LIGHT.” 

Inspired by the documentary, Black Art: In the Absence of Light. This exhibit answers the challenging question to all Black and African American artists, “Are you willing to make [art] in the absence of light?” The foundation’s 27 member artists collectively respond that their work is LIGHT. 

The artwork will be exhibited from May 5 - May 28, 2023 with an opening reception on Sunday, May 7th from 2pm -5pm. Gallery hours for the show will be Friday – Saturday, 12-7pm, and Sundays, 11-6pm. Gallery B is located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E, Bethesda, MD, in the former location of the DMV's iconic Fraser Gallery.

Featuring Artists

DionJa’Y

Kibibi Ajanku

Tanya Bracey

Bryane Broadie

Jamil Burton

Karen Y. Buster

David W.M. Cassidy

Dr. Vanessa Chappell-Lee

Keiona Clark

Thomas E. Dade

Emery Franklin 

Scott Fulton

Marilyn Gates

Brayden Green

Anita Henley

Sarah Jones

Erasto Curtis Matthews

James E. Murphy Jr.

Esther Okehi

Babacar Pouye

Alma Robert

B/ue Robin

Harriet Smith

Dr. Yemonja Smalls

K. Sparks

Shirlene Thomas

Anthony Young

Monday, April 24, 2023

Project RestART looking for curators

What is Project RestART?

Project RestART provides sponsorship opportunities to Black curators residing and creating in Baltimore City to encourage the curation of cultural experiences centering Black creatives. Project RestART is a direct action to re-stimulate the cultural economy and to address some of the challenges caused by Covid-19.

- Sponsorships will be provided for the months of: January, February, April, June, July, September, November, December
- The application for sponsorships for a sponsorship month will open the first of the previous month. (Ex. Application for April sponsorships will open March 1st)
- The application will be open for 2 weeks. After that, applicants will be decided upon by the Programs team.

Click here for more information.

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Call for Artists - Prince George's Arts and Humanities Council Digital Open Call

The Prince George's Arts and Humanities Council looks to showcase the diverse artistic and scholarly disciplines active in Prince George's County, Maryland. While our physical programs are on hold in support and compliance with the State's efforts to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we turn to our screens for connection. 

Additionally, all programs must be prerecorded and go through a vetting process with the exception of Studio Visits. Studio Visits will require a pre studio visit with PGAHC Senior Program Manager. Thereafter, we will determine the best platform to show your visual artworks with audience questions and feedback in real-time. 

If you are interested in showcasing your work for dispersal on their social media platforms please complete the form by clicking here for more information. Please note, all work must be family-friendly. There may be no suggestive or explicit content nor language. 

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Eleanor Kotlarik Wang at Studio Gallery

 

Almost Forgotten

Eleanor Kotlarik Wang

Curated by Gaby Mizes

April 26 - May 20, 2023


Evening Serenade by Eleanor Kotlarik Wang
Evening Serenade by Eleanor Kotlarik Wang

Opening Reception: Saturday, April 29th, 3-5 pm

First Friday: Friday, May 5th, 5-8 pm

Third Thursday: Thursday, May 18th, 5-8 pm

Closing Reception: Saturday, May 20th, 3-6 pm

Friday, April 21, 2023

Harper Lee

Happy birthday to Harper Lee (1926-2016), whose first novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, about racial injustice in a small Alabama town, sold more than 40 million copies!

Photo: HarperCollins & Penguin Random 

The curious case of losing an art competition to AI

Hyperallergic's Rhea Nayyar details the story of German photographer Boris Eldagsen:

Could you imagine losing an art competition to a robot? It’s happened before, and it happened again when Boris Eldagsen, a career photographer from Berlin, Germany, submitted an AI-generated image for the 2023 Sony World Photography Awards (SWPA) under the Creative category. Eldagsen claims that he disclosed to both Sony and the competition organizer, Creo Arts, that his work was made using AI, but neither would outright acknowledge it until he took matters into his own hands.

To toot my own horn, I sorta, kinda predicted this waaaay back in 2003 in this post.

Listen to NPR's Scott Detrow talks with photographer Boris Elgadsen about this issue.

Thursday, April 20, 2023

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards

Application Closing April 26th

The annual Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards is seeking artists creating work in all media! 

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards founded by Carol Trawick awards  $14,000 in annual prize monies. The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards will feature the artwork of eight finalists at Gallery B from September 7 – October 1, 2023. $14,000 in prize monies are provided to the winning artists. All artists from Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia are eligible, and the deadline to apply is April 26, 2023.

The Trawick Prize deadline is April 26, 2023.

Details here.

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

36th Annual Northern National Art Competition jurying - done!

I just finished jurying the 36th Annual Northern National Art Competition - 613 entries! Such a hard job to say "no" because there were sooooooo many really good entries! But this show will rock... and once I see the artwork in person, I may find a couple of surprise new artists to bring back to the DMV!

The "YES" entries will astound the national!

Buah... ah.. ah...

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Women Artists of the DMV

According to the research done by the Washington City Paper in 2017, the term “DMV” to refer to the District, Maryland and Virginia first appeared in a post that I wrote in 2003 – And yes! I do claim that I invented it! 

The Greater Washington, D.C., capital region (the DMV) is not only home to some of the best art museums in the world, dozens of art galleries, non-profit art spaces, alternative art venues, and art organizations, but it also supports fertilizes of the best and most creative visual art scenes in the nation. 

This scene is kindled and ignited to a large extent by female artists of all ages, races and ethnicities – an artistic female universe significantly more diverse than just about any of other major city on the planet. 

Celebrating this art scene, I have and am compiling works by a number of leading and talented emerging contemporary female visual artists who represent the tens of thousands of women artists working in this culturally and ethnically diverse region.

Equally diverse are the artistic styles and media you will see in this curated exhibition, the first of its kind for the capital area. 

With more than 100 works of art potentially available for curatorial selection, this exhibition offers a primer for both the experienced art eye and the beginning collector, highlighting a selection of talented artists who usually deserve more attention on a local, regional and national scale.

Next: The potential venue(s) and dates for this show.


Monday, April 17, 2023

The Rampant Lilith

This is a new mixed media painting which will make its debut at the Volta Art Fair in New York City next May. It is "The Rampant Lilith" and it is part of my repetitive, obsessive works - it marries two of my artistic obsessions: The Lilith and the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. She is covered in woad-colored Pictish tattoos. 40x32 inches, mixed media painting on 600 weight paper.

The Rampant Lilith - 2023 painting by Florencio Lennox Campello
The Rampant Lilith
2023 mixed media painting by Florencio Lennox Campello, 40x32 inches


Sunday, April 16, 2023

Holly Buehler at Yellow Barn Studio

Yesterday we went to beautiful Glen Echo to check out some of the new shows at the various galleries hosted by that national treasure - while there we ran into the DMV's most prolific art collector (Steve Krensky), so I knew immediately that if Krensky was there, something good was being showcased.

The Yellow Barn Studio is part of that complex.  Founded by acclaimed artist Walter Bartman, The Yellow Barn Studio is "a haven for budding artists and experienced painters alike. We offer classes in watercolor, oil, acrylic, drawing, and printmaking, with a special emphasis on plein air painting."

The opening for the 2-day show was by artist Holly Buehler. Titled "Color Obsession" it provided ample evidence that Buehler is not only obsessed with color, but also that she has developed a remarkable mastery over that most challenging of visual art goals: to be able to deliver a representational scene solely based on the brushy application of pure color.

Holly Buehler at Yellow Barn Studio


Holly Buehler at Yellow Barn Studio


And now that the Covidian Age has officially ended, it was so nice to see an opening fairly crowded, red dots all over the place (Buehler's works are incredibly affordable) and people having a great time!

Coming next to the Yellow Barn Studio in 2023:

April 22-23 Shirin Shahram
May 6-7 Alvin M Cohen Retrospective 1923-2003
May 20-21 Roger Perez & Carolyn Boccella Bagin
May 27-28 Friends of the YB Small Works Show
June 3-4 Folk Festival at Glen Echo Park
June 10-11 Marian Willinger & Wendy Smith
June 17-18 Bill Johnson
June 24-25 Eric Westbrook
July 1-2 Arleen Cannata Seed & Maro Nalabandian
July 15-16 Emil Markulis
Aug 12-13 Paintings from Workshops Abroad with Walt Bartman
Sept 2-3 Friends of the YB Drawing Show
Sept 9-10 Jen Sterling & Michele Hoben
Sept 16-17 Cheryl Bearss
Sept 23-24 Jean Schlesinger & Eve Troncone
Sept 30-Oct 1 Leni Paquet-Morante & Steve Moen
Oct 7-8 Paul Zapatka
Oct 14-15 David Bottini
Oct 22-23 Ann Schlesinger – Jacob Memorial Show
Oct 28-29 Alexandra Cheshire
Nov 4-5 Helene Patterson & Margie Alagia-Ingram
Nov 11-12 Walter Bartman
Nov 18-19 Anatol Woolf
Nov 25-26 Jenny Wilson
Dec 2-17 Friends of the YB Members Show

Saturday, April 15, 2023

J. Jordan Bruns

The missus and I went to beautiful Glen Echo today to check out a couple of new shows, including J. Jordan Bruns solo, which according to the news release:

The Popcorn Gallery is proud to present Playing with Reality: 15 Years at Glen Echo Park a solo exhibition by Glen Echo Park Resident Artist J. Jordan Bruns. Bruns has been creating a wide range of paintings in the Stone Tower Studio since joining the Park 15 years ago. He is known for his large-scale abstractions depicting themes of order vs. chaos. This retrospective show celebrates his range as an artist, featuring a stunning collection of paintings with varying degrees of realism. From portraits and landscapes that evoke mood and personality to still life paintings that border on "trompe l'oeil" realism, utilizing expert oil painting techniques, demonstrating the breadth of his artistic output.

J. Jordan Bruns at Glen Echo

J. Jordan Bruns at Glen Echo
This series of acrylic wash painting was executed when Bruns lived in Japan for a few years and explored that nation's artistic ancestry - both in media and subject
.
Detail of Bruns spectacular brush mastery from one of the above Japanese washes. I think that Bruns' Japanese period works speak for their own - they tell the tale of a brush master absorbing the Japanese scenery with the facility of a seasoned brush painter; they are nonetheless fresh and contemporary - this is a rare marriage indeed.


But it is Bruns immensely fresh series of studio portraits which (in my opion) dominate the show, not only for the facility with which Bruns delivers the brushy color application to define the subject with immense freshness and skill, but also by the unintended juxtapositioning that they deliver to the show when paired with the Japanese paintings - it is as if two master artists decided to hold a two person show: One a master color-wash painter, the other a master of the color scale.  And it works!

This is a terrific example of an artist's artists show - it allows Bruns to flex his formidable painting skills in two opposite directions and showcase his mastery over both!

The show runs through April 30th and there will be a Virtual Artist Talk: Thursday, April 27, 7 pm (Zoom) --  Join Zoom Meeting at the link here.

Friday, April 14, 2023

Irina Lawton and Clara Young Kim at MEG

MULTIPLE EXPOSURES GALLERY

presents 

"INTERNAL LANDSCAPE"

a New Member Exhibition featuring artists Irina Lawton and Clara Young Kim
 
Exhibition Dates April 25 - May 21, 2023Opening Reception & Artist TalkApril 29, 2023  2 - 4 pm

The ExhibitionINTERNAL LANDSCAPE, a new fine art photography exhibition at Multiple Exposures Gallery (MEG), introduces Irina Lawton and Clara Young Kim, MEG's two newest members. Accomplished fine art photographers, each has a keen eye and an affinity for conveying connections between the natural world and our inner selves. Though very different in style, the duo's 23 images in INTERNAL LANDSCAPE explore these connections and bear witness to the beauty to be found in the space between inner experiences and the landscapes of the natural world. INTERNAL LANDSCAPE is on display at Multiple Exposures Gallery from April 25 - May 21, 2023. An opening reception and artist talk will be held on Saturday, April 29, from 2pm-4pm (artist talk at 3pm). Multiple Exposures Galley is located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center, #312, in Alexandria, Virginia. 
The Artists

Irina LawtonIrina Lawton is a visual artist living and working in the DC Metro area. Born in Latvia and educated in Moscow, Irina’s work reflects a wide range of influences and artistic styles. Her interests include the psychological intensity of portraiture, the sensibility and pictorial aesthetics of the turn of the 20th century, and the complex political and social consequences of change in post-communist Russia. Irina’s photography across these diverse areas of interest is linked in style and method by use of multiple layers of meaning to convey a complex narrative in a single frame.Clara Young KimThrough her photography, Clara Young Kim enjoys creating and sharing moments that strike a chord in viewer's souls. Born in Seoul, Korea, Clara began her study of music at age 4 and majored in voice at Yongsei University. Today, this musical background plays a strong role in Clara's way of capturing images and moments. She believes the elements of an image, including the colors, lines, shapes, brightness, and contrast, each contain their own notes and beats. When they work together in harmony, a beautiful image and work of art results.

Thursday, April 13, 2023

Copyright Law and Public Performance

WALA/GMU “Copyright Law and Public Performance" Online Fireside Chat and Legal Clinic

Tuesday, April 18, 20232pm

Discover what to consider when publicly performing your own work or the work of others. Explore the life cycle of a work, from creation to licensing and earning royalties. 

When do I need a license, and how can I get one? 

How do I get paid when others use my work? 

What constitutes infringement? 

… And more! 

Join the Student Advocates from the George Mason Arts & Entertainment Advocacy Clinic for a conversation with producers from Mason’s Green Machine. Event co-sponsored by Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts. 

The event will be held over Zoom on Tuesday, April 18th, from 2:00 to 3:30 EDT. Participants will be sent a Zoom link in advance of the meeting. 

Please send questions about performing works publicly in advance when registering on Eventbrite, or to legalservices@waladc.org

Sharing your questions in advance will help the Clinic cater to the live audience and better prepare for an active discussion. Register here.

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

DWIGHTMESS Opening coming up

D W I G H T MESS is looking forward to the arrival this week of their first Swekt & Drang Artist Resident, Max Huffman!

Max will be inking there at the compound in addition to conducting fellowship with area artists & cartoonists over the course of his stay.

Max is a cartoonist & illustrator based in Carrboro, NC.

Join them on Friday, April 21st from 7-8:30pm for a One-Night Exhibition of Max's work completed during his residency + Artist Talk! Free Admission!

Stay with them from 8:30-10pm for a Special Dinner in honor of the artist!

$15 for a Carnivore or Vegan/Gluten-Free home-cooked meal -- Space is limited, Get your ticket now !!

https://dwightmess.bigcartel.com/product/swekt-drang-registration

DWIGHTMESS

Cartooning & Comic Arts

805 Silver Spring Ave.

Silver Spring, MD 20912

[entrance on Ripley Street]

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Art scam

I often alert readers to art scammers, those nasty trolls that prey on the good will of artists eager to make a sale. 

As soon as I out them, I often get an email or two from people who were about the ship the work to the scammer – “He paid me with an international money order” or “He paid me with several credit cards” – so how does the scam work. 

First and foremost, be suspicious of any email that comes out of the blue offering to buy your artwork (without any specificity to “what artwork”) and offering to pay for all shipping (usually overseas). Ask for a phone number to talk to the person – the scammer will usually avoid this and stop communicating. If you’ve been taken and received an international check and taken it to your bank, wait for the check to clear – not just with your bank, but also with the foreign bank where the check is drawn – that’s the usual part that bites back with fakes. 

With credit cards, call the issuing bank and express your concerns; if the emailer offers to send you several credit cards and have you run them until one clears… well then, red alert! 

Visit http://www.artscams.com for more details and info: Be aware! 

Monday, April 10, 2023

A guerrilla technique for saving money on framing costs

There are some steps that artists can take to reduce significantly the cost of framing. I will try to list the most common mistakes, how to avoid them, and more importantly, how to get your artwork framed for a lot less than taking it to a framing shop to get it framed.

Read the whole article here.