A quick visit to the Torpedo Factory

Yesterday I spent about three hours wandering around the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, visiting every single space, gallery and studio that was open.  The place was very busy, full of tourists, locals, and all kinds of people walking around the DMV's most precious art jewel.

Over the years I've written many, many, many articles, blog posts and pieces about this very special place, including these last two in the Old Town Crier newspaper, (1 and 2) discussing my thoughts on what is happening at the Factory since the City of Alexandria took over.

But for this post I'm just going to focus on this visit, with some observations and opinions.

On the subject of "open", I was both surprised and disappointed by the significant number of studios which were closed on a Saturday afternoon. "Saturdays are our busiest day," noted a prominent Torpedo factory artist who has been there for decades... as I left her studio after chatting with her for a while, she was working to close an $8,000 sale.

On the third floor alone, I would estimate that half the studios were closed, which in my opinion is not acceptable, especially when they are routinely closed. By that I mean that I saw signs on the studio doors that stated the open hours, which were Monday through Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays being either "Closed" or "By Appointment Only."

Since the heavy hand of the state now dictates every and all things Torpedo Factorish, I would recommend that the City Kommissars order the artistic workers to be open on weekends. In an amendment to that motion, as there are 52 weekends a year - let's settle on 42 weekends.

At the Art League on the ground floor, I walked through the current group show, which was curated by Regina DeLuise. 

As art jurying is very subjective, I usually knock heads with jurors when I form my own decisions as to prize winners, etc., but in this case Ms. DeLuise and I agree 1000% that Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe indeed earned that prize!

Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe

Also on the spectacular scale of the art ratings was The Feast Of The Gods by Teresa Oaxaca, a huge oil on linen which as usual lets Oaxaca flex her enviable painting skills - she's one of the most gifted artists in the DMV.

The Feast Of The Gods by Teresa Oaxaca

I also liked Ravishing Strength by Stephanie Chang, Joy by Dian McDonald, and several others.

In studio 204 I met and chatted with Sarah Bentley, a classically trained young painter with gorgeous paintings done in the kind of accomplishment that is only achieved after thousands of hours of laborious practice and study of the Old Masters. She notes that:

I began copying at the National Gallery of Art in 2017, drawn to copying paintings as I further my education and skills. I have found that copying from the old masters allows me to examine the surface of the paintings, the texture of the paint itself. While being allowed to copy is an honor, I feels as though copying the works from the NGA allows me to have a conversation with the painters who have come before me, further continuing my education as an emerging artist.

On the third floor I walked into Jacelyn Orellana as she was painting a small portrait. 

Orellana is a Pro Tem artist at the Factory, and yet this very young painter already shows and displays the painting bravura and skills of a much more seasoned painter.  

She has already mastered one of the most difficult tasks in the realm: the rare ability to create intimate portraits that are not only a true representation of the likeness of the subject, but also (and equally as important and hard to do) to capture that ethereal psychological imprint that is also part of any portrait.

And here is the shocker: Incredibly inexpensive and affordable prices! Her Gouache portraits start at $100 for a 5x7 inches, $200 for an 8x8 inches Acrylic, and $300 for an 8x8 inches Oil! Let's give her some business - contact her here.

I suspect that we're gonna hear a lot more in the near future about this bright young star.

Throughout the hours I visited and continued to re-visit the Target Gallery, where "Sound Horizons" was being featured. The exhibition was being presented by the City of Alexandria’s Office of the Arts and Virginia Tech’s Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT).

The exhibition includes four video, sound, and time based artworks by professional staff, students, and colleagues at Virginia Tech University selected for Alexandria and the surrounding region.

With the possible exception of a five-minute audio and video presentation titled "Dear Younger Me" (Keisha V. Thompson, Jada Hoffman, Gilette B., Adele, Ben Knapp, Dacia Kings, Tianyu Ge, Eric Lyon, Geefa Adane, Sydney Johnson, Meaghan Dee, Andraé L., Brown & Tilandra Rhyne), I was overall very underwhelmed by both the presentation and the presented works.  In fact, I felt as if I had stepped back into the late 1990s technology birth of video and artists.

The exhibition runs through January 28, 2024, so it will be boring a lot of people for a long time to come.

The Torpedo Factory and its family of artists and galleries is one of the jewels of our DMV's cultural tapestry - keep visiting it and keep supporting our artists!

AI-Created Art Isn’t Copyrightable

A federal judge on Friday upheld a finding from the U.S. Copyright Office that a piece of art created by AI is not open to protection.

Read the article by Winston Cho here.

The Trawick Prize Winners Announced

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, a juried art competition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, announced the 2023 prize winners!

Rex Delafkaran of Washington, D.C. was awarded the prestigious “Best in Show” title and received the $10,000 top prize. 

Charles Mason III from Baltimore, MD was named second place and given $2,000; Stephanie Garon from Baltimore, MD was bestowed third place and received $1,000; and Megan Koeppel from Hyattsville, MD was awarded the Young Artist Award and received $1,000.

Congrats to all the prizewinners!

Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard

The mama looked down and spit on the ground

Every time my name gets mentioned

The papa said, "Oy, if I get that boy

I'm gonna stick him in the house of detention"

New work by Dora Patin

The below new works by the gifted Dora Patin are the last of her series on playing cards as she embarks on a new painting mission!

Double Venus
12x16 oil on panel 2023 by Dora Patin

Seeds of Success
8x10 oil on panel 2023 by Dora Patin

Luck or Skill?
10 x 10 oil on panel 2023 by Dora Patin

Double Mars
11 x 14 oil on panel by Dora Patin

Who will win the 2023 Trawick Prize?

Who's gonna  21st exhibition of The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards?

Nearly 300 artists from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., were juried by Brandon Morse, Jon-Phillip Sheridan, and Naoco Wowsugi. Eight artists were selected to exhibit at Gallery B from Sept. 7 – October 1, 2023. The Best in Show winner will receive the $10,000 grand prize.

The opening reception will be held Friday, Sept. 8 from 6-8pm, and Gallery B is located in the former spaces of the iconic Fraser Gallery at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda. 

The finalists are: Rush Baker IV, Riverdale Park, MD; Rex Delafkaran, Washington, D.C.; Stephanie Garon, Baltimore, MD; Kei Ito, Baltimore MD; Megan Koeppel, Hyattsville, MD; Giulia Livi, Baltimore, MD; Charles Mason III, Baltimore, MD; and Fanxi Sun, Richmond, VA.

Based on my immensely wise examination of (a) the jurors and then (b) the artists, I will predict that  Rex Delafkaran, of Washington, D.C. will win the top prize.  

This is a bit of a long-ball, but there's a strange synchronicity and alignment to nearly all the other artists' work - they all "fit" into each other's artistic mold - that Delafkaran's work seems to be the only, somewhat "different" style.

By the way... most of these are the BEST.EVER.ARTIST.NAMES! There's such an uniqueness to most of them -- other than Baker and Mason... cough... cough... who have your standard names...

Who's Yvonne?

Settle down far from town get him a pirogue

And he'll catch all the fish in the Bayou

Swap his mom to buy Yvonne what she need-oh

Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the Bayou

The Kara Walkerization of Georgetown University

The Georgetown University Art Galleries will present two exhibitions of new work by Kara Walker. The de la Cruz Art Gallery will exhibit Kara Walker: Back of Hand, and the Spagnuolo Art Gallery will present Kara Walker: Prince McVeigh and the Turner Blasphemies. Both will be the first exhibition of these works in Washington by this internationally renowned artist. 

These exhibitions will be on view from September 21st, 2023 - December 3rd, 2023. They were organized by Dr. Katie Geha for the Athenaeum, the University of Georgia. An Opening Reception will take place on Thursday, September 21st from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Registration for this event is not required, and all exhibitions and programs at the Georgetown University Art Galleries are free and open to the public. 

Kathy O'Dell - the new Chair of the Maryland Public Art Commission (MPAC)

Kathy O'Dell, Ph.D. (Baltimore County), has been named Chair of the Maryland Public Art Commission (MPAC). 

A commissioner since 2015, O'Dell brings many years of arts leadership experience to the role and will take the helm at a pivotal point as the Artwork Commissions Program launches a new artwork procurement method, the forthcoming Maryland Public Artist Roster.

Every Maryland artist needs to stay tuned to the Maryland Public Artist Roster's announcement - once final.

Good bye Jimmy

Jimmy Buffett died yesterday - thank you for all the great songs!

Where it all ends I can't fathom my friends

If I knew I might toss out my anchor

So I cruise along always searchin' for songs

Not a lawyer a thief or a banker

But a son of a son, son of a son

Son of a son of a sailor

Son of a gun, load the last ton

One step ahead of the jailer

I'm just a son of a son, son of a son

Son of a son of a sailor

The sea's in my veins, my tradition remains

I'm just glad I don't live in a trailer

Leanne Hickman at Moses Lake Museum & Art Center

Sometimes, often more common than we realize, randomness introduces interesting paths in Einstein's many multiverses.

The path in this universe started by me coming to visit my daughter Elise and her family in Gig Harbor, Washington... and spend some time with her and her husband and my gorgeous grandkids.

For this visit we decided to go exploring the other side of Washington state and ended up with three days in Moses Lake, about four hours east of the green side of Washington and crossing the mountain pass into what then becomes the desert side of the state, where the mighty Columbia River rolls on.

As most of you know by now, I went to art school at the University of Washington, on the other side of the state, and in a city (Seattle) galaxies away from Moses Lake.

And in Moses Lake we explored around, and ended up in the rather elegant Moses Lake Museum and Art Center, where the show on display was "Leanne Hickman and John Hickman: Feathers vs. Charcoal" showing through September 1, 2023.

As I entered the spaces, a very friendly and smiley receptionist welcomed us - already a positive change from the usual.

I entered the ground floor gallery... and saw this:

Paintings on feathers... mmm. Immediately my antennas went up in snobbish art alarm. Art criticism brings a lot of subjectivity to it, and art critics who claim to be objective are rotten liars.

And thus, initially I was prepared to sigh and dislike this exhibition... but then two things happened: first I recalled my experience decades ago with the Quilts of Gee's Bend; and second, I recalled my anger when the Hirshhorn Museum director told me - also decades ago that the "Hirshhorn did not collect glass."

In the first, prejudice against the art substrate (quilt) and in the second, the lesson learned that it is the art that matters, not the substrate (glass... or feathers). 

Remember that I even gave this issue a name: The Quilts of Gee's Bend Syndrome.

And when I walked in to see the exhibition, my eyes and mind re-tuned by those memories, I was superbly impressed by the gorgeous paintings by Leanne Hickman... on feathers.

Feather painting by Leanne Hickman at Moses Lake Museum

Each one of these intimate works delivers a well-packed punch of color, composition, and well-developed painting skills - they are small worlds depicting limitless, open scenes - most of them with a western theme, but all really nicely composed and delivered.

From a little online research we discover that:

She is a local resident of Moses Lake and “true farm girl” raising horses and peacocks. These beautiful species come together in her inspired acrylic works where she physically paints on peacock feathers. "Inspiration, perseverance and a strong sense of God's directions, are my mainstay and motivation as I pursue my dreams."

The works were a steal: matted and framed and under a hundred dollars! They were all framed like this:

 

My one constructive criticism to Ms. Hickman would be for her to frame all the works in white conservation mats, so as to have the intelligent use of color not be influenced by a colored mat.

In summary, this was a wonderful, elegant and superbly well-curated show which not only impressed this big city art critic, but also re-taught him a lesson about art, good art.

Art Season Opens in the DMV

 Early peek at my September article here.

As September arrives in the DMV, it marks the beginning of another “art season”, which these days have somewhat returned to old-fashioned openings where people mingle, discuss art and get their creative juice flowing!

Affordable Art Fairs

Next month I'll be at the Affordable Art Fair in Chelsea, New York City - we'll be featuring the works of Steve Wanna, Christina Helowicz, Seth Fairweather, Dora Patin, Ally Morgan, Jennifer Barlow and Mandy Coelho... and yours truly!

And the month after that we'll be at the Affordable Art Fair Battersea, London in England, with works by Simon Monk, Kathleen Hope, Jodi Walsh and me!

Drop me a note if you'd like some complimentary tickets to either of those art fairs.

Christina Helowicz at the Affordable Art Fair New York

The below new work by the gifted Christina Helowicz will be available at the Affordable Art Fair New York, which opens on September 20th at the Met Pavillion on 18th Street in Chelsea; we're in booth C1.

The gallery will also showcase work by Steve Wanna,  Jennifer Barlow, Amanda Coelho, Ally Morgan, Susan La Mont, Dora Patin and Lian Siever!

“That’s business, baby!”
Mixed media, 3x3 inches by Christina Helowicz

Jambalaya (On the Bayou)

Settle down far from town get him a pirogue

And he'll catch all the fish in the Bayou

Swap his mom to buy Yvonne what she need-oh

Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the Bayou

Five New Exhibitions Open Sept. 9 at the American University Museum

Five new exhibitions and the continuation of Lost Europe: On the Edge of Memories are open for viewing at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center beginning Saturday, Sept. 9. The contemplative and thought-provoking fall line-up includes work by D.C.-area artist Steven Cushner, abstract wood sculptures by Rachel Rotenberg, the black and white photography of pre-war Ukraine in Lost Europe, and more. The opening reception takes place from 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 9 and is free and open to all. Admission to the museum is free and open to the public. 

Through Oct. 15: 

Song of Songs: Fruitful Relationships 

Using the traditional techniques of the Dutch masters, painter Lillian Klein Abensohn's still-life works tackle societal, familial and interpersonal dynamics – from suggestive, generative allusions of sumptuous produce to pears that inhabit female archetypes. The most essential relationships, be they sexual, personal, familial or racial are alluded to in her myriad of forms —coyly, directly, ironically. 

Through Dec. 10: 

CUSHNER 

CUSHNER consists of 34 artworks by artist Steven Cushner, who served as an adjunct faculty member at AU from 1995 through 2000. Cushner has taught at George Mason University for more than 35 years. This is not just a retrospective of the artist’s 40-plus year career; it’s a selection of what is happening in his studio today. The pieces range from small-scale works on paper and wood-cut prints to large-scale paintings, all of which span the gallery’s third floor. The exhibition presents a mature artist at a powerful moment in his career. AU Museum partnered with HEMPHILL Artworks to develop this exhibition of Cushner’s more recent works in one of the largest shows of his work to date.   

Nature’s Tapestry 

Bernis von zur Muehlen’s photography engages the realm of the spiritual and the everyday, created by re-visioning reality again and again. This exhibit consists of four different series of images that form a “tapestry of nature.” Muehlen is a widely exhibited photographer who began showing her work in the mid-70s in commercial galleries and museums in the United States and abroad, beginning with her studies of the male nude. Subjects of this exhibit include bald cypress knees; trees undergoing the changes that come with the seasons; shadowy scenes invoking landscapes seen in dreams; and koi fish in playful moments. 

Rachel Rotenberg 

This exhibition will bring a remarkable body of largely unknown work to the D.C. area for the first time. Using cedar planks and other materials, Rachel Rotenberg has managed to build works on a heroic scale without sacrificing intimacy, and to craft small sculptures that attain a kind of conceptual monumentality. Rotenberg spent much of her life in Baltimore but has lived and worked in Israel since 2015. An artist for more than 40 years, she has managed to develop consistently as an inventor of new forms through scattered periods of intense instruction and the encouragement of small grants. Within a relatively conventional set of materials and methods, Rotenberg has created a deeply original body of work whose language is both eccentric and universal. Curated by Jane Livingston, with a catalog designed by Alex Castro. 

Franklin White: An American in Venezuela 

D.C. native Franklin White’s exhibition focuses on the experiential account of his life as an American living in Venezuela for the past two decades. Through White’s art, viewers can experience the beautiful and captivating traditions, as well as the food, music and abundance of botanical growth that thrives in Merida, Venezuela. White, a retired professor of more than 30 years, has been working and experimenting with different artistic media throughout his career. The present work employs handmade paper and large-scale oil pastels.   

Lost Europe: On the Edge of Memories 

The exhibit, which opened in June and will close Dec. 10, invites viewers to contemplate life in pre-war Ukraine. The exhibit showcases 75 black and white photographs, on display for the first time in a museum in the United States. The photographs span nearly three decades of predominantly rural Ukrainian life, from shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, to 2018.  

As the Czech photographers Karel Cudlín, Jan Dobrovský and Martin Wágner experienced societal, political and economic upheaval when their own country transitioned to democracy after the fall of the Soviet Union, they sought to document the similar experiences of everyday life of Ukrainians during this time.  

“All three artists are genuinely interested in Ukraine, and their documentary work has a deep human quality,” said curator Milena Kalinovska. “Their motivation was to capture something authentic, particular. These lyrical photographs, although straightforward and accurate, have ageless intensity and acknowledge deep historical context with lingering traces left.” 

Art Bank: Rejected!

For like the 100th year in a row, the City of Washington doesn't like my artwork for its permanent collection:

Dear Florencio Campello:

The District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) appreciates your FY 2024 Art Bank Program grant application. Unfortunately, your artwork(s) was not selected to advance to the second round of review. 

Please know that CAH makes every effort to gain valuable feedback from the advisory panelists and shares that information with applicants upon request. Many applicants have found these comments and insights from panelists helpful in furthering their endeavors, as well as in developing future applications to CAH. You may request a debriefing within 60 days from the date of this letter by contacting Curator Michelle May-Curry at michelle.may-curry@dc.gov or (202) 215-9486.

CAH appreciates your valuable contribution to the arts and humanities community and encourages you to apply to future grant programs. You may wish to consider participating in our grant workshops to obtain information about specific grant programs and best practices for applying to CAH’s grants. Once grants are open, a list of workshops may be found on CAH’s website at www.dcarts.dc.gov.

Sincerely,

Lauren Dugas Glover

Public Art Manager

Applications for the 2024 Wherewithal Grant Cycle will open September 25!

WPA’s Wherewithal Grant initiative annually awards $5k grants to 12 DC-area artists. 

Artists may apply for Research or Project support. 

Artists who received a 2023 Wherewithal Research Grant will share where their inquiries have been taking them over the year-long grant period. This year's Research grantees are: Ama BE, Alina Collins Maldonado, Andy Johnson, Cecilia Kim, Stephanie Mercedes, Athena Naylor, and Anisa Olufemi & Jada Amina.

RSVP to get the Zoom link here.

Applications for the 2024 Wherewithal Grant Cycle will open September 25!

Public Art Across Maryland Grants

Applications are being accepted for the Public Art Across Maryland (PAAM) Program's New Artworks and Conservation Grants. Both grants share a single application deadline in FY24: Friday, January 26, 2024. Click here for grant guidelines. 

Interested applicants may attend “PAAM Grants: How to Apply Webinar,” a free, virtual session held Friday, September 8, from noon to 1 p.m. Click here to register.

Zenith Gallery voted Best DC Gallery!

Congratulations to Zenith Gallery in DC, which was recently voted as the “Best Gallery in DC” by the readers of the Washington City Paper – it is a well-deserved win for Zenith and its super-hard working owner and director Margery Goldberg!

Next at Zenith is work by the immensely talented Stephen Hansen, as his GREAT MOMENTS IN ART, VI runs from September 8 - October 9, 2023. The opening is Friday, September 8, 4-8 pm & Sunday, September 9, 2-6 pm at Zenith’s 1429 Iris Street NW, Washington DC, 20012 location.

This show marks Stephen Hansen’s sixth “Great Moments in Art” exhibition at Zenith Gallery, and in In this exhibition Stephen Hansen has “meticulously recreated selections from centuries of painting and added his signature paper mâché painters interacting with the paintings in ways both witty and surprising.”

Hansen says, “I started the Great Moments series in 2014, to take a break from sculpture. I then decided I wanted to paint more. After nine years, it still resonates with me. Through this series I have developed late-in-life art appreciation.”

Hansen is a one-of-a-kind fine artists – something really hard to be these days, as he has sculpted (no pun intended) an unique niche in the rarified world of the fine arts and has had one-man shows in galleries and museums in Detroit, Chicago, Santa Fe, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Scottsdale, Palm Beach, and New York.

His unique papier mâché sculptures are included in museum, corporate, private, and government collections including the New Mexico Capitol Art Collection in Santa Fe, The Federal Reserve and Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and United States Embassies in Naples, Italy and Caracas, Venezuela. I expect to see another great entertaining show!