Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Ooooh... there may be an art fair coming to Washington, DC

Not yet... but the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities is thinking about one -- I've volunteered to assist them... so far been ghosted! This is the notice that I received today:.

As you may know, we've been hosting a series of community stakeholder meetings discussing the potential of bringing an international art fair/festival to Washington DC in 2025. We want to meet with individual artists from the community to discuss this opportunity and how it might impact their livelihood and their art.

Our next Art Week 2025 Community Stakeholder Meeting will be held at the Thurgood Marshall Center (1816 12th St NW) on February 1st from 6 to 8 pm.

There is very limited space for this meeting. Please RSVP to secure a spot. There will be a few spots left for walk-ups but we cannot exceed our event capacity. If you have attended a stakeholder meeting in the past please let someone else get a chance to RSVP.

Join us from 6 to 8 pm on Tuesday, February 1 at the Thurgood Marshall Center.

I first proposed a slightly different version of the following art fair model to all the organizations mentioned in this article about a decade ago, when there was (even then) a sense of art fatigue brewing in the art world. Result: zip, nada, nothing! No one even answered my letters (remember letters?).

In a post Covidian world, I suspect that a lot of people will still be a little leery of large group gatherings, and art fairs based on pre-Covidian standards may be a bit antiquated in the Brave Chickenized New World.

Herewith a revised Campello Art Fair Model.

The important thing to remember, as I mull, chew, and refine a "new" art post-Covidian fair model to replace the existing pre-Covidian art fair model, which in its American incarnations seemed to work well only in Miami and New York, but not so well in the West coast (and as we DMV-based folks have seen with (e)merge and artDC, not at all in the capital region), is the marriage of a legitimate art entity (a museum) with an art-for-sale process as a means to raise funds.

The seeds for this model already exist in the DC region with the Smithsonian Craft Show, now in its third decade.

Considered by many to be the finest craft fair in the world -- and from the many artists that I have spoken to over the years -- one of the best places to sell fine crafts as well, this prestigious and highly competitive juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American craft usually takes place each April for four days. It takes place at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC and it includes one-of-a-kind and limited-edition craft objects in 12 different media: basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art and wood.

There were 120 exhibitors in their last show, including emerging artists and master craftsmen, over 30 of whom were first-time participants. Twelve of those selected were also first-time applicants to the show. All were chosen by a panel of expert jurors from a highly competitive field of close to 1,400 applicants.

So, we have a model for crafts in DC which has been working for over 30 years.

See where I'm going?

Can we envision the Smithsonian American Art Fair?

Or... The Smithsonian American International Art Fair?

The SAIAF would dramatically expand the business model of the Smithsonian Craft Fair to a National Mall-wide - outdoors - or even a citywide art fair anchored and guided by the Smithsonian Institution, and possibly either:

(a) spread throughout the various accommodating outdoor spaces at the various SI locales around the National Mall or even…

(b) in temporary art spaces, booth, or containers on the open spaces of the National Mall itself!

The latter is not as big of a deal as it sounds.

The National Mall already hosts a spectacular variety of outdoor events on the Mall spaces where complex display spaces are temporarily built, secured and just as quickly dismantled, grass re-seeded, and by Monday the Mall is back to normal.

Boom!

For art, all we need is protection from the weather and security. Perhaps even a combination of "free" (to the public) set of exhibitors (maybe out on the Mall) coupled with a paid admission set of exhibitors inside SI spaces -- or just make them all free to the public?

Details... details...

This new fair model would be open to both commercial art galleries and art dealers, as well as to art schools, and (and here's the key "and") to individual artists and cooperative artist-owned galleries.

Size matters… just ask Salvador Dali, who once said: “If you can’t paint well, then paint big!”

Would 1200 galleries, dealers, schools and artists in a mega, new-model art fair raise some interests from art collectors to come to DC for a long weekend in May?

It would if it attracted 100,000 visitors to the fair instead of 10,000 (like the looooong gone art fair artDC once attracted).

Are you aware that in May the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival in nearby Bethesda attracts 30-40,000 people to the streets of Bethesda for this artist-only street fine arts fair? or that also in May the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival attracts the same number of people to the streets of the Reston Town Center to buy art from individual artists?

Both Bethesda and Reston have two of the highest median household incomes in the US. And I am told that the Greater Washington, DC region has the second highest concentration of multi-millionaires in the world.

The money is here - the key is to get the disposable income crowd in touch with the art.

Both Bethesda and Reston manage to accomplish this one weekend each year. Do not, under any circumstances assume that these are "street fairs" where teddy bears, country crafts, and dried flowers are sold. These are both highly competitive fine arts outdoor fairs where artists from all over the nation come to and compete for spots because artwork sells well.

I have seen $80,000 worth of sculptures sell to one collector in Bethesda and a painter with a price point of $17,000 sell out in Reston.

Do not let the snobby attitude of the high art world affect your preconception of what these two street art fairs are like; go visit one this coming (and hopefully post Covidian) and open your eyes. In 2021 the fairs slipped from May to later months… but I am sure that they’ll be back to May in 2022.

And because of them, and because of the success of Art Basel Miami Beach, we know that given a certain critical mass, people will come out to an art fair. The primary key for art dealers to have interest in an art fair is sales (and also exposure to new collectors, museum curators, etc.), but mainly sales.

If you are a British gallery, by the time you get yourself and your artwork to Miami Beach, you're in the hole a whole bunch of Euros and British pounds; if you don't sell anything (like it happened to a British gallery in artDC and an Israeli gallery at another fair), chances are that you won't return to that fair.

But increase the public attendance numbers exponentially, and Economics 101 tells you that sales will also increase exponentially. And unlike the hotel-deprived artDC location at the Convention Center, I am told by DC's tourist gurus that the National Mall is already a magnet location where visitors, regardless of where they are staying around the Greater DC region, flock to during their visits to the capital.

Since two major Greater DC area street art fairs already exist in May in the Greater DC area, we can even consider aligning the weekends so that both Reston, Bethesda, and the Smithsonian American International Art Fair all take place on the same weekend!

Offer free bus service between Reston and Bethesda and the National Mall for collectors to hop around during the fair weekend, and a public buzz alignment will begin to happen. The Smithsonian American International Art Fair starts on a Thursday through Sunday and both Reston and Bethesda continue to run on Saturday and Sunday. And the Smithsonian American International Art Fair is focused as a major fundraiser for the cash-hungry SI.

A formula of booth prices + perhaps a 5% commission on all sales (both tax deductible for American galleries) would take care of temporary Mall booth construction, re-seeding of grass, and booth construction inside SI venues and still yield a nice chunk of cash for the SI.

If there's commercial success and high public attendance, soon we'd see some satellite hotel fairs popping up all over DC and its easy-to-get-to suburbs; the Phillips will jump on the bandwagon right away.

ABMB had 26 fairs all over Greater Miami last December. Another DC-unique element to the above model, and an important element that only a Washington art fair weekend can add: include the Embassies!

In addition to all the above events taking place, the fair could also align with shows at 15-20 embassy galleries around DC. The embassies would showcase one (or a group) of their national artists, and then the fair would really have an international flavor, and the beginning seeds of an American Venice in the DMV.

DC is a small city; it's fairly easy to set up transportation between the embassies and the Mall. In fact, some embassies could probably set that up themselves.

I think that this "new" super model could (and eventually when someone delivers and implements it -- it will) challenge Miami Beach -- and yes, I am aware that DC in May is not Miami in December -- but I also think that the District's own museums and public attractions trump Miami's anytime, so the DMV has something different to offer the potential collector who may be considering attending a new art fair in a city (like DC) that also offers him/her some other cultural and visual attractions besides good weather, and nice beaches… and Calle Ocho.

DC art commissioners... Smithsonianos... DC city fathers and mothers.... call me!

Friday, January 19, 2024

ART AS ACTION at Joan Hisaoka Gallery opens next week

 

THURSDAY, 25 JANUARY 20246 – 8 PMJOAN HISAOKA GALLERY @ SMITH CENTER FOR HEALING AND THE ARTS1632 U Street NW, Washington, DCWine and cheese reception
Free ticketed eventReserve your place by 22 January 2024
ArtWorks for Freedom presents a National Human Trafficking Prevention Month program featuring paintings by Helen Zughaib, live dance performance by Jenny Footle, and conversation spotlighting the travel and tourism sector as a key collaborator in global efforts to eliminate human trafficking, guided by industry leader Helen Marano.Additional remarks by:
  • Julie Abraham, Director, Office of International Transportation and Trade, U.S. Department of Transportation
  • Brian Beall, Director, National Travel and Tourism Office, U.S. Department of Commerce

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Art Scam Alert!

Beware of this mutant trying to rip off artists!

From: William Cook - cookwilliams472@gmail.com

Good day,

I am interested in your works and can I make a direct purchase from you?.

I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately.

Would you please get back to me some photos, sizes and price, or link to the artwork you have available for sale.

Waiting to read from you soon.

Kind regards,

Cook William

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Volta Art Fair NYC has moved!

 


Change is coming for the 2024 edition of VOLTA New York. The new dates are

Preview: Wednesday, September 4

Public Days: Thursday, September 5 to Sunday, September 8

Moving to the Fall art fair season and the new venue of Chelsea Industrial (535-551 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001) places VOLTA in the heart of the city’s dynamic Chelsea district. 

As the first New York edition to take place under the helm of Artistic Director, Lee Cavaliere, the change gives VOLTA’s valued collectors and galleries a year-round outlook and ushers in a new era for the fair.

Lee Cavaliere, Artistic Director of VOLTA

“VOLTA is entering a new chapter. That means showcasing art that speaks from the world we all inhabit. Art is a great unifier and force that brings people together. We’ll present global perspectives from artists at the cutting-edge of their practice, where tradition speaks to contemporaneity - both from our core VOLTA galleries and underrepresented voices from conflict areas, places with less access to the Western art market.

Moving to the fall season better supports our galleries through the year. VOLTA will bring new opportunities for collectors to discover rising talent and with this, a new energy to the September art fair season in New York.

— Lee Cavaliere, Artistic Director of VOLTA

 

Volta Art Fair NYC

Situated between Chelsea and Hudson Yards, our new venue, Chelsea Industrial, is characterized by its soaring 22,000 square feet of exhibition space and a location central to the city’s arts economy during the September fair week; an optimum position for collectors to discover new artistic talent.

Monday, January 15, 2024

Bethesda Painting Awards

The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District invites local artists to submit work to the 20th annual Bethesda Painting Awards. This juried art competition awards $14,000 in prizes to four selected winners. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, February 27, 2024. Up to eight finalists will be chosen to display their work at Bethesda’s Gallery B in June 2024.

 

A panel of esteemed jurors, including Virginia Anderson, Department Head of American Painting & Sculpture and Decorative Arts at the Baltimore Museum of Art; Scott Hutchison, Associate Professor of Practice in painting and drawing at Georgetown University; and Nicole Santiago, Professor of Art at the College of William and Mary and the 2023 Bethesda Painting Awards Best in Show Winner, will curate the competition.

 

The first-place winner will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000.  A “young” artist whose birth date is after February 28, 1994 may also be awarded $1,000.

 

Artists can apply online or download an application online. For information on the Bethesda Painting Awards, visit www.bethesda.org or call 301-215-6660.

 

Participation is open to artists aged 18 and above, residing in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. The competition welcomes original 2-D paintings, spanning various mediums such as oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, encaustic, and mixed media. The maximum dimension should not exceed 60 inches in width or 84 inches in height. No reproductions. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years and must be available for the duration of the exhibition. Selected artists must deliver their artwork to the exhibit site in Bethesda, MD. Each artist must submit five images, an application and a non-refundable entry fee of $25.


The Bethesda Painting Awards was established by local business owner Carol Trawick in 2005. Ms. Trawick has served as a community activist for more than 25 years in downtown Bethesda and established The Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation in 2007. She is the former Chair of the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, past Chair of the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. and founder of The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards.

 

 

Best in Show winners include:

2023  Nicole Santiago, Williamsburg, VA

2022  Andrew Hladky, Kensington, MD

2021  Megan Lewis, Baltimore, MD

2020  Lawrence Cromwell, Baltimore, MD

2019  Mary Anne Arntzen, Baltimore, MD

2018 Carolyn Case, Cockeysville, MD

2017 Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann, Washington, D.C.

2016 Tanja Softic, Richmond, VA

2015 Bill Schmidt, Baltimore, MD

2014 Kyle Hackett, Baltimore, MD

2013 Barry Nemett, Stevenson, MD

2012 Ali Miller, Baltimore, MD

2011 Alison Hall, Roanoke, VA

2010 Nora Sturges, Baltimore, MD

2009 Camilo Sanin, Jessup, MD

2008 B.G. Muhn, North Potomac, MD

2007 Matthew Klos, Baltimore, MD

2006 Tony Shore, Baltimore, MD

2005 Joe Kabriel, Annapolis, MD

 

From award-winning theatre to independent films, downtown Bethesda’s Arts & Entertainment District is filled with inspiring artists and art venues. The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is managed by the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc., and is the producer of The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, Bethesda Painting Awards, Bethesda Fine Arts Festival, Bethesda Film Fest and Play In A Day.

 

Established by Montgomery County in 1994, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. (BUP) is a downtown management organization that markets and maintains downtown Bethesda. The BUP team works in marketing, maintenance, transportation and administration to produce cultural events and community festivals and attend to landscaping and maintenance needs. BUP also manages Bethesda Transportation Solutions (BTS), the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, and the Bethesda Circulator as well as the non-profit art spaces, Gallery B, Studio B and Triangle Art Studios. For a closer look, please visit www.bethesda.org.

Sunday, January 14, 2024

William Demaria, Erin Owen & Oliver Stern at Washington Printmakers

 William Demaria, Erin Owen & Oliver Stern

AFTER THOUGHT

– emotional landscapes –

January 18 – February 25, 2024

Reception: Saturday, Jan. 20, 2-4:00 pm

After Thought explores overlooked aspects of the landscape with personal significance for each of the three artists, recording emotional experiences as opposed to simple observation.

Demaria attempts to capture the emotions he experiences within the natural landscape using a visual language inspired by Rorschach tests. He is focused on the emotional connection between humanity and the landscape, seeking to preserve his experiences with the hope it will inspire others to value the natural landscape more. 

Owen’s artwork, Dreams of Glacier National Park, is a sculpture based on the framework of the children’s game Kerplunk. Rather than marbles, the sculpture contains etched fragile glass balls filled with crude oil, barely held in place, echoing our endangered glaciers and illustrating the dire position of our ecosystem, a consequence of our dependence on crude oil and other fossil fuels.

Stern, native to Pennsylvania, grew up surrounded by the postindustrial landscape of the anthracite coal industry. In this work, Stern records emotions and memories found on a walk along the Schuylkill River to its watershed, exploring places where human infrastructure and the environment overlap and shape one another, challenging and complicating the separation between humans and nature.

Demaria and Stern look to the past to understand the present, Owen looks to the present to understand the future. While all three of these artists have different perspectives on the landscape, they share a focus on the overlooked / afterthoughts of the landscape, which tell the most about humanity and the real state of our world. 

VISIT THE SHOW

Thursday, January 11, 2024

Local artist opens new gallery in Georgetown

 From the Georgetown Dish:

Washington DC based artist Robin Sutliff has opened her own gallery in Canal Square at 1054 31st St NW, #006.

She has been producing art for a majority of her life. Using acrylic and resin on multiple mediums that include metal, canvas, glass and paper, she favors rich colors, abstract minimalism, compositions that evoke the essence of nature and creations that evoke a unique spirit and response from each individual.

GREAT NEWS for the DMV art scene! As many of you may recall, Canal Square at one point three decades ago was the epicenter of the Georgetown art scene as it was the home of seven art galleries!

TWILIGHT by Robin Sutliff
TWILIGHT by Robin Sutliff
DC ART NEWS wishes the best success for the new space - hopefully it will re-magnetize the Square and bring more galleries there! 

Read the full article here.

About Robin Sutliff:

Washington DC based artist Robin Sutliff has been producing art for a majority of her life. Using a mixed medium platform she used acrylic and resin, inks and powdered pigments to create extraordinarily textured pieces, Robin puts forth her emotional perspective as it manifests at the time of creation and the outcome has been a series of moving and visually compelling works of art. 

As an artist, she favors rich colors, abstract minimalism, compositions that evoke the essence of nature and that triggers a response from viewers. 

Visit her website here.