Year: 2009

Call to Photographers – ArtDC

Come closer. Strip away the distractions, fill the frame. ArtDC want to see your most revealing portraits. Vulnerable or intense, the composition is so tight that the entire head cannot be seen. Emotion lives within the confines of your face. Let’s emove all distractions. Remove the world, the body, our outfits, differences and display photographs composed of nothing but the face or a fraction thereof.

ArtDC is working with Art League member Pamela Viola to curate an exhibition entitled “Closer.” The show will include the work of a group of 5 photographers depicting the impact of macro compositions on portraits.

Submission Requirements:

1. Only photographic works on paper are eligible.
2. Open to artdc.org members only – it’s free to register!
3. Digital submissions must be at least 1200 pixels on the widest side at 300 dpi.
4. Digital submission must be .jpg or .png format.
5. Up to 5 images may be entered.
6. Framed work must be 16″ x 20″ or smaller.
7. Submissions should be emailed to [email protected]
8. Submissions must be received by 11:59pm June 12, 2009.
9. Resume and Artist Statement – attach a file or url link to your submission.
10. With your submission please include for each image the following:

artdc.org Username:
File Name:
Artisit Name:
Artwork Title:
Materials:
Framed Dimension:
Price:

EXAMPLE: artdc.org Username: pamelaviola
File Name: example.jpg
Artisit Name: Pamela Viola
Artwork Title: My Best Close-up
Materials: pigment print, c-Print, silver gelatin etc.
Framed Dimension: 16″ x 20″ (height x width)
Price: $500.

Accepted Entries:

1. Selected artists will be notified no later than June 14, 2009
2. Work must be gallery ready, framed or box mounted with a wire suitable for use with a hanging system. No clip frames or hooks on the back.
3. Framed artwork must be 16″x20″ or smaller.
4. Works must be received on July 10, 2009 at 11am at the gallery.
5. Sold work financial details: 60/40 split, 60% to the artist.
6. The show will run July 11, 2009 to August 9, 2009.
7. Gallery specs: 500 Square foot room with 20ft+ vertcal windows. 5 moveable walls.
8. Gallery location: artdc gallery – 5710 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20781

News

The Art League’s SOHO program in the Washington Post

SOHO, a program run by The Art League and the Alexandria Court Service Unit, was recently recognized in The Washington Post article, “A Fresh New Perspective.” The program serves at-risk, 5th-grade girls from Alexandria through one-on-one art-based mentoring. The girls and mentors meet weekly to have life skills lessons, eat a healthy dinner, and then have an art lesson taught by an Art League artist / instructor. The program culminates with HGTV-style room renovations for each girl that incorporate completed art projects and give each girl a personalized “space of her own.”

On Thursday, June 11th, we will be celebrating another successful year of the Space Of Her Own (SOHO) outreach program. This year 12 girls completed the program. At their graduation party, the girls will give a presentation about their year in SOHO, debut a video showing before-and-after room renovation footage and have an exhibit of their completed artworks.

All are invited! Please join us at 5:30 p.m. in the Duke Street Annex to celebrate the work of the girls and their mentors! Refreshments will be served. Afterwards, walk down the street to the opening reception for the All-Media Membership Show and Nancy Fortwengler’s solo show, “Fabrications” in The Art League Gallery, starting at 6:30pm.

News

"Fabrications"

Nancy Pane Fortwengler’s Solo Artist Show of Figurative Dress Paintings
at The Art League Gallery
 June 4 – July 6, 2009

In Nancy Pane Fortwengler’s series of figurative dress paintings, the body exists without the figure. The human body is not present in any of her work. The dresses, costumes, and tiers of fabric are in motion without a body to propel them. Fabrications reveals the construction, shape, and composition of these vibrant forms while embodying the presence of the human figure.

Exploring the form and iconic symbols of femininity are long, reoccurring subjects for Fortwengler. This particular series evolved from working backstage with a ballet company. “The dancers, costumes in movement under the dramatic stage lighting created a wonderful abstraction within the layers of fabric. As light traveled though layer upon layer, new shapes were created, and I saw something new. The bodies of the dancers became irrelevant, and the dresses took on a life of their own.”


These figures are soft yet powerful. The female forms take “center stage,” with only one “figure” featured in each piece. Fortwengler’s exaggerated color palette creates a heightened sense of reality, and places each piece in a dramatic, moody environment.

Fortwengler works almost exclusively in pastel. “Pastel is my preferred medium. It unites the act of drawing and painting, unlike any other medium. The very nature of holding the pastel, and manipulating it directly, allows me to greatly control the amount of pressure and pigment I apply to the surface. The luminosity, vibrancy, and consistency of pastel are extremely relevant to my subject matter, enabling me to fully capture and portray transparency and dimension.”

Fortwengler is a resident artist at Columbia Pike Artist Studios in Arlington, VA, a member of The Art League, and is a full member of the Degas Pastel Society, an associate member of the Southeastern Pastel Society, and the Pastel Society of the West Coast. Her work is held in collections nationally and internationally. She continues to study with Diane Tesler at The Art League School, a longtime mentor and teacher for over two decades.

“Fabrications,” June 4 – July 6, 2009
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 11, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
at The Art League Gallery
in the Torpedo Factory Art Center
105 N. Union Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

Fabrications is sponsored by Frame Masters.

News

Call to Artists – Target Gallery

Pandora’s Box
December 10 – January 10, 2010

Deadline:
October 5, 2009

Pandora’s Box is an exhibition requiring artists to create work based on the theme of Pandora’s Box. In Greek mythology, Pandora’s box is the large jar carried by Pandora that contained evils to be unleashed on mankind – ills, toils and sickness – and finally hope. For this exhibition, the artists are invited to submit their own interpretations of Pandora’s Box and how it relates to the times we are living in today. The submitted work must be based on a box form and adhere to the box size parameters of 12 inches. The work can be contained within the box or it can explode from the box, peek outside the box, etc. How it is made and what it is made of is entirely up to the artists.

Juror:
Landria Shack, Curator and Director of Programs, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center

To download a full prospectus or apply online, visit http://www.torpedofactory.org/galleries/targetcallforentry.htm

Artist Opportunities

Thank you!

The Art League thanks its generous sponsors for Paint Alexandria 2009!

Lead Event Sponsor:

Sponsor of Rob Liberace’s Oil Painting Demo at Carlyle House Gardens:

Sponsor of Sarah Poly’s Evening Sunset Session at National Harbor:

News

Art League Instructor Rob Liberace in American Artists

The Art League instructor Robert Liberace will be featured in a several-page spread in the upcoming Summer Workshop Issue of American Artists. The article discusses Liberace’s current work and projects, including the release of his drawing DVDs and his travel workshops at The Art League. There will be several images of Liberace’s 2008 travel workshop to Venice organized by The Art League. If you attended, you may spot yourself among The Art League members and students pictured! Look for the Summer Workshop Issue on newsstands soon.

In the meantime, catch Liberace this weekend for Paint Alexandria. At 12:30, he will demonstrate in oil, painting landscapes at Carlyle House Gardens. Just $40 gets not only gets you a spot at Liberace’s demo, but numerous others in a variety of media all weekend!

For more information and to register, visit https://www.theartleague.org/school or call 703-683-2323.

Art Classes, News

"Paint" Alexandria

Join us for “Paint” Alexandria 2009, our annual two-day, all-media plein air event. For $40, artists of all media and skill level may join us as we visually explore and interpret historic Old Town. Registered artists may participate in as many sessions as they like. “Paint” Alexandria 2009 will be held May 16 & 17.

This year “Paint” Alexandria is expanding across the river to include a special sunset session with nationally known plein air painter and Art League instructor Sara Poly. Transportation will be provided to all participants on the National Harbor Water taxi, courtesy of the Alexandria-National Harbor Water Taxi/Potomac Riverboat Company.

Workshop locations TBA. Participants are responsible for providing their own supplies, and they ma work alongside the instructors, set up on their own, or simply enjoy the lectures and demonstrations. An event map will be provided to all participants.

Click here to register and view more images here.

Click here to read the article on “Paint” Alexandria in American Artist magazine from April 2008.

Saturday, May 16

10am-12noon:

  • Frank Fierstein: explore Old Town on foot with this abstract photographer and let him show you his unique visual perspective.
  • Steve Fleming: demonstrating and composing a loose watercolor.


12:30-2:30pm:

  • Peter Ulrich: composing a loose watercolor.
  • Rob Liberace: demo in oil at the Carlyle House Gardens.


3-5pm:

  • Daniel Wise: paint along the waterfront as Wise leads you through his process that includes thumbnail sketches, value based underpainting, and soft pastel application techniques.
  • Fred Markham: landscape painting in oil.


7-9pm:

  • Sara Poly: capturing the sunset at National Harbor in oil.

Saturday, May 17

10am-12noon:

  • Jim Steele: photographic walking tour of Old Town.
  • Avis Fleming: sketchbook drawing in pen, pencil, or watercolor.

12:30-2:30pm:

  • Marsha Staiger: use your senses to expand upon the landscape through color concentration, simplification of form, and strength of composition using acrylic and mixed media.
  • Bobbi Pratte: getting a good start in oil or acrylic.


3-5pm:

  • Kurt Schwarz: atmospheric landscape painting in oil.
  • Ted Reed: exploring the figure in landscape.
News

Spring Open House at the Torpedo Factory

Spring Open House:

[indoor] Sidewalk Sale

Sunday, May 10, 5-8pm

ADMISSION: Free

Spring cleaning gets a fresh new meaning as Torpedo Factory artists bring artwork out of their studios for an indoor sidewalk sale! Guests will enjoy live music, wine and hors d’oeuvres, and fun activities as they shop for artwork during this favorite annual event.

This year’s Spring Open House falls on Mother’s Day. Guests are invited to treat Mom to an evening of shopping with a special edition Mother’s Day gift certificate, available to purchase over the phone or at the front desk.

The event features:

  • Live Music
  • Wine and Hors d’Oeuvres
  • Food Drive Benefiting United Community Ministries
  • Free Prize Drawing for Artwork by Marsha Staiger
  • Artwork Projection Light Show on the Waterfront Façade of the Building
  • Family Friendly Activity
News

Critique with April Juror – Daniel Shay

April All-Media juror, Daniel Shay has offered to review the work of members who were not accepted into the April All-Media show. Artists may bring up to three pieces to be reviewed in a group setting.

To participate, e-mail [email protected] or call 703-683-1780 and speak to any staff member. The critique will be limited to 10 people, but others may come to observe without signing up.

When: Thursday, April 30, 7-8pm
Where: The Art League Gallery

News

Roots & Wings – Solo Artist Christine Giammichele

“Roots and Wings,” Christine Giammichele’s Solo Show at The Art League Gallery

“My work is about portraying the beauty that will be lost in the world if we don’t do something to preserve it.”

Through her artwork, artist Christine Giammichele strives to inform and inspire by depicting the intricate connection between endangered species and their habitats. “Roots and Wings,” Giammichele’s solo artist show, raises our awareness of often-unseen endangered species, and it will be featured at The Art League Gallery, April 9 – May 4, 2009.

Giammichele’s mixed media works explore the symbiotic relationship between endangered birds, flora, and pollinator insects. “We don’t realize how delicate and interconnected all the elements, forms of life, and habitat are in our environment until the survival of one of them is threatened.” Overdevelopment of habitats, pollution, human encroachment, and global warming are dangers to all forms of life.

Often starting with a monotype that serves as the “DNA,” or backbone, of the piece, Giammichele incorporates gouache, pastel, and painting into the image. The scripts that adorn each piece reveal the family name, species name, wingspan, and general background information about the life forms in the artwork. Seeking to achieve a tactile quality, Giammichele concentrates on texture and layering in her work.

“I like the idea of getting this important message out in a beautiful way. I’m passionate about influencing kids and upcoming generations. They’re the ones who can continue to make a lasting difference”

Giammichele’s artwork has been exhibited in group and solo shows nationally. She attended the Parson’s School of Design in New York. She will donate a portion of her proceeds from this show to the Anacostia Watershed Society.

In The Art League Gallery:
“Roots and Wings,” April 9 – May 4, 2009

Reception: Sunday, April 19, 2:00 – 4:00 pm

News

Opening Reception & Juror Talk Tonight

Tonight, join us at The Art League Gallery for the opening of three new shows:

  • The All-Media Membership Show
  • Reused / Recycled
  • Roots & Wings, Christine Giammichele’s solo show

At 6pm, prior to the reception, Reused / Recycled juror Joe Hicks will give a talk about the jurying process and his selections.

Following this, the opening reception will run from 6:30-8pm at which time solo artist Christine Giammichele will speak about her show, and the award winners for the All-Media Show and Reused / Recycled will be announced.

There will be exciting openings and talks throughout the Torpedo Factory tonight, so come out for Second Thursday Art Night.

Exhibits

Pick-Up & Receiving

Pick up from the March show is today, Sunday from 4-6pm only.  If you cannot make it during these hours, your piece will be stored in the closet during tomorrow’s painting, for pick up at receiving.

Receiving on Monday and Tuesday is for two shows: Reused / Recycled and the All-Media Membership show.  This means you can bring in 2 pieces per show, or 4 pieces, to be juried.
If you are unsure if your piece fits the Reused / Recycled category, it does not hurt to submit it.  The staff will not eliminate anything because it is not fully recycled materials.  All selections are up to the juror.  On your label, make sure you list all materials that are reused or recycled, in the event the juror should ask.
Good luck!
Exhibits

More Calls to Artists

The 2009 Rawls Museum Arts Juried Exhibition

Open to artists in DC, VA, MD, NC. June 4 – July 11, 2009

Juried by John Pollard, founder of Richmond’s ADA Gallery .

Download the entry from here. Deadline: April 11, 2009

____________

Eighteenth Annual Exhibition – Central Virginia Watercolor Guild

Juror: Betty Calabria

Artists may submit two 5 x 7 photos of two paintings.

Best in Show: $500
2nd: $300
8 Awards of Excellence: $200

For prospectus and entry form, e-mail [email protected] or pick one up in The Art League gallery (on the closet door).

News

Call to Artists – CRYSTALart

Deadline: April 17, 2009


To continue to highlight Crystal City’s Green characteristics and add artistic elements to the neighborhood’s streets, sidewalks and public spaces, the Crystal City Business Improvement District is introducing ECO-Art Statues – a temporary, outdoor environmental art exhibit in one of Crystal City’s most landmark open spaces, the Crystal City Water Park.

This Call for Artists announces the opportunity to design and construct a three-dimensional, biodegradable sculpture for placement in the Crystal City Water Park for the exhibition, which will kick-off Crystal City’s spring Green event – Green Scene.

Selected artists will receive a grant of $2000 from the Crystal City Business Improvement District. In keeping with the theme of Crystal Green’s Green Scene schedule of events, selected pieces must be constructed of 100 percent biodegradable materials.

Design Submission: Please submit a full-color sketch or schematic of your design on 8.5 x 11-sized page (electronically is preferred). Be sure to include dimensions and call-out specific materials used.

Questions/Information Requests: For any questions or information requests, please contact Robert Mandle at 703-412-9435 or via email at [email protected]

News

Ceramics Workshop This Weekend

Making Pots from Parts
Workshop with Renowned Ceramist Blair Meerfeld


A native of Colorado, ceramist Blair Meerfeld incorporates native clays and materials into his work. His pots are variations or abstractions of shapes – mechanical, human, or landscape. By using salt glazes, he is able to “pull out the secrets of clay and slips, leaving them on the surface for your engagement.”

The weekend will feature throwing, assembling, and discussion and observation of form in functional pottery. Meerfeld will share his thoughts on a number of topics including creating tension and interest through vertical and horizontal line, and his desire to elicit an emotional response to his work.

March 21 & 22, 2009
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
$100

Register at www.theartleague.org/school
Call 703.683.2323 for more information.
Art Classes

Artist Opportunities

Call for Entry: Wild Things
From amoeba to zebra, extinct to extant, real to imagined, this show invites artists to submit works impelled by the animal. The jury seeks pieces revealing the anima, the vital breath or soul of animals, and works reflecting the diversity of animals – from microscopic to enormous, from active to sedentary, from simple to complex. The call is open to all media with the goal of creating a diverse and exciting exhibition. Ultimately, each piece selected must vitally locate it’s genesis in the appearance, shape, sound, smell, energy, diet, behavior, history, prehistory, or folklore of wild things. A national juried exhibition; cash awards
Visit www.annmariegarden.org; Deadline: March 23, 2009

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS OF ALL MEDIUMS TO EXHIBIT ORIGINAL WORK AT 2009 RED BULL ART OF CAN
Red Bull Art of Can is a national juried exhibition featuring artwork in a variety of media that have one thing in common—they are all inspired by Red Bull or crafted from the iconic blue and silver cans. The juried exhibition is open to anyone with a flair for creativity and the talent to transform an original concept into a compelling piece of art that can be shared with a public audience. Sculptures, paintings, digital/graphic designs and various forms of mixed media will all be considered. Will be held at Union Station in Washington, D.C. this October.

Application deadline is May 15. Learn more at www.redbullartofcan.com


In The Flesh II at The Target Gallery – July 22 – August 30, 2009
In The Flesh Part II is an exhibition that focuses on contemporary figurative art. This opportunity is an all media exhibition that is open to artists nationally and internationally, that work in this genre. The juror is Andrea Pollan, founder and curator of the Curator’s Office in Washington DC. The deadline for entries is May 11, 2009.

2009 Virginia Fall Foliage Festival Art Show
All artists, media and subjects invited to be juried into a 10 x 11’ exhibit space. No commission taken from sales. Full prospectus available at www.svacart.com.

Faraway Nearby – June 18 – July 31, 2009
Faraway Nearby is a juried exhibition of contemporary fine art and craft in celebration of GRACE’s 35th anniversary. The juror is Dale Martin Lanzone, president of International Public Art Marlborough. The deadline is Sunday, April 5, 2009. For the full prospectus, visit www.restonarts.org.

The Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center Regional Juried Exhibit 2009
The Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center (DVAEC) invites artists living or working within a 75-mile radius of Frederick, MD to submit work in any media for this annual exhibit. The juror is Anett Couwenberg, and the deadline for entries is May 8, 2009. For more information, visit www.delaplaine.org

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards
The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is currently accepting applications for The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards. Up to 15 finalists will be selected to display their work in an exhibition during the month of September at Heineman Myers Contemporary Art in downtown Bethesda, and the top four winners will receive $14,000 in prize monies. All original 2-D and 3-D fine art including painting, photography, sculpture, fiber art, digital, mixed media and video will be accepted. The deadline for submission is April 20, 2009. The full prospectus is available at www.bethesda.org.

Artist Opportunities

383: Viewing the Potomac

Opening reception this Thursday!
383: Viewing the Potomac
Pastelist Daniel Wise Featured at The Art League Gallery

Inspired by the beauty, diversity, the ever-changing atmosphere and environment of the Potomac River and its surroundings, pastelist Daniel Wise has created a series of paintings depicting scenes along the Potomac River. “383: Viewing the Potomac” will be featured at The Art League Gallery March 5 – April 6, 2009.

Wise grew up in Colorado, far from large bodies of water. Now that he lives in Washington, he’s drawn to render a different landscape. “The Potomac and the immediate surroundings are constantly evolving and changing… the colors, trees, wildlife, and the people. There is so much diversity.”

“I’m attracted to a scene or composition by light and how it interacts with the landscape. How the light effects the atmosphere, the fog, snow, or the sunset, and how the light interacts with different objects is particularly intriguing.”

Pastel is integral to Wise’s work. “I like to be close to what I’m doing, have my hands in it. Pastel is very tactile, and is such a versatile medium. It can be used to create drawings or paintings. My works are paintings. I go for color, value, and shape and approach a pastel painting like I would an oil painting. They are the same pigments that are in oil paints, minus the oil.”

“I want viewers to come away with a sense of the diversity of the landscape. I want them to get a sense of the many moods of the Potomac…. You can go back to the same spot, look at the same scene from the same vantage point and it will always look different. I hope viewers will come away with a love of landscape.”

383 is the distance in miles of the Potomac River. Rendering scenes along the river is a continual project for Wise. For his show at The Art League Gallery, viewers can enjoy scenes from Harpers Ferry, WV to Cumberland, MD to the DC area. Wise hopes to get from Fairfax Stone and to the Chesapeake Bay as he continues the project.

Wise is a Signature member of the Pastel Society of America and the Maryland Pastel Society. He is also a member of The Art League, the Washington Society of Landscape Painters, the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, Audubon Artists, and Allied Artists of America. His work is held in private, public, and corporate collections throughout the country.

In The Art League Gallery:
“383: Viewing the Potomac,” March 5 – April 6, 2009

Opening Reception:
Thursday, March 12, 6:30 – 8:00 pm

Meet the Artist and Pastel Demonstration:
Saturday, March 21, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Gallery Hours:
Daily, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday, 12:00 noon – 6:00 pm
Open Thursdays until 9:00 pm.

Exhibitions and events are free and open to the public.

News

Snow Information

Classes from 10am-6pm are cancelled tomorrow, Monday, March 2.

The gallery will open at 1pm.  Painting of the gallery is postponed, but RECEIVING IS STILL ON for the March show, Real/Unreal.
News

Call to 3D Artists

Sculptors of The Art League,
May 4, 2009 – July 31, 2009

The Sculptors of The Art League exhibit is a fantastic opportunity for three-dimensional member artists to showcase their work. It will be held in the Washington Square Building, 1050 Connecticut Avenue NW, in downtown Washington, DC.

Artists may submit up to three pieces digitally. Pieces must be free-standing. No wall hangings will be accepted.

DEADLINE: March 2 at 10am, submitted by e-mail to [email protected]

JUROR:
Rebecca Cross, co-owner of Cross-MacKenzie Arts in Georgetown, is a painter, set & costume designer (Bresee Danskompani, Oslo, Norway & Ballet Rox, Boston, MA) and ceramic artist. Her work is included in the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery and the American Embassy in Bogota, along with hundreds of private and corporate collections. She studied painting, ceramics and sculpture at Bennington College, St Martin’s School of Art, London and received her M.A. from The Royal College of Art, London. She then assisted sculptor Sir Anthony Caro for 2 years. Shown widely throughout the UK and the US she has received grants from the DC Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, The American Scandinavian Foundation and is a MacDowell Fellow. Cross’s work may be viewed at www.rebeccacross.com

For full prospectus, e-mail [email protected].

News

Soup Bowl Bonanza

The Art League School’s Ceramics Department is holding its annual Soup Bowl Bonanza fundraiser at the Madison Annex (305 Madison Street) this Saturday, February 21st, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.


$15 gets you a delicious bowl of soup and an artful, handmade bowl. Soup is being generously donated by local restaurants and stores, and bowls are made by The Art League’s ceramics residents, students, and teachers. Stop by for food, fun, and to support the Ceramics Department!

Call the School office, 703-683-2323, for more information or visit www.theartleague.org/school.

News

Tickets Still Available!

The Patrons‘ Show provides new and seasoned art collectors with the great opportunity to acquire quality works of fine art at a bargain price while supporting a non-profit organization and community of artists. For each ticket drawn, ticket-holders go home with a work of art valued anywhere from $175 to upwards of thousands of dollars. Tickets, $175 each, are still available!


The 2009 Patrons‘ Show features nearly 600 works of fine art donated by Art League members, instructors, and Torpedo Factory artists. The number of tickets sold matches the number of works donated. The show may be viewed in The Art League Gallery from February 4-15 and online.

On the evening of the drawing, Sunday, February 15 at 5:00 pm, tickets are randomly drawn and when the name of each ticket-holder is announced, they may select a work of art!

All proceeds go to benefit The Art League’s educational programming, exhibits, and community outreach programs. Please contact The Art League Gallery for more information about this exciting event.


Images:
Robert Liberace, Scola Grande di San Marco, Pen & Ink
Deanna Boling, Three of a Kind, Pastel (Honorable Mention Award)
Marcia Dullum, Context, Acrylic

News