Day: November 29, 2011

Artful Giving

With another Thanksgiving behind us, the Art League offers a friendly reminder that this month’s events make great opportunities for holiday gift-giving. Featuring unique works hand-made by local artists, these shows are one more thing to be thankful for as you plan for the holidays.

First, this month’s “Small Works” exhibit ends soon! Get down to The Art League Gallery by Monday to see the show, featuring smaller works by Art League artists in all media. These unique works are affordable for gift giving — starting at $45 — and suited to a wide variety of tastes.

Also in the gallery, the Holiday Ornament Collection is hanging until January 2, featuring dozens of handmade, one-of-a-kind ornaments perfect for a special present or starting a collection of your own, for as little as $10. Come find a present on our tree!

Last, but not least, this weekend is ArtFest! Starting at noon on Friday and continuing through Sunday, the Art League will be holding its annual Ceramic and Pottery Show and Sale as well as the Jewelry Show and Sale, at the Madison Annex on 305 Madison Street in Alexandria. A retrospective show and sale of late Art League and Torpedo Factory artist Nancy Reinke’s work, going on all weekend, will include prints, paintings, and other pieces for sale at affordable prices. You can also come — for free! — to see the shows and sales, artist demonstrations, live music, and food and drinks at the ArtFest Party from 6:00 to 9:00 pm Friday.

Exhibits

Q&A with “Small Works” award-winner Theresa Esterlund

This month’s “Small Works” exhibit in The Art League Gallery, which ends December 5, includes two award winners. Theresa Esterlund‘s collage, Variation, won the Anne Banks Collage Award. We asked Theresa to tell us more about her work.

What was your inspiration or reason for creating Variation?
Theresa: This piece is part of my Utopia series works, which are explorations of imagination that pay homage to artist Joseph Cornell. Against a common background, a topographical map of Mount Everest, I situate images in nostalgic, dreamlike settings to create a sense of stepping into a story. Many of the Utopia works express themes of introspection, feminine identity, and life journeys; as a body of work, they aim to take the viewer through the fantastical scenes to a place of personal reminiscence or discovery. This particular piece is a variation on Cornell’s ballet dancer works.

Variation by Theresa Esterlund

How did the series start, and how has it changed?
I began my Utopia series in 2009. It’s evolved both in process and content. Recently, I’ve begun layering in more papers and inks in some of these works (a technique I use in other collages more frequently). In addition, my newest pieces have themes that are more shaped by my study of yoga than of the images and ideas that Cornell used. I think that this newer work will actually evolve into a different series at some point.

What would you like the viewer to come away with?
I hope that viewers walk away with a sense of mystery and wonder. Ideally, they would create their own story from the piece, based on their memories, dreams, and personal stories.

More after the jump: Continue reading Q&A with “Small Works” award-winner Theresa Esterlund

Artist Interviews

ArtFest is this Friday!

Ceramics by Kim Hyu Ju

Are you ready for ArtFest?

The Art League’s popular annual open house party is this Friday, December 2, 6:00 – 9:00 pm, with more events throughout the weekend. For the low, low cost of admission — free! — you get to:

  • Watch demos by artists, including Art League instructor and forensic artist Joe Mullins
  • Visit the Art League School’s stained glass department artists with work for sale
  • Buy art (for gifts or yourself) at the Jewelry Show and Sale and Ceramic and Pottery Show and Sale, which start at noon and continue on Saturday and Sunday
  • See the Madison Annex, The Art League’s 3-D instructional space
  • Eat food, sip drinks and listen to live music by Rew Smith Band

All the events are at The Art League’s Madison Annex at 305 Madison Street.

ArtFest will also include a special retrospective show and sale of work by Nancy Reinke, the late Art League and Torpedo Factory artist. The show starts Friday at the party and continues on Saturday and Sunday.

Nancy Reinke

Music! Refreshments! Art and artists! ArtFest promises to be a blast, so don’t miss out on Friday’s party and the excellent holiday shopping opportunities throughout the weekend. This art party has been trending on the Web, including at DCeventjunkie, Alexandria Lifestyle, and our event partner the Pink Line Project. For a full schedule of events for the weekend, click here.

Events