Today was my first class of Stained Glass with Jimmy Powers, which I’ll be taking Thursday mornings in addition to my Wednesday class in Basic Drawing.
We haven’t started in earnest yet, but I think our heads are swimming with possibilities. (I am one of three new students in the Thursday morning section; we also have some returning students working on projects.) Jimmy showed us what other students are working on to give us an idea of what we should expect — people make small and large panels, lamp shades, boxes, and lots of other things. Some students have been working for a long time on labors of love, but I’ll be starting with something more basic in hopes of finishing in nine weeks.
He also explained the difference between using copper foil and lead came. Lead is the classic look, and necessary for outdoor pieces so they can expand and contract in the weather. Copper foil is better for anything three-dimensional, like a Tiffany lamp (in fact, Jimmy told us that Tiffany invented the technique).
You can get a sense of the different kinds of projects people do in the class in this video with Jimmy from last winter:
Instructor George started off class this morning with a quick demo of our still life setup, which included our bottle friend from last time as well as a pear-like object and a pyramid on its side.
He told us fear of drawing is a major obstacle to success, and we resolved to spend the rest of class making lots of marks and mistakes. We also discussed how to measure relative sizes of objects using a pencil held at arm’s length — the classic artist’s pose — which I tried to employ more since that was something I struggled with last time. Continue reading George’s Artistic Adventure: Drawing, Day Two
See below for details, and good luck! You can click the banner image above to view past opportunities posts.
Día de los Muertos
Deadline: October 5, 2012. The Torpedo Factory Art Center presents their 4th Annual Day of the Dead celebration from October 29 – November 4, 2012. Hosted by the Target Gallery, this exhibition of artist made altars and Day of the Dead themed artworks returns to the main floor of the art center. Artists are invited to submit artwork inspired by Day of the Dead, as well as Altar installations. Find details and entry forms here.
Maryland, DC, & Virginia artists
Deadline: October 29, 2012. OPTIONS 2013 is the fifteenth Washington Project for the Arts biennial exhibition of unrepresented artists from MD, DC, and VA. Open to artists working in any media, OPTIONS highlights the breadth and diversity of artistic practice in the area. Gerald Ross, curator for OPTIONS 2013, encourages submission of works in all media, including (but not limited to) film, video, performance, sound, new media, painting, photography, sculpture, and drawing. A catalogue will be produced to accompany the exhibition. Participating artists will receive a $300 stipend. For more details, click here.
Photography exhibit
Deadline: November 14, 2012. Artists residing in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada are invited to enter Focal Point: Fine Art and Creative Photography at the Maryland Federation of Art. The selected works will be on exhibit in the MFA’s Circle Gallery from February 1 through February 24, 2013. For more details, click here.
From The Art League’s Paint Alexandria event in 2009.
In our continuing quest to be helpful, we’ve gathered some miscellaneous links artists might find useful or interesting. Click away!
Because perspective is always useful: the experience of a juried art show, written by an artist and a juror. The takeaway: whether your artwork is accepted or rejected, don’t forget one juror’s opinion is just that!
Play around with this new Virtual Paint Mixer by Golden, and check out their explanation of the difference between monitor colors and the pigments in your paint.
Artist Daily has a good overview of what copyright means for artists in their free e-book, Copyright 101 For Artists (note: you’ll have to register for free with Artist Daily to download the PDF). It has basic tips on your rights, the rights of other people whose work you might use, and more.
Attending one of The Art League’s travel workshops or flying with your art supplies for another reason? Tip: Don’t pack any solvents or flammable materials, and consider buying new supplies at your destination and trying something new. The Mindful Artist has a useful article with more advice for traveling with art supplies — and here’s another from Outdoor Painter.
Artists: do you blog? Have you considered starting one? If you have spare time, blogging can be a great way to keep in touch with the people who follow your work, and a place for new people to find you.
Why start an artist blog? There are lots of reasons, but here are a few:
Share the why and how behind your artwork.
Show works in progress, and connect with your fans and buyers. They can keep up to date on your new work and shows by signing up for your RSS feed or an e-mail newsletter of your blog posts.
Ask your readers questions, and get comments on your posts.
Improve your search engine rankings and make it easier for people to find you online.
That said, blogging isn’t for everyone. You should blog only if you have the time and energy, and something to say.
If you already have a website, your platform might include a blogging function so you don’t need to maintain a separate site. If you don’t have a website, try WordPress (which is what this blog runs on) — it’s free, and you can use it for both your blog and the rest of your website. (Other popular options are listed below.)
We asked some Art League artists who blog for their perspective on everything. Read to the end for some resources that can help you with starting an artist blog and ideas for what to write about.
“Reston Founder Robert (Bob) Simon: Face #100” by Jill Banks. This was the final painting in Jill’s 100 Faces in 100 Days project, which was chronicled on her blog. You can read about this final piece here.
Jill Banks never read blogs before starting on the suggestion of another artist, but she says she finds it easy and interesting to write about life as an artist. Artists, collectors, and people who are just interested in art read her blog. She says people get attached to paintings when they are just images of works in progress, then they are thrilled to see them in person: “it already feels like it’s a part of them.”
Jill’s “100 Faces in 100 Days” project, in which she painted 100 volunteer models from January 1 to April 10 last year, was announced on her blog and featured every day there while it was going on. That’s probably when her blog was most popular, she says, with people checking in to see the latest post and see photos of the portraits. (Jill includes an image with every post, which is considered blogging best practice.)
“It really built a following,” Jill said of the 100 Faces chronicle. Articles like these, which allow readers to follow an ongoing project and to connect with the stories behind artwork, are perfect for artist blogs.
“And Not a Drop to Drink” by Cindy Packard Richmond, from this post on her blog.
Like Jill, Cindy Packard Richmond uses Blogger, Google’s blogging platform, for her blog. But she says she doesn’t like it, citing concerns over difficulty in readers leaving comments and about image copyright. (We’ll feature tips about how to protect your art online in a future post.)
Cindy writes that she tries to blog at least twice a month, though she blogged more frequently during her solo exhibit at The Art League Gallery last year. She says her posts are more about her life than art, specifically. “My blog is not a true artist blog,” she writes. “Artist block comes up now and again, but I am more likely to grouse about tenants of our summer house or my son’s dog. I try to be droll.”
Nancy Freeman says that while her blog is only one part of her site, it’s by far the most active part. She tries to update it at least twice a week. Using Weebly, the system her site is built on, has been straightforward; she says that it’s producing the content that’s been time-consuming, in particular, photographing and editing images of her artwork.
“My site is a lot like a garden;” Nancy writes, “it’s more of a process than a product and is always a work in progress. And as with a garden, the rewards are in direct proportion to the time and effort you put into it.” You can read more of Nancy’s thoughts about her new website on her blog.
For other examples of artist blogs, Google some of your favorite artists or check out the links to Art League blogs in the right sidebar.
Thinking of trying blogging out? Here are some resources to help you get started:
Some of the most popular blogging platforms — see which one looks best to you:
If you’re interested in WordPress, The Abundant Artist has many useful posts to help you — as well as other advice on websites in general. Here is their video on how to set up your site, and this post has examples of themes that work for artists.
Here are six simple ideas for artist blog posts from Empty Easel. Remember, if it’s about art, and it interests you, it will interest your readers, too!
To read the introduction to this series, click here.
Today was my first drawing class, and it went well! The teacher, George Tkabladze — henceforth “instructor George” — had us jump right in by drawing the still life setup below.
Then he came around to give each of us pointers. I glanced around to see how everyone else was doing, and we all seemed to have recognizable objects on our paper.
For the September All-Media Exhibit in The Art League Gallery, juror Judy Southerland gave special recognition to three works, and we’re featuring interviews with each of them. The third prize went to Another Day, a photograph by Amanda Marie Harner. (The first and second prize went to Miriam Keeler and Trinka Roeckelein.)
At age 17, Amanda is a junior member of the Gallery, and this was her first piece entered into an exhibit here. The juror called the image the “most movingly rendered face” among the submitted artwork. We asked Amanda about starting out as a fine art photographer and how Another Day was captured.
What are your thoughts on your first show at The Art League? Has your work been exhibited elsewhere?
Amanda: I am completely excited! I would have never imagined I would be doing something as awesome as this at such an early age. I feel honored to have my work displayed amongst so many talented artists. I guess you could say this is a step up from my high school’s art show.
Is there a story behind Another Day? Where was it taken, and what animal is pictured? Another Day was shot at the National Zoo, of a white-faced saki monkey. The image conveys the perpetual sentiment that yet Another Day will pass before the animals will be released from captivity.
“Another Day” by Amanda Marie Harner.
The juror said your photo had the most movingly rendered face of the submitted artwork. Do you do much portrait work? Was it challenging to get a good image of the monkey?
I actually do not do portrait work very often. I like to work with inanimate objects, however, I have been trying to branch out of my comfort zone. It surprisingly was not difficult at all to get the image. I just watched him for a few minutes through my viewfinder until I felt like it would make a good shot. I took three pictures, and one of them turned out great! Continue reading Q&A with Award-Winner Amanda Harner
Read on for details on a fellowship and some exhibition opportunities with upcoming deadlines. You can click the banner image above to see past opportunities posts.
Virginia fellowship in painting
Deadline: October 1, 2012. Artists in the discipline of painting, who are legal residents of Virginia at the application deadline, and who plan to remain in the state for the coming year, are eligible to apply for the 2012-2013 Artist Fellowship in Painting from the Virginia Commission for the Arts. For more information and the application, click here.
Portrait competition
Deadline: October 8, 2012. ArtSpace Herndon is holding its 2012 “Expressions” Portrait Competition, open to artists 18 years or older residing in Maryland, Virginia, DC, and Delaware. Artwork entered must be original 2-D or 3-D portraiture. No photography, electronic or computer art, or reproductions. This year’s judge is Kurt Schwarz, a painting instructor at The Art League. For the prospectus and entry form, click here.
It’s the start of fall classes at The Art League School this week, and I’m going back to school, too.
My name is George, and I do the blogging here at The Art League. I’m going to be sharing my tentative steps into my first art classes in many years — I’m finally learning to draw! — in the hopes that others will be inspired to try something new, too. I already blogged about trying my hand at the potter’s wheel. This fall I’m taking Basic Drawing with George Tkabladze and Stained Glass with Jimmy Powers.
So, I’ve just popped into The Art League Store this afternoon to pick up my supplies for my first drawing class tomorrow morning. David helped me pick out what I needed — some graphite pencils, erasers, a pencil sharpener, drawing paper and a drawing board. We’ll see what I can turn it into!
As I take these two classes for the next few weeks, I’ll be blogging away, trying to answer questions including: what’s it like to be a newbie in an Art League class? Do I have any artistic talent? And how’s that glass get stained, anyway?
Watch this space for updates as I fill you in on how I’m doing.
In the September All-Media exhibit, on view now through October 1, the juror awarded second prize to Sir Hog, a captivating sculpture of a warthog by Trinka Roekelein.
Trinka’s work also won a prize in last month’s “The Shape of Things” sculpture exhibit, when her Giraffe Boy was selected for the Monkith Saaid Sculpture Award. You can read more about Giraffe Boy, the series Safari in Clay that it and Sir Hog are part of, and her work in general in the interview from last month. This time around, we asked Trinka to tell us more about Sir Hog.
“Sir Hog” by Trinka Roeckelein.
What materials, treatments, etc., went into Sir Hog?
Trinka: I used a low fire clay body with oxides and underglazes, fired mulitiple times to cone 05, to achieve the desired surface.
Is it part of the Safari in Clay series?
Sir Hog stems from the Safari in Clay series. My work is evolving to focus on the increasingly complex dualities of modern existence. I am concentrating on the co-existence between nature and people and creating pieces that reflect the fantasy that arises by combining these parallel subjects through form, gesture and character. As the world continues to get smaller, this interaction is becoming more pronounced, compressed and automatic on both sides. Continue reading Q&A With Award-Winner Trinka Roeckelein
Instructor Scott Hutchison and model Wayne, dressed in a Civil War costume, started the drawing marathon at 10:00 am. You can read more from Scott here.
This past weekend was a great one for The Art League, and the long-awaited Drawing Marathon and the return of the annual Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser were both hugely successful! Thank you to everyone who participated!
The Drawing Marathon, from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm on Saturday, included models and visits from Art League instructors throughout the day. The event benefitted the “30-Something” Campaign to raise funds for the Madison Annex Project. You can read more about Saturday’s events in this great write-up by Drawing Marathon participant Kathleen Best Gillmann, pictured below working on one of the pieces she completed that day.
Kathleen and her pastel still life in progress.Another participant’s work in progress.
The Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser was our most successful ever — you picked up over 1,000 handmade bowls created by Art League ceramics artists! Lots of people came by Saturday and Sunday to enjoy ice cream from Artfully Chocolate and add to the community art project by instructor Steve Prince. There was great weather (except for the storm that interrupted Saturday) and a great turnout.
Steve Prince setting up for the art activity.The boards soon filled up with contributions. Photo by Tom Roberts.
Thanks to everyone who supported us this weekend! Which activity was your favorite?
Have you been to The Art League Gallery yet to see this month’s all-media show and the solo show “Microcosms”? We’ll be bringing you interviews with the award winners from the September group show, starting with Miriam Keeler. The juror awarded the Shayna Heisman Simkin Award for best in show to Buona Fortuna, Miriam’s narrative, non-linear oil painting. We asked Miriam to tell us more about the piece and her work in general.
“Buona Fortuna” by Miriam Keeler.
How would you describe Buona Fortuna?
Miriam: My goal was a narrative painting in a contemporary and non-linear format.
What was the inspiration or motive behind the painting? Are specific places, people, or events depicted?
The painting was inspired by an experience my husband and I had several years ago in Italy. We made a wrong turn trying to get to our hotel in Florence, ending up in the dumpster/garbage area of a large very low-income high rise area. A Gypsy couple was busy dumpster diving, loading finds into their vehicle. We got out of our car to ask directions. Following the woman’s instructions, we ended up at our Florence hotel, where my husband quickly discovered that he did not have his wallet. There was no place it could be but back with the Gypsies. By what could only be a miracle we found our way back to the dumpsters—the couple was still there, although the husband was now sitting in their vehicle. When I asked her if they had seen the wallet she said no. For some reason I dropped to the ground and started crawling through the grass in a dramatic act of looking for the wallet. Before long she joined me crawling around looking. Continue reading Q&A with Award-Winner Miriam Keeler
This month’s solo exhibit at The Art League Gallery showcases the art of Theresa Esterlund, a collage artist whose work you may have seen in recent group shows in the Gallery. “Microcosms” opened last week, and this Thursday is the opening reception and meet-the-artist.
Esterlund’s creations combine vintage ephemera, including photographs and topographical maps, with ink and acrylic. The dreamlike compositions often seem like pages out of a story, with their small size pulling the viewer into an intimate space.
In November, we published a Q&A with Esterlund about her work in general, drawing inspiration from assemblage artist Joseph Cornell, and her piece Variation, which won the Anne Banks Collage Award in the “Small Works” exhibit. Variation appears in “Microcosms” as well — you can read all about it here. Esterlund mentioned that her work was growing to include themes from her experience with yoga, an influence that can be seen in pieces like Samsara. Esterlund teaches yoga in Alexandria.
“Variation” by Theresa Esterlund“Samsara” by Theresa Esterlund
You can read more from Esterlund on her website and blog, April Evening. More images from “Microcosms” are on our Flickr page.
See below for details on upcoming deadlines! You can click the banner above for past opportunities posts.
Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair
Deadline: September 16, 2012. Now in its ninth year, Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair is an exhibition and sale of handmade alternative arts and crafts from independent artists presented by the Washington City Paper. Crafty Bastards will be held indoors on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. Vendor applications are being accepted online now through Sept. 16, 2012. Click here for information and to register.
Drawing Salon at the National Gallery of Art
September 20 & 23. Join the National Gallery of Art for sketching and conversation.. Led by practicing artists and museum educators, the program integrates art history and art studio practices. September’s program focuses on gesture and movement found in the sculptures of Edgar Degas; future workshops can be found here. Space is limited to 35 participants on a first-come, first-served basis with sign-in beginning at 12:30 and continuing until all spaces are filled. All drawing materials provided. For more information, contact [email protected].
The 31st Annual Smithsonian Craft Show
Deadline: September 14, 2012 (late fee for applications Sept. 15–21). The annual Smithsonian Craft Show is a juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American crafts. Three jurors who are experts in the field and newly selected each year choose 120 artists from a large pool of applicants. Previous exhibitors must re-apply each year. No one is grandfathered into the show or given preference. Craft artists are selected on the basis of the originality, artistic conception, and quality of their work. The Show does not charge sales commissions. Full details can be found here.
The following national opportunities are courtesy of FindArtInfoBank.com:
43rd Annual River Road Show – LA
Deadline: September 17, 2012. The Louisiana Art and Artists’ Guild announces a call to artists for a juried art show December 3, 2012 – January 30, 2013 at the Louisiana State Archives Building in Baton Rouge, LA. $4,000 in cash and merchandise. Juror: Sam Corso. Competition is open to all United States artists 18 years and older. Submissions must be original two-dimensional art except photography or digitally-created/enhanced works. See prospectus for details. $40 for up to 3 entries and $5 for each additional entry, up to 10. Questions? Please contact the River Road Show Committee at [email protected] or call 225-753-0361. Click here for more information.
10th Annual Small Wonders – National Juried Exhibition – MD
Deadline: September 12, 2012. The Maryland Federation of Art in Annapolis, MD announces a call to artists for a juried exhibition, November 30 – December 29, 2012 at the Circle Gallery. $1,000 in Cash Awards. Juror: Laura Amussen, Exhibitions Director and Collections Coordinator, Goucher College. Seeking any two or three-dimensional work following guidelines and size limitations. 2-d work cannot exceed 11″ on any one side (includes frame). 3-d work cannot exceed 7″ in any direction. Artworks must be entered by uploading JPEG images through MFA’s online entry system. One-two entries $35 (MFA members $20); additional four entries $5 each. Click here to download prospectus (PDF format). Questions? Please contact Kyle Freeman at [email protected] or call 410-268-4566. Click here for more information.
16th International Open: Woman Made Gallery – IL
Deadline: November 18, 2012. Exhibition Dates: March 1 – April 25, 2013. Juror: Kelli Connell. Invitation to all women artists worldwide to submit artwork for this open exhibition. All themes, styles,and media will be considered. Artwork may not exceed 72″ horizontally, frame included. Awards: 1st Prize: Solo Show in 2014 at WMG; 2nd prize: $500; 3rd prize: $250; 4th prize: Honorable Mention. Submit jpgs of up to three of your works on our website or mail CD with completed entry form and a $30 entry fee to Woman Made Gallery, 685 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60642. Click here for more information.
7th Annual Juried Exhibition – FL
Deadline: September 12, 2012, postmark. The International Society of Acrylic Painters-Florida announces a call to artists for its 7th Annual Juried Exhibition, November 1-30, 2012 at Dazzio Art Experience Premier Gallery, St. Petersburg, FL. Up to $5,000 including $1,000 for Best of Show. Juror: Spanish Artist Hugo Fontela. Must be 18 years of age. Pay ISAP-FL membership dues of $30. Paintings must be at least 80% acrylic. CD/DVD entry only. $25.00 for up to 3 paintings. Visit website for prospectus. Questions? Contact Sandy Thomas at [email protected] or call 727-547-1177.
Classes for the fall term at The Art League School start next week, and the Store is ready to help you get back in the swing of things!
The Art League Store, on the second floor of the Torpedo Factory at 105 North Union Street in Alexandria, sells fine art supplies at discounted, non-profit prices to Art League members and students. Even better, the staff are working artists who can answer your questions and help you find the best materials for your work. More details and hours can be found here.
We asked Art League instructor Lisa Semerad (view her fall classes here) for her go-to supplies. Here’s what she recommended and why:
Kneaded eraser (small, $.83 or large, $1.31 at The Art League Store) and firm eraser (various brands, $.71 to $1.18)
Char-Kole stick ($.70 each or $7.73 for 12) and HB graphite pencil ($1.02)
Bulldog clips ($1.11 each) and drawing board ($7.66 for 18″ x 18″; $10.47 for 18″ x 24″)
Strathmore newsprint, 18″ x 24″ ($7.02 for 50 sheets) — “to warm up on, because it’s cheap.”
Strathmore 400 drawing paper, 18″ x 24″ ($12.88 for 24 sheets) — “because it’s versatile, still cheap, but if something works out it’s not junk.”
Set of 24 Nupastel hard pastels ($24.98) — “they are expressive, responsive, and movable, not fussy. They can even become paint if wetted with water or odorless mineral spirits.”
If you haven’t been to the Store recently, drop by and see what’s new! We’ll be featuring more from the Store in coming weeks.
Enjoying ice cream from Artfully Chocolate at the 2013 Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser.
Update: Due to the storm, the King Street Art Festival has been packed up for today (Saturday) and the Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser along with it. Find us tomorrow at the corner of King and Fairfax Streets.
This weekend’s events at The Art League are underway! A few hours in, the Drawing Marathoners are going strong, and the ice cream bowls are just plain going. There’s still time to join in!
This morning and afternoon, artists have been drawing and painting up a storm at the Duke Street Annex. The 12-hour marathon goes until 10:00 pm. Artists of all levels have been working on easels and sketchbooks, painting with oil, watercolor, and pastel, and drawing with pencils and ink. It’s a much more relaxed atmosphere than your typical marathon, so come down and have some fun! (More photos are on our Facebook page.)
Models have donated their time for long and short poses, and instructor Rachel Collins set up a variety of still lifes as well. This morning, drawing instructor Scott Hutchison and oil painting instructor Ted Reed came by to join in.
Ted Reed, top left, painted this afternoon, and Scott Hutchison started things off in the morning.
For the schedule of instructors still scheduled to come by, click here. Instructor Rob Liberace will be Skypeing in for a demo at about 7:30 pm.
The Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser goes until 4:00 pm today and again tomorrow from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. There are hundreds of handmade bowls to choose from, and as buyers were noting this morning, it’s a hard choice to make. Bring the kids for some ice cream and a hands-on art activity with Art League instructor Steve Prince! Each handmade bowl is $15, including a bowl of ice cream from Artfully Chocolate.
Steve Prince setting up, and some of the materials you can use to contribute to the project!
Some of the ice cream bowls from last year’s fundraiser.
The Art League’s Ice Cream Bowl Fundaiser 2012 Saturday and Sunday, September 8 & 9, 11:00 am–4:00 pm Market Square in Alexandria (Corner of North Fairfax and King Streets)
$15 for a bowl and ice cream
Don’t miss your chance to get your very own ice cream bowls! This weekend, along with the Drawing Marathon on Saturday, you can find The Art League at the 10th Annual Alexandria King Street Art Festival, selling 1,000 handmade ice cream bowls complete with local artisan ice cream from Artfully Chocolate. Bring the kids! Art League instructor Steve Prince will have hands-on art activities they can participate in.
Are you ready for Saturday’s “30-Something” Drawing Marathon? To get you properly excited, here’s the slate of instructors you can expect to see at the 12-hour fundraising event, where a $30 donation allows you to draw for as long as you like from a variety of models and still life setups (created by watercolor instructor Rachel Collins). You can register here or drop by on Saturday — we’ll be at the Duke Street Annex (1 Duke Street) from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
The following members of The Art League School’s faculty will be participating Saturday, on hand to provide artistic inspiration. For the schedule of who’s coming when, click here. You can click on the instructors’ names to see samples of their work.
Scott Hutchison teaches drawing classes including anatomical drawing and figure drawing, as well as oil and acrylic painting classes.
Lisa Semerad teaches drawing classes including figure and portrait drawing and composition and design fundamentals. We filmed two demos at her Pencil Techniques and Projects class in February — click here to watch part 1.
George Tkabladze is a new instructor to The Art League and teaches wood and stone sculpture in addition to basic drawing.
David Carter teaches classes in caricature and a workshop in drawing hands and feet, as well as his painting class.
Kurt Schwarz teaches painting classes in portrait, figure, and still life, as well as a color study workshop. Click here to watch a short still life demo Kurt shot in 2011.
Jin Chung teaches portrait drawing for The Art League.
Jim Burford teaches basic drawing and abstract painting.
Rob Liberace teaches painting classes in portrait and figure and drawing classes with pencil, ink, and watercolor. He will give a demo via Skype in the late afternoon. Here’s part 1 of a demo from his Alla-Prima Portrait workshop in March.
Joe Spollen teaches pastel painting for The Art League.
Ted Reed teaches oil painting. We filmed his demo on painting hands at his Monday night class — click here to watch.
Tatyana Leykin teaches the children’s class, “Mixed Up Mediums.“
We’ll see you Saturday! Stay tuned for photos and updates on the day of the event.
Art League kids and parents! Wishing more people could see your masterpiece from Summer Art Camp? Washington Parent magazine is looking for artwork by children ages 5 to 15 to go on the cover of, and inside, their November arts issue.
The deadline is September 30. Click here for details on how to enter, and good luck!
Meg Walsh painting at River Farm. Photo by Ruth Baja Williams.
Last month, The Art League Plein Air Painters met at River Farm for a day of painting chronicled in this great post by Ruth Baja Williams on Patch. Read her write-up for an idea of what they do — it’s an informally organized group, started last year, that makes occasional outings to paint together. You can email Jean Schwartz at [email protected] if you’d like to join them!
As Ruth noted, fall term classes start this month. You can search the catalog for a variety of landscape and other painting classes to take, including this Plein Air and Paper class taught by Bobbi Pratte starting September 22. Outside with a sketchbook — not a bad way to spend your Saturday mornings this fall!
Art League instructor Bobbi Pratte painting at River Farm. Photo by Ruth Baja Williams.Bobbi Pratte’s finished painting, “Bananas at River Farm.”
Read on for details on upcoming deadlines. You can click the banner above to see past opportunities posts.
Corcoran Community Art Fair
Deadline: September 7, 2012 (Friday!). The Corcoran’s first annual Community Art Fair is a juried exhibition and sale of fine arts and crafts made by DC-area artists. The fair will take place in the Corcoran’s North Atrium as part of Community Day at the Corcoran, Saturday, October 20, a day-long celebration of art and creativity. A panel of Corcoran College of Art + Design faculty will serve as the expert jurors and will select applicants based on the quality of their work and artist statement. For the application, click here.
“Upheaval” photography exhibit at Target Gallery
Deadline: September 10, 2012. The deadline has been extended from September 3. In celebration of Fotoweek DC (November 9-18), the gallery will host a juried photography exhibition that explores the theme Upheaval; whether in our own lives or throughout the world — illness, political unrest, and natural disasters are examples. This is a media specific photography exhibit that is open to all artists nationally and internationally. To apply to this show, and see other upcoming opportunities at Target Gallery, click here.
Franz and Virginia Bader Fund grants
Deadline: September 15, 2012. The Franz and Virginia Bader Fund welcomes applications from visual artists aged 40 years or older, who live within 150 miles of Washington, D.C., and can demonstrate that they have the potential to benefit as artists from a grant. More details are here.
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fellowships – Visual Arts and Art History
Deadline: November 9, 2012. The VMFA Fellowship program is a vital source of funding for the visual arts and art history in Virginia. VMFA is committed to supporting professional artists and as well as full-time students in the arts and art history who demonstrate exceptional creative ability in their chosen disciplines, and as such has awarded over $4.4 million in fellowships to Virginians since 1940. VMFA is now accepting applications for the following 2013-14 fellowships: •$8,000: Professional artists. •$6,000: Graduate students in the visual arts or art history. •$4,000: Undergraduate students in the visual arts (includes college-bound high school seniors). For detailed eligibility criteria, an application, and a printable PDF flyer visit: www.VMFA.museum/Fellowships
Did you see the news this morning? Holly Morris did a live segment for FOX 5 Morning News at the Torpedo Factory highlighting everything going on arts-wise in Alexandria this week, and had her 60-second portrait made by Art League instructor Patrick Kirwin. Watch the video here!
The fascinator Holly wore was made by instructor Jan Wutkowski for the Fashion’s Night Out fashion show Thursday night. Jan made a video explaining how the piece was made, which will be screened at the event. And this weekend, we’ll be holding a 12-hour drawing marathon and selling 1,000 handmade ice cream bowls. Here’s the scoop:
Fashion’s Night Out Alexandria Thursday, September 6, 6:00–11:00 pm (fashion show at 8:00 pm)
First up is the inaugural Fashion’s Night Out Alexandria, which, among other events, will include a runway show in the Torpedo Factory (105 N. Union Street). Milliner and Art League instructor Jan Wutkowski sent a collection of fascinators for the runway show, and there will be a video showing how one was constructed. There will also be complimentary beauty treatments, wine tastings and wonderful bites. Monte Durham, from TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress,” is emceeing the event.
“30-Something” Drawing Marathon Saturday, September 8, 10:00 am–10:00 pm
Saturday’s drawing marathon will offer up to 12 hours of drawing from a variety of models and still lifes, as well as appearances by Art League instructors. It’s all happening at the Duke Street Annex, at the corner of Duke and South Union Streets. A $30 donation allows participants to draw (or paint) for as little or as long as they like; all donations go toward the Madison Annex Project. The schedule of events and more details can be found here.
Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser Saturday and Sunday, September 8 & 9, 11:00 am–4:00 pm
For just $15, get your own handmade bowl, complete with local, artisan ice cream by Artfully Chocolate. The fundraiser benefits The Art League’s ceramics department, which made 1,000 bowls for the event. Come find our tables at Market Square, at the corner of Fairfax and King Streets, to pick out your own! You can see part of the process involved in making the bowls in our Ice Cream Bowl Throwdown video.
The Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser is part of the 10th Annual Alexandria King Street Art Festival. As part of the Alexandria Art Experience, instructor Steve Prince will be offering free, hands-on art activities for kids at the festival. Come check it out!
Kneaded eraser (small, $.83 or large, $1.31 at The Art League Store) and firm eraser (various brands, $.71 to $1.18)
Strathmore newsprint, 18″ x 24″ ($7.02 for 50 sheets) — “to warm up on, because it’s cheap.”
Set of 24 Nupastel hard pastels ($24.98) — “they are expressive, responsive, and movable, not fussy. They can even become paint if wetted with water or odorless mineral spirits.”
Fashion’s Night Out Alexandria
Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser