In April, at the same time we are having our “Earth” exhibit, there will be an international environmental art project taking place on the other side of the world in Taiwan. It is the CHEN-LONG WETLANDS INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ART PROJECT. Six artists have been invited to participate in that project, and one of them is New York installation artist Isabelle Garbani. You may have seen her projects “Knitting for Trees” on Governors Island in New York or in Vermont last fall.
Knit for Trees at SculptFest 2011, West Rutland, VT
She has a unique way of cutting plastic bags and knitting the strips into panels, which she then stitches together to wrap around trees or she makes florets and covers trees or buildings with them. In Taiwan she will be doing a project called “Invasive Species,” using plastic bags cut into florets to cover a building. She needs bags! She especially needs COLORED bags! In honor of “Earth” month, we want to support Isabelle’s project by collecting bags for her. You will find a box located at the Gallery entrance between March 2-16. Please bring what you have when you come to receiving, or any time you are at The Art League. Besides plastic shopping bags, newspaper bags, such as the blue ones The Washington Post delivers your paper in, are great to save. Let’s send a little piece of The Art League to Taiwan to make April a truly global effort!
Emerging Curator Open Call 2012 – NY
Deadline: March 2, 2012. The New York Art Residency and Studios (NARS) Foundation is pleased to announce its second annual Emerging Curator Open Call. The Emerging Curator Program offers an opportunity for a young-in-career curator to present a group show at the NARS Foundation Gallery. The aim of the program is to encourage new dialogue and to create a platform for artists and curators to experiment and exchange ideas. The curator is provided with exhibition space and administrative support to present innovative ideas and artworks in a unique gallery surrounded by an artist community and studios. The curator is responsible for organizing and installing/de-installing the show and writing a short essay to accompany the exhibition. NARS Foundation will provide the gallery space, insurance for the artwork during the term of the exhibition, administrative support including marketing, postcard invitations, email invites and will organize an opening reception and a Curator’s Talk. A stipend of $200 will be awarded to the selected applicant to help subsidize the cost of organizing the exhibition. There will be no other financial support towards production of artwork, installation cost, or shipping/transportation of artwork. Submission guidelines and application forms are available for download from our website: www.narsfoundation.org All applications must be delivered to the office by 5pm on March 2, 2012. A non-refundable application fee of $10 (US) is required with each application.
Venus Envy 2012: Too Much Pink? – LA
Deadline: March 16, 2012. Baton Rouge Gallery is seeking submissions for the Venus Envy 2012 exhibition, April 17-26, 2012 in Baton Rouge, LA. Juror: Michaelene Walsh. Female artists in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida are eligible. All media. The theme for this year’s exhibition is “Too Much Pink?” From an early age, whether welcomed or not, girls and women are oftentimes faced with the color pink as a gender-identifying color. From advocacy (breast cancer awareness) to marketing, children’s toys to clothing and everything in between, pink is often a part of the female experience. Some despise the color’s prevalence while others seek it out. Others remain indifferent. With this exhibition, we invite artists to explore the role the color pink – and the causes, things and perceptions often associated with the color – plays in the development, life and experience of women. Whether works utilize the color pink or not will not affect their eligibility. $30 entry fee. Download prospectus at: http://www.batonrougegallery.org/pages/documents/FullVE2012BRProspectus.pdf. Questions? Please contact Jason Andreasen at jandreasen@batonrougegallery.org or call 225.383.1470.
Colorado potter Kazu Oba will be teaching a free workshop on Japanese Ceramics this Saturday, March 3, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Kazu, who came to the United States as a young adult, will be focusing on modern and traditional forms from Karatsu, Japan, a center of ceramics where he apprenticed in 2003–2004. You can expect to see mostly bowls, plates, and cylinders, thrown “off the hump” and slightly altered.
Yes, the workshop is free! For more information, call the Art League School office at 703-683-2323.
The Old Takoma Business Association (in DC and Maryland) is looking for public art in most media as part of reCYCLE The Art of Tree Project. The deadline is March 23, 2012. Here is the announcement:
reCYCLE The Art of Tree Project is the second installment of the Old Takoma Business Association’s reCYCLE temporary public art series in Old Takoma (Takoma, DC to Takoma Park, MD). reCYCLE is a public art exhibit designed to highlight the art, recycling and environmental conservation cultures of Old Takoma. The art will be installed throughout Old Takoma creating a self-guided, walking tour with the goal of attracting and engaging visitors and showcasing Old Takoma’s locally owned and independent businesses. For 2012, trees are the theme!
There are three opportunities for participation: outdoor sculptures, non-sculpture visual art, and installation art. Full details and the submission form are here (PDF).
Here are two calls for artists in the DC area with deadlines coming up:
Hamiltonian Artists Fellowship Program Deadline Extended
New Deadline: Wednesday, March 7, 2012, 5:00 pm. (Note: this announcement was previously on this blog, but the deadline has been extended by one week.) Hamiltonian Artists, a 501(c)3, is excited to announce its fifth annual open call to emerging artists to apply to our two-year Fellowship Program, aimed at aiding in the professional development of contemporary visual artists. What will you receive as a Hamiltonian Fellow?
– Professional Development
– An Annual Stipend
– Five Exhibitions in the Gallery, as well as Off-sSite Exhibition Opportunities
– Mentorship
– Critiques
– Access to Premier Arts Professionals
– Involvement in the Vibrant DC Arts Community
Please refer to the website for application requirements, restrictions and forms.
Annapolis Arts and Crafts Festival
Deadline: March 30, 2012. Application Fee: $30. It is with great enthusiasm that we invite you to apply to exhibit at the Third Annual Annapolis Arts and Crafts Festival, June 9-10, 2012, at the Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. This premier event showcases the prized works of over 200 artists employing a variety of medium: painting, sculpture, ceramics, digital art, mixed media, printmaking, jewelry, fiber art, glass, wood, leather, metal and photography. More information is here.
Art League School instructors have graciously been sharing their class demos with us, and more videos are going up on YouTube. The up-to-date video playlist is here, and new videos will be added as we make them!
Today’s videos: two new demos from Lisa Semerad’s drawing class, Pencil Techniques and Projects. Tuesday’s class was all about drawing boldly, making dramatic marks on the paper, and not being afraid to make mistakes.
"Soldier" by sculpture and drawing instructor Nick Xhiku and "Life Forms" by painting instructor Beverly Ryan
This week and next, instructors and students at The Art League School have the gallery to themselves as they show off what they’ve done in and out of class this past year.
Fiber arts, sculpture, jewelry, stained glass, ceramics, mosaics, painting, printmaking and more are well-represented at this year’s Student/Faculty Show. Students and teachers alike have a lot of amazing work up on display — but not for long: the show ends on Sunday, March 4, with a closing reception from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. (Gallery hours are here.)
So, while you still can, check out the show, and see what’s been going on in Art League School classes. Maybe you’ll be inspired to enroll! Or take home some homework that you’ll want to display someplace better than the fridge.
Stained glass instructor Jimmy Powers hangs "Irene's Revenge" by student Ann Abercrombie, which won an Equal Merit Award.
"Maenad of Dionysus" by mosaics instructor Gene Sterud and "Oval Teapot" by ceramics instructor Blair Meerfeld
Sunday’s Patrons’ Show was the best yet, with 687 amazing pieces of artwork taken one by one for new homes. As always, the crowd was energetic in making its feelings known, cheering and applauding — and groaning when favorite pieces were selected too early for its taste.
Taking inspiration from the artists, patrons got creative as well, devising systems for ranking and tracking the artwork:
… and balancing beverages with crafty wire hangers:
The fun atmosphere was balanced by lots of careful record keeping and general studiousness.
During the breaks, lucky ticket-holders had time to find their pieces in the gallery and check out. The last tickets chosen during each round got door prizes, including dinners, gift certificates, and sailboat rides. But every ticket was guaranteed to go home with a matching piece of art — and new memories.
Many thanks are due to the event sponsors, the artists who generously donated, the titular patrons, and all the volunteers and staff who framed, hung, set up, emceed, checked out, performed technical wizardry, cleaned up, and more. Thank you!
More information on the Patrons’ Show is here. We’ll see you at the same time next year!
The exhibits for March and April, “Play” and “Earth,” call for specific kinds of artwork you may not have considered before. To help you find inspiration for the pieces you’ll create, here are some examples of art and artists that fit the bill.
“Play,” the March show, calls for “works that can be touched or interacted with to encourage visitors to become involved in artwork on an entirely new level. Work can also include the subject of children at play, games and activities associated with fun and amusement.” Interactive art can be touched, moved, added to, or otherwise involves the viewer in a new way.
"The Calm Before the Wave," by John Stanmeyer. Courtesy nationalgeographic.com
Interactive artist Daniel Rozin has created several mirrors, including a mirror made of wooden pieces which shift individually to recreate the face of the viewer in front of them. Interactive art doesn’t require video cameras and computers, though. This oil painting, Seasons, is made up of nine panels which the viewer can turn to reveal a new portion of the painting. According to artist Eric Nye, there are over 19,000 possible combinations. Jesus Rafael Soto created a number of walk-through sculptures titled Penetrable, hanging hundreds of bright plastic tubes which invited a number of responses including walking through them, dancing with them, and swinging on them like ropes. This blog post covers a number of examples of interactive art with some thoughtful discussion of its future.
“Earth,” coming in April, is all about the environment and how we live in it. Artwork should use natural, found or recycled materials, or otherwise be linked thematically to the planet, the environment, or humanity’s relationship to the environment. For inspiration, look at the 2008 show “Interplay: Humanity & Nature” on flickr. Art League members Noah Williams and Guy and Marco Rando use found objects in their sculpture; their work can also be found on our flickr page. Likewise, Jeanne Garant’s 2006 solo show in the gallery featured her small works assembled from discarded objects she found on streets around the Torpedo Factory. She challenged herself to create a work daily, using whatever she found, and the result was a stunning exhibit. How will you challenge yourself?
Artists in all media have been successful in creating environmental art. Photographer Chris Jordan is one of many drawn to images of consumption, such as in his images Recycling Yard #6 and Sawdust, which depicts a mountain of sawdust. Jordan writes that he found the subject “desolate, macabre, oddly comical and ironic, and even darkly beautiful.” A National Geographic photo gallery addresses human responses to natural disaster. Other artists have recycled materials including car tires, carved into patterns by Wim Delvoye, trash, turned into a sort of self-portrait by Tim Noble and Sue Webster, and debris from Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, made into art by the Haitian artists group Atis Rezistans, “the sculptors of Grand Rue.”
This spring’s exhibits are great opportunities to try something new, and they should produce very interesting shows. Good luck!
With all 644 pieces now hung in the gallery and up on Flickr, ticket-holders to the Patrons’ Show are picking out their favorites — and back-up choices — for when their number is called at Sunday’s drawing. But what if there was a way to increase your chances of getting your very top pick?
There is!
A First Choice raffle ticket — $15 for one, $25 for two — gives you a chance at having your favorite piece with no anxious waiting involved. Just visit the gallery to get a ticket, or tickets, and designate the piece you want. The First Choice raffle winner is drawn before the official Patrons’ Show drawing starts. If your ticket is the lucky one, you get to go home with your top choice!
The $250 Geri Gordon Award, established by one of our longtime Patrons, goes to the artist whose work is selected by the First Choice raffle winner. You don’t need to have a Patrons’ Show ticket to enter, nor do you need to be present to claim your artwork.
This is a great way to get in on the Patrons’ Show fun and support The Art League if buying a Patrons’ Show ticket wasn’t in your budget. So get down to the gallery and pick your First Choice!
Today we have a couple of calls to entries with upcoming deadlines to share:
3rd Ward Open Call
Deadline: February 29, 2012. Welcome to the next step in launching your creative career. You’re invited to join the 3rd Ward Winter 2012 Open Call, an international search for exciting, innovative, and compelling work in the Categories of Art, Photography, Furniture Design, and Graphic Design. Prizes include exposure on the 3rd Ward website, cash grants, and residencies. Click here to participate.
“Forged” at the Target Gallery
Deadline: March 19, 2012. This is a media specific sculptural exhibition that explores the contemporary approaches to forged metal work. The work can range in size with the stipulation that it incorporates forged metal elements. This is open to all artists nationally and internationally. Click here for details (scroll down).
The Art League invites all artists to enter the 2012 Tea – Ceramics Exhibit, taking place May 3–June 3 and juried by potter John Neely. Electronic submissions are due April 17.
Artists are asked to celebrate the organic diversity of ceramic form while exploring “tea” as the functional muse. Artwork may be traditional, modern, or conceptual in design. Entry is open to all wares associated with drinking, serving, and presenting tea.
For more details on the exhibit, including prizes and entry forms, click here.
Registration for spring term at The Art League School is now open, and that means young artists ages five and up can enroll in another slate of children’s classes and the popular summer art camp.
Children’s art classes get rave reviews from the students, who often take them over again — and from the parents, too.
“Although we’ve taken classes at other art centers, the Art League consistently offers teaching that is both high-quality and friendly … just perfect for children,” writes Caitlin Garvey, whose son Lucas started in Karen Day’s Art Fun-damentals class when he was five.
An example of Lucas's work in charcoal.
Since his first class, Lucas, now seven, has taken two more years in Art Fun-damentals and attended two summers’ worth of art camps.
Caitlin says he’s excited about the work he brings home — for example, asking for charcoals to continue pieces at home — and even enjoys teaching his younger brother sometimes. The classes have boosted his confidence, as well.
“We’ve seen Lucas become increasingly confident that he is an artist and has something of value to share with others. Watching those characteristics develop in Lucas has been wonderful,” Caitlin writes. An interest in photography led Lucas to enter a photo contest at Huntley Meadows Park, where he won second place in the youth category.
A Lucas watercolor.
Art Fun-damentals, for the youngest artists (ages 5–8) is a starting point for many students, who learn basic art skills and begin to explore their creative side in a variety of media. With several different teachers who mix up the lesson plans for repeat students, there’s always something new to learn.
And compared to art classes at school, where teachers are often limited in what they can do, Art League School classes are less restricted in time and resources. Classes are taught by fine artists, the materials are top-notch, and students have a full two hours (or more) to create. “They get to complete an amazing project,” says instructor Karen Day.
It was a good fit for Deb Kiefer’s son and his passion for art. “He’s always got a crayon or a pencil or something in his hand,” she says. “He’s definitely into art.”
He’s currently enrolled in Painting and Drawing for 9–12 year olds with Karen Day, but he’s also taken a number of other classes and goes to the summer art camps. When one class finishes, he always asks for another, Deb says.
Summer art campers try on masks of their own design.
Children’s classes at The Art League School include basic instruction in painting and drawing, and also courses in cartooning and mixed media. (Similar classes are available for teens.) There are summer art camps in ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, and fiber as well — not to mention workshops in clay animation where students finish their own movie.
Have you been looking for a way to combine your love of the arts with your passion for democracy? The Art League needs your help voting in two surveys!
1. The Art League has been nominated for Best Arts & Culture Non-Profit in the Washington City Paper 2012 Readers’ Poll! Click here to vote — winners are featured in the Washington City Paper and online.
2. Alexandria was voted the #3 mid-size arts destination in 2010, but last year it dropped to #8. Vote in this AmericanStyle poll to help the city get the recognition it deserves! Alexandria is nominated in the mid-size city category. In 2010, the Torpedo Factory and The Art League were featured in a write-up on the city’s art scene. Vote to let people know where the action is!
"Cherry Blossoms and the Tide" by Catherine Messina is in the 2012 Patrons' Show.
Check out these contests and craft shows:
FotoDC Cherry Blossom Contest
Early bird deadline: March 11, 2012. FotoDC and the National Cherry Blossom Festival are holding the second annual cherry blossom photography contest, with single or series entries allowed in four categories: landscape, people, festivities, and vintage. With cash prizes and exhibition opportunities, it’s a chance to see your work blossom before an audience of thousands! Click here for details.
Rebuilding Together Alexandria T-Shirt Contest
Deadline: February 15, 2012. In honor of RTA’s 25th anniversary, participants should submit a design that shows what Rebuilding Together Alexandria means to them or a design reflective of RTA’s impact in the community. The winner will receive a prize and their artwork will be featured on 1,000 t-shirts and on our website! See the front page of the RTA website for an entry form.
Washington Craft Show
Deadline: April 1, 2012 (late submissions until April 16). The 25th annual Washington Craft Show, November 16–18, 2012, sponsored by Crafts America, will be held at the Washington Convention Center in the heart of Washington, D.C. It is a multi-media crafts exhibition and sale focusing on contemporary American craft. This prestigious show features 190 artists who are jury selected from all over the United States. This is an excellent opportunity for artists who work in the field of fine craft to present their work to a sophisticated multi-national marketplace at a national highly rated show with a strong established audience base. Click here for details.
Westchester Fine Craft Show
Deadline: April 1, 2012 (late submissions until April 16). The 19th annual Westchester Fine Craft Show, October 12–14,is a beautiful showcase of contemporary American fine craft. This juried show, featuring 110 distinguished craft artists from all over the United States, accesses one of the most sophisticated and established marketplaces in the country. It has proven to be an important venue for crafts artists to expand their customer base and sales opportunities. Click here for details.
Today we’re sharing two calls for entries, in Alexandria and Delaware, and a Photoshop expo/conference/workshops in DC:
Torpedo Factory Visiting Artist Program – Summer 2012
Deadline: February 15, 2012. Emerging and experienced artists are invited to apply for one, two, or three-month residencies between June 1 and August 31, 2012.
The Visiting Artist Program is intended as a professional development opportunity for emerging and experienced visual artists, and to expose visitors to exciting artists and projects. The visiting artists will be working in studios throughout the art center from June through August and will be actively involved in art enrichment events throughout their residency in which they will demonstrate and lecture about their work.
(The Torpedo Factory is also accepting applications in March for its annual jurying process for new members. That information is here.)
The Bethany Beach Boardwalk Arts Festival
34th Annual Bethany Beach Boardwalk Arts Festival
Deadline: May 1, 2012. Application fee: $25. The Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce announces that applications for the Annual Bethany Beach Boardwalk Arts Festival are now open. Join us for the premier show at the Quiet Resorts! Join over 100 skilled artisans against the beautiful backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean and the Bethany Beach boardwalk. This one-day show attracts more than 7,500 visitors!
Photoshop World
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or budding photographer, there’s one place to get top-notch training to take your work to the next level: Photoshop World. And, for the first time ever, the must-attend conference and expo of the year will take place right here in The District to provide three non-stop days of the world’s best photography, lighting and Photoshop training.
From March 24-26, 2012 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center-right in the heart of Downtown DC – Photoshop World offers more than 100 classes taught by 40+ seasoned photographers and Photoshop experts, including Scott Kelby, Jay Maisel, Greg Heisler, Dave Black, Jeremy Cowart, Moose Peterson, Joe McNally, Vincent Versace, John Paul Caponigro, and David Ziser.
From relative humidity to polymer chains, the discussion was technical at Tuesday’s free lecture on acrylic paints.
Liquitex representative Tony Zatzick answered questions from the sizable crowd — why not paint with latex house paint? — and demonstrated the differences between kinds of paint and how to read the fine print on the labels. Attendees were able to try their hand at painting and take home some samples as well.
Among Tony’s helpful tips: the less expensive student-grade paint has less pigment than the professional-grade, and paint is rated by its lightfastness — I is lightfast, II can shift, and III is “fugitive,” or loses its color. Liquitex has many more resources on its website, including videos and a virtual library.
Liquitex doesn’t sell directly to artists, but may we suggest visiting The Art League Store for all your art supply needs?
This month’s special exhibit in the solo room of The Art League Gallery showcases the work of 11 young artists — 5th-grade girls, to be exact.
The girls are part of SOHO, “A Space of Her Own,” an award-winning outreach program that engages at-risk, low-income girls in a year of personal growth centered on art. The exhibit started with a camera, a roll of black-and-white film, and a photography workshop with Art League School instructor Allison Duvall.
After filling up a roll with images significant to them, each girl picked one to develop in the darkroom. Those photographs are displayed in the gallery with accompanying artist statements.
"Walking Through Life" by Marcala Joseph. (Click through for a larger version.) Marcala wrote that the single foot represents a first step — in her case, a first step toward college.
SOHO is a special collaboration between The Art League and the City of Alexandria’s Court Service Unit that pairs each girl with an adult, female mentor to participate in art lessons led by Art League artist instructors. Each week, girls and mentors work together to create expressive artwork. More information about SOHO is here.
This unique exhibit is only open Jan. 28 to Feb. 6, leaving less than a week to see it!
At 45 years old and going strong, the Patrons’ Show — The Art League’s beloved annual fundraiser and art sale — has a long and storied history. We’ve asked show veterans to share their memories of shows past. Earlier, we heard from Todd about his chance introduction to the show. Longtime attendee Sara Glendinning sent us the story below.
Thanks to Sara for sharing her story! Do you have one of your own to share? Drop us a line in the comments, on our Facebook page, or at [email protected].
“I asked a friend, after she participated in her first Patrons’ Show about five years ago, if she wanted to participate again the next year. She answered, “Oh yes, it’s an event!” Thanks to the generous artists and The Art League’s staff and many volunteers, the annual Patrons’ Show is indeed an event — the best party in town and the most fun fundraiser! Every ticket-holder at the Patrons’ Show is a winner. The art my friends and I have acquired through the years has enriched our lives and we treasure lots of wonderful memories.
2010: The spoils.
Many years ago two friends each purchased a ticket and went to the Patrons’ Show with me. Both of their tickets were drawn very late (probably in the last 10%) but they could not wait to go to the Patrons’ Show the next year. Years later one of the men was diagnosed with cancer. Chemotherapy drained his energy. For months, Wayne only left his apartment to go to medical appointments. After he got his motorized wheelchair, Wayne told me he would have gone crazy if he had only had four walls to look at during the time he was trapped in his apartment. The beautiful art on his walls got Wayne through those terrible months! Wayne, and his oxygen tank, attended the Patrons’ Show seven months before he died. Our other friend introduced his girlfriend to the Patrons’ Show in 2011 and they will be present at the 2012 show.”
Sara also shares this message to art lovers who are Patrons’ Show veterans:
“The Patrons’ Show ticket-holders are all winners. I would love to have more winners among the artists who are so generous with their donations of beautiful works of art. There are currently seven awards: five $100 awards, a $250 award, and a $1,000 award. I wish each of the artists who donated the art that was selected by the first dozen ticket-holders would receive a monetary award. I hope more art lovers who have participated in the Patrons’ Show for many years, and whose lives have been enriched by The Art League, will join me in funding additional awards. What a great way to honor, or memorialize, a significant person in one’s life by funding an award for one of the generous artists who make the Patrons’ Show possible.”
With winter classes in full swing at The Art League School, instructors are once again opening up their classrooms and allowing us to take footage of them demonstrating their craft. Ceramics chair Blair Meerfeld showed us how to throw a pitcher on the potter’s wheel, and made it look easy:
And jewelry instructor Abby Goldblatt shared some tips on enameling:
You can see all the past demos, and more as we add them, on this playlist on our YouTube channel. Stay tuned for more demo videos in the coming weeks!
Artomatic returns to Crystal City in 2012 for our signature free arts event, to be held in the biggest Artomatic building ever, from May 18 – June 24.
Artomatic will partner with the Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID) to transform the Transwestern Presidential Tower at 2511 S. Clark St. in Crystal City into a vibrant arts community that celebrates creativity and creates a unique and exciting event for tens of thousands of visitors – all free to visit.
Registration information to exhibit work at Artomatic will be available soon. To get the latest updates, keep an eye on your email, and subscribe to Artomatic by Facebook, or Twitter.
Artomatic is completely volunteer-run. From building performance stages to coordinating with reporters, everything you see is the work of dedicated volunteers. Be part of the team that brings it all together! See what help we need most and RSVP for the kick-off.
The Alexandria Commission for the Arts has an opening:
The Alexandria City Council is seeking applicants to fill the following vacancies on City of Alexandria boards, commissions and committees. Council will act on these vacancies at the February 14, 2012, City Council meeting. All applicants must complete a Personal Data Record Form and return it to the City Clerk’s Office or file the form electronically via the City’s website no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 3, 2012. Applications received after this deadline will not be forwarded to City Council.
Commission for the Arts – one vacancy for a member who has expertise in the arts, either as a practitioner of various art disciplines or as a professional administrator working the field, due to a resignation. The Commission meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Approximately twelve hours per month are required of Commission members. Commissioners are required to become involved in various art projects/events throughout the City and serve on one grant review panel and one committee.
Click here to see an earlier announcement from the Commission for the Arts about volunteers needed for the Public Art Committee.
Lenny Campello posted this announcement for a free artist seminar on his blog. The Bootcamp for Artists will be hosted by Lenny and the Brentwood Arts Exchange on the afternoon of February 11. The seminar is free, but space is limited, so sign up and find more details here.
Also, Rebuilding Together Alexandria is looking for designs for a 25th anniversary T-shirt design contest. Details are on the home page of their website.
The rest of today’s opportunities for artists — including exhibitions, residencies, and fellowships — comes courtesy of FindArtInfoBank.com. See below for deadlines and details, and good luck!
Black & White, The Absence of Color – MN Deadline: January 21, 2012. The Mpls Photo Center in Minneapolis, MN seeks entries for an international photography exhibition, March 9 – April 22, 2012. First Place – $400, Second Place – $300, Third Place – $200, and Three Honorable Mentions. Prizes and Awards include free exhibition book. Juror: Bevin Bering. Open to all photographers. Entries must be submitted online. $35 first 5 images, $10 each additional image. Visit website for details at: http://www.mplsphotocenter.com/exhibits/exhibit-competitions.php. Questions? Contact Abby Rutchick at [email protected] or 612-327-4197.
The Bowery Gallery 21th Annual Juried Competition 2012 – NY
Deadline: April 15, 2012. Juror: Lance Esplund, art critic. Entry deadline: April 15, 2012. National call. The exhibition will be held from July 31 – August 18, 2012, at the Bowery Gallery, 530 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10001. (646) 230-6655. The online application and prospectus can be accessed at www.bowerygallery.org
Women: an Exhibition – MD
Deadline: January 31, 2012. What makes women awesome? Who are the amazing women you know? How have they impacted your life and work? What effect have they had on the world? This exhibition invites artists and designers of all genders to create work that celebrates the incredible women they have known, loved and been influenced by. It is a chance to recognize and pay homage to all that the women in our lives have contributed to us. By showcasing the work of female artists and designers, exhibiting work about women’s roles in industry and projects about women known personally (colleagues, family, friends, mentors, role models, etc.) this show will celebrate all the facets and roles of women in our lives. This exhibition is curated by Sarah McCann and presented in partnership with D:center Baltimore. For more information visit: www.sarahbmccann.com
Washington Calligraphers Guild: The Graceful Envelope Contest – DC
Deadline: Monday, April 30, 2012. Calligraphers and artists from around the world are invited to participate in the 18th annual Graceful Envelope Contest, conducted by the Washington (DC) Calligraphers Guild under the sponsorship of the National Association of Letter Carriers. The contest is open to all ages, with two separate categories for children. There is no entry fee. This year’s theme: “D-liver D-letter D-sooner D-better.” That familiar message has been taken to heart by letter carriers, who D-liver billions of pieces of mail each year. Your challenge is to D-sign a Graceful Envelope around something that begins with D. You could choose Daisies or Dragons, Dentistry or Dancing, Dreaming or Discoveries — any “D” word your heart D-sires — and address it artistically to: The Graceful Envelope Contest, Washington Calligraphers Guild, P.O. Box 3688, Merrifield, VA 22116. See the Call for Entries at www.calligraphersguild.org/envelope.html for complete rules.
Last week, we brought you a conversation with photographer Sandy LeBrun-Evans about her award-winning print, Truck. Part of this month’s all-media show, Truck shares a wall with the other award-winner, The Thoughts. Jane Thomas’s first-place watercolor self-portrait won the Gallery Director’s Award. We asked her to tell us more about it.
"The Thoughts" by Jane Thomas
What is the inspiration for The Thoughts?
When I rest my chin in my hand and stare at the blank wall, I am often asked, “penny for your thoughts?” I decided to paint my first self-portrait that depicts the most familiar expression of mine.
Portraits are one of your favorite subjects. What goes into a successful portrait?
I feel I get more successful results when I choose a subject that intrigues me. This might be the reason I seldom work on commissioned portraits. While I alter the clothing or the hair of the model during the painting process, I think it is important to attain a likeness by striving to retain distinctive features of a subject. I also feel I am more successful when I paint spontaneously without overworking the piece.
Is this watercolor part of a series?
Not yet, but I will give serious thought to starting a series with The Thoughts. I believe that receiving the award for my first self-portrait on the first month of a new year must be a sign of good things to come.
You use mostly watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, and Sumi in your work. Why do you gravitate toward these mediums?
I am most familiar with these mediums because I used these every day working as an illustrator for over 30 years. I majored in oriental art, using and teaching Sumi for years; it became one of the most loved mediums of mine.
What is your creative process like?
I spend many hours studying and composing the subject I chose to paint. I experiment and practice with a various mediums and methods until I determine what I will use. Since I majored in oriental art in college, I am used to the many hours of practicing on newspaper before the final strokes or painting are done on rice paper. When I feel I’m ready, I prefer the final execution of the painting to be done rather swiftly and spontaneously.
What do you want the viewer to come away with?
I hope the viewers feel that I continuously experiment with materials or techniques to learn all that I can in order to develop something new and different. Ideally, I want them to enjoy the outcome.
