Harmonies in Pinks and Blue by Linda Lowery won the Juror’s Choice Award in the ColorField exhibit. (click for full size)
What do you see when you look through this window?
Linda Lowery painted Harmonies in Pinks and Blue, above, as part of an series experimenting with value and flat color. This month it appears in our “ColorField” exhibit, where juror Timothy App gave it the Juror’s Choice Award. We asked the artist to tell us more about this trompe-l’oeil-meets-Color-Field painting and her artwork in general:
What was the idea behind Harmonies in Pinks and Blue? What did you want to accomplish?
Linda Lowery: I had been working on a series of paintings with bands of flat color and noticed that, if a band had a dark value on one side and a light value on the other, the band seemed to be graded in color from light to dark, even though it was actually only one flat color. I decided to see if I could do a painting in which I could make something appear that wasn’t actually there. So I did a series of “window” like paintings with different values of a color around a flat blue “sky.”
I don’t know that I was totally successful at making something appear, but maybe, if you look carefully, you can see the glow of a “UFO” in the blue area of the painting. I think I see a bright area in the blue space and thought maybe I could think of it as the track of an unseen UFO, but maybe, if you see it, it reminds you of something else.
Detail from Harmonies in Pinks and Blue
Why pink and blue?
I worked with lots of colors, but found something special in the contrast of pink and blue. Maybe it was because it was satisfying to create a serious painting out of colors that we usually think are sweet and associate with babies.
Is this a usual subject for you? What do you typically paint?
I did do a series of these paintings but have moved on since then. Lately, I have been concentrating on portraits of newborns. (Babies again – maybe there is something there!)
First Cry by Linda Lowery
What is your creative process like, from an idea to a finished piece?
After the idea, I usually do sketches on paper, sometimes in color, sometimes in black and white. Then I may do a small painting to see how the idea works out. From there I go to a full size painting.
Why are you a painter?
I love paint. There is something calming for me in the act of painting. It draws me in and then I am in another state as the piece I am working on takes over my mind and complete attention. Being in this “altered state” is what brings me back again and again. I suppose I could achieve this state of creativity using another medium, but, for some reason, painting is the one that has resonated with me the most.
When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
I loved to paint and draw as a little kid. By the time I was in high school I knew I wanted to be an artist.
Tender Napalm by Philip Ridley is making its Washington debut through May 11 at Signature Theater. Besides being a popular playwright, Philip Ridley is also an artist (he went to school for drawing) and his plays are incredibly visual and popular with artists. As a special discount for AL students, the tickets are only $25 with the code STU25.
Photograph by Amanda Marie Harner from December’s All-Media exhibit. Amanda entered her first Art League show in September 2012 and won third prize — read the Q&A here.
This week was the annual jury for new members at the Torpedo Factory, and we’re pleased to see some familiar names among the newly accepted artists! Congratulations to Art League artists and new Torpedo Factory artists David Flohr, Amanda Marie Harner, Guy Jones (a new Art Leaguer in March), Maureen Minehan, Tim Hyde, Barbara Muth, Liz Roberts, Susan Sherwin, and Fierce Sonia.
The Target Gallery will hold a Newly Juried Artists’ Exhibition, March 29–April 13, with a reception on Saturday, April 13, from 3:00–5:00 pm. (This has been updated from the earlier date posted here — the reception is not on April 6.)
Below are the full lists of new TFAA members. You can read more about the jury process on the TFAA blog.
A platter by ceramics artist David Flohr.Susan Sherwin
2D artists (jurors Alec Simpson, Phil Hutinet, and Margaret Adams Parker):
Amanda Harner, Photographer
Tim Hyde, Photographer
Maureen Minehan, Photographer
Valeri Proudkii, Photographer
Jill Finsen, Painter
Liz Roberts, Painter
Kara Hammond, Painter
Karen Fitzgerald, Mixed Media
Susan Sherwin, Painter
Ellen Kdansky, Painter
Fierce Sonia, Mixed Media
Barbara Muth, Painter
Guy Jones, Drawing
Brandon Newton, Painter
Fritz Desroches, Painter
3D artists (jurors Dagmar Painter, Maria Karametou, and Rick Wall):
Erika Cleveland, Fiber Artist
Heasoon A. Rhee, Fiber Artist
Hattie Barker, Fiber Artist
David Flohr, Ceramic Artist
Leah Sturgis, Jewelry
From Fierce Sonia’s 2010 solo exhibit at The Art League, “Paper Dolls.”Liz RobertsTim HydeMaureen Minehan
Octavia Frazier’s Color Blocking in acrylic and mixed media won the Evelyn Turner Award.
The best-in-show piece from “ColorField” began, appropriately, by applying color. Artist Octavia Frazier says color is what got her into painting and it’s how she started Color Blocking, which won the Evelyn Turner Award in this exhibit. We asked her to tell us more about her love of painting and her art career:
How did Color Blocking come about? What is your creative process like?
Octavia Frazier: I created this painting by beginning with color. I begin my paintings by applying paint to the canvas/board and then looking at the balance and composition of the paint. I then start applying various mediums to the canvas. During each step in my process, I review each of the applications to see how I like the effect, and I look at the composition and make changes if I feel they are needed to ensure the rhythm, pattern, movement, and balance. I look for light, value, and texture as I move through each step.
I must say that I do a lot of reviewing and editing with each step. I will leave the room and come back to observe my work with a fresh perspective, and make changes as I go through the entire process. I plan the piece based on a theme that may be required in a show or art exhibit, and I determine the media based on whether I am exhibiting something right away and need to work quickly, or whether I can work for a longer period. I might use oil paint for something that I don’t need to turn around quickly for a particular exhibit. I stop painting when I feel the work is complete. I consider it complete when it answers my basic questions of: balance, movement, pattern, rhythm, and value.
When I feel I have accomplished those elements, I am satisfied.
What different media and tools did you use for Color Blocking?
I used large brushes, palette knives, paper, and gloss medium on wooden panel.
Color Blocking — detail
Why are you a painter?
I love the way paint looks when I apply it to a canvas/board. I like to experience color and texture and paint gives me that satisfaction.
When did you first become interested in art?
Early on in my childhood I realized that I loved to draw and paint with color. I looked at my surroundings and the color is what I was attracted to, not necessarily the composition or the subject matter. Color and design are the two areas that I love to experiment with in my paintings. When I was 12 years old, I won my first art competition while I was living in Paris, France. As a military dependent, I was able to travel to many cities where art was presented. I lived in Japan, Germany, and France where color and patterns were my inspirations.
How do you think of colors or choose colors when you are painting?
Color plays a significant role in my paintings, from my abstracts to still life paintings, I bring vibrant colors into my art. Color is the focus and what most people identify with in my artwork. I love to use bright colors to begin my paintings, like aquamarine, magenta, and orange. These are some of my favorite combinations and while I believe all colors work together, I do favor this color palette.
“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”
— George Bernard Shaw
Exhibit proposals
Deadline: April 15. The Department of Visual Arts and Design is calling for exhibition proposals for the Open Gallery in The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center that address the theme, “Mark, Trace, Impact.” Four exhibitions will be scheduled for the 2014–2015 academic year. Read the full call to artists →
Art Uniting People
Deadline: April 25. Art Uniting People is presented and sponsored by the Anti-Stigma HOPE Campaign each spring during National Mental Health Month. Artists whose lives have been affected by mental illness, addiction, developmental and intellectual disorders are invited to submit two-dimensional artwork. More about the exhibit →
Online exhibit: Imagining Equality
Deadline: April 30. The Global Fund for Women announces a global online media project, “Imagining Equality: Your Voices on Women’s Human Rights.” Submissions of visual art, video, audio, journalism, creative writing and more are accepted online. More about the project →
Plein air painters
Deadline: April 30. Event: July 11–13. The Howard County Arts Council is now accepting applications for the juried portion of “Paint It! Ellicott City” 2014. Artists will paint in the picturesque historic district of Ellicott City, MD for three days, creating work that will be shown in a six-week exhibit at Howard County Arts Council’s Gallery I. Artists who are not juried into the exhibit may still participate in the paint-out and an exhibit at the Howard County Welcome Center. All plein air artists working in oil, acrylic, pastel, or watercolor, 18 years or older, are eligible to apply. More about the event →
Annual photography exhibit
Deadline: May 30. Newspace Center for Photography in Portland, Oregon is pleased to open the call for entries to our 8th Annual Juried Exhibition. Selections will be made by Melanie McWhorter, photographer and Book Division Manager of photo-eye. All styles of work will be considered for inclusion. More about the exhibit →
Art studios available
One studio now available in a building with 12 studios 2.5 miles from the Torpedo Factory. Several other studios may be available soon. First month’s rent free if you can identify the Art League instructor who painted the mural in our main hall! Contact Liz Boynton: 703-759-4227, cell 703-638-8369, [email protected]
Re-runs: the announcements below have previously appeared here, but their deadlines still haven’t passed.
Call for sculptors
Deadline: March 30. Applicants will consider some scientific/mathematical theory, hypothesis, or principle as their inspiration and externalize these thought experiments in a sculptural expression. Read the full call to artists →
Mayhem
Deadline: March 31. For this exhibit at Gallery Underground in Crystal City, artists should depict the theme “Mayhem” visually. More on the exhibit →
To Labor With Love
Deadline: March 31. On behalf of Fjord Gallery in Philadelphia, artist curator Elisa Gabor is calling for artworks to be submitted to To Labor With Love: a collection of objects, images, and gestures about art and process. More about the exhibit →
Target Gallery open call
Deadline: March 31. This Open Call for proposals for an exhibition in the summer of 2014 is open to all artists from North America working in all visual media. More about the open call →
The Trawick Prize
Deadline: April 7. Artists must be 18 years of age or older and permanent, full-time residents of Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC. More about the Trawick Prize →
Transformations
Deadline: April 12. Entry to “Transformations” at the McLean Project for the Arts is open to all Mid-Atlantic artists (DC, VA, MD, PA, NJ, DE, WV). Read the full prospectus (PDF) →
Fiber Art Exhibit
Deadline: April 14. For this exhibit at NOVA in Annandale, work in either traditional or contemporary categories must be composed of at least 75% fiber. More about the exhibit →
Hudson Valley 82nd Annual Exhibit
Deadline: May 1. Work must be an original oil, acrylic, watercolor, sculpture, pastel, or graphic (drawing, intaglio, lithograph, or woodcut print). More about the exhibit →
National Photo Competition
Deadline: May 1. The Soho Photo National Photography Competition has no limits as to subject matter or technique. More about the competition →
Digital Magic
Deadline: June 1. Digital photography, digital painting, 3D modeling, 3D printing, web based artwork, digital installation, video, phonography, mobile device display, and mixed media works are all potential objects for exhibition. Read the full call to artists →
Artist in Residence at Artisphere
Deadline: June 4. Artisphere is offering a free 500 square foot studio space for one artist each for a five month time period in Fall 2014 and Spring 2015. In return for free work space, the artist would be required to interact with the public and do a final exhibit in their studio of their work created while in residence. More on the residence →
Emerging Artists — Kennedy Center
Deadline: June 30. A juried competition and national touring exhibition of work by emerging young visual artists with disabilities, ages 16–25. Read the full call to artists →
The Art League is always looking for new audiences who can benefit from art’s potential for healing and growth.
In 2011, this led to the creation of the ongoing IMPART outreach program serving our local military community. More recently, we’ve also been honored to partner with the Printmaking Center of New Jersey to offer a new venue for their program, Combat Paper.
With the motto “Deconstruct, Reclaim, Communicate,” Combat Paper is a free week-long workshop for veterans and service members in which they share stories, make paper from their uniforms, create artwork on the paper, and show the work in an exhibit:
“Combat Paper NJ is run by veterans, for veterans. It provides safe and comfortable settings where veterans can use art to help them recover from physical, psychological and emotional effects of war. In weekly drop-in sessions, on college campuses, on community centers, VA Hospitals, and Military Installations, Combat Paper NJ brings printmaking and the ancient art of hand-papermaking to all veterans from all conflicts.”
How cool is that? One Combat Paper workshop took place at The Art League back in January, followed by a brief exhibit in the solo room of our gallery. The next workshop is coming up next week — see below for info about an exhibit to follow! Click here for more information about the program. You can also read more about it in this PBS NewsHour story.
Update, 3/27: Here’s the info for the exhibit, happening Friday night at the Duke Street Annex:
Art League instructor Joyce McCarten lent the Gallery Pretoria by her late husband, Washington Color School painter Donald McCarten, for display during the ColorField exhibit.
The second exhibit in our special 60th Anniversary series, “ColorField,” pays homage not just to art history, but also to Art League history and The Art League’s close ties to the local Washington Color School.
The Art League School, then called the Workshop, was hitting its stride in the 1960s and 70s, the same time the Washington Color School became active. Painters central to the movement, including Gene Davis, Paul Reed, Leon Berkowitz, Lou Stovall, and Sam Gilliam, all taught at The Art League during those years, and they continue to inspire our artists today.
Lou Stovall giving a workshop to a group of Art League artists, 1971.
The artists of the Washington Color School made color the central subject of their paintings and prints, exploring the phenomenon of color on its own. Artists in all media took direction from the movement for our ColorField exhibit, and two speakers will be giving free lectures on both the Washington Color School and the larger Color Field movement.
Joyce McCarten, an Art League instructor and abstract painter, will speak March 27 on the Washington Color School and the work of her late husband and Washington Color School artist Donald McCarten. On April 5, Timothy App, an abstract painter, professor of art at MICA, and juror for “ColorField,” will speak on the importance of Color Field in art history. Click here to RSVP for these free events.
A 1971 workshop schedule with evening classes by Paul Reed and Lou Stovall.
Washington Color School painters will also be featured in a special August and September exhibit featuring Art League Faculty, “Inspiration and Influence.” This offsite exhibit of select works from past and present faculty will feature notable artists including celebrated painter Danni Dawson and Washington Color School painter Gene Davis.
Deadline: March 31. On behalf of Fjord Gallery in Philadelphia, artist curator Elisa Gabor is calling for artworks to be submitted to To Labor With Love: a collection of objects, images, and gestures about art and process. More about the exhibit →
Fiber Art Exhibit
Deadline: April 14. This exhibit at NOVA in Annandale will be curated by Trudi Van Dyke, an independent curator and fine arts consultant who juries and curate nationally. Work in either traditional or contemporary categories must be composed of at least 75% fiber. More about the exhibit →
Hudson Valley 82nd Annual Exhibit
Deadline: May 1. The Hudson Valley Art Association holds an annual exhibit of traditional representational artwork; this year at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. Work must be an original oil, acrylic, watercolor, sculpture, pastel, or graphic (drawing, intaglio, lithograph, or woodcut print). More about the exhibit →
National Photo Competition
Deadline: May 1. The Soho Photo National Photography Competition has no limits as to subject matter or technique. Besides awarding prizes, juror, Ariel Meyerowitz, will select approximately 35 photographers to take part in an exhibition at the gallery during July. More about the competition →
Digital Magic
Deadline: June 1. Digital photography, digital painting, 3D modeling, 3D printing, web based artwork, digital installation, video, phonography, mobile device display, and mixed media works are all potential objects for exhibition. The judge for this exhibit is digital artist Laurence Gartel. Selected work will be exhibited at b.j.spoke gallery in Huntington, NY. Read the full call to artists →
Artist in Residence at Artisphere
Deadline: June 4. Artisphere is offering a free 500 square foot studio space for one artist each for a five month time period in Fall 2014 and Spring 2015. This studio is located at the main entrance of the facility. In return for free work space, the artist would be required to interact with the public and do a final exhibit in their studio of their work created while in residence. More on the residence →
Emerging Artists — Kennedy Center
Deadline: June 30. A juried competition and national touring exhibition of work by emerging young visual artists with disabilities, ages 16–25. Artists are invited to reflect on the theme The Journey — internal and external, personal and communal, human and technological — our journeys shape our aesthetic and environmental terrain and define our daily lives. Read the full call to artists →
Position at Old Town Editions
Old Town Editions has an opening for a full-time assistant studio manager. More about the position →
Open Call at Hillyer
Deadline: September 28. Hillyer is now accepting proposals for solo exhibitions for our 2015/2016 exhibition season. Hillyer presents monthly exhibitions and each accepted artist is given a room in our three room gallery space to present their work. Read the full call to artists →
Studio space available
Studios have onsite free parking and 24/7 access. Each artist has a key to the building’s main entrance and a studio key. All studios have full spectrum lighting with a color temperature matching sunlight. The building has twelve studios ranging in size from 197 to 1,064 sq. ft. and a larger 1,186 sq. ft. industrial space for a commercial artist or group of artists. Near intersection of Duke Street and S. Quaker Lane (2.5 miles from Torpedo Factory). Contact Liz Boynton 703-759-4227, cell 703-638-8369, [email protected].
Re-runs: the announcements below have previously appeared here, but their deadlines still haven’t passed.
Photography competition
Deadline: March 20. The Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) invites all artists residing in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico to enter its 4th annual Focal Point, an open-juried all photography competition. Following exhibition guidelines, any 2-D or 3-D work created in any form of photography will be considered. More on the competition →
Torpedo Factory jury
Receiving: Monday, March 24. This is the annual jury process to become a member of the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association. On the first day of the Annual Jury, applicants bring five pieces of their artwork plus a CD with images of 10-20 additional works, completed application, and a $75.00 fee to the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association. The work will be juried over the second and third days. More on the jury process →
Call for sculptors
Deadline: March 30. For “Gedankenexperiment,” presented by the Washington Sculptors Group and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, applicants will consider some scientific/mathematical theory, hypothesis, or principle as their inspiration and externalize these thought experiments in a sculptural expression. Non-traditional ideas and broad interpretations of “Gedankenexperiment” are encouraged. Audio-visual and Performance Art will be considered with the understanding that the artist will supply all his/her own equipment. Entry is restricted to WSG members — non-members can join by paying annual dues of $45. Read the full call to artists →
Mayhem
Deadline: March 31. For this exhibit at Gallery Underground in Crystal City, artists should depict the theme “Mayhem” visually. The juror is Mark Cameron Boyd, and the exhibit benefits the Arlington Artists Alliance. More on the exhibit →
Target Gallery open call
Deadline: March 31. This Open Call for proposals for an exhibition in the summer of 2014 is open to all artists from North America working in all visual media. Proposals for exhibitions by both individuals and groups will be considered. Our jurors this year are Mark Cameron Boyd, Schwanda Rountree and Cory Oberndorfer. More about the open call →
The Trawick Prize
Deadline: April 7. The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District invites eligible artists to enter The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards. Artists must be 18 years of age or older and permanent, full-time residents of Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC. Jurors will select up to 10 finalists who will be invited to display their work in a group exhibition at Gallery B in downtown Bethesda in September 2014. More about the Trawick Prize →
Transformations
Deadline: April 12. Entry to “Transformations” at the McLean Project for the Arts is open to all Mid-Atlantic artists (DC, VA, MD, PA, NJ, DE, WV). The journey from one thing or state to another can be explored or demonstrated through any technique, approach or medium, conceptually and/or formally. Read the full prospectus (PDF) →
“Artist Friendly” Perspective
Drawing & Sketching Architecture at the National Building Museum
Friday–Sunday, March 28–30
$300
For this weekend workshop, visiting instructor Nick Raynolds isn’t approaching perspective with math-heavy theory, but based on the premise that this essential tool of naturalistic painting is all about identifying and describing a convincing depiction of space.
This workshop will be taught both in and out of the classroom, revolving around a trip to the National Building Museum. Students should have some drawing experience. In addition to their drawing or painting materials, students should also bring a piece of plexiglass, around 8″ × 10″, and a black felt-tipped marker.
Here’s Raynolds’s plan for the workshop:
On the first day of this workshop, we will be in the studio talking about the theory of linear perspective and composition. I will present a slide show and lecture in which we will discuss master paintings of architecture and an outline of the principles relevant to the subject. In the afternoon I’d like to get everyone to do at least one drawing of an invented space; we’ll work through this together in one-on-one critiques.
Nick Raynolds
The next day we’ll spend the day on location at the National Building Museum in DC, where participants will pick a location and work up a drawing all of Saturday and Sunday morning. I’ll be coming around to everyone and offering individual critiques. On Sunday afternoon, we’ll have a class wrap-up back at the studio, look at everyone’s efforts, and tackle any lingering questions.
Occasionally you’ll find art students, both beginners as well as those more advanced, who are surprised to find that linear perspective applies to more than just drawing buildings. Though we will be focusing on architecture, the study of linear perspective deepens one’s understanding of other subjects such as still-life and the figure (see George Bridgeman for example) and is an essential component to representational painting.”
About the instructor: Nicholas Raynolds’ formal studies in art were conducted in Düsseldorf, Germany; Vancouver and Halifax, Canada; Seattle, WA and in New York at the Water Street Atelier and Studio 126. Raynolds has taught in New York at the National Academy School of Fine Arts, The Art Students League of New York and the Long Island Academy of Art. He has also taught at the Gage Academy of Art (WA) and Studio Incamminati (PA). Mr. Raynolds has exhibited nationally and abroad and can be found in national and international collections, including The Forbes Collection (NY). He is represented by the Eleanor Ettinger Gallery (NY) and the John Pence Gallery (CA) and Haynes Galleries (TN). His work has been published in American Artist: Drawing Magazine; The Artist’s Magazine; American Art Collector and on the cover of John Updike’s novel, Seek My Face.
We’ve got two new exhibits in The Art League Gallery today: a photography exhibit that will change the way you look at the human figure, and a colorful group exhibit to drive away your winter blues — unless you’re looking for blues, in which case we’ve got you covered, too.
“The Cocoon Series,” by photographer E.E. McCollum, was featured in Northern Virginia Magazine’s March issue, which said “McCollum distorts the human body, challenging the way we see the nude form.”
The photographs in “The Cocoon Series” transform the subjects with a stretchy nylon “body cocoon,” creating new surfaces, shapes, and spaces from single and paired models.
15 of his prints from the series, taken over three years, have been installed, along with banners of fabric that bring the ethereal mood from the photographs into the solo gallery.
With “ColorField,” the Gallery continues its year-long retrospective celebrating The Art League’s 60th anniversary. Our artists, and juror Timothy App, drew on the Color Field artists and the Washington Color School for inspiration. Color itself is the subject:
Pictures at at Exhibition by Susan Osterberg and Out of the Blue by Valentine Szybko.
The Art League has historical connections to the Washington Color School through past instructors Gene Davis, Paul Reed, Leon Berkowitz, Lou Stovall, and Sam Gilliam. The Gallery will be hosting two speakers — Joyce McCarten and juror Timothy App — to discuss that group and the larger Color Field movement. For details on these free talks, see our special events page.
To meet the artists behind “ColorField” and “The Cocoon Series,” join us tonight at 6:30 for the opening reception!
Color Blocking, acrylic/mixed media by Octavia Frazier, awarded the Evelyn Turner AwardHarmonies in Pinks and Blue, acrylic by Linda Lowery, won the Juror’s Choice award.The mixed-media Red Lights Construction won the Adam Wishnow Award for Creativity and Innovation.Art League instructor Joyce McCarten lent the Gallery Pretoria by her late husband, Washington Color School painter Donald McCarten, for display during the ColorField exhibit.
Louix XVI’s Oranges by pastel instructor Joe Spollen
One of the most frequently asked questions at The Art League School is “what class is good for beginners”?
The answer is, quite a few classes and workshops are appropriate for the beginning artist. But we also offer one- and two-day workshops designed to introduce new techniques to beginners (or experienced artists who want to try something new). We call them Jumpstarts, and there are quite a few coming up this Spring:
Spring’s the perfect time to start something new! Sign up using the links above, or take a look at these PDF brochures of all our workshops in March and April.
“Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”
— Steven Pressfield
Seed pack commissions
Deadline: March 19. Each spring, the Hudson Valley Seed Library commissions artists to create original works of art to illustrate their heirloom seed packs. Artists should submit two images (not necessarily garden-related) that best represent their style. Read the full call to artists →
Photography competition
Deadline: March 20. The Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) invites all artists residing in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico to enter its 4th annual Focal Point, an open-juried all photography competition. Following exhibition guidelines, any 2-D or 3-D work created in any form of photography will be considered. More on the competition →
Torpedo Factory jury
Receiving: Monday, March 24. This is the annual jury process to become a member of the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association. On the first day of the Annual Jury, applicants bring five pieces of their artwork plus a CD with images of 10-20 additional works, completed application, and a $75.00 fee to the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association. The work will be juried over the second and third days. More on the jury process →
Call for sculptors
Deadline: March 30. For “Gedankenexperiment,” presented by the Washington Sculptors Group and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, applicants will consider some scientific/mathematical theory, hypothesis, or principle as their inspiration and externalize these thought experiments in a sculptural expression. Non-traditional ideas and broad interpretations of “Gedankenexperiment” are encouraged. Audio-visual and Performance Art will be considered with the understanding that the artist will supply all his/her own equipment. Entry is restricted to WSG members — non-members can join by paying annual dues of $45. Read the full call to artists →
Mayhem
Deadline: March 31. For this exhibit at Gallery Underground in Crystal City, artists should depict the theme “Mayhem” visually. The juror is Mark Cameron Boyd, and the exhibit benefits the Arlington Artists Alliance. More on the exhibit →
Sculpture conference
Deadline: April 11. Call for Panels: The International Sculpture Center is seeking a diverse and comprehensive program, covering topics relevant to sculpture today, at the 24th International Sculpture Conference: Sculpture, Culture, and Community in New Orleans, LA from October 1–4, 2014. More on the conference →
Transformations
Deadline: April 12. Entry to “Transformations” at the McLean Project for the Arts is open to all Mid-Atlantic artists (DC, VA, MD, PA, NJ, DE, WV). The journey from one thing or state to another can be explored or demonstrated through any technique, approach or medium, conceptually and/or formally. Read the full prospectus (PDF) →
Are you thinking about going to art school but wondering how to pay for those four years? Do you have questions about applying for financial aid?
The Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) is hosting a financial aid night in The Art League Gallery on Wednesday, March 12, 7:00–9:00 pm. CIA’s Director of Financial Aid, Martin Carney, will present information about the financial aid process, talk about available scholarships, grants, and loans, and answer personal questions. There will also be a presentation about student life and housing.
This seminar is geared toward students interested in applying to the Cleveland Institute of Art. Students who attend the seminar at The Art League can waive the $30 application fee if they apply to CIA by contacting Pita Brooks, [email protected] for a waiver code.
Some of the artwork in “Emerge” (click for full size)
How do painters create the puddled, cracked, and impasto effects in the paintings above? The answer was the subject of a Winter class at The Art League, and you can see the results in a new exhibit.
“Emerge” features work by the students and instructor in Marsha Staiger’s class Emerge: Advanced Acrylic/Mixed Media, and it’s on view through March 30 in Site 2 and Site 3 Galleries here at the Torpedo Factory (find them by the elevators on the second and third floor).
This class covers different topics each term: elements and principles in the Fall, series work in the Spring, and in the Winter, they covered gels and mediums — the mix-in ingredients that make acrylic paint so versatile:
“Our group of 22 students ventured into the world of Golden Paint, a familiar place for the class but with added interest in the adaptability and interaction of mediums; gels; pastes; high flows; fluids; heavy bodies; and open, interference, and iridescent acrylics. All of these are mixable and layerable with a variety of drying times and general tendencies to stay put, mingle, pool, puddle or pour. This exhibition has been installed, created, heralded, and festooned by the students as an interactive and educational experience.”
Regulars will remember the sculptures at right and below from two Art League exhibits in 2013 — the Student/Faculty Show and “Shapes.” George was invited to exhibit them in two upcoming shows in Italy.
Romantic Allusions, left, will be at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna Giuseppe Sciortino) for the Trinacria Award exhibit, March 15 to 31. The museum is in the cathedral in Monreale, Italy, near Palermo. Hello! My Name is Jujuna is part of the Triennial Exhibition of Visual Arts in Rome, June 6 to 13.
George is headed to Sicily soon for the opening of the exhibit in Monreale. Congratulazioni, George!
It comes but once every two years, and in a few days it’ll be gone again: the 15th Biennial Ikebana Exhibit is here!
This brief, popular exhibit combines the Japanese art of flower arranging with artwork from Art League and Torpedo Factory artists. You can hear two of the Ikebana artists from the Sogetsu School of DC discuss their art in the video above.
As part of the show, there are two free events this weekend in the Gallery:
Washington Toho Koto Ensemble performance: Saturday, March 8, 2:00 pm
Flower Arranging Demonstration: Sunday, March 9, 2:00 pm
Ikebana and ceramics artist Carla Amerau creates her arrangement inspired by Susan Finsen’s painting, Croquet 3. Carla created several of the vessels used in this exhibit, including this one, Circles & Squares, which she created to go with this painting.
For watercolorists with a little experience and a willingness to take risks, there’s a workshop coming up next month on the technique of glazing. We asked the instructor, Rachel Collins, to tell us what glazing is, what you can do with it, and how the workshop works.
What is glazing?
Rachel Collins: Glazing is the process of putting one layer of transparent paint over top of a first layer that has already dried, so that it remains undisturbed by the wetness of the paint going on over top. The result is a change in the hue and/or value of the area being glazed, but often a relatively subtle change, as what is underneath is not covered over completely. All media with paints that can be rendered reasonably transparent by thinning them out have glazing possibilities. It is wonderfully suited to watercolor, which of course is inherently quite transparent.
The trick in watercolor is learning which paints glaze most successfully, which paints make good underpaintings, and how to apply the glaze so that the underpainting remains undisturbed.
What can I do with glazing?
Glazing provides an excellent way to darken colors, alter their hues, ease color transitions, and bring color unity to a painting. It is a rare watercolor painting that does not have at least some glazing on it, as any layering of paint over an area that has dried already can be considered glazing. But there are certain kinds of painting in watercolor that are totally geared to the ability to layer the paint, and it is some of these that we will be exploring.
Leaves and Shadows by Rachel Collins. (click for full size)
Some watercolor artists tend to define wet-in-wet watercolor and glazing watercolor as two totally separate and opposed approaches to the medium. I tend to see them as complementary, and love glazing because it gives me a second chance to get things right and make them more exciting!
What experience do I need?
Students with at least a little experience will benefit most from this workshop. The experience need not be extensive, but it really helps to have painted enough that you can really see how glazing can solve some of the painting problems we encounter every day!
What is the workshop schedule like?
I aim to have everyone painting as much as possible during the hours we have together. I talk and demonstrate enough to get processes and techniques well-explained, but no amount of talking or demonstrating by me can substitute for the actual experience of the joys and pitfalls of working in watercolor, and watching the transformations that take place!
We address the mechanics of glazing first, and do a project that helps us understand our brush and paint handling better.
Then we move into two projects where glazing is an absolutely essential component: a negative space project and then a project involving a well-developed underpainting, which then has glazes applied on top.
Mini-demonstrations and critiques happen throughout the workshop, sometimes for individuals, sometimes for small groups, and sometimes for everyone, depending on the need.
Hawthorn and Pine by Rachel Collins. (click for full size)
The development of technical facility with glazing is important, but the most important element is the development of the confidence that comes from understanding how glazing works and that glazing gives you multiple opportunities to create excitement in your work! Emphasis is always on the process, and what you can take away from your experience in the class. If you end up with a painting or a part of a painting that you are happy with, then you are among the fortunate! You probably will have a few glorious “failures” as well! I like to reassure everyone in class that I personally have never produced anything in a class or workshop that could really be deemed a success. I have to go away and work on my own, wrestle a bit with all the new information, and then figure out how to incorporate it into the kind of work I want to do. With this kind of practice, you learn to trust the process, and that it will lead you to some surprising experiences and eventually to a degree of ease with and mastery of the medium.
And to top it all off, working with watercolor in a concentrated way, like you do in a workshop, is always an amazing amount of fun! It is the medium that moves, and gives unexpected gifts!
This untitled painting by Michelle Simoneau won the Jennie Lea Knight Award. Michelle was a student in Beverly Ryan’s class, Abstract in Oil and Acrylic. (click for full size)
Longtime Art League student Michelle Simoneau says Beverly Ryan’s class, “Abstract in Oil or Acrylic,” has helped her focus on being more experimental and less critical. It’s also where she created the painting above, which won the Jennie Lea Knight Award in the just-finished Student/Faculty Show.
The artist told us more about the class and her painting career in our final Q&A from this exhibit:
Why did you choose this piece to submit for the student show?
Michelle Simoneau: I chose that piece because the large figure is one of the most recurrent themes in my work, and as such, this particular piece was a good representation of what I do.
What techniques, lessons, principles, etc., from the Abstract in Oil or Acrylic class can we see in this painting?
In relation to the techniques employed, this is certainly a good example of a multi-layered piece that included several deconstruction and rebuilding phases. This class has been very useful in many different ways but what has been most valuable is that my focus shifted from the end product to the experimental act, which made me more audacious and less critical.
What was your inspiration or motive for this painting? What different media did you use?
It started with the drawing of a model. I then attempted to transform it into a sculpture using other means than the rules of perspective.
There are several layers of paper interspaced by drawings and paint. Each layer was altered or partly removed to create an impression of depth, somewhat akin to a relief. Of course color was also instrumental in creating the effect.
Why are you a painter? Have you worked in other media as well?
I like this medium for its flexibility, its range in terms of colors and possibilities. I also paint in oils, and particularly like the sensuality of that medium, its texture, its odor, and the fact that you can play with it for a long time before it dries. In the past, I worked with dry pastels a few years.
How long have you been taking art classes?
I have been taking classes intermittently for the past 30 years or so, and at The Art League for the past 10 years if I’m not mistaken.
What drew you to abstraction?
A desire to explore and create with as little boundaries as possible.
What are you working on now? Are you taking any classes or planning on taking more?
I am exploring the combination of various materials on pieces that are more abstract, but that paradoxically represent scenes. Yes, I am currently taking classes and I plan to continue as I believe it is important to communicate with other painters and get feedback.
With the piles of snow on the ground, it seems like spring will never make its way to DC. But spring is in full bloom at The Art League Gallery this weekend during the 15th Biennial Ikebana Show.
A Sogetsu arranger putting the finishing touches on her piece, 2012
The 2012 Ikebana Show
Ikebana, 2010
The 2010 Ikebana Show
Flower Arranging Demonstration
Washington Toho Koto Players
Arrangers from the Washington, DC Sogetsu School have selected works of art by Art League and Torpedo Factory artists to serve as inspiration for their floral masterpieces, and the pairings will be on display in the Gallery March 6-9. These carefully crafted, minimalistic installations of art and nature bring a refreshing and calming energy to The Art League Gallery – especially after the visually packed Patrons’ Show and Student/Faculty Show. Events throughout the weekend include a performance by the Washington Toho Koto ensemble, and a flower arranging demonstration by a master Sogetsu arranger.
The exhibit and all events are free and open to the public, so please join us!
Walking Up From the River by instructor Susan Abbott.
This month and into April, The Art League is offering workshops for emerging and professional artists who want to learn more about marketing, taxes, framing, and more — including a free group critique and free workshop on writing an artist statement. See below for links to register!
Acrylics Demo and Free Samples (Free!)
Thursday, March 20, 1:00–3:00 pm
Liquitex representative Tony Zatzick joins us again to share about color mixing, permanence, mediums, pigment characteristics, techniques and more. This year he is featuring new acrylic spray and markers. Free samples will be available. Register here →
Art*iculation: Writing an Artist Statement (Free!)
Saturday, March 22, 1:00–3:00 pm
How do you write an effective artist statement — one that speaks from the core of your personal vision?
Join David Hazard, a professional writing coach and publishing consultant who has worked with artists for more than 25 years, helping them communicate more effectively. This event is presented free of charge. Register here →
From Amateur to Professional ($100)
Saturday, March 29, 10:00 am–4:00 pm
Instructor: Susan Abbott
This very intensive workshop demystifies the business side of being a professional artist. Students learn about building a resume, approaching galleries, organizing shows, coping with rejection, slides, publicity, marketing, taxes, and many other topics. Each participant receives a booklet of worksheets and information. Register here →
Basic Matting & Framing ($175)
Saturday & Sunday, March 29–30, 10:00 am–4:00 pm
This two-day workshop covers the fundamentals of matting and framing, excellent for artists, collectors or anyone interested in getting into the framing business. Students learn design and preservation techniques, knowledge of tools, basic and custom mats, hands-on mat cutting, mounting, and pre-cut frame assembly. A $20 materials fee, payable to instructor, covers supplies and use of tools. Register here →
Critique with Joyce McCarten (Free!)
Friday, April 4, 1:00–3:00 pm
Joyce McCarten teaches drawing and painting classes at The Art League School. As a practicing artist and member of the Torpedo Factory, her work focuses on formal issues of rhythm and movement, structure and spacial and color relationships. Art League members working in all mediums and styles are welcome to participate in a critique with Joyce McCarten at the Art League Gallery.
Limited to 10 people. Bring 1–2 pieces of artwork for critique. Register here →
Event: March 23. CRAVE is a micro-granting dinner that provides support for creative projects in the DC area. For a $15 donation attendees receive a simple, yet hearty meal and a vote. Prior to dinner, four presenters will have five minutes each to share their vision for a project they feel will benefit their community by means of creativity. CRAVE is sponsored by the Torpedo Factory Art Center and the Convergence Arts Initiative.
Deadline: March 31. This Open Call for proposals for an exhibition in the summer of 2014 is open to all artists from North America working in all visual media. Proposals for exhibitions by both individuals and groups will be considered. Our jurors this year are Mark Cameron Boyd, Schwanda Rountree and Cory Oberndorfer. More about the open call →
Re-runs: the announcements below have previously appeared here, but their deadlines still haven’t passed.
#WeTweetArt 2.0
Installation: March 9. artdc is revisiting this unique social media-connected exhibit with an open call for DC-area artists. Artists install one work each (see details for size restrictions) and discuss and share the exhibit online. The artists must be on Twitter and they all must tweet @artdc about their work in the exhibition. More about the exhibit →
ColorField
Receiving: March 10 and 11. This is The Art League’s second exhibit in our 60th anniversary series celebrating art movements of the past six decades. Artists should use the artists of the Washington Color School as inspiration, though works do not need to be abstract. Please note that receiving dates are one week later than the usual time due to the biennial Ikebana exhibit. More about the exhibit →
Reimagining Rosa Parks
Deadline: March 15, 2014. The Library at Prince George’s Community College is hosting a call for entries for the exhibit Reimagining Rosa Parks, a collaborative project between the PGCC Library and The Book Bridge Project. More about this exhibit →
The Trawick Prize
Deadline: April 7. The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District invites eligible artists to enter The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards. Artists must be 18 years of age or older and permanent, full-time residents of Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC. Jurors will select up to 10 finalists who will be invited to display their work in a group exhibition at Gallery B in downtown Bethesda in September 2014. More about the Trawick Prize →
Portrait competition
Deadline: April 1. ArtFields is proud to present the second annual ArtFields Portrait Contest on Saturday, May 3, 2014 from 10 AM-3 PM at The Bean Market in Lake City, SC. Twenty-four artists will have the opportunity to compete for “Best in Show” and a $1,000 cash prize by creating portraits of local farmers who will serve as models for the event. Artists at all levels from the 12 Southeastern states (AL, AK, GA, FL, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV) are eligible to participate. More about the competition →
Virginia artists
Deadline: May 16. Virginia residents 18 and over are invited to submit to a juried art show presented by the Bay School Community Arts Center in Mathews, Virginia. Over $3,000 in prizes are available. More about the exhibit → (this link has been fixed if you tried to access it last week)
