Licorice Shoes; licorice, silicone, and Styrofoam; by Andy Yoder. 2.5′ × 2.5′ × 7′ each.
With the right approach, anything can be an art material.
Among the new classes coming to The Art League this Fall, there’s one that puts that idea to the test with some wide-open explorations in sculpture. New instructor Andy Yoder (andyyoder.com) is teaching Sculpture and the Concept of Why in the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer this school year. Here’s what students have in store:
Who should take this class?
Andy Yoder: This class is wide open! I’m hoping to enlist everyone from beginners or non-artists to professionals with lots of experience.
I’ve only ever worked in traditional (realistic, non-conceptual) art. Is this class for me? Will I be in over my head?
This class is for everybody, and nobody will be in over their head. “Conceptual” has a chilly, elitist sound to it, but for me it just means that there’s ideas behind the work. My assignments are designed to be simple and open-ended, allowing for fun, unexpected results. The challenge will be letting go of pre-conceived ideas and habits, so a lack of experience may be an asset!
Early One Morning and detail, 300,000 matchsticks, by Andy Yoder. 43″ diameter.
What does the title of the class mean?
I didn’t choose it, but I look at it as a reminder of the balancing act it takes to make art: getting a piece of work started, then allowing it to take its own course, and hopefully coming up with something new. Asking “why?” keeps us from acting on autopilot, and it’s as useful in the business world as the studio. Then there are times when it can get in the way of working instinctively, in a cloud of creativity, where all the best results are lurking.
What will a typical Sunday be like in this class?
I want the studio to be a place where people work in a focused way, while keeping it relaxed enough for participants to move around and bounce ideas or questions off each other. There’s no hierarchy, just people making things. I might take time to introduce a project, show images of other artists’ work to stir the pot, or have a group discussion, but mainly it will be about trying new approaches and seeing what comes out of it.
Home, School, and Office by Andy Yoder
What kinds of materials will students use?
As wide a variety as possible. For many of the projects there are no limits to the choice of materials, including food. You never know what might trigger a memory or idea, leading you in a new direction. Other times we may restrict the materials to point out how even the simplest means can lead to dramatically different results, while still managing to reflect the personalites of the people who made them.
How would you describe your own art and practice?
Basically I try to avoid following routines, much as I described above. I love letting random materials lead to new ideas, or coming up with an idea and figuring out how to express it. With commissions, I use the particulars of the site or sponsor in the same way. Recent projects have involved wooden matches, artificial flowers and riveted copper. I’ve also been putting a lot of time into a series of drawings and paintings. As you can tell, I like variety, and the assignments for this course will reflect that.
Windows, watercolor, by Michele Rea. (click for full size)
What’s the best way to capture the feeling of being in New York City? On the sidewalk, looking through a camera lens, like so many famous street photographers? Or is it above the fray, looking down on a seemingly quiet city?
Artist Michele Rea uses both the camera and the paintbrush as tools: capturing her compositions through the viewfinder, and then laying down watercolor to recreate layers of grime and texture. After Windows was chosen as the Best in Show piece for this year’s ’Scapes exhibit, we asked the artist about how watercolor and the city work together.
Where is Windows? What made you want to paint it? Windows is in New York City. I took the photo from a hotel window in Union Square. I love New York and try to paint as many subjects as I can from there. I also find subjects from the urban landscape of cities across the United States.
How did you first get started with this kind of urban, industrial subject matter? How has your approach to it changed over time?
I first started painting industrial subjects when I visited my son, living in Chicago.
For eight years, I only painted subjects I found there. By doing this I felt a connection to my son. It started with bridges and the elevated subway tracks and gradually led to old buildings. The darkened windows always drew me in. What was going on inside? I love the mystery of what took place in the past and who might have lived or worked there.
Windows by Michele Rea (detail)
Where and how do you find new subjects and compositions?
I create my compositions through my camera lens. By scanning the landscape this way I discover many patterns, shapes and angles. Where the angles converge at a point, an abstract composition is formed. Sometimes I zoom in on a subject and realize it isn’t what I thought. Some of my paintings are close-ups of objects showing their rust, peeling paint, and decay. I am a master painter of rust and textures. Interestingly, my painting Windows doesn’t really have either.
Every Which Way by Michele Rea, from her 2010 solo exhibit at The Art League, “Vantage Point.”
What makes watercolor the right choice for these paintings?
I am meticulous with the perspective of my architectural subjects and spend many hours perfecting the drawings. I choose to work in watercolor because I can capture the mood of a subject by using strong colors in many layers, as well as different textures and fine details. I always want to entice the viewer to come closer, inviting them to imagine what mystery lies hidden beyond the frame.
What’s your favorite thing about being a painter?
My favorite thing about being a painter is expressing my love of a subject for all to see! I am very emotional about my paintings. Each one has my whole heart in it!
For October’s group exhibit, “Superstition & Belief,” our juror is the New York-based stained glass artist Joseph Cavalieri. He wrote this guest post for artists to read ahead of the exhibit.
The deadline to enter this exhibit is Friday, September 4!Enter here.
Juror Joseph Cavalieri at work.
With a title like “Superstition & Belief,” this exhibition has the possibility of being mistaken for a house of worship or even a haunted house — it could go either direction. I am hoping to get plenty of entries from beginners to seasoned artist, and expect to be surprised.
When selecting entries for any exhibition, first on my list is the concept behind the work. Before I look at the title and any description, I seek intriguing art, that is distinct and fresh. I particularly feel work that shows emotion, and creates a strong mood, will result in a powerful group show. I also study the fabrication of the work, and compare it to other similar work. Quality of workmanship and production value is important.
As I view the entries I first make a working list of my top selections, and see how they complement each other. Often I draw out the exhibition space and see the best arrangement, choosing what piece should open the show, and which should close it. I decide how best to arrange the art to create a storyline to entertain, surprise and possibly educate the viewer.
About entering exhibits: Submissions, delivery, promoting and attending the exhibition all take plenty of energy and time away from the artists’ production schedule. Before entering an exhibition, one should research the gallery to see the location, photos of the gallery space, past shows, hours the gallery is open to the public and how much work normally sells. In my experience, every show you get your work into is worth the exposure and connections it brings. I have two rules for artists: you must attend the opening, and you must meet at least three strangers during that opening.
Artist have many challenges in life. When I teach I have a very popular worksheet to help students focus. It includes questions on their favorite work in the past, and a “Five Year Plan.” I ask the students to discuss a fantasy job five years from now. It helps direct the path of their careers. Some students only want to make work as gifts to friends, some want to have a great work studio, while others want a solo show in an important gallery or museum in five years. If you are reaching for a solo show in the future, you have to take the proper steps, starting with group shows like this one at The Art League.
Calvin & Hobbes on artist statements. Cartoon by Bill Watterson, July 15, 1995
“Hey, that was a good artist statement!”
It’s a sentiment you don’t hear very often, and yet it’s what we found ourselves saying after reading the statements below. Artist statements don’t have to be a source of fear (for the writer) and boredom (for the reader)! See a few examples of strong artist statements below, and below that, a discussion of what makes them good.
Andy Yoder, sculptor: “Many people take great comfort in the bathroom towels being the same color as the soap, toilet paper, and tiles. It means there is a connection between them, and an environment of order. Home is a place not only of comfort, but of control. This sense of order, in whatever form it takes, acts as a shield against the unpredictability and lurking chaos of the outside world.
My work is an examination of the different forms this shield takes, and the thinking that lies behind it. I use domestic objects as the common denominators of our personal environment. Altering them is a way of questioning the attitudes, fears and unwritten rules which have formed that environment and our behavior within it.”
Nancy McIntyre, silk screen artist: “I like it when a place has been around long enough that there is a kind of tension between the way it was originally designed to look and the way it looks now, as well as a tension between the way it looks to whoever is caring for it and the way it looks to me. Trouble is, the kinds of places I find most appealing keep getting closed or torn down.
What do I want to say with my art?
Celebrate the human, the marks people make on the world. Treasure the local, the small-scale, the eccentric, the ordinary: whatever is made out of caring. Respect what people have built for themselves. Find the beauty in some battered old porch or cluttered, human-scale storefront, while it still stands.”
Dawn Benedetto, jeweler: “Poppi is my fun and clever alter ego. It’s a line of jewelry that doesn’t take life too seriously. The glass and sterling rings are my invention and are unique in that they stretch to fit most everyone. Poppi adds a splash of color to jeans or an extra spark to ignite a little black dress; heck, it’ll even brighten up a trip to the grocery store.
If nothing else, it’s a statement. Poppi laughs. Poppi flirts. Poppi screams. Poppi says it all without you saying a thing.”
Diana Chamberlain, ceramicist: “I work in porcelain for its suppleness, delicacy and strength. Porcelain’s willingness to be transformed, both in form and texture, makes it a perfect medium for exploring the iconic meaning of dress and the concept of shelter.”
Margaret Cerutti, painter: “Capturing the light is everything! As a plein air painter, it is always the light that I remember most about any location. It is my inspiration.
Its elusive quality can transform a figure or a landscape in just a matter of seconds. I strive to convey that sense of place by capturing its fleeting magic.”
Alison Sigethy, glass artist: “Getting outside is good for the soul. Through my artwork, I try to bring the outside in. While I make no attempt to portray actual plants or animals, I do want my creations to look like they could have lived or grown somewhere. Living with beautiful objects that pay tribute to the natural world reminds us to slow down and helps us reconnect with nature.”
Charlene Fuhrman-Schulz, sumi-é artist: “My subject matter is nature, whether it is a traditional landscape or a bird and flower painting. I use traditional materials, ink and brush on rice paper, to capture movement and life — making the brush dance and the ink sing. Everything is captured in the spontaneous dance and movement of the brush as it meets the rice paper. There is no going back and correcting when painting with ink and rice paper.”
Looking past the obvious, close observation and engagement of the subject is my process. The challenge is to see beyond the distraction of the conspicuous to capture its unique self. Some of my subjects are quite beautiful, others less so. My goal is to inspire those who see my work to look more carefully at the world around them, to discover beauty in unusual places.”
So what makes these artist statements work?
What these artist statements do
keep it short
grab the reader’s interest with the first sentence
introduce the author’s personality and enthusiasm
give a hint about the why of the artwork
use the first person (I, me, mine — this is not a strict rule, but it does seem to help the author write a more straightforward, readable statement)
What these artist statements don’t do
summarize the resume found elsewhere on the website
give a physical description of artwork photographed elsewhere on the website
sound generic
use “art speak”
Some questions to think about when writing your statement
What keeps you coming back to the studio, day after day?
What’s the best way someone has responded to your artwork (comment in a guest book, at an exhibit, etc.)
What questions are you asked most frequently about your work?
What’s your artist story? (as opposed to your biography and CV)
Who is your art for?
More resources
Telling your story, and your artwork’s story, increases its value. Here are some other blog posts you might be interested in:
Pathway to Heiau, acrylic on canvas, by Karen Kozojet Ching. (click for larger image)
Distant cows grazing on windswept grass, all under a huge expanse of sky: this American landscape sounds like the Midwest, but the palm trees atop the hill point to a different origin. We asked the artist, Karen Kozojet Ching, to tell us a little about this painting, the winner of the Chameli & Amiya Bose Award in ’Scapes.
Where is Pathway to Heiau?
Karen Kozojet Ching: It is located on the Big Island of Hawai’i. A heiau is a Hawaiian temple made of piled lava rock.
What made you want to paint this spot?
The terrain captivated my attention. The sky was breathtaking. I was also surprised to see cattle in Hawaii.
Pu’ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site on the island of Hawai’i. (photo courtesy National Park Service)
Paths have always intrigued me. They are a metaphor for our own life journey. There is a beginning, end, and so many experiences and choices along the way.
What was your goal with this painting?
I wanted to express the visceral connection to the landscape. It was bright and arid. The grasses and palms swayed beneath the island breeze.
Is this piece part of a series?
My husband is Hawaiian. We vacationed on the Big Island with my husband’s extended family. His parents delighted in sharing their culture with their grandchildren. We went on many island excursions. I created a body of work as a tribute to my ‘ohana’s Hawaiian heritage. ‘Ohana means family.
The series also included paintings of richly textured petroglyphs and seascapes. Petroglyphs are lava rock carvings etched into stone centuries ago by Native Hawaiians.
Pathway to Heiau (detail) by Karen Kozojet Ching
How is it different from other landscapes you’ve painted?
Each painting is a unique exercise in creative thinking. This painting is a bit more raw or incomplete than most of my work. I wanted the expressionistic strokes to expose the cadmium underpainting to reflect warmth of the afternoon.
Why are you a painter?
I need to create.
Pathway to Heiau (detail) by Karen Kozojet Ching
Painting is a reflection of my observations and experiences. I want to share with the viewer the awe that captivated my attention when I first saw the subject. I am continually learning new techniques and experimenting with innovative materials to better articulate my vision.
What’s a perfect day in the studio?
The perfect day has no time constraints.
Painting to me is a transcendent experience. I enter into a meditative process that is driven by intuition. I place the energy of the moment onto the canvas. I alternate between studio and plein-air to keep my senses keen.
Mentoring program Space of His Own needs mentors, now!
Carpentry-based mentoring program Space of His Own pairs fifth-grade boys with men from the Alexandria community to help the next generation develop confidence and learn life skills in a creative and fun environment. The program meets one night a week from 5:30 to 8:00 pm, night TBD.
Research shows that positive, caring relationships with adults:
Improve school performance
Help children develop the resilience to succeed despite obstacles
Provide youth with a sense of belonging
Do you have what it takes to be a mentor with SOHO?
If you are open to new experiences, an active listener, reliable, okay with getting your hands dirty, and enthusiastic and energetic, then YOU already have all of the qualities needed to be an exceptional mentor!
It’s easy to become a mentor!
Attend a one-on-one orientation session
Fill out an application
Complete an interview and receive a satisfactory background and reference check
For more information on how to become a mentor with the Space of His Own program, please email [email protected] or call 703-746-4687.
Date: August 22. Artists from the greater metropolitan area are invited to sell and swap their gently used art supplies, tools, materials and ephemera during the 3rd Art Materials Market. There are approximately 20 tables available for purchase at $25. Visual artists from all media are encourage to participate. All spaces must be reserved in advance and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. More information and sign-up is here.
Two bridges
Deadline: September 4. The Borough of Narberth, PA, is seeking an artist to create a site-specific, integrated artistic enhancement in conjunction with the construction of the new Narberth Avenue bridge. The budget for the project, which will consist of two cast-stone bands on either side of the bridge, will be $35,000. Artist interviews and selection will occur in Fall 2015, and the project must be completed by September 2016. More about the Narberth Avenue bridge →
Deadline: September 9. The Public Art Virginia Beach Foundation invites experienced artists or artist teams to provide site-specific public art for the Lesner Bridge Replacement Project. Up to five finalists will be selected to develop a conceptual proposal for the project. More about the Virginia Beach bridge →
Video installation for Art on Tap
Deadline: September 18. Work in all video art styles will be considered, including shorts, experimental, poetic, narrative, abstract, documentary, animation, and installation. Most exhibitions will present accepted single channel works on a loop with other artists/pieces. All videos will be on loop without sound. Juror: Rory Sheridan, Senior Video Editor for Travel Channel. Read the call for artists →
Teen Portrait Competition
Deadline: September 30. Artists between the ages of 13 and 17 may electronically submit portraits to the juried competition in the medium of painting and drawing, photography, and video. The grand-prize portrait will be printed and displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in 2016. More about the competition →
Re-runs: These opportunities were previously posted in this space, but it’s not too late to apply!
Emerging craft artists
Deadline: August 19. This program will recruit approximately 15 emerging craft artists from the DC Metro Area and charter a small bus that will tour two locations, each focusing on a different aspect of making, marketing, and selling fine crafts. After a day of seeing and learning, participants will have two months to create new works. Then on November 2, 2015, the program will culminate by featuring the new works by excursion artists in a Front Window Feature at the Brentwood Arts Exchange. More about this program →
Artist Materials Market
Date: August 22. Artists from the greater metropolitan area are invited to sell and swap their gently used art supplies, tools, materials and ephemera for sale or trade during the 3rd Art Materials Market. There are approximately 20 tables available for purchase at $25. Visual artists from all media are encourage to participate. All spaces must be reserved in advance and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. More information and sign-up is here.
Light City Baltimore
Deadline: August 31. Premiering in 2016, Light City Baltimore is the first large-scale, international light festival of its kind in the United States. All artists are welcome to create and perform works that delight and entertain, as well as challenge, provoke thought, and speak to the important issues of our time. Artists and artist collaborative groups working in all media and genres of both the visual and performing arts are encouraged to apply. Read the call for entry →
Scale theme
Deadline: August 31. Live An Artful Life® Gallery in The Plains, VA invites artists residing in MD, VA, and DC to interpret “scale.” With this show, artists have a unique opportunity to create two paintings in any medium, of two scales: one miniature measuring 8″×10″ or smaller and one medium size painting at 18″×24″. More about the exhibit →
Art Howard County 2015
Deadline: August 31. Applications are now being accepted for this biennial, juried exhibit. Visual artists 18 years of age and older who live, work, or study in Howard County, MD are eligible to apply. Juror: Paula L. Phillips, Community Arts Professor, Maryland Institute College of Art. More about Art Howard County 2015 →
Art League exhibit: Superstition & Belief
Deadline: September 4. This exhibit for Art League members is by online entry only. The juror is Joseph Cavalieri, stained glass artist. Find the prospectus and enter this exhibit at https://theartleague.submittable.com/submit
If you need photographs of your artwork, The Art League is offering photos for $10 each on three upcoming days — sign up for photos here.
Portrait competition
Deadline: September 8. The 7th Annual Expressions Portrait Competition & Exhibit is open to artists 18 years or older residing in MD, VA, DC, WV, and DE. Up to 25 finalists will be selected to exhibit their work at ArtSpace Herndon by judge Judith Peck. Preference will be given to works adhering to the traditional definition of portraiture. Read the call for artists →
Japan Media Arts Festival
Deadline: September 9. The Japan Media Arts Festival is a comprehensive festival of Media Arts that honors outstanding works from a diverse range of media – from animation and comics to media art and games. Entries are sought from professional, amateur, independent and commercial creators across the globe. Works completed or released between September 3, 2014 and September 9, 2015 are eligible for entry in the four divisions: Art, Entertainment, Animation, and Manga. More about the Japan Media Arts Festival →
Small Wonders
Deadline: September 10. Small Wonders is currently open for entry. This exhibition is hosted by the Maryland Federation of Art and will be on display at Circle Gallery (18 State Circle, Annapolis MD) from November 27 – December 23, 2015. Any original 2-D artwork not exceeding 11″ and 3-D artwork not exceeding 7″ and following entry guidelines is eligible. Juror: Georgia Deal, Professor at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. Awards total $1000. More information at mdfedart.org.
Call for proposals
Deadline: September 14. FEAST at VisArts 2015 will take place September 27 on the Rooftop at VisArts in Rockville, Maryland, 11:30 am to 2:30 p.m. Patrons will give a $30 donation for which they receive a delicious brunch of local food and a ballot. Diners listen to and review a series of project proposals and converse with the artists and thinkers behind each idea. Attendees cast a vote for their favorite proposal, and by the end of the event, the artist who garners the most votes is awarded a grant comprised of the event ticket money. More about this event →
Bader Fund: Artists over 40
Deadline: September 15. The Franz and Virginia Bader Fund was established in 2001 in accordance with the will of the late Virginia Bader to provide grants to visual artists who have reached the age of 40, reside within 150 miles of Washington, D.C., and whose ability to concentrate on their art would be enhanced by receiving a grant. More at baderfund.org →
Hillyer Art Space
Deadline: September 27. Hillyer Art Space in NW DC is now accepting proposals for solo exhibitions for our 2016/2017 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 call for artists →
Arlington artists
Deadline: September 28. The Waverly Hills Civic Association is hosting a Woodstock Park Festival in Arlington on Saturday, September 12, and is looking for to host artists who either live or work in Arlington to sell their products. The entrance fee is $20, and sales go directly to the artist. Interested artists should email [email protected] by September 28. More information about the festival is at waverlyhillscivic.com.
Photography portfolios
Deadline: September 30. Fifteen photographers will be chosen to have their twelve-image portfolios published in the Center for Fine Art Photography’s Annual Portfolio ShowCase book. There will be an accompanying online exhibition with links to the artist’s websites. Select images will be exhibited in Fort Collins, CO at The Center for Fine Art Photography for the Portfolio ShowCase Exhibition. Read the call for artists →
Contemporary art
Deadline: September 30. The Women’s Caucus for Art, hosted by Target Gallery at the Torpedo Factory with juror Elizabeth K. Garvey, announces a Call for Art: “Trending: Contemporary Art Now!” for January 23–February 28, 2016. “Trending” seeks works that are driving the direction of contemporary art. Read the call for entries →
Art League exhibit: Mini MAX
Deadline: October 2. These exhibits for Art League members are by online entry only. Work is restricted by size: under 48 square inches (MAX) or over 2,880 square inches (mini). Artists can enter up to three pieces in each exhibit; up to one may be accepted in each. Find the prospectus and enter these exhibits at https://theartleague.submittable.com/submit
If you need photographs of your artwork, The Art League is offering photos for $10 each on three upcoming days — sign up for photos here.
Theme: “Public”
Deadline: October 5. The Multiple eXposure Project will be curating “Outside the White Cube”, an alternative, traveling, curatorial project which aims to feature image-based works across different disciplines and media by emerging artists from the Philippines and elsewhere. We are inviting local and international artists whose works discuss the notion of the “PUBLIC” and its complexities. Artists working in a variety of media and disciplines are invited to participate and submit their works. We are seeking image submissions such as photographic series, video arts, short films, video mapping, recorded public performances, digital manipulation, animation, digital arts, new media arts, and others. Needless to say, any medium that can be projected to the screen will be accepted. Read the call for artists →
Paint the Beach
Deadline: October 30. The 6th Annual Paint the Beach returns to Fort Myers Beach, Florida, November 2 to 8. Events include a plein air painting competition and a quick draw event. More about Paint the Beach →
“There’s something about the underbelly of a museum that’s really interesting.” — playwright Jessica Dickey
Enjoy two-for-one tickets! “The Guard” is a world-premiere comedic drama about what happens when a museum guard touches a famous Rembrandt painting.
Use promo code ARTLOVE to get two-for-one tickets to “The Guard” at Ford’s Theatre. Discount good for rear orchestra seats during weeknight performances, maximum two tickets per order. Good for 9/25–10/16. Tickets are available at http://www.fords.org/event/the-guard.
Much like framing your artwork, photographing it is one of those things that can feel like a chore: necessary for entering exhibits and selling work, but not easy to do. One option is to pay a professional (see the bottom of this post for recommendations). Another is to try it yourself.
If you’ve attempted photographing your artwork in the past, you’ve probably noticed a number of issues: uneven lighting, incorrect colors, and glares and shadows. This method reduces those problems while using nothing you don’t already have (assuming you have access to a camera and a computer).
Step one: Get a cloudy day
Wait until it’s overcast outside. Why? The cloud cover will act as a giant diffuser — like those umbrellas photographers use — so that the light seems to come from everywhere. That means your subject will be evenly lit. Set your piece up in a safe place, not too windy, where the light can get to it from every angle.
Not a cloudy day and you’re on a deadline? Time to rearrange the furniture. Get two lights of the same power and color (that is, the same light bulb) and arrange them like this:
If you can, use a translucent plastic bag as a cheap diffuser: hang it over the light so it’s softer and less direct. Please be careful and don’t do this with hot lights!
By the way: make it easy on yourself and photograph your work before it’s framed. That way, the glass or Plexiglas over top won’t cause reflections.
Tips for 3-D work: The main concern here is to have a background free of distractions — preferably, plain white or black, or a gradient between the two. (Even if you shoot outside, you don’t want the viewer to notice your surroundings.) To show off the texture, it may be beneficial to have the light source stronger on one side than the other, to create some (slight) shadows. The juror for “Taking Shape” offered more tips in her juror’s dialogue.
Step 2: Change your camera settings
Your light is ready to go. Now to get your camera set up the way you want it.
(Note: while your smartphone is great for quick in-progress shots to post to Facebook, it’s not suitable as a camera for submission-quality photos. Use or borrow a digital camera with better resolution and more control over the settings.)
White balance is how the camera determines what color “white” is, which artists know depends on the temperature of the ambient light: incandescent, fluorescent, sunshine, etc. This is where you might have run into problems with inaccurate colors in your past photo attempts.
Four unedited photos with the white balance set to (clockwise from top left) daylight, cloudy, fluorescent, and tungsten. In this case, tungsten is closest to making the white walls white.
Find your white balance setting and set it to “cloudy,” which might also be represented by a cloud icon. If you can’t find it, and your camera manual doesn’t mention white balance, try shooting your art against a white background (like foamcore), and hopefully your camera’s auto setting will correctly adjust. But if you do have control over white balance, avoid using auto-mode while shooting artwork.
If you’ve gone the indoor route instead of a cloudy day, set the white balance to match the kind of light you are using. Correctly setting the white balance will get your colors pretty close to spot-on, but if not, you can adjust the temperature and tint in the free photo editor of your choice.
Finally, make sure your flash is turned off.
Step 3: Take your shot
Do you have a tripod? This is the time to use it. Otherwise, stand or sit still, hold your elbows against your body, and take and release a deep breath before taking the picture. You can also try propping the camera on something solid. Take several pictures in case some are out of focus or blurry.
Position the camera so it’s facing the artwork head-on: the lens should line up with the center of the subject, and not tilted one way or another. In other words, the plane of the artwork should be parallel to the back of your camera — or you’ll get a trapezoid instead of a rectangle.
Don’t take the photo from an angle, or you’ll get “keystoning.”
Finally, get a little closer. The artwork should fill the image, horizontally or vertically, to maximize the resolution of the final photo. Don’t waste those pixels!
Step 4: Edit
If you don’t have a photo editor on your computer, you can always download one for free (see below for links). And if you saved the box your camera came in, there may be a disc in there with photo-editing software.
First, correct the color if necessary. You might find this option under “color correction,” “color balance,” “temperature,” or “tint.” The goal here is to get your whites white and your blacks black. You may also want to manually adjust the contrast. Using “auto” color or contrast is probably not going to work for photos of artwork.
Second, crop the image so your artwork fills the image (2-D artwork) or it has some room to breathe, without anything distracting in the background (3-D artwork).
Finally, resize if necessary. The Art League has a minimum image size for online jurying (1920 pixels for the longest side), but no maximum size, so you should be all set. Save it with a new file name so you don’t lose the original file. Now you’re ready to submit!
A brand-new school year at The Art League means not only a new catalog but, naturally, new classes and new teachers in almost every medium we offer. A bunch of those new classes take place this Fall — see below for the list and links! (We’ll introduce you to the new teachers coming up soon.)
Of course, every class is a new class if you haven’t taken it yet, so don’t forget to check out the full catalog and see what’s happening!
OK, ready? Here they are:
Artists, top to bottom: Jackie Saunders, Lisa Semerad, Michael Brehl, Andy Yoder, and Penny Barringer
Deadline: September 9. The Japan Media Arts Festival is a comprehensive festival of Media Arts that honors outstanding works from a diverse range of media – from animation and comics to media art and games. Entries are sought from professional, amateur, independent and commercial creators across the globe. Works completed or released between September 3, 2014 and September 9, 2015 are eligible for entry in the four divisions: Art, Entertainment, Animation, and Manga. More about the Japan Media Arts Festival →
Call for proposals
Deadline: September 14. FEAST at VisArts 2015 will take place September 27 on the Rooftop at VisArts in Rockville, Maryland, 11:30 am to 2:30 p.m. Patrons will give a $30 donation for which they receive a delicious brunch of local food and a ballot. Diners listen to and review a series of project proposals and converse with the artists and thinkers behind each idea. Attendees cast a vote for their favorite proposal, and by the end of the event, the artist who garners the most votes is awarded a grant comprised of the event ticket money. More about this event →
Arlington artists
Deadline: September 28. The Waverly Hills Civic Association is hosting a Woodstock Park Festival in Arlington on Saturday, September 12, and is looking for to host artists who either live or work in Arlington to sell their products. The entrance fee is $20, and sales go directly to the artist. Interested artists should email [email protected] by September 28. More information about the festival is at waverlyhillscivic.com.
Theme: “Public”
Deadline: October 5. The Multiple eXposure Project will be curating “Outside the White Cube”, an alternative, traveling, curatorial project which aims to feature image-based works across different disciplines and media by emerging artists from the Philippines and elsewhere. We are inviting local and international artists whose works discuss the notion of the “PUBLIC” and its complexities. Artists working in a variety of media and disciplines are invited to participate and submit their works. We are seeking image submissions such as photographic series, video arts, short films, video mapping, recorded public performances, digital manipulation, animation, digital arts, new media arts, and others. Needless to say, any medium that can be projected to the screen will be accepted. Read the call for artists →
Re-runs: These opportunities were previously posted in this space, but it’s not too late to apply!
Sense of place
Deadline: August 14. Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center invites artists to enter its exhibit, “Finding Our Place: The Geography of Art.” What informs your work? A physical location or a virtual world ? Do you know “where you are?” All media welcome; small to large-scale installations; new media encouraged; indoor and outdoor works accepted; cash awards. More about “Finding Our Place” →
Mattawoman Creek Art Center
Deadline: August 15. The Mattawoman Creek Art Center, located at Smallwood State Park in Charles County, Maryland, is seeking artists of all media to exhibit their art in individual shows. The Mattawoman Creek Gallery is spacious, light filled, and overlooks the Mattawoman Creek.More about this opportunity →
Bicycling theme
Deadline: August 15. The 2015 UCI World Road Cycling Championships will be held in Richmond, VA in September 2015 and this art show is in conjunction with the city’s numerous events surrounding the races. More about the exhibit →
Implicit Bias
Deadline: August 15. This is a multi-site exhibition at The Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery and at Busboys and Poets Restaurant locations in Washington, DC. “Implicit Bias – Seeing the Other: Seeing Our Self” is an exhibition that seeks to explore the unconscious racial bias that affects our decisions, choices, friends and beliefs about others. More about this exhibit →
Art Challenge
Deadline: August 15. The Liquitex, Winsor & Newton, and Michael’s Art Challenge is seeking submissions from new, emerging and professional artists for their first-ever fine art competition. The winning artist will be selected to display their work in a gallery show at The Collective Art Tank in Asbury Park, New Jersey. More about the competition →
Emerging craft artists
Deadline: August 19. This program will recruit approximately 15 emerging craft artists from the DC Metro Area and charter a small bus that will tour two locations, each focusing on a different aspect of making, marketing, and selling fine crafts. After a day of seeing and learning, participants will have two months to create new works. Then on November 2, 2015, the program will culminate by featuring the new works by excursion artists in a Front Window Feature at the Brentwood Arts Exchange. More about this program →
Artist Materials Market
Date: August 22. Artists from the greater metropolitan area are invited to sell and swap their gently used art supplies, tools, materials and ephemera for sale or trade during the 3rd Art Materials Market. There are approximately 20 tables available for purchase at $25. Visual artists from all media are encourage to participate. All spaces must be reserved in advance and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. More information and sign-up is here.
Light City Baltimore
Deadline: August 31. Premiering in 2016, Light City Baltimore is the first large-scale, international light festival of its kind in the United States. All artists are welcome to create and perform works that delight and entertain, as well as challenge, provoke thought, and speak to the important issues of our time. Artists and artist collaborative groups working in all media and genres of both the visual and performing arts are encouraged to apply. Read the call for entry →
Scale theme
Deadline: August 31. Live An Artful Life® Gallery in The Plains, VA invites artists residing in MD, VA, and DC to interpret “scale.” With this show, artists have a unique opportunity to create two paintings in any medium, of two scales: one miniature measuring 8″×10″ or smaller and one medium size painting at 18″×24″. More about the exhibit →
Art Howard County 2015
Deadline: August 31. Applications are now being accepted for this biennial, juried exhibit. Visual artists 18 years of age and older who live, work, or study in Howard County, MD are eligible to apply. Juror: Paula L. Phillips, Community Arts Professor, Maryland Institute College of Art. More about Art Howard County 2015 →
Art League exhibit: Superstition & Belief
Deadline: September 4. This exhibit for Art League members is by online entry only. The juror is Joseph Cavalieri, stained glass artist. Find the prospectus and enter this exhibit at https://theartleague.submittable.com/submit
If you need photographs of your artwork, The Art League is offering photos for $10 each on three upcoming days — sign up for photos here.
Portrait competition
Deadline: September 8. The 7th Annual Expressions Portrait Competition & Exhibit is open to artists 18 years or older residing in MD, VA, DC, WV, and DE. Up to 25 finalists will be selected to exhibit their work at ArtSpace Herndon by judge Judith Peck. Preference will be given to works adhering to the traditional definition of portraiture. Read the call for artists →
Small Wonders
Deadline: September 10. Small Wonders is currently open for entry. This exhibition is hosted by the Maryland Federation of Art and will be on display at Circle Gallery (18 State Circle, Annapolis MD) from November 27 – December 23, 2015. Any original 2-D artwork not exceeding 11″ and 3-D artwork not exceeding 7″ and following entry guidelines is eligible. Juror: Georgia Deal, Professor at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design. Awards total $1000. More information atmdfedart.org.
Bader Fund: Artists over 40
Deadline: September 15. The Franz and Virginia Bader Fund was established in 2001 in accordance with the will of the late Virginia Bader to provide grants to visual artists who have reached the age of 40, reside within 150 miles of Washington, D.C., and whose ability to concentrate on their art would be enhanced by receiving a grant. More at baderfund.org →
Hillyer Art Space
Deadline: September 27. Hillyer Art Space in NW DC is now accepting proposals for solo exhibitions for our 2016/2017 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 call for artists →
Photography portfolios
Deadline: September 30. Fifteen photographers will be chosen to have their twelve-image portfolios published in the Center for Fine Art Photography’s Annual Portfolio ShowCase book. There will be an accompanying online exhibition with links to the artist’s websites. Select images will be exhibited in Fort Collins, CO at The Center for Fine Art Photography for the Portfolio ShowCase Exhibition. Read the call for artists →
Contemporary art
Deadline: September 30. The Women’s Caucus for Art, hosted by Target Gallery at the Torpedo Factory with juror Elizabeth K. Garvey, announces a Call for Art: “Trending: Contemporary Art Now!” for January 23–February 28, 2016. “Trending” seeks works that are driving the direction of contemporary art. Read the call for entries →
Art League exhibit: Mini MAX
Deadline: October 2. These exhibits for Art League members are by online entry only. Work is restricted by size: under 48 square inches (MAX) or over 2,880 square inches (mini). Artists can enter up to three pieces in each exhibit; up to one may be accepted in each. Find the prospectus and enter these exhibits at https://theartleague.submittable.com/submit
If you need photographs of your artwork, The Art League is offering photos for $10 each on three upcoming days — sign up for photos here.
Paint the Beach
Deadline: October 30. The 6th Annual Paint the Beach returns to Fort Myers Beach, Florida, November 2 to 8. Events include a plein air painting competition and a quick draw event. More about Paint the Beach →
Some of our youngest campers were channeling Monet and learning about color mixing with Patrick Kirwin.In Fiber Camp, students made felted mermaids, horses, fish, and other creatures!
Down in the jewelry studio, Nick Barnes was showing campers how to make artificial stones from resin.Cartooning Campers were making their own superheroes …… while teen students in the Fashion Illustration workshop were sticking closer to reality.
P.S. For more from Art Camp, see what the teens in Life-Size Paper Maché made in this Facebook album.
Two of our most popular exhibits celebrate place and space — landscapes and sculptures — and they come each year during a time when we’re all looking for a little escape.
’Scapes and Taking Shape both opened this week, so come enjoy the artwork! This year’s jurors were Elizabeth Peak (’Scapes) and Jessica Beels (Taking Shape). And of course, you’re invited to the opening reception this coming Thursday, August 13 at 6:30 pm.
Persephone by Hal AdkinsSculptures from “Taking Shape”
Deadline: September 4. This exhibit for Art League members is by online entry only. The juror is Joseph Cavalieri, stained glass artist. Find the prospectus and enter this exhibit at https://theartleague.submittable.com/submit
If you need photographs of your artwork, The Art League is offering photos for $10 each on three upcoming days — sign up for photos here.
Portrait competition
Deadline: September 8. The 7th Annual Expressions Portrait Competition & Exhibit is open to artists 18 years or older residing in MD, VA, DC, WV, and DE. Up to 25 finalists will be selected to exhibit their work at ArtSpace Herndon by judge Judith Peck. Preference will be given to works adhering to the traditional definition of portraiture. Read the call for artists →
Photography portfolios
Deadline: September 30. Fifteen photographers will be chosen to have their twelve-image portfolios published in the Center for Fine Art Photography’s Annual Portfolio ShowCase book. There will be an accompanying online exhibition with links to the artist’s websites. Select images will be exhibited in Fort Collins, CO at The Center for Fine Art Photography for the Portfolio ShowCase Exhibition. Read the call for artists →
Contemporary art
Deadline: September 30. The Women’s Caucus for Art, hosted by Target Gallery at the Torpedo Factory with juror Elizabeth K. Garvey, announces a Call for Art: “Trending: Contemporary Art Now!” for January 23–February 28, 2016. “Trending” seeks works that are driving the direction of contemporary art. Read the call for entries →
Art League exhibit: Mini MAX
Deadline: October 2. These exhibits for Art League members are by online entry only. Work is restricted by size: under 48 square inches (MAX) or over 2,880 square inches (mini). Artists can enter up to three pieces in each exhibit; up to one may be accepted in each. Find the prospectus and enter these exhibits at https://theartleague.submittable.com/submit
If you need photographs of your artwork, The Art League is offering photos for $10 each on three upcoming days — sign up for photos here.
