↑ There’s a new installation in the Torpedo Factory, and it’s pretty hard to miss, no matter which floor you’re on.
If you’ve been followingalong with the creation of Highest Honor, you know that it’s a monumental version of the “E” award presented to the workers here during World War II. Artist Andy Yoder, who specializes in site-specific sculpture, conceived and spearheaded the project — his first experience with papermaking, as he revealed Friday night.
Highest Honor was unveiled that night as part of our Veterans Day events, which also recognized the IMPart participants and their exhibit open through November 30. Many IMPart artists also volunteered time to contribute to the banner. (IMPart stands for Injured Military Personnel + Art.)
A worker at the Naval Torpedo Station lubricates a torpedo propeller during World War II. (Photo from the collection of George L. Dant, copyright the Naval History and Heritage Command.)
Highest Honor was as much about the process as the finished installation. It brought together dozens of collaborators, including veterans, artists, and passersby — which was the point. It was intended to bring the collaborative spirit of the wartime factory to our present-day community. Veteran collaborators also contributed personal materials to the banner: the wreath, for example, is made from Stars & Stripes newspapers from the first Gulf War.
Here’s Highest Honor by the numbers:
914 squares of handmade paper (made from military hospital scrubs)
over 30 volunteer collaborators
25 feet tall
six months from start to finish
Catch the installation in the main atrium of the Torpedo Factory through November 30!
Deadline: February 4, 2017. Fantastic Fibers at Yeiser Art Center (Paducah, KY) is an international competitive exhibition that seeks to showcase a wide range of outstanding works related to the fiber medium.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Video art
Deadline: November 15. Videos not in excess of 15 minutes are requested for inclusion in Frame & Frequency 3, an international video art exchange, presented as a series of screenings and exhibitions held concurrently in Medellin, Colombia at the PLECTO Galeria and at VisArts in Rockville, MD in November and December of 2016.
Digital creations
Deadline: November 15. From photography to filmmaking, computers have forever expanded ways for artists to capture and produce their work. MFA celebrates this disruption by changing our annual photography show, “Focal Point,” to an exhibition examining artistic use of digital media. Eligible artwork may be either 2-D or 3-D work that is created and/or produced through the use of software, whether purchased or artist-created, including photography, graphic design, digital painting, video, projection, and limited only by the artist’s imagination.
Reimagine Dada
Deadline: November 17. Are you a dada enthusiast and looking to show your work to celebrate the 100th anniversary of dadaism? The Hugo Ball is looking for artists that work in the visual arts, burlesque, sideshow, poetry, performance, music, etc. to submit their proposal for the show.
Drawing
Deadline: November 20. As part of an ongoing commitment to promote drawing practices in the visual arts, the University of North Carolina Asheville invites artists to submit entries to a Juried International Exhibition of contemporary drawing.
Virginia artists
Deadline: November 27. Virginia artists are invited to submit works for the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art’s annual juried exhibition, New Waves 2017. Work in all artistic mediums and made between the years of 2013-2016 is accepted for review.
Matador Review
Deadline: November 30. The Matador Review, an online literature and art quarterly based in Chicago, publishes poetry, fiction, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual art. Art submissions for the Winter 2017 issue are now being accepted.
Shelter
Deadline: December 1. For “Shelter: Creating a Safe Home,” Contemporary Craft (Pittsburgh, PA) is currently seeking artists whose work reflects an interest in topics related to home, shelter, homelessness and displacement.
Call for collaborative proposals
Deadline: December 1. Evolve at Current Studio (Oklahoma City, OK) encourages teams of artists to propose ideas of work they would make in collaboration. Open to any artists, regardless of geographic location.
Join Printmakers, Inc.
Deadline: December 1. Printmakers Inc at the Torpedo Factory Art Center invites printmakers to submit their portfolios for consideration as they jury for new members. Printmakers was established in 1975 as a workshop where professional printmakers would share facilities, materials and ideas with each other and the public.
Artist as Activist fellowship
Deadline: December 5. US-based artists and artist collectives are invited to apply to the Rauschenberg Foundation’s Artist as Activist fellowship. The 2017 fellowship’s theme is racial justice with a particular focus on mass incarceration.
Migrations
Deadline: December 9. The Maryland Federation of Art seeks conventional and unconventional renderings of migrations that can make viewers see the changing world in a new light.
Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival
Deadline: December 11. The Greater Reston Arts Center invites artists to showcase their best contemporary art and craft in the 26th annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, to be held in May 2017.
Emerging curators
Deadline: December 12. Applications for the 2017 VisArts Emerging Curator program are now open. VisArts (Rockville, MD) invites applications from emerging curators to work with an experienced mentoring curator to develop and present an exhibition.
Fellowship: Center for Emerging Visual Artists
Deadline: December 15. The 2017 CFEVA Visual Artist Fellowship application is now available. Emerging, mid-career, and established visual artists are encouraged to apply. The Visual Artist Fellowship is designed to help artists within 150 miles of Philadelphia reach new levels in their careers. Three artists will receive a full range of career support during the two-year Fellowship period, including a $1,000 stipend and up to $3,000 for project expenses. Applicants are also eligible for CFEVA exhibitions, sales, and teaching opportunities.
Habits
Deadline: December 16. Open to Art League exhibiting artist members only. For “Habits” at The Art League, artists are encouraged to examine habits, patterns, routines, and rituals – either in the context of their own lives, their own artwork, different cultures, or humanity as a whole. Juror: Rebecca Chaperon.
Vessels
Deadline: December 18. Capitol Hill Art League presents its 6th Annual Metro DC Open Juried Call with “Vessels,” open to 2-D and 3-D art around that theme. The juror this year is Chris Cooley.
Attachments
Deadline: December 21. For “see attached,” VAE (Raleigh, NC) will be accepting submissions through email and printing out the attachments to hang. Alongside the attachments will hang the corresponding emails as artist statements, website, and label information.
Stormy Weather
Deadline: December 28. Stormy weather is the theme of the Maryland Federation of Art’s 2nd annual exhibition.
NoVa Mini Maker Faire
Deadline: January 15, 2017 (early bird November 21). The NoVa Mini Maker Faire brings together an amazing collection of tech enthusiasts, engineers, woodworkers, metal workers, auto hackers, artists, teachers, and craftspeople from all over the northern virginia, Metro DC area and beyond.
Harrisonburg juried exhibit
Deadline: March 15, 2017. All artists residing in the U.S. are invited to enter artwork completed after January 1, 2015 into the 14th annual VMRC Juried Art Exhibition (Harrisonburg, VA). No commission is charged on sales.
Arts instructors
Deadline: ongoing. Arts on a Roll, a program of the Prince George’s County (MD) Department of Parks and Recreation is a mobile, on-demand arts service that can be booked for events and recurring workshops. The goal of this program is to provide engaging and affordable arts services to people of all ages. The program is currently seeking teaching artists in the areas of Visual Arts, Dance, Digital Media, Poetry/Spoken Word/Storytelling, and Theatre.
A woodcut by Printmakers, Inc. member Patrick Sargent, a leader of many art workshops for service members.
This post has been updated from last year’s list.
Here at The Art League, we’re very proud of our IMPart program, which provides hands-on art experiences to injured military personnel. (More about IMPart and the IMPart exhibit on view through November 30, 2016.)
On Veterans Day, we wanted to share other organizations and programs that do similar work, locally and across the country. In addition to the visual arts, there are programs in writing and performing arts serving varying groups including veterans, current service members, their families, and caregivers.
The Armed Services Art Partnership is based in Virginia but works all over the country with programs in writing, music, and comedy.
The Veterans Writing Project, based in DC, provides no-cost writing seminars and workshops for veterans, active and reserve service members, and military family members.
GI Film Festival, based in Alexandria, is a film festival dedicated to sharing the military experience. Anyone can submit a short or feature-length film.
Combat Paper holds traveling papermaking workshops where veterans use their uniforms worn in service to create works of art.
The Vet Art Project provides opportunities for veterans, family, and friends to work with expressive arts therapists and creative media.
CAMMO (the Center for American Military Music Opportunities) out of Fort Belvoir provides music-related services including career development and auditions for veterans and service members.
Warrior Writers is a national nonprofit with programs including workshops, performances, and art exhibits.
The Veteran Artist Program “takes artists who are also veterans, and propels their works and careers into the mainstream creative arts community through networking, mentorships, collaborations with professional artists, and original productions.” It’s based in New York City but holds programs nationwide.
The Arts and The Military in Takoma Park, MD, holds exhibits, workshops, and educational programs. Their goal is to provide a transition from military-provided arts and recreation programs to lifelong art-making.
The Telling Project is a national performing arts non-profit that employs theater to deepen our understanding of the military and veterans’ experience.
MiniMAX
Juried by Susan Ashworth
November 8–December 4 Opening reception: December 10, 6:30–8:00 pm
This month’s group exhibit is really two in one: very small works and very large works. “MiniMAX” asks viewers to consider scale, and how large works differ from small works in ways other than size.
Martyr and Hero by Julia Dzikiewicz and other artwork in “MiniMAX.” Top of post: Desert Night by Sylvia Browne and Chain Lightning by M M Panas.
Are small works necessarily cute? Do large works have to be monumental? We have both, but also much more, in “MiniMAX.”
Artwork by Peter Ulrich, Cindi Lewis, Pattee Hipschen, and Min Park.
This exhibit also marks the first time we’ve invited a juror from overseas. Susan Ashworth, the celebrated UK-based painter, juried both the large and small works.
Dark Shadows by Gloria Spellman, winner of the Eleanor Boudreau Jordan Award for Best in Show for small works.Answer Web by Beverly Ryan, winner of the Cora J. Rupp Memorial Award for Large Works.
Power by Robyn Straub and Answer Web by Beverly Ryan.Number 888 by Tory Cowles and Embodiment by Catherine Toulsaly
24 photos from the “Frozen Moment” series by Soomin Ham.
Sound of Butterfly
by Soomin Ham
November 9–December 4, 2016 Opening reception: November 10, 6:30–8:00 pm
(Read the DCist review: “The Art League is an intimate space for this affecting, gut-wrenching work, and I highly recommend making the trip to Alexandria to see it.”)
When you’re in a reflective mood, an art exhibit can be the perfect place to find some peace and quiet.
This month, the solo room in our gallery is hosting a deeply personal exhibit of photography, video, and sound pieces that tell the story of the artist’s mother’s life, depression, and death. Soomin Ham’s “Sound of Butterfly” is composed of four series:
Frozen Moment: This photography series, pictured at the top of the post, started with photographs of objects and places related to Ham’s mother. Those original photographs were frozen under ice and re-photographed on a lightbox, resulting in the prints you see in the exhibit.
Back to Heaven: This photography series, including The Shy Girl, below, follows a similar progression, tying together process, memory, and subject matter. Family photos were printed onto rice paper, repeatedly washed and dried, and finally placed outside and rephotographed during snowfall. These soft, faded images are the result.
The Shy Girl by Soomin Ham
Sound of Butterfly: In this titular video and sound piece, Ham combines her happiest childhood memories — in the form of family movies and ancestral Korean rituals — with music, for a dreamlike, contemplative piece.
Silent Echo: This counterpart to the happy memories of Sound of Butterfly focuses on Ham’s mother’s depression and how it affected her family. It centers around the voices of Ham and her family, both in narration and in recordings from Ham’s mother’s answering machine.
Still from Sound of Butterfly by Soomin HamStill from Silent Echo by Soomin Ham
Deadline: November 15. Videos not in excess of 15 minutes are requested for inclusion in Frame & Frequency 3, an international video art exchange, presented as a series of screenings and exhibitions held concurrently in Medellin, Colombia at the PLECTO Galeria and at VisArts in Rockville, MD in November and December of 2016.
Digital creations
Deadline: November 15. From photography to filmmaking, computers have forever expanded ways for artists to capture and produce their work. MFA celebrates this disruption by changing our annual photography show, “Focal Point,” to an exhibition examining artistic use of digital media. Eligible artwork may be either 2-D or 3-D work that is created and/or produced through the use of software, whether purchased or artist-created, including photography, graphic design, digital painting, video, projection, and limited only by the artist’s imagination.
Drawing
Deadline: November 20. As part of an ongoing commitment to promote drawing practices in the visual arts, the University of North Carolina Asheville invites artists to submit entries to a Juried International Exhibition of contemporary drawing.
Matador Review
Deadline: November 30. The Matador Review, an online literature and art quarterly based in Chicago, publishes poetry, fiction, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual art. Art submissions for the Winter 2017 issue are now being accepted.
Migrations
Deadline: December 9. The Maryland Federation of Art seeks conventional and unconventional renderings of migrations that can make viewers see the changing world in a new light.
Attachments
Deadline: December 21. For “see attached,” VAE (Raleigh, NC) will be accepting submissions through email and printing out the attachments to hang. Alongside the attachments will hang the corresponding emails as artist statements, website, and label information.
Stormy Weather
Deadline: December 28. Stormy weather is the theme of the Maryland Federation of Art’s 2nd annual exhibition.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Ipseity
Deadline: November 13. “Ipseity” is defined as individual identity or selfhood. This all-media exhibition at Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites national and international artists to submit work that explores this concept of individual identity through works that contextualize themes of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, disability and all other ‘labels’ we might use to identify ourselves.
Reimagine Dada
Deadline: November 17. Are you a dada enthusiast and looking to show your work to celebrate the 100th anniversary of dadaism? The Hugo Ball is looking for artists that work in the visual arts, burlesque, sideshow, poetry, performance, music, etc. to submit their proposal for the show.
Virginia artists
Deadline: November 27. Virginia artists are invited to submit works for the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art’s annual juried exhibition, New Waves 2017. Work in all artistic mediums and made between the years of 2013-2016 is accepted for review.
Shelter
Deadline: December 1. For “Shelter: Creating a Safe Home,” Contemporary Craft (Pittsburgh, PA) is currently seeking artists whose work reflects an interest in topics related to home, shelter, homelessness and displacement.
Call for collaborative proposals
Deadline: December 1. Evolve at Current Studio (Oklahoma City, OK) encourages teams of artists to propose ideas of work they would make in collaboration. Open to any artists, regardless of geographic location.
Join Printmakers, Inc.
Deadline: December 1. Printmakers Inc at the Torpedo Factory Art Center invites printmakers to submit their portfolios for consideration as they jury for new members. Printmakers was established in 1975 as a workshop where professional printmakers would share facilities, materials and ideas with each other and the public.
Artist as Activist fellowship
Deadline: December 5. US-based artists and artist collectives are invited to apply to the Rauschenberg Foundation’s Artist as Activist fellowship. The 2017 fellowship’s theme is racial justice with a particular focus on mass incarceration.
Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival
Deadline: December 11. The Greater Reston Arts Center invites artists to showcase their best contemporary art and craft in the 26th annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, to be held in May 2017.
Emerging curators
Deadline: December 12. Applications for the 2017 VisArts Emerging Curator program are now open. VisArts (Rockville, MD) invites applications from emerging curators to work with an experienced mentoring curator to develop and present an exhibition.
Fellowship: Center for Emerging Visual Artists
Deadline: December 15. The 2017 CFEVA Visual Artist Fellowship application is now available. Emerging, mid-career, and established visual artists are encouraged to apply. The Visual Artist Fellowship is designed to help artists within 150 miles of Philadelphia reach new levels in their careers. Three artists will receive a full range of career support during the two-year Fellowship period, including a $1,000 stipend and up to $3,000 for project expenses. Applicants are also eligible for CFEVA exhibitions, sales, and teaching opportunities.
Habits
Deadline: December 16. Open to Art League exhibiting artist members only. For “Habits” at The Art League, artists are encouraged to examine habits, patterns, routines, and rituals – either in the context of their own lives, their own artwork, different cultures, or humanity as a whole. Juror: Rebecca Chaperon.
Vessels
Deadline: December 18. Capitol Hill Art League presents its 6th Annual Metro DC Open Juried Call with “Vessels,” open to 2-D and 3-D art around that theme. The juror this year is Chris Cooley.
NoVa Mini Maker Faire
Deadline: January 15, 2017 (early bird November 21). The NoVa Mini Maker Faire brings together an amazing collection of tech enthusiasts, engineers, woodworkers, metal workers, auto hackers, artists, teachers, and craftspeople from all over the northern virginia, Metro DC area and beyond.
Harrisonburg juried exhibit
Deadline: March 15, 2017. All artists residing in the U.S. are invited to enter artwork completed after January 1, 2015 into the 14th annual VMRC Juried Art Exhibition (Harrisonburg, VA). No commission is charged on sales.
Arts instructors
Deadline: ongoing. Arts on a Roll, a program of the Prince George’s County (MD) Department of Parks and Recreation is a mobile, on-demand arts service that can be booked for events and recurring workshops. The goal of this program is to provide engaging and affordable arts services to people of all ages. The program is currently seeking teaching artists in the areas of Visual Arts, Dance, Digital Media, Poetry/Spoken Word/Storytelling, and Theatre.
Artist Andy Yoder putting the final touches on the Highest Honor banner (see below)
Did you think Art on Tap was all we had going on this month? Next week is a big one at The Art League, and we hope you’ll join us:
November 7 Monday Winter registration opens
Winter classes start in January, and you can register for them starting this Monday! See the full catalog here.
November 10 Thursday Opening reception
New exhibits open this week! There are three in our gallery: “MiniMAX,” juried by Susan Ashworth, Soomin Ham’s “Sound of Butterfly,” and “The Artistic Frame,” a special exhibit curated by William Adair. The opening reception for all three, including a talk by Adair, is November 10 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm.
November 11 Friday Veterans Day events
Finally, on Friday, we’re marking Veterans Day with two special events: the unveiling of the Highest Honor site-specific banner project and the opening reception for the IMPart Ceramics & Bladesmithing Exhibit.
Save the date! December 2–4 Holiday Ceramics Sale
A can’t-miss shopping weekend featuring wares from our ceramics artists! The Holiday Ceramics Sale returns the first weekend of December.
This Friday at the third annual Art on Tap, you can try six combinations of art, beer, and food and vote for your favorite. There are some pretty exciting match-ups going on — here are all six:
Also in store Friday: live music by The Sea Life and Go Cozy, and a video art screening!
It’s not too late to join the fun. Tickets are $45 at the door and online:
Event: November 7 at 12:00 noon. The lecture at the Library of Congress, “The Unacknowledged History of Black Creators and Black Characters in Comic Books,” (PDF flier) is free and open to the public.
Call for collaborative proposals
Deadline: December 1. Evolve at Current Studio (Oklahoma City, OK) encourages teams of artists to propose ideas of work they would make in collaboration. Open to any artists, regardless of geographic location.
Emerging curators
Deadline: December 12. Applications for the 2017 VisArts Emerging Curator program are now open. VisArts (Rockville, MD) invites applications from emerging curators to work with an experienced mentoring curator to develop and present an exhibition.
Harrisonburg juried exhibit
Deadline: March 15, 2017. All artists residing in the U.S. are invited to enter artwork completed after January 1, 2015 into the 14th annual VMRC Juried Art Exhibition (Harrisonburg, VA). No commission is charged on sales.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Deadline: November 1. The LUX Center for the Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska is currently accepting applications for an artist-in-residence. One residency is available in painting, drawing, metals, fibers, or mixed media. A Master of Fine Arts is preferred, but not required. A desire to teach is a must.
Under $500
Deadline: November 1. Maryland Art Place is seeking artists for “Under $500”, our upcoming winter benefit exhibition. On Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10, 2016, this two-day event will promote the sale of artwork by artists in the Maryland region.
Women’s Caucus for Art
Deadline: November 3. The Women’s Caucus for Art, District of Columbia Chapter has issued a call for entries for a juried show at Artists and Makers Galleriesin Rockville, MD. Rebecca Cross, owner of the Cross MacKenzie Gallery in Georgetown, will jury the show. Women artists working in all 2D and 3D media may submit up to three works of art.
Fellowships for Virginia artists
Deadline: November 4. In summer 2016, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is accepting applications for 2017–2018 fellowships. Professional artists, graduate and undergraduate art students, graduate art history students, and college-bound high school seniors may apply.
Ipseity
Deadline: November 13. “Ipseity” is defined as individual identity or selfhood. This all-media exhibition at Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites national and international artists to submit work that explores this concept of individual identity through works that contextualize themes of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, disability and all other ‘labels’ we might use to identify ourselves.
Reimagine Dada
Deadline: November 17. Are you a dada enthusiast and looking to show your work to celebrate the 100th anniversary of dadaism? The Hugo Ball is looking for artists that work in the visual arts, burlesque, sideshow, poetry, performance, music, etc. to submit their proposal for the show.
Virginia artists
Deadline: November 27. Virginia artists are invited to submit works for the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art’s annual juried exhibition, New Waves 2017. Work in all artistic mediums and made between the years of 2013-2016 is accepted for review.
Shelter
Deadline: December 1. For “Shelter: Creating a Safe Home,” Contemporary Craft (Pittsburgh, PA) is currently seeking artists whose work reflects an interest in topics related to home, shelter, homelessness and displacement.
Join Printmakers, Inc.
Deadline: December 1. Printmakers Inc at the Torpedo Factory Art Center invites printmakers to submit their portfolios for consideration as they jury for new members. Printmakers was established in 1975 as a workshop where professional printmakers would share facilities, materials and ideas with each other and the public.
Artist as Activist fellowship
Deadline: December 5. US-based artists and artist collectives are invited to apply to the Rauschenberg Foundation’s Artist as Activist fellowship. The 2017 fellowship’s theme is racial justice with a particular focus on mass incarceration.
Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival
Deadline: December 11. The Greater Reston Arts Center invites artists to showcase their best contemporary art and craft in the 26th annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, to be held in May 2017.
Fellowship: Center for Emerging Visual Artists
Deadline: December 15. The 2017 CFEVA Visual Artist Fellowship application is now available. Emerging, mid-career, and established visual artists are encouraged to apply. The Visual Artist Fellowship is designed to help artists within 150 miles of Philadelphia reach new levels in their careers. Three artists will receive a full range of career support during the two-year Fellowship period, including a $1,000 stipend and up to $3,000 for project expenses. Applicants are also eligible for CFEVA exhibitions, sales, and teaching opportunities.
Habits
Deadline: December 16. Open to Art League exhibiting artist members only. For “Habits” at The Art League, artists are encouraged to examine habits, patterns, routines, and rituals – either in the context of their own lives, their own artwork, different cultures, or humanity as a whole. Juror: Rebecca Chaperon.
Vessels
Deadline: December 18. Capitol Hill Art League presents its 6th Annual Metro DC Open Juried Call with “Vessels,” open to 2-D and 3-D art around that theme. The juror this year is Chris Cooley.
NoVa Mini Maker Faire
Deadline: January 15, 2017 (early bird November 21). The NoVa Mini Maker Faire brings together an amazing collection of tech enthusiasts, engineers, woodworkers, metal workers, auto hackers, artists, teachers, and craftspeople from all over the northern virginia, Metro DC area and beyond.
Arts instructors
Deadline: ongoing. Arts on a Roll, a program of the Prince George’s County (MD) Department of Parks and Recreation is a mobile, on-demand arts service that can be booked for events and recurring workshops. The goal of this program is to provide engaging and affordable arts services to people of all ages. The program is currently seeking teaching artists in the areas of Visual Arts, Dance, Digital Media, Poetry/Spoken Word/Storytelling, and Theatre.
Cake, oil, by Lizzy Lunday. Winner of the Oerth Kirstein Award for Best in Show in “Op-Ed.”
The cake is brightly decorated in blue, pink, and creamy white. But this is no Wayne Thiebaud dessert, posing pristinely on a cake stand with its friends. There is no celebration, no plates or forks or knives.
This is a conflicted cake.
Lizzy Lunday painted Cake two years ago, and it sparked a series of paintings of “Women and Food”: mayonnaise, butter, lettuce, and more cake. We talked to the artist about this painting (winner of the Oerth Kirstein Award for Best in Show this month), the ongoing series, and the reactions it’s provoked:
What was your goal with Cake?
Lizzy Lunday: My goal was to depict a decadent and secretive scene evocative of the complicated relationship between women and food. I wanted a natural and vulnerable view of a woman’s body, fulfilling a forbidden desire. I wanted the relationship between women’s bodies and their limitations and guilt associations with food to be the center of the piece.
Mayonnaise, oil, by Lizzy Lunday
This exhibit is all about provoking reactions. What sort of reaction are you hoping for when people see this painting? What reactions have you seen or heard, if any?
I want people to stop and think about it; to think about why it surprises them, or how they relate to it. I really enjoy listening to reactions from women who understand living between the desire and guilt associated with food. I have also gotten reactions from people wondering why I specifically chose a pose in which you can see my stomach folds. To me that’s an interesting comment, because that mentality is exactly why I choose to depict images in this way. We are taught to live up to a certain body ideal, and it makes people uncomfortable or confused when you choose to depict yourself in the opposite light. I’m interested in showing the authenticity and vulnerability of humans, rather than the manicured and posed versions.
Lettuce by Lizzy Lunday
How did the “Women and Food” series of paintings start? Where does this painting fit within the series?
A lot of my work has to do with women’s bodies and their relationships to socially-constructed ideals of what the female, and her form, “should” be. From childhood we are taught completely contradictory messages of what gives us value as women. We are taught to be homemakers, bakers, to be given gifts of chocolates on all special occasions. On the other hand, the expectation is for us to be smaller, healthier, and to fit into an ideal body image. It’s impossible for us to be able to live in these two extreme ideals, so we end up in a state of shame and guilt about our “wrongness.”
As women, we’re taught that a lot of our identity and worth is tied into our body and appearance, so these paintings that depict women in not-so-flattering positions, eating decadent foods, contradict everything that we’ve been taught as women to show of ourselves. So to take these secretive actions of supposed decadence, and paint them on large canvases, points out the disparity between the real and the ideal.
Cake was one of the first Women and Food paintings I made, back in 2014. It was the painting that began the series. I ended up using the Women and Food series as my final BFA show.
Butter (work in progress) by Lizzy Lunday
What role does self-portraiture play in your work?
I often use myself as the subject in my paintings, as I want to convey a very personal narrative to the viewer. But, in using my body and my experience, I hope the viewer is able to relate and see a part of themselves in the piece.
What different media do you work in?
While oil painting is my primary medium, I also work in collage, screen printing, and recently, in installation. The overarching themes of women’s bodies and identity remain consistent throughout the media that I’m working in.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a couple of projects. I’ve come back to my “Women and Food” paintings, recently finishing one with mayonnaise and now about to start one with butter. I’ve also begun a collage series in which I’m taking classic “homemaker” appliances I’ve acquired from thrift stores, such as an old orange Hoover and a mint-green iron, and using them as bases for the pieces.
Deadline: October 28 at 5:00 pm. Gallery 102 (George Washington University, Washington, DC) invites exhibition proposal submissions for the Spring 2017 season. The exhibitions can be solo, group, or juried shows and can include any medium.
Deadline: December 1. Printmakers Inc at the Torpedo Factory Art Center invites printmakers to submit their portfolios for consideration as they jury for new members. Printmakers was established in 1975 as a workshop where professional printmakers would share facilities, materials and ideas with each other and the public.
Artist as Activist fellowship
Deadline: December 5. US-based artists and artist collectives are invited to apply to the Rauschenberg Foundation’s Artist as Activist fellowship. The 2017 fellowship’s theme is racial justice with a particular focus on mass incarceration.
Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival
Deadline: December 11. The Greater Reston Arts Center invites artists to showcase their best contemporary art and craft in the 26th annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, to be held in May 2017.
Vessels
Deadline: December 18. Capitol Hill Art League presents its 6th Annual Metro DC Open Juried Call with “Vessels,” open to 2-D and 3-D art around that theme. The juror this year is Chris Cooley.
NoVa Mini Maker Faire
Deadline: January 15, 2017 (early bird November 21). The NoVa Mini Maker Faire brings together an amazing collection of tech enthusiasts, engineers, woodworkers, metal workers, auto hackers, artists, teachers, and craftspeople from all over the northern virginia, Metro DC area and beyond.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Fine art photography
Deadline: October 26. For “Singular/Signature,” juried by Alyssa Coppelman, the Center for Fine Art Photography (Fort Collins, CO) is looking for your most impactful images.
Anything Goes
Artwork dropoff: October 29. Towson Arts Collective (MD) is holding its Anything Goes Salon and Sale from November 3 to 19, 2016.
Nebraska residency
Deadline: November 1. The LUX Center for the Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska is currently accepting applications for an artist-in-residence. One residency is available in painting, drawing, metals, fibers, or mixed media. A Master of Fine Arts is preferred, but not required. A desire to teach is a must.
Under $500
Deadline: November 1. Maryland Art Place is seeking artists for “Under $500”, our upcoming winter benefit exhibition. On Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10, 2016, this two-day event will promote the sale of artwork by artists in the Maryland region.
Women’s Caucus for Art
Deadline: November 3. The Women’s Caucus for Art, District of Columbia Chapter has issued a call for entries for a juried show at Artists and Makers Galleriesin Rockville, MD. Rebecca Cross, owner of the Cross MacKenzie Gallery in Georgetown, will jury the show. Women artists working in all 2D and 3D media may submit up to three works of art.
Fellowships for Virginia artists
Deadline: November 4. In summer 2016, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is accepting applications for 2017–2018 fellowships. Professional artists, graduate and undergraduate art students, graduate art history students, and college-bound high school seniors may apply.
Ipseity
Deadline: November 13. “Ipseity” is defined as individual identity or selfhood. This all-media exhibition at Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites national and international artists to submit work that explores this concept of individual identity through works that contextualize themes of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, disability and all other ‘labels’ we might use to identify ourselves.
Reimagine Dada
Deadline: November 17. Are you a dada enthusiast and looking to show your work to celebrate the 100th anniversary of dadaism? The Hugo Ball is looking for artists that work in the visual arts, burlesque, sideshow, poetry, performance, music, etc. to submit their proposal for the show.
Virginia artists
Deadline: November 27. Virginia artists are invited to submit works for the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art’s annual juried exhibition, New Waves 2017. Work in all artistic mediums and made between the years of 2013-2016 is accepted for review.
Shelter
Deadline: December 1. For “Shelter: Creating a Safe Home,” Contemporary Craft (Pittsburgh, PA) is currently seeking artists whose work reflects an interest in topics related to home, shelter, homelessness and displacement.
Fellowship: Center for Emerging Visual Artists
Deadline: December 15. The 2017 CFEVA Visual Artist Fellowship application is now available. Emerging, mid-career, and established visual artists are encouraged to apply. The Visual Artist Fellowship is designed to help artists within 150 miles of Philadelphia reach new levels in their careers. Three artists will receive a full range of career support during the two-year Fellowship period, including a $1,000 stipend and up to $3,000 for project expenses. Applicants are also eligible for CFEVA exhibitions, sales, and teaching opportunities.
Habits
Deadline: December 16. Open to Art League exhibiting artist members only. For “Habits” at The Art League, artists are encouraged to examine habits, patterns, routines, and rituals – either in the context of their own lives, their own artwork, different cultures, or humanity as a whole. Juror: Rebecca Chaperon.
Arts instructors
Deadline: ongoing. Arts on a Roll, a program of the Prince George’s County (MD) Department of Parks and Recreation is a mobile, on-demand arts service that can be booked for events and recurring workshops. The goal of this program is to provide engaging and affordable arts services to people of all ages. The program is currently seeking teaching artists in the areas of Visual Arts, Dance, Digital Media, Poetry/Spoken Word/Storytelling, and Theatre.
This past week, jurors met to review all the submissions for solo exhibits at The Art League in 2018. We’re thrilled to announce the following eleven artists were selected:
Ito Briones | oil paintings
Sally Canzoneri | lenticular photograph pictures
Deborah Conn | watercolor on textured paper
Julia Dzikiewicz | encaustic with mixed media components
Robert Gilbert | oil paintings
Guy Jones | pen and ink on found natural bone
Brian Kirk | rust print on archival paper
Pete McCutchen | archival pigment print on metallic paper
Michael McSorley | oil on panels
Beverly Ryan | installation including acrylic, collage, oil, mixed media, and charcoal
Milton Shinberg | watercolor
This year’s jurors were Phil Hutinet, publisher and writer of East City Art, and Emma McAlary, local editorial, brand and lifestyle photographer. To enter, each artist was required to submit an artist statement, bio, and show proposal with five works of art.
Between now and 2018, these artists will be hard at work completing their proposed exhibits. Here’s a peek at some of the artwork by the accepted artists:
Moving Corners by Sally Canzoneri.Sorry Night in Manhattan by Robert Gilbert.Crevices by Pete McCutchenLake Reflections by Milton ShinbergPossessions by Michael McSorleySuffragist and Zombies by Julia DzikiewiczThe bus is late. Again! by Ito BrionesSkyVault by Guy JonesJazmine by Deborah ConnDancing Moons by Brian KirkWe Want to Be Loved By You by Beverly Ryan
The Renegade, watercolor, by Catherine Hillis. Winner of the Sid Platt Watercolor Award.
Painter Catherine Hillis loves to capture a good story, so it’s not surprising that an exhibit like “Op-Ed” garnered her an award.
For “Op-Ed” — a show about strong opinions — Hillis captured a strident statement of opposition in the form of a lone protester: the titular Renegade. Juror Dave Bellard selected the painting for the Sid Platt Watercolor Award.
We asked the artist what makes this figure stand out in her oeuvre’s cast of characters:
Who is The Renegade? What made him worthy of a painting?
Catherine Hillis: Let me explain the background of this character first. I’ve been selected for nearly a dozen plein air competitions across the country this year and I’ve traveled our country a lot. My most recent event was Paint the Peninsula in Port Angeles, Washington in August.
Part of my work as a plein air painter is to absorb and understand not only the landscape, but the people, the social climate and what makes each area unique and I try to put some of that knowledge into my work. I experienced the Olympic Peninsula to be a rather politically charged environment.
The gentleman in my painting was on a Port Angeles corner with his anti-Harley signs every single day: all day. He was forceful with his presence and tenacious and consistent. Although I was in Port Angeles for a week, I could not pass this particular corner without seeing this man. He was making an unfashionable statement and doing it with a lot of courage. He was, in short, a character and I knew I would need to paint him once I returned home and to my studio.
Dublin at Christmas, watercolor, by Catherine Hillis
What was your goal with this painting?
I love to tell stories with my work. I enjoy painting figures in a contemporary America and when I can include a humorous statement, I’m satisfied.
Why are you a watercolorist?
I paint in all mediums but I love watercolors. I paint with my work upright on an easel, so I believe part of the attraction to me is the uncontrolled danger of watching watercolor paint merge and allowing one color to combine with another. I like fresh, moving color.
What is your creative process like, from an idea to a finished painting?
This is a great question. I’m very impulsive, both in the field and in the studio. Whenever I see great light, or a story, I have to paint. I’m forcing myself to slow down, however, and pay more attention to composition and design.
Havana Afternoon, watercolor, by Catherine Hillis
When I work in the studio, I go to my resource material first, which in this case was a series of photographs. After selecting my resource material, I begin a series of sketches. I prefer the simplest form of sketching and I’m constantly trying to simplify my design into just a few shapes and two or three values. I also like to make black and white copies of my photograph and I might simplify my shapes with white and gray inks, again resorting to simplifying shape and value.
Is this typical subject matter for you? What’s your favorite thing to paint?
While I do paint a lot of figures, I don’t care what the subject matter is. I’m interested in painting light. If I see a landscape or a figure or a still life that tells a story and has a tremendous sense of light and atmosphere, I’m going to paint it.
A Forgotten Hero, watercolor, by Catherine Hillis
How long have you been a professional artist? What was involved in making that decision?
Eleven years ago, my husband and I sold our home in the Washington, DC suburbs and moved out to Western Loudoun County to a little village called Round Hill. I live in a remote rural area surrounded by mountains, history and solitary beauty. For the past 11 years, I’ve been able to completely focus on my career as a professional artist. Many difficult personal events led us to make this move and it was time for a change, which has been very good for my career.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a full sheet watercolor of strong light and shadow reflecting off of a line of parked bicycles in Seattle, Washington. The scene is very complex. I’m painting color into color and working with soft edges versus hard edges. And, of course, I’m always working on curriculum for my classes, trying to present new materials to my student base.
It’s a real honor, to say the least. We hope you’ll join the over 7,000 students, ages 5 to 95, who take classes here each year. Registration for Winter term classes begins November 7 — and you can register for workshops at any time!
We’re still in October, but it’s not too early to let you know about these four special exhibits & art events coming to The Art League in November (and one in December). Grab your calendar and find what you need below!
If you haven’t read about it on this blog before, The IMPart visual arts education program connects returning Injured Military Personnel with transformative art experiences. These experiences are designed for creative enrichment, relaxed social engagement, redevelopment of fine motor skills, and expressive catharsis.
In this exhibit, IMPart participants will share the ceramics and blades they’ve made in the program. The opening reception is Friday, November 11, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm — the same time and place as the “Highest Honor” unfurling, below.
For The Art League’s third Art on Tap, five craft beers from local breweries have been artfully paired with a work of art from an Art League instructor. Local restaurants have chosen a brew/artwork coupling to serve as their muse to create the perfect complementary appetizer. Enjoy the brew, bite, and artwork trifectas and vote for your favorite!
by Lina Liberace
November 8–December 4:
The Artistic Frame: An Inquiry into
the Enhancement of Paintings
Where: The Art League gallery, studio 21 in the Torpedo Factory
Remember Bill Adair and his Willy Wonka-esque gold leaf workshop? Adair (a frame conservator, frame historian, & master gilder) has curated an exhibit of his students’ frames, which are designed by the artists to act as extensions of the paintings they protect.
We’ve brought you updates on “Highest Honor,” artist Andy Yoder’s ongoing collaborative project, through the summer. On Veterans’ Day, we’re going to unveil the finished sculpture! Yoder has worked with veterans to create the piece, intended to extend the collaborative spirit of our WW2-era community to our present day community.
Save the date:
Holiday Ceramics Sale
When: December 2–4
Where: The Art League’s Madison Annex, 305 N. Madison St
Every year, you can count on the Holiday Ceramics Sale and our artists for a huge number of affordable, unique ceramic pieces — perfect for your home or as gifts. The artwork fits all tastes and budgets.
Deadline: First come, first served. Artomatic 2016 is a five-week long art festival in Montgomery County, MD. Artomatic is not juried; participation is based on a first-come basis and no one needs to see your art in advance. It’s open to all artists 18 and older.
Ipseity
Deadline: November 13. “Ipseity” is defined as individual identity or selfhood. This all-media exhibition at Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites national and international artists to submit work that explores this concept of individual identity through works that contextualize themes of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, disability and all other ‘labels’ we might use to identify ourselves.
Reimagine Dada
Deadline: November 17. Are you a dada enthusiast and looking to show your work to celebrate the 100th anniversary of dadaism? The Hugo Ball is looking for artists that work in the visual arts, burlesque, sideshow, poetry, performance, music, etc. to submit their proposal for the show.
Fellowship: Center for Emerging Visual Artists
Deadline: December 15. The 2017 CFEVA Visual Artist Fellowship application is now available. Emerging, mid-career, and established visual artists are encouraged to apply. The Visual Artist Fellowship is designed to help artists within 150 miles of Philadelphia reach new levels in their careers. Three artists will receive a full range of career support during the two-year Fellowship period, including a $1,000 stipend and up to $3,000 for project expenses. Applicants are also eligible for CFEVA exhibitions, sales, and teaching opportunities.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Sitar Arts Center
Drop-off dates: October 17–22. Sitar Arts Center celebrates arts in the community with ourseventh annual juried exhibition. The exhibition will showcase work from local artists, including student and parent artists from the Sitar community in a variety of mediums. This year’s theme is Heart of the City. Images must be appropriate for school-aged children.
Baltimore-area artists
Deadline: October 22. Maryland Art Place, in partnership with the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore will produce a small exhibition at the reception of the 45th Annual Monument Lighting this December (scroll down to see this opportunity). The work will be on display for one night during a private exhibition and exclusive after party. Exhibition attendance is expected to reach up to 175 guests.
Fine art photography
Deadline: October 26. For “Singular/Signature,” juried by Alyssa Coppelman, the Center for Fine Art Photography (Fort Collins, CO) is looking for your most impactful images.
Anything Goes
Artwork dropoff: October 29. Towson Arts Collective (MD) is holding its Anything Goes Salon and Sale from November 3 to 19, 2016.
Nebraska residency
Deadline: November 1. The LUX Center for the Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska is currently accepting applications for an artist-in-residence. One residency is available in painting, drawing, metals, fibers, or mixed media. A Master of Fine Arts is preferred, but not required. A desire to teach is a must.
Under $500
Deadline: November 1. Maryland Art Place is seeking artists for “Under $500”, our upcoming winter benefit exhibition. On Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10, 2016, this two-day event will promote the sale of artwork by artists in the Maryland region.
Women’s Caucus for Art
Deadline: November 3. The Women’s Caucus for Art, District of Columbia Chapter has issued a call for entries for a juried show at Artists and Makers Galleriesin Rockville, MD. Rebecca Cross, owner of the Cross MacKenzie Gallery in Georgetown, will jury the show. Women artists working in all 2D and 3D media may submit up to three works of art.
Fellowships for Virginia artists
Deadline: November 4. In summer 2016, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is accepting applications for 2017–2018 fellowships. Professional artists, graduate and undergraduate art students, graduate art history students, and college-bound high school seniors may apply.
Virginia artists
Deadline: November 27. Virginia artists are invited to submit works for the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art’s annual juried exhibition, New Waves 2017. Work in all artistic mediums and made between the years of 2013-2016 is accepted for review.
Shelter
Deadline: December 1. For “Shelter: Creating a Safe Home,” Contemporary Craft (Pittsburgh, PA) is currently seeking artists whose work reflects an interest in topics related to home, shelter, homelessness and displacement.
Habits
Deadline: December 16. Open to Art League exhibiting artist members only. For “Habits” at The Art League, artists are encouraged to examine habits, patterns, routines, and rituals – either in the context of their own lives, their own artwork, different cultures, or humanity as a whole. Juror: Rebecca Chaperon.
Arts instructors
Deadline: ongoing. Arts on a Roll, a program of the Prince George’s County (MD) Department of Parks and Recreation is a mobile, on-demand arts service that can be booked for events and recurring workshops. The goal of this program is to provide engaging and affordable arts services to people of all ages. The program is currently seeking teaching artists in the areas of Visual Arts, Dance, Digital Media, Poetry/Spoken Word/Storytelling, and Theatre.
Copyright serves a valuable service, protecting the rights of the artists, authors, and other creatives who depend on their work to make a living.
Public domain images fill another need, for people who need images to rework, reuse, repurpose — people like artists. For creating a new collage, mixed media work, or even just painting from a reference photograph, the sites below will be a great resource. But first …
What is the public domain?
From Kaishien Gaden, The Mustard Seed Garden Painting Manual. Artist: Wang Gai. From the New York Public Library.
Reusing copyrighted images can be tricky. Sometimes it can be considered “fair use,” and sometimes it can be copyright infringement. In the U.S., it depends on things like what portion of the work is used and whether the new work is sufficiently transformative. (Sorry, we aren’t lawyers, but you might find this article on Graphic Artists Guild helpful.)
You can sidestep these issues entirely by using public domain and CC0 images in your artwork.
public domain: This refers to creative works which are free of copyright restrictions, often because the copyright has expired. Work in the public domain can be used for any purpose, including commercial purposes, with no permission or credit necessary.
CC0 (Creative Commons zero): A tool by which the copyright holder waives their rights to the work and releases it into the public domain. Just like with public domain works, CC0 works can be used for any purpose.
Unlike with copyrighted works, these images can be freely used as the focal point of an artwork without fear of committing copyright infringement.
Where to find public domain images
A 1917 photograph by Paul Strand. From the New York Public Library.
Now, the good part. These websites all specialize in copyright-free images, including things like illustrations, photographs, and maps.
Update, February 2017:The Met has released over 375,000 images with a CC0 license as part of their Open Access program. See their full collection or just the public domain portion.
Bildgeist specializes in public domain images in four categories: Alchemy, Nature, Culture, and Mythology. Expect to find vintage photographs, medieval illustrations, and NASA imagery.
Dover Publications makes books that we first heard of through the work of collage artist David Alfuth. They publish books with copyright-free imagery you can cut out, photocopy, and use for whatever you like. (Note that not all their books are copyright-free.)
The University of Texas maintains images of maps on its website, many of which are in the public domain.
Pond5 has a huge library of images and video, but only some of it is in the public domain. When you search, select the appropriate checkbox to see only copyright-free images.
Looking for outer space imagery? It’s hard to beat NASA, images (and videos) from which are typically in the public domain.
Likewise, you can search Flickr for only Creative Commons images. Check the details for each image to see what restrictions it has.
The Internet Archive has all kinds of images you can download, but not all of them are necessarily free of copyright restrictions. The Brooklyn Museum and the Met have both uploaded collections here.
The Library of Congress, naturally, has a huge amount of photos, maps, artwork, and other images, and many of them are available online. However, there’s no way to search for only public domain images, so you’ll have to check the copyright information for each image. Limiting your search dates to before 1923 will turn up mostly public domain images.
Are there any other resources we should include here? Let us know! And don’t forget, if you find these images useful in your work, the people who create and maintain these resources always appreciate a donation.
The third annual Art on Tap is coming to The Art League in just a few short weeks, and today marks one week left to get early bird tickets and save $10!
What is Art on Tap?
Six local breweries each pick a painting or sculpture to pair with one of their beers. Then, our six restaurants create an appetizer to match the beer and art! You get to vote on your favorite trifecta.
How can I join in?
Tickets are on sale now! They’re $35 each until October 21, when the price increases to $45, so buy early to save. Here are all the details you need to know:
What: Art, beer, food, and a video art screening
When: Friday, November 4, 7:00–10:00 pm
Where: The Art League, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria, VA 22314
Art on Tap 2015
Who will be there?
Other than you and your friends, you mean? The following local breweries and restaurants are participating in Art on Tap 2016:
Anita Damron Details from five of Anita Bucsay Damron’s mosaics in “Transformations: Tapestries in Glass.”
These tapestries aren’t woven — they’re pieced together from glass, metal, and found and reused materials.
Anita Bucsay Damron’s sparkling exhibit of mosaics, “Transformations: Tapestries in Glass,” is all about the engrossing colors, patterns, and textures that emerge from the individual pieces.
Mandalas in Bloom (detail) from “Transformations: Tapestries in Glass”
Read more about the artist and exhibit on our website! You can experience “Transformations” for yourself through Sunday, November 6 at The Art League gallery.
Anita Bucsay Damron’s “Transformations: Tapestries in Glass”
Artwork dropoff: October 29. Towson Arts Collective (MD) is holding its Anything Goes Salon and Sale from November 3 to 19, 2016.
Under $500
Deadline: November 1. Maryland Art Place is seeking artists for “Under $500”, our upcoming winter benefit exhibition. On Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10, 2016, this two-day event will promote the sale of artwork by artists in the Maryland region.
Virginia artists
Deadline: November 27. Virginia artists are invited to submit works for the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art’s annual juried exhibition, New Waves 2017. Work in all artistic mediums and made between the years of 2013-2016 is accepted for review.
Shelter
Deadline: December 1. For “Shelter: Creating a Safe Home,” Contemporary Craft (Pittsburgh, PA) is currently seeking artists whose work reflects an interest in topics related to home, shelter, homelessness and displacement.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Figure & figurative
Deadline: October 11. Gallery Underground announces “Figuratively Speaking,” a national juried art competition. All-media artists, sculptors, and photographers are invited to create visual works that interpret the theme “Figuratively Speaking” in two different ways: by depicting human forms, faces and features in representational or abstract works (portraiture, sculpture and all subject matter including people); or works which depict a broader interpretation of the theme, such as figurative language and figures of speech.
Latin@ artists
Deadline: October 13. NALAC Fund For The Arts provides a variety of grants to support US-based Latino artists and arts organizations in the development, creation, presentation and sustainability of artistic excellence, as well as the opportunity to participate in activities that contribute to professional and organizational growth.
All-media national show
Deadline: October 14. The Artist as Maker, Thinker, Feeler is an all-media national juried show at Cade Art Gallery, Anne Arundel Community College (Arnold, MD). Juror: Jack Rasmussen.
Awards for career development
Deadline: October 15. The 2016 S&R Foundation Washington Award application is now open! Every year the S&R Foundation awards four $5,000 prizes to emerging artists working in a broad range of disciplines including painting, photography, sculpture, music, dance, dramatic arts, film, digital, and interdisciplinary arts.
Video art
Deadline: October 16. The Art League in Alexandria, VA invites video artists, filmmakers, animators, performance artists, and media artists to submit silent, video-based art for the third annual Art on Tap event taking place Friday, November 4. It is free to enter.
Small and large works
Deadline: October 17. Open to Art League exhibiting artist members only. Members can enter up to three works of art in each part of the MiniMAX exhibit (mini, or small works; and MAX, or large works). See the prospectus for specific size limitations. For this exhibit we’re honored to welcome our first-ever international juror, U.K. painter Susan Ashworth.
Sitar Arts Center
Drop-off dates: October 17–22. Sitar Arts Center celebrates arts in the community with our seventh annual juried exhibition. The exhibition will showcase work from local artists, including student and parent artists from the Sitar community in a variety of mediums. This year’s theme is Heart of the City. Images must be appropriate for school-aged children.
Baltimore-area artists
Deadline: October 22. Maryland Art Place, in partnership with the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore will produce a small exhibition at the reception of the 45th Annual Monument Lighting this December (scroll down to see this opportunity). The work will be on display for one night during a private exhibition and exclusive after party. Exhibition attendance is expected to reach up to 175 guests.
Fine art photography
Deadline: October 26. For “Singular/Signature,” juried by Alyssa Coppelman, the Center for Fine Art Photography (Fort Collins, CO) is looking for your most impactful images.
Nebraska residency
Deadline: November 1. The LUX Center for the Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska is currently accepting applications for an artist-in-residence. One residency is available in painting, drawing, metals, fibers, or mixed media. A Master of Fine Arts is preferred, but not required. A desire to teach is a must.
Women’s Caucus for Art
Deadline: November 3. The Women’s Caucus for Art, District of Columbia Chapter has issued a call for entries for a juried show at Artists and Makers Galleriesin Rockville, MD. Rebecca Cross, owner of the Cross MacKenzie Gallery in Georgetown, will jury the show. Women artists working in all 2D and 3D media may submit up to three works of art.
Fellowships for Virginia artists
Deadline: November 4. In summer 2016, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is accepting applications for 2017–2018 fellowships. Professional artists, graduate and undergraduate art students, graduate art history students, and college-bound high school seniors may apply.
Habits
Deadline: December 16. Open to Art League exhibiting artist members only. For “Habits” at The Art League, artists are encouraged to examine habits, patterns, routines, and rituals – either in the context of their own lives, their own artwork, different cultures, or humanity as a whole. Juror: Rebecca Chaperon.
Arts instructors
Deadline: ongoing. Arts on a Roll, a program of the Prince George’s County (MD) Department of Parks and Recreation is a mobile, on-demand arts service that can be booked for events and recurring workshops. The goal of this program is to provide engaging and affordable arts services to people of all ages. The program is currently seeking teaching artists in the areas of Visual Arts, Dance, Digital Media, Poetry/Spoken Word/Storytelling, and Theatre.
The term op-ed is short for “opposite the editorial”: those articles across the page from a newspaper editorial that can be written by, well, anyone. It’s a space where a variety of voices can be heard.
This month, you can see and read 75 such voices in an exhibit we’re calling simply “Op-Ed.” In addition to the artwork itself, we invited artists to submit a written statement for each piece, which is installed on the wall next to it.
Here are just six of them:
Through the Doorway by Patricia Whitehead
“For decades women have been observers of men’s interpretation of the female form, never more so than this woman listening to the museum guide through her earphones while studying Francis Bacon’s “Female Nude Standing in a Doorway” at Center Pompidou in Paris. For much of history, women artists were excluded from equal exhibition opportunities. And yet it is generally believed that they are the majority of museum visitors.”
Little Soldier by Judy Guenther
“In Southwest China one sector of the Miao minority is allowed to carry a gun. While it is the adult males who put on a demonstration and show, dressed in their ethnic costumes, this young boy starts practice early.”
Don’t Lives Matter? by Kelly Burke
“This Reimagined American flag ‘Don’t Lives Matter?’ symbolizes lives lost due to gun violence. Alternating the stripes in orange and yellow symbolizes the colors we use to indicate safety (so that people don’t shoot you in the woods) and caution (once someone has already been shot). The stars in “50 shades of red” represent the pain, suffering and grief as well as anger, rage, and despair people experience having lost loved ones. Integrated into the stripes, the dates, place names, and numbers of deaths from mass shootings from 1966-2016 to illustrate how greater access to military-grade weapons has led to more massacres. The Xs quote the X-code FEMA used on houses during the Katrina disaster to indicate from left going clockwise the following information: 1) the rescue unit #, 2) date investigated, 3) what was found, and 4) # of survivors and dead. The numbers in the Xs on this flag indicate, from left going clockwise, the following information: 1) the number of survivors (in black), 2) the total number of casualties (in black, not including the perpetrators), 3) the number of innocent people killed (in red), and 4) the number of perpetrators (in black if survived, in red if killed or committed suicide).”
My Garden, My Rules by Anna Getter
“This artwork is in support of women’s reproductive freedom. Every woman must have a right to birth control and a right to legal and safe abortion. Uterus is not a public property.”
The School with a View by BD Richardson
“This image represents several years of documenting the iconic yet vanishing rural schoolhouses of North America. These schoolhouses, once the foundation of our society, are quickly disappearing from the national landscape. Countless children of all ages and regions attended them–often taught together in one room. Teachers had to contend not only with varying ages, but with isolated, rural conditions and the need to schedule classes based on weather and crops. Most children attended only when not needed at home or on the farm.
These schoolhouses have been replaced by institutional holding pens for our disaffected youth. Current schools are often devoid of courtesy, respect and standards, but complete with standardized tests and pop culture. Today’s schools may have only one grade per classroom, but they teach to the lowest common denominator. No longer humble wooden buildings, they have more money thrown their way per student than most people around the world earn in a year. But scores remain low, and 50% or more in some communities don’t graduate–and those that do have difficulty competing for good jobs.
So, every time I come upon one of these abandoned one-room schoolhouses, I wonder: have we really ‘advanced’ since these simple but beautiful old structures stopped educating our youth?”
Bitter Pill by Katherine Sullivan
“This work reflects my sentiment regarding the current political situation. I am sure it is shared by many.”
“Op-Ed” is on view through Sunday, November 6, 2016.
Wangechi Mutu, The Evolution of Mud Mama from Beginning to Start. 2008. Watercolor, gold leaf, and collage on paper; six collages, 14 1/4 x 11 in. each
Join The Art League on a private tour of “No Man’s Land,” an exciting new exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts!
Where: National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC
A museum docent will give the 45-60 minute tour. Museum admission and the tour are included in the ticket.
Please email your confirmed reservation and number of attendees to Karen Cohen at [email protected].
Isa Genzken, Schauspieler. 2013. Mixed media, 72 1/4 x 18 1/2 x 10 1/2 in.
About the exhibit
NMWA is collaborating with the Rubell Family Collection (RFC) to realize a new vision for NO MAN’S LAND, an exhibition that opened at the RFC’s space in Miami in December 2015. Featuring work by 37 artists from 15 countries, NMWA’s presentation imagines a visual conversation between women artists new to the Rubell Family Collection and those whose works they began collecting decades ago.
NMWA curators worked with RFC to choose a highly focused group of paintings and sculptures that center on the process of making as well as images of the female body, both topics that extend from the feminist art movement of the 1970s. Many artists in the exhibition use labor-intensive techniques to alter conventional notions of “women’s work” and handcraft. Some sculpt or paint semi-abstract shapes that reference the body obliquely, while others depict the female form directly, forcefully reclaiming its visualization and interpretation.
Painting and sculpture are among the oldest and traditionally most revered mediums of fine art, yet in the hands of many contemporary artists, they are avenues for experimentation, play, and subversion. Artists in NO MAN’S LAND paint with neon, weave with Carnival beads, and glue metal bread baskets into their assemblages.
Established in 1964 in New York City by Don and Mera Rubell, the Rubell Family Collection is one of the world’s largest privately owned contemporary art collections. Located in Miami, Florida, since 1993, the RFC is exhibited within a 45,000-square-foot re-purposed Drug Enforcement Agency confiscated goods facility and is publicly accessible.
Shinique Smith, Menagerie. 2007. Mixed media on canvas, 72 x 48 in.
Kids of all ages are invited to the Torpedo Factory this Saturday, October 8 for the 21st annual Art Safari! From 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm, there will be hands-on art activities to explore, including painting, printing, collaging, weaving, and more.
Below is the list of happenings. Don’t miss the scavenger hunt in The Art League gallery!
Plein air tiny paintings
Potomac riverfront | TFAA
Relief printing
Cameron Street alley | Mobile Art Lab
Giant papier-mâché tiger
First floor hall | Lisa Schumaier
Bottlecap necklaces
Studio 16 | UpCycle Creative Reuse Center
Gallery scavenger hunt
Studio 21 | The Art League
Clay experience
Studio 22 | Susan Greenleaf
Fiber collage
Studio 29 | Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery
Easel stations with acrylic paint
Second floor hall | Christine Cardellino
Community weaving project
Second floor catwalk | Hannah Elmer
Coloring tables
Third floor hall | TFAA Community Outreach Committee
Silk screen printing
Studio 325 | Patrick Sargent
Potter’s Art
Studio 327 | Alexandria Archaeology Museum
Deadline: October 17. Open to Art League exhibiting artist members only. Members can enter up to three works of art in each part of the MiniMAX exhibit (mini, or small works; and MAX, or large works). See the prospectus for specific size limitations. For this exhibit we’re honored to welcome our first-ever international juror, U.K. painter Susan Ashworth.
Baltimore-area artists
Deadline: October 22. Maryland Art Place, in partnership with the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore will produce a small exhibition at the reception of the 45th Annual Monument Lighting this December (scroll down to see this opportunity). The work will be on display for one night during a private exhibition and exclusive after party. Exhibition attendance is expected to reach up to 175 guests.
Fine art photography
Deadline: October 26. For “Singular/Signature,” juried by Alyssa Coppelman, the Center for Fine Art Photography (Fort Collins, CO) is looking for your most impactful images.
Habits
Deadline: December 16. Open to Art League exhibiting artist members only. For “Habits” at The Art League, artists are encouraged to examine habits, patterns, routines, and rituals – either in the context of their own lives, their own artwork, different cultures, or humanity as a whole. Juror: Rebecca Chaperon.
Arts instructors
Deadline: ongoing. Arts on a Roll, a program of the Prince George’s County (MD) Department of Parks and Recreation is a mobile, on-demand arts service that can be booked for events and recurring workshops. The goal of this program is to provide engaging and affordable arts services to people of all ages. The program is currently seeking teaching artists in the areas of Visual Arts, Dance, Digital Media, Poetry/Spoken Word/Storytelling, and Theatre.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Artomatic@Baltimore
Deadline: First come, first served. If you would like to show your artwork at Artomatic@Baltimore (November 4–December 10), all you need to do is register to secure a space to feature your work. There is a $100 fee for visual artists. Registration is now open! (For an idea of what Artomatic is like, read our review of the most recent Artomatic event or this installation guide.)
Fotoweek 2016
Deadline: October 7. There are three categories, and a chance to win cash prizes & have your photographs featured in the FotoWeekCentral gallery at the National Geographic Museum during this fall’s FotoWeekDC festival.
Torpedo Factory residency
Deadline: October 10. The Torpedo Factory Post-Graduate Residency is a competitive program that provides meaningful support to recent, promising MFA graduates for three months at a time in partnership with accredited MFA programs. Submissions are open for both graduates in the DC region and nationwide, provided they submit proof of their permanent residence in the area and/or commitment of contributing to the ongoing future of the DC/Maryland/Virginia arts scene.
Figure & figurative
Deadline: October 11. Gallery Underground announces “Figuratively Speaking,” a national juried art competition. All-media artists, sculptors, and photographers are invited to create visual works that interpret the theme “Figuratively Speaking” in two different ways: by depicting human forms, faces and features in representational or abstract works (portraiture, sculpture and all subject matter including people); or works which depict a broader interpretation of the theme, such as figurative language and figures of speech.
Latin@ artists
Deadline: October 13. NALAC Fund For The Arts provides a variety of grants to support US-based Latino artists and arts organizations in the development, creation, presentation and sustainability of artistic excellence, as well as the opportunity to participate in activities that contribute to professional and organizational growth.
All-media national show
Deadline: October 14. The Artist as Maker, Thinker, Feeler is an all-media national juried show at Cade Art Gallery, Anne Arundel Community College (Arnold, MD). Juror: Jack Rasmussen.
Awards for career development
Deadline: October 15. The 2016 S&R Foundation Washington Award application is now open! Every year the S&R Foundation awards four $5,000 prizes to emerging artists working in a broad range of disciplines including painting, photography, sculpture, music, dance, dramatic arts, film, digital, and interdisciplinary arts.
Video art
Deadline: October 16. The Art League in Alexandria, VA invites video artists, filmmakers, animators, performance artists, and media artists to submit silent, video-based art for the third annual Art on Tap event taking place Friday, November 4. It is free to enter.
Sitar Arts Center
Drop-off dates: October 17–22. Sitar Arts Center celebrates arts in the community with ourseventh annual juried exhibition. The exhibition will showcase work from local artists, including student and parent artists from the Sitar community in a variety of mediums. This year’s theme is Heart of the City. Images must be appropriate for school-aged children.
Nebraska residency
Deadline: November 1. The LUX Center for the Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska is currently accepting applications for an artist-in-residence. One residency is available in painting, drawing, metals, fibers, or mixed media. A Master of Fine Arts is preferred, but not required. A desire to teach is a must.
Women’s Caucus for Art
Deadline: November 3. The Women’s Caucus for Art, District of Columbia Chapter has issued a call for entries for a juried show at Artists and Makers Galleriesin Rockville, MD. Rebecca Cross, owner of the Cross MacKenzie Gallery in Georgetown, will jury the show. Women artists working in all 2D and 3D media may submit up to three works of art.
Fellowships for Virginia artists
Deadline: November 4. In summer 2016, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is accepting applications for 2017–2018 fellowships. Professional artists, graduate and undergraduate art students, graduate art history students, and college-bound high school seniors may apply.
