McQuillen has won the Dee Gee Watling Pastel Memorial Award again. This time, Gasoline Alley II was the big winner — a scene that looks like a 1950s pit stop, but it is in fact a modern day museum of sorts.
Is Gasoline Alley II part of a series? What place is depicted?
Moira McQuillen: This painting is the second in a series based on a unique home in northern New Mexico that is part time capsule, part personal chapel honoring the America of yesteryear. Gasoline Alley is a combination museum and shop, specializing in antique car and gas station memorabilia. The gentleman who owns it also leases his beautiful gasoline pumps to film and television studios where they use his collection as set pieces.
Gasoline Alley can be best described as sensory overload … gas pumps, oil cans, a 4-foot-tall Mobil Pegasus statue, neon signs, black and white photos, radiator caps, and even a few pink flamingos.
Gasoline Alley II (detail) by Moira McQuillen
What was your goal with this painting?
It’s a bit intimidating to start one of these paintings. I spend a lot of time setting up the painting, as the “bones” of the piece have to be correct for the finished painting to make sense. I need to make sure that the larger, anchoring elements (the house itself, the gas pumps) are correctly drawn. Other elements (signage, bric a brac) are only lightly suggested – there isn’t space to draw them completely, so every line has to count.
These paintings are very much about drawing technique. I plan to return to this subject matter often — drawing both the outside and inside of the property.
“It’s a bit intimidating to start one of these paintings.”
What are you working on now?
I’m working on several pieces now, including a painting of stones underwater in a forest stream. These stream paintings are interesting to work on because they are so abstract. I never know if they’ll come together until the very end. I’m also working on several cloud sketches at the moment – I always look forward to working with clouds!
Raw, encaustic and charcoal, by Linda Lowery. Winner of the Shayna Heisman Simkin Award for Best in Show.
We like to say the best artwork “speaks to us” — and sometimes, it screams.
That’s certainly the case with this painting by Linda Lowery. Raw is part of a series of paintings of newborns doing their best Edvard Munch, and it won this month’s Best in Show award in the September Open Exhibit.
When we last spoke with the artist, back in 2014, she was starting to concentrate on this newborns series. We took this fresh opportunity to ask her more about it:
How did you get started with your paintings of newborns? What keeps this series fresh for you, and how has it progressed?
Linda Lowery: I have a photograph of my son that was taken when he was only a few hours old. He was a big baby and, even though it was a short labor, his face clearly showed the physical duress he had been through. I was struck by the pain of birth for the infant, which doesn’t get mentioned very often, and I wanted to express that in a painting. My painting of my son was not successful. I think I was too close to the subject. But since then, I have tried to capture the shock of being born by painting the faces of other infants.
Raw (detail) by Linda Lowery
I am fascinated by infants. This, and the variety of expressions they make, keep this subject relevant for me. Recently, I have been painting the whole figure of the infant, my dancing baby series, and I have also been exploring another medium — encaustics.
Why do you paint screaming infants and not peaceful ones?
Peaceful babies tend to look cute (at least to me). I am not into cute. I want my paintings to have a strong emotional content, and I don’t think that comes with cute. Not that I don’t occasionally paint or draw a peaceful baby. They are just not my focus.
Does this series have a name?
I call my series of crying babies painted in oil “Screaming Babies.” I don’t really have a name for the encaustics. I usually just call them “wax babies.”
Two Step by Linda Lowery, from her dancing babies series, was in the April 2016 “Orbit” exhibit at The Art League.
Is encaustic a new medium for you? How does this painting differ from the oil paintings in this series?
I have been working in encaustic for a couple of years. I was looking for a way to more closely capture the translucent character of a newborn’s skin. I was hoping for an encaustic face, contrasted with the rest of the painting done in oil.
“Peaceful babies tend to look cute. … I am not into cute.”
So far I haven’t found a good way to do that. Heating oil paint is not healthy, and wax is likely to pop off the oil.
The painting in the show shows the result of my experimentation with transferring a charcoal drawing to the wax. I have been happy with the result. I plan to continue to experiment to see what other effects I can achieve with this medium.
Some of Linda Lowery’s “Screaming Babies” at Artomatic 2015.
What’s your creative process for this series — are these based on photographs?
My baby paintings are all based on photographs. It is hard to get a crying infant to hold still and pose. (And harder still to gain access to a lot of newborns.)
I use family photos as well as pictures I find on the internet.
What’s your goal with this series?
I hope that viewers will be able to get more in touch with their own strong emotions by empathizing with the babies I paint. And then, perhaps, they will be able to better relate to the people around them. Not world peace exactly, but maybe a little inch forward.
For myself, I am waiting for this series to lead me into my next exploration in painting.
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.
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.
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
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.)
Paintings
Deadline: September 28. “Root to Bloom: Places Artists Call Home” at Principle Gallery (Alexandria, VA) will feature paintings representative of where the featured artists call “home.” Works must be paintings no more than 40 inches along the longest edge (measured unframed).
Contemporary craft
Deadline: September 30. The Greater Denton Arts Council announces the opening of its 2017 Call for Entries for the 30th Annual Materials: Hard + Soft Contemporary Craft Exhibition. This exhibition celebrates the evolving field of contemporary craft and the innovation of artists who push the boundaries of their chosen media.
Craft artists
Deadline: September 30. The Lydon Emerging Artist Program is open to exceptionally talented graduate students and/or emerging artists who are beginning to receive recognition for their work, but are not currently represented by well-established galleries. Artists must work in craft media: ceramics, wood, metal/jewelry, glass, found materials, mixed media, fiber or a combination of these materials.
Korean art
Deadline: September 30. The Korean Cultural Center Washington, DC is accepting proposals for exhibitions for the 2017 exhibition season. The K-Art Gallery presents monthly exhibitions which highlight the diversity of Korean art and which bring east and west together. The gallery accommodates various types of art, both traditional and contemporary.
Blue
Deadline: September 30. The 26th Annual Strathmore Juried Exhibition celebrates La Vie en Bleu, or “life in blue,” and welcomes entries of original artwork in all mediums that take inspiration from the theme of blue, including in nature, color theory, emotion, and more. All media are eligible.
Maryland residency
Deadline: September 30. VisArts invites applications and proposals from local, national, and international artists for a four month residency at VisArts at Rockville, MD.
Small works
Deadline: September 30. The Council for the Arts (Chambersburg, PA) presents “Miniature Art 2016.” 2-D artwork must have an image size no greater than 4″ by 6″, and sculpture should not exceed 5″ in any direction. No crafts, jewelry, photography, laser prints or computer-generated artwork.
Photography about homelessness
Deadline: October 1. For Picture This, organized by Flashlight Baltimore, entries can depict the homeless experience from around the country, however the Baltimore region is preferred. Entries must be original photography.
Torpedo Factory residency
Deadline: October 2. The Torpedo Factory Post-Graduate Residency (scroll down) 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.
Bas-relief
Deadline: October 3. The Dexter Jones Award, an unrestricted prize of $5,000, is presented annually to a sculptor for an outstanding work of sculpture in bas-relief. Each competitor must be a United States sculptor between the ages of 18 and 39.
Young at Art
Artwork drop-off: October 4. Young at Art at Durant Arts Center is open to all DC-area residents ages 55 and older. All media are accepted and cash prizes will be awarded.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Michael Fischerkeller — the artist behind “The Art of Politics,” currently on view at The Art League — will share the details of his process, the ideas behind his exhibit, and the responses and stories it has elicited. Please join us for an artist talk on Thursday, September 29 at 7:00 pm!
About the exhibit: Through a street art aesthetic, artist Michael Fischerkeller offers a commentary on today’s political, economic, and social issues. His stark yet elegant paintings span large canvases, the size and weight consistent with the gravity of the issues to which they speak. Using acrylic spray paint, a street artist’s medium, Fischerkeller boldly and symbolically relays his message, as the “street” is most often and most deprived of social justice.
Fischerkeller holds a BA and M.Phil. from the University of Pittsburgh and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Ohio State University. He is a self-taught artist, having developed his own technique through the use of digital image manipulation, stencils, and acrylic spray paint. Fischerkeller found his way into the visual arts just three years ago, and has already found widespread success. His work has been shown throughout the United States in group and solo exhibitions. He’s currently a member of The Art League, the Torpedo Factory Artists Association, and the Washington Project for the Arts.
Photos from the second day of classes. Pictured: Abstract Drawing with Delna Dastur, Basic Drawing with Tania Karpowitz, Enameling with Abby Goldblatt, and Throwing/Handbuilding Ceramics with Allison Severance.
The 2016–17 school year at The Art League has officially begun!
For the full list of classes, browse our catalog. To join a class that’s already in session, or if you have any other questions, please contact our office at [email protected] or 703-683-2323.
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.)
Craft artists
Deadline: September 30. The Lydon Emerging Artist Program is open to exceptionally talented graduate students and/or emerging artists who are beginning to receive recognition for their work, but are not currently represented by well-established galleries. Artists must work in craft media: ceramics, wood, metal/jewelry, glass, found materials, mixed media, fiber or a combination of these materials.
Korean art
Deadline: September 30. The Korean Cultural Center Washington, DC is accepting proposals for exhibitions for the 2017 exhibition season. The K-Art Gallery presents monthly exhibitions which highlight the diversity of Korean art and which bring east and west together. The gallery accommodates various types of art, both traditional and contemporary.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Teapots
Deadline: September 22. 100 Teapots VIII at Baltimore Clayworks is open to ceramic artists who reside in the United States. Work must have been completed in the past two years.
Public sculpture
Deadline: September 23. The Riverdale Park (MD) Public Art Initiative is announcing a Call for Artists. The initiative seeks five sculptures of various styles and sizes to display for a one year-long placement, at pre-determined, publicly-accessible sites within the Town of Riverdale Park. The stipend is $2,000 per selected work.
Art League solo exhibits
Deadline: September 23. Entry is now open for 2018 solo artist exhibits at The Art League. Entry is open to all Art League exhibiting artist members.
Contemporary fiber art
Deadline: September 25. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) explores the future of contemporary textile art inMaterial as Medium. Artists are asked to submit work using traditional materials in a new context, or unconventional materials in a more traditional form. This exhibition is open to national and international artists working in all media.
Paintings
Deadline: September 28. “Root to Bloom: Places Artists Call Home” at Principle Gallery (Alexandria, VA) will feature paintings representative of where the featured artists call “home.” Works must be paintings no more than 40 inches along the longest edge (measured unframed).
Contemporary craft
Deadline: September 30. The Greater Denton Arts Council announces the opening of its 2017 Call for Entries for the 30th Annual Materials: Hard + Soft Contemporary Craft Exhibition. This exhibition celebrates the evolving field of contemporary craft and the innovation of artists who push the boundaries of their chosen media.
Blue
Deadline: September 30. The 26th Annual Strathmore Juried Exhibition celebrates La Vie en Bleu, or “life in blue,” and welcomes entries of original artwork in all mediums that take inspiration from the theme of blue, including in nature, color theory, emotion, and more. All media are eligible.
Maryland residency
Deadline: September 30. VisArts invites applications and proposals from local, national, and international artists for a four month residency at VisArts at Rockville, MD.
Small works
Deadline: September 30. The Council for the Arts (Chambersburg, PA) presents “Miniature Art 2016.” 2-D artwork must have an image size no greater than 4″ by 6″, and sculpture should not exceed 5″ in any direction. No crafts, jewelry, photography, laser prints or computer-generated artwork.
Photography about homelessness
Deadline: October 1. For Picture This, organized by Flashlight Baltimore, entries can depict the homeless experience from around the country, however the Baltimore region is preferred. Entries must be original photography.
Torpedo Factory residency
Deadline: October 2. The Torpedo Factory Post-Graduate Residency (scroll down) 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.
Bas-relief
Deadline: October 3. The Dexter Jones Award, an unrestricted prize of $5,000, is presented annually to a sculptor for an outstanding work of sculpture in bas-relief. Each competitor must be a United States sculptor between the ages of 18 and 39.
Young at Art
Artwork drop-off: October 4. Young at Art at Durant Arts Center is open to all DC-area residents ages 55 and older. All media are accepted and cash prizes will be awarded.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This past weekend was a blast: beautiful weather, good crowds, and art everywhere.
And the cherry on top? Our biggest, most successful Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser ever, with over 1,700 bowls sold! That’s a new record, in case you were wondering.
So, to everyone who turned out, to the staff and volunteers who kept things running, and to all of our ceramics artists: Thank you! It’s the amazing people like you who make this event a success every year, and your support means our ceramics department will continue to thrive.
Do you have a work of video art to share? An animation? Documentation of a performance art piece? We want to see it! All silent video-based artworks are welcome in our Art on Tap Video Art Contest.
It’s free to enter, and selected artists get a free ticket to our third annual Art on Tap event. Best Video wins a one-year exhibiting artist membership!
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.
Videos will be projected in the main hallway of the Torpedo Factory Art Center for the duration of the event, 7:00–10:00 pm. Work will be presented as a single-channel projection, without sound, on a loop with other selected videos. There will be live and prerecorded music played during the event.
Eligibility
All artists and all video art styles are eligible to enter. Artists must be 21 years or older to claim their prize (one free ticket to Art on Tap).
Prizes
All selected artists: One free ticket to Art on Tap
Best Video (as selected by the juror): One year free exhibiting artist membership at The Art League
Videos may not exceed 10 minutes. There is no minimum duration.
Videos may not have audio. They will be played without sound.
We are only able to accommodate single-channel works.
Files should be in .mov or .mp4 format.
Videos should measure 1080 pixels vertically and no more than 1920 pixels horizontally.
Please keep in mind that food and drink will be served at this event.
Juror: Rory Sheridan
Rory Sheridan is the Senior Video Editor for Travel Channel. He works directly with the Creative Director and Marketing Producers to create videos and photographs for the Travel Channel, including “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.” Sheridan is a freelance video editor and photographer in Washington, DC. He is also the guitarist in local DC punk rock band LoudBoyz. http://rorysheridan.com/
Questions?
Please email [email protected] or leave a comment below with any questions.
So you like The Art League and you want to support us. You know about the Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser happening this weekend. And the King Street Art Festival sounds like a cool place to check out.
But what if you’re not an ice cream person? We’ve heard such people exist (though none of them work at The Art League).
We’ll let you in on a little secret: while these are officially ice cream bowls, we won’t tell anybody if you use them for something else. See, with handmade ceramic bowls, it’s not what’s on the inside that counts. It’s about that warm and fuzzy feeling every time you use it.
Alternate use #1: Soup
When you’re sick, or it’s cold and wet outside, what warms you up better than a bowl of soup? A bowl of soup in a handmade bowl.
Choices, choices!
Alternate use #2: Cereal
We’ve tried them out in our test kitchen, and ice cream bowls perform admirably as cereal bowls. Pair with your favorite mug for an even better way to start your day.
We only have about 1,000 to choose from, so come early to claim your favorite.
Alternate use #3: Decorate
These one-of-a-kind bowls bring some instant class to your home, whether they’re empty or artfully filled with seashells or knick-knacks. For some ideas, see this blog post.
Alternate use #4: Cats
It’s well-known that cats love bowls. Pop your kitty in one of these works of art, and they’ll feel right at home. Bonus: you’ll know where to find your cat the next time you need it.
Or two cats.
Alternate use #5: Share the love
Affordable handmade art makes the perfect gift!
Are you convinced yet? Come take a look at our wares and pick your favorite from over 1,000 choices. Find all the details here, and we’ll see you this weekend!
Fall term at The Art League school begins September 19!
We’ve been hard at work making a brand-new catalog, bringing you new teachers and new classes, and sprucing up our classrooms for the start of the school year. If you’re looking to flex a little creative muscle, we’ve got you covered:
Looking for something new?
Here are all the classes we’re offering for the first time this fall:
Deadline: September 17. The Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society of Washington, DC announces a call to artists for their annual juried art exhibition.
Hillyer Art Space
Deadline: September 19. Hillyer Art Space (Northwest DC) is currently accepting proposals for their 2017/2018 exhibition calendar. Hillyer accepts proposals for solo exhibitions once a year. Each accepted artist is given a room in the three room gallery space to present their work.
Contemporary fiber art
September 25. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) explores the future of contemporary textile art in Material as Medium. Artists are asked to submit work using traditional materials in a new context, or unconventional materials in a more traditional form. This exhibition is open to national and international artists working in all media.
Torpedo Factory residency
Deadline: October 2. 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.
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.
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.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Migration
Deadline: September 13. #Migration61, at all six Busboys and Poets locations in the DC area, is open to all media except freestanding sculpture. Artwork does NOT have to be created in the aesthetic style of Jacob Lawrence. The topic or content of the work, though, must reflect the theme of migration/emigration/immigration.
DC-area artists
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.
Late deadline: September 19. The Smithsonian Craft Show is a juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American crafts and design held annually in Washington, DC. Three jurors who are experts in the field and newly selected each year choose 120 artists from a large pool of applicants.
Teapots
Deadline: September 22. 100 Teapots VIII at Baltimore Clayworks is open to ceramic artists who reside in the United States. Work must have been completed in the past two years.
Public sculpture
Deadline: September 23. The Riverdale Park (MD) Public Art Initiative is announcing a Call for Artists. The initiative seeks five sculptures of various styles and sizes to display for a one year-long placement, at pre-determined, publicly-accessible sites within the Town of Riverdale Park. The stipend is $2,000 per selected work.
Art League solo exhibits
Deadline: September 23. Entry is now open for 2018 solo artist exhibits at The Art League. Entry is open to all Art League exhibiting artist members.
Paintings
Deadline: September 28. “Root to Bloom: Places Artists Call Home” at Principle Gallery (Alexandria, VA) will feature paintings representative of where the featured artists call “home.” Works must be paintings no more than 40 inches along the longest edge (measured unframed).
Contemporary craft
Deadline: September 30. The Greater Denton Arts Council announces the opening of its 2017 Call for Entries for the 30th Annual Materials: Hard + Soft Contemporary Craft Exhibition. This exhibition celebrates the evolving field of contemporary craft and the innovation of artists who push the boundaries of their chosen media.
Blue
Deadline: September 30. The 26th Annual Strathmore Juried Exhibition celebrates La Vie en Bleu, or “life in blue,” and welcomes entries of original artwork in all mediums that take inspiration from the theme of blue, including in nature, color theory, emotion, and more. All media are eligible.
Maryland residency
Deadline: September 30. VisArts invites applications and proposals from local, national, and international artists for a four month residency at VisArts at Rockville, MD.
Small works
Deadline: September 30. The Council for the Arts (Chambersburg, PA) presents “Miniature Art 2016.” 2-D artwork must have an image size no greater than 4″ by 6″, and sculpture should not exceed 5″ in any direction. No crafts, jewelry, photography, laser prints or computer-generated artwork.
Photography about homelessness
Deadline: October 1. For Picture This, organized by Flashlight Baltimore, entries can depict the homeless experience from around the country, however the Baltimore region is preferred. Entries must be original photography.
Bas-relief
Deadline: October 3. The Dexter Jones Award, an unrestricted prize of $5,000, is presented annually to a sculptor for an outstanding work of sculpture in bas-relief. Each competitor must be a United States sculptor between the ages of 18 and 39.
Young at Art
Artwork drop-off: October 4. Young at Art at Durant Arts Center is open to all DC-area residents ages 55 and older. All media are accepted and cash prizes will be awarded.
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.
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.
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.
The author (in green) poses with her Basic Drawing class and their teacher, Scott Hutchison.
Today’s guest post is by Claire Mouledoux, vice president of communications for Visit Alexandria who is one of Alexandria’s 40 Under 40 honorees and a former member of The Art League Advisory Council.
If you are considering taking a basic drawing class for the first time, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
I took basic drawing with artist and Art League instructor Scott Hutchison and it was a great experience. As someone with a busy career and other life demands, I was feeling depleted creatively. I had taken a drawing course in college and there were other periods in life where I was dedicated to different kinds of crafting. Enrolling in an art class guaranteed I would spend time each week using my hands to make art.
It also allowed me to connect with people of other learning levels — some drawing for the first time and others much more advanced than me. It turned out that the class was not only enriching, it was fulfilling in some ways that I didn’t expect. Here are five things I learned:
All images courtesy Claire Mouledoux
Go with the flow
One of our very first assignments was blind contour drawing, which is essentially looking at an object and drawing it in a continuous line without looking at your paper. As someone who likes to get things just right, it was a great exercise in letting go of my expectations and going with the flow to see what creation emerges.
Sometimes white is shades of gray
One thing I loved about drawing class was that I got to practice making myself let go of preconceived notions of what I think I see. In this case it was a white pyramid on a white tablecloth. How on earth are you supposed to draw white on white? As Scott showed us, when you looked carefully, each surface was a different shade just waiting to be rendered. How often in life do we make quick judgments of things we observe? It’s exhilarating to step away from common perception to see a more nuanced reality.
Shading is meditation
When shading, it was tempting to simply press down hard on my pencil to make a darker mark. Our instructor Scott taught us to shade in layers, building depth and richness gradually. As you can imagine, this takes time — and patience. It’s not easy to step away from the fast-paced demands of life and be completely absorbed in the moment. I found myself going into a state of meditation as I gave in to the process of shading. Not only was it calming, it was satisfying to see the result.
Drawing can raise eyebrows
Scott led a very fun activity in which one 8 ½ × 11 image of a face was cut into a grid of squares and we were each given two of those squares. Without a reference to the full face, the challenge was to represent as closely as possible what you see in that small square frame. Once the drawings were hung together, it was a treat to see that a class friend and I had created two sides of the same eyebrow.
Hands are hard – and you feel like a boss when you begin to master them
Even professional artists say that drawing hands is difficult. But after the coaching and hours of practice that came through the basic drawing course, it was very rewarding to use my new skills to make a drawing that actually looked like hands.
Of course I learned many other things over the course of basic drawing class. I hope you’ll sign up now if you haven’t already – and make your own top five list!
The Art of Politics
Paintings by Michael Fischerkeller
September 7–October 2, 2016
Michael Fischerkeller is a political scientist and a self-taught artist.
Here’s his palette:
Here’s his exhibit:
“The Art of Politics” has just opened at The Art League, and you can see it through Sunday, October 2!
Fischerkeller creates his paintings on large canvases, the better to fit the large issues his art addresses. Fifteen are included in this exhibitThey’re made with spray paint and hand-cut stencils, as you can see in the video at the top of this post.
Instead of focusing on political personalities, Fischerkeller takes on issues: homelessness, climate change, criminal justice. The figures in his paintings are often women transported from art history.
Deadline: September 12. (Late deadline September 19). The Smithsonian Craft Show is a juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American crafts and design held annually in Washington, DC. Three jurors who are experts in the field and newly selected each year choose 120 artists from a large pool of applicants.
Teapots
Deadline: September 22. 100 Teapots VIII at Baltimore Clayworks is open to ceramic artists who reside in the United States. Work must have been completed in the past two years.
Blue
Deadline: September 30. The 26th Annual Strathmore Juried Exhibition celebrates La Vie en Bleu, or “life in blue,” and welcomes entries of original artwork in all mediums that take inspiration from the theme of blue, including in nature, color theory, emotion, and more. All media are eligible.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Paint Great Falls
Deadline: Open until spaces are filled. Artists are invited to register online to participate in the second annual Paint Great Falls: Plein Air Competition in Great Falls, VA.
F.E.A.S.T.
Deadline: September 6. F.E.A.S.T. at VisArts 2016 (Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics) is a bridge between artists and the community. F.E.A.S.T. is a public meal designed to use community-driven financial support to democratically fund projects that use art and creative thinking to impact the community. F.E.A.S.T. at VisArts 2016 will take place on September 25th on the Rooftop at VisArts in Rockville, Maryland, 11:30 to 3:00 PM.
Portrait competition
Deadline: September 6. Artists 18 years or older residing in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, and Delaware are invited to enter the 8th Annual Expressions Portrait Competition. No photography, computer art, or reproductions. Judge: Jordan Xu.
The nude figure
Deadline: September 9. The Nude Figure at Wayne Art Center in Wayne, PA is juried by Paul DuSold and Scott Noel. Open to all artists working in painting, drawing and sculpture.
Op-Ed at The Art League
Deadline: September 12. Online entry only. For Op-Ed, Art League members are invited to express their views about current cultural, political, or personal events – whatever you feel passionately about. Artists are encouraged to create statement pieces that will evoke a response. Juror: David Bellard, photographer.
Migration
Deadline: September 13. #Migration61, at all six Busboys and Poets locations in the DC area, is open to all media except freestanding sculpture. Artwork does NOT have to be created in the aesthetic style of Jacob Lawrence. The topic or content of the work, though, must reflect the theme of migration/emigration/immigration.
DC-area artists
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.
Deadline: September 23. The Riverdale Park (MD) Public Art Initiative is announcing a Call for Artists. The initiative seeks five sculptures of various styles and sizes to display for a one year-long placement, at pre-determined, publicly-accessible sites within the Town of Riverdale Park. The stipend is $2,000 per selected work.
Art League solo exhibits
Deadline: September 23. Entry is now open for 2018 solo artist exhibits at The Art League. Entry is open to all Art League exhibiting artist members.
Paintings
Deadline: September 28. “Root to Bloom: Places Artists Call Home” at Principle Gallery (Alexandria, VA) will feature paintings representative of where the featured artists call “home.” Works must be paintings no more than 40 inches along the longest edge (measured unframed).
Contemporary craft
Deadline: September 30. The Greater Denton Arts Council announces the opening of its 2017 Call for Entries for the 30th Annual Materials: Hard + Soft Contemporary Craft Exhibition. This exhibition celebrates the evolving field of contemporary craft and the innovation of artists who push the boundaries of their chosen media.
Maryland residency
Deadline: September 30. VisArts invites applications and proposals from local, national, and international artists for a four month residency at VisArts at Rockville, MD.
Small works
Deadline: September 30. The Council for the Arts (Chambersburg, PA) presents “Miniature Art 2016.” 2-D artwork must have an image size no greater than 4″ by 6″, and sculpture should not exceed 5″ in any direction. No crafts, jewelry, photography, laser prints or computer-generated artwork.
Photography about homelessness
Deadline: October 1. For Picture This, organized by Flashlight Baltimore, entries can depict the homeless experience from around the country, however the Baltimore region is preferred. Entries must be original photography.
Bas-relief
Deadline: October 3. The Dexter Jones Award, an unrestricted prize of $5,000, is presented annually to a sculptor for an outstanding work of sculpture in bas-relief. Each competitor must be a United States sculptor between the ages of 18 and 39.
Young at Art
Artwork drop-off: October 4. Young at Art at Durant Arts Center is open to all DC-area residents ages 55 and older. All media are accepted and cash prizes will be awarded.
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.
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.
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.
Buoyant, oil, by Sheila Harrington. 6″ × 6″. Winner of the Chameli & Amiya Bose Saha Memorial Award for Best in Show.
For artist Sheila Harrington, each day is a celebration. Each day is also a work day — whether that means sketching, illustrating, graphic design, or painting.
With the calendar as her muse, Harrington has filled sketchbooks, created an art blog, and painted an ongoing series centered around food and the landscape. The unconventional landscape above was named Best in Show in this month’s “Landschap” landscape exhibit, so we took the opportunity to find out more about the artist and her work.
Is this piece part of the same series as the works in your 2015 “Each Day is a Celebration” exhibit? How would you describe this series?
Sheila Harrington: Yes, it is. The series actually grew out of years of keeping sketchbooks and then an art blog, in which I looked at (sometimes seriously, occasionally humorously) various aspects of the festivals of the year, the cycles of nature and the juxtaposition of the natural and the man-made. The paintings have been a more formal exploration of this preoccupation.
What was the initial inspiration for combining still life and landscape in this way?
It’s an evolution from the tabletop still-lifes with which I began. In their own way, the still-lifes are also landscapes, but I’ve been working on expressing a more complex “story” by bringing in elements of landscape and architecture. I’m also starting to bring in a figurative element, but that’s difficult to manage subtly without the figure becoming the focus.
Lemonade, oil on linen on panel, by Sheila Harrington. 6″ × 6″.
Where is this landscape?
It’s inspired by the Dordogne region of France, but not literally depicted.
Are all your paintings this size? What appeals to you about the small format?
Many are, but some more recent work is somewhat larger, because of its increasing complexity. I really love the small size, though, because of their feeling of intimacy. I also like the challenge of trying to express a large world in a small space.
What connects the balloon to the cabbage and endive?
Ah, that would be telling! My preference is to leave interpretation to the viewer.
However, I will say, hmmm … I was trying to convey parallel and contrasting experiences: elation/communion/departure, nearness/distance, both physically and psychologically. (A lot to ask of an endive.) It’s the first time I’ve tried to put words to it, even inwardly—when I’m painting it’s all visual and felt, and something seems to work, or not.
Nine paintings from “Each Day is a Celebration,” an ongoing series by Sheila Harrington.
Sometimes viewers have revealed to me what I hadn’t fully understood was there, or they have found something personal to themselves—that is very exciting.
Other than oil, what media do you work with?
In my sketchbooks I use a lot of pen and ink and watercolor.
What’s your creative process like? What’s a typical day of painting?
I try very hard to keep a regular work day in the studio. It gets interrupted, of course, like everyone’s, with other tasks — carpooling, taking the dog for a walk, the basement flooding, etc. But I’m pretty obsessively disciplined. If I’m not working on something, it feels wrong. I carry a sketchbook and planner with me everywhere and I work out ahead of time roughly what I want to be working on. Pretty much everything takes longer than I think it will, but I have definite goals.
What are you working on now?
I have in progress a number of new paintings in this series. I have several graphic design deadlines (that’s my early training, and my bread & butter work). I also have a completely different project, a line of whimsical illustrated cards that look nothing like my paintings. For years I made one-offs for friends’ various celebrations and my husband convinced me to do more than that. They are fun for me to do and are carried by some shops in DC.
“Landschap” is on view through Sunday, September 4.
The Art League has been nominated as one of the best places in DC to take classes! We’ve been nominated by The Washington Post and Express as part of the annual Best of DC poll.
Are we the candidate you can support this election season?
Vote by September 16, and help spread the word about The Art League!
Deadline: Open until spaces are filled. Artists are invited to register online to participate in the second annual Paint Great Falls: Plein Air Competition in Great Falls, VA.
Painting
Deadline: September 1. The Maryland Federation of Art invited all artists residing in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico to enter its 5th annual all-painting competition, Strokes of Genius. Juror: Joey P. Mánlapaz.
Portrait competition
Deadline: September 6. Artists 18 years or older residing in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, and Delaware are invited to enter the 8th Annual Expressions Portrait Competition. No photography, computer art, or reproductions. Judge: Jordan Xu.
Op-Ed at The Art League
Deadline: September 12. Online entry only. For Op-Ed, Art League members are invited to express their views about current cultural, political, or personal events – whatever you feel passionately about. Artists are encouraged to create statement pieces that will evoke a response. Juror: David Bellard, photographer.
Migration
Deadline: September 13. #Migration61, at all six Busboys and Poets locations in the DC area, is open to all media except freestanding sculpture. Artwork does NOT have to be created in the aesthetic style of Jacob Lawrence. The topic or content of the work, though, must reflect the theme of migration/emigration/immigration.
Young at Art
Artwork drop-off: October 4. Young at Art at Durant Arts Center is open to all DC-area residents ages 55 and older. All media are accepted and cash prizes will be awarded.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Exhibit proposals
Deadline: August 31. The Arts Club of Washington (DC) continues its support for the visual arts with the Call for Entries for the 2017–2018 gallery season. Exhibitions are scheduled monthly from September 2017 through May 2018.
Fall art show
Deadline: September 1. The 45th Annual Fall Foliage Art Show (Waynesboro, VA) is seeking fine artists and artisans for the annual two day outdoor juried fine art exhibition.
Digital Fabrication Residency
Deadline: September 1. Digital Fabrication Residency program residents learn and gain hands-on experience with laser cutting, CNC routing, FDM 3D printing, digital embroidery, 2D plotting and 3D scanning. Applications for the 3 Day Onsite Residency Program in Easton, MD must include a project proposal that outlines what the resident plans to work on while onsite.
Maryland artists
Deadline: September 2. Artists, 18 years or older, residing in Maryland or within a 100-mile radius of Ellicott City, Maryland are invited to apply for Art Maryland 2016, a biennial juried exhibit.
Small photo works
Deadline: September 4. Hillyer Art Space (Washington, DC) celebrates Fotoweek DC with FORMAT, a small works show featuring photo-based art. All work must be under 10″ in any one directions (inclusive of frame). This exhibition will be juried by DC-based photographer and curator, Laila Abdul-Hadi Jadallah.
Exhibit proposals
Deadline: September 4. The Carver Center Gallery (Towson, MD) is now accepting exhibition proposals for the 2016-2017 school year. We are looking for a wide variety of solo or group exhibitions representing work from MFA graduates, emerging, and mid-career artists.
F.E.A.S.T.
Deadline: September 6. F.E.A.S.T. at VisArts 2016 (Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics) is a bridge between artists and the community. F.E.A.S.T. is a public meal designed to use community-driven financial support to democratically fund projects that use art and creative thinking to impact the community. F.E.A.S.T. at VisArts 2016 will take place on September 25th on the Rooftop at VisArts in Rockville, Maryland, 11:30 to 3:00 PM.
The nude figure
Deadline: September 9. The Nude Figure at Wayne Art Center in Wayne, PA is juried by Paul DuSold and Scott Noel. Open to all artists working in painting, drawing and sculpture.
DC-area artists
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.
Deadline: September 23. The Riverdale Park (MD) Public Art Initiative is announcing a Call for Artists. The initiative seeks five sculptures of various styles and sizes to display for a one year-long placement, at pre-determined, publicly-accessible sites within the Town of Riverdale Park. The stipend is $2,000 per selected work.
Art League solo exhibits
Deadline: September 23. Entry is now open for 2018 solo artist exhibits at The Art League. Entry is open to all Art League exhibiting artist members.
Paintings
Deadline: September 28. “Root to Bloom: Places Artists Call Home” at Principle Gallery (Alexandria, VA) will feature paintings representative of where the featured artists call “home.” Works must be paintings no more than 40 inches along the longest edge (measured unframed).
Contemporary craft
Deadline: September 30. The Greater Denton Arts Council announces the opening of its 2017 Call for Entries for the 30th Annual Materials: Hard + Soft Contemporary Craft Exhibition. This exhibition celebrates the evolving field of contemporary craft and the innovation of artists who push the boundaries of their chosen media.
Maryland residency
Deadline: September 30. VisArts invites applications and proposals from local, national, and international artists for a four month residency at VisArts at Rockville, MD.
Small works
Deadline: September 30. The Council for the Arts (Chambersburg, PA) presents “Miniature Art 2016.” 2-D artwork must have an image size no greater than 4″ by 6″, and sculpture should not exceed 5″ in any direction. No crafts, jewelry, photography, laser prints or computer-generated artwork.
Photography about homelessness
Deadline: October 1. For Picture This, organized by Flashlight Baltimore, entries can depict the homeless experience from around the country, however the Baltimore region is preferred. Entries must be original photography.
Bas-relief
Deadline: October 3. The Dexter Jones Award, an unrestricted prize of $5,000, is presented annually to a sculptor for an outstanding work of sculpture in bas-relief. Each competitor must be a United States sculptor between the ages of 18 and 39.
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.
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.
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.
Homeward Bound, watercolor, by Florence Setzer. Winner of the Potomac Valley Watercolorists Award.
It’s a familiar scene: red lights on the right, white lights on the left. A gentle curve, following the sun home at the end of a long day.
What’s unfamiliar is the sense of calm. An unexpected subject for a watercolor painting, rush hour finds peace in a cool palette — and a quiet moment plucked from a stressful routine. Homeward Bound by Florence Setzer won the Potomac Valley Watercolorists Award, and we asked the artist to tell us about its origins, and her process as a watercolor artist.
What was your goal with Homeward Bound?
Florence Setzer: Heading home after work brings an element of relief and anticipation. I wanted to convey a sense of the serenity and beauty that can sometimes arise at dusk, even during the hassles of commuting.
What road is depicted? What made you want to paint it?
The road is the beltway, seen from a pedestrian bridge I frequently cross. The painting was a response to a challenge by Gwen Bragg to do a painting on the subject “return.” What came to mind was returning home from work, and this image of rush hour traffic suggested itself.
Cape Town by Florence Setzer, part of her “Distant Cities” series.
Why do you work in watercolor? What does it offer that other media don’t?
I first fell in love with watercolor just because I liked the way it looks. The subtle gradations that naturally occur in wet-in-wet watercolor can create striking effects that are hard to achieve in other media. These effects work particularly well in landscape features like sky and water.
The white paper and transparent paints can provide a wonderful sense of light. The convenience of a medium that requires little preparation or cleanup, and thus lends itself to spontaneity, was a bonus. Watercolor is also extremely portable for plein air work.
What is your creative process like, from finding an idea to declaring a piece finished?
I’m not particularly introspective about my painting. I paint more or less realistically, and I think what I try to do is to capture and convey the beauty of the world around me.
I like to begin with some striking visual image that I’ve experienced. My paintings are predominantly landscapes. When I paint indoors, I work from photographs. I crop them and do value studies until I come up with a satisfying composition and a format that suits the subject. Then I sketch the image on the paper.
I usually use fairly traditional watercolor techniques, with a succession of transparent washes. When the painting is close to being finished, I set it on an easel by my breakfast table and contemplate it over breakfast and lunch. Sometimes I spend a long time deciding whether a painting is finished or not. Then I photograph and frame my paintings. While those aren’t particularly creative activities, they seem to me to be a part of the job of producing the finished work of art.
Across the Golden Gate by Florence Setzer
What are you working on now?
Lately I’ve been thinking of series of plein air paintings of a single place under different conditions. I just returned form Maine, where I did plein air paintings of the shore at high and low tide. Also, I’ve done a couple of paintings of cities seen from a distance, which I’m thinking of turning into a series.
“Landschap” is on view through Sunday, September 4.
“a series of paintings that start with the use of a combination of photography, digital collage, animation and projections to create multifaceted figures that appear to move and animate, each painting consisting of four or five different poses.”
The opening reception is September 2 at 6:00 pm, and the exhibit continues through October 1. You don’t want to miss this one!
Scott teaches drawing and painting classes at The Art League. Take a look at his schedule of classes here:
Her latest creation, however, could use one. With goat horns and a friendly smile, Legends of Zelda won the Monkith Saaid Memorial Sculpture Award in this month’s sculpture-only exhibit, “Taking Shape.” We asked the artist to get us acquainted.
Who is Zelda?
Kathlyn Avila: Zelda is my interpretation of an African fairy. I chose the name Zelda because one of its origins means “blessed” or “happy.” Most African fairies are known for their benevolence. There are many stories of these fairies that have helped families, children, and hunters. The legend of these fairies are that they provide magic and give spiritual knowledge to people.
Sculptures by Kathlyn Avila from her December 2015 exhibit, “No Ordinary Woman.”
What was your goal?
My goal in sculpting this figure was to creatively translate the magical and mystical essence of the mythological beings known as African fairies into a ceramic form. The forests and jungles of West Africa are said to be inhabited by a multitude of fairies and gnomes, most of which are known for their benevolence. The surface of my sculpture is adorned with animal patterns, leaves, and textiles design prints that are indicative of West Africa.
Legends of Zelda (detail) by Kathlyn Avila
What was the inspiration for the horns?
The horns on “Zelda” are goat horns which have numerous symbolic meanings. My use of the horns represent power and strength.
The horns were also used as a drinking vessel in antiquity and has a dual meaning symbolically that is both masculine and feminine. This dual symbolism, therefore, is representative of the yin/yang energy. “Zelda” embraces all with equal caring and balance.
Deadline: September 2. Artists, 18 years or older, residing in Maryland or within a 100-mile radius of Ellicott City, Maryland are invited to apply for Art Maryland 2016, a biennial juried exhibit.
Small photo works
Deadline: September 4. Hillyer Art Space (Washington, DC) celebrates Fotoweek DC with FORMAT, a small works show featuring photo-based art. All work must be under 10″ in any one directions (inclusive of frame). This exhibition will be juried by DC-based photographer and curator, Laila Abdul-Hadi Jadallah.
Nude figure
Deadline: September 9. “The Nude Figure” at Wayne Art Center (Wayne, PA) will present a survey of contemporary responses to the nude to illuminate resonances between traditions of imagining the figure and the artist’s personal experience.
DC-area artists
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.
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.
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.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Exhibit proposals
Deadline: August 31. The Arts Club of Washington (DC) continues its support for the visual arts with the Call for Entries for the 2017–2018 gallery season. Exhibitions are scheduled monthly from September 2017 through May 2018.
Fall art show
Deadline: September 1. The 45th Annual Fall Foliage Art Show (Waynesboro, VA) is seeking fine artists and artisans for the annual two day outdoor juried fine art exhibition.
Digital Fabrication Residency
Deadline: September 1. Digital Fabrication Residency program residents learn and gain hands-on experience with laser cutting, CNC routing, FDM 3D printing, digital embroidery, 2D plotting and 3D scanning. Applications for the 3 Day Onsite Residency Program in Easton, MD must include a project proposal that outlines what the resident plans to work on while onsite.
Exhibit proposals
Deadline: September 4. The Carver Center Gallery (Towson, MD) is now accepting exhibition proposals for the 2016-2017 school year. We are looking for a wide variety of solo or group exhibitions representing work from MFA graduates, emerging, and mid-career artists.
F.E.A.S.T.
Deadline: September 6. F.E.A.S.T. at VisArts 2016 (Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics) is a bridge between artists and the community. F.E.A.S.T. is a public meal designed to use community-driven financial support to democratically fund projects that use art and creative thinking to impact the community. F.E.A.S.T. at VisArts 2016 will take place on September 25th on the Rooftop at VisArts in Rockville, Maryland, 11:30 to 3:00 PM.
The nude figure
Deadline: September 9. The Nude Figure at Wayne Art Center in Wayne, PA is juried by Paul DuSold and Scott Noel. Open to all artists working in painting, drawing and sculpture.
Public sculpture
Deadline: September 23. The Riverdale Park (MD) Public Art Initiative is announcing a Call for Artists. The initiative seeks five sculptures of various styles and sizes to display for a one year-long placement, at pre-determined, publicly-accessible sites within the Town of Riverdale Park. The stipend is $2,000 per selected work.
Art League solo exhibits
Deadline: September 23. Entry is now open for 2018 solo artist exhibits at The Art League. Entry is open to all Art League exhibiting artist members.
Paintings
Deadline: September 28. “Root to Bloom: Places Artists Call Home” at Principle Gallery (Alexandria, VA) will feature paintings representative of where the featured artists call “home.” Works must be paintings no more than 40 inches along the longest edge (measured unframed).
Contemporary craft
Deadline: September 30. The Greater Denton Arts Council announces the opening of its 2017 Call for Entries for the 30th Annual Materials: Hard + Soft Contemporary Craft Exhibition. This exhibition celebrates the evolving field of contemporary craft and the innovation of artists who push the boundaries of their chosen media.
Maryland residency
Deadline: September 30. VisArts invites applications and proposals from local, national, and international artists for a four month residency at VisArts at Rockville, MD.
Small works
Deadline: September 30. The Council for the Arts (Chambersburg, PA) presents “Miniature Art 2016.” 2-D artwork must have an image size no greater than 4″ by 6″, and sculpture should not exceed 5″ in any direction. No crafts, jewelry, photography, laser prints or computer-generated artwork.
Photography about homelessness
Deadline: October 1. For Picture This, organized by Flashlight Baltimore, entries can depict the homeless experience from around the country, however the Baltimore region is preferred. Entries must be original photography.
Bas-relief
Deadline: October 3. The Dexter Jones Award, an unrestricted prize of $5,000, is presented annually to a sculptor for an outstanding work of sculpture in bas-relief. Each competitor must be a United States sculptor between the ages of 18 and 39.
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.
Deadline: Ongoing. Washington ArtWorks (Rockville, MD) is holding an Open Call for the Walls. Artists pay a fee to hang work for two-month periods in these unjuried exhibits.
The Art League Blog is on vacation this week, so we’re reposting some of our most popular resources on sharing your art online! Please enjoy this post from the vault, originally published June 23, 2016.
“If you’re an artist and you don’t have a website yet — or if you want to change the one you have now — it’s never too late to get started!”
That’s why we started our original artist website post, and three years later, it’s more true than ever. If you’re ready to take the plunge, you’ve come to the right place! This guide will walk you through:
A website is another way for people to find out about you and your artwork. They could be strangers who find you by googling “sculptors in DC,” or people who already know you and want to learn more.
Think about it this way: where do you go when you’re making a purchase or doing research? Online. So will your potential customers (and email subscribers, and fans, and so on).
The website of Andy Yoder is built in WordPress using the Vertex theme.
Step 1: Define your goal
Your goal for your website will determine what features you need. Common goals include:
I want to sell artwork through my website
I want my website to serve as a portfolio for interested galleries, customers, and fans
I want people to find and contact me
I want to keep my fans and customers updated with my latest news
If you want to sell work through your website, make sure the service you choose (below) has an option for an online store — and make sure it’s easy to use! If you want to make a portfolio site, make sure the service you choose can handle beautiful image galleries. If you want to keep customers updated, you will probably want a built-in blog and email newsletter.
If any of these are must-haves for you, make sure they’re a possibility on the platform you choose.
We made a chart comparing some of the most popular options out there. Some are geared specifically toward artists, but most of them have portfolio templates for your design, and they’re all suitable for use by artists. See below for an explanation of the terms used and links to the websites:
How to read this chart
Hosting: This is how your website is delivered to visitors. You’ll pay around $10 a month if you get hosting on your own (for example if you use WordPress.org), but it’s included in all the other services above.
Store: Is there a built-in way for people to purchase through your website? Typically, you’ll pay extra for this feature.
Stats: Can you get information on how many people are visiting your site and how they’re getting there?
Domain: A domain name, like theartleague.org, is an important factor. Do you get your very own domain? Or do you have to share one, like theartleague.squarespace.com? (This is sometimes offered as a free option, but it’s worth it to pay for your very own domain.) See below for tips on choosing your domain name.
Before committing, see if there’s a free trial. You should also look for examples of live artist websites using the service you’d like to use. Keep your goal (step 1) in mind as you tick off the following checklist:
Can you use the back end? The back-end is the part of the website that’s visible only to you, where you go to make changes to your website.
Is there customer service? When your website goes down or disappears, will there be someone to answer the phone?
Is it mobile friendly? Most of your visitors will be viewing on their phone (possibly at the very moment they’re standing in front of your artwork). Make sure everything works properly and is easy to use.
What designs are available? Notice that this is last on the list. It’s typically the easiest thing to change, and it’s most important to consider the function and content before appearance. That said, you’ll want to pick a service that matches your abilities. There’s a trade-off: easier services with drag-and-drop builders will tend to look more bland, but a highly customized site will take more work and know-how.
As explained above, the domain name is where people will find you online. It typically ends in .com. Follow this formula if you can:
your first name + your last name + .com
For example, fridakahlo.com. That should be your first choice, but if that’s taken, try one of these variations: fridakahloart.com, fridakahloartist.com, fridakahlostudio.com, or frida–kahlo.com.
Note that people are more likely to visit a website that ends in .com than .net or something else.
Now comes the fun part. Again, what you put on your website depends on your goal. At a bare minimum, you will want the following two things:
images of your artwork
your contact information
You’ll probably expand on this to include things like your artist bio or statement, different image galleries, or a store or blog, depending on your needs.
It’s important to start small and keep your website up to date. Any obviously out-of-date information is going to lead to visitors leaving your website. As you get comfortable with building and updating your website, you can start to build more.
A functional, up-to-date website is a must for any artist working today. While it takes some time to set up and maintain — time that you’d rather spend in the studio — it pays dividends in creating a visible, professional presence for your art.
Hopefully, this guide gave you a head start on the process. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments!
Other resources
Here are some other articles you might find helpful:
The Art League Blog is on vacation this week, so we’re reposting some of our most popular resources on sharing your art online! Please enjoy this post from the vault, originally published August 13, 2015.
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!
The Art League Blog is on vacation this week, so we’re reposting some of our most popular resources on sharing your art online! Please enjoy this post from the vault, originally published September 20, 2012.
Artists: do you blog? Have you considered starting one? If you have spare time, blogging can be a great way to keep in touch with the people who follow your work, and a place for new people to find you.
Why blog? There are lots of reasons, but here are a few:
Share the why and how behind your artwork.
Show works in progress, and connect with your fans and buyers. They can keep up to date on your new work and shows by signing up for your RSS feed or an e-mail newsletter of your blog posts.
Ask your readers questions, and get comments on your posts.
Improve your search engine rankings and make it easier for people to find you online.
That said, blogging isn’t for everyone. You should blog only if you have the time and energy, and something to say.
If you already have a website, your platform might include a blogging function so you don’t need to maintain a separate site. If you don’t have a website, try WordPress (which is what this blog runs on) — it’s free, and you can use it for both your blog and the rest of your website. (Other popular options are listed below.)
Tips and perspectives from artists
We asked some Art League artists who blog for their perspective on everything. Read to the end for some resources that can help you with starting a blog and ideas for what to write about.
“Reston Founder Robert (Bob) Simon: Face #100” by Jill Banks. This was the final painting in Jill’s 100 Faces in 100 Days project, which was chronicled on her blog. You can read about this final piece here.
Jill Banks never read blogs before starting on the suggestion of another artist, but she says she finds it easy and interesting to write about life as an artist. Artists, collectors, and people who are just interested in art read her blog. She says people get attached to paintings when they are just images of works in progress, then they are thrilled to see them in person: “it already feels like it’s a part of them.”
Jill’s “100 Faces in 100 Days” project, in which she painted 100 volunteer models from January 1 to April 10 last year, was announced on her blog and featured every day there while it was going on. That’s probably when her blog was most popular, she says, with people checking in to see the latest post and see photos of the portraits. (Jill includes an image with every post, which is considered blogging best practice.)
“It really built a following,” Jill said of the 100 Faces chronicle. Articles like these, which allow readers to follow an ongoing project and to connect with the stories behind artwork, are perfect for blogs.
“And Not a Drop to Drink” by Cindy Packard Richmond, from this post on her blog.
Like Jill, Cindy Packard Richmond uses Blogger, Google’s blogging platform, for her blog. But she says she doesn’t like it, citing concerns over difficulty in readers leaving comments and about image copyright. (We’ll feature tips about how to protect your art online in a future post.)
Cindy writes that she tries to blog at least twice a month, though she blogged more frequently during her solo exhibit at The Art League Gallery last year. She says her posts are more about her life than art, specifically. “My blog is not a true artist blog,” she writes. “Artist block comes up now and again, but I am more likely to grouse about tenants of our summer house or my son’s dog. I try to be droll.”
Nancy Freeman says that while her blog is only one part of her site, it’s by far the most active part. She tries to update it at least twice a week. Using Weebly, the system her site is built on, has been straightforward; she says that it’s producing the content that’s been time-consuming, in particular, photographing and editing images of her artwork.
“My site is a lot like a garden;” Nancy writes, “it’s more of a process than a product and is always a work in progress. And as with a garden, the rewards are in direct proportion to the time and effort you put into it.” You can read more of Nancy’s thoughts about her new website on her blog.
For other examples of artist blogs, Google some of your favorite artists or check out the links to Art League blogs in the right sidebar.
Thinking of trying blogging out? Here are some resources to help you get started:
Some of the most popular blogging platforms — see which one looks best to you:
If you’re interested in WordPress, The Abundant Artist has many useful posts to help you — as well as other advice on websites in general. Here is their video on how to set up your site, and this post has examples of themes that work for artists.
Here are six simple ideas for blog posts from Empty Easel. Remember, if it’s about art, and it interests you, it will interest your readers, too!
