Our May solo exhibit, Deborah Conn’s “A Sense of Herself,” is only open through the rest of this week. The women Conn has portrayed on paper not only “speak” to us through strong color and composition, but also through their own narratives and stories which accompany each portrait.
While you still have a few days to stop by the gallery and view the large-scale, textured portraits (and read all the stories), here’s a sneak preview of some of the amazing tales of resilience and strength:
Anila by Deborah Conn
Anila
Anila is a Pakistani Muslim woman who grew up in Virginia and Maryland. As a youth, her father forbade her to continue beyond 10th grade, and relatives arranged her marriage to secure a green card for her cousin. Her husband physically and verbally abused her, keeping her confined to the house, eventually abandoning her and their toddler and infant daughters. Today, with the help of social services groups like Homestretch —and through her own persistence and determination —Anila is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and working as a classroom assistant in a Montessori school.
Ellalyne by Deborah Conn
Ellalyne
Ellalyne was born in Sierra Leone, where she changed elementary schools seven times and high schools twice because of political unrest and an unstable home situation. “One of my step-dads was the chief of Magburak in the Tonkolili District. He had several wives and children and that was a difficult situation to live in, but I did try my best to embrace the lifestyle.” Before settling in Virginia, Ellalyn lived in England, Scotland, Ireland and, briefly, Paris. She began her own business, LaBella Bridal Boutique, in Occoquan 11 years ago and is president of her local chapter of Business Network International.
Pam by Deborah Conn
Pam
Pam has made art since she was a child. Her art education took a few detours, including working in an hospital emergency room and a stint in the Air Force, where she worked on special operations helicopters and airplanes. After she left the military, she finished her degree in visual arts and took a job at the Southwest School of Art in San Francisco. “My own artmaking is a passion, but I always knew I would be more focused on helping other artists achieve their dreams and goals,” she says. Today she is executive director of the Bay School of Arts in Mathews, Virginia, where she says, she is applying the patience and empathy she learned working in hospitals, and the tolerance, discipline and flexibility she learned in the military to her current career.
Ken Marlow is a renowned American painter known for his exceptionally realistic still life paintings and portraits. He studied at Yale University, apprenticed with Nelson Shanks, and then taught at The Art League school in the 1980s. Unfortunately, he’s suffered a series of devastating strokes, but Feldenkrais therapy has him holding a brush again. Donate to Ken’s GoFundMe page and help this amazing artist get the treatment he needs.
“In the galaxy of contemporary artists in the US today, Marlow looms as a rising star whose genius and creativity in the field of realism seems to know no boundaries.”
Hollis Taggart, President of Hollis Taggart Galleries. Exhibition catalog, 1992.
Ken suffered a serious stroke in 2013 and then a devastating stroke in 2015, leaving him bedridden, on Medicaid in a nursing home, unable to speak or swallow. He has only minimal mobility on his right side and is paralyzed on his left. Amazingly, his zest for life and sense of humor have remained intact throughout. Friends who visit him regularly are convinced this applies as well to his artistic genius, resting inside him, waiting to be re-awakened.
Recently, Ken has had private Feldenkrais therapy sessions, paid by a friend. These involve gentle physical manipulations of his body designed to awaken neural muscle connections. Ken has engaged in these enthusiastically and the improvement in the last several months is noticeable and encouraging. He can now hold a brush with his right hand and manipulate it to some degree. He desperately wants to paint again. But it is unknown how long the window for improvement will remain open.
Self portrait
The strategy is to increase the frequency of Feldenkrais therapy sessions and enhance their benefit with complementary speech and physical therapies and, possibly, sign language training. The aim is to reach the point where Ken can paint again and enjoy a fuller life in the near future.
These sessions are expensive and his resources are limited. Medicaid provides only the bare minimum – no physical nurturing, only basic sustenance. Funding assistance is urgently needed. Ken’s family, friends and supporters have already responded enthusiastically with donations from $50 to $5,000.
Any assistance you can provide will be most appreciated. As Ken’s abilities return, samples of his creations will be shared by email with all donors.
All funds will be directed to: TCVA, trustee for CCT, fbo Ken Marlow. This is a special needs trust which ensures Ken’s benefits under Medicaid will not be jeopardized.
Rose O’Donnell posing with an installation from the 2018 Biennial Ikebana Show
It’s hard to believe that Rose O’Donnell was ever a newcomer to The Art League because, for many, she is synonymous with the organization. When Rose arrived in spring 2006, fresh to the east coast and to The Art League gallery, she didn’t know how deeply the organization and the role of Gallery Director would impact her. After 10 years as Gallery Director and Supporter Relations and Development Associate for over two years, Rose has been back as Gallery Director since April 1. Now that she’s on the precipice of moving on to the next chapter in her life, we wanted to sit down with Rose and asked her to talk about her career at The Art League, how the gallery has changed over the years, and what she’ll remember and miss most.
What are the biggest ways in which the gallery has changed over the last 12 years?
The way we communicate is by far the biggest change The Art League has seen over the last 12 years. And, it’s completely transformed how we engage with our community.
Our monthly Tidings newsletter, which used to be sent in the (snail) mail, was our only consistent communication with our artist members. Now we communicate with them (and everyone connected to The Art League) digitally – through email, social media, our blog, and more. During our 60th Anniversary year in 2014, Diane Blackwell’s piece Happy in the “POP Exhibit” garnered so much attention online – it was crazy! That made me realize the power and reach the Internet has and what an important communication tool it can be.
How have the artists and the artwork exhibited changed?
If you walked into the gallery today after being away for awhile, you wouldn’t notice a huge change as far as the type of work hanging on the walls. Although the gallery space has changed cosmetically, what has really evolved is the exhibiting artist membership.
We have a more diverse group of exhibiting artist members than we did 10 years ago, which I think can be accredited to our digital presence and the many ways in which someone can be a member. Moving toward digital-only submissions really allows us to diversify even more, because it broadens our juror pool and makes it easier for more artists to submit their work.
Artists often ask what type of work sells best. I’ve learned that there is no magic formula for what people will buy. There wasn’t 12 years ago and there isn’t now. People buy what they love, and artists should paint, draw, sculpt, photograph, and print what they love.
What was your favorite exhibit?
The “POP Exhibit” during our 60th Anniversary year definitely remains a favorite. It was fun, the work was inventive, the publicity we received was amazing, and we had a great juror – Robin Nicholson from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) in Richmond.
“HerStory” and “The Feminist Movement in Art” were other favorites. We did a retablo exhibit in 2011 to coincide with Day of The Dead called “Altars, Icons, and Reliquaries.” It didn’t quite take off the way I imagined but I think the subject still has a lot of potential.
Diane Blackwell’s Happy garnered international media coverage
What has been your most meaningful accomplishment?
In addition to watching artists grow in their work, I feel that playing a role in getting the IMPart participants to show their work in the gallery was very important. To see Jon Meadows’ amazing artwork and get an honest and powerful view of what he experienced in Iraq and Afghanistan… that’s what The Art League is all about and shows that art can change lives.
What will you miss most?
Absolutely the people. I’ve been so inspired by the people I’ve met. Many people don’t realize how diverse the gallery membership is – we have a former US Senator as an exhibiting artist member! It’s been wonderful to watch so many talented, determined, and driven artists grow and succeed. I will miss everyone.
At a gallery reception with members
What are you most looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to focusing on my own artwork (!) and spending time with family.
What are your hopes for the gallery in the future?
I hope the gallery continues to be a space where all artists feel welcome and can learn and grow in their creative lives
The 37th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show 2019 — National Building Museum
Deadlines: May 23 – September 7. Late Deadlines: September 8 – September 21.
The Smithsonian Craft Show is a prestigious juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American craft in art 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. There is no quota for any category of Craft Art. Artists are selected on the basis of the originality, artistic conception, and quality of their work. The show is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee. Proceeds from the Show fund grants that benefit the Smithsonian’s education, outreach, research, and conservation programs.
However, accepted artists are encouraged to donate an item for the Show’s online auction, raffle, or other fundraising initiatives, the proceeds of which benefit the Smithsonian. ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: Basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood. Learn more about this opportunity here.
MFA Circle Gallery “American Landscapes” – Maryland
Deadline June 14. Introducing American Landscapes: Scenes from the Americas. MFA (Maryland Federation of Art) invites all artists residing in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico to enter its 18th annual American Landscapes competition. Following entry guidelines, any original 2-D or 3-D work depicting a landscape from one of the Americas* will be considered (*North America, Hawaii, Central America, Caribbean & South America). The selected works will be on exhibit at MFA’s Circle Gallery from August 23 through September 22, 2018. Exhibition Chair: Mike McSorley (and The Art League’s June Solo Artist). To apply, click here.
MFA Circle Gallery “Beacon Celebration of the Arts” – Maryland
Deadline: June 29. The Beacon Newspapers is pleased to present the “Celebration of the Arts” – a year-long program, in partnership with the Maryland Federation of Art – designed to entice individuals 50 and over throughout the MD/DC/VA region to try a new artistic endeavor, and then to enter their best work in a regional competition in one or more of these four categories:
Painting and drawing: Any one-dimensional work on any flat surface in pen and ink, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, oil paint or other paint or dye
3D/mixed media artwork: any handmade, two- or three-dimensional sculpture, pottery, frieze, woven or fabric art, found object art, mosaic, jewelry, glass art or painting containing multi-dimensional objects
Photography: any images taken with film or digitally, whether manipulated by computer program or not
Poetry: a poem of no more than two pages in length in any style
Deadline: July 24. Stormy weather—from onset to aftermath and all in between—is the theme of MFA’s (Maryland Federation of Art) 3rd annual exhibition. MFA invites all 2-and 3-D artists to submit any original 2-D artwork depicting the sounds, colors, impact, anticipation, and more, of stormy weather. The selected artworks may be viewed on MFA’s online Curve Gallery from August 15 through September 30, 2018.
Show Chairs: Richard Niewerth and Wil Scott.
Apply to New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Fiscal Sponsorship
Deadline(s): June 30, September 30, December 31, and March 31. Application for NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship is free and open to all artists with a U.S. Tax Identification Number, regardless of location. Artists who live in the U.S. but work overseas are welcome to apply. NYFA also accepts out-of-cycle reviews; please email [email protected] for details. To learn more about the scholarship, click here.
MFA Circle Gallery “50 Forever” – Maryland
Exhibit dates: July 25 – August 16. Please enter your artwork for each exhibition online here. In celebration of our 50th year at Circle Gallery, MFA is hosting two Fifty Forever Exhibitions! Fifty Forever @ Circle Gallery – MFA current Members – Entry fees are $10 for one entry for this all-hang, all-media exhibition. Artworks must be no larger than 20″ x 20″ x 20″, including frame. MFA former members may rejoin and exhibit for $80 during the entry process ($70 for a one-year membership and $10 for the entry fee). Entry fees are non-refundable. Fifty Forever Online Exhibition – Entry fees are $5 for one entry. Open to all current and former MFA Members. Artworks must be no larger than 72″x 72″x 72″, including frame. If your work is larger, please contact MFA. There will be a closing reception for all artists at Circle Gallery on August 16 during Annapolis Artwalk.
Internships: The Art League’s Summer Art Camp
The Art League School’s Summer Art Camp is currently searching for interns for Summer 2018. Assistance is needed with class set ups, class coordination, in class-instructor assistance, and helping to evaluate the effectiveness of classes offered. Interns are trained and directly supervised by the camp coordinator. Interns will also have the opportunity to create and teach their own lessons towards the end of the summer. More information here.
Exhibit: Tabletop wares @ The Art League
Deadline: June 15. Tabletop: Exploring Food and Function will showcase the artistry of various functional wares associated with the table. Mediums that will be accepted include ceramic, metal, fiber, wood, and glass. All works must be functional. Open to all artists; Art League members receive discounted entry.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Mural Request for Proposals
Deadline: May 31. Akre Capital Management, located in the historic building formerly known as Mosby’s Tavern in Middleburg, has released a RFP to have an exterior mural painted on the side of their office building. They are seeking proposals from those who have the ability to design, manage and implement the project to completion.
Apparel and jewelry
Deadline: June 1. STYLE ‘18 will take place over two days at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco. Jurors will hand select 36 national and international designers to participate in the 2018 event.
Exhibit: We Are Takoma
Deadline: June 4. The City of Takoma We Are Takoma cultural series is seeking proposals from artists who wish to participate in group exhibitions in 2019 in the galleries of the Takoma Park Community Center. Artists do not need to be Takoma Park residents. Individual artists working in any visual art medium are encouraged to apply, as well as independent curators or artist collectives with proposals for their own cohesive group exhibitions. Artists aren’t paid but are welcome to sell their work with no commission. Apply online.
The 2018 Photo Review 34th Annual International Photography Competition – NY
Deadline: May 31. The Photo Review seeks entries for a juried photography exhibition, November 9 – December 9 at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA and on the The Photo Review website. Awards include exhibitions, purchase prize, gear. Juror: Sarah Meister, Curator of Photography, Museum of Modern Art, New York. All photographic processes are eligible. $35 for 3 images, $8 each additional. More info, visit: The Photo Review contest site. Contact: [email protected] or call 215-891-0214. Visit the Photo Review website to learn more.
Gloucester Arts Festival : Stewart Gallery
You’re invited to the Symphony Nocturne Paint Out (Saturday, June 2, 7:00-9:30 pm) and the Small Painting Sunday Paint Out (Sunday, June 3, 8:00–11:00 am) hosted by Stewart Gallery in conjunction with the Gloucester Arts Festival. Finished paintings will be included in the En Plein Air Show at Stewart Gallery, June 1 – 30. For more information about events and application specifics to each, please visit The Stewart Gallery website.
Washington Printmakers Gallery: National Small Works Competition & Exhibition
Deadline: June 7. National call for exhibit at Washington Printmakers Gallery (DC). Open to artists 18 years and older. Submit hand-pulled prints, screen prints, digital prints, photographs, and three-dimensional work with print components completed within the past two years. Image may be no larger than 100 square inches, with framed size of 256 square inches or less. 3D works are limited to 250 cubic inches. Juror: Susan Goldman. Grand Prize: 2019 Solo Exhibition. Other prizes include art materials, gift certificates, and a $250 screenprint prize. For more information, visit the Washington Printmakers Gallery website.
Kaplan Gallery – NextGen 5.0 Open Call
Deadline: June 8, 11:59 pm. NextGen 5.0 is calling all DMV aspiring artists. VisArts welcomes artists ages 17 – 27 in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area to submit their application for NextGen 5.0, our fifth exhibition in our Kaplan Gallery from July 11 – August 19. NextGen 5.0 is an opportunity for aspiring artists with little to no experience exhibiting their work in a professional gallery. VisArts is a non-profit organization whose mission is to transform individuals and communities through the visual arts. VisArts provides children, teens and adults with opportunities to express their creativity and enhance their awareness of the arts. Applicants should have little or no experience exhibiting in a professional gallery. Previous NextGen participants are ineligible. Previous NextGen applicants who were not selected may re-apply for this year’s exhibition. Online applications are due by June 8, 11:59 pm at visartscenter.org/call-for-entries.
Bill of Rights Project
Deadline: June 8. Open to all medium and persuasions. The Bill of Rights was created in response to the Constitution, “to prevent misconstruction and abuse of it’s powers.” According to the ACLU’s webpage, “The Constitution was remarkable, but deeply flawed. For one thing, it did not include a specific declaration—or bill—of individual rights. It specified what the government could do but did not say what it could not do. For another, it did not apply to everyone. The ‘consent of the governed’ meant propertied white men only.” In images and/or words, please react to OUR Bill of Rights. You can respond to a particular amendment or to the bill as a whole, or you can pose a question. Here are a few sites to get you started. The first exhibition of the completed piece will be in Bellows Falls VT, June 15 as part of The Arts of Resistance. Jeanette Staley is a VT artist working in collage and mixed media. Email: [email protected]. Mail pieces to Jeanette Staley, 201 Church Ave., Bellows Falls, VT 05101
Alexandria Commission for the Arts Call to Artists – Voting Sticker Design
Deadline: June 8 at 5:00 pm. The City of Alexandria Commission for the Arts invites artists and artist teams that live and/or work and/or attend school within the City of Alexandria, Virginia to submit their qualifications for the City’s first Voting Sticker Design. One artist will be selected to design the City’s official 2018 “I Voted” and “Future Voter” stickers. Artists are encouraged to use a variety of media, such as photography, painting, collage, digital imagery, etc. to develop their designs. To develop the designs, artists are encouraged to consider the spirit of Alexandria, the importance of democracy, as well as ensure non-partisanship. The City will be responsible for the printing of the stickers and distribution of the stickers for the November 2018 elections in the City of Alexandria. For more information and how to apply, click here.
Exhibit: Juxtaposed
Deadline: June 10. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit to Juxtaposed, a group exhibition focusing on the contradictory or conflicting. Whether it be through the use of mixed media or the themes represented, the work itself should be at odds with two or more juxtaposing concepts.
Call for 2019 Site-Specific Artist Installations at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site – PA
Deadline: June 13. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is currently accepting proposals for its 2019 season of site-specific artist installations. We’re again offering two funding levels: $7,500 per standard project, and $15,000 per Criminal Justice Today project.
Allied Artists of America 105th Annual Exhibition
Deadline: June 15. At the Salmagundi Club in New York, NY. Open to all artists 18 years and older. Original artwork in oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, graphic, mixed media, and sculpture accepted. Over $25,000 in cash awards. Exhibit on view August 30-September 16, 2018. More information here.
Art Enables: 12th Annual Outsider Art Inside the Beltway Exhibition
Deadline: July 22. OAIB is an annual exhibition that showcases self-taught artists from across the nation together in Art Enables’ two gallery spaces in September and October 2018. Work should be made by an artist(s) who identifies as a self-taught, folk, or outsider artist. For more information and to submit, visit the OAIB website.
The Torpedo Factory – Art of Armistice
Deadline: July 22, 11:59 pm. Exhibition Dates: October 27 – December 2. Reception Date: Friday, November 16, 7:00–9:00 pm. Gallery Talk at 8:00 pm. Juror: Spencer Dormitzer, DC-based artist and curator. The Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit artwork to the Art of Armistice, a group exhibition that explores the after effects of war. The exhibition will focus on the physical, mental, and cultural effects of war on the world through the perspective of both civilians and veterans alike. This exhibition will be paired with different public programs in honor of the 100th year anniversary of the ground breaking of the former munitions plant that the Torpedo Factory Art Center now calls home. For more information and to submit, visit torpedofactory.org/artopps.
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
2019 Post Graduation Residency Program
Deadline: October 7. Jurors: Nicole Dowd, program director of Halcyon Arts Lab and Leslie Holt, DC-based artist and co-director of Red Dirt Studios. The Torpedo Factory Post-Grad Residency is a competitive juried program that provides meaningful support and three-month term solo studio space. This residency is open to recently-graduated students who earned a bachelor’s or master’s art degree from an accredited university. The program is unique for addressing the critical post-graduation juncture in an emerging artist’s career, offering an opportunity for professional development, and a chance to define their independent work process outside of the academic context. Submissions are open for both art school students in the region and nationwide, provided nationwide artists 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. Please read and review Guidelines before applying.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo
Artists works will displayed in the hotel’s gallery (220 S Union St, Old Town Alexandria) for a six-month period. Two-dimensional, framed works only. Artists will install the work using the hotel’s mounting hardware. Labels will be provided by the hotel. All sales handled by artist, no commission. Preference for local or locally influenced selections but not required. The space measures approximately 7’10” by 8’3.″ If interested, contact Kate Ellis, General Manager, [email protected].
The New Project Studio- Ongoing Opportunity
Ongoing. Located in Studio 8, the New Project Studio is a community-focused arts incubator space that offers a short-term location to test new program ideas, spotlight underrepresented voices, and enhance community engagement. Projects rotate on a regular basis. For more information, click here.
Public Arts Grants & Opportunities
Ongoing. The City of Alexandria’s Office of the Arts provides grants for nonprofit arts organizations as well as individual artists. See all current opportunities and online applications here.
NYC volunteer opportunity
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org, contact us at http://awnyc.org/contact-us/ or find us on Facebook at artworksnyc.
Artists 50 and over
The Beacon is holding a regional competition for people over 50 who have picked up a new artistic endeavor: painting/drawing, 3D art, photography, or poetry. The competition opened in April 2018. For details, download the PDF flyer.
Superfine art fair
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
Residency: Maryland
Deadline: ongoing. Montgomery College, Rockville and Germantown Art Department is seeking proposals for its Artist-in-Residence Program, encouraging proposals that cultivate collaborative work between artists and students.
Looking for artists: Foundry Gallery
Deadline: ongoing. Foundry Gallery is seeking a few artists in the greater Washington, DC area. If interested in applying for membership please send up to five images (jpg attachments) and an email letter to: [email protected]. The oldest cooperative in Washington, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows at its beautiful space north of Shaw near the 9:30 Club.
Looking for artists: Printmakers
Deadline: ongoing. Washington Printmakers Gallery is seeking artist members specializing in printmaking, photography and book arts. An active cooperative for over 30 years, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows in its lovely space in upper Georgetown. Distant and shared memberships are available. If interested in applying for membership please email [email protected].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
Best in Show: Beverly Ryan, Drone Silhouette, May 2018 Open Exhibit
Artist and Art League instructor Beverly Ryan’s Drone Silhouette seems to be suspended in air, blades whirling off the ground and ready to strike. This recurring, spider-shaped figure permeates Ryan’s recent work and was the subject of her March solo exhibit in The Art League Gallery.
The feeling of discomfort, curiosity, and the desire to sit and study the piece longer is something that this month’s juror, Fidencio Fifield-Perez was not immune to, “Some works were incredibly potent images that surpassed the medium” said Fifield-Perez. “It’s those pieces, like Drone Silhouette, that made me curious to sit longer with them.”
We talked to Ryan about her process, her May 2018 Best in Show winning piece Drone Silhouette, and what makes her drone artwork tick. How would you describe this work? Ryan: I would describe Drone Silhouette as an intense charcoal work on very good paper (Saunders Waterford).
How did you start off with the concept for your drone series? Ryan: The series began in 2015 with my concern about weaponized drones (UAVs) and our government conducting drone strikes in other countries. I had created a couple of imaginary map paintings. Drones crept into one because they had been on my mind and lead to more related works.
Line of Sight, Beverly Ryan
What was the most startling thing that stood out to you from your initial drone and surveillance research? Ryan: I was surprised to learn of the extent of our use of drone strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It had not been in the news much at all. As of 2018, this type of warfare has increased exponentially. What led you to use charcoal for this work instead of mixed media? Ryan: In the summer of 2016, I enrolled in New York Studio School’s Drawing Marathon with Graham Nickson. For two weeks, we drew all day and used charcoal almost exclusively. I began to love the deep, black richness of the medium.
Ryan’s March 2018 solo exhibit, “Drone Zone”
How does Drone Silhouette fit into the series? Was it an earlier or later work? Ryan: This drawing idea grew out of my metalwork drones. The design of the steel sculptures is a simplified silhouette of a specific drone that, to me, looks like a spider. Charcoal drawings seemed like the next step. In the Juror’s Statement, Fidencio Fifield-Perez wrote: “Some works were incredibly potent images that surpassed the medium. It’s those pieces, like Drone Silhouette, that made me curious to sit longer with them.” How would you suggest the viewer “sit with” your works? Ryan: I hope the viewer will enjoy the stark image and will imagine the movement of the air as it hovers over the land.
Did you plan out this work extensively, or let it take life of its own as it manifested on the paper?
Ryan: I usually work intuitively. My plans for artworks evolve as I go. Smearing the charcoal was an impulse after I completed the drawing. The landscape below is an artifact of the process. It occurred as I ground more and more charcoal into the drawing. I enjoyed the process and liked watching it build up on the bottom edge of the paper. I was happy it created such an interesting look and kept it. Where do you see this series going next? Ryan: The drone series’ future is unknown. I have applied to a couple other venues hoping to show the body of work again. My next drone artwork ideas have to do with swarms. Fleets of programmed swarms offer image ideas and my questions about where this is all leading continue.
F.O.M.A. (noun): “fear of missing art”; the nagging feeling that cool art events are passing you by.
While the advent of Memorial Day usually imparts days spent by the beach or chowing down on barbecue al fresco, enjoying a little art in the great indoors is a welcome respite from the heat and humidity of summer in the DMV as well as a great rainy day alternative.
The Art League – “Art on the Vine”
Art on the Vine – part global wine tour, part fine art tour – features a 7-day online auction of artwork by our esteemed faculty of artists. Join us for the kick-off wine-tasting party and the “Artwork Unveiling & First Bid” on Friday, June 8 from 7:30 to 10:30 pm. Each ticket includes: event admission, the opportunity to see all of the artwork in person, access to the Silent Auction, a souvenir wine glass, eight redeemable wine tasting tags + one full pour “coin,” and a complementary light buffet. The auction, ticket sales, and a portion of the wine and food sales, all raise money to benefit The Art League and its programs. Last chance for Early Bird tickets is May 25, so don’t wait! Cheers!
The Art League – Michael McSorley: “Collections of Perceptions”
A pocket watch, a palette knife, a matchbox; oil painter Michael McSorley brings together the unexpected, the ordinary, and the unassuming through carefully constructed three-dimensional assemblages in “Collections of Perceptions.” McSorley merges fine art with carpentry through his masterfully painted and expertly crafted assemblages, the resulting assemblages evoke the idea of a curio cabinet—some offering assorted trinkets, others portraying faces and places. The free exhibit is on view at The Art League gallery, June 6 – July 1. The Opening reception for the exhibit will be held Thursday, June 14, 6:30–8:00 pm.
In the Kitchen, Oil, 18″ x 19″, by Michael McSorely
The Renwick – “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man”
Escape the heat (but keep the desert aesthetic) by visiting the Renwick’s much hyped “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man.” The exhibit brings puts the focus on the maker culture and allows the viewer to touch, interact with, and even utilize many of the pieces. Enjoy the art and feeling of Burning Man with absolutely none of the Steampunk goggles or a trip to the Nevada desert. The exhibit will be on display until January 2019.
Smithsonian American Art Museum – “Diane Arbus: A Box of 10 Photographs”
Any photography history buff worth their lenses knows of Diane Arbus, but her photography is rarely on view. “A Box of 10 Photographs” launched Arbus’s posthumous career and solidified her photography (mainly focusing on rare human subjects or shocking scenes) as “high art.” 80’s street photography fans may be familiar with her daughter, The Village Voice’s Amy Arbus. The exhibit runs until January 27.
ARTECHOUSE – “Naked Eyes”
ARTECHOUSE hosts “Naked Eyes” an installation created specifically for the space and designed around LED lights and lasers and combined with music. Comprised of four unique installations, with each piece very site specific, this audio visual light exhibition is a celebration of light. Simple geometric light forms are used to define the relationship between time, space, and reality. The light has been sculpted, contained, diffused, projected, and reflected so Naked Eyes can enjoy the three dimensionality of it all. ARTECHOUS is also great place to end an art-filled day with cocktail or two with the locale’s famous digitally enhanced cocktail experience. “Naked Eyes” runs through June 30.
National Gallery of Art
West Wing
You may have seen a Cézanne or two in your life, you haven’t seen the artist’s work like this. This exhibit is the first entirely devoted to portraits by the famed post-impressionist – 60 on loan from collections around the world. “Cézanne Portraits” explores the unconventional aspects of his portraiture, the role his portraits play in the development of his radical style and method, and the range and influence of his sitters (who included his friends and other people he knew, rather than strangers). The exhibit is up at the National Gallery of Art, West Building on the main floor, until July 1.
Paul Cézanne, Boy in a Red Waistcoat, 1888-1890, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art
May is Asian American Pacific American heritage month, and DC museums are celebrating Asian art traditions in style with beautiful textiles!
George Washington University: The Textile Museum – “Vanishing Traditions: Textiles and Treasures from Southwest China”
Dazzling festival costumes and accessories, including a richly ornamental child’s hat, are on display in GWU’s museum specifically for textiles (one of only a few in the world). “Vanishing Traditions” explores traditions from minority cultures in southwest China, now endangered by modernization. The exhibit runs now through July 9.
Freer Sackler Smithsonian’s Museums of Asian Art – “To Dye For: Ikats from Central Asia”
Nothing signaled a person’s rank in Central Asia as conspicuously as a boldly patterned ikat coat. As valuable personal belongings, cherished ikat robes were handed down from one generation to the next and were eventually recycled into hangings, covers, or trims. “To Dye For: Ikats from Central Asia” brings together about 30 of the finest historical Central Asian ikat hangings and coats from the Freer|Sackler collections, donated by Guido Goldman, as well as several of Oscar de la Renta’s iconic creations. The aim is to explore the original use and function of these dazzling fabrics and the enduring appeal of their extraordinary designs. The exhibit runs through July 29.
Photo: Freer Sackler Gallery.
Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments!
You’re invited to the Symphony Nocturne Paint Out (Saturday, June 2, 7:00-9:30 pm) and the Small Painting Sunday Paint Out (Sunday, June 3rd, 8:00–11:00 am) hosted by Stewart Gallery in conjunction with the Gloucester Arts Festival. Finished paintings will be included in the En Plein Air Show at Stewart Gallery, June 1 – 30. For more information about events and application specifics to each, please visit The Stewart Gallery website.
The Torpedo Factory – Art of Armistice
Deadline: July 22, 11:59 pm. Exhibition Dates: October 27 – December 2. Reception Date: Friday, November 16, 7:00–9:00 pm. Gallery Talk at 8:00 pm. Juror: Spencer Dormitzer, DC-based artist and curator. The Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit artwork to the Art of Armistice, a group exhibition that explores the after effects of war. The exhibition will focus on the physical, mental, and cultural effects of war on the world through the perspective of both civilians and veterans alike. This exhibition will be paired with different public programs in honor of the 100th year anniversary of the ground breaking of the former munitions plant that the Torpedo Factory Art Center now calls home. For more information and to submit, visit torpedofactory.org/artopps.
Kaplan Gallery – NextGen 5.0 Open Call
Deadline: June 8, 11:59 pm. NextGen 5.0 is calling all DMV aspiring artists. VisArts welcomes artists ages 17 – 27 in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area to submit their application for NextGen 5.0, our fifth exhibition in our Kaplan Gallery from July 11 – August 19. NextGen 5.0 is an opportunity for aspiring artists with little to no experience exhibiting their work in a professional gallery. VisArts is a non-profit organization whose mission is to transform individuals and communities through the visual arts. VisArts provides children, teens and adults with opportunities to express their creativity and enhance their awareness of the arts. Applicants should have little or no experience exhibiting in a professional gallery. Previous NextGen participants are ineligible. Previous NextGen applicants who were not selected may re-apply for this year’s exhibition. Online applications are due by June 8, 11:59 pm at visartscenter.org/call-for-entries.
Washington Printmakers Gallery: National Small Works Competition & Exhibition
Deadline: June 7. National call for exhibit at Washington Printmakers Gallery (DC). Open to artists 18 years and older. Submit hand-pulled prints, screen prints, digital prints, photographs, and three-dimensional work with print components completed within the past two years. Image may be no larger than 100 square inches, with framed size of 256 square inches or less. 3D works are limited to 250 cubic inches. Juror: Susan Goldman. Grand Prize: 2019 Solo Exhibition. Other prizes include art materials, gift certificates, and a $250 screenprint prize. For more information, visit the Washington Printmakers Gallery website.
Art Enables: 12th Annual Outsider Art Inside the Beltway Exhibition
Deadline: July 22. OAIB is an annual exhibition that showcases self-taught artists from across the nation together in Art Enables’ two gallery spaces in September and October 2018. Work should be made by an artist(s) who identifies as a self-taught, folk, or outsider artist. For more information and to submit, visit the OAIB website.
A Regional Juried Call to Emerging Artists 30 and Under – RI
Deadline: May 27. The Imago Foundation for the Arts announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, July 26 – September 2 at the Imago Gallery in Warren, RI. All media accepted by artists 30 years of age and younger (must be at least 18 years old). Work must be hand delivered. Artists are expected to participate in an artist talk or presentation. Work will be juried online. All work must be original and completed in the last 3 years. All work must be for sale. IFA takes a 25% commission on all sales. All work must be properly framed (with wire) and ready for display, or ready to install including any special instructions. Artwork can weigh no more than 40 pounds and must fit through an average door. Artists are responsible for insuring their own work if they choose. $20 entry fee. More info, visit the Imago site. To apply, visit the Imago Online Juried Show site. Contact:[email protected] or call 401-245-3348.
The 2018 Photo Review 34th Annual International Photography Competition – NY
Deadline: May 31. The Photo Review seeks entries for a juried photography exhibition, November 9 – December 9 at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA and on the The Photo Review website. Awards include exhibitions, purchase prize, gear. Juror: Sarah Meister, Curator of Photography, Museum of Modern Art, New York. All photographic processes are eligible. $35 for 3 images, $8 each additional. More info, visit: The Photo Review contest site. Contact: [email protected] or call 215-891-0214. Visit the Photo Review website to learn more.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Paul Robeson Call for Artwork: Food
Deadline: May 25. Food may be experienced as a social, political, and bodily phenomenon. This exhibition explores food as both a source of inspiration and a medium for artwork. Themes of interest include food as a commodity; the relationship between food, death, sex, and the abject; food’s relationship to global economics and geo-politics; the food chain and the environmental impacts of food production; and food justice. The exhibition will include projects located outside the Main Gallery that will directly involve the local and university community, as well as a series of performances enacting the possibility for learning, conviviality, and meaningful exchange during the production and consumption of food. More information and apply here.
“Gone Astray” (Art As The Message / In Care Of The White House)
Deadline: May 28. In Care of The White House Overview: Conservatives and liberals; critics and supporters; artists of all genres are invited to send creative work to The White House as messages of hope, messages of concern, and messages of protest. In this variation on the “In Care of the White House” project, artists supply an image and a message and we’ll create a greeting card for the President and mail it to the White House. Samples of other art work can be found here. More information on how the project and how to submit can be found here.
Bill of Rights Project
Deadline: June 8. Open to all medium and persuasions. The Bill of Rights was created in response to the Constitution, “to prevent misconstruction and abuse of it’s powers.” According to the ACLU’s webpage, “The Constitution was remarkable, but deeply flawed. For one thing, it did not include a specific declaration—or bill—of individual rights. It specified what the government could do but did not say what it could not do. For another, it did not apply to everyone. The ‘consent of the governed’ meant propertied white men only.” In images and/or words, please react to OUR Bill of Rights. You can respond to a particular amendment or to the bill as a whole, or you can pose a question. Here are a few sites to get you started. The first exhibition of the completed piece will be in Bellows Falls VT, June 15 as part of The Arts of Resistance. Jeanette Staley is a VT artist working in collage and mixed media. Email: [email protected]. Mail pieces to Jeanette Staley, 201 Church Ave., Bellows Falls, VT 05101
Alexandria Commission for the Arts Call to Artists – Voting Sticker Design
Deadline: June 8 at 5:00 pm. The City of Alexandria Commission for the Arts invites artists and artist teams that live and/or work and/or attend school within the City of Alexandria, Virginia to submit their qualifications for the City’s first Voting Sticker Design. One artist will be selected to design the City’s official 2018 “I Voted” and “Future Voter” stickers. Artists are encouraged to use a variety of media, such as photography, painting, collage, digital imagery, etc. to develop their designs. To develop the designs, artists are encouraged to consider the spirit of Alexandria, the importance of democracy, as well as ensure non-partisanship. The City will be responsible for the printing of the stickers and distribution of the stickers for the November 2018 elections in the City of Alexandria. For more information and how to apply, click here.
2019 Post Graduation Residency Program
Deadline: October 7. Jurors: Nicole Dowd, program director of Halcyon Arts Lab and Leslie Holt, DC-based artist and co-director of Red Dirt Studios. The Torpedo Factory Post-Grad Residency is a competitive juried program that provides meaningful support and three-month term solo studio space. This residency is open to recently-graduated students who earned a bachelor’s or master’s art degree from an accredited university. The program is unique for addressing the critical post-graduation juncture in an emerging artist’s career, offering an opportunity for professional development, and a chance to define their independent work process outside of the academic context. Submissions are open for both art school students in the region and nationwide, provided nationwide artists 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. Please read and review Guidelines before applying.
The New Project Studio- Ongoing Opportunity
Ongoing. Located in Studio 8, the New Project Studio is a community-focused arts incubator space that offers a short-term location to test new program ideas, spotlight underrepresented voices, and enhance community engagement. Projects rotate on a regular basis. For more information, click here.
Public Arts Grants & Opportunities
Ongoing. The City of Alexandria’s Office of the Arts provides grants for nonprofit arts organizations as well as individual artists. See all current opportunities and online applications here.
Internships: The Art League’s Summer Art Camp
The Art League School’s Summer Art Camp is currently searching for interns for Summer 2018. Assistance is needed with class set ups, class coordination, in class-instructor assistance, and helping to evaluate the effectiveness of classes offered. Interns are trained and directly supervised by the camp coordinator. Interns will also have the opportunity to create and teach their own lessons towards the end of the summer. More information here.
Exhibit: Tabletop wares @ The Art League
Deadline: June 15. Tabletop: Exploring Food and Function will showcase the artistry of various functional wares associated with the table. Mediums that will be accepted include ceramic, metal, fiber, wood, and glass. All works must be functional. Open to all artists; Art League members receive discounted entry.
Mural Request for Proposals
Deadline: May 31. Akre Capital Management, located in the historic building formerly known as Mosby’s Tavern in Middleburg, has released a RFP to have an exterior mural painted on the side of their office building. They are seeking proposals from those who have the ability to design, manage and implement the project to completion.
Apparel and jewelry
Deadline: June 1. STYLE ‘18 will take place over two days at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco. Jurors will hand select 36 national and international designers to participate in the 2018 event.
Exhibit: We Are Takoma
Deadline: June 4. The City of Takoma We Are Takoma cultural series is seeking proposals from artists who wish to participate in group exhibitions in 2019 in the galleries of the Takoma Park Community Center. Artists do not need to be Takoma Park residents. Individual artists working in any visual art medium are encouraged to apply, as well as independent curators or artist collectives with proposals for their own cohesive group exhibitions. Artists aren’t paid but are welcome to sell their work with no commission. Apply online.
Exhibit: Juxtaposed
Deadline: June 10. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit to Juxtaposed, a group exhibition focusing on the contradictory or conflicting. Whether it be through the use of mixed media or the themes represented, the work itself should be at odds with two or more juxtaposing concepts.
Call for 2019 Site-Specific Artist Installations at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site – PA
Deadline: June 13. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is currently accepting proposals for its 2019 season of site-specific artist installations. We’re again offering two funding levels: $7,500 per standard project, and $15,000 per Criminal Justice Today project.
Allied Artists of America 105th Annual Exhibition
Deadline: June 15. At the Salmagundi Club in New York, NY. Open to all artists 18 years and older. Original artwork in oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, graphic, mixed media, and sculpture accepted. Over $25,000 in cash awards. Exhibit on view August 30-September 16, 2018. More information here.
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo
Artists works will displayed in the hotel’s gallery (220 S Union St, Old Town Alexandria) for a six-month period. Two-dimensional, framed works only. Artists will install the work using the hotel’s mounting hardware. Labels will be provided by the hotel. All sales handled by artist, no commission. Preference for local or locally influenced selections but not required. The space measures approximately 7’10” by 8’3.″ If interested, contact Kate Ellis, General Manager, [email protected]
NYC volunteer opportunity
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org, contact us at http://awnyc.org/contact-us/ or find us on Facebook at artworksnyc.
Artists 50 and over
The Beacon is holding a regional competition for people over 50 who have picked up a new artistic endeavor: painting/drawing, 3D art, photography, or poetry. The competition opened in April 2018. For details, download the PDF flyer.
Superfine art fair
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
Residency: Maryland
Deadline: ongoing. Montgomery College, Rockville and Germantown Art Department is seeking proposals for its Artist-in-Residence Program, encouraging proposals that cultivate collaborative work between artists and students.
Looking for artists: Foundry Gallery
Deadline: ongoing. Foundry Gallery is seeking a few artists in the greater Washington, DC area. If interested in applying for membership please send up to five images (jpg attachments) and an email letter to: [email protected]. The oldest cooperative in Washington, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows at its beautiful space north of Shaw near the 9:30 Club.
Looking for artists: Printmakers
Deadline: ongoing. Washington Printmakers Gallery is seeking artist members specializing in printmaking, photography and book arts. An active cooperative for over 30 years, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows in its lovely space in upper Georgetown. Distant and shared memberships are available. If interested in applying for membership please email [email protected].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
Uncertainty by Jackie Saunders, Ink Drawing, Best in Show for 2-D Figurative Work
This month’s Open Exhibit (un-themed and untethered to a certain medium) had a number of varied pieces, but artist (and Art League instructor) Jackie Saunder’s sketchy figure in Uncertainty certainly stood out to juror Fidencio Fifield-Perez.
The choice to use tactile response to create a gestural figure makes for an expressive figure drawing, and the artist’s choice to sit below the subject makes for striking composition. To find out more about the process behind the piece we spoke with the artist who has been using this technique for several years and finished this piece in a less time than it takes to bake a batch of cookies.
How would you describe Uncertainty?
Jackie Saunders: Uncertainty is an ink drawing, done in 20 minutes, in which I “felt my way” along the contours of the figure, rarely looking at my paper, keeping my eye on the model, and letting my hand and eye work together. I did not “measure,” I traveled along, around and through the figure, attempting to capture his gesture in a dramatic way.
You do a lot of figurative work. What was your goal with this piece? What were you trying to capture?
Jackie Saunders: My goal in this piece (and in all of the ink drawings from life) was capture the gesture dramatically. This model was a young man, who worked an all-night job, too. He seemed uncertain about his finances.
What draws you to create figurative work?
Jackie Saunders: I love people and DRAWING them! The human figure is the most challenging subject, full of complexity and emotion. The models are generous and vulnerable to us, posing nude, and I want to “immortalize” them with sensitive drawings. I respect them and thank them for posing. I do my most emotional work from the live figure.
How is working in pen and ink different than just using watercolor?
Jackie Saunders: Pen and ink is more graphic and powerful with the rich black ink. The pen nib allows me to draw sensitive contour lines with varying pressure, suggesting the twists and turns of the figure in space. Ink washes allow me to model form quickly (most poses are only 20 minutes ) and the pen line drawn into a wash makes rich bleeds where I want them. The whole process is very spontaneous and exciting.
What made you decide on the black and white color palette for this piece?
Jackie Saunders: I love the powerful line and design of Egon Schiele drawings. This pose reminded me of Egon Schiele. The model’s face was turned down. hair hanging over; his feet were strong and expressive, providing visual balance to his face.
Uncertainty in The Art League Gallery received Best in Show for 2-D Figurative Work
How does sitting below the subject change the composition of the piece?
Jackie Saunders: Sitting below the model allowed me to get as close to him as possible (without blocking other artists’ view). I can connect emotionally to the model when I am close, feeling as if my drawing hand is actually touching him, recording my visual response. I am much more united to my model. Also, drawing from below the model elevates and makes him monumental…it gives a more emotional “punch,” I think.
What’s your creative process like?
Jackie Saunders: It is all very spontaneous, using line and washes with pen and brush, feeling as if I am caressing the figure with my eye. I really keep my hand anchored to the paper, sweeping down the contours, across the forms, finding the form in space by a tactile response, not by measuring.
What would you like the viewer to come away from the piece with?
Jackie Saunders: I would like the viewer to enjoy the drama of a lanky, solitary figure, perched on the stool, head down, knees thrusting down, foot arched, toes grabbing the ground.
Where do you see your work going next?
Jackie Saunders: I think I will just continue drawing and painting the models in the Art League Open Life sessions. I am most motivated working from life (not photographs). The act of drawing and painting from life keeps me focused on responding to beauty with my whole being. This keeps me seeking “right relationships” of line, shape, value, composition… all of which leads to a certain truth and beauty.
June 8, 7:30–10:30 pm Tickets: $45 until May 25. $55 afterwards (must be 21+)
Art on the Vine – part global wine tour, part fine art tour – features a 7-day online auction of artwork by our esteemed faculty of artists. The event kicks-off with a wine-tasting party and the “Artwork Unveiling & First Bid on Friday, June 8 in the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Save $10 by purchasing your early bird tickets by May 25!
Each ticket includes:
Event admission, the opportunity to see all of the artwork in person, access to the Silent Auction, a souvenir wine glass, eight redeemable wine tasting tags + one full pour, and a complementary light buffet.
The auction will kickoff with a silent bidding beginning at the event. The online portion of the auction will launch at 12:00 noon on Saturday, June 9. This is an incredible opportunity to purchase your very own masterpiece from a renowned artist from our talented artist network!
Along with the beautiful artwork, there will be one-of-a-kind specialty items—appealing to a range of creative interests and appetites.
What do the proceeds go to?
The auction, ticket sales, and a portion of the wine and food sales, all raise money to benefit The Art League and its programs. Many more auction items to come – stay tuned!
2017 was the inaugural Art on the Vine. Check out our post on the 2017 event and get excited for June 8. Cheers!
Road Trip, oil on panel, by Dennis Crayon, from his December 2016 Art League exhibit.
The Art League Blog is taking a trip down memory lane and reposting some of our most popular art resources! Please enjoy this newly updated post from the vault, originally published December 16, 2016.
If you love art, you’ve surely come across the term trompe l’oeil. It’s often defined simply by explaining that the words are French for “fool the eye,” but that doesn’t really tell the whole story.
Here’s how trompe l’oeil works, and some of our favorite examples:
Trompe l’oeil vs. photorealism
Both trompe l’oeil and photorealism both involve depicting something as realistically as possible, but there are a few differences:
Trompe l’oeil is intended to fool the eye into thinking something is really there, so the subject matter is limited to objects that could conceivably be on a wall. Playing cards, window scenes, and recognizable materials like wood and marble are common subjects. In photorealism, the subject could be anything.
The two techniques have different goals: a trompe l’oeil artist wants to trick the viewer with the illusion of three-dimensionality. (Look at the shadows and folds in the painting at the top of this post.) Photorealism aims simply to recreate an image as realistically as possible, in two dimensions.
Photorealism is inspired by photography, so the compositions are closer to what a camera would see than what the eye sees. Trompe l’oeil is a tradition that goes way, way back before photography existed.
Nicholas, graphite, by Wendy Donahoe, winner of best in show in December 2012.
So, the above drawing by Wendy Donahoe could be described as photorealistic, but not trompe l’oeil. For one, because it’s monochrome, it doesn’t try to fool the eye the way a drawing or painting in color could. The composition is that of a classic portrait, as well: the figure is posing within the frame, not attempting to climb out of it.
How do they do it?
There are many tricks and techniques painters can use to fool the viewer.
This painting by Art League instructor Patrick Kirwin uses the texture of wood and attention to the details of light to create an illusion that would be at home in a carnival.
Art League instructor Patrick Kirwin shows how he uses things like a turkey feather and plastic bag to paint marble in these videos. (Kirwin is known for painting murals, a common setting for trompe l’oeil because there’s no frame to give away the illusion.)
Dennis Crayon, a 2016 solo artist at The Art League, explained some of his process in our 2013 Q&A interview. He starts with a photograph and plans out the composition in Photoshop before starting the painting.
“R is for Rose” by Dennis Crayon was awarded second prize in the “Flora & Fauna” exhibit.
Regardless of the approach, a smooth surface is an essential starting point. Crayon paints and sands many layers of gesso (a white, paint-like material) onto his panels before he starts painting.
An artist can take the illusion as far as they wish, even extending to the frame, or in this artwork’s case, the signature:
Artichokes on a Crate by Brent Erickson, signed with the artist’s initials as though carved into the box.
Off the wall
Trompe l’oeil isn’t limited to painting, either.
Ghost Clock, bleached Honduras mahogany, by Wendell Castle.
In Wendell Castle’s famous Ghost Clock sculpture, what appears to be a clock draped in cloth is in fact a single piece of wood, partially bleached to complete the illusion.
In other settings, trompe l’oeil can provoke a stronger reaction. For example, these life-size security guard sculptures can make museum visitors jump. And you’ve probably seen photos of crowd-gathering trompe l’oeil sidewalk chalk artworks. Instead of popping out from the wall, these illusions rise up out of the ground, and they need to be viewed from just the right angle.
Duane Hanson, Museum Guard, 1975. (Photo by George Miller)
Learn the art of illusion
Now that you’ve learned what trompe l’oeil means, maybe you’d like to give it a try!
Peppermill Community Center Public Art Opportunity
Deadline: May 21. Budget: Project budget, including materials, fabrication, installation, travel and expenses, is $75,000. Selected artists will be paid a stipend of $1,000 to develop their proposals and accompanying support materials, including story boards, maquettes, etc. Eligibility: Professional artists and design professionals are invited to apply as an individual or a team. Preference will be given to artists who have public art experience and are residents of, or maintain a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland or Montgomery County, Maryland. Selection Process and Criteria: Three artists/artist teams will be selected to develop proposals for the project. Qualifications must be submitted hereand more information about this opportunity here.
Paul Robeson Call for Artwork: Food
Deadline: May 25. Food may be experienced as a social, political, and bodily phenomenon. This exhibition explores food as both a source of inspiration and a medium for artwork. Themes of interest include food as a commodity; the relationship between food, death, sex, and the abject; food’s relationship to global economics and geo-politics; the food chain and the environmental impacts of food production; and food justice. The exhibition will include projects located outside the Main Gallery that will directly involve the local and university community, as well as a series of performances enacting the possibility for learning, conviviality, and meaningful exchange during the production and consumption of food. More information and apply here.
“Gone Astray” (Art As The Message / In Care Of The White House)
Deadline: May 28. In Care of The White House Overview: Conservatives and liberals; critics and supporters; artists of all genres are invited to send creative work to The White House as messages of hope, messages of concern, and messages of protest. In this variation on the “In Care of the White House” project, artists supply an image and a message and we’ll create a greeting card for the President and mail it to the White House. Samples of other art work can be found here. More information on how the project and how to submit can be found here.
Bill of Rights Project
Deadline: June 8. Open to all medium and persuasions. The Bill of Rights was created in response to the Constitution, “to prevent misconstruction and abuse of it’s powers.” According to the ACLU’s webpage, “The Constitution was remarkable, but deeply flawed. For one thing, it did not include a specific declaration—or bill—of individual rights. It specified what the government could do but did not say what it could not do. For another, it did not apply to everyone. The ‘consent of the governed’ meant propertied white men only.” In images and/or words, please react to OUR Bill of Rights. You can respond to a particular amendment or to the bill as a whole, or you can pose a question. Here are a few sites to get you started. The first exhibition of the completed piece will be in Bellows Falls VT, June 15 as part of The Arts of Resistance. Jeanette Staley is a VT artist working in collage and mixed media. Email: [email protected]. Mail pieces to Jeanette Staley, 201 Church Ave., Bellows Falls, VT 05101
Alexandria Commission for the Arts Call to Artists – Voting Sticker Design
Deadline: June 8 at 5 pm. The City of Alexandria Commission for the Arts invites artists and artist teams that live and/or work and/or attend school within the City of Alexandria, Virginia to submit their qualifications for the City’s first Voting Sticker Design. One artist will be selected to design the City’s official 2018 “I Voted” and “Future Voter” stickers. Artists are encouraged to use a variety of media, such as photography, painting, collage, digital imagery, etc. to develop their designs. To develop the designs, artists are encouraged to consider the spirit of Alexandria, the importance of democracy, as well as ensure non-partisanship. The City will be responsible for the printing of the stickers and distribution of the stickers for the November 2018 elections in the City of Alexandria. For more information and how to apply, click here.
2019 Post Graduation Residency Program
Deadline: October 7. Jurors: Nicole Dowd, program director of Halcyon Arts Lab and Leslie Holt, DC-based artist and co-director of Red Dirt Studios. The Torpedo Factory Post-Grad Residency is a competitive juried program that provides meaningful support and 3-month term solo studio space. This residency is open to recently-graduated students who earned a bachelor’s or master’s art degree from an accredited university. The program is unique for addressing the critical post-graduation juncture in an emerging artist’s career, offering an opportunity for professional development, and a chance to define their independent work process outside of the academic context. Submissions are open for both art school students in the region and nationwide, provided nationwide artists 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. Please read and review Guidelines before applying.
The New Project Studio- Ongoing Opportunity
Ongoing. Located in Studio 8, the New Project Studio is a community-focused arts incubator space that offers a short-term location to test new program ideas, spotlight underrepresented voices, and enhance community engagement. Projects rotate on a regular basis. For more information, click here.
Public Arts Grants & Opportunities
Ongoing. The City of Alexandria’s Office of the Arts provides grants for nonprofit arts organizations as well as individual artists. See all current opportunities and online applications here.
Internships: The Art League’s Summer Art Camp
The Art League School’s Summer Art Camp is currently searching for interns for Summer 2018. Assistance is needed with class set ups, class coordination, in class-instructor assistance, and helping to evaluate the effectiveness of classes offered. Interns are trained and directly supervised by the camp coordinator.Interns will also have the opportunity to create and teach their own lessons towards the end of the summer. More information here.
Exhibit: Tabletop wares @ The Art League
Deadline: June 15. Tabletop: Exploring Food and Function will showcase the artistry of various functional wares associated with the table. Mediums that will be accepted include ceramic, metal, fiber, wood, and glass. All works must be functional. Open to all artists; Art League members receive discounted entry.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Exhibit: PaperWorks
Deadline: May 20. Upstream Gallery in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, June 21 – July 29, 2018. Juror: James Lancel McElhinney. Seeking works on paper, not including photography. Artists are invited to submit images of work on paper including collage, drawing, painting, printmaking, etc. All work should be originally created on paper. Photography submissions will be declined. We have a separate annual juried photography exhibition earlier in the year, in February. $30 for one entry, $45 for two entries, $50 for three and $55 for four entries (maximum). For more info., visit: Contact: [email protected] or call 914-674-8548. http://www.upstreamgallery.com/
Mural Request for Proposals
Deadline: May 31. Akre Capital Management, located in the historic building formerly known as Mosby’s Tavern in Middleburg, has released a RFP to have an exterior mural painted on the side of their office building. They are seeking proposals from those who have the ability to design, manage and implement the project to completion.
Apparel and jewelry
Deadline: June 1. STYLE ‘18 will take place over two days at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco. Jurors will hand select 36 national and international designers to participate in the 2018 event.
Exhibit: We Are Takoma
Deadline: June 4. The City of Takoma We Are Takoma cultural series is seeking proposals from artists who wish to participate in group exhibitions in 2019 in the galleries of the Takoma Park Community Center. Artists do not need to be Takoma Park residents. Individual artists working in any visual art medium are encouraged to apply, as well as independent curators or artist collectives with proposals for their own cohesive group exhibitions. Artists aren’t paid but are welcome to sell their work with no commission. Apply online.
Exhibit: Juxtaposed
Deadline: June 10. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit to Juxtaposed, a group exhibition focusing on the contradictory or conflicting. Whether it be through the use of mixed media or the themes represented, the work itself should be at odds with two or more juxtaposing concepts.
Callfor2019 Site-Specific Artist Installations at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site – PA
Deadline: June 13. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is currently accepting proposalsfor its 2019 season of site-specific artist installations. We’re again offering two funding levels: $7,500 per standard project, and $15,000 per Criminal Justice Todayproject.
Allied Artists of America 105th Annual Exhibition
Deadline: June 15. At the Salmagundi Club in New York, NY. Open to all artists 18 years and older. Original artwork in oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, graphic, mixed media, and sculpture accepted. Over $25,000 in cash awards. Exhibit on view August 30-September 16, 2018. More information here.
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo
Artists works will displayed in the hotel’s gallery (220 S Union St, Old Town Alexandria) for a six-month period. Two-dimensional, framed works only. Artists will install the work using the hotel’s mounting hardware. Labels will be provided by the hotel. All sales handled by artist, no commission. Preference for local or locally influenced selections but not required. The space measures approximately 7’10” by 8’3″. If interested, contact Kate Ellis, General Manager, [email protected]
NYC volunteer opportunity
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org, contact us at http://awnyc.org/contact-us/ or find us on Facebook at artworksnyc.
Artists 50 and over
The Beacon is holding a regional competition for people over 50 who have picked up a new artistic endeavor: painting/drawing, 3D art, photography, or poetry. The competition opens in April 2018. For details, download the PDF flyer.
Superfine art fair
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
Residency: Maryland
Deadline: ongoing. Montgomery College, Rockville and Germantown Art Department is seeking proposals for its Artist-in-Residence Program, encouraging proposals that cultivate collaborative work between artists and students.
Looking for artists: Foundry Gallery
Deadline: ongoing. Foundry Gallery is seeking a few artists in the greater Washington, DC area. If interested in applying for membership please send up to five images (jpg attachments) and an email letter to: [email protected]. The oldest cooperative in Washington, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows at its beautiful space north of Shaw near the 9:30 Club.
Looking for artists: Printmakers
Deadline: ongoing. Washington Printmakers Gallery is seeking artist members specializing in printmaking, photography and book arts. An active cooperative for over 30 years, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows in its lovely space in upper Georgetown. Distant and shared memberships are available. If interested in applying for membership please email [email protected].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
Deborah Conn isn’t just an Art League Gallery exhibitor – she’s a product of The Art League school itself. Conn began her journey as a student artist right here in Old Town. Now, 20 years later, is displaying her recent work “A Sense of Herself” in The Art League gallery, May 9–June 3, 2018.
The student-turned-teacher presents paintings that take a on a life of their own, even from the very beginning. Part sculpture and part painting, almost 3D in nature, and employing textured paper and specialized glazes, Conn’s work incorporates not just “natural” portraiture pigments but also deep greens and blues that course over the canvas like veins.
Ellalyne
Barbara
Shuet
There is a certain element of unpredictability to Conn’s work, which visibly shows what most watercolorists would perceive to be “mistakes” – things like drips, or paint meeting and pooling across the paper. This is a product of the textured paper that Conn has employed specifically for its unique effect on the final product. “The paint gathers in the nooks and crannies. There’s an interplay between what the paint wants and what the painter wants,” says Conn.
Conn’s watercolor paintings of women, when hung, seem to be inviting you into conversation, create instant emotion. Some elicit a sense of sadness, others a sense of great passion, others of lingering pain, but all evoke a feeling of strength and and a story to tell. This series is particularly poignant in 2018, when women’s stories and bravery are taking the spotlight like never before.
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“Art creates an emotional connection with the viewer. It can give us the strength to say things like ‘me too’ or ‘time’s up,’” Conn remarks. As for what she wants viewers to take away from her exhibit – “ [a] Celebrat[ion] of ‘the sense of self’ of strong women persisting and battling odds. I want [viewers] to feel a sense of power in the room.”
Conn’s studio
About the Artist:
Deborah Conn has been painting in watercolor for 20 years, and she first began by taking classes at The Art League School. Her work appears in national and regional shows, and recent awards include a first place in Potomac Valley Watercolorists’ exhibition at NOVA’s Ernst Community Cultural Center, an Award of Excellence at the Virginia Watercolor Society 2016 exhibit, and an honorable mention in The Art League’s April 2018 Open Exhibit. Conn teaches beginning and intermediate watercolor in her Falls Church home studio as well as on Cunard, Celebrity, and Azamara cruise lines.
Is it too early to think about summer reading? We don’t think so!
Get a head start
We’ve taken our reading list of art-related books from the past three summers (links below) and compiled this master list. Books by artists, for artists, about artists, and even about fictional artists are all included.
Of course, we’re always open to new suggestions — and new books are always being released! If you have something to add to our reading list, please leave us a comment below.
Deadline: May 15 at midnight EST. The Pennsylvania Watercolor Society announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, September 15 to October 20, 2018 at the Crary Art Gallery in Warren, PA. Over $14,000 in cash and merchandise. Juror of Selection: Keiko Tanabe; Juror of Awards: Ron Thurston. Open to artists over 18, all work must be original on paper completed after May 2015, and never shown in any juried exhibition or PWS show. No prints, copies, class work or digital work accepted. Work must be matted and framed under Plexiglas. Maximum outside frame dimension in any direction is 40 inches. PWS Members: $25 for 1 or 2 entries. Non-members: $40 for 1 or 2 entries.Contact: email, [email protected] or call 717-235-5310.
Exhibit: PaperWorks
Deadline: May 20. Upstream Gallery in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, June 21 – July 29, 2018. Juror: James Lancel McElhinney. Seeking works on paper, not including photography. Artists are invited to submit images of work on paper including collage, drawing, painting, printmaking, etc. All work should be originally created on paper. Photography submissions will be declined. We have a separate annual juried photography exhibition earlier in the year, in February. $30 for one entry, $45 for two entries, $50 for three and $55 for four entries (maximum). For more info., visit: Contact: [email protected] or call 914-674-8548. http://www.upstreamgallery.com/
Exhibit: We Are Takoma
Deadline: June 4. The City of Takoma We Are Takoma cultural series is seeking proposals from artists who wish to participate in group exhibitions in 2019 in the galleries of the Takoma Park Community Center. Artists do not need to be Takoma Park residents. Individual artists working in any visual art medium are encouraged to apply, as well as independent curators or artist collectives with proposals for their own cohesive group exhibitions. Artists aren’t paid but are welcome to sell their work with no commission. Apply online.
Callfor2019 Site-Specific Artist Installations at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site – PA
Deadline: June 13. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is currently accepting proposalsfor its 2019 season of site-specific artist installations. We’re again offering two funding levels: $7,500 per standard project, and $15,000 per Criminal Justice Todayproject.
Internships: The Art League’s Summer Art Camp
The Art League School’s Summer Art Camp is currently searching for interns for Summer 2018. Assistance is needed with class set ups, class coordination, in class-instructor assistance, and helping to evaluate the effectiveness of classes offered. Interns are trained and directly supervised by the camp coordinator.Interns will also have the opportunity to create and teach their own lessons towards the end of the summer. More information here.
Exhibit: Tabletop wares @ The Art League
Deadline: June 15. Tabletop: Exploring Food and Function will showcase the artistry of various functional wares associated with the table. Mediums that will be accepted include ceramic, metal, fiber, wood, and glass. All works must be functional. Open to all artists; Art League members receive discounted entry.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Exhibit: Goodwin House Alexandria
Deadline: May 15. Goodwin House Alexandria is currently seeking DMV area artists interested in showing their work during the 2019 calendar year. Shows run for approximately six weeks. Display space for 3-D work is limited unless it is able to be hung. All mediums are encouraged.
Residencies: The Studios of Key West
Deadline: May 15. The Studios of Key West, the premiere arts organization at the Southernmost Point of the United States, is now accepting residency applications from artists and writers from around the world. One month residencies are awarded to visual artists, writers, composers, performers, and interdisciplinary artists. Facilities include three residency cottages and a 14,000 square foot building in Old Town, Key West, housing a 200 seat theater, classrooms and 3 exhibition spaces.
Mural Request for Proposals
Deadline: May 31. Akre Capital Management, located in the historic building formerly known as Mosby’s Tavern in Middleburg, has released a RFP to have an exterior mural painted on the side of their office building. They are seeking proposals from those who have the ability to design, manage and implement the project to completion.
Apparel and jewelry
Deadline: June 1. STYLE ‘18 will take place over two days at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco. Jurors will hand select 36 national and international designers to participate in the 2018 event.
Exhibit: Juxtaposed
Deadline: June 10. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit to Juxtaposed, a group exhibition focusing on the contradictory or conflicting. Whether it be through the use of mixed media or the themes represented, the work itself should be at odds with two or more juxtaposing concepts.
Allied Artists of America 105th Annual Exhibition
Deadline: June 15. At the Salmagundi Club in New York, NY. Open to all artists 18 years and older. Original artwork in oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, graphic, mixed media, and sculpture accepted. Over $25,000 in cash awards. Exhibit on view August 30-September 16, 2018. More information here.
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo
Artists works will displayed in the hotel’s gallery (220 S Union St, Old Town Alexandria) for a six-month period. Two-dimensional, framed works only. Artists will install the work using the hotel’s mounting hardware. Labels will be provided by the hotel. All sales handled by artist, no commission. Preference for local or locally influenced selections but not required. The space measures approximately 7’10” by 8’3″. If interested contact Kate Ellis, General Manager, [email protected]
NYC volunteer opportunity
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org, contact us at http://awnyc.org/contact-us/ or find us on Facebook at artworksnyc.
Artists 50 and over
The Beacon is holding a regional competition for people over 50 who have picked up a new artistic endeavor: painting/drawing, 3D art, photography, or poetry. The competition opens in April 2018. For details, download the PDF flyer.
Superfine art fair
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
Residency: Maryland
Deadline: ongoing. Montgomery College, Rockville and Germantown Art Department is seeking proposals for its Artist-in-Residence Program, encouraging proposals that cultivate collaborative work between artists and students.
Looking for artists: Foundry Gallery
Deadline: ongoing. Foundry Gallery is seeking a few artists in the greater Washington, DC area. If interested in applying for membership please send up to five images (jpg attachments) and an email letter to: [email protected]. The oldest cooperative in Washington, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows at its beautiful space north of Shaw near the 9:30 Club.
Looking for artists: Printmakers
Deadline: ongoing. Washington Printmakers Gallery is seeking artist members specializing in printmaking, photography and book arts. An active cooperative for over 30 years, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows in its lovely space in upper Georgetown. Distant and shared memberships are available. If interested in applying for membership please email [email protected].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
Maybe taking an art class was one of your resolutions for 2018, or maybe painting, drawing, sculpting (insert your medium here) is already a part of your life. Regardless – with 128 classes and 44 workshops – summer is the PERFECT time to embrace your inner artist and check taking an art class at The Art League off your bucket list!
Registration for Summer Classes at The Art League is open and Summer Term kicks off on June 18 (the same day as Summer Art Camp). Check course details for specific start dates.
About Summer Art Camp
Art camp — for ages five and up — provides children a wonderful introduction to visual art. This summer, we’re offering 90 different camps over nine weeks!
In our regular art camp, each day brings a new project that may include drawing, painting, printmaking, or sculpture. Our specialty camps, like Drawing Camp or Painting Camp, focus on immersion in one particular medium.
Art camps run from June 18 to August 17, Monday to Friday, and have a varied curriculum from week to week. Register for multiple weeks throughout the summer for an immersive artistic experience!
You can register for half-day camps or full-day camps. Tuition for full-day camps includes a supervised lunch hour.
Combine regular and specialty camps, or two specialty camps, for a custom, full-day schedule.
Not sure where to start?
If you’re brand-new to art classes — or if you just need a refresher — we most often recommend Basic Drawing as a great first class. If that’s not your speed, there are good classes for beginners in every medium, including ceramics, sculpture, fiber art, painting, photography, and printmaking.
No two artistic journeys are the same! That’s why you can always get in touch with us for advice on which class is right for you:
Virtue Feed & Grain presents a refreshing cocktail at Art on the Rocks 2018
This past Friday, we celebrated the eighth Art on the Rocks with 250+ art and artisan cocktail enthusiasts.
Five area restaurants dazzled us with their cocktail and food pairings matched expertly with our Ikebana flower arrangements and instructor artwork.
After sampling the art-cocktail-appetizer pairings, the Judges’ Choice Award went to Chadwicks, and Vola’s Dockside Grill won the Popular Vote Award for the night!
Olsen doing demonstration at the National Arboretum
The Art League asked Tone Olsen, the Branch Director of the Washington, DC Sogetsu School, some questions about Ikebana, our show, and how she became involved in the art form.
How did you become acquainted with Ikebana?
I moved to Japan in 1990 because of my husband’s job and was invited by an expat to join her Sogetsu Ikebana group at someone’s home in Tokyo. It was fun to learn how to work with flowers in a very contemporary style. Sogetsu has some elements of mathematics, which made it comfortable for me to work with. I began to take lessons and worked through the curriculum to obtain certification.
As I learned the basics, this led to me creating more freestyle arrangements and using many different materials.
How is Sogetsu Ikebana different from the other schools of thought?
Recognized as a sculptural form of art, Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging, has over 300 schools of thought. Sogetsu was founded in 1927 by Sofu Teshigahara, who showed originality in starting new, modern styles of Ikebana. Sogetsu Ikebana features the idea that Ikebana may be arranged anytime, anywhere, by anyone, with any material— fresh, dried, or unconventional. The Sogetsu School believes that Ikebana should aim to be contemporary and should always be refreshing and attractive.
What do you keep in mind when working on an arrangement? What elements are most important to you (ie, design, composition, color, etc)?
The three basic design elements of Sogetsu are line, space, and color.
How do you approach creating an arrangement for The Art League’s Ikebana Show? Is it different from how you normally design an arrangement?
We must decide on a piece of work that speaks to us; perhaps it is the colors in the artwork, lines, or subject matter. Our goal is to enhance the art; to make the artwork and have the Ikebana reflect each other.
When working on an exhibit at the National Arboretum, we think of the space we want to work in, the materials available, and containers we have to use.
Detail of Olsen’s arrangement in the 2018 Biennial Ikebana Show
What makes The Art League’s Show different/unique from other Ikebana Shows?
It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to work with the artists art at The Art League. Once we choose a piece to work with, we then decide what scale we need to work in and what colors we want to use. It is a partnership that we need to develop so that the artwork and arrangement become one.
Where do you find the plants and flowers for your arrangement?
We shop at local super markets, wholesale flower outlets, neighbor’s gardens, and roadside flowers. Everywhere!
In your opinion, what makes a successful arrangement?
The most successful Ikebana arrangement would be one that reflects the arrangers own style. If the arranger is content, hopefully the observer is also.
Olson’s installation
How can someone learn or get involved in Sogetsu Ikebana?
The Sogetsu Branch of Metropolitan Washington, DC has four meetings/workshops a year. We participate in the annual exhibit at the National Arboretum, with Ikebana International. There are teachers certified by the Sogetsu School located in VA, MD, and DC.
Catch the 17th Biennial Ikebana Show through Sunday, May 6. Free events: Reception: Thursday, May 3, 6:30 pm
Flower arranging demos: Saturday, May 5, 1:00-2:00 pm with Sheila Advani Sunday, May 6, 1:00-2:00 pm with Jane Redmon
Get tickets for Art on the Rocks on May 4! Mixologists from Brabo, Chadwicks, Virtue Feed & Grain, Vola’s Dockside Grill, and The Wharf have each selected an Ikebana installationas inspiration to create the most artistic cocktail and appetizer pairing and then compete for the title of ‘Art on the Rocks’ champion. Taste all the pairings at the event.
A piece by Linda Hurt incorporating woven and felted elements.
The Art League Blog is taking a trip down memory lane and reposting some of our most popular resources on sharing your art online! Please enjoy this post from the vault, originally published September 11, 2015.
In our fiber arts studio, you can weave, felt, knit, dye, and hook your own wardrobe from head to toe. With classes including spinning and dyeing, you can learn about pretty much any part of the process, except for shearing the sheep. If functional art isn’t your style, you can also make fine art to hang on your wall. Class topics range from traditional to contemporary, and there are plenty of entry points for the complete beginner!
Our fiber arts department draws on a wide variety of traditions and cultures — not to mention a few thousand years of history — so there are lots of different terms in our class catalog that you might not recognize.
Here’s a quick guide to the fiber arts and a rundown of what’s in store this school year.
Everybody knows what felt looks like and feels like, but what is it? Basically, you take a bunch of loose fibers (roving) and tangle them up so they make a solid piece of fabric — either using hot soapy water and friction (wet felting) or a notched needle (needle felting). There’s a new method, nuno, below.
What does it make? Let’s see: flowers, slippers, sculptures, clothes, accessories, houses, …
Nuno felting was invented in the 1990s and exploded in popularity shortly thereafter. It involves felting a small amount of fibers onto some other fabric — silk, say — for a lightweight, flexible product with a distinctly textured surface.
What does it make? Clothes and accessories with “drape”
Weaving brings together multiple yarns, using a floor loom (like in this video), a card loom, an inkle loom, a frame loom, or any number of other ways. The warp thread runs the length of the fabric, and the weft thread runs back and forth across it. There are countless types of weaving — see the catalog for a rough idea. Tapestry is “weft-faced weave,” which means only the weft yarns are visible: perfect for weaving pictures. Our tapestry instructor teaches Gobelin techniques in a contemporary style. Sprang is an old way of weaving that makes an elastic, net-like product.
What does it make? Scarves, towels, placemats, belts, tapestries, hammocks (sprang)
In contrast to weaving’s multiple threads, knitting uses one long yarn, looped on itself to build a fabric. (The word comes from “knot.”) Where woven fabric is stretchy on the diagonal, knits are stretchy along their length. This is also a good place to note that knitting and weaving aren’t necessarily limited to the fiber arts — check out knitted glass and woven photographs.
What does it make? Clothes, accessories, yarn bombs
Millinery’s a word that just means hat-making. Someone who makes hats is a milliner. Naturally, hats can incorporate many different materials, like felt or straw, and even non-fiber materials like feathers. Fascinators are small headpieces that are attached with a clip, comb, or something similar. Hat blocks are carved forms that a hat is shaped on.
What does it make? Hats!
What can I take? Check out last year’s hat-making workshops and stay tuned for new opportunities!
This is a dyeing technique. It’s a Japanese method for resist dyeing fabric in different ways by binding, stitching, wrapping, and so forth — think tie-dyeing, but with more possibilities.
What does it make? Your own designs on silk, cotton, or other fabrics.
2018 Hill Center Galleries Regional Juried Exhibition
Deadline: May 7. Open only to artists residing in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Original hanging work, in any medium, created since June 1, 2015, will be considered. $40 for up to five pieces; $10 for each additional piece. Exhibition Dates: June 27–September 22, 2018. More information here.
Internships: The Art League’s Summer Art Camp
The Art League School’s Summer Art Camp is currently searching for interns for Summer 2018. Assistance is needed with class set ups, class coordination, in class-instructor assistance, and helping to evaluate the effectiveness of classes offered. Interns are trained and directly supervised by the camp coordinator.Interns will also have the opportunity to create and teach their own lessons towards the end of the summer. More information here.
Residencies: The Studios of Key West
Deadline: May 15. The Studios of Key West, the premiere arts organization at the Southernmost Point of the United States, is now accepting residency applications from artists and writers from around the world. One month residencies are awarded to visual artists, writers, composers, performers, and interdisciplinary artists. Facilities include three residency cottages and a 14,000 square foot building in Old Town, Key West, housing a 200 seat theater, classrooms and 3 exhibition spaces.
Allied Artists of America 105th Annual Exhibition
Deadline: June 15. At the Salmagundi Club in New York, NY. Open to all artists 18 years and older. Original artwork in oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, graphic, mixed media, and sculpture accepted. Over $25,000 in cash awards. Exhibit on view August 30-September 16, 2018. More information here.
Exhibit: Tabletop wares @ The Art League
Deadline: June 15. Tabletop: Exploring Food and Function will showcase the artistry of various functional wares associated with the table. Mediums that will be accepted include ceramic, metal, fiber, wood, and glass. All works must be functional. Open to all artists; Art League members receive discounted entry.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Deadline: May 7. The Academy Art Museum Craft Show (Easton, MD) draws patrons from all over the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Alexandria Art Purchase Awards
Deadline: May 7. The Alexandria Art Purchase Awards call will be held biannually over four years, totaling eight calls with each call purchasing up to $4000 in artwork. For this second call, the concept of “Natural and Urban Systems” must be conveyed in the artwork submitted.
DMV artists
Deadline: May 7. Open Regional Juried Art Exhibition at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital: Open only to artists residing in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Original hanging work, in any medium, created since June 1, 2015, will be considered.
Exhibit at Goodwin House Alexandria
Deadline: May 15. Goodwin House Alexandria is currently seeking DMV area artists interested in showing their work during the 2019 calendar year. Shows run for approximately six weeks. Display space for 3-D work is limited unless it is able to be hung. All mediums are encouraged.
Mural Request for Proposals
Deadline: May 31. Akre Capital Management, located in the historic building formerly known as Mosby’s Tavern in Middleburg, has released a RFP to have an exterior mural painted on the side of their office building. They are seeking proposals from those who have the ability to design, manage and implement the project to completion.
Apparel and jewelry
Deadline: June 1. STYLE ‘18 will take place over two days at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco. Jurors will hand select 36 national and international designers to participate in the 2018 event.
Juxtaposed
Deadline: June 10. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit to Juxtaposed, a group exhibition focusing on the contradictory or conflicting. Whether it be through the use of mixed media or the themes represented, the work itself should be at odds with two or more juxtaposing concepts.
Athenaeum Invitational
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
Hotel Indigo
Artists works will displayed in the hotel’s gallery (220 S Union St, Old Town Alexandria) for a six-month period. Two-dimensional, framed works only. Artists will install the work using the hotel’s mounting hardware. Labels will be provided by the hotel. All sales handled by artist, no commission. Preference for local or locally influenced selections but not required. The space measures approximately 7’10” by 8’3″. If interested contact Kate Ellis, General Manager, [email protected]
NYC volunteer opportunity
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org, contact us at http://awnyc.org/contact-us/ or find us on Facebook at artworksnyc.
Artists 50 and over
The Beacon is holding a regional competition for people over 50 who have picked up a new artistic endeavor: painting/drawing, 3D art, photography, or poetry. The competition opens in April 2018. For details, download the PDF flyer.
Superfine art fair
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
Residency: Maryland
Deadline: ongoing. Montgomery College, Rockville and Germantown Art Department is seeking proposals for its Artist-in-Residence Program, encouraging proposals that cultivate collaborative work between artists and students.
Foundry Gallery
Deadline: ongoing. Foundry Gallery is seeking a few artists in the greater Washington, DC area. If interested in applying for membership please send up to five images (jpg attachments) and an email letter to: [email protected]. The oldest cooperative in Washington, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows at its beautiful space north of Shaw near the 9:30 Club.
Printmakers
Deadline: ongoing. Washington Printmakers Gallery is seeking artist members specializing in printmaking, photography and book arts. An active cooperative for over 30 years, the gallery holds monthly solo and members’ group shows in its lovely space in upper Georgetown. Distant and shared memberships are available. If interested in applying for membership please email [email protected].
Multiple Exposures Gallery
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
