Murno’s strong, graphic lines are reminiscent of early American Abstraction art of the 1940s. American Abstractionist work rose from a time of political unrest in response to WWII, and looking at Murno’s piece, you have the feeling that the aesthetic choice was not only inspired by the abstract movement but also reflective of today’s unique political tensions. America Remembers/The Lives showcases an intersection between the formalist choices of aesthetic and choosing a technique that best fits an emotion. Similar to early Abstractionist art (think Mondrian’s bold black and white compositions), the quest was to find the “purest” output of an emotional relation to the medium of painting.
To learn more, we asked the artist about the emotions and ideas behind his piece, America Remembers/The Lives:
America Remembers/The Lives by Hernán Murno
You mentioned this diptych is based on photographs you took? What is the process behind the completion of these and what photographs inspired them?
HM: “The idea for the series came from photographs I took in 2018 at the Berlin Holocaust Memorial. I painted a triptych based on those photographs that reflects on the horrors of that tragic era. However, it is particularly alarming to me that some of the same ideas behind the holocaust are alive and growing in our divided country along with many other places around the world.
One day I saw in the Washington Post a picture of a service member grieving, seated at one of the benches that constitute the Pentagon 9/11 memorial. I felt compelled to go there myself. I felt the same overwhelming feeling of loss that I felt in Berlin. I did not need any new images because unlike the complexity of the memorial in Berlin, the design at the Pentagon is simple; the benches are aligned with the path Flight 77 took when crashing against the building. However, the opening of the cantilever shaped benches points either away or toward the Pentagon building. This depends on whether the victim was aboard the plane or in the building—my piece reflects that.”
Detail of America Remembers/The Lives by Hernán Murno
Has witnessing the events of 9/11 in the United States influenced your aesthetic and artistic practice? How has being in Buenos Aires and the USA shaped your artwork?
HM: “In reality, my artistic practice was never influenced by those events [9/11]. If you look at the majority of my work you can see that the design, style and palette of the Memorial Series, is unique. Black and white are the predominant colors with only splashes of other colors representing fire, hope, and a nod to red-white-and blue.
This is not the way I normally paint, but, in my mind, the horrors of those events could only be depicted in black and white. In this, I have been influenced black-and-white film about the holocaust and—as it is also mass murder, [and] by association [related]—the 9/11 events.
Having grown-up in Buenos Aires and now [having lived] for nearly 40 years in the US, has given me [a sense of] diversity. You understand the world around you differently and more profoundly when you experience different cultures first hand. But, to be honest, I don’t try to paint like an Argentinean-born American, but just like me.”
Detail of wording in America Remembers/The Lives by Hernán Murno
How do you remember that day visually through your painting/s? How do the benches at the 9/11 Memorial visually impact your work?
HM: “My most vivid memory of the attack on the Pentagon is the plume of smoke that went on for days and could be seen as far as from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. That is what brought memories of the same sort of view I witnessed long ago in Buenos Aires. Planes flying so close to our balcony that I felt I could touch them, and the plumes of smoke lifting from where the bombs hit. The visual similarities are the common denominator.
As far as the benches itself, what compositionally attracted me the most was the direction they face, as that hold significant importance to the people that were either on the plane or in the Pentagon. At night, the benches are lit from colored lights that reflect up on the pool of water beneath each one. The black night background of the painting becomes slightly lighter at the top, fading to show the American colors and the dawn of a brighter future still ahead of us.”
And I’d love for you to expand upon why you focus on this particular topic/medium.
HM: “Discrimination, hate, ill-advised nationalism and violence towards Jews, Muslims, Latinos and others, are rampant in the United States and the world right now.
I have lived under a dictatorship and seen first-hand the dangers that discrimination and intolerance bring. During that country’s [Argentina’s] ‘Dirty War’ of the late 1970s and 80s, I lost a cousin who was particularly dear to me.
I am not normally a painter of political, socioeconomic, or environmental hot topics. However, I also needed to express the feelings and memories that manifestations of hate and vengeance have impressed in me throughout my life.”
About the Artist:
Hernán Murnowas born in Buenos Aires where he attended a the National Conservatory of Music In Buenos Aires. He graduated with degrees piano, harpsichord and conducting and had a successful career both as a pianist and conductor. Upon retiring, Hernan decided to pursue painting, starting with watercolor, a medium that he describes as his “first love.” He studied at the Art League School in Alexandria with Susan Herron, Gwen Bragg, Steve Fleming and Deborah Ellis. In 2015, he became interested in abstraction and acrylics and, since then, has taken classes with Marsha Steiger and Beverly Ryan (also at the Art League). He also has attended several workshops in the U.S. and abroad, with teachers such as Susan Abbot and Eric Weigardt. Hernan has had pieces shown at the Art League Gallery in Alexandria as well as with the Fairfax Art League, Del Ray Artisans, VMRC in Harrisonburg, VA and others. Since his first award as Best Watercolor in an Art League’s School Student and Faculty show, he has been the recipient of several other prizes. In 2015, he was accepted by jury to become a member of the Potomac Valley Watercolorists.
Rich, metallic textures are artist Yasmin Bussiere’s signature, and her work Illuminations is no exception. The eye-catching work of art that took home the Best In Show for July’s exhibit keeps the eye with intricate layers of parchment, oil, metallic paints, and pen. The mixed media work was inspired by Bussiere’s time teaching in China and has already sold and shipped to its new home in Baton Rogue, Louisiana!
Emma Gould from The Art League Gallery sat down with Yasmin to talk about her work, what inspires her, and her travels:
Yasmin Bussiere with her best-in-show winning work, Illuminations
How did “Illuminations” come to be? What was the concept for this piece, and how has it evolved within your practice to make this work?
YB: “For this piece, fragments of landscape become progressively obscured with encroaching darkness in the Summer Palace of Beijing; I was working at a language center for adults in 2016. One of my students invited me to visit Summer Palace with her. We arrived later in the afternoon and were able to stay until the sun set. We saw the transformation of the site, how the sun progressively set, casting shadows and different shades all around. That was the main motivation for creating this piece.
That sounds incredible; did you have a reference photo for this piece, or was is purely based on the feeling of being there?
YB: “It was purely based on the feeling. If I had started taking photos, then I feel as if I’m not really looking at what’s in front of me. It was an amazing event to see the sun set over the whole palace. There were different garden areas, sculptures, all kinds of things!”
Detail of Illuminations by Yasmin Bussiere
I find the reference of memory as a form of documentation very interesting. Why do you work in the format that you do? Why is it important that the medium is acrylic or oil?
YB: “I work in mixed media: acrylics, metallic pens, metallic paints, and oil pastel. All of these mediums are chosen from having lived in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa. I came across a lot of parchments, edifices, and tombs that have engravings. What that means is that they’re adding and subtracting layers of material, which is what I also do. I create those layers with a scrape of the knife; I make shapes and forms that are reminiscent of what I’ve seen. I have seen so much art on parchment, and it’s inspired the road that I’m on with my work.”
I appreciate that your process comes directly from your lived experiences, could you tell me more?
YB: “Well, before we had Internet and phone camera access, we really focused on the moment—the people, what you saw, the landscapes, the sights, smells, and sounds. I didn’t have a camera or phone to take a photo, which helped me concentrate on the moment as opposed to being distracted.”
Partitions by by Yasmin Bussiere
Right, like a longer attention span to details.
YB: “Correct! I wanted to see and feel a space as opposed to taking photos with my phone.”
How do you think about the spatial relation in your work? How do you carve out that space and time?
YB: “I originally started off by doing miniature paintings. It was very concentrated on a canvas that was 3×3 inches. For me, it was a question of working mostly in detail. The space had nothing to do with what I saw in front of me, but how it translated to this small square. With larger paintings, detail is harder to make intricate, otherwise I would sit there for years! What pushed me to do larger paintings was feedback from others telling me they thought my work was much bigger. If I showed someone documentation of my work, they would exclaim how large the painting must have been, when in reality it was only 3×3 inches.”
Illuminations by Yasmin Bussiere
From your documentation, I did think your piece was a [much larger] painting!
YB: “Yes, and from people telling me to make my work larger, I went from 3×3 inches to 22×25 inches in a span of two months. It was drastic, but as I went bigger, I got into more shows too.”
It’s amusing how the shift in size can allow for more things to happen within and outside of the painting.
YB: “It really is… but you do give up something though. I usually go for more scratches and depth within my work because I work on harder surfaces, so this was a challenge for me.”
I can certainly see why people assume that your worker is at a larger scale; you talk about all these grand far away places and cinematic moments. I think others want to also experience a giant realm of being in that space with you.
YB: “Right! And I think that influence also came from places such as the Middle East. Artwork there is generally at a smaller size; there are a lot of miniatures, unlike Western art. So I think that impulse just came to me. When I started working on my miniatures, I was also in a very small studio space, so I think I also adapted to that too, haha!”
Of course! And lastly, what technical element you would consider the most important in your work?
YB: “I think medium is most important; with a combination of oil pastels, metallic paints, and pens, that is where my scraping derives from. If I just used one medium, then I don’t think that would happen within my paintings. For me, the adding and subtracting of layers is important—it’s like a foundation for a building block of an old civilization. I think of it as a layer. There are events that occur, then something drastic happens, whether it’s good or bad; there is something that is taken away, and there is something brought. So I’m building layers upon layers to create beautiful differences, similar to diverse cultural characteristics. So because of the medium, I’m able to scrape, which comes from me being exposed to so many places with such rich, long histories.”
About the Artist:
Yasmin Bussiere is an artist who has worked in many countries. She is now focusing entirely on her artwork and sharing them. After relocating to the U.S., she participated in a group exhibition at The Yellow Cardinal Gallery and showed her work at Java Java in Charlottesville, VA. She has taught in Saudi Arabia and China, led art workshops in Europe and sold handmade articles in France. She was a graphic designer for Le Petit Musee in Conakry, Guinea and helped Uzbek artists gain recognition with expats in Uzbekistan. She has an Interior Design Degree from the University of Illinois and a TEFL certificate obtained in France. She was also awarded a grant by Gruntvig (E.U.) to participate in an art workshop in Florence, Italy.
Deadline: August 15. The Illustration Special Exhibit, juried by illustrator Will Varner, will be featured in September alongside the Zeitgeist exhibit. Illustration is a broad term for visual storytelling. It can be executed in any media, and serves a variety of purposes. As our culture has become more visually oriented, the job of the illustrator has never been more important. From images in storybooks, to online media, to newspapers, illustrators help us process information about the world and activate our imaginations. Participating artists are encouraged to submit works of illustration with no categorical restrictions. For more information, visit The Art League website.
The Art League Zeitgeist Exhibit (VA)
Deadline: August 15. zeit·geist /ˈtsītˌɡīst,ˈzītˌɡīst /, noun: The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time. This exhibit, juried by Zoey Frank, explores the concept of artists throughout history capturing the spirit of their time in a variety of visual ways, acting as bellwethers for the current cultural climate. Similarly, these artists serve as historians by preserving the pathos of eras gone by. Artists submitting to this exhibit are encouraged to submit work that captures what they view as the “spirit of the times” be it current or past. To learn more and apply, visit The Art League website.
The Torpedo Factory: My Queer Valentine (VA)
Deadline: September 15. Target Gallery invites artists working in all visual media to apply to My Queer Valentine (Juror: Andy Johnson, director of Gallery 102), an exhibition that will explore love and relationships through LGBTQ+ artists perspectives. The themes and subject of artwork in this exhibition should explore non-heteronormative and non-binary relationships. The tone of the exhibition is playful, fun, and cheeky, so we encourage artists to apply with their perspectives on love (romantic or asexual) with this in mind. To celebrate this exhibition, Target Gallery will be hosting a special Valentine’s Day reception and event in partnership with local LGBTQ+ organizations. Exhibition Dates: January 25, 2020 – March 8, 2020. For more information, visit the Torpedo Factory website.
New:
SCWS Annual National Exhibition (SC)
Deadline: August 4 at midnight. The SC Watermedia Society announces a call to artists for a national juried art exhibition, November 2 – December 20, 2019 at University Place in Florence, SC. Juror: Ryan Fox. All entries must be executed in watermedia, such as watercolor, acrylic, gouache, etc. Collage is acceptable, however, the painting must be primarily composed of a painted surface. (No oils or water soluble oils accepted). Work may be produced on any surface that will allow framing (required) unless work is created on a canvas with finished edges (or gallery wrapped). Entries must have been completed in the last three years and not previously exhibited in a SCWS show. All persons entering must adhere to the guidelines in the prospectus. SCWS accepts online entries only. Entry fee for Members: $0, Students: $20, Non-Members: $50, $20 for additional entry. Only one entry will be considered for the show. For more information,visit the SCWS website.
Contrive: A National Exhibition of Photo Manipulation and Surreal Photography (VA)
Deadline: August 11. d’Art Center in Norfolk, Virginia seeks entries for a juried photography exhibition, September 14 – October 8. Awards for 1st: $500, 2nd: $300, 3rd: $150. Contrive is a national juried exhibition that features surreal photography and photo manipulation. Open to all photography that involves transforming or altering a photograph using either digital or physical methods, such as long or double exposures, compositing, or digital software as well as photography that is surreal in content. Throughout history, photographers have created their own worlds using darkroom tricks and optical illusions. Today we can create our own peculiar worlds using real-life objects/settings, editing programs, or both. This exhibition is open to all artists living in the United States and will be juried by Amanda Bradley, and curated by d’Art Center Staff. $35 for up to 3 works. More info., visit the d’Art Center in Norfolk website.
LISTEN – Call for Black Female Artists (PA)
Deadline: August 19. Sweetwater Center for the Arts in Sewickley, PA is seeking works created by Black female artists that explore ideas, experiences, triumphs and struggles specific to being a Black woman in America. LISTEN seeks to illuminate intersectionality, give voice to Black women, and encourage all to hear their realities. LISTEN is part of the 23rd Annual MAVUNO Festival of African American Art & Culture. Exhibition dates: September 19 – October 26, 2019. For details and to apply visit the Sweetwater Art Center website.
2019 International Juried Ceramics Exhibition (NJ)
Deadline: September 15. The Center for Contemporary Art 2019 International Juried Ceramics Exhibition will be held November 8 – December 21. The exhibition will consist of three-dimensional ceramics work. Work across a variety of display solutions is also encouraged including video or film related to clay. Juror: Garth Johnson, the Paul Phillips and Sharon Sullivan Curator of Ceramics at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York. Online entries are now being accepted through September 15th. Awards: Special Exhibitions Committee Award: Solo Exhibition at The Center for Contemporary Art. First Prize: $500. Second Prize: $250. Third Prize: $100. For more information and to enter visit the Center for Contemporary Art 2019 website.
DMV Artists: Wall Art/Mural for Arlington Based Gym (VA)
Deadline/Timeline: Start in late August and completed by late September. Walls would be painted directly and dimensions will be given upon request. Style and final product are open ended but the aim is to inspire gym goers who are primarily runners. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia can apply. Budget has not been determined. For more information, contact Curt Cimino, [email protected] .
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
The 2019 Athenaeum Invitational: Board: Out of Our Minds! (VA)
Deadline: August 1. From a purely aesthetic perspective, artists can submit work that relates in any way to board games which might explore a real or imagined board game, an environment where board games are being played, or people playing board games. Have fun with the very concept of a game. While this is an open call for an art exhibition, entries that demonstrate creative brilliance through the core concept and game design are encouraged – as long as the end result can be hung on a wall with picture hooks and communicates the general idea or a particular aspect of the game with no more than a 750 word description. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter. For more information, visit the Athenaeum site.
Call for Entry: Illustration Exhibit at The Art League Gallery (VA)
Deadline: August 15 (midnight). Illustration is a broad term for visual storytelling. It can be executed in any media, and serves a variety of purposes. As our culture has become more visually oriented the job of the illustrator has never been more important. From images in storybooks, to online media, to newspapers, illustrators help us process information about the world and activate our imaginations. Participating artists are encouraged to submit works of illustration with no categorical restrictions. Artists may enter any current work made within 5 years. Award: $500 for Best in Show. For more information and to apply, visit The Art League website.
Art in Times of Anxiety, Juried Exhibition (NC)
Deadline: August 30. The University of North Carolina at Pembroke announces a call for entries for our 10th Annual International Juried Exhibition. All interpretations of this year’s theme, “Art in Times of Anxiety” are welcome in a variety of media, subjects, and approaches. Artists are invited to submit two-dimensional, three-dimensional, installation or digital media (including video based media). Composition, technique, style, expression, and craft will be considered in the selection process. All artists who are selected by this year’s juror will be displayed in the UNCP’s Art Department Gallery from Thursday, October 04 – Friday, November 01, 2019. Awards: $600 first prize, $200 second prize, and $100 third prize. Entry and Handling Fee: The processing fee for entry is $25.00 and allows for up to 3 entries per artist. For more information and a full prospectus visit the UNCP website.
Call for 2020 Smithsonian Craft and Design Show (DC)
Deadline: September 7. Each April, in Washington DC, the Smithsonian Women’s Committee (SWC) welcomes 120 outstanding American craft artists and designers to participate in a five-day exhibition and sale – the renowned Smithsonian Craft+Design Show. Three expert jurors select up to 120 exhibitors from the total group of applicants, based on originality, artistic conception and quality of execution. The Show does not charge sales commissions. All proceeds from the Preview Night party, daily show admissions, and other fundraising efforts benefit the education, outreach and research programs of the Smithsonian. More information at the Smithsonian Craft Show website.
Annual Open Call for Proposals (DC)
Deadline: September 10, before 4 pm. IA&A at Hillyer (formerly Hillyer Art Space) is a program of International Arts & Artists, a non-profit arts service organization dedicated to increasing cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts. Hillyer is a contemporary art gallery in Washington, DC. We are committed to supporting artists at all stages of their careers. Selected artists are awarded the following:A month long exhibition in one Hillyer’s three gallery rooms; Artist honorarium; Inclusion in annual RISE exhibition; previewing selected artists for 2020/21 season; Ongoing support from Hillyer staff, including a studio visit and exhibition consultation with Hillyer’s Director, assistance with exhibition installation and deinstallation, review of exhibition materials (artist statement, bio, labels, etc), and marketing and promotion of exhibition; Accepted artists also benefit from our Artist Advisory Program, where our highly qualified Artist Advisory Committee works individually with each artist to help them prepare their exhibitions and establish themselves in the DC-arts community; opportunity to give artist talks, lead public programs and workshops, artist interviews featured on blog, in artist spotlight video; one-year International Arts & Artists membership. For more information, visit the IA&A Hillyer website.
2019 International Juried Ceramics Exhibition (NJ)
Deadline: September 15. The Center for Contemporary Art 2019 International Juried Ceramics Exhibition will be held November 8 – December 21. The exhibition will consist of three-dimensional ceramics work. Work across a variety of display solutions is also encouraged including video or film related to clay. Juror: Garth Johnson, the Paul Phillips and Sharon Sullivan Curator of Ceramics at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York. Online entries are now being accepted through September 15th. Awards: Special Exhibitions Committee Award: Solo Exhibition at The Center for Contemporary Art. First Prize: $500. Second Prize: $250. Third Prize: $100. For more information and to enter visit the Center for Contemporary Art website.
VA Raleigh: UNFINISHED BUSINESS (NC)
Deadline: September 16. UNFINISHED BUSINESS is a juried call for art open to any works in progress. We want to see what you’re working on, whether it’s just started, midway, or almost done. This exhibition will also serve as an opportunity to receive comments and critiques on your works before the finishing touches are applied. UNFINISHED BUSINESS is open to any living artist. A maximum of 2 works of any medium, per artist may be submitted. Two and three-dimensional entries will be accepted. Work must be original and completed in the last 2 years. No copies, mechanical reproductions, molds or kit work will be accepted. Visual Art Exchange reserves the right to exclude work due to size or special requirements. Entries must be hand delivered to the gallery or mailed in a returnable container. Entry Fees: This call for art is FREE. For more information and to apply, visit, VA Raleigh’s website.
Dexter Jones Award: National Sculpture Society (NY)
Deadline: November 4. The Dexter Jones Award is an unrestricted prize of $5,000. It is presented annually to a sculptor for an outstanding work of sculpture in bas-relief. For more information, and to apply visit the National Sculpture website.
King Street Gallery Call for Entry (MD)
Deadline: November 25. The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center has a number of spaces available for mounting exhibitions that support the academic mission of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts. This open call is for our King Street Gallery, the largest exhibition space in the Cafritz Arts Center. This light filled, 1050 square foot gallery is in the main atrium of the building. Its prominent location, open design, and extremely high ceilings (30 feet+) make it a great venue for major exhibitions. While much of this gallery space is visible from the main lobby of the building, and through the windows that front onto the street, it does maintain gallery hours and is locked after hours. The gallery hours are Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.– 4 p.m. Exhibitions are generally scheduled a year in advance to complement the academic calendar. Exhibitions in the King Street Gallery are 4-5 weeks long, and emphasize two person or small group shows. Single artist applications may be paired with a complimentary artist or artists to better utilize the space. Curated proposals are encouraged. Learn more about this opportunity at the Montgomery College website.
Ongoing:
Del Ray Artisans: High Note Art Exhibit (VA)
Deadline: rolling. Join the Del Ray Artisans for High Note, an art exhibit exploring the connection between music and the mind. Meet the curators and some of the artists at the opening reception on Friday, September 6 from 7-9pm. The exhibit runs September 6-29, 2019 at Del Ray Artisans gallery in the Colasanto Center, 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22301. Gallery hours are: Thursdays 12-6pm, First Thursdays (April-September) 12-9pm, Fridays 12-9pm, Saturdays 12-9pm, and Sundays 12-6pm. The gallery is free, open to the public, and accessible. For more information, visit the Del Ray Artisans website.
Printmakers Inc. Call for New Member Portfolios (VA)
Deadline: Rolling. Rolling portfolio call for interested new members of Printmaker’s Inc: a non-profit dedicated to furthering the practice of Printmaking and residents of the Torpedo Factory for over forty years. Printmakers is looking for a new teammate for their shared studio. Members take turns working, share a commission on sales of 30%, and pay a small share of rent. The studio is equipped with three presses, storage space, inking tables, and multiple exhibit spaces for groups and solo exhibitions. If you are interested in having your work seen by the over 100,000 visitors annually, please drop off your artist statement, resume, and a portfolio with eight to 10 prints representative of a body of work at Studio 325 at the Torpedo Factory Art Center (105 North Union, Alexandria, VA). For more information, view the Facebook post with this call.
The Creativity Grant Program State of Maryland (MD)
Deadline: Rolling. The purpose of the Creativity Grant Program is to strengthen the vitality and sustainability of artists and small organizations to maintain a strong and stable arts infrastructure in the State of Maryland. The Creativity Grant also provides opportunities to serve the growing needs of relevant arts projects and collaborations within Maryland communities. For more information regarding eligibility and funding timelines, please review the Creativity Grants Guidelines. For more information about the program, and to apply visit the Creativity Grant Program State of Maryland website.
Artist/Writers: Cover Art for Academic Medicine
Deadline: Rolling. Submit original works of art inspired by, but not necessarily representative of, an academic medicine experience from any perspective: caregiver, researcher, teacher, learner, or patient (for example, learning how to be a physician or scientist, caring for patients, exploring research questions, making a new discovery, being a research participant, teaching, or being cared for in a teaching hospital). The journal welcomes photography, sculpture, painting, textile work, and other visual media. Images may be cropped or resized to fit into the allotted cover space. Artists must also submit a related Cover Art essay as a narrative companion to the artwork, to explain the connection between the work and the “academic medicine experience.” The related narrative should be 250 to 600 words and is subject to editing. To apply for this opportunity, and to learn more, visit the Academic Medicine website.
Artist/Writers: Medicine and the Arts (MATA) Opportunity
Deadline: Rolling. This column is the journal’s longest-running feature. It is published on two facing pages. The left-hand page features an excerpt from literature, a poem, a photograph, etc. Literature excerpts generally run no more than 700 words and may include a very brief introduction as needed. The right-hand page presents an original commentary of about 900 words that explores the relevance of the artwork to the teaching, learning, and/or practice of medicine. Since submissions cannot be fully accepted for publication until Academic Medicine acquires permission to reprint literary excerpts or artworks (which often takes many months), authors should include all relevant information about the piece they are explicating (publisher, museum, dates, etc.) to enable staff editors to find and contact the copyright holder. Submissions undergo review and editing. To apply for this opportunity, and to learn more, visit the Academic Medicine website.
The Awesome Foundation Accepting Applications for Art Projects
Deadline: Open. The Awesome Foundation for the Arts and Sciences is a worldwide network of people devoted to forwarding the interest of “awesomeness in the universe.” Established in 2009, the foundation distributes $1,000 grants on a monthly basis to projects and their creators. The money is pooled from ten or more self-organizing “micro-trustees.” The chapters are autonomous and organized by the trustees around geographic areas or topics of interest. Apply on theAwesome Foundation website.
Call for Artists: Maryland Art Place Seeks Proposals for Rotating Exhibition Partnership with Baltimore’s Hotel Indigo (MD)
Deadline: rolling. Maryland Art Place (MAP), in partnership with Hotel Indigo is pleased to announce an open ‘Call to Artists’. As an extension of MAP’s annual IMPACT public art partnership projects, MAP is working with Hotel Indigo to offer rotating exhibitions in Hotel indigo’s library and Poets Modern Cocktails and Eats. This opportunity is available to visual artists living or working in Maryland. Maryland Art Place will curate four exhibitions a year based on submissions entered through a rolling basis. Guidelines and information here.
Peripheral ARTeries – Biennial Contemporary Art Publication
Deadline: Rolling. Peripheral ARTeries is looking for artists to be featured in the new special Biennial Edition of their art publication, that comes to its 10th edition. This opportunity is great for both established and early career artists who need a boost to their artist portfolio. The 10th edition will once again explore and show current trends and tendencies in Contemporary Art: Peripheral ARTeries cultivates a spirit of openness through a unique collaborative and participatory approach.Each artist may submit a maximum of three works or projects made in any technique: painting, drawing, video art, experimental cinema, fine art photography, experimental media, mixed media, installations, public art, performance. The call is open to all proposed kind of art and media capable of challenging the viewers’ traditional perspective on art itself. To submit, visit thePeripheral ARTeries website.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo (VA)
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 (VA)
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, clickhere.
Public Arts Grants & Opportunities (VA)
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 (NY)
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 for more information.
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 (DC)
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 (DC)
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 (VA)
Sunday is #NationalIceCreamDay! In need of a sweet treat? Save the date for our annual Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser, September 21 – September 22 at the Alexandria King Street Art Festival. When you buy a handmade ceramic ice cream bowl for only $15 at the Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser, not only do you get a free scoop of ice cream, but you also help to fund our amazing ceramics department!
Participants in the Ice Cream Bowl Fundraiser can also enter free drawing to win ceramic artwork and an Art League gift certificate! Now that’s sweet!
Fun Facts: Last year we sold over 1,500 bowls, and over 1,173 scoops of ice cream were served (Superman was the kid’s choice winner)!
Where: King Street Art Festival, Market Square (corner of King and N. Fairfax Streets) When: Saturday, September 21, 10:00 am-6:00 pm & Sunday, September 22, 11:00 am-4:00 pm Why: Because ice cream is delicious AND the bowls are lovingly handmade by Art League artists, and proceeds support the League’s ceramics department How: $15 buys you a bowl and a scoop of ice cream!
Artist Bev Ryan chooses a couple bowls to take home
Did you know? Even though Summer is underway, you can still sign your kids up for fun camps at The Art League through August 16!
In one of our specialty camps, Fiber Camp, kids learn how to use fiber to create unique projects such as: weaving, basketry, felting figures, and more. All materials for this camp is included, so no last minute runs to the store are necessary!
Upcoming Fiber Camps
Fiber Camp (Ages 7-11) – starts July 15, and goes through July 19, 9:30 am to noon every day in the Madison Annex building. Kids need care before Art Camp? Add on a la carte Before Care here!
Fiber Camp (Ages 7-11) – Kids want more? Our last week of fiber camp starts July 29, and goes through August 2, 9:30 am to noon every day in the Madison Annex building.
More photos and fun from Fiber Camp 2019:
[metaslider id=”23576″]
About Art Camp
Summer Art Camp runs weekly through August 16, 2017 at The Art League’s Madison Annex in Old Town Alexandria. 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, and Fiber Camp focus on immersion in one particular medium.
Join us Thursday July 18 at 7 pm, as the Gallery welcomes animators Ignacio Serrano and Xiao Hua Yang Our second Art Movie Night features a screening of Serrano and Yang’s short collaborative animation exploring intercultural identity and exchange, VESSELS, followed by a talk with the artists. See Ignacio Serrano’s work here,here, and here and Xiao Hua Yang’s work here,here, and here.
Ignacio Serrano is a Fulbright Scholar and assistant to legendary graphic designer Milton Glaser, and Xiao Hua Yang is an illustrator for the Wall Street Journal and GQ. The Art League chatted with the artists about how they met, what inspired them, and how they got started in animation.
How did you meet? Who suggested collaborating first?
XHY: “I met Ignacio in New York at the group show of his SVA illustration summer residency program. Later, we both attended the same MFA program: MFA illustration at SVA. Ignacio suggested collaborating first.”
IS: “The first time I met Xiao was in the summer of 2014 when attending the School of Visual Arts’ Illustration Summer Residency Program in New York. Later on, both of us joined the MFA Illustration program also at School of Visual arts and were classmates during 2016 and 2017 academic year. I suggested the collaboration to Xiao.
A year and a half after we graduated, I got contacted by friend and curator Noelia Lecue, asking me to participate in a solo exhibition at La Nacional about Spanish immigration in the last century. La Nacional, also known as Spanish Benevolent Society, was founded by Spanish immigrants in New York in 1868, to host Spanish migrants who wanted to start a new life in the city.
Nowadays, La Nacional hosts diverse cultural events such as exhibitions, concerts, movie screenings and so on. It was a coincidence that I met Xiao a few days afterwards for a casual dinner, when I asked him if he would like to work on a new project, still to be defined, about immigration.The only premise was that had to be animation, because I never had done it before and I was curious about it, and also I knew Xiao had worked with fellow illustrator Cen Jun on one of his animation projects.”
Xiao Hua Yang’s work featured in Latin American Ilustración
You’re both illustrators, but how did you get into animation? Has it been an easy transition from illustration to animation?
XHY: “We both were working and honestly, we didn’t have much time for our own art and craft. They were very much neglected. We talked about this often and wanted to make a change.
We knew we wanted to collaborate on something but I didn’t have any idea on the subject matter nor format. Then one day he told me that he was approached with a fantastic opportunity to have a show at La Nacional, the Spanish Society, as part of a series of activities in celebration of this venue’s 150th birthday.
We initially talked about having still images for the show but we all like challenges and are willing to explore uncharted territories. That’s how we landed on the idea of creating an animation, though we had very limited knowledge of animation.
It was hard and not at all an easy transition from illustration to animation. Yet, it was not impossible. We still were able to finish the project and learnt a lot from the process. Most importantly, we enjoyed it.”
IS: “We are still learning about animation, as none of us took any classes in the past and we learned as we were working on this project. I think we are still pretty much illustrators who wanted to try something new as a way of keeping things interesting. We are already thinking about new animation projects but we both keep still working on static images.”
Whose work are you inspired by?
Demosthenes by Ignacio Serrano
XHY: “Peter Paul Rubens, Dali, Matsumoto Taiyou, Van Gough, David Hockney, Liu Xiaodong.”
IS: “I think it was really inspirational to see some illustrators like Jun Cen, who came from the illustration field, and started playing with animation at some point, I think as part of his instruction at the MFA in Illustration at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art). Being influenced by so many animation movies, anime and also music videos, animation has always been something I wanted to try.
Specifically with Vessels, I wanted to keep things simple and capture the look and feel of some of the drawings I did on location in the city. Robert Weaver played a huge influence on me ever since I discovered his work.”
What one thing would you tell artists looking to get into animation?
him, me by Xiao Hua Yang
XHY: “Don’t be discouraged, it’s worth the time!”
IS: ”Just jump into it and start working on simple shots. I tend to be much more meditative and focused on planning the whole project before starting to work and that always plays against me.
Thankfully, Xiao had a very different approach with can be summed up with one of his best expressions: ‘Let’s Do It!’ That [advice put me to work on] simple loops and as soon as we saw the first tests, we got really encouraged to keep working on more and also try different things.”
Just for fun: What’s your favorite medium other than digital?
Part of The Ragpicker Series by Ignacio Serrano
XHY: “Amongst the limited range of media I have tried, I think I like colored pencil and oil the most. The former gives me a controlled precision and gentle texture, the latter offers me the versatility.”
IS: “In my case, I usually do not even use any digital devices for my own work. I rather prefer dry media in big formats, such as charcoal or pastel on big sheets of paper, or ink-wash and big brushes.”
VESSELS (get a sneak peek here or below) explores the idea of human beings transposing culture across the world. Bringing the cultural luminosity of the New York City’s landscape into focus, VESSELS, takes a closer look at migration in the urban landscape as well as the legacy and imprint that migrants leave on culture in which they settle.
Xiao Hua Yang: Yang is originally from Shanghai and is now based in Queens, New York.His work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, American Illustrations, Association of Illustrators, 3×3 Magazine, Creative Quarterly, Applied Arts Magazine. His client list includes Wall Street Journal, SeatGeek, Surf Twenty Magazine, Howler Magazine, Wissen Magazine, Elle Men Magazine, The Beast Shop.
Ignacio Serrano: Fulbright Scholar and assistant to legendary designer Milton Glaser, Ignacio Serrano and illustrator for Wall Street Journal and GQ, Xiao Hua Yang speak at The Art League Gallery on the creative process and collaboration. Featuring a screening of their short animation: VESSELS.
Deadline: July 15. Torpedo Factory Art Center is interested in purchasing original craft objects, artwork, and designs to sell in the Art Center’s Gift Shop. Selected products will be labeled in the shop as being made by the artist and, as appropriate, the name of the artist will appear on the products.This opportunity is open to all active lease holding artists or current members of a gallery/workshop at the Art Center. Sublease holders and external candidates are not eligible. Juror: Raven Lynch, Museum Shop Head Buyer, VMFA Shop, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. To learn more and apply, visit the Torpedo Factory Art Center.
New:
The 2019 Athenaeum Invitational: Board: Out of Our Minds! (VA)
Deadline: August 1. From a purely aesthetic perspective, artists can submit work that relates in any way to board games which might explore a real or imagined board game, an environment where board games are being played, or people playing board games. Have fun with the very concept of a game. While this is an open call for an art exhibition, entries that demonstrate creative brilliance through the core concept and game design are encouraged – as long as the end result can be hung on a wall with picture hooks and communicates the general idea or a particular aspect of the game with no more than a 750 word description. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter. For more information, visit the Athenaeum site.
Annual Open Call for Proposals (DC)
Deadline: September 10, before 4 pm. IA&A at Hillyer (formerly Hillyer Art Space) is a program of International Arts & Artists, a non-profit arts service organization dedicated to increasing cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts. Hillyer is a contemporary art gallery in Washington, DC. We are committed to supporting artists at all stages of their careers. Selected artists are awarded the following: A month long exhibition in one Hillyer’s three gallery rooms; Artist honorarium; Inclusion in annual RISE exhibition; previewing selected artists for 2020/21 season; Ongoing support from Hillyer staff, including a studio visit and exhibition consultation with Hillyer’s Director, assistance with exhibition installation and deinstallation, review of exhibition materials (artist statement, bio, labels, etc), and marketing and promotion of exhibition; Accepted artists also benefit from our Artist Advisory Program, where our highly qualified Artist Advisory Committee works individually with each artist to help them prepare their exhibitions and establish themselves in the DC-arts community; opportunity to give artist talks, lead public programs and workshops, artist interviews featured on blog, in artist spotlight video; one-year International Arts & Artists membership. For more information, visit the IA&A Hillyer website.
Del Ray Artisans: High Note Art Exhibit (VA)
Deadline: August 11. Join the Del Ray Artisans for High Note, an art exhibit exploring the connection between music and the mind. Meet the curators and some of the artists at the opening reception on Friday, September 6 from 7-9pm. The exhibit runs September 6-29, 2019 at Del Ray Artisans gallery in the Colasanto Center, 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22301. Gallery hours are: Thursdays 12-6pm, First Thursdays (April-September) 12-9pm, Fridays 12-9pm, Saturdays 12-9pm, and Sundays 12-6pm. The gallery is free, open to the public, and accessible. For more information, visit the Del Ray Artisans website.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Show Your Paper (IL)
Deadline: July 11. Woman Made Gallery in Chicago announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, Sept 20 – Oct 19, 2019. Juror: Kathryn MarkelPrincipal, Markel Fine Arts. Open to artists who use paper as substrate or primary medium. Works made on or about paper may include, (but are not limited to) – painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, collage, cut paper, paper constructions, etc. All mediums on paper will be considered. All applicants should submit an artist’s statement about their body of work. Accepted artworks must not exceed 72″ horizontally and must not have been previously shown at Woman Made Gallery. $30 entry fee. For additional info., visit the Woman Made website.
1708 Gallery’s InLight Richmond Call for Proposals (VA)
Deadline: July 15. 1708 Gallery invites national and international artists working in all media and disciplines to submit entries for the 12th annual InLight Richmond. InLight is a public exhibition of contemporary light-based artworks— multimedia and interactive projects, video, projection, sculpture, installation, and performance. InLight 2019 will take place at Chimborazo Park in the Church Hill neighborhood of Richmond. Artists are invited to propose projects that critically engage with the social and geographic history of this site. Two key moments in the park’s history include being the location of the largest Confederate military hospital during the Civil War and following Emancipation, hosting a Freedmen’s community for formerly enslaved African-Americans. 1708 seeks artists and projects that respond to, elaborate on, and propose new ways of understanding these complex histories. Potential sites for installations and performances include pathways, sidewalks, green spaces, trees, and more. There are no interior sites available. Artists may propose a specific site for both pre-existing and site-responsive works. Please indicate if your work is site-specific on your entry form. 1708 Gallery reserves the right to make final site assignments. For more details about InLight 2019 and to apply, visit the 1708 gallery website.
Call For Entries – The Shape of Memories- Loft Artists 6th Juried Exhibit (CT)
Deadline: July 15. The Loft Artists Association announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, August 24 – September 22 at Loft Artists Gallery in Stamford, CT. Cash Prizes. Juror: Arianne Faber Kolb. Open to all artists, 18 years and older, residing in the Tri-State area (Connecticut, New York and New Jersey). Media: drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, digital art and mixed media. Three-dimensional work should be accompanied by a pedestal or base upon delivery of art. All work must be original (no giclee prints) and have been completed within the last two years. $35 first entry, $5 each additional up to 5. More info., visit the Loft Artists Association website.
Call for Entry: Illustration Exhibit at The Art League Gallery (VA)
Deadline: August 15 (midnight). Illustration is a broad term for visual storytelling. It can be executed in any media, and serves a variety of purposes. As our culture has become more visually oriented the job of the illustrator has never been more important. From images in storybooks, to online media, to newspapers, illustrators help us process information about the world and activate our imaginations. Participating artists are encouraged to submit works of illustration with no categorical restrictions. Artists may enter any current work made within 5 years. Award: $500 for Best in Show. For more information and to apply, visit The Art League website.
Art in Times of Anxiety, Juried Exhibition (NC)
Deadline: August 30. The University of North Carolina at Pembroke announces a call for entries for our 10th Annual International Juried Exhibition. All interpretations of this year’s theme, “Art in Times of Anxiety” are welcome in a variety of media, subjects, and approaches. Artists are invited to submit two-dimensional, three-dimensional, installation or digital media (including video based media). Composition, technique, style, expression, and craft will be considered in the selection process. All artists who are selected by this year’s juror will be displayed in the UNCP’s Art Department Gallery from Thursday, October 04 – Friday, November 01, 2019. Awards: $600 first prize, $200 second prize, and $100 third prize. Entry and Handling Fee: The processing fee for entry is $25.00 and allows for up to 3 entries per artist. For more information and a full prospectus visit the UNCP website.
Call for 2020 Smithsonian Craft and Design Show (DC)
Deadline: September 7. Each April, in Washington DC, the Smithsonian Women’s Committee (SWC) welcomes 120 outstanding American craft artists and designers to participate in a five-day exhibition and sale – the renowned Smithsonian Craft+Design Show. Three expert jurors select up to 120 exhibitors from the total group of applicants, based on originality, artistic conception and quality of execution. The Show does not charge sales commissions. All proceeds from the Preview Night party, daily show admissions, and other fundraising efforts benefit the education, outreach and research programs of the Smithsonian. More information at the Smithsonian Craft Show website.
2019 International Juried Ceramics Exhibition (NJ)
Deadline: September 15. The Center for Contemporary Art 2019 International Juried Ceramics Exhibition will be held November 8 – December 21. The exhibition will consist of three-dimensional ceramics work. Work across a variety of display solutions is also encouraged including video or film related to clay. Juror: Garth Johnson, the Paul Phillips and Sharon Sullivan Curator of Ceramics at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York. Online entries are now being accepted through September 15th. Awards: Special Exhibitions Committee Award: Solo Exhibition at The Center for Contemporary Art. First Prize: $500. Second Prize: $250. Third Prize: $100. For more information and to enter visit the Center for Contemporary Art website.
VA Raleigh: UNFINISHED BUSINESS (NC)
Deadline: September 16. UNFINISHED BUSINESS is a juried call for art open to any works in progress. We want to see what you’re working on, whether it’s just started, midway, or almost done. This exhibition will also serve as an opportunity to receive comments and critiques on your works before the finishing touches are applied. UNFINISHED BUSINESS is open to any living artist. A maximum of 2 works of any medium, per artist may be submitted. Two and three-dimensional entries will be accepted. Work must be original and completed in the last 2 years. No copies, mechanical reproductions, molds or kit work will be accepted. Visual Art Exchange reserves the right to exclude work due to size or special requirements. Entries must be hand delivered to the gallery or mailed in a returnable container. Entry Fees: This call for art is FREE. For more information and to apply, visit, VA Raleigh’s website.
Dexter Jones Award: National Sculpture Society (NY)
Deadline: November 4. The Dexter Jones Award is an unrestricted prize of $5,000. It is presented annually to a sculptor for an outstanding work of sculpture in bas-relief. For more information, and to apply visit the National Sculpture website.
King Street Gallery Call for Entry (MD)
Deadline: November 25. The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center has a number of spaces available for mounting exhibitions that support the academic mission of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts. This open call is for our King Street Gallery, the largest exhibition space in the Cafritz Arts Center. This light filled, 1050 square foot gallery is in the main atrium of the building. Its prominent location, open design, and extremely high ceilings (30 feet+) make it a great venue for major exhibitions. While much of this gallery space is visible from the main lobby of the building, and through the windows that front onto the street, it does maintain gallery hours and is locked after hours. The gallery hours are Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.– 4 p.m. Exhibitions are generally scheduled a year in advance to complement the academic calendar. Exhibitions in the King Street Gallery are 4-5 weeks long, and emphasize two person or small group shows. Single artist applications may be paired with a complimentary artist or artists to better utilize the space. Curated proposals are encouraged. Learn more about this opportunity at the Montgomery College website.
Ongoing:
Printmakers Inc. Call for New Member Portfolios (VA)
Deadline: Rolling. Rolling portfolio call for interested new members of Printmaker’s Inc: a non-profit dedicated to furthering the practice of Printmaking and residents of the Torpedo Factory for over forty years. Printmakers is looking for a new teammate for their shared studio. Members take turns working, share a commission on sales of 30%, and pay a small share of rent. The studio is equipped with three presses, storage space, inking tables, and multiple exhibit spaces for groups and solo exhibitions. If you are interested in having your work seen by the over 100,000 visitors annually, please drop off your artist statement, resume, and a portfolio with eight to 10 prints representative of a body of work at Studio 325 at the Torpedo Factory Art Center (105 North Union, Alexandria, VA). For more information, view the Facebook post with this call.
The Creativity Grant Program State of Maryland (MD)
Deadline: Rolling. The purpose of the Creativity Grant Program is to strengthen the vitality and sustainability of artists and small organizations to maintain a strong and stable arts infrastructure in the State of Maryland. The Creativity Grant also provides opportunities to serve the growing needs of relevant arts projects and collaborations within Maryland communities. For more information regarding eligibility and funding timelines, please review the Creativity Grants Guidelines. For more information about the program, and to apply visit the Creativity Grant Program State of Maryland website.
Artist/Writers: Cover Art for Academic Medicine
Deadline: Rolling. Submit original works of art inspired by, but not necessarily representative of, an academic medicine experience from any perspective: caregiver, researcher, teacher, learner, or patient (for example, learning how to be a physician or scientist, caring for patients, exploring research questions, making a new discovery, being a research participant, teaching, or being cared for in a teaching hospital). The journal welcomes photography, sculpture, painting, textile work, and other visual media. Images may be cropped or resized to fit into the allotted cover space. Artists must also submit a related Cover Art essay as a narrative companion to the artwork, to explain the connection between the work and the “academic medicine experience.” The related narrative should be 250 to 600 words and is subject to editing. To apply for this opportunity, and to learn more, visit the Academic Medicine website.
Artist/Writers: Medicine and the Arts (MATA) Opportunity
Deadline: Rolling. This column is the journal’s longest-running feature. It is published on two facing pages. The left-hand page features an excerpt from literature, a poem, a photograph, etc. Literature excerpts generally run no more than 700 words and may include a very brief introduction as needed. The right-hand page presents an original commentary of about 900 words that explores the relevance of the artwork to the teaching, learning, and/or practice of medicine. Since submissions cannot be fully accepted for publication until Academic Medicine acquires permission to reprint literary excerpts or artworks (which often takes many months), authors should include all relevant information about the piece they are explicating (publisher, museum, dates, etc.) to enable staff editors to find and contact the copyright holder. Submissions undergo review and editing. To apply for this opportunity, and to learn more, visit the Academic Medicine website.
The Awesome Foundation Accepting Applications for Art Projects
Deadline: Open. The Awesome Foundation for the Arts and Sciences is a worldwide network of people devoted to forwarding the interest of “awesomeness in the universe.” Established in 2009, the foundation distributes $1,000 grants on a monthly basis to projects and their creators. The money is pooled from ten or more self-organizing “micro-trustees.” The chapters are autonomous and organized by the trustees around geographic areas or topics of interest. Apply on theAwesome Foundation website.
Call for Artists: Maryland Art Place Seeks Proposals for Rotating Exhibition Partnership with Baltimore’s Hotel Indigo (MD)
Deadline: rolling. Maryland Art Place (MAP), in partnership with Hotel Indigo is pleased to announce an open ‘Call to Artists’. As an extension of MAP’s annual IMPACT public art partnership projects, MAP is working with Hotel Indigo to offer rotating exhibitions in Hotel indigo’s library and Poets Modern Cocktails and Eats. This opportunity is available to visual artists living or working in Maryland. Maryland Art Place will curate four exhibitions a year based on submissions entered through a rolling basis. Guidelines and information here.
Peripheral ARTeries – Biennial Contemporary Art Publication
Deadline: Rolling. Peripheral ARTeries is looking for artists to be featured in the new special Biennial Edition of their art publication, that comes to its 10th edition. This opportunity is great for both established and early career artists who need a boost to their artist portfolio. The 10th edition will once again explore and show current trends and tendencies in Contemporary Art: Peripheral ARTeries cultivates a spirit of openness through a unique collaborative and participatory approach.Each artist may submit a maximum of three works or projects made in any technique: painting, drawing, video art, experimental cinema, fine art photography, experimental media, mixed media, installations, public art, performance. The call is open to all proposed kind of art and media capable of challenging the viewers’ traditional perspective on art itself. To submit, visit thePeripheral ARTeries website.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo (VA)
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 (VA)
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, clickhere.
Public Arts Grants & Opportunities (VA)
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 (NY)
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 for more information.
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 (DC)
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 (DC)
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 (VA)
Reading Woman with Parasol by Henri Matisse, 1921. Presented by the Contemporary Art Society 1938
Looking forward to an upcoming vacation? Find the perfect book to accompany you on your plane ride, throw in your beach bag, or dive into during a long road trip. Keep your artistic side teeming with ideas during the whole summer! These books are a few of our favorites from our reading groups, including our Creative Practice Book Club coming up July 25, and our Art History Book Club on August 1.
If you find the world to be a never-ending series of distractions, this book by Rob Walker might be just what you need to be present in your own creativity. With beautiful illustrations and fun exercises, Walker trains you to think more clearly, listen better, and reinvigorate creativity.
Pick up The Art of Noticing through a special partnership with Old Town Books, order from them online or visit their store just a block from The Torpedo Factory.
This book in itself is an inspiration…the graphic design of this little gem is worthy of your coffee table. The Secret Lives of Color tells the stories of seventy-five different shades, dyes and hues. Colors like Picasso’s blue to the charcoal on the cave walls at Lascaux, imperial purple to Acid Yellow, St. Clair tells history and our own stories through color.
Just for Fun: If you’re wondering what colors inspire you, check out this fun report from Year of Colour that generates a visual representation of you the colors you used this year on Instagram!
The writer of Eat, Pray, Love (another favorite beach read) compiles inspiration and empowerment from her own generative creative process. This book offers the inspiration to banish fear and begin embracing what you love. Gilbert encourages the practice of uncovering “strange jewels” hidden inside each of us. Big Magic cracks open a world where dreams and plans long forgotten make their way onto your “done” list.
Big Magic is also available through a partnership with Old Town Books, order from them online or visit their store.
“The Trickster’s Hat” features 49 exercises that will encourage you to forget the destination of your creativity, and instead focus on the journey. Bartock’s books are about discovery and curiosity and “Trickster’s Hat” is based off of his popular creativity workshop. All Bartock’s books are creative, whimsical, and innovative and this one is no different.
Emily Carr, a famous Canadian modernist artist, created works featuring indigenous people and landscapes of her homeland. “Growing Pains,” posthumously published in 1945, tells Carr’s story from her training as an artist in California and Europe, to the frustration of being rejected by the art community. Her story isn’t that of an easy road to fame, and the look into her creative process and struggle during the revolutionary early 20th century art world is unique and real.
Learn more about Modernist painter Edvard Munch through the lens of Norwegian, Karl Ove Knausgaard. As a fellow Norwegian creative, Knausgaard is a natural fit to follow the artist’s winding and deeply moving life story and also examine how his artwork changed the world. This book was featured in last month’s Art History Book Club!
This is handbook/ activity book kickstarts creativity with practical ideas and inspirational images. Those who attended our first Creative Practices book club may have read this one already. This handy book is the perfect catalyst for when you want to get right into the work of creativity and have some time on your hands to dive into observation, experimentation, and a deeper look at your world.
This book is also available through an exclusive partnership with Old Town Books, order from them online or visit their store just a block from The Torpedo Factory.
If you’re shopping for a new beach book on Amazon, consider supporting The Art League through your purchase. Navigate to the Smile.Amazon.com portal before you shop and AmazonSmile will make a donation to The League!
Deadline: July 15. Torpedo Factory Art Center is interested in purchasing original craft objects, artwork, and designs to sell in the Art Center’s Gift Shop. Selected products will be labeled in the shop as being made by the artist and, as appropriate, the name of the artist will appear on the products.This opportunity is open to all active leaseholding artists or current members of a gallery/workshop at the Art Center. Sublease holders and external candidates are not eligible. Juror: Raven Lynch, Museum Shop Head Buyer, VMFA Shop, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. To learn more and apply, visit the Torpedo Factory Art Center.
New:
Call for Entry: Illustration Exhibit at The Art League Gallery (VA)
Deadline: August 15 (midnight). Illustration is a broad term for visual storytelling. It can be executed in any media, and serves a variety of purposes. As our culture has become more visually oriented the job of the illustrator has never been more important. From images in storybooks, to online media, to newspapers, illustrators help us process information about the world and activate our imaginations. Participating artists are encouraged to submit works of illustration with no categorical restrictions. Artists may enter any current work made within 5 years. Award: $500 for Best in Show. For more information and to apply, visit The Art League website.
16th Annual Blanche Ames National Juried Art Exhibition (MA)
Deadline: July 13. Friends of Borderland, Inc announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, September 17 – October 5, 2019 at the Ames Mansion Museum in North Easton, MA. $2,000 in awards. Juror: Irena Roman. Open to all living artists aged 18 years or older, residing in the USA. All mediums including photography. $40 entry fee. For more information, visit the Friends of the Borderland website.
2019 International Juried Ceramics Exhibition (NJ)
Deadline: September 15. The Center for Contemporary Art 2019 International Juried Ceramics Exhibition will be held November 8 – December 21. The exhibition will consist of three-dimensional ceramics work. Work across a variety of display solutions is also encouraged including video or film related to clay. Juror: Garth Johnson, the Paul Phillips and Sharon Sullivan Curator of Ceramics at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York. Online entries are now being accepted through September 15th. Awards: Special Exhibitions Committee Award: Solo Exhibition at The Center for Contemporary Art. First Prize: $500. Second Prize: $250. Third Prize: $100. For more information and to enter visit the Center for Contemporary Art website.
Printmakers Inc. Call for New Member Portfolios (VA)
Deadline: Rolling. Rolling portfolio call for interested new members of Printmaker’s Inc: a non-profit dedicated to furthering the practice of Printmaking and residents of the Torpedo Factory for over forty years. Printmakers is looking for a new teammate for their shared studio. Members take turns working, share a commission on sales of 30%, and pay a small share of rent. The studio is equipped with three presses, storage space, inking tables, and multiple exhibit spaces for groups and solo exhibitions. If you are interested in having your work seen by the over 100,000 visitors annually, please drop off your artist statement, resume, and a portfolio with eight to 10 prints representative of a body of work at Studio 325 at the Torpedo Factory Art Center (105 North Union, Alexandria, VA). For more information, view the Facebook post with this call.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
106th Annual Exhibition (NY)
Deadline: July 3. Allied Artists of America announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, August 29 – September 15, 2019 at the Salmagundi Club in New York, NY. Over $25,000 in cash awards including: Top award of $3,000. Juror: Elizabeth Allan. Open to all artists 18 years and older. Original 2 dimensional artwork in oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, graphics, mixed media, and sculpture. $55 for one entry. More info (PDF)., visit the Allied Artists of America webpage.
Show Your Paper (IL)
Deadline: July 11. Woman Made Gallery in Chicago announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, Sept 20 – Oct 19, 2019. Juror: Kathryn Markel (https://www.markelfinearts.com/blog/92/) Principal, Markel Fine Arts. Open to artists who use paper as substrate or primary medium. Works made on or about paper may include, (but are not limited to) – painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, collage, cut paper, paper constructions, etc. All mediums on paper will be considered. All applicants should submit an artist’s statement about their body of work. Accepted artworks must not exceed 72″ horizontally and must not have been previously shown at Woman Made Gallery. $30 entry fee. For additional info., visit the Woman Made website.
1708 Gallery’s InLight Richmond Call for Proposals (VA)
Deadline: July 15. 1708 Gallery invites national and international artists working in all media and disciplines to submit entries for the 12th annual InLight Richmond. InLight is a public exhibition of contemporary light-based artworks— multimedia and interactive projects, video, projection, sculpture, installation, and performance. InLight 2019 will take place at Chimborazo Park in the Church Hill neighborhood of Richmond. Artists are invited to propose projects that critically engage with the social and geographic history of this site. Two key moments in the park’s history include being the location of the largest Confederate military hospital during the Civil War and following Emancipation, hosting a Freedmen’s community for formerly enslaved African-Americans. 1708 seeks artists and projects that respond to, elaborate on, and propose new ways of understanding these complex histories. Potential sites for installations and performances include pathways, sidewalks, green spaces, trees, and more. There are no interior sites available. Artists may propose a specific site for both pre-existing and site-responsive works. Please indicate if your work is site-specific on your entry form. 1708 Gallery reserves the right to make final site assignments. For more details about InLight 2019 and to apply, visit the 1708 gallery website.
Call For Entries – The Shape of Memories- Loft Artists 6th Juried Exhibit (CT)
Deadline: July 15. The Loft Artists Association announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, August 24 – September 22 at Loft Artists Gallery in Stamford, CT. Cash Prizes. Juror: Arianne Faber Kolb. Open to all artists, 18 years and older, residing in the Tri-State area (Connecticut, New York and New Jersey). Media: drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, digital art and mixed media. Three-dimensional work should be accompanied by a pedestal or base upon delivery of art. All work must be original (no giclee prints) and have been completed within the last two years. $35 first entry, $5 each additional up to 5. More info., visit the Loft Artists Association website.
Art in Times of Anxiety, Juried Exhibition (NC)
Deadline: August 30. The University of North Carolina at Pembroke announces a call for entries for our 10th Annual International Juried Exhibition. All interpretations of this year’s theme, “Art in Times of Anxiety” are welcome in a variety of media, subjects, and approaches. Artists are invited to submit two-dimensional, three-dimensional, installation or digital media (including video based media). Composition, technique, style, expression, and craft will be considered in the selection process. All artists who are selected by this year’s juror will be displayed in the UNCP’s Art Department Gallery from Thursday, October 04 – Friday, November 01, 2019. Awards: $600 first prize, $200 second prize, and $100 third prize. Entry and Handling Fee: The processing fee for entry is $25.00 and allows for up to 3 entries per artist. For more information and a full prospectus visit the UNCP website.
Call for 2020 Smithsonian Craft and Design Show (DC)
Deadline: September 7. Each April, in Washington DC, the Smithsonian Women’s Committee (SWC) welcomes 120 outstanding American craft artists and designers to participate in a five-day exhibition and sale – the renowned Smithsonian Craft+Design Show. Three expert jurors select up to 120 exhibitors from the total group of applicants, based on originality, artistic conception and quality of execution. The Show does not charge sales commissions. All proceeds from the Preview Night party, daily show admissions, and other fundraising efforts benefit the education, outreach and research programs of the Smithsonian. More information at the Smithsonian Craft Show website.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS (NC)
Deadline: September 16. UNFINISHED BUSINESS is a juried call for art open to any works in progress. We want to see what you’re working on, whether it’s just started, midway, or almost done. This exhibition will also serve as an opportunity to receive comments and critiques on your works before the finishing touches are applied. UNFINISHED BUSINESS is open to any living artist. A maximum of 2 works of any medium, per artist may be submitted. Two and three-dimensional entries will be accepted. Work must be original and completed in the last 2 years. No copies, mechanical reproductions, molds or kit work will be accepted. Visual Art Exchange reserves the right to exclude work due to size or special requirements. Entries must be hand delivered to the gallery or mailed in a returnable container. Entry Fees: This call for art is FREE. For more information and to apply, visit, VA Raleigh’s website.
Dexter Jones Award: National Sculpture Society (NY)
Deadline: November 4. The Dexter Jones Award is an unrestricted prize of $5,000. It is presented annually to a sculptor for an outstanding work of sculpture in bas-relief. For more information, and to apply visit the National Sculpture website.
King Street Gallery Call for Entry (MD)
Deadline: November 25. The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center has a number of spaces available for mounting exhibitions that support the academic mission of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts. This open call is for our King Street Gallery, the largest exhibition space in the Cafritz Arts Center. This light filled, 1050 square foot gallery is in the main atrium of the building. Its prominent location, open design, and extremely high ceilings (30 feet+) make it a great venue for major exhibitions. While much of this gallery space is visible from the main lobby of the building, and through the windows that front onto the street, it does maintain gallery hours and is locked after hours. The gallery hours are Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.– 4 p.m. Exhibitions are generally scheduled a year in advance to complement the academic calendar. Exhibitions in the King Street Gallery are 4-5 weeks long, and emphasize two person or small group shows. Single artist applications may be paired with a complimentary artist or artists to better utilize the space. Curated proposals are encouraged. Learn more about this opportunity at the Montgomery College website.
Ongoing:
The Creativity Grant Program State of Maryland (MD)
Deadline: Rolling. The purpose of the Creativity Grant Program is to strengthen the vitality and sustainability of artists and small organizations to maintain a strong and stable arts infrastructure in the State of Maryland. The Creativity Grant also provides opportunities to serve the growing needs of relevant arts projects and collaborations within Maryland communities. For more information regarding eligibility and funding timelines, please review the Creativity Grants Guidelines. For more information about the program, and to apply visit the Creativity Grant Program State of Maryland website.
Artist/Writers: Cover Art for Academic Medicine
Deadline: Rolling. Submit original works of art inspired by, but not necessarily representative of, an academic medicine experience from any perspective: caregiver, researcher, teacher, learner, or patient (for example, learning how to be a physician or scientist, caring for patients, exploring research questions, making a new discovery, being a research participant, teaching, or being cared for in a teaching hospital). The journal welcomes photography, sculpture, painting, textile work, and other visual media. Images may be cropped or resized to fit into the allotted cover space. Artists must also submit a related Cover Art essay as a narrative companion to the artwork, to explain the connection between the work and the “academic medicine experience.” The related narrative should be 250 to 600 words and is subject to editing. To apply for this opportunity, and to learn more, visit the Academic Medicine website.
Artist/Writers: Medicine and the Arts (MATA) Opportunity
Deadline: Rolling. This column is the journal’s longest-running feature. It is published on two facing pages. The left-hand page features an excerpt from literature, a poem, a photograph, etc. Literature excerpts generally run no more than 700 words and may include a very brief introduction as needed. The right-hand page presents an original commentary of about 900 words that explores the relevance of the artwork to the teaching, learning, and/or practice of medicine. Since submissions cannot be fully accepted for publication until Academic Medicine acquires permission to reprint literary excerpts or artworks (which often takes many months), authors should include all relevant information about the piece they are explicating (publisher, museum, dates, etc.) to enable staff editors to find and contact the copyright holder. Submissions undergo review and editing. To apply for this opportunity, and to learn more, visit the Academic Medicine website.
The Awesome Foundation Accepting Applications for Art Projects
Deadline: Open. The Awesome Foundation for the Arts and Sciences is a worldwide network of people devoted to forwarding the interest of “awesomeness in the universe.” Established in 2009, the foundation distributes $1,000 grants on a monthly basis to projects and their creators. The money is pooled from ten or more self-organizing “micro-trustees.” The chapters are autonomous and organized by the trustees around geographic areas or topics of interest. Apply on theAwesome Foundation website.
Call for Artists: Maryland Art Place Seeks Proposals for Rotating Exhibition Partnership with Baltimore’s Hotel Indigo (MD)
Deadline: rolling. Maryland Art Place (MAP), in partnership with Hotel Indigo is pleased to announce an open ‘Call to Artists’. As an extension of MAP’s annual IMPACT public art partnership projects, MAP is working with Hotel Indigo to offer rotating exhibitions in Hotel indigo’s library and Poets Modern Cocktails and Eats. This opportunity is available to visual artists living or working in Maryland. Maryland Art Place will curate four exhibitions a year based on submissions entered through a rolling basis. Guidelines and information here.
Peripheral ARTeries – Biennial Contemporary Art Publication
Deadline: Rolling. Peripheral ARTeries is looking for artists to be featured in the new special Biennial Edition of their art publication, that comes to its 10th edition. This opportunity is great for both established and early career artists who need a boost to their artist portfolio. The 10th edition will once again explore and show current trends and tendencies in Contemporary Art: Peripheral ARTeries cultivates a spirit of openness through a unique collaborative and participatory approach.Each artist may submit a maximum of three works or projects made in any technique: painting, drawing, video art, experimental cinema, fine art photography, experimental media, mixed media, installations, public art, performance. The call is open to all proposed kind of art and media capable of challenging the viewers’ traditional perspective on art itself. To submit, visit thePeripheral ARTeries website.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo (VA)
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 (VA)
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, clickhere.
Public Arts Grants & Opportunities (VA)
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 (NY)
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 for more information.
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 (DC)
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 (DC)
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 (VA)
The League’s 2019 nationally juried Tabletop exhibit features a functional ceramic, metal, and functional wares – perfect for wedding gift or an update to your own collection. The 50 juried pieces in the exhibit include metal utensils, wood and ceramic bowls, beautiful serving platters, ornate vases, practical but beautiful mugs, and even a small few tables!
Interesting fact: this year’s trend seems to be ceramic pieces that are wood fired!
This year’s jurors, Hitomi & Takuro Shibata, not only juried this exhibit but also taught a workshop and gave a talk in the Gallery. Their selections for this year’s winners are:
Ceramics
$1,000 for Best in Show: Paige Harper’s Teapot
Two $400 Equal Merit awards: Catherine Satterlee’s Madeline in Spring and Allison Severance’s Kitchen Colander
Functional Art Forms
$1,000 for Best in Show: Michaela Borghese’s Going to the Carnival
Two $400 Equal Merit awards: Michael Brehl’s Untitled and William Peirce’s Multi-Species Bowl
Take a sneak peek of all of the Tabletop works on Flikr!
Make sure to come and see the Tabletop exhibit through this weekend, we’re open 10 am – 6 pm on Saturday, and noon to 6 pm on Sunday!
