Painter Angela Lacy won the "March Flora/Fauna" Best-in-Show Award for her painting "Lismore Flowers."
by Haven Ashley
Lismore Flowers, the March Flora/Fauna Best-in-Show Award-winning painting by Angela Lacy, is like a postcard scene beckoning you to step inside inside. In effortless watercolor, Lacy delights us with a charming parcel of Irish countryside. Lovingly pruned and abundant with blooms, the garden feels exuberant with life. White chrysanthemums, cheerful as pinwheels, reach toward northwest sunlight, leading our eyes along the garden path. One can imagine the hum of its passing visitors—bees, beetles, the occasional waxwing—flitting in and out of view as they, too, enjoy the delights of the garden.
Lacy painted Lismore Flowers from a personal photograph taken on a trip to Ireland’s Waterford County. “I was touched by how the residents and shop owners appreciated nature and took wonderful care of their flowers,” she recalls. As she snapped photos of the town, an image of the painting blossomed in her mind. “I wanted to capture the essence of this garden, lovingly cared for by people.”
“Lismore Flowers”
When she was ready to create her painting, she used a special method of “pouring and tilting the paper to allow diluted colors to blend.” The method, she says, is influenced by her childhood growing up in Tokyo, where she was inspired by the unique composition and harmonious colors of Japanese woodblock paintings. It is both well-planned and improvisational—much like the circuition of a wild country garden.
Lacy’s pursuit and passion for watercolor began shortly after her retirement from the federal government, where she was a program analyst, in 2008. Currently, she is working on Northern Italy cityscapes—including Milan and Bergamo—from areas that she visited last year. “Now their suffering is unbearable,” she remarked on the COVID-19 pandemic’s assault on the region. “As I paint, I pray for the safety and protection of the people in Italy and all around the world.”
Lismore Flowers is an image of life in coalescence. As Lacy walked down the shop-lined Lismore road, she witnessed two intertwined ecosystems, a humble balancing act of flora and fauna. While climbing vines travel up the shop’s stone walls, proffering their pollen, the proprietors inside sell their own goods.
Below the honeyed garden blooms, Lacy has added deep, shadowy contrast—the places of earthy darkness where roots grow low, reaching down like grasping fingers. Where seeds are sewn, stitching their roots into the soil to form nature’s floral quilt. The artist reminds us that there is life in darkness and among stillness—cyclical, instinctual, and determined to thrive.
"Jasper's Dilemma" by Frank Stella is featured in the Whitney Museum of Art's online exhibit for children.
Welcome to Artful Weekend! With area museums and galleries temporarily closed as a COVID-19 precaution, we will now guide you to fun and interesting exhibits and more that you can enjoy from home. Increasingly, art institutions are devising new ways of engaging with art lovers from afar, and we will do our best to keep you informed about them. In the meantime, here are some artful activities for adults and children to enjoy this weekend and beyond.
Online Exhibits
“Oh, Oh, Oh, Not Again” Marlene Dumas
Women’s History Month may be drawing to an end, but it’s not too late to take in some exhibits featuring works by women artists. Two to see: No Man’s Land: Women Artists From the Rubell Family Collection is an immersive online tour featuring 37 of the brightest female contemporary artists working today. Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists, the first major thematic show to explore the artistic achievements of Native women, features artwork and videos on view at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art’s online gallery.
Mini Curator Talks
Throughout 2013, The Metropolitan Museum of Art invited 100 curators from across the Museum to talk about 100 works of art that changed the way they see the world, and eleven Museum photographers to interpret their vision. See their selections and hear their insightful commentary on 82nd and 5th, two-minute video episodes linking historical art and culture to a broader conversation.
Kids’ Corner
In her award-winning children’s book Tar Beach, noted quilter, painter, and mixed media sculptor Faith Ringgold recounts the dream adventure of eight-year-old Cassie Louise Lightfoot, who flies above her apartment-building rooftop, the ‘tar beach’ of the title, looking down on 1939 Harlem. Ringgold herself hosts an online story time, reading from her famed book in this YouTube video.
“Owh’ by Stewart Davis
Over at the Whitney Museum of Art, guided online tours introduce children 6-10 years of age to the works of famous artists like Stewart Davis, Edward Hopper, Jacob Lawrence, and Georgia O’Keefe, as well as works from the Whitney Biennial.
“A Hug Or Something Like It” Call For Miniature Art
Deadline: March 28 Artist Amy Wike is collecting miniature visual interpretations of hugs from DC-area artists to send as care packages. She will sell reproductions of the submitted artwork as Hug Packets, consisting of a set of five randomly selected ‘hugs’ for $20, and will also handle logistics and delivery. Profits will be split evenly among the contributing artists. For more information click here.
Maryland State Arts Council Arts & Entertainment Districts Assistance Grants
Deadline: April 1 The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) encourages and invests in the advancement of the arts for all Marylanders. Its grants and programs support artists and arts organizations in their pursuit of artistic excellence, ensure the accessibility of the arts to all citizens and promote statewide awareness of arts resources and opportunities. This program supports organizational development for Maryland Arts & Entertainment Districts. Eligible activities must begin or take place prior to July 1, 2020. Click here for more information.
Request For Qualifications: Langley Park Traffic Box Art Wraps
Deadline: April 13 This call is open to all artists, graphic designers, illustrators, and photographers who currently live or work within the State of Maryland. Submitted designs must be original artwork and can be created in any medium, so long as it can be represented in, and is submitted as, a high-resolution digital image without loss of integrity or quality. Learn more here.
Social Distancing Artist Residency
Deadline: April 30 As the COVID-19 pandemic develops over the next few months, we are facing substantial effects on our social lives. As social gatherings and events are being cancelled, and public spaces are closing, we may find ourselves in solitude more than ever over the coming months. With that in mind, Brooklyn-based artist Patricia Kalidonis, whose own artwork centers around social connections, solitude, loneliness, and familial bonds, is seeking artists who are interested in collaborating on an evolving, artist-driven idea titled Social Distancing Artist Residency. Click herefor more information.
University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center Call For Proposals – Maryland
Deadline: May 1 Qualifications are requested from local artists interested in proposing artwork for the interior of a large-scale healthcare facility: University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center. Due to the number of locations planned throughout the facility, there is opportunity for a variety of wall-mounted media at various budgets levels. Learn more here.
2020 Visiting Curator Exhibition Call For Entries – Philadelphia
Deadline: May 4 The Center for Emerging Visual Artists invites you to submit images of your artwork for review by our guest curator, Naima J Keith, of LACMA in Los Angeles, CA. Of the applicants, 10 to 25 artists will be asked to present a digital portfolio of approximately ten images. One to three of those artists will be selected for an exhibition in CFEVA’s Felicity R. “Bebe” Benoliel Gallery. Artists within a 150 mile radius of Philadelphia may apply. For more information click here.
Juliet Art Museum Regional MFA Juried Exhibition – Charleston, West, Virginia
Deadline: May 4 The Juliet Art Museum invites all MFA student artists graduating from schools in the Appalachian Region (spanning southern New York to Northern Alabama and Georgia) to enter the Juliet Art Museum MFA Exhibition. This exhibit serves as an opportunity for emerging artists throughout Appalachia, highlighting the incredible work coming out of MFA programs accross the region. Artists are encouraged to apply with the MFA thesis work. Work selected will be on display in the Juliet Art Museum from August 8th– November 29th, 2020. For more information click here.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Arlington Arts Center Seeks Instructors – Arlington, VA
Arlington Arts Center is looking for instructors for their upcoming art classes. This is a contracted position starting at $32/hour for instructors with a BA/BFA and $35/hour for instructors with an MA/MFA. They are looking for art instructors interested in teaching onsite at AAC and/or offsite classes in partnership with local elementary schools. For more information click here.
2020 Annual Digital Student Slide Show For Metalsmithing and Jewelry
Deadline: March 29 Educators, this annual conference component showcases the creativity, skill and hard work of students studying metalsmithing and jewelry in institutions across North America. It will be shown as a digital presentation in one or more parts at the 2020 SNAG Conference in Philadelphia, “Grit to Gold: Future Fifty.” SNAG is seeking powerful and inspirational images of the work of your students. For more information click here.
The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant
Deadline: April 1 The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant is awarded annually to under-recognized American painters over the age of 45 who demonstrate financial need. The mission of this grant is to promote public awareness of and a commitment to American art and to encourage interest in artists who lack adequate recognition. Click here to apply.
Women’s Studio Workshop Residency – Rosendale, NY
Deadline: April 1 The Studio Workspace Residency is an opportunity for artists to create new work and fully immerse themselves in WSW’s supportive environment. We invite applications from artists at any stage of their careers. This residency gives artists the gift of time, an uninterrupted period to live and work away from the stresses of daily life. Artists may choose to work in any one or more of our studios: intaglio, letterpress, papermaking, screen printing, darkroom photography, or ceramics. Learn more here.
Gloucester Arts Festival Call for Entry – VA
Deadline: April 3 The Gloucester Arts Festival committee is pleased to announce an open call for an exhibition that will be the focal point of their 2020 arts festival. The theme is water, both in nature and in human experience (e.g., industrial settings, conservation efforts, community life, spiritual dimensions, etc.). Artists will be juried into the show with digital images of original 2D or 3D work completed in the last two years. For details, click here.
Portico Gallery and Studios Call: Pride LGBTQ Exhibition – Brentwood, MD
Deadline: April 5 Portico Gallery will host an exhibition by artists who self-identify as LGBTQ, but the artwork does not need to be explicitly LGBTQ-focused. All artistic perspectives are welcome. Learn more here.
Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District Call For Muralists – Bethesda, MD
Deadline: April 6 The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, in partnership with Montgomery County, Maryland, announces a new public art mural project at the Montgomery County’s Public Park Garage located at 8216 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda, MD. Artists are invited to submit proposals that are transportation-themed including, but not limited to artwork depicting cars, bicycles, walking, public transportation and more. Learn more here.
Halcyon Arts Lab Fellowship – DC
Deadline: April 8 At the intersection of art and social change, this five-month residential fellowship is designed to provide support and resources to emerging artists working on projects which address issues of social justice, civic engagement, and community building. Arts Lab fellows strive to expand their practices and grow as leaders in their respective fields. For more information click here.
Biblio Spectaculum Call For Entries – Clifton Springs, NY
Deadline: April 11 Main Street Arts seeks entries for a national juried exhibition of artist books and text-based visual works. Submissions must be visual in nature. Written text passages must be part of an artist book, painting, photograph, drawing, print, collage, sculpture, or other visual art form. Submissions may be text art, concrete/visual poetry, any of the afore mentioned disciplines, or a combination thereof. Submissions may or may not contain text or type. For more information click here.
Filmmakers, Video, and Projection Artists Call For Concepts – Alexandria, VA
Deadline: April 17 The Alexandria Film Festival and the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra are partnering to produce “Homegrown: American Stories in Music and Film,” a unique blend of orchestral music and original film. Both organizations will commission five new films to be screened “live to picture” with American orchestral pieces performed by the symphony at its November 7 and 8 concerts, and then screened during the 14th annual film festival November 12–15. For more information click here.
Call For Graffiti and Aerosol Muralists – DC
Deadline: April 17 The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), in partnership with the DC Department of Public Works (DPW), seeks graffiti and aerosol mural artists and artist teams to design, create and install aerosol murals as part of the MuralsDC program. Selected artists will be expected to engage designated youth (ages 14-18) to help them understand the art of aerosol graffiti mural painting and provide youth with opportunities to assist in activities such as site preparation and mural outlining. This is an International Call for Graffiti and Aerosol Mural Art Artists and Artist Teams (selection preference will be given to artists that are residents of the District of Columbia). Click here to learn more.
The Harpo Foundation Grants For Visual Artists
Deadline: April 17 The Harpo Foundation seeks to stimulate creative inquiry and to encourage new modes of thinking about art. Applications are evaluated on the basis of the quality of the artist’s work, the potential to expand aesthetic inquiry, and its relationship to the foundation’s priority to provide support to visual artists who are under-recognized by the field. To apply click here.
Doylestown Art Festival Call for Submissions – Doylestown, PA
Deadline: April 24 In its 29th year, the Doylestown Arts Festival, September 12th-13th, is a vibrant scene of art and creativity that attracts tens of thousands of visitors. Submissions are reviewed by a volunteer jury of artists, curators, and local residents.To learn more and apply, click here.
Target Gallery Call For Artists
Deadline: April 26 Target Gallery invites artists working in all visual media to apply to Mythos, an all- media group exhibition that presents work by artists who illustrate contemporary interpretations of mythology, folklore, and legends. This exhibition takes the symbolism and allegory of mythology and recontextualizes them in terms of current perspectives. For more information click here.
The Beacon Celebration of the Arts 2020
Deadline: April 30 The Beacon invites new and veteran artists over age 50 to submit works in our online art competition “Celebration of the Arts.” Categories include painting, drawing, sculpture/carving, ceramics,/pottery, mixed media/textile, stained glass/jewelry, and film and digital photography. Learn more here.
Ongoing: These opportunities have rolling deadlines.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo Downtown Baltimore — Baltimore, MD
The Maryland Art Place (MAP) is working with Hotel Indigo in downtown Baltimore to offer rotating exhibitions in the hotel’s library and Poets Modern Cocktails and Eats restaurant. This opportunity is open to visual artists living or working in Maryland. ’s public art partnership projects (MAP), in partnership with Hotel Indigo, is pleased to announce an open call to artists. MAP will curate four exhibitions a year based on submissions entered through a rolling basis. Click here to learn more.
Solo or Group Shows in Athenaeum Gallery – VA
The Athenaeum Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia exhibits visual arts created solely by artists living or working in the region (DC, Maryland and Virginia) and strives to present visitors with a wide variety of excellent art and unique experiences. In addition to the shows curated by the Gallery Director, the Athenaeum Gallery invites artists and curators to submit show proposals. For more information, visit https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=6876.
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.
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 the Awesome 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 the Peripheral 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.
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].
Hi, Mini Makers families! It has been quite a while since we had an in-person meeting. I hope you are all safe and healthy. I have really missed making art with you! Since we will be closed to the public for the next several weeks, here is a kid’s art project for you to do at home.
Like a lot of parents out there, I recently found myself juggling work and my children at home full time. We have not settled into our quarantine “routine” just yet. I have been at a bit of a loss trying to juggle the role of mom, teacher, playmate while also processing the anxiety I’m feeling about the current state of the world.
Here is a multi-step activity that I did with my kids last week that left us feeling refreshed, and produced some exciting artwork. All of the materials I used aside from a bit of paint and paper, were basic household materials and things we found outside. I spaced the activities out over a full day, which worked really well for us. Enjoy!
What you will need:
Materials for making handmade paintbrushes:
Sticks
Pine needles, grass, or some other kind of “bristle”
Masking or duct tape
Wire (Floral wire, pipe cleaners or some other easy to twist wire works best)
Wire cutters
Scissors
Other materials:
Paint
Paint container
Drop Cloth
Paper or other painting surfaces
Step 1: Go on a collecting adventure!
We grabbed a few bags and headed outside for a walk in the woods. If you don’t have a wooded area nearby, any place you might find some stray sticks, leaves and pine needles will work. Spend some time engaging your kids in becoming explorers on a search for treasures. We picked up rocks, acorns, sticks, grass, and just about anything else that had treasure potential. You will need sticks of varied sizes and a substantial amount of whatever material you choose for bristles if you want to make paintbrushes. I like pine needles the best, but the options are limitless!
Step 2: Sort your treasures.
We sorted our sticks by size first. My kids really enjoyed doing this and it gave us some time to closely observe what we had found and discuss it.
Step 3: Assemble your paintbrushes and mark makers.
I started by choosing a stick and gathering a large handful of pine needles. Then I taped the needles to the base of the stick and then wrapped it several times with green floral wire to make sure the needles were secure. Depending on your kid’s age you may end up doing the bulk of this step.
Step 4: Set Up your workspace.
This is a bit on the messy side! I forgot to put down a drop cloth on my table and immediately regretted it. Make sure you cover your workspace with one—or even newspaper—so you will not spend a lot of time scrubbing afterward.
Step 5: Experiment with your tools.
Have your kids experiment with different kinds of mark-making: slapping marks, long slow marks, thick and thin marks, fast marks, dragging marks, or dancing marks.
Step 6: Make a painting!
Here are some discussion questions to further engage your Mini Maker(s):
What was surprising about your mark maker?
What do you like best about it?
How might you use the same materials to make a different kind of mark?
Illustrator and School of Visual Arts drawing instructor Carol Fabricatore likes to be out and about where she can observe things, be they fleeting moments in a cityscape or the abundant spectacles found in nature. “A lot of my work is done on location, so it is very in-the-moment and energetic,” she says from her Westchester, New York home where a sabbatical from The School of Visual Arts in Manhattan has also become an uncertain period of social distancing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ultimately, she says, it all boils down to storytelling. “It’s about finding what’s important to me, what I’m curious about, and then exploring that in a series of works where each piece tells a certain part of the story. It’s very narrative.”
Fabricatore had plenty to observe, and possible narratives to ponder, as the juror of our nature inspired exhibition March Flora/Fauna. “I really didn’t know what to expect,” she admits. “I thought it was going to be mostly painting and drawing, and I was pleasantly surprised and very pleased with the variation [of artwork]—sculpture and even photography. It was all really interesting and really strong.”
Here, she talks to our blog editor Julia Chance about what inspires her, why she loves teaching, and which works in March Flora/Fauna struck an emotional chord.
The Art League: How do you describe your work?
Carol Fabricatore: I am an artist who has always worked on location in urban, and semi-rural settings. I love the diversity and energy of New York in all its ways, and that there’s always a story, everywhere. I love being a visual storyteller. I also love working in botanical gardens and locations with landscapes.
I work in several sketchbooks at the same time and they can include figure drawing and people in subways or cafes, animals, or different personal projects. Then I have a couple that are specifically themed, like one for a series of personal work revolving around landscapes and another dedicated to a series of drawings inspired by Coney Island. I use my drawings from my sketchbooks to work up and create larger paintings in my studio for galleries. I also do illustration for editorial and books.
TAL: What mediums do you like to work in and why?
CF: I like to use a lot of different mediums depending on what the circumstance is, whether it’s on-site or in my studio or how I’m feeling that day. Sometimes I use a single medium or in conjunction together with others. I use watercolor, gouache, acrylic and different inks. I’ve also been making monoprints lately. When I work on-site, I need mediums that are portable that I can manage. When I’m in my studio I can spread out and use paints like acrylic and gouache. I don’t work digitally.
When she’s not documenting the constant hustle and bustle of New York City, Fabricatore makes flora and fauna the subject of her narrative style of drawing.
TAL: What is narrative drawing?
CF: Narrative drawing is art that tells a story, either as a moment in an ongoing story or as a sequence of events unfolding over time. Narrative storytelling and working in a series allows me to visually consider and capture moments that succeed and are replaced by other moments, to explore themes, and to bring out more intimate depictions of mood, atmosphere, passages of time, personal insights and complex thoughts.
TAL: You have taught narrative drawing for an MFA program at the School of Visual Arts for quite a while. What do you enjoy about teaching?
CF: Teaching makes me revisit everything I’ve ever learned and want to share with my students. I teach observational drawing in the studio and on location. It’s endlessly fulfilling and challenging. I love to introduce students to new ways of seeing and have them find a personal connection to what they want to draw. It’s important to recognize what they are curious about and to trust their intuitive response.
I have students do a lot of experimenting with different approaches and drawing instruments. I love having conversations about what’s really important to them, and to help them see the surprising and positive discoveries they make in their work. I like being a guide in their journey of finding their personal voice. Rewarding, exciting, invigorating, gratifying and a great learning experience for me, as well, teaching is all of those things.
TAL: What was your overall impression of the works submitted for March Flora/Fauna?
CF: I was very impressed with the work and extremely happy with the overall level of talent. I examined each entry for its artistry and how well it fit the chosen theme, ultimately selecting my favorites for exhibition. It’s so fascinating to see how artists saw the flora and fauna theme.
TAL: Describe your process selecting the best-in-show winner and honorable mentions.
CF: I took great care with my selections, and I really enjoyed the process. I pored over digital images of artists’ submissions for several days before narrowing the field to 100 artists, the best-in-show, and ten honorable mentions. Each artist portrayed flora and fauna in their own unique way, including representations of animals, flowers, gardens, and insects. This is such a lovely topic for which to create imagery. I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen in the entries. Selecting the best-in-show was very difficult. It was down to two images, both were strong, beautifully created and powerful. I ultimately went with the one that I kept coming back to, right from the first time I saw it, for best-in-show. This is a really strong exhibit because there are so many different takes on the theme, and artists range from using painting, collage, photography, drawing, and even 3D work.
TAL: Was there anything about the submissions that surprised you?
CF: The many different ways of expressing what the artist felt about the theme, using many varied approaches and mediums.
TAL: What advice do you have for artists submitting work for exhibition?
CF: When you photograph or scan your work, make sure it is a really good picture or scan. Refrain from submitting a photograph of work in a frame because it is usually difficult to light in an ideal manner. Choose the pieces that mean something to you and that you feel are the strongest. I know you can sometimes enter up to three artworks in a show, but don’t just add others because you can. Bring your passion and your voice to your imagery. Love what you do. Trust your intuition.
Best-in-Show Award winner Lismore Flowers by Angela Lacy
“This really struck me right away in an emotional way and made a deep impression, especially with the harmonious colors and striking composition. It has the feeling of a Japanese woodblock the way the artist used the light and shadow to create dramatic graphic shapes, depth and contrasts. I loved the use of specific bright colors that lead the viewer into the image in a graceful way from the largest white flower meandering up and around the red, yellow and vermillion flowers diagonally up to the top. The organic shapes of the flowers, leaves, and vines, juxtaposing the architectural structure of the building is striking. This image for me has a deep underlying evocative quality of things hidden underneath as well. It’s not simply what you are seeing on the surface but what you’re feeling.”
Honorable Mentions:
Eye To Eye by Gloria Spellman
“I loved all of the patterns, textures, and the camouflaged quality of the subject. I felt my adrenalin kick up a bit looking into the leopard’s eyes staring back at me. The confrontation with the viewer creates tension. The image has so much movement, from the blur of the grasses to the different directions of the pattern of markings on the leopard as it moves into the frame. It’s beautifully composed.”
Landscape by Daiva Balkus
“I found this three dimensional piece of different colored glasses exceptionally minimal and abstract. The choices of color combinations and composition are exquisite. It really felt like a landscape to me with the balance of economic shapes, forms, angles and curves. It’s aesthetically gorgeous.”
Looking for Lunch by Eva Lanyi
“This is a whole circle of life moment. What great storytelling, humor, surprise, drama and intense anticipation. The beautiful details in the spider, flower and the bee are incredible. It’s a perfect combination of fauna and flora!”
Morning Rose by Paul Seymore
“This image of roses is so sensitive and delicate. I love seeing the droplets of water on the pedals, like glistening pearls. It reminds me of the importance of the single rose in Beauty and the Beast, and suggests a fairytale story behind it. The way the central rose comes into focus and everything else melts away into a less important role is moving.”
New Sight by Stephen Procopio
“When I look at this piece I feel like I have a secret window into a dream of the artist. The central figure seems to be looking upwards towards a hidden face or muse in the garden. The garden seems very animated with a multitude of fauna and flora. There’s so much suggested storytelling and the artist invites the viewer to bring his or her own interpretations to it. I love traveling around the piece discovering all of the mark making within the vocabulary of line work. The balance between the contoured lines, the different textured marks and the more solid areas is lovely and exciting.”
Red-Bellied Beauty by Emily Piper
“This image was striking in a way that I just kept coming back to it again and again. I loved the droplets of ink around and behind the bird and how they grew and spread into beautiful forms and shapes, feeling very much like abstract flora. The relationship and interaction that the artist created between the organic ink shapes and the incredibly defined and meticulous patterns of the woodpecker is magical. The red accent color on the bird just makes the piece sing.”
Twilight by Leslie Chekin
“This image feels like the artist captured the special time of day where it feels enchanted. I love the small sliver of space between two of the trees showing the subtle glow of light making the image very narrative. The repetition of the vertical trees and the way the artist uses the positive and negative spaces between them makes this a beautiful composition. The tree that I see first as a focal point with all of the “eyes” on it seems to have many secrets and adds to the mystery of the scene. The image is so sensitively drawn.”
The Verdant Surface of a Quaking Bog by Ann Steele
“This artist creates a whole garden of delights with the delicacy of the gorgeous complementary color palette and lacy leaf shapes. It feels like you can write a whole fairy tale about the luxuriant miniature world within this photograph. The grasses and vines punctuate the image with repetition and movement. It has a charmed quality.”
White Roses In A Hornet’s Nest by Michaela Borghese
“The title alone talks about the contrasts of the subject matter of the image. It’s such a delicate use of different elements coming together. Everything seems very frail but together make a strong, powerful and thought-provoking image steeped with many layers. You can make many connections between the roses with thorns that can prick and a hornet’s nest that once housed creatures that can sting. The main amorphous transparent white shape that holds the roses juxtaposed against the swirling lines of the hornet’s nest are stunning.”
Piero’s Table by Maureen Rabinovitz
“I feel like I am sitting in the artist’s chair looking through an intimate view of her drawing table from her perspective. She has recreated the early Renaissance artist, Piero della Francesca’s painting of horses and riders in her own personal way. The full watercolor painting is elegantly crafted with a fresh and a gorgeous palette of complementary and harmonious colors that are stunning. She uses a collection of warm interesting shapes and forms that creates a fanciful composition and lovely use of space.”
Arlington Arts Center Seeks Instructors – Arlington, VA
Arlington Arts Center is looking for instructors for their upcoming art classes. This is a contracted position starting at $32/hour for instructors with a BA/BFA and $35/hour for instructors with an MA/MFA. They are looking for art instructors interested in teaching onsite at AAC and/or offsite classes in partnership with local elementary schools. For more information click here.
2020 Annual Digital Student Slide Show For Metalsmithing and Jewelry
Deadline: March 29 Educators, this annual conference component showcases the creativity, skill and hard work of students studying metalsmithing and jewelry in institutions across North America. It will be shown as a digital presentation in one or more parts at the 2020 SNAG Conference in Philadelphia, “Grit to Gold: Future Fifty.” SNAG is seeking powerful and inspirational images of the work of your students. For more information click here.
Portico Gallery and Studios Call: Pride LGBTQ Exhibition – Brentwood, MD
Deadline: April 5 Portico Gallery will host an exhibition by artists who self-identify as LGBTQ, but the artwork does not need to be explicitly LGBTQ-focused. All artistic perspectives are welcome. Learn more here.
Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District Call For Muralists – Bethesda, MD
Deadline: April 6 The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, in partnership with Montgomery County, Maryland, announces a new public art mural project at the Montgomery County’s Public Park Garage located at 8216 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda, MD. Artists are invited to submit proposals that are transportation-themed including, but not limited to artwork depicting cars, bicycles, walking, public transportation and more. Learn more here.
Biblio Spectaculum Call For Entries – Clifton Springs, NY
Deadline: April 11 Main Street Arts seeks entries for a national juried exhibition of artist books and text-based visual works. Submissions must be visual in nature. Written text passages must be part of an artist book, painting, photograph, drawing, print, collage, sculpture, or other visual art form. Submissions may be text art, concrete/visual poetry, any of the afore mentioned disciplines, or a combination thereof. Submissions may or may not contain text or type. For more information click here.
Filmmakers, Video, and Projection Artists Call For Concepts – Alexandria, VA
Deadline: April 17 The Alexandria Film Festival and the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra are partnering to produce “Homegrown: American Stories in Music and Film,” a unique blend of orchestral music and original film. Both organizations will commission five new films to be screened “live to picture” with American orchestral pieces performed by the symphony at its November 7 and 8 concerts, and then screened during the 14th annual film festival November 12–15. For more information click here.
Call For Graffiti and Aerosol Muralists – DC
Deadline: April 17 The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), in partnership with the DC Department of Public Works (DPW), seeks graffiti and aerosol mural artists and artist teams to design, create and install aerosol murals as part of the MuralsDC program. Selected artists will be expected to engage designated youth (ages 14-18) to help them understand the art of aerosol graffiti mural painting and provide youth with opportunities to assist in activities such as site preparation and mural outlining. This is an International Call for Graffiti and Aerosol Mural Art Artists and Artist Teams (selection preference will be given to artists that are residents of the District of Columbia). Click here to learn more.
The Beacon Celebration of the Arts 2020
Deadline: April 30 The Beacon invites new and veteran artists over age 50 to submit works in our online art competition “Celebration of the Arts.” Categories include painting, drawing, sculpture/carving, ceramics,/pottery, mixed media/textile, stained glass/jewelry, and film and digital photography. Learn more here.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Montgomery College Call For Exhibition Proposals – Silver Spring, MD
Deadline: March 22 The Department of Visual and Performing Arts is calling for exhibition proposals for the Open Gallery in The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center that address the theme of “Transcending Borders.” We invite artists to work with real or perceived restrictions, containments, rules, or labels in such a way as to push beyond their limitations. These borders could be self-imposed, cultural, societal, physical, or natural divisions. This exhibition would be an opportunity to challenge, question, conform, or break these constraints. For more information click here.
Call for Entry, Prince Street Gallery – NY
Deadline: March 22 Open to artists 18+ living in the USA. Original paintings, drawings, prints, and mixed media only. No giclees, digital prints, videos or photographs will be accepted. For more information, click here.
Call For Entry, Hand Drawn: A Juried Exhibition of Drawings – St. James, NY
Deadline: March 24 Mills Pond Gallery invites artists to submit works for a juried drawing exhibition. The exhibition is open to drawing in any medium. All subjects, styles, and genres are encouraged, i.e. fine art, illustration, design, conceptual, realism, digital, expressive, abstract, etc. Learn more here.
The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant
Deadline: April 1 The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant is awarded annually to under-recognized American painters over the age of 45 who demonstrate financial need. The mission of this grant is to promote public awareness of and a commitment to American art and to encourage interest in artists who lack adequate recognition. Click here to apply.
Women’s Studio Workshop Residency – Rosendale, NY
Deadline: April 1 The Studio Workspace Residency is an opportunity for artists to create new work and fully immerse themselves in WSW’s supportive environment. We invite applications from artists at any stage of their careers. This residency gives artists the gift of time, an uninterrupted period to live and work away from the stresses of daily life. Artists may choose to work in any one or more of our studios: intaglio, letterpress, papermaking, screen printing, darkroom photography, or ceramics. Learn more here.
Gloucester Arts Festival Call for Entry – VA
Deadline: April 3 The Gloucester Arts Festival committee is pleased to announce an open call for an exhibition that will be the focal point of their 2020 arts festival. The theme is water, both in nature and in human experience (e.g., industrial settings, conservation efforts, community life, spiritual dimensions, etc.). Artists will be juried into the show with digital images of original 2D or 3D work completed in the last two years. For details, click here.
Halcyon Arts Lab Fellowship – DC
Deadline: April 8 At the intersection of art and social change, this five-month residential fellowship is designed to provide support and resources to emerging artists working on projects which address issues of social justice, civic engagement, and community building. Arts Lab fellows strive to expand their practices and grow as leaders in their respective fields. For more information click here.
The Harpo Foundation Grants For Visual Artists
Deadline: April 17 The Harpo Foundation seeks to stimulate creative inquiry and to encourage new modes of thinking about art. Applications are evaluated on the basis of the quality of the artist’s work, the potential to expand aesthetic inquiry, and its relationship to the foundation’s priority to provide support to visual artists who are under-recognized by the field. To apply click here.
Doylestown Art Festival Call for Submissions – Doylestown, PA
Deadline: April 24 In its 29th year, the Doylestown Arts Festival, September 12th-13th, is a vibrant scene of art and creativity that attracts tens of thousands of visitors. Submissions are reviewed by a volunteer jury of artists, curators, and local residents.To learn more and apply, click here.
Target Gallery Call For Artists
Deadline: April 26 Target Gallery invites artists working in all visual media to apply to Mythos, an all- media group exhibition that presents work by artists who illustrate contemporary interpretations of mythology, folklore, and legends. This exhibition takes the symbolism and allegory of mythology and recontextualizes them in terms of current perspectives. For more information click here.
Ongoing: These opportunities have rolling deadlines.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo Downtown Baltimore — Baltimore, MD
The Maryland Art Place (MAP) is working with Hotel Indigo in downtown Baltimore to offer rotating exhibitions in the hotel’s library and Poets Modern Cocktails and Eats restaurant. This opportunity is open to visual artists living or working in Maryland. ’s public art partnership projects (MAP), in partnership with Hotel Indigo, is pleased to announce an open call to artists. MAP will curate four exhibitions a year based on submissions entered through a rolling basis. Click here to learn more.
Solo or Group Shows in Athenaeum Gallery – VA
The Athenaeum Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia exhibits visual arts created solely by artists living or working in the region (DC, Maryland and Virginia) and strives to present visitors with a wide variety of excellent art and unique experiences. In addition to the shows curated by the Gallery Director, the Athenaeum Gallery invites artists and curators to submit show proposals. For more information, visit https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=6876.
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.
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 the Awesome 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 the Peripheral 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.
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].
Welcome to Artful Weekend, our weekly listing of area art happenings! Check it out every Friday for fun and interesting exhibits and events occurring throughout the DMV. Share your experience at these and other weekend art destinations by tagging us (@theartleague) and including the hashtag #artfulweekend on social media.
This weekend: An artistic ode to Spring, an exhibit you can color, portraiture created from glass, and more!
Check with venues beforehand for possible closings.
March Flora/Fauna and Outside the Lines
Artwork form left to right: Eventide Escape by Richard Moore; Piero’s Table by Maureen Rabinovitz; and Landscape by Daiva Balkus. Floral arrangement by The Enchanted Florist.
Outside the Lines, Chris Bonnell’s wall-size coloring installation.
The Art League is ushering in Spring with two exciting exhibits guaranteed to delight the senses and inspire creative fun:March Flora/Faunafeatures art work from our members that explores plant and animal life, and the delicate balance of the natural world. Complimenting this exhibit are exquisite floral arrangements fromThe Enchanted Florist, that are for sale, with ten percent of the proceeds going to support our Outreach programming. Outside the Lines is a dynamic, interactive exhibit created by illustrator and Art League instructor Chris Bonnell. For it, he reimagines popular D.C. and Alexandria landmarks taken over by lush plants and fantastical animals. Step into our solo gallery and add to his vision by coloring on a wall-size Illustrated map. Saunter over to the Wild Animal Selfie Wall and strike a pose, then visit the Creature Tree where stickers and drawing supplies await you for making mini creatures of your own to add to the installation; on view through April 5 at The Art League in the Torpedo Factory, 105 North Union Street, Old Town Alexandria.
March150
Courtesy of Target Gallery
Target Gallery’s popular annual exhibition and art sale, March150, returns to the Torpedo Factory Art Center for the 10tth year. This yearly all-media exhibition features over 200 works created and donated by artists local to Alexandria and the greater D.C. region. Emerging and established artists are shown together displayed a wide variety of styles and media. The only requirement to be on view in the exhibition is that artists use the gallery-supplied 10” x 10” panel. All work in the show is priced at $150. Proceeds benefit future exhibitions and programs at Target Galley and the Torpedo Factory Art Center; on view through March 31 Target Gallery in the Torpedo Factory, 105 North Union Street, Old Town Alexandria.
Intersections: Select New Works by MFA Artists
“Bird King” by Astrid Kohler
Morton Fine Arts presentsIntersections, a kaleidoscope of works by nine of their artists—Julia Mae Bancroft, Victor Ekpuk, Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann, and Vonn Sumner among them—at Gallery B; on view through March 28 at Gallery B, 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E, Bethesda, MD.
Broken Beauty: The Crushed Glass Collection
Missy by Simone Agoussoye
“Beauty can be found even in the broken things,” says artist Simone Agoussoye.Broken Beautymarks a shift from her usual portraiture mediums—sketching and painting—to crushed glass. “My goal with this collection is to inspire others to not only be artistically bold and challenge themselves to use non-traditional materials and techniques in their work,” says Agoussoye; on view through March 27 at Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC), 1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE.
The Art of Color
Free by Kenneth Young
Bethesda Fine Art presentsThe Art of Color, an exhibition celebrating the use of color as subject in abstract art. Featuring paintings, sculpture, works on paper, and mixed media, this exhibition explores how contemporary artists—Kenneth Victor Young, Sam Gilliam, Mimi Herbert, Paul Reed, Cynthia Bickley, Irene Rice Periera, and Sibel Kocabasi—experiment with geometry, form, and pattern to create color compositions that are powerfully expressive; on view by appointment through June 26 at Bethesda Fine art, 4931 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD.
Photograph of the U.S. synchronized swimming team practices in Indianapolis, by David Bowman, is featured in "Women: A Century of Change" at the National Geographic Museum.
Welcome to Artful Weekend, our new weekly listing of area art happenings! Check it out every Friday for fun and interesting exhibits and events occurring throughout the DMV. Share your experience at these and other weekend art destinations by tagging us (@theartleague) and including the hashtag #artfulweekend on social media.
This weekend: homages to women, provocative prints, jazz-inspired pastels, and more!
Women: A Century of Change
Two actresses strike a pose in costumes from ancient Greece during the Delphi Festival; photo by Maynard Owen Williams.
A powerful exhibition of photographs spanning nine decades, Women illuminates, celebrates and reflects on where the world’s women have been, where they are now and where they are going; on view through May 17 at 145 17th Street, NW.
Women of Progress: Early Camera Portraits
Journalist, editor, critic, and women’s rights advocate Margaret Fuller, by photographer John Plumbe
The growing presence of women in public life coincided with the rise of portrait photography during the mid-nineteenth century. This exhibition of daguerreotypes and ambrotypes from the 1840s and 1850s features portraits of early feminist icons, women’s rights advocates Margaret Fuller and Lucy Stone, abolitionist Lucretia Mott and best-selling author Harriet Beecher Stowe; on view through May 31 at the National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets, NW.
Agustina Woodgate: Facing Earth
“Cosmética,” various sizes, by Agustina Woodgate
This exhibition features a collection of 2019 Whitney Biennial Agustina Woodgate’s recent artworks in which she uses techniques of erasure using sandpaper to alter the surfaces of analog cartographic instruments and didactics such as maps, globes, and atlases; on view through March 28 at Mason Exhibitions, George Mason University School of Art, Art and Design Building, Suite 2050, 4400 University Drive Fairfax, VA.
Noise on the Walls
Detroit-based Artist Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. uses letterpress printing and bold type to stir up strong emotions through print. As printer and provocateur, his work asks uncomfortable questions about issues of race, equality, and artistic pretension. Meet the artist at an opening reception Friday, March 6 from 6:30–9 p.m.; on view through April 18 at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, MD.
Urban Blues
“à-présent” by Geoff Desobry
Geoff Desobry’s Urban Blues consists of pastel works on paper completed in 2019 and early 2020. The city at night was the initial theme. Much like a jazz improvisation, the pieces expanded to embrace all that is blue. Meet the artist at an opening reception Friday, March 13, 6 – 9 p.m., or at the artist talk Sunday, March 22 at 1 p.m.; on view through April 4 at Waverly Street Gallery, 4600 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD.
An American Story: Jewish & Muslim Perspectives
“Arc of the Moral Universe” by Betsy Miller
Jews and Muslims Making Art Together (JAMMART), a group of unaffiliated artists that formed in 2008, presents an exhibit exploring America’s ideals of freedom, justice, and equality, all of which are being challenged in today’s political and social climate. Meet the artists at a reception Sunday, March 8 from 1-3 p.m. (registration required); on view through May 31 at Sandy Spring Museum, 17901 Bentley Road, Sandy Spring, MD.
Deadline: March 8 There is amazing beauty in the decayed, the corroded, the rusted, making images of them more compelling and interesting than those of brand new items. The New York Center for Photographic Art (NYC4PA) invites photographers world-wide to submit images for the theme “Decay, Corrosion, Rust” using any photographic process (print, image transfer, emulsion transfer, encaustic, black and white, color etc.). Winners will receive over $4,000 in cash awards, be featured in the NYC4PA Online Gallery and Award Winners Catalog. The Grand Prize winning image will be posted on the NYC4PA home page. Learn more here.
Asian Women Giving Circle RFP For Grant Proposals 2020 – New York City
Deadline: March 13 The Asian Women Giving Circle (AWGC) believes culture can play an essential role in any strategy for social change. We support Asian American female artists and women-led organizations in NYC that are using arts and culture to bring about social transformation that prioritizes equity; raise awareness and catalyze action around critical issues that affect Asian American women, girls and families; and highlight and promote women’s central role as leaders, creators, developers and managers of these projects. In this grant cycle, we anticipate awarding up to $15,000 individual grants to 5-8 projects, contingent on available funding. For more information, click here.
Annual Studio Jury Competition 2020 – Laurel, MD
Deadline: March 15 Join a thriving community of professional artists in the Montpelier Resident Artist Program. These artists work in a diverse variety of media and styles, maintain studio hours for the public to visit, and participate in community events. These artists are selected by an annual jury panel and exhibit their work in the Montpelier Arts Center’s Resident Artist Gallery on a revolving basis. Interested artists are encouraged to visit the Arts Center, located on the beautiful grounds of Montpelier Mansion in Laurel, MD. Fore more information click here.
Greater Reston Arts Call For Submission – Reston, VA
Deadline: March 15 Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) and Baltimore’s ‘Sindikit project space invite artists to submit a proposal for the exhibition An Excellent Thought About a Quality Idea. Artists are invited to make a new project referencing an artwork they’ve made in the past. We are specifically interested in the complexity of identity. Based on the prompt, each artist will make an entirely new artwork using a new genre or new medium. Learn more here.
Montgomery College Artist in Residency Program – Silver Spring, MD
Deadline: March 16 The Artist In Residence (AIR) program provides artists with studio space for up to one semester in duration. Studios provided are highly visible and placed in an interactive academic setting. To maximize interaction with academic programs, residency dates will align with the academic calendar. Learn more here.
Call For Entry, Hand Drawn: A Juried Exhibition of Drawings – St. James, NY
Deadline: March 24 Mills Pond Gallery invites artists to submit works for a juried drawing exhibition. The exhibition is open to drawing in any medium. All subjects, styles, and genres are encouraged, i.e. fine art, illustration, design, conceptual, realism, digital, expressive, abstract, etc. Learn more here.
The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant
Deadline: April 1 The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant is awarded annually to under-recognized American painters over the age of 45 who demonstrate financial need. The mission of this grant is to promote public awareness of and a commitment to American art and to encourage interest in artists who lack adequate recognition. Click here to apply.
Women’s Studio Workshop Residency – Rosendale, NY
Deadline: April 1 The Studio Workspace Residency is an opportunity for artists to create new work and fully immerse themselves in WSW’s supportive environment. We invite applications from artists at any stage of their careers. This residency gives artists the gift of time, an uninterrupted period to live and work away from the stresses of daily life. Artists may choose to work in any one or more of our studios: intaglio, letterpress, papermaking, screen printing, darkroom photography, or ceramics. Learn more here.
Halcyon Arts Lab Fellowship – DC
Deadline: April 8 At the intersection of art and social change, this five-month residential fellowship is designed to provide support and resources to emerging artists working on projects which address issues of social justice, civic engagement, and community building. Arts Lab fellows strive to expand their practices and grow as leaders in their respective fields. For more information click here.
The Harpo Foundation Grants For Visual Artists
Deadline: April 17 The Harpo Foundation seeks to stimulate creative inquiry and to encourage new modes of thinking about art. Applications are evaluated on the basis of the quality of the artist’s work, the potential to expand aesthetic inquiry, and its relationship to the foundation’s priority to provide support to visual artists who are under-recognized by the field. To apply click here.
Doylestown Art Festival Call for Submissions – Doylestown, PA
Deadline: April 24 In its 29th year, the Doylestown Arts Festival, September 12th-13th, is a vibrant scene of art and creativity that attracts tens of thousands of visitors. Submissions are reviewed by a volunteer jury of artists, curators, and local residents.To learn more and apply, click here.
Target Gallery Call For Artists
Deadline: April 26 Target Gallery invites artists working in all visual media to apply to Mythos, an all- media group exhibition that presents work by artists who illustrate contemporary interpretations of mythology, folklore, and legends. This exhibition takes the symbolism and allegory of mythology and recontextualizes them in terms of current perspectives. For more information click here.
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Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
The Capitol Hill Art League “Perspectives” Open Juried Exhibition – DC
Deadline: March 9 People see the world differently based on experiences and perceptions. Viewpoints are influenced by people, places, emotions, and thoughts. Please share your artistic and unique “perspective” for this juried show. Learn more here.
Montpelier Arts Center Call For Artists – Laurel, MD
Deadline: March 15 Montpelier Arts Center is holding a competition for exhibitions that will be held in the Library Gallery September 2020 – July 2021. To be eligible, artists must be at least 18 years of age and reside in Maryland. For more information click here.
Wintertude Rustic Retreat & Self-Directed Residency, The Millay Colony for the Arts – NY
Deadline: March 15 Introducing Wintertude, a retreat and self-directed paying residency (no jury process) for those needing or wanting time and space in an inspirational setting. Stays range from four days to four weeks, includes private bedroom and private studio, shared living and kitchen space (fully equipped, meals not included), bedding and linens, washer/dryer, WiFi, desktop computer and printer. The Millay Colony is in the upper Hudson Valley nestled in the Berkshire foothills. For details, visit here.
Montgomery College Call For Exhibition Proposals – Silver Spring, MD
Deadline: March 22 The Department of Visual and Performing Arts is calling for exhibition proposals for the Open Gallery in The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center that address the theme of “Transcending Borders.” We invite artists to work with real or perceived restrictions, containments, rules, or labels in such a way as to push beyond their limitations. These borders could be self-imposed, cultural, societal, physical, or natural divisions. This exhibition would be an opportunity to challenge, question, conform, or break these constraints. For more information click here.
Call for Entry, Prince Street Gallery – NY
Deadline: March 22 Open to artists 18+ living in the USA. Original paintings, drawings, prints, and mixed media only. No giclees, digital prints, videos or photographs will be accepted. For more information, click here.
Gloucester Arts Festival Call for Entry – VA
Deadline: April 3 The Gloucester Arts Festival committee is pleased to announce an open call for an exhibition that will be the focal point of their 2020 arts festival. The theme is water, both in nature and in human experience (e.g., industrial settings, conservation efforts, community life, spiritual dimensions, etc.). Artists will be juried into the show with digital images of original 2D or 3D work completed in the last two years. For details, click here.
Ongoing: These opportunities have rolling deadlines.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo Downtown Baltimore — Baltimore, MD
The Maryland Art Place (MAP) is working with Hotel Indigo in downtown Baltimore to offer rotating exhibitions in the hotel’s library and Poets Modern Cocktails and Eats restaurant. This opportunity is open to visual artists living or working in Maryland. ’s public art partnership projects (MAP), in partnership with Hotel Indigo, is pleased to announce an open call to artists. MAP will curate four exhibitions a year based on submissions entered through a rolling basis. Click here to learn more.
Solo or Group Shows in Athenaeum Gallery – VA
The Athenaeum Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia exhibits visual arts created solely by artists living or working in the region (DC, Maryland and Virginia) and strives to present visitors with a wide variety of excellent art and unique experiences. In addition to the shows curated by the Gallery Director, the Athenaeum Gallery invites artists and curators to submit show proposals. For more information, visit https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=6876.
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.
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 the Awesome 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 the Peripheral 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.
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].
“The title alone talks about the contrasts of the subject matter of the image. It’s such a delicate use of different elements coming together. Everything seems very frail but together make a strong, powerful and thought-provoking image steeped with many layers. You can make many connections between the roses with thorns that can prick and a hornet’s nest that once housed creatures that can sting. The main amorphous transparent white shape that holds the roses juxtaposed against the swirling lines of the hornet’s nest are stunning.”
