Welcome to Artful Weekend, our guide to fun and interesting ways to enjoy art in person or virtually.
This weekend: The Color of Happiness, Earth and Steel, and the November Open Exhibit at the League; a trio of artists at Mixt Gallery; Lex Marie’s biographical portraiture at Arena Social Arts Club; Hello! at Micheline Klagsbrun Studios; and Marthe McGrath’s colorful abstracts at Reston Art Gallery & Studios.
November 2021 Open Exhibit
This month’s Open Exhibit, juried by Nicola Charles of D.C.’s 11:Eleven Gallery, is now on view! Open exhibits are a great way to view the breath of mediums and styles of our member artists. November’s Best-in-Show winner is Flamingo Pair, a frolicsome digital media piece by Kip Platto, a first at the League for this contemporary medium.
Sculpture artworks are particularly prominent this month. They include The Tuscan, a terra-cotta bust by Melanie Vacchio; The Couple, a gazing duo made of hand-built porcelain by Christine Moerenhout- Hubloue; the whimsical, bisque stoneware In the deepest water by Christina Andreasson; the lapis-tinged Check Mate/s, king and queen set by Sabine Arndt; and I Dissent, Barbara Wilson‘s likeness of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg gesturing as the title suggests. It is on view in the Gallery and online through Sunday, November 7.
Edward Ugo: The Shape of Happiness
Bold, colorful geometrics strike an upbeat chord in The Shape of Happiness, painter Edward Ugo’s solo exhibition at The Art League Gallery. It opens Thursday, November 11, and will be on view through December 5. Ugo will discuss The Shape of Happiness online Monday, November 15, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.; rsvp here.
Earth and Steel IMPart Special Exhibit
This special exhibit, features ceramics and bladesmithing works created by area veterans at The Art League. The IMPart program connects recent Injured Military Personnel with visual arts experiences created for personal enrichment, relaxed social engagement, the improvement and redevelopment of fine motor skills, and expressive catharsis.
Three Artist On View at at MiXt Gallery
Three exhibits by area artists open on Saturday at MiXt Art Gallery in the Prince George’s Gateway Art District. Painter Jodi Ferrier’s Place Making features works that straddle abstraction and representation. Memories Fade, collages by Leilah Holtzman, reflect her interest in natural forms and the meaning of living in multiple cultures abroad. Water Works, oils and watercolor paintings by art and museum educator Barbara Mandel, feature her favorite local landscapes. A reception for all three takes place Saturday, November 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibits are on view through January 30, 2022; 3609 Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood, MD.
Remember? Remember
D.C.-based artist Lex Marie’s nostalgic portraiture is biographical, pulling from her past and present. In Remember? Remember, her series of 15 paintings and 2 art installations at Arena Social Arts Club, she explores the idea that one can restore lost memories through the act of storytelling. Remember? Remember is on view through January 2, Barracks row @ 507 8th Street SW.
Hello!
In the spirit of gathering after months of distancing and isolation, the aim of Hello! is simple and genuine: to reconnect and come together through the shared experience of art. This exhibit includes the works of ten artists who employ various media—drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media, and digital art—to express the greeting from their points of view. It is on view through December 5, Friday–Saturday, 4–8 p.m. and by appointment, at Micheline Klagsbrun Studios, 1662 33rd Street NW. Select artists will be present to discuss their work each Saturday afternoon. Check www.nonalignedart.com and @klagsbrunstudios on Instagram for the latest details.
Marthe McGrath: Kinetic Energy
Marthe McGrath says Kinetic Energy, her solo show at Reston Art Gallery & Studios, “expresses a sense of freedom and joy” that she feels when painting. Ranging in size, with playful titles like Magic Carpet Ride and Zest for Life, McGrath’s bold, colorful abstractions are full of energy and movement. Meet McGrath at receptions on two Saturdays this month: November 13 and 20 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Kinetic Energy is on view through November 30, 11400 Washington Plaza W # B, Reston, VA.
Finally, we hope that as you’re out and about this weekend you take time to look up and enjoy the splendor of the changing leaves, Mother Nature’s artwork. Enjoy the weekend!