2021 – Page 3 – The Art League

Ten Questions for Yasmin Bussiere

July 14, 2021

"Portal of Imagination" is one of 13 works in Yasmin Bussiere's solo exhbit "Eastern Light."

Our July solo artist shares her inspiration for her exhibit Eastern Light.

by Julia Chance

You could say that artistic inspiration struck Yasmin Bussiere long before she picked up a paintbrush. Time spent living in Central Asia, immersing herself in the history and culture of the region, left a strong impression that informs a lot of her work. In her solo exhibit Eastern Light, currently on view at The Art League Gallery, the artist interprets the beauty of Central Asian landscapes in radiant abstracts. Her paintings are organic, instinctive, and transportive.

Bussiere, who has a degree in interior design, worked in private industry, helmed a small arts and crafts business, and taught English abroad before pursuing art full-time. “I have always wanted to create artwork, and after coming back from teaching in late 2012, I decided the following year to try and see what I could do, with periods of time when I did not do any art as I ended up going abroad again to teach and had to take care of other things.”

“The first piece of art that I was especially proud of was Partitions, a miniature abstract with geometric shapes in gold and rust colors,” she recalls. “It was a perfect title because when you are in the Middle East to learn more about the culture and people you have to go through steps. Everything appears closed on the outside, and then you pass through gateways into the culture, the land, and the civilization and that’s when you discover what’s really there.”

Partitions, along with two other paintings she submitted, made Art Impact International’s 2018 Golden Juried Competition at Pepco Gallery in Washington, D.C. “I felt that I was an artist when I got accepted,” she says.

Early achievements and her solo show aside, Bussiere says she is just getting started. “There is a lot that I would like to achieve—improving my technique, going further in-depth with colors and textures and space. I’m not a young person in age, but I’m a young artist.”

Here, she elaborates on her inspirations and what she hopes viewers take away from Eastern Light.

How do you describe your artistry?

I am a mixed media artist, and rich metallic textures are my signature. I combine inspirations to create pieces by applying several layers of mixed media on canvas in general, and it is a reflection of emotions and living experiences. I enjoy working with metallic paints, metallic pens, acrylics, gold leaf, and oil pastels because they blend well and they are easy to mix.

What is it about metallic colors that appeal to you?

Well, metallics for me is an especially important part of the cultures coming from Central Asia, which is the focus of my show Eastern Light. Gold, silver—those are very symbolic colors that you are going to find there and are a great part of their history and civilization. I also really like the glow that is reflected from these special colors along with the depth and the movement.

Describe Eastern Light.

Eastern Light is a path that I have been on because I was in Central Asia and traveled along the Silk Roads. I had family ties there and we lived in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. This was a great opportunity for me to connect with the culture, the roots, and see one of the most amazing parts of the world. This was a while back, but it made such a strong impression. It was unforgettable.

“Eastern Light I, II, III,” triptych on canvas

Did the concept, or the art, in your exhibit change any from when you first proposed it two years ago?

One thing that changed a lot was the sizes of my pieces. Up until the moment I applied for the solo exhibition, I was working on Bristol, creating 3 inch squared miniatures and working on small canvas boards. My proposal included the triptych Eastern Light I, II, III, 30 inch by 15 inch panels on canvas, that is in this show. The jurors’ recommendation was to go bigger, so I did. That was the hardest part for me. I also thought that I would be working only with geometric shapes, and masses of space and color. I ended up incorporating the human element and the animal element, like the horsemen of Central Asia, the camels, the nomads, as well as architecture that you see in the opening piece The Portal of Imagination.

Do you have a favorite piece in your show?

The Golden Storm, where a herd of horses is crossing a huge space. That is a good example of the grandiose landscapes where you may come across animals or people but not every day, nor all of the time. And these horses are special. They are the Akhal-Teke, a unique breed from Turkmenistan. They are very big with golden coats. You would think that they are not adapted to barren lands because they’re delicate, unlike the Mongolian horses which are stocky and furry, but actually, they are adapted to this harsh climate as well. These horses were especially admired by the Chinese who thought they had divine powers because they were “the golden horses.”

What are the questions or ideas that drive your art?

How to take inspiration from old cultures dating centuries ago and translate it into something that is not archaic or outdated. I am trying to portray timelessness.

Describe your work process.

I usually do not sketch out anything or prepare anything in advance. I get an idea of something I would like to share. Art is very personal with me. And I go from there. A lot of my work is coming from the feelings and impressions that I had while I was in a certain place. I do not make art every day, but I do look at images on the web and I look at art books. I go out in our front garden space where we have lots of flowers, plants, herbs, and two apple trees. I get inspiration from the beautiful colors of nature.

What artists, contemporary or past, inspire you?

I am inspired by a lot of artists. Of course, for me, impressionism is one of the most fabulous movements that ever have happened. I lived in France for many years. I had the privilege of being able to see so many impressive Impressionist works in many museums, and of course many other styles of art from different periods. Two Uzbek artists who have inspired me are Javlon Umarbekov and Chingiz Akhmarov. He was a Tatar from Russia who immigrated to Uzbekistan. He was a classical artist. He did miniature figures that had a magical, floating feeling that is represented often in Central Asian art, whereas Umarbekov was more gestural, using strong tones and strong colors. Those are two artists that made an impression, and I had the great honor of meeting them both.

What are you working on these days?

I am continuing a little bit more on the Eastern Light theme right and I am thinking of trying to create more textural work and perhaps focus on other geographical zones that made lasting impressions as well.

What do you hope viewers glean from Eastern Light?

That there can still be magical places and spaces that are not overcrowded, that are free from urban environments, where you have a connection with nature, earth, the elements, the skies, the desert, and storms; where time has stopped or at least slowed down and you look around you and don’t think about cell phones, messages, and internet. There is something else out there.

Eastern Light is on view through August 8.

Artful Weekend July 10-11

July 10, 2021

"Road Stop in Cambodia" by Karen Thuermer; oil

Welcome to Artful Weekend, our guide to fun and interesting ways to enjoy art in person or virtually.

This weekend: July shows at the League; Lou Stovall’s retro posters at Hemphill; and a reception celebrating two new WSLP exhibits.

July 2021 Open Exhibit

“Standing Guard” by Jane Podesta; photography on metal

Our July Open Exhibit, juried by painter and printmaker Toni-Lee Sangastiano, is now on view! Open exhibits are a great way to view the breath of mediums and styles of our member artists. See it in-person in the Gallery, through Sunday, August 8, or view it online.

Yasmin Bussiere: Eastern Light

Mixed media artist Yasmin Bussiere works with metallic paints, pens, acrylics and oil pastels to fuse grandiose landscapes with spiritual reflections. Eastern Light, her solo exhibit, celebrates the beauty of the Central Asian landscape and is inspired by her memories living and traveling across the continent. Her work is organic, instinctive and transportive.

What’s Going Around: Lou Stovall & the Community Poster, 1967-1976

P Street to the People – Jefferson Place Gallery et al. 1971 by Di Stovall; multiple color silkscreen on paper

When D.C.-based artist Lou Stovall founded Workshop, Inc. in 1968, it became the source for colorful posters used to promote concerts, exhibits, and community events around the city. What’s Going Around: Lou Stovall & the Community Poster, 1967-1976 highlights the artist’s iconic works from that era along with those of Di Stovall (his wife), Sam Gilliam, Gene Davis, Paul Reed, and frequent collaborator Lloyd McNeill; on view through July 17 at Hemphill Artworks, 434 K Street, NW.

Opening Reception for Our Washington, D.C. and Richard G. Gray: Landscapes

“Early Spring Tidal Basin” by Yolanda Frederikse; oil

Join American Painting Fine Art for the opening reception of two new exhibits: Our Washington, D.C. features city scenes by members of the Washington Society of Landscape Painters. Richard G. Gray: Landscapes highlights works by the centenarian plein air painter and WSLP member. The reception takes place Saturday, July 10, from 5 – 8 p.m. at Salt & Pepper restaurant in the same building as American Painting Fine Art, 5125 MacArthur Boulevard, N.W.

Enjoy the weekend!

Artist Opportunities #560

July 6, 2021

Every week, we gather a variety of artist opportunities from the DC area and beyond. Find one below and apply today — good luck! Click here for recent opportunities posts, and submit your opportunity listing here.

Opportunities

Request for Applications, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities FY 2022 Public Art Building Communities Grant — D.C.

Deadline: July 16 The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) is soliciting applications from qualified individual artists or organizations for its Fiscal Year 2022 Public Art Building Communities Grant Program (PABC). Multiple awards may be made under this RFA. Award amounts vary. Individuals may request up to $75,000, organizations may request up to $125,000. Click here for more information.

Call for Entries, Asia in Maryland Exhibit — Towson, MD

Deadline: July 23 The Asian Arts & Culture Center at Towson University invites all Maryland-based Asian and AAPI visual artists to submit entries to be included in the fall 2021 Asia in Maryland (AIM) exhibition. As part of this exhibit, your artwork will showcase the stories of, raise awareness about, and facilitate dialogue about the ideas and issues that are most important to the 500,000+ Asian and AAPI residents who play integral roles in the fabric of Maryland life. Learn more here.

Request for Qualifications, Colasanto Spray Park Public Art – Alexandria, Virginia

Deadline: July 31 The City of Alexandria, Virginia invites artists and artist teams throughout the United States to submit their qualifications to join the City’s interdisciplinary project team that will convert the Colasanto pool site into an engaging, multi-generational space with an interactive spray fountain. For more information, click here.

Call for Entries, Viridian Artists 31st International Juried Exhibition — New York

Deadline: August 11 Viridian Artists presents its 31st International Juried Exhibition. Artists of all mediums—painting, printmaking, sculpture, glass, fiber, functional, digital, photography, installation, and mixed media—are encouraged to apply. All winners will be part of a group show in our Chelsea gallery space, and also will be listed on Viridian’s website. Learn more here.

Call for Entries, Art Howard County 2021 Biennial Exhibition — Howard County, MD

Deadline: August 22 Art Howard County is a multi-media juried exhibit showcasing the impressive depth of artistic talent right here in our community. Visual artists, 18 years and older, who live, work or study in Howard County are eligible to apply. The exhibit will be on display from October 16 – November 27, 2021 and is currently accepting applications. For more information, click here.

Call for Entries, Watercolor Expressions Juried Exhibit — Martinsburg, WV

Deadline: August 30 The Berkeley Arts Council (BAC) announces Watercolor Expressions, a national juried exhibit, to be displayed at the Berkeley Art Works in Martinsburg, WV from October 13 through November 13, 2021. The exhibit is open to all artists throughout the continental United States, over the age of 18, working in any watercolor medium or technique, in 2- or 3-dimensions. Mixed media where watercolor is the primary medium is also welcome. The theme for the exhibit is open. For more information, click here.

Re-runs: These were previously posted, but it’s not too late to enter!

Job Openings at The Art League — Alexandria, VA

The Art League is currently seeking a Gallery Associate/Artist Coordinator and an Art Camp Instructor. For more information about both positions and their requirements click here.

Job Openings at Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art — Reston, VA

Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) is currently seeking an Education & Public Programs Manager and Summer Art Camp Interns. For more information and to apply, click here.

Call for Submissions, Salon of the Refused DC — Online E

Deadline: ASAP, but no later than July 30 In the spirit of the Salon des Refusés in Paris, Salon of the Refused DC is seeking submissions for an online exhibit. If you are one of the 800 artists whose work was regrettably not selected for the Philip’s Collection’s juried invitational Inside Outside, Upside Down, we want to show your work! Forward the Phillip’s rejection email and rejected images attached to: [email protected]. Please include the artwork title, medium, and social media account name. Work will be exhibited starting July 17 on Instagram @salonoftherefuseddc.

Call for Entry, 2021 Art Ability at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital — Malvern, PA

Deadline: July 6 The Annual Art Ability Exhibition and Sale at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital is open to artists with physical, cognitive, visual and /or hearing disabilities. Paintings, drawings, fine printmaking, photography, mixed media, sculpture, jewelry and fine crafts accepted. All pieces must be available for sale and ready for display. Original work only, no reproductions will be accepted. Learn more here.

Public Art Mural Grant — Ulster County, NY

Deadline: July 6 This Public Art Mural Grant is a four-week residency in which an artist will create an original work for WSW’s mural wall. The mural space at Women’s Studio Workshop faces the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail (WVRT), which is an active outdoor public trail used primarily for walking, running and cycling. The mural space is 10′ x 23.5′ and overlooks our new, ADA accessible patio and community gathering area. For more information, click here.

FY 2022 Art Exhibition (Curatorial) Grant Program, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities — D.C.

Deadline: July 9 This grant provides up to $30,000 to curate an exhibition in the CAH gallery space at 200 I (Eye) Street, SE, as well as on our virtual gallery platform. Proposals for innovative exhibitions accompanied by educational programming are welcome. For more information and t apply, click here.

Open Call, Put It To The Fire: A Visual Response to Mental Health, Brentwood Art Exchange — Brentwood, MD

Deadline: July 9 This exhibition will take us on a visual journey through mental health from artists’ points of view. It will explore multiple aspects of both individual and collective mental health journeys—from pain to healing, suffering to hope, and stigma to understanding. The exhibit title references centuries’ old healing rituals practiced across the globe, where fire is used as a metaphorical cleanser, releasing unwanted energies, mindsets, and attachments in order to create space for new intentions to grow and thrive. Learn more here.

Call for Solo Exhibitions 2022, VisArts – Rockville, MD

Deadline: July 9 VisArts invites artists working in all media to apply for 2022 Solo Exhibitions in the Gibbs Street Gallery, Common Ground Gallery, and Concourse Gallery. Exhibitions in each of the galleries explore the breadth of contemporary art featuring emerging to mid-career artists. Exhibits reflect a wide range of media and experimental approaches that offer the viewer unexpected interactions with art. Click here and scroll down to learn more.

Call for Submissions, Garment District Public ARTery Mural — New York

Deadline: July 12 The Garment District Alliance (GDA) is seeking artists interested in submitting their preliminary concepts, qualifications and examples of their previous work to be considered for a large-scale temporary wall mural on a publicly accessible exterior wall of the Port Authority Midtown Bus Terminal (PAMBT) in Manhattan’s Garment District. Learn more here.

Call for Submissions, The Sleep Over Community Art Project

Deadline: July 15 The Sleepover is a two-part project that seeks to examine female gathering traditions across cultures and generations. Each woman grows up with a unique experience of being included in, excluded from, or creating gendered rituals. We are currently accepting submissions of recollections, reflections, and artifacts from your lived experiences with female gathering traditions. Learn more here.

Call for Entries, InLight, 1708 Gallery — Richmond, VA

Deadline: July 15 InLight is 1708 Gallery’s annual public exhibition of contemporary art taking place at night in a different locations in Richmond. It features multimedia, sculpture, installation, performance, community-based works, and virtual projects that utilize light-based platforms (projections, lighting design, and more) to be experienced in the dark. 1708 Gallery invites regional, national, and international artists working in all media and disciplines to submit entries for InLight 2021. Learn more here.

Request for Applications, Public Art Building Communities — D.C.

Deadline: July 16 The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) is soliciting applications from qualified individual artists or organizations for its Fiscal Year 2022 Public Art Building Communities Grant Program (PABC). Multiple awards may be made under this RFA. Award amounts vary. The PABC grant program supports individual artists and organizations in their effort to design, fabricate and install new temporary or permanent works of public art that connect artists (and their artwork) with communities. For more information, click here.

Call for Submissions, (Not) Strictly Painting, McLean Project for the Arts — McLean, VA

Deadline: July 18 McLean Project for the Arts is seeking mid-Atlantic artists (DC, VA, MD, PA, NJ, DE, WV) to submit works to (Not) Strictly Painting, a juried biennial exhibition celebrating the depth and breadth of paintings–or works related in some way to painting–from artists throughout the mid-Atlantic area. Work that combines painting with other materials or is conceptual in nature is acceptable and encouraged as well. Learn more here.

Call for Proposals, 2022 Rehoboth Art League Solo and Group Exhibitions – Rehoboth Beach, DE

Deadline: July 18 The Exhibitions Committee of the Rehoboth Art League is in the process of organizing solo and group exhibitions for 2022. This is a very competitive program as RAL can only accept a limited number of proposals each year. Artworks in any media will be reviewed. The RAL is situated in the town of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, a highly traveled area not only by the residents of this and the expanding surrounding communities, but also by art patrons from the Washington DC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York metropolitan areas. Over 29,000 people participate in Rehoboth Art League programs annually. Special exhibitions have played an important part of our programming since the league’s beginning, in 1938. The RAL campus houses the Corkran,Tubbs, Ventures, and Homestead galleries. For more information and to apply, click here.

Call for Submissions, Hypotheses, Target Gallery — Alexandria, VA

Deadline: July 30 Target Gallery invites artists working in all visual arts to apply for the upcoming group exhibition Hypotheses. This exhibition is all about the process of intellectual experimentation and/or the exploration of new ideas and techniques in an artist’s practice. For more information, click here.

Call for Entries, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society 42nd Annual International Juried Exhibition

Deadline: July 31 Pennsylvania Watercolor Society announces a call for entries for the 42nd Annual International Juried Exhibition. First Place Award $1,750.00. Over $14,000 in cash and merchandise awards anticipated. For more information, click here.

Call for Entries, Glen Echo Park Labor Day Art Show 2021 — Glen Echo, MD

Deadline: August 2 Glen Echo Park Partnership is seeking submissions for their 2021 Labor Day Art Show – the 50th anniversary of this event. Artists from the greater Washington, D.C. area are invited to submit works in wide range of media, including sculpture, paintings, works on paper, ceramics, fiber arts, jewelry, photography, and furniture. Learn more here.

Call for Entry, 121st International Exhibition of Works on Paper — Wallingford, PA

Deadline: August 3 This is a prestigious exhibit that has been held by the Philadelphia Water Color Society every year since 1900. There are over $10,000.00 in prizes including the $2,000 PWCS Award of Excellence. This exhibit is open to both PWCS members and nonmembers. For more information, click here.

Request for Proposal, Bethesda Mural — Bethesda, MD

Deadline: August 6 The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, in partnership with Montgomery County, Maryland, announces a new public art mural project at Montgomery County’s Public Park Garage located on Old Georgetown Road in downtown Bethesda, MD. They are currently seeking proposals from artists who are 18 years of age or older and residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland or Virginia. Artists must have prior experience with the design and installation of large scale murals and are asked to submit a detailed, site-specific proposal. For more information, click here.

International Sculpture Center Innovator Award

Deadline: August 12 Submissions are now open for the 2021 ISC Innovator Award. This award recognizes the creative innovation of individuals, organizations, or collectives who develop new ideas and work to improve and/or expand the field of contemporary sculpture while demonstrating a commitment to their community and effect social change through their work. Award benefits include: $1,000 Cash prize, one year Professional (individual) or Associate (organization) level ISC Membership, recognition on sculpture.org and in Sculpture Magazine and a virtual event to present work/project to the ISC Sculpture Community. Click here to learn more.

Call for Entry, The 2021 Athenaeum Open ART OPTIMISM Focus on Climate Change/Sustainability — Alexandria

Deadline: August 25: The Athenaeum Gallery invites DC, Virginia, and Maryland artists to explore concepts related to climate change. We are looking for a wide variety of topics and perspectives, but all work accepted into the exhibition will have a common leitmotif: optimism for improving our footprint on the planet. Works will inspire rather than threaten, celebrate rather than scare, and explore new materials and techniques that help present a positive message about climate change and productive ways we can meet the associated challenges. Click here to learn more.

Call For Entries, Athenaeum Gallery – Alexandria, VA

Deadline: August 25, 2021 Artists who live or work in Virginia, Maryland, or the District of Columbia may submit a proposal for a solo show. A group of artists who live or work in the area may submit a proposal for a group show. A curator, living or working anywhere, may submit a proposal for a show featuring works by artists living or working in this area. For more information, click here.

Call for Artists, Essex Gateway Sculpture Artwork — Essex, MD

Deadline: August 29 Any and all Maryland artists are invited to submit work for the new Essex Gateway Sculpture, a public outdoor display featured at the entrance to the new Essex Gateway Park. This sculpture will be viewed by over 30,000 people who drive through Essex daily, and it will be the centerpiece to the new public space. The chosen work will be displayed in the four panels of the sculpture. All works submitted will be exhibited in a curated show and press event at the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River. Click here for more information.

Ongoing: These opportunities have rolling deadlines.

Call for Art, Links Bridge Vineyards—Thurmont, MD

Links Bridge Vineyards, a small artisan style winery located just outside of Frederick, Maryland, is looking to feature the artwork of various artists on the walls of their tasting barn for two weeks at a time. To learn more, call Joan Cartier 301-602-5733 or email her at [email protected].

Pyramid Atlantic Workshop Proposals – Hyattsville, MD

Pyramid Atlantic offers year-round workshops in printmaking, papermaking, book arts, and hybrids thereof. We offer multi-week, daytime, evening, and weekend intensives for adults in our fully equipped studios. As part of a robust and diverse schedule of offerings, we welcome unsolicited workshop proposals, and hope that you will consider applying! Workshop proposal reviews are ongoing, but for best consideration, submit class proposals by the following dates: 1/15 for Summer Workshops; 4/1 for Fall Workshops; 7/1 for Winter Workshops; 10/1 for Spring Workshops. Questions? Email Gretchen, Artistic Director, [email protected]

Call For Stories About Women in the Arts, Maryland State Arts Council

2020 has been dedicated to the Year of the Woman in Maryland. Do you have an inspiring story about vital contributions of women-identifying people who are artists, arts administrators, or cultural workers? Perhaps an exhibition, performance or project featuring women? Share it with the Maryland State Arts Council for potential use in marketing and communications! Send your ideas to [email protected], and include “Year of the Woman” in the subject line. Satff will contact senders whose stories are selected for inclusion in future newsletters, eblasts, or social media postings. Learn more about Maryland’s year of the Woman here.

Call For Artists, Busboys and Poets

Busboys and Poets is looking for submissions from Maryland and Virginia artists as it expands to new locations in both areas. Submissions can include drawings, painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, assemblage, fiber, quilts, etc. Art images reflecting life in the city, family, portraits, whimsy, abstraction, social uplift and life experiences within diverse cultures are encouraged for submission. For more information, click here.

Alterwork Studios Online Residency

This residency was designed to give emerging contemporary artists an online platform to create new work and explore their practice. Over the course of four weeks, artists will be encouraged to experiment and explore their concepts and move their work forward in the contemporary art world. Learn more here.

Accepting Artwork for Curatorial Review by AIWA

The Alper Initiative for Washington Art features five exhibitions per year in the newly constructed first floor space in the American University Museum. We accept submissions, on a rolling basis, from Washington artists of all ages and backgrounds, and working in diverse media. The museum’s Director and Curator, Jack Rasmussen, will select curators who will review these submissions for potential use in Alper Initiative exhibitions. For more information click here.

Call For Entry Hamilton Arts Collective Guest Artist Exhibition – Baltimore, MD

The Hamilton Arts Collective (HAC) and the Hamilton Gallery seek applications from artists for month-long Guest Artist exhibitions at Hamilton Gallery located at 5502 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD. The selected guest artists will be invited to exhibit a selection of their current work in Gallery I of the Hamilton Gallery. The Guest Artist exhibition is featured in Hamilton Gallery communications and will be promoted by the HAC and Hamilton Gallery. This is an open call to artists residing within 60 miles of Baltimore City. Baltimore residents are encouraged to apply. Click here to learn more.

Howard County Arts Council Quarterly Call For Artists – Ellicott City, MD

The Howard County Arts Council gallery program was established to enhance the public’s appreciation of the visual arts, provide a venue to exhibit the work of local, regional, and national artists in a professional space, and provide leadership in the arts by presenting a broad spectrum of arts in all media from both emerging and established artists. Artists, ages 18 and older, working in all media and styles including time-based and installation artists, are encouraged to apply either individually or as a group. Proposals from curators and arts organizations are also welcome. Click here to learn more.

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, click here.

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, click here.

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].

Artful Weekend July 3-5

July 2, 2021

"Fireworks Rural Virginia," by Daniel Horowitz, is on view in the June 2021 Landscape Exhibit.

Welcome to Artful Weekend, our guide to fun and interesting ways to enjoy art in person or virtually.

This weekend: Landscapes and geometric abstracts at The League; Farida Hughes’ anecdotal abstracts at Athenaeum; Jessie Gifford’s territorial prints at WPG; and Gallery Underground’s ode to summer heat.

June 2021 Landscape Exhibit

Paintings, drawings, photography, collage, and glasswork are among the many representational and abstract pieces on display in our Landscape Exhibit, juried by celebrated watercolorist John Salminen. Here, the idea of landscapes varies from remote vistas like Primal Shadows by Leanne Fink and moody streetscapes like Comfort by Blair Johnson, to architectural horizons like Old Town Charm by Rana Geralis and seashore scenes like Girl in the Green Hat by Clayton Davis. In other artworks, like Cabinet of Curiosity NO. 15 by David Alfuth or Connecting Memories by Pam Gregory, objects, figures, colors, textures, marks, and expressions are what evokes a sense of place; on view in the Gallery and online through July 3. Read what F. Lennox Campello of the Old Town Crier says about the Landscape Exhibit here.

Perspectives

“Scandals” by Abol Bahadori; mixed media on canvas

Perspectives, Abol Bahadori’s series of abstract paintings inspired by the rediscovery of the perspective grid among Renaissance artists, is on view through July 3 in the Solo Gallery. Bahadori uses trapezoids and triangles generated by 3D grids as abstract planes to showcase colors to prismatic effect. He further enhances some of his compositions with realistic figures and illustrations—humans, animals, insects— that break the symmetry and change the focal point.

Farida Hughes: A Line Doesn’t End With Me

“Blend 37″; charcoal, oil, and, resin on wood, 20 x 20”, 2020

Farida Hughes uses stories and anecdotes she’s collected as inspiration for the vibrant abstract paintings that make up her Blend series. These, as well as new Vigil paintings that serve as a reminder of lives lived and lost, can be seen in her new exhibit A Line Doesn’t End With Me, on view at Athenaeum through August 8; 201 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA.

Jessie Gifford: Carving Color: West to East

For more than six decades, Jessie Gifford’s myriad artistic styles reflected her Nebraska past, in landscapes, color choices, the ubiquity of cows represented in her work. But her creative expression has also been informed by her many, many years as a New Yorker, which gives her work a certain gritty exuberance, a uniqueness born from her surroundings, her quirky imagination, and the many challenging circumstances she wrangled with throughout her life. Both locales are captured in Carving Color: West to East, on view in person at Washington Printmakers Gallery (WPG) through July 25, and online. A reception for the exhibit will be held on Saturday, July 10, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at WPG; 1641 Wisconsin Avenue, NW.

Hot!

For the month of July Gallery Underground presents Hot!, an all-member show of works inspired by the steamy temperatures, scenes, colors and activities of summer. Works include summer sunsets, seascapes, depictions of summer gatherings, foods of summer and works in reds and orange hues; on view in the Focus Gallery, Crystal City Shops @ 2100 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Off the Mall: Area Public Artworks Rank as Finalists for the CODAawards

June 30, 2021

A view of "Evolve 17," an installation that spans various levels of the Leidos headquarters in Reston, VA.

These large-scale installations in Maryland and Virginia could win this year’s prize!

By Julia Chance

Public art is creative expression that meets us where we are, and that is part of its charm. Be it a colorful mural on the route to work, an exquisite installation in the lobby of a building we enter, or an outdoor sculpture that becomes a must-see landmark, we get to view and experience that artwork in our environment. It may prompt us to engage with the areas we frequent a little differently or see them in a different light. And, of course it introduces us to artists, whose work we may not otherwise have an opportunity to see.

Six public works in Maryland and Virginia are among the 100 finalists for the 2021 CODAawards, an international prize given to artists, designers, architects and others involved in integrating commissioned artwork into interior, architecture, and/or public spaces. Design categories include Landscape, Residential, Healthcare, Commercial, Institutional, Liturgical, Public Spaces, Transportation, Hospitality, and Education.

Eighteen esteemed jurors, including Cindy Allen, editor-in-chief of Interior Design; Malene Barnett, founder of the Black Artists + Designers Guild; and Frances Bronet, president of Pratt Institute in New York City, have spent weeks reviewing and scoring all 374 entries to narrow down the Top 100. They will agree on one winner in each category to create the 2021 CODAawards winners circle, in addition to two People’s Choice CODAawardees that you can help select.

View the Top 100 here, and vote for your favorites through Wednesday, June 30. You may vote for as many projects as you’d like, but you may only vote once per project. The final winners will be announced on August 30. The CODAawards is sponsored by CODAworx, a creative online platform that connects artists, designers, and fabricators with municipalities and developers who commission artwork.

These finalists from our region are all winners, in our opinion, and are worth seeing in-person.

Simon, Reston, VA

Simon, an 18-foot Corten and stainless steel installation by noted sculptor DeWitt Godfrey, sits in small circular plaza at the the new Valley and Park townhouse development in Reston,VA. “The form was a response to the relatively small entrance plaza,” says Godfrey. “We needed a narrow base and the cone shape allowed us to have a large volume with a small footprint. The cone is also a beacon, a torch holder, a marker of place and a signal to guide you home.”

Menokin Remembrance Structure, Warsaw, VA

Menokin Remembrance Structure is a pavilion on the grounds of the Menokin Foundation, a former tobacco plantation and the site of the 18th century house of Francis Lightfoot Lee, one of Virginia’s signers of the Declaration of Independence. It was erected above the archaeological footprint of an 18th-century field slave dwelling using the timber-building techniques of that period. The structure is wrapped in a translucent agricultural fabric and, with the aid of solar lighting, glows at night in memorial of its former residents. A team of craftsmen, students, and volunteers constructed Menokin Remembrance Structure on site, using local materials during a five-day timber building workshop.

Evolve 17, Reston, VA

The colorful and faceted Evolve 17 was created for the new global headquarters of technology firm Leidos whose name is clipped from the word kaleidoscope. The dichroic glass used to integrate the structure’s secondary colors was invented by one of Leidos’ clients, NASA, and the design captures the company’s five brand values – visionary, smart, approachable, authentic, and pragmatic. Check out this video to get the full effect.

Phoenix Rising, Norfolk, VA

Pheonix Rising, a large mosaic by stone mason and artist Marc Archambault, brightens the main hallway of Richard Bowling Elementary School in Norfolk, Virginia. It is one of five that the artist has created for five of the city’s new public schools. “After meeting students in their art classes, and observing their ‘life drawing’ lessons, I wanted to show art as a fundamental part of life, not something esoteric,” says Archambault. “I wanted the kids of the Norfolk schools to recognize themselves in the artwork. I hope they will see themselves and see value and possibility in creating art and making things.”

MONUMENTS, Bethesda, MD

Australian-based artist Craig Walsh created MONUMENTS for Strathmore arts center’s Monuments: Creative Forces, a tribute to six local artists. The installation was comprised of videos projected onto various trees on Strathmore’s campus, allowing socially distanced, masked viewers to enjoy a bit of art during the height of the pandemic last fall. It’s no longer on view, but you can see it here.

From Absence to Presence, St. Mary’s City, MD

During archaeological work that preceded construction of a new stadium, St. Mary’s College discovered evidence of slave quarters from two distinct periods that pre-date its founding. From Absence to Presence, by Shane Allbritton and Norman Lee , takes the form of a slave quarter that materializes from the ground up, evoking how this history was uncovered from archaeological research thus making the invisible visible. The surfaces are gradated in a pattern of staggered and alternating Ipe wood clapboard and mirror polished stainless steel, recalling the staggered pattern of erasure poetry. At night the words of poetry become illuminated to serve as an eternal vigil to the memory and resilience of the enslaved people who once lived, loved, worked, and resisted on the school’s grounds.

Design for Distancing, Baltimore, MD

Conceived as a challenge by the City of Baltimore and other civic interests, Design for Distancing reimagines the city’s Station North Arts and Entertainment District as a vibrant destination that will flourish long after the pandemic that challenged it’s businesses and activities is over. The project’s defining ethos of functionality means that all elements are designed for post-pandemic reuse, hearkening to a future with a pedestrian-owned streetscape and a commercial corridor where small businesses can make a bigger mark. Artist Becky Borlan‘s energetic building and street murals are inspired by the colors, patterns, and textures found throughout the neighborhood.