Welcome to Artful Weekend, our guide to fun and interesting ways to enjoy art in person or virtually.
This weekend: The June 2022 Landscape Exhibit, The Spirit of Carnival by Beverly Valdez, and the 2022 Student/Faculty Show at the League; Kim Abraham’s multi-layered paintings at Athenaeum Gallery; works by emerging artist Julian Rumos at DCAC; and Claire Sharp’s Life in Layers at Arts in Color Gallery.
June 2022 Landscape Exhibit
For the June 2022 Landscape Exhibit, League member artists present works that capture a sense of place. From quiet countrysides and majestic mountains, to lively streetscapes and varied bodies of water, artists expressed their visions in acrylic, collage, mixed media, oil, photography, printmaking, watercolor, and sculpture. A mix of 94 figurative and abstract artworks are featured. It was juried by Thaisa Way, the director of garden and landscape studies at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C.; and landscape architecture photographer Sahar Coston-Hardy.
The Spirit of Carnival by Beverly Valdez
In The Spirit of Carnival, June’s solo artist Beverly Valdez conveys the essence of carnival culture in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago. Valdez’s series of brilliant, abstract paintings speak to this popular event’s history, symbolism, nuances, and iconic themes. They are joyous, musical, and dynamic! The Spirit of Carnival is on view through July 3.
Join The Art League for a conversation with Valdez via Zoom on Thursday, June 16, 6–7 pm. RSVP here.
2022 Student/Faculty Show
Our annual Student/Faculty Show gives our student body and instructors an opportunity to shine! This year it returns online and includes artworks completed by students between the March 2020 and Winter 2022 terms, as well as signature works by instructors. It was juried by Scott Hutchison, an Associate Professor of Practice in painting and drawing at Georgetown University and former Art League painting and drawing instructor, and is on view through July 15.
Join us via Zoom as we celebrate these artists during the Virtual Reception and Awards Ceremony Sunday, July 10, 2–3:30 pm. RSVP here.
Kim Abraham
Kim Abraham explores what lies at the heart of a place and what concerns him most. He sees a sometimes chaotic world with layers of meaning magnified in a drop of water, electrified through the energy of an insect swarm, or swirled about with distant timeless galactic images. Abraham’s exhibit is on view through July 10 at Athenaeum Gallery, 201 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA.
Hyper-Focus by Julian Rumos
“I believe that everybody has a history that can be told through their physical presentation,” says emerging artist Julian Rumos. Hyper-Focus, her debut solo exhibit at District of Columbia Arts Center, features portraits of family and long-time friends along with those of strangers. Says the artist, “The experiences that make up their personhood are as dynamic and numerous as the strokes used to capture them.” Hyper-Focus is on view through June 26 with a closing reception from 6–7 pm; 2438 18th Street, NW.
Life in Layers by Claire Sharp
Life in Layers, British artist Claire Sharp’s first solo exhibit in 20 years, features a new collection of bold and abstract textured paintings often framed through the electrifying gaze of her young muse Sophia. It’s world of kaleidoscopic jagged colors and raw energy as collage materials emerge from between the layers of bright acrylic paint, and gritty headlines of war, terror and angst are either hidden or exposed by the powerful brush strokes. Sharp’s use of color, contrast and collage create an inescapable connection between her subject and environment. Life in Layers is on view through June 24 at Arts in Color Gallery, 1843 14th Street, NW.
Enjoy the weekend!