Welcome to Artful Weekend

-our listing of area art exhibits and events-

This weekend: June Landscape Exhibit, Dimensions Sculpture Exhibit, and Spirit of Life by Mike McSorley at the League; Laurel Lukaszewski: Garden of Desires at Artists & Makers Studio; Contemporary Dilemmas: Eternal Displacements at RoFa & Beta Gallery; and One Life: Frederick Douglass at the National Portrait Gallery.

June Landscape Exhibit

For our annual Landscape Exhibit we invited League artists to submit works that capture a sense of place. Stop by to soak in the diverse and interesting mix of scapes—pastoral scenes, urban vistas, and maritime views. This year’s exhibit comprises 100 artworks, including acrylic and oil paintings, printmaking, ink and pencil drawings, glass sculpture, tile mosaic, quilt-making, mixed media, and photography. It was juried by Frederick Mershimer, a New York-based artist specializing in mezzotint printmaking who celebrates the experience of the city in his works.  The Landscape Exhibit is on view through July 9.

Dimensions Sculpture Exhibit

Dimensions showcases three dimensional work from a variety of media including ceramic, stone, wood, glass, metal, mixed media and beyond. This year’s exhibit features 18 works by League member artists. It was juried by noted wood sculptor Jim Perry, and is on view through July 9.

Spirit of Life by Mike McSorley

In his solo exhibit, Spirit of Life, oil painter Mike McSorley draws on his recent challenges and inspiration with thoughtful still life paintings and scenes of nature. His work suggests the human spirit behind a careful collection of man-made objects, from humor to functionality, and their place within the natural world. Spirit of Life is on view through July 2.

Laurel Lukaszewski: Garden of Desires 

“Our lives are filled with desires—wishes for things that are both fantastical and mundane,” says ceramicist Laurel Lukaszewski. In Garden of Desires, her exhibit of English Grolleg porcelain and a black stoneware pieces at Artists & Makers Studio, the artist employs whimsical rabbits to symbolize things desired but unattainable, while undulating octopuses speak to the desire for adventure and escape. Garden of Desires is on view through June 28. Lukaszewski will present an artist talk about her exhibit  on Saturday, June 24, 11 am – 3 pm; 11810 Parklawn Drive, Suite 210, Rockville, Maryland.

Contemporary Dilemmas: Eternal Displacements

Contemporary Dilemmas: Eternal Displacements delves into the issue of migration through the artistic lens of migrant artists Ángel Poyón, Fernando Poyón, Houda Terjuman, Irene Clouthier, Lester Rodríguez, Muriel Hasbun & Santiago Vélez. Through different artistic approaches ranging from installation to painting, photography and sculpture, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the diverse experiences and narratives of migrants, highlighting the ethical, social and political dilemmas that arise as a result of these global movements. It is on view through July 15 at RoFa & Beta Gallery, 361 Main Street, Kentlands, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Enjoy wine, cheese, art and happiness on Saturday, June 24, from 10 am until 7 pm as RoFa & Beta Gallery celebrates its one year anniversary in in their Kentlands location.

One Life: Frederick Douglass

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery present One Life: Frederick Douglass, an exhibition exploring the life and legacy of one of the 19th century’s most influential writers, speakers and intellectuals. Douglass was a radical activist who devoted his life to abolitionism and rights for all. This exhibition shows the intimate relationship between art and protest through prints, photographs and ephemera.

Enjoy the Weekend!