Guy Jones, a frequent highlight in The Art League gallery and fixture at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, is our July solo artist. His exhibit “Drawing Energy: The Logic of Madness” features pieces that defy the mold and structure of typical two-dimensional art and instead inhabit hollowed out turtle shells, holiday-ornament shaped bulbs, and even bones.
Exoskeleton by Guy Jones
Jones evokes an organic and natural aesthetic with his work, often choosing to focus on the macabre or the mythical side of nature. He “concentrates on drawing the energy or spirit of things, evoking new life on the object of which it is drawn” he says. “When you look at it,” he adds, “it looks at you.”
The Guardian by Guy Jones
Jones also draws heavily from his time working with a Cherokee elder shaman and exploring his Cherokee background. “Working in this way reflects the 20 years of ceremony and 10 years of study with my elder and shamanic teacher,” he says. “While walking in the healing way you learn that all things are alive with energy or spirit.” Cherokee imagery can be seen in Sky Vault, a piece that features crows and wafting dandelion seeds flying together, a reference to the Cherokee Indian belief that crows carry a departed soul to the afterlife known to the Cherokee as “Sky Vault.”
While Jones often incorporates natural elements including turtle shells, sand dollars, jaw bones, and skulls, his work generally stays free of color as he prefers to work in pen and ink. “After exploring many mediums,” says Jones, “I have always come back to pen and ink and the line.”
Murder of Crows by Guy Jones“Drawing Energy: The Logic of Madness” by Guy Jones
Jones describes this exhibit and his work as a “journey.” “Some are childlike,” he remarks, “while others leave a sense of uneasiness. But they are all gentle. My work is intended to be healing, so when you look into them they pull you in and you see the logic in the madness. The peaceful side of chaos… when you understand these things, you can look beyond the shadows and not be afraid. In this way, I believe my work is healing.”
Enter the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition (DC)
Deadline: September 3. The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is accepting submissions to its fifth triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Established in 2006, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition invites artists (18 and over) living and working in the United States to submit one portrait for consideration. Selected artworks are featured in a museum exhibition. This year, the competition will focus on broadening the definition of portraiture while highlighting the genre’s relevance in contemporary art and culture. The first-prize winner will receive $25,000 and a commission to portray a remarkable living American for the National Portrait Gallery’s collection. Additional cash prizes will be awarded. Submissions from each finalist will form The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today exhibition, which will be displayed at the Portrait Gallery from November 2,, 2019, through September 7, 2020, before traveling to other cities in the United States. Previous competitions have received more than 3,000 entries.
Enter The Art League’s “Value” Exhibit Juried by Sharon Louden (VA)
Art represents our human values. Artists take different actions and apply different practices, based on their judgments of what approach is most important to produce their artwork and share it with their communities. Their artwork reflects what is important in the creative life of the particular artist that produced it and that can be the essential theme in the artist’s body of work. Participating artists are encouraged to submit artwork that best captures what is most important in their creative life—be it the subject of the work, the process, or the object’s function.
Must be a current member of The Art League gallery (information about joining here). Artists are encouraged to enter their artwork early to receive comments from the juror.
NEW:
Woven Tale Press Photography Competition (NY)
Submissions open July 15–September 15. Open to film, digital, Polaroid, photo collage, any photographic form. Can include mixed media, as long as the origin of the work is photographic. Cash prizes, first place award, one-week stay in expanded 1909 charming cape in the legendary Hamptons, NY, destination to artists from around the world; home to the Pollack-Krasner House, Parrish Art Museum, contemporary art galleries; accommodations for two; one block to NYC train, Atlantic ocean beach and town; full amenities; flexible bookings. More information here.
CREATING CONNECTIONS: An Acquisition & Print Replication Project (MD)
Deadline: August 12. Maryland Art Place (MAP), in partnership with The CyberWire is pleased to announce an open ‘Call to Artists’. As an extension of MAP’s annual IMPRINT Project, MAP is working with The CyberWire to offer a unique opportunity to female visual artists of the greater Baltimore metropolitan area. Collectively, MAP and The CyberWire wish to acquire and possibly commission, time permitting, plus license the image of a work of art. The image of that artwork will be reproduced in a limited edition and presented to the guests of The CyberWire’s 5th Annual Women in Cyber Security reception on October 18, 2018. More information here.
Enter RITUALISMS at the Target Gallery (VA)
Deadline: September 9. Exhibition Dates: January 19 – March 3, 2019. Juror: Katy Scarlett, independent curator. The Target Gallery invites artists working in all visual media to submit to RITUALISMS, a group exhibition that explores how rituals are an intrinsic part of the human experience. Whether it be through personal rituals, such as daily habits or quirks, or through a larger cultural context, such as religious or cultural ceremonies, the work in this exhibition will address the universality of rituals and how they foster connection or isolation.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Material Matters: Breaking with Tradition (NY)
Deadline: July 12. The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) seeks entries for a juried art exhibition, October 6-28, 2018 at the BWAC Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. $450 in Cash Awards. Juror: Melissa Stern, artist and journalist. More info view the BWAC PDF or their website.
Lit Art Gallery – Surreal Deal (TN)
Deadline: July 12. Exhibition dates July 20th-August 10th 2018. This Exhibition explores the limitless nature of creative minds. The Lit Gallery is looking for the distorted, illusionistic, morphed, and unusual pieces, accepting all forms of medium and art practices inspired by the works of Sean Madden, Johnson Tsang, and others. For more information and to apply visit the Lit Art Gallery website.
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational (VA)
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
ViewPoint 50 presented by the Cincinnati Art Club (OH)
Deadline: July 16. The Cincinnati Art Club announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, September 14 through October 13 at Greenwich House Gallery, in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, visit the Cincinnati Art Club website.
Art Enables: 12th Annual Outsider Art Inside the Beltway Exhibition (DC)
Deadline: July 22. OAIB is an annual exhibition that showcases self-taught artists from across the nation together in Art Enables’ two gallery spaces in September and October 2018. Work should be made by an artist(s) who identifies as a self-taught, folk, or outsider artist. For more information and to submit, visit the OAIB website.
The Torpedo Factory – Art of Armistice (VA)
Deadline: July 22, 11:59 pm. Exhibition Dates: October 27 – December 2. Juror: Spencer Dormitzer, DC-based artist and curator. The Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit artwork to the Art of Armistice, a group exhibition that explores the after effects of war. The exhibition will focus on the physical, mental, and cultural effects of war on the world through the perspective of both civilians and veterans alike. This exhibition will be paired with different public programs in honor of the 100th year anniversary of the ground breaking of the former munitions plant that the Torpedo Factory Art Center now calls home. For more information and to submit, visit torpedofactory.org/artopps.
MFA Circle Gallery “Stormy Weather” (DC)
Deadline: July 24. Stormy weather—from onset to aftermath and all in between—is the theme of MFA’s (Maryland Federation of Art) 3rd annual exhibition. MFA invites all 2-and 3-D artists to submit any original 2-D artwork depicting the sounds, colors, impact, anticipation, and more, of stormy weather. The selected artworks may be viewed on MFA’s online Curve Gallery from August 15 through September 30, 2018.
Exhibit: MFA Circle Gallery “50 Forever” (MD)
Exhibit dates: July 25 – August 16. Please enter your artwork for each exhibition online here. In celebration of our 50th year at Circle Gallery, MFA is hosting two Fifty Forever Exhibitions! Fifty Forever @ Circle Gallery – MFA current Members – Entry fees are $10 for one entry for this all-hang, all-media exhibition. Artworks must be no larger than 20″ x 20″ x 20″, including frame. MFA former members may rejoin and exhibit for $80 during the entry process ($70 for a one-year membership and $10 for the entry fee). Entry fees are non-refundable. Fifty Forever Online Exhibition – Entry fees are $5 for one entry. Open to all current and former MFA Members. Artworks must be no larger than 72″x 72″x 72″, including frame. If your work is larger, please contact MFA. There will be a closing reception for all artists at Circle Gallery on August 16 during Annapolis Artwalk.
Hillyer Art Space “Uprooted” (DC)
Deadline: July 26. “Uprooted” is an all-media, juried exhibition that aims to examine the concept of home and the after effects of leaving one’s home behind. The exhibition is open to all artists, national and international, over 18-years of age. This exhibition is juried by Adriel Luis, Curator of Digital and Emerging Media at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Exhibition Dates: September 7-30, 2018. To learn more, visit the Hillyer IAA website.
2019 S&R Foundation Washington Award (DC)
Deadline: August 3. The S&R Foundation Washington Award recognizes talented emerging artists working in visual arts, music, and dance. This year we are excited to announce the amount of the Washington Award will be increased to a cash prize of $10,000. In addition, the Awards Committee may designate a Grand Prize winner who will receive an additional $5,000. Additionally: Award winners become part of the S&R Foundation network of artists, scientists, and social entrepreneurs. Award winners will be invited to the Washington Award Ceremony in Washington DC in Spring 2019. To learn more and apply visit https://bit.ly/2LIrAig
4th Annual Hand Pulled Prints: The Current Practice in Printmaking (NY)
Deadline: August 7. This is an open call to artists for an exhibition at Site:Brooklyn. This exhibition will reflect the ambitious, innovative and contemporary in printmaking today. Highlighting traditional printmaking processes in any combination of serigraphy, letterpress, collagraphy, etching, woodcut, lithography, linocut, drypoint, mezzotint, monoprint, and solar plates. Digital and photographic elements may be used only as a supporting element. Learn more here.
6th Annual International Juried 2018 FL3TCH3R Exhibit (TN)
Deadline: August 22. Extended Deadline: August 23 – 31. In 2018, the international FL3TCH3R Exhibit: Social and Politically Engaged Art will enter its sixth year of sustaining the legacy of East Tennessee State University Art & Design student, Fletcher Dyer, who passed away in 2009. Artists should submit entries online or consult the prospectus. The extended deadline, with an additional fee, is Aug. 31, 2018. All artists must submit entries at the 2018 FL3TCH3R EXHIBIT site.
The 37th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show 2019 — National Building Museum (DC)
Deadlines: September 7. Late Deadlines: September 8 – September 21.
The Smithsonian Craft Show is a prestigious juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American craft in art and design held annually in Washington, DC. Three jurors who are experts in the field and newly selected each year choose 120 artists from a large pool of applicants. Artists are selected on the basis of the originality, artistic conception, and quality of their work. The show is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee. Proceeds from the Show fund grants that benefit the Smithsonian’s education, outreach, research, and conservation programs. ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: Basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood. Learn more about this opportunity here.
2018 International Juried Exhibition (NJ)
Deadline: September 16. The Center for Contemporary Art’s annual International Juried Exhibition celebrates contemporary art by both established and emerging artists. Please check out The Center’s website for more details: www.ccabedminster.org.
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
2019 Post Graduation Residency Program (VA)
Deadline: October 7. Jurors: Nicole Dowd, program director of Halcyon Arts Lab and Leslie Holt, DC-based artist and co-director of Red Dirt Studios. The Torpedo Factory Post-Grad Residency is a competitive juried program that provides meaningful support and three-month term solo studio space. This residency is open to recently-graduated students who earned a bachelor’s or master’s art degree from an accredited university. The program is unique for addressing the critical post-graduation juncture in an emerging artist’s career, offering an opportunity for professional development, and a chance to define their independent work process outside of the academic context. Submissions are open for both art school students in the region and nationwide, provided nationwide artists submit proof of their permanent residence in the area and/or commitment of contributing to the ongoing future of the DC/Maryland/Virginia arts scene. Please read and review Guidelines before applying.
Small Works 2018 (NY)
Deadline: October 8. Main Street Arts is now accepting submissions to our 5th annual Small Works exhibition. This national juried exhibition of small artwork (12 inches or smaller in any direction) is open to artists working in all media excluding video/sound and installation art. For more information and to submit, visit the Main Street Art Gallery website.
Call for Writing Submissions: Beyond Beautiful (MD)
Deadline: November 1. Maryland Art Place (MAP) is seeking writing submissions, love letters of all types, on behalf of “The One Thousand Love Letters Project” and the exhibition “Beyond Beautiful, created and curated by artist Peter Bruun. This exhibition is slated to open January 17, 2019 at Maryland Art Place, with a partner site for the exhibition located at Area 405.
Beyond Beautiful focuses on eight topics –information and guidelines here. Peter Bruun, both curator and artist, will use these love letters to create 1,000 artistic responses to be displayed in the exhibition at MAP and Area 405. To date, Bruun has created over 600 drawings using excerpts from participant’s letters to contribute to “The One Thousand Love Letters Project.” Letters do not need to be submitted based on the listed topics and can be submitted digitally or physically.
Spark Box Studio Dawson Residency Award and Bursary (Canada)
Deadline: March 1, 2019. This award is open to residents of North America. Spark Box Studio is accepting applications from emerging, mid-career, and established artists. One artist will receive a month-long residency at our studio in Prince Edward County, plus the $1,000 Dawson bursary. The selected applicant will be granted a semi-private studio space and be given access to the Spark Box Studio equipment and resources. As well, the winner will be provided with living accommodations for their month-long stay. We support a range of disciplines including; drawers, illustrators, painters, writers, printmakers, film makers, performance artists, multidisciplinary artists, curators, book makers, musicians and photographers (digital)
Ongoing:
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.
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.
NYC volunteer opportunity (NY)
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org for more information.
Superfine art fair (DC)
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
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].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery (VA)
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
We are delighted to have Ali Wunder, who some will remember as our former Community Outreach and Camps Coordinator, join us as our new Gallery Director.
As a practicing artist married to a practicing artist, Ali has a particular affection for and kinship with exhibiting artists. She earned her BA in Studio Art from Messiah College and a Masters in Art Education from George Mason University. In addition to previously working at The Art League, she has held teaching positions in Fairfax County Public Schools in both primary and high school programs.
Ali, her husband Stephen, and their two very active toddlers recently moved back to Northern Virginia after several years in Queens, NY. She’s excited to be back as part of The Art League community and looks forward to greeting all of you and the new exhibit year in the gallery!
We sat down with Ali and asked her some questions about art, The Art League, and moving back to DC.
What is your earliest memory/interaction with art?
My aunt was an artist. As a child, I would go over to her house and she would give me “art lessons.” We would create and experiment, and she would buy me new supplies to play with. It was great.
I continued studying art through high school and was a studio art major in college with a concentration in mixed media. I liked to do everything, so focusing on “mixed media” was good way to combine it all.
What was the first work of art that really spoke to you?
The first work of art that really spoke to me was Eugene Delacroix’s painting Lady Macbeth Sleepwalking. When I was in middle school, my aunt took me to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and they happened to have a Delacroix exhibit. It’s a tiny painting, and it is so eerie. There is something about the look on her face and the use of so much black that really affected me. I begged for the exhibit catalog and I still like to go back and look at it.
Which artists, dead or alive, do you admire most?
Nick Cave is my all time favorite artist. Kara Walker, known for her cut-paper silhouettes depicting historical narratives, is another artist I greatly admire. While I love her silhouettes, I’m really blown away by the depth of her drawings. I recently took a drawing class [in NYC] and have been interested in studying drawings by the old masters, like Degas.
What made you want to come back to The Art League?
In a lot of ways, I don’t feel like I ever really left! The Art League has always been home. I love that The Art League is truly an intersection of art and community – two things I’m very passionate about. I’m excited to be back at The Art League and to have the opportunity to serve our artists, viewers, and community in the gallery.
How do you think your background as an art educator will influence your role in the gallery?
I’m already thinking of ways to integrate more educational components into what we do in the gallery. I would like to do programs for both viewers and members that invite them into a conversation with the work in our gallery.
For example, later this month we’re having our first event centered on the monthly solo artist exhibit. Drawn In: Taking a Look at The Art League’s Solo Artist Exhibit, taking place on Thursday, July 26 at 6:00 pm, is an art-viewing and making Happy Hour. In this free, hands-on event, participants are invited to take a closer look at work created by our monthly Solo Artist (Guy Jones in July). After a critical viewing exercise, participants will engage in an in-depth discussion of the work, as well as the artist’s process and intent. A responsive art making session will follow. Wine and light refreshments will be served.
What did you miss most about DC?
Surprisingly, a lot of restaurants! Stephen and I are excited to patronize many of our old favorites. I also really missed the ability to easily run outside. Trying to run in NYC is stressful!
What will you miss most about NYC?
We’ll definitely miss the access to Manhattan and all it has to offer. The energy of New York is unlike anything or anywhere else.
What Art League class would you like to take?
I just finished a drawing class and am eager to take more. I would love to take Lisa Semerad’s Portrait Drawing class and Rob Liberace’s Figure Drawing class.
How do you take your coffee?
With cream, no sugar. At the moment, Stephen and I are really loving Swing’s Coffee in Del Ray.
Three prints from Nancy McIntyre’s “Rhythms of Time” exhibit in 2016.
The Art League Blog is taking a trip down memory lane and reposting some of our most popular art resources! Please enjoy this post from the vault, originally published May 6, 2016.
When you realize these are silkscreens — and not paintings — part of you wishes you could grab the paper and peel the image apart, to see each layer that builds to the final print. Right?
If it were physically possible, it would be a lot of work. Not as much work as making it, of course: each layer of transparent ink is printed separately using a block-out stencil, a silk screen, and a squeegee. And in Nancy McIntyre’s 2016 Art League exhibit, “Rhythms of Time,” the silkscreens varied from 13 all the way to 133 layers.
How is a silkscreen print made?
As you can imagine, it requires a lot of planning. While you can’t peel apart the layers, the next best thing is looking at the printer’s proofs, made during the long printing process as a record of some of the different stencils and colors used.
Lotus was printed in an edition of 50, which means that there are 50 final prints. The first layer was printed onto all 50 pieces of paper first, then the stencil was removed from the screen and the second was painted on. Because the screen is reused and the stencil is destroyed, these printer’s proofs are kept as a record by the artist along with notes on what colors she used.
Where to learn more
The artist featured in this post, Nancy McIntyre, is also an instructor at The Art League. To see the classes and workshops she teaches in silkscreen, browse our catalog.
You can also see her demonstrate a simple block-out stencil in this video from our YouTube channel:
The AiM Gallery – The Horse in Sport: Polo, Racing, Foxhunting and More (VA)
Deadline: July 6. Have a piece that fits the theme of “The Horse in Sport” ? Submit your art to this Middleburg, VA art gallery for consideration, or see below for more options. To apply and learn more, click here.
The AiM Gallery – Chaos exhibition (VA)
Deadline: July 6. As we host monthly themed exhibits, we realize many artists have excellent work that does not fit into the criteria of the current theme. Therefore, we want to reserve the rear gallery for art that explores a variety of subjects and mediums. Find the “Call to Artists” here, or for more information on the exhibit and to apply visit the exhibit website.
Material Matters: Breaking with Tradition (NY)
Deadline: July 12. The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) seeks entries for a juried art exhibition, October 6-28, 2018 at the BWAC Gallery in Brooklyn, NY. $450 in Cash Awards. Juror: Melissa Stern, artist and journalist. More info view the BWAC PDF or their website.
Lit Art Gallery – Surreal Deal (TN)
Deadline: July 12. Exhibition dates July 20th-August 10th 2018. This Exhibition explores the limitless nature of creative minds. The Lit Gallery is looking for the distorted, illusionistic, morphed, and unusual pieces, accepting all forms of medium and art practices inspired by the works of Sean Madden, Johnson Tsang, and others. For more information and to apply visit the Lit Art Gallery website.
The Art League Gallery – “Value” Exhibit
Deadline: July 15. Artists take different actions and apply different practices, based on their judgments of what approach is most important to produce their artwork and share it with their communities. Participating artists are encouraged to submit artwork that best captures what is most important in their creative life—be it the subject of the work, the process, or the object’s function. For more information visit the The Art League website.
ViewPoint 50 presented by the Cincinnati Art Club (OH)
Deadline: July 16. The Cincinnati Art Club announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, September 14 through October 13 at Greenwich House Gallery, in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, visit the Cincinnati Art Club website.
Hillyer Art Space “Uprooted” (DC)
Deadline: July 26. “Uprooted” is an all-media, juried exhibition that aims to examine the concept of home and the after effects of leaving one’s home behind. The exhibition is open to all artists, national and international, over 18-years of age. This exhibition is juried by Adriel Luis, Curator of Digital and Emerging Media at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Exhibition Dates: September 7-30, 2018. To learn more, visit the Hillyer IAA website.
4th Annual Hand Pulled Prints: The Current Practice in Printmaking (NY)
Deadline: August 7. This exhibition will reflect the ambitious, innovative and contemporary in printmaking today. Highlighting traditional printmaking processes in any combination of serigraphy, letterpress, collagraphy, etching, woodcut, lithography, linocut, drypoint, mezzotint, monoprint and solar plates. For more information and to apply, visit the International Juried Art Exhibition website.
6th Annual International Juried 2018 FL3TCH3R Exhibit (TN)
Deadline: August 22. Extended Deadline: August 23 – 31. In 2018, the international FL3TCH3R Exhibit: Social and Politically Engaged Art will enter its sixth year of sustaining the legacy of East Tennessee State University Art & Design student, Fletcher Dyer, who passed away in 2009. Artists should submit entries online or consult the prospectus. The extended deadline, with an additional fee, is Aug. 31, 2018. All artists must submit entries at the 2018 FL3TCH3R EXHIBIT site.
2018 International Juried Exhibition (NJ)
Deadline: September 16. The Center for Contemporary Art’s annual International Juried Exhibition celebrates contemporary art by both established and emerging artists. Please check out The Center’s website for more details: www.ccabedminster.org.
Small Works 2018 (NY)
Deadline: October 8 . Main Street Arts is now accepting submissions to our 5th annual Small Works exhibition. This national juried exhibition of small artwork (12 inches or smaller in any direction) is open to artists working in all media excluding video/sound and installation art. For more information and to submit, visit the Main Street Art Gallery website.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational (VA)
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
Art Enables: 12th Annual Outsider Art Inside the Beltway Exhibition (DC)
Deadline: July 22. OAIB is an annual exhibition that showcases self-taught artists from across the nation together in Art Enables’ two gallery spaces in September and October 2018. Work should be made by an artist(s) who identifies as a self-taught, folk, or outsider artist. For more information and to submit, visit the OAIB website.
The Torpedo Factory – Art of Armistice (VA)
Deadline: July 22, 11:59 pm. Exhibition Dates: October 27 – December 2. Reception Date: Friday, November 16, 7:00–9:00 pm. Gallery Talk at 8:00 pm. Juror: Spencer Dormitzer, DC-based artist and curator. The Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit artwork to the Art of Armistice, a group exhibition that explores the after effects of war. The exhibition will focus on the physical, mental, and cultural effects of war on the world through the perspective of both civilians and veterans alike. This exhibition will be paired with different public programs in honor of the 100th year anniversary of the ground breaking of the former munitions plant that the Torpedo Factory Art Center now calls home. For more information and to submit, visit torpedofactory.org/artopps.
MFA Circle Gallery “Stormy Weather” (DC)
Deadline: July 24. Stormy weather—from onset to aftermath and all in between—is the theme of MFA’s (Maryland Federation of Art) 3rd annual exhibition. MFA invites all 2-and 3-D artists to submit any original 2-D artwork depicting the sounds, colors, impact, anticipation, and more, of stormy weather. The selected artworks may be viewed on MFA’s online Curve Gallery from August 15 through September 30, 2018.
Exhibit: MFA Circle Gallery “50 Forever” (MD)
Exhibit dates: July 25 – August 16. Please enter your artwork for each exhibition online here. In celebration of our 50th year at Circle Gallery, MFA is hosting two Fifty Forever Exhibitions! Fifty Forever @ Circle Gallery – MFA current Members – Entry fees are $10 for one entry for this all-hang, all-media exhibition. Artworks must be no larger than 20″ x 20″ x 20″, including frame. MFA former members may rejoin and exhibit for $80 during the entry process ($70 for a one-year membership and $10 for the entry fee). Entry fees are non-refundable. Fifty Forever Online Exhibition – Entry fees are $5 for one entry. Open to all current and former MFA Members. Artworks must be no larger than 72″x 72″x 72″, including frame. If your work is larger, please contact MFA. There will be a closing reception for all artists at Circle Gallery on August 16 during Annapolis Artwalk.
2019 S&R Foundation Washington Award (DC)
Deadline: August 3. The S&R Foundation Washington Award recognizes talented emerging artists working in visual arts, music, and dance. This year we are excited to announce the amount of the Washington Award will be increased to a cash prize of $10,000. In addition, the Awards Committee may designate a Grand Prize winner who will receive an additional $5,000. Additionally: Award winners become part of the S&R Foundation network of artists, scientists, and social entrepreneurs. Award winners will be invited to the Washington Award Ceremony in Washington DC in Spring 2019. To learn more and apply visit https://bit.ly/2LIrAig
4th Annual Hand Pulled Prints: The Current Practice in Printmaking (NY)
Deadline: August 7. This is an open call to artists for an exhibition at Site:Brooklyn. This exhibition will reflect the ambitious, innovative and contemporary in printmaking today. Highlighting traditional printmaking processes in any combination of serigraphy, letterpress, collagraphy, etching, woodcut, lithography, linocut, drypoint, mezzotint, monoprint, and solar plates. Digital and photographic elements may be used only as a supporting element. Learn more here.
Enter the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition (DC)
Deadline: September 3. The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is accepting submissions to its fifth triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Established in 2006, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition invites artists (18 and over) living and working in the United States to submit one portrait for consideration. Selected artworks are featured in a museum exhibition and some artists are awarded prizes. This year, the competition will focus on broadening the definition of portraiture while highlighting the genre’s relevance in contemporary art and culture. The first-prize winner will receive $25,000 and a commission to portray a remarkable living American for the National Portrait Gallery’s collection. Additional cash prizes will be awarded. Submissions from each finalist will form The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today exhibition, which will be displayed at the Portrait Gallery from November 2,, 2019, through September 7, 2020, before traveling to other cities in the United States. Previous competitions have received more than 3,000 entries.
The 37th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show 2019 — National Building Museum (DC)
Deadlines: September 7. Late Deadlines: September 8 – September 21.
The Smithsonian Craft Show is a prestigious juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American craft in art and design held annually in Washington, DC. Three jurors who are experts in the field and newly selected each year choose 120 artists from a large pool of applicants. Artists are selected on the basis of the originality, artistic conception, and quality of their work. The show is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee. Proceeds from the Show fund grants that benefit the Smithsonian’s education, outreach, research, and conservation programs. ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: Basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood. Learn more about this opportunity here.
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
2019 Post Graduation Residency Program (VA)
Deadline: October 7. Jurors: Nicole Dowd, program director of Halcyon Arts Lab and Leslie Holt, DC-based artist and co-director of Red Dirt Studios. The Torpedo Factory Post-Grad Residency is a competitive juried program that provides meaningful support and three-month term solo studio space. This residency is open to recently-graduated students who earned a bachelor’s or master’s art degree from an accredited university. The program is unique for addressing the critical post-graduation juncture in an emerging artist’s career, offering an opportunity for professional development, and a chance to define their independent work process outside of the academic context. Submissions are open for both art school students in the region and nationwide, provided nationwide artists submit proof of their permanent residence in the area and/or commitment of contributing to the ongoing future of the DC/Maryland/Virginia arts scene. Please read and review Guidelines before applying.
Spark Box Studio Dawson Residency Award and Bursary (Canada)
Deadline: March 1, 2019. This award is open to residents of North America. Spark Box Studio is accepting applications from emerging, mid-career, and established artists. One artist will receive a month-long residency at our studio in Prince Edward County, plus the $1,000 Dawson bursary. The selected applicant will be granted a semi-private studio space and be given access to the Spark Box Studio equipment and resources. As well, the winner will be provided with living accommodations for their month-long stay. We support a range of disciplines including; drawers, illustrators, painters, writers, printmakers, film makers, performance artists, multidisciplinary artists, curators, book makers, musicians and photographers (digital)
Ongoing:
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].
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.
Call for Writing Submissions: Beyond Beautiful (MD)
Deadline: November 1. Maryland Art Place (MAP) is seeking writing submissions, love letters of all types, on behalf of “The One Thousand Love Letters Project” and the exhibition “Beyond Beautiful, created and curated by artist Peter Bruun. This exhibition is slated to open January 17, 2019 at Maryland Art Place, with a partner site for the exhibition located at Area 405.
Beyond Beautiful focuses on eight topics –information and guidelines here. Peter Bruun, both curator and artist, will use these love letters to create 1,000 artistic responses to be displayed in the exhibition at MAP and Area 405. To date, Bruun has created over 600 drawings using excerpts from participant’s letters to contribute to “The One Thousand Love Letters Project.” Letters do not need to be submitted based on the listed topics and can be submitted digitally or physically.
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.
NYC volunteer opportunity (NY)
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org for more information.
Superfine art fair (DC)
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
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].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery (VA)
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
Oil painter Michael McSorley brought together the unexpected, the ordinary, and the unassuming through carefully constructed three-dimensional assemblages in his solo exhibit, “Collections of Perceptions.” McSorley artfully merged fine art with carpentry through his masterfully painted and expertly crafted assemblages. He painted a collection of individual still lifes, portraits, and scenes and then explored the relationships between his chosen items – grouping them aesthetically and conceptually.
In our monthly exhibit, Ron Colbroth’s award-winning photograph of a sailboat crisply mirrored in the calm, blue waters of Southern Portugal is the very definition of “reflection.” June “Reflections” juror Carlton Fletcher said that the award-winning pieces needed to “read from across the room, and then reward you for coming in for a closer look. That is what I call graphic power.”
Artist Abol Bahadori received the Anne Banks Award for Mixed Media/Collage for his piece, Reverie. “My own interpretation is that this [painting] is somehow about reversing the destruction of the nature by man—a dream or “reverie” we all share.”
Instructor Kurt Schwarz during the 2014 Portrait & Figure Festival
What is a Mahl Stick?
A Mahl stick (also spelled “Maul” stick) is a tool that can be placed across a painting to steady a painter’s hand or to provide protection against the dreaded “palm touchdown” on a painting’s surface.
History
The word itself comes from the Dutch word maalstok meaning “painter’s stick.”Particularly useful for longer drying paint like acrylic or oil, a mahl stick is a little-used but still very useful tool for painters looking for an easy way to steady a tired hand or make perfectly straight lines across the canvas. Commercial artistsoften use them for delicate lettering, as well as oil painters and other artists working with slower drying mediums working on detail.
This tool is estimated to have been used since the 1500’s, and has been used by artists ever since (pictured below)
The Art of Painting by Johannes Vermeer, Portrait of Eva Gonzalez by Edouard Manet, Self-portrait by Sofonisba Anguissola
Utilizing a Mahl Stick
Using a Mahl stick can be somewhat tricky, but with practice it can be a helpful tool. Rest the soft (ball) end of the stick on the edge of the canvas (some artists even have a ledge for their mahl stick to slide along) or on a part of the painting you’re sure is absolutely dry. Then, hold the loose end of the stick in your non-dominant hand to steady your dominant hand wrist while you paint. Hang or remove from the canvas when not in use.
Kurt Schwarz, oil painter and Art League instructor, sheds some light on his process, “In a nutshell, you want to keep your painting hand in the same position as when you are not in need of it and gently place it under your painting hand to steady it.”
The Art League instructor Kurt Schwarz using a mahl stick at our 2014 Portrait & Figure Festival
Resources
Mahl sticks are also relatively easy to make. Check out some of the tutorials below which will teach you to make, use, and perfect this handy tool.
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.
Call for Writing Submissions: Beyond Beautiful (MD)
Deadline: November 1. Maryland Art Place (MAP) is seeking writing submissions, love letters of all types, on behalf of “The One Thousand Love Letters Project” and the exhibition “Beyond Beautiful, created and curated by artist Peter Bruun. This exhibition is slated to open January 17, 2019 at Maryland Art Place, with a partner site for the exhibition located at Area 405.
Beyond Beautiful focuses on eight topics –information and guidelines here. Peter Bruun, both curator and artist, will use these love letters to create 1,000 artistic responses to be displayed in the exhibition at MAP and Area 405. To date, Bruun has created over 600 drawings using excerpts from participant’s letters to contribute to “The One Thousand Love Letters Project.” Letters do not need to be submitted based on the listed topics and can be submitted digitally or physically.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Exhibit: MFA Circle Gallery “Beacon Celebration of the Arts” (MD)
Deadline: June 29. The Beacon Newspapers is pleased to present the “Celebration of the Arts” – a year-long program, in partnership with the Maryland Federation of Art – designed to entice individuals 50 and over throughout the MD/DC/VA region to try a new artistic endeavor, and then to enter their best work in a regional competition in one or more of these four categories:
Painting and drawing: Any one-dimensional work on any flat surface in pen and ink, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, oil paint or other paint or dye
3D/mixed media artwork: any handmade, two- or three-dimensional sculpture, pottery, frieze, woven or fabric art, found object art, mosaic, jewelry, glass art or painting containing multi-dimensional objects
Photography: any images taken with film or digitally, whether manipulated by computer program or not
Poetry: a poem of no more than two pages in length in any style
Apply to New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Fiscal Sponsorship
Deadline(s): June 30, September 30, December 31, and March 31. Application for NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship is free and open to all artists with a U.S. Tax Identification Number, regardless of location. Artists who live in the U.S. but work overseas are welcome to apply. NYFA also accepts out-of-cycle reviews; please email [email protected] for details. To learn more about the scholarship, click here.
Exhibit: Art Elevated (NY)
Deadline: June 30. Artists from around the world are invited to submit images of their works to be considered for Art Elevated, a public art initiative launched by the Garment District Alliance in partnership with Orangenius, a technology platform for the arts community. 90 Finalists will have their art work displayed on banners throughout the Garment District in the heart of midtown Manhattan, creating a fantastic aerial art gallery that will remain on view from September 3 to October 30, 2018. Open to any type of visual artist, working in any medium, context or geographical location. The submission must be from a living artist, 18 years or older. Only an individual artist can enter. For more information, visit: https://connect.orangenius.com/art-elevated/ Contact: [email protected] or call 919-619-2327.
1708 Gallery’s InLight Richmond Call for Proposals (VA)
Deadline: June 30.1708 Gallery invites national and international artists working in all media and disciplines to submit proposals for the 11th annualInLight Richmond. Proposals for InLight 2018 should involve, be inspired by, investigate, or interpret themes of light, from light as medium to light as concept. InLight 2018 will take place on Friday, November 16, 2018from 7:00 pm to 12:00 midnight AND onSaturday, November 17, 2018,7:00-10:00 pm, at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. InLight is a public exhibition of contemporary light-based artworks—videos and projections, multi-media and interactive projects, sculptures, installations, performances. Please visit http://1708gallery.org/ for more information and to apply.
Exhibit: Strange Figurations (NY)
Deadline: June 30. Strange Figurations is an international, thematic group exhibition curated and hosted by the Limner Gallery. The exhibition is open to all interpretations of the concept, Strange Figurations, which would include surreal, visionary and generally all out of the ordinary figurative art. The show is open to all media, techniques and styles from realist to expressionistic. 72″ maximum dimension. The exhibition will be held at the Limner Gallery, September 6 – 30. More information here.
$1000 Working Artist Purchase Award (NJ)
Deadline: June 30. We offer a small art purchase award to help serious artists keep working. Our award is open worldwide to all visual artists, including but not limited to those working in traditional styles, ie., painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, glass, installation, or with digital/new media, photography, and film/video. See our complete submissions guidelines here. Also look out for our Spring Quarter Photography Award Deadline: July 17, 2018.
9th Annual International Painting Annual: A Juried Publication of Works of Recent Contemporary Painting (OH)
Deadline: June 30. A wide variety of approaches to painting are encouraged for submission, including a range of painting types, from the most academic to the most experimental, but all with some relevance to the artists’ honest understanding of the practice of “painting.” Works that challenge the common notion that painting must be made with ’paint’ are also welcome. The International Painting Annual is open to any artist submitting original works of art or design created within the past three plus years (2015–2018). Artists, designers, illustrators, and creative visual artists in ALL disciplines are encouraged to submit. Awards and Cash Prizes: First, Second, and Third Place awards for works of painting will be decided by the jury committee. Each award winner will have a brief artist’s statement included in the publication. Learn more here.
PlySpace Collaborative Artist-in-Residence Program (IN)
Deadline: July 1, 11:59 pm. PlySpace is an artist-in-residence program in Muncie, IN that is dedicated to offering visual artists, writers, performers, designers, and other creative individuals time and space to investigate and pursue their own practices. Additionally, it serves as a platform for experimentation and provocation by catalyzing conversation and collaboration with various Muncie communities. PlySpace facilitates opportunities for residents to engage with the public through partnership and programming that is tailored to their area of interest. The residency is fully funded with a $500 stipend for travel. We are now accepting applications for the Fall 2018 term, with flexible residency periods from 4-12 weeks beginning in mid-September. Interested applicants should visit www.plyspace.org to learn more about the application process, residency structure, and community collaboration requirements. Applications submitted before June 25 benefit from an early application fee of $25. Questions or comments about the program and application process can be directed to [email protected].
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational (VA)
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
Art Enables: 12th Annual Outsider Art Inside the Beltway Exhibition (DC)
Deadline: July 22. OAIB is an annual exhibition that showcases self-taught artists from across the nation together in Art Enables’ two gallery spaces in September and October 2018. Work should be made by an artist(s) who identifies as a self-taught, folk, or outsider artist. For more information and to submit, visit the OAIB website.
The Torpedo Factory – Art of Armistice (VA)
Deadline: July 22, 11:59 pm. Exhibition Dates: October 27 – December 2. Reception Date: Friday, November 16, 7:00–9:00 pm. Gallery Talk at 8:00 pm. Juror: Spencer Dormitzer, DC-based artist and curator. The Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit artwork to the Art of Armistice, a group exhibition that explores the after effects of war. The exhibition will focus on the physical, mental, and cultural effects of war on the world through the perspective of both civilians and veterans alike. This exhibition will be paired with different public programs in honor of the 100th year anniversary of the ground breaking of the former munitions plant that the Torpedo Factory Art Center now calls home. For more information and to submit, visit torpedofactory.org/artopps.
MFA Circle Gallery “Stormy Weather” (DC)
Deadline: July 24. Stormy weather—from onset to aftermath and all in between—is the theme of MFA’s (Maryland Federation of Art) 3rd annual exhibition. MFA invites all 2-and 3-D artists to submit any original 2-D artwork depicting the sounds, colors, impact, anticipation, and more, of stormy weather. The selected artworks may be viewed on MFA’s online Curve Gallery from August 15 through September 30, 2018.
Exhibit: MFA Circle Gallery “50 Forever” (MD)
Exhibit dates: July 25 – August 16. Please enter your artwork for each exhibition online here. In celebration of our 50th year at Circle Gallery, MFA is hosting two Fifty Forever Exhibitions! Fifty Forever @ Circle Gallery – MFA current Members – Entry fees are $10 for one entry for this all-hang, all-media exhibition. Artworks must be no larger than 20″ x 20″ x 20″, including frame. MFA former members may rejoin and exhibit for $80 during the entry process ($70 for a one-year membership and $10 for the entry fee). Entry fees are non-refundable. Fifty Forever Online Exhibition – Entry fees are $5 for one entry. Open to all current and former MFA Members. Artworks must be no larger than 72″x 72″x 72″, including frame. If your work is larger, please contact MFA. There will be a closing reception for all artists at Circle Gallery on August 16 during Annapolis Artwalk.
2019 S&R Foundation Washington Award (DC)
Deadline: August 3. The S&R Foundation Washington Award recognizes talented emerging artists working in visual arts, music, and dance. This year we are excited to announce the amount of the Washington Award will be increased to a cash prize of $10,000. In addition, the Awards Committee may designate a Grand Prize winner who will receive an additional $5,000. Additionally: Award winners become part of the S&R Foundation network of artists, scientists, and social entrepreneurs. Award winners will be invited to the Washington Award Ceremony in Washington DC in Spring 2019. To learn more and apply visit https://bit.ly/2LIrAig
4th Annual Hand Pulled Prints: The Current Practice in Printmaking (NY)
Deadline: August 7. This is an open call to artists for an exhibition at Site:Brooklyn. This exhibition will reflect the ambitious, innovative and contemporary in printmaking today. Highlighting traditional printmaking processes in any combination of serigraphy, letterpress, collagraphy, etching, woodcut, lithography, linocut, drypoint, mezzotint, monoprint, and solar plates. Digital and photographic elements may be used only as a supporting element. Learn more here.
Enter the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition (DC)
Deadline: September 3. The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is accepting submissions to its fifth triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Established in 2006, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition invites artists (18 and over) living and working in the United States to submit one portrait for consideration. Selected artworks are featured in a museum exhibition and some artists are awarded prizes. This year, the competition will focus on broadening the definition of portraiture while highlighting the genre’s relevance in contemporary art and culture. The first-prize winner will receive $25,000 and a commission to portray a remarkable living American for the National Portrait Gallery’s collection. Additional cash prizes will be awarded. Submissions from each finalist will form The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today exhibition, which will be displayed at the Portrait Gallery from November 2,, 2019, through September 7, 2020, before traveling to other cities in the United States. Previous competitions have received more than 3,000 entries.
The 37th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show 2019 — National Building Museum (DC)
Deadlines: September 7. Late Deadlines: September 8 – September 21.
The Smithsonian Craft Show is a prestigious juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American craft in art and design held annually in Washington, DC. Three jurors who are experts in the field and newly selected each year choose 120 artists from a large pool of applicants. Artists are selected on the basis of the originality, artistic conception, and quality of their work. The show is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee. Proceeds from the Show fund grants that benefit the Smithsonian’s education, outreach, research, and conservation programs. ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: Basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood. Learn more about this opportunity here.
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
2019 Post Graduation Residency Program (VA)
Deadline: October 7. Jurors: Nicole Dowd, program director of Halcyon Arts Lab and Leslie Holt, DC-based artist and co-director of Red Dirt Studios. The Torpedo Factory Post-Grad Residency is a competitive juried program that provides meaningful support and three-month term solo studio space. This residency is open to recently-graduated students who earned a bachelor’s or master’s art degree from an accredited university. The program is unique for addressing the critical post-graduation juncture in an emerging artist’s career, offering an opportunity for professional development, and a chance to define their independent work process outside of the academic context. Submissions are open for both art school students in the region and nationwide, provided nationwide artists submit proof of their permanent residence in the area and/or commitment of contributing to the ongoing future of the DC/Maryland/Virginia arts scene. Please read and review Guidelines before applying.
Spark Box Studio Dawson Residency Award and Bursary (Canada)
Deadline: March 1, 2019. This award is open to residents of North America. Spark Box Studio is accepting applications from emerging, mid-career, and established artists. One artist will receive a month-long residency at our studio in Prince Edward County, plus the $1,000 Dawson bursary. The selected applicant will be granted a semi-private studio space and be given access to the Spark Box Studio equipment and resources. As well, the winner will be provided with living accommodations for their month-long stay. We support a range of disciplines including; drawers, illustrators, painters, writers, printmakers, film makers, performance artists, multidisciplinary artists, curators, book makers, musicians and photographers (digital)
Ongoing:
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.
NYC volunteer opportunity (NY)
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org for more information.
Superfine art fair (DC)
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
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].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery (VA)
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
Abol Bahadori’s award-winning piece, Reverie (hover to zoom)
Artist Abol Bahadori received the Anne Banks Award for Mixed Media/Collage by June “Reflections” juror Carlton Fletcher for his piece, Reverie. Bahadori is no stranger to receiving awards or answering Q&A’s for The Art League’s blog (see our interview with Bahadori in 2015 for his award-winning piece, Paradox). This time, we asked Bahadori to share some insight into Reverie, the concept of reflections, and how his creative process has evolved:
How did Reverie come together?
I started this painting in Beverly Ryan’s course called, “Abstract: Beyond the Tangible.” Ryan provides us with many diverse processes to disengage the analytical mind and delve into doing without too much thinking. One of my favorites ways to work is from a live model with short poses— this is great for action painting. That is what gave birth to this painting. You can spot many human gestures and poses, elements of anatomy, and most importantly, body movements, which I’ve abstracted here. “Studying from life is the foundation, it’s the beginning,” as juror Carlton Fletcher mentioned. Of course, during a fast-intuitive process, my subconscious takes over and that is how most of my paintings come together. Reverie is no exception.
“My own interpretation is that this is somehow about reversing the destruction of the nature by man—a dream or “reverie” we all share.”
How do you think the theme is reflected (no pun intended) through this piece?
I have to admit that I did not start this painting with “Reflections” in mind. Nor did I manipulate it in any way to represent or resemble surface reflections or light effects. The creation of this painting coincided with the announcement of the theme for the June exhibit, and when I read that the concept of reflections also applied to inner reflections, I had an “aha moment.” Once I started working on Reverie, feelings of destruction and a struggle and urge to fix things before it’s too late surfaced. Most of what I saw at that point is still intact. I’ve only altered some texture and colors to enhance those feelings. My own interpretation is that this is somehow about reversing the destruction of the nature by man—a dream or “reverie” we all share.
Having said all that, I try not to talk about my own interpretation of my art. One of the reasons I paint is to evoke curiosity in myself and others to discover things that are not apparent to us, yet occupy our psyche either by concerning or captivating us. I allow the viewer to have their own interpretation of my art and find out what is “beyond the tangible” for them (borrowing from Ryan here). But I also believe in the collective unconscious. I observe this in commonalities in works of artists who haven’t even seen each other’s work. I also hear it in interpretation of my own work by different viewers.
Does it make you happy if the viewer sees what you see in your art?
I am not so sure. In fact, I get more excited when people see something totally different, and then when they describe it or show me I start seeing that too. That makes me happy.
Reverie detail (hover to zoom)
What is your creative process like?
My overall process hasn’t changed since 2015 (when I did this Q&A). However, taking Lisa Semerad’s Design & Composition class recently has made a significant shift in my final editing touches. Even though I’ve been painting all my life, have been working as a graphic designer and art director for 30 years, and have a BA and MA in art and design, it was so refreshing to take a course in the fundamentals of composition after so many years. It made me realize, to certain extent, that the elements I apply to my design work can also be applied to my paintings. I previously avoided that because I didn’t want my paintings to look “predictable and conventional.” But, now I pay more attention to the cohesiveness and overall composition of my paintings. In other words, originality doesn’t have to come with fighting the basic rules of composition.
What are you working on currently?
I always work on many paintings simultaneously. This keeps me working intuitively – focusing on just one painting makes me shift back to my analytical mind and start fiddling and finessing. By remaining in my intuitive process, I know the minute when a new painting is born – it’s as if I’ve seen it before, dreamed of it, or met it in a past life. That’s when I stop painting and start observing it by putting it on the wall or floor of the living room. I may stare at it for days before I alter it or enhance it. Right now, I have five large paintings at the observation stage that look very exiting—almost scary exciting because every single one of them can be a turning point in my career as an artist. Something really good is going to happen soon. I feel it.
“Originality doesn’t have to come with fighting the basic rules of composition.”
2018 has been a great year for my art so far. It started with acceptance to Washington Project for the Arts‘ 2018 Gala Auction, then I received an Equal Merit Award from The Art League for my submission to the student show, and this is my second Best in Show award by The Art League in three years. So, I would like to thank The Art League and WPA teams for the encouragement through these recognitions. I am also really grateful for having access to a variety of courses at the Art League school to avoid working in isolation. Receiving feedback and collaboration has to be combined with experimentation to keep pushing the envelope. Such acknowledgements and constructive criticisms have played a vital role in my artistic development and this recent piece is a result of that.
See “Reflections” in The Art League gallery through July 1.
No need to miss out on artwork by our amazing Art League artists while you’re on vacation at the beach (or on the way there). We’ve done some research, and these coastal galleries are showcasing artwork by Art League artists this summer. Check out these galleries in between dips in the ocean!
*This list will continue to be updated. Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments!
Art League Member: Catherine Hess Where: “After Hopper” exhibit, Addison Art Gallery Hess regularly exhibits across Cape Cod. Visit her website for more details.
Art League Member: Patricia Cassidy Where:The Back Porch (59 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE) When: June 19 – July 21
Art League Member: Aina Nergard-Nammack Where:80th Annual Members’ Fine Arts Exhibition, Rehoboth Art League (12 Dodds Lane, Rehoboth Beach, DE) When: July 27 – September 3
Painting by Aina Nergard-Nammack
Art League Members: Susan Finsen and Jill Finsen Where:Gallery 50, Rehoboth Beach, DE When: August – September
Deadline Extended: Tabletop wares @ The Art League
Deadline: June 22.Tabletop: Exploring Food and Function will showcase the artistry of various functional wares associated with the table. Mediums that will be accepted include ceramic, metal, fiber, wood, and glass. All works must be functional. Open to all artists; Art League members receive discounted entry.
Exhibit: Art Elevated (NY)
Deadline: June 30. Artists from around the world are invited to submit images of their works to be considered for Art Elevated, a public art initiative launched by the Garment District Alliance in partnership with Orangenius, a technology platform for the arts community. 90 Finalists will have their art work displayed on banners throughout the Garment District in the heart of midtown Manhattan, creating a fantastic aerial art gallery that will remain on view from September 3 to October 30, 2018. Open to any type of visual artist, working in any medium, context or geographical location. The submission must be from a living artist, 18 years or older. Only an individual artist can enter. For more information, visit: https://connect.orangenius.com/art-elevated/ Contact: [email protected] or call 919-619-2327.
1708 Gallery’s InLight Richmond Call for Proposals (VA)
Deadline: June 30. 1708 Gallery invites national and international artists working in all media and disciplines to submit proposals for the 11th annualInLight Richmond. Proposals for InLight 2018 should involve, be inspired by, investigate, or interpret themes of light, from light as medium to light as concept. InLight 2018 will take place on Friday, November 16, 2018from 7:00 pm to 12:00 midnight AND onSaturday, November 17, 2018,7:00-10:00 pm, at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. InLight is a public exhibition of contemporary light-based artworks—videos and projections, multi-media and interactive projects, sculptures, installations, performances. Please visit http://1708gallery.org/ for more information and to apply.
2019 S&R Foundation Washington Award (DC)
Deadline: August 3. The S&R Foundation Washington Award recognizes talented emerging artists working in visual arts, music, and dance. This year we are excited to announce the amount of the Washington Award will be increased to a cash prize of $10,000. In addition, the Awards Committee may designate a Grand Prize winner who will receive an additional $5,000. Additionally: Award winners become part of the S&R Foundation network of artists, scientists, and social entrepreneurs. Award winners will be invited to the Washington Award Ceremony in Washington DC in Spring 2019. To learn more and apply visit https://bit.ly/2LIrAig
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
WHO. ARE. YOU? (Re)Presentation and Challenge – ATLANTIC GALLERY 2018 NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION (NY)
Deadline: June 24. ATLANTIC GALLERY 2018 JURIED EXHIBITION WHO. ARE. YOU? (Re)Presentation and Challenge July 17 – August 4, 2018. Juror: Karen Kettering Dimit, Curator and Artist. Prize: A Solo Exhibition in September at Atlantic Gallery (in New York City’s Chelsea Art District). CALL DESCRIPTION: A juried Group Show with Grand Prize: a Solo Show at Atlantic Gallery in NYC’s Chelsea art district. Entrants are invited to question how they wish to represent themselves. Realistically? Symbolically? With — or obliquely through — intimate or talismanic objects? Conspicuously by absence? Or …? Works may be two- or three-dimensional. Juror is NY-based Curator and Artist. To submit please visit: http://atlanticgallery.org/juried-show/
Exhibit: MFA Circle Gallery “Beacon Celebration of the Arts” (MD)
Deadline: June 29. The Beacon Newspapers is pleased to present the “Celebration of the Arts” – a year-long program, in partnership with the Maryland Federation of Art – designed to entice individuals 50 and over throughout the MD/DC/VA region to try a new artistic endeavor, and then to enter their best work in a regional competition in one or more of these four categories:
Painting and drawing: Any one-dimensional work on any flat surface in pen and ink, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, oil paint or other paint or dye
3D/mixed media artwork: any handmade, two- or three-dimensional sculpture, pottery, frieze, woven or fabric art, found object art, mosaic, jewelry, glass art or painting containing multi-dimensional objects
Photography: any images taken with film or digitally, whether manipulated by computer program or not
Poetry: a poem of no more than two pages in length in any style
Apply to New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Fiscal Sponsorship
Deadline(s): June 30, September 30, December 31, and March 31. Application for NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship is free and open to all artists with a U.S. Tax Identification Number, regardless of location. Artists who live in the U.S. but work overseas are welcome to apply. NYFA also accepts out-of-cycle reviews; please email [email protected] for details. To learn more about the scholarship, click here.
Exhibit: Strange Figurations (NY)
Deadline: June 30. Strange Figurations is an international, thematic group exhibition curated and hosted by the Limner Gallery. The exhibition is open to all interpretations of the concept, Strange Figurations, which would include surreal, visionary and generally all out of the ordinary figurative art. The show is open to all media, techniques and styles from realist to expressionistic. 72″ maximum dimension. The exhibition will be held at the Limner Gallery, September 6 – 30. More information here.
$1000 Working Artist Purchase Award (NJ)
Deadline: June 30. We offer a small art purchase award to help serious artists keep working. Our award is open worldwide to all visual artists, including but not limited to those working in traditional styles, ie., painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, glass, installation, or with digital/new media, photography, and film/video. See our complete submissions guidelines here. Also look out for our Spring Quarter Photography Award Deadline: July 17, 2018.
9th Annual International Painting Annual: A Juried Publication of Works of Recent Contemporary Painting (OH)
Deadline: June 30. A wide variety of approaches to painting are encouraged for submission, including a range of painting types, from the most academic to the most experimental, but all with some relevance to the artists’ honest understanding of the practice of “painting.” Works that challenge the common notion that painting must be made with ’paint’ are also welcome. The International Painting Annual is open to any artist submitting original works of art or design created within the past three plus years (2015–2018). Artists, designers, illustrators, and creative visual artists in ALL disciplines are encouraged to submit. Awards and Cash Prizes: First, Second, and Third Place awards for works of painting will be decided by the jury committee. Each award winner will have a brief artist’s statement included in the publication. Learn more here.
PlySpace Collaborative Artist-in-Residence Program (IN)
Deadline: July 1, 11:59 pm. PlySpace is an artist-in-residence program in Muncie, IN that is dedicated to offering visual artists, writers, performers, designers, and other creative individuals time and space to investigate and pursue their own practices. Additionally, it serves as a platform for experimentation and provocation by catalyzing conversation and collaboration with various Muncie communities. PlySpace facilitates opportunities for residents to engage with the public through partnership and programming that is tailored to their area of interest. The residency is fully funded with a $500 stipend for travel. We are now accepting applications for the Fall 2018 term, with flexible residency periods from 4-12 weeks beginning in mid-September. Interested applicants should visit www.plyspace.org to learn more about the application process, residency structure, and community collaboration requirements. Applications submitted before June 25 benefit from an early application fee of $25. Questions or comments about the program and application process can be directed to [email protected].
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational (VA)
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
Art Enables: 12th Annual Outsider Art Inside the Beltway Exhibition (DC)
Deadline: July 22. OAIB is an annual exhibition that showcases self-taught artists from across the nation together in Art Enables’ two gallery spaces in September and October 2018. Work should be made by an artist(s) who identifies as a self-taught, folk, or outsider artist. For more information and to submit, visit the OAIB website.
The Torpedo Factory – Art of Armistice (VA)
Deadline: July 22, 11:59 pm. Exhibition Dates: October 27 – December 2. Reception Date: Friday, November 16, 7:00–9:00 pm. Gallery Talk at 8:00 pm. Juror: Spencer Dormitzer, DC-based artist and curator. The Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit artwork to the Art of Armistice, a group exhibition that explores the after effects of war. The exhibition will focus on the physical, mental, and cultural effects of war on the world through the perspective of both civilians and veterans alike. This exhibition will be paired with different public programs in honor of the 100th year anniversary of the ground breaking of the former munitions plant that the Torpedo Factory Art Center now calls home. For more information and to submit, visit torpedofactory.org/artopps.
MFA Circle Gallery “Stormy Weather” (DC)
Deadline: July 24. Stormy weather—from onset to aftermath and all in between—is the theme of MFA’s (Maryland Federation of Art) 3rd annual exhibition. MFA invites all 2-and 3-D artists to submit any original 2-D artwork depicting the sounds, colors, impact, anticipation, and more, of stormy weather. The selected artworks may be viewed on MFA’s online Curve Gallery from August 15 through September 30, 2018.
Exhibit: MFA Circle Gallery “50 Forever” (MD)
Exhibit dates: July 25 – August 16. Please enter your artwork for each exhibition online here. In celebration of our 50th year at Circle Gallery, MFA is hosting two Fifty Forever Exhibitions! Fifty Forever @ Circle Gallery – MFA current Members – Entry fees are $10 for one entry for this all-hang, all-media exhibition. Artworks must be no larger than 20″ x 20″ x 20″, including frame. MFA former members may rejoin and exhibit for $80 during the entry process ($70 for a one-year membership and $10 for the entry fee). Entry fees are non-refundable. Fifty Forever Online Exhibition – Entry fees are $5 for one entry. Open to all current and former MFA Members. Artworks must be no larger than 72″x 72″x 72″, including frame. If your work is larger, please contact MFA. There will be a closing reception for all artists at Circle Gallery on August 16 during Annapolis Artwalk.
4th Annual Hand Pulled Prints: The Current Practice in Printmaking (NY)
Deadline: August 7. This is an open call to artists for an exhibition at Site:Brooklyn. This exhibition will reflect the ambitious, innovative and contemporary in printmaking today. Highlighting traditional printmaking processes in any combination of serigraphy, letterpress, collagraphy, etching, woodcut, lithography, linocut, drypoint, mezzotint, monoprint, and solar plates. Digital and photographic elements may be used only as a supporting element. Learn more here.
Enter the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition (DC)
Deadline: September 3. The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is accepting submissions to its fifth triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Established in 2006, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition invites artists (18 and over) living and working in the United States to submit one portrait for consideration. Selected artworks are featured in a museum exhibition and some artists are awarded prizes. This year, the competition will focus on broadening the definition of portraiture while highlighting the genre’s relevance in contemporary art and culture. The first-prize winner will receive $25,000 and a commission to portray a remarkable living American for the National Portrait Gallery’s collection. Additional cash prizes will be awarded. Submissions from each finalist will form The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today exhibition, which will be displayed at the Portrait Gallery from November 2,, 2019, through September 7, 2020, before traveling to other cities in the United States. Previous competitions have received more than 3,000 entries.
The 37th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show 2019 — National Building Museum (DC)
Deadlines: September 7. Late Deadlines: September 8 – September 21.
The Smithsonian Craft Show is a prestigious juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American craft in art and design held annually in Washington, DC. Three jurors who are experts in the field and newly selected each year choose 120 artists from a large pool of applicants. Artists are selected on the basis of the originality, artistic conception, and quality of their work. The show is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee. Proceeds from the Show fund grants that benefit the Smithsonian’s education, outreach, research, and conservation programs. ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: Basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood. Learn more about this opportunity here.
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
2019 Post Graduation Residency Program (VA)
Deadline: October 7. Jurors: Nicole Dowd, program director of Halcyon Arts Lab and Leslie Holt, DC-based artist and co-director of Red Dirt Studios. The Torpedo Factory Post-Grad Residency is a competitive juried program that provides meaningful support and three-month term solo studio space. This residency is open to recently-graduated students who earned a bachelor’s or master’s art degree from an accredited university. The program is unique for addressing the critical post-graduation juncture in an emerging artist’s career, offering an opportunity for professional development, and a chance to define their independent work process outside of the academic context. Submissions are open for both art school students in the region and nationwide, provided nationwide artists submit proof of their permanent residence in the area and/or commitment of contributing to the ongoing future of the DC/Maryland/Virginia arts scene. Please read and review Guidelines before applying.
Spark Box Studio Dawson Residency Award and Bursary (Canada)
Deadline: March 1, 2019. This award is open to residents of North America. Spark Box Studio is accepting applications from emerging, mid-career, and established artists. One artist will receive a month-long residency at our studio in Prince Edward County, plus the $1,000 Dawson bursary. The selected applicant will be granted a semi-private studio space and be given access to the Spark Box Studio equipment and resources. As well, the winner will be provided with living accommodations for their month-long stay. We support a range of disciplines including; drawers, illustrators, painters, writers, printmakers, film makers, performance artists, multidisciplinary artists, curators, book makers, musicians and photographers (digital)
Ongoing:
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.
NYC volunteer opportunity (NY)
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org for more information.
Superfine art fair (DC)
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
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].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery (VA)
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
“Still Waters,” photograph by Ron Colbroth. Winner of the Linda Brinker Hafer Award.
Ron Colbroth’s award-winning photograph of a sailboat crisply mirrored in the calm, blue waters of Southern Portugal is the very definition of “reflection.” June “Reflections” juror Carlton Fletcher said that the award-winning pieces needed to “read from across the room, and then reward you for coming in for a closer look. That is what I call graphic power.”
Colbroth’s Still Waters certainly fits the bill.
We asked Colbroth about his piece, his creative process, and what he’s working on next.
“I’ve learned over the years that if you sit and wait, you will be rewarded.”
How did Still Waters come together?
I was in Portugal and had been traveling to various locations to photograph the Algave for a Japanese magazine. One late afternoon, I decided to go to the coast near where we were staying in Faro as I was interested in photographing boats. I’ve learned over the years that if you sit and wait, you will be rewarded. This photograph is a matter of making my own luck. The light was right, the water was calm, and as far as the boat goes, I couldn’t have hoped for a better vessel.
What is your creative process like?
I shoot digitally now, but I still have the mentality of a film photographer. With film, I would always shoot images so everything was composed perfectly in the camera. I used mostly transparency (slide) film, so if I sent images to magazine editors or art directors, they needed to see exactly what I was trying to capture. I also always thought about what I wanted to shoot, because thinking about every image before you click the shutter makes you a better photographer rather than shooting randomly and hoping for the best. Now with digital photography, I still keep the same shooting methods.
Once I have downloaded or scanned a photograph, I will usually work on the brightness, contrast, and saturation a bit, if I need to do so. I usually use Nik Software, which I have used for years now, and it seems to work (for me) the best of all the various software programs available. I may make several versions of one photograph. Sometimes all the versions will be worthwhile, but most of the time, I find one version that I love the most and stick with it.
My main concern is trying to make my photographs as timeless as possible.
Honolulu Sunset
Do you go out with a plan of what you want to shoot?
The simple answer is: sometimes. My favorite way of shooting is to just wander, especially if I am in a city or town that is interesting. My photograph, Bordeaux Blue (below), which got an honorable mention at The Art League in 2016 is such an example. My wife, Alex Tolstoy and I were visiting a friend who was working in Bordeaux at the time, so I had the opportunity to go out every day and wander around. Of course, there are other times where I have seen some scene while driving or wandering around that looks interesting, and I return later to that spot, because I specifically want a certain photograph. My photograph, Honolulu Sunset (above), is a photograph that I wanted to create. Because of the way the sun sets off Oahu, this photograph can only be taken in January. I just happened to get a great evening with gorgeous clouds and the setting sun and sky lighting up the buildings.
Bordeaux Blue
Some of your pieces are in black and white while others are in color. What made you decide on color for this particular photograph?
There was no specific reason. I just like the photograph the way it is. I suppose I could have converted it to a straight black and white photograph, but I liked how everything worked, so I didn’t consider changing the image.
Is this photograph part of a series?
No, it isn’t part of a series. I don’t think specifically about a series of photographs, although I sometimes wonder why I don’t. Boats are one subject that I find myself attracted to as well as bicycles. If I go back over my photographs over the years, boats and bicycles play a big part in my collection.
What are you working on now?
I have found that I have been attracted to still lifes, especially fruits, vegetables, and flowers, so I am looking in that direction for my next photography project. It might give me a good reason for shooting a series.
See Colbroth’s Still Waters and the rest of the “Reflections” exhibit through July 1.
Online bidding for the Art on the Vine auction closes at 12:00 noon on Saturday, June 16!
30+ items, including artwork and a date night package, are available. This is fantastic opportunity to purchase a modern masterpiece by one of our Art League instructors. Bid on artwork by Rob Liberace, Mike Francis, Danni Dawson, Delna Dastur, Blair Meerfeld, Kathlyn Avila, Avis Fleming, and more! Can’t wait for the final bid? You can secure a winning bid for some of the offerings with our “buy now” option.
The auction will raise much-needed funds to benefit The Art League and its community programs.
A few of the available pieces: [metaslider id=”21475″]
Art League instructor Donna Reinselis perfectly aware of how provocative the name of her class, the “Ottowoman Project” is… and how fitting. The course is taught in part by Reinsel, a steel welder and furniture maker, and co-instructed by Nicole Reidinger of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation.
The class they instruct is affectionately named “The Ottowoman Project (Ottoperson…Ottoman?).” The name reflects not only the nature of the class (making a upholstered lid, steel-framed piece of furniture called an “Ottoman”), but also the fact that the class is taught by two female instructors (thus “Ottowoman” vs “Ottoman”).
A completed Ottowoman!
The Ottowoman Class
Students will learn about steel work in the first part of class, held at The Art League, creating a steel base for the piece with four legs and decorative elements. They then spend three weeks aboard the floating workshop of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation making a wood box that will fit over the top of the steel base. For the last class, they’ll come back to The Art League and upholster the lid to finalize the “Ottoperson.”
Reinsel has been teaching for eight years, seven of which have been with The Art League. Things she loves about teaching include, “…helping people overcome fear, and then go on to learn a skill,” she says. “For most people it’s a little intimidating.”
Reidinger, Reinsel’s co-instructor who has been an instructor with the Alexandria Seaport Foundation for almost two years, also notes the confidence building and reward students get from learning a new skill.
“With all students, I love seeing them improve their confidence and finding their home in the shop over time. Its truly a holistic process that provides the inherent reward of the project they complete and something they build in themselves internally.”
Welding the structure for the Ottowoman
Ottopeople
Reidinger also says that woodworking is not just a purely creative pursuit, but a truly holistic activity.
“Not only is it a physical task, but it also requires a lot of intellectual capacities: math processes, design concepts, problem solving, and critical thinking.”
Reinsel also notes the benefits helping students to “get in the zone” and focus on creativity.
“The other thing I really like about teaching,” says Reinsel,” [is that] the student gets to spend three hours a week ‘in the zone.’ When you have the opportunity to spend three hours, it’s almost like meditating, because you can just let go of your mind. If I teach about 40 people a quarter in the DC area who spend at least three hours ‘in the zone’ and then they go home and they feel better and they speak to their spouse better or they are kinder to somebody else just because they had that opportunity, then I’m making a little improvement in the world,” says Reinsel.
Students working on upholstering their pieces
In the end, not only do students go home with a one-of-a-kind, functional, handmade creation that they made themselves, but also a new community.
“On the last day” says Reidinger, “We all sat on our ottowomans in a circle discussing the journey we went on. It was great to not only see [the students] use their functional pieces, but to see them interacting within the community they forged in so little time.”
Bending Steel and Perceptions
While many other mediums have seen a rise in female artists, furniture making is still seen as a male-dominated field. This has been something that Reinsel has had to deal with from early on in her career.
“As women we’ve come a long way, but we still have things to deal with. It’s unbelievable to me, when I started doing this in ‘85. There were more issues back then than there are now with dealing with other people’s perception about women’s skills.”
In her classes, this is something Reinsel sees students struggle to overcome. But watches them find power and confidence in learning a new skill. Bending steel (much like a superhero) has a way of making you feel invincible, even if you have no idea what you’re doing at first.
“There are external forces that try to tell us what we are,” she adds, “and some of those forces are coming from ourselves. If you can learn a skill like welding it really helps you to overcome some of those barriers that aren’t real, they’re just perceptions, once you become a welder… you can do anything!”
Sign up for the summer session of “Ottowoman Project” here.
4th Annual Hand Pulled Prints: The Current Practice in Printmaking (NY)
Deadline: August 7. This is an open call to artists for an exhibition at Site:Brooklyn. This exhibition will reflect the ambitious, innovative and contemporary in printmaking today. Highlighting traditional printmaking processes in any combination of serigraphy, letterpress, collagraphy, etching, woodcut, lithography, linocut, drypoint, mezzotint, monoprint, and solar plates. Digital and photographic elements may be used only as a supporting element. Learn more here.
Enter the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition (DC)
Deadline: September 3. The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is accepting submissions to its fifth triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Established in 2006, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition invites artists (18 and over) living and working in the United States to submit one portrait for consideration. Selected artworks are featured in a museum exhibition and some artists are awarded prizes. This year, the competition will focus on broadening the definition of portraiture while highlighting the genre’s relevance in contemporary art and culture. The first-prize winner will receive $25,000 and a commission to portray a remarkable living American for the National Portrait Gallery’s collection. Additional cash prizes will be awarded. Submissions from each finalist will form The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today exhibition, which will be displayed at the Portrait Gallery from November 2,, 2019, through September 7, 2020, before traveling to other cities in the United States. Previous competitions have received more than 3,000 entries.
Spark Box Studio Dawson Residency Award and Bursary (Canada)
Deadline: March 1, 2019. This award is open to residents of North America. Spark Box Studio is accepting applications from emerging, mid-career, and established artists. One artist will receive a month-long residency at our studio in Prince Edward County, plus the $1,000 Dawson bursary. The selected applicant will be granted a semi-private studio space and be given access to the Spark Box Studio equipment and resources. As well, the winner will be provided with living accommodations for their month-long stay. We support a range of disciplines including; drawers, illustrators, painters, writers, printmakers, film makers, performance artists, multidisciplinary artists, curators, book makers, musicians and photographers (digital)
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Textuality: Exploring Works Which Incorporate Text or Letter Forms (OH)
Deadline: June 13. Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, OH announces a call to artists for an upcoming art exhibition, August 17 – September 14. Up to $2500 in awards. This project is intended to feature and explore works which incorporate text or letter forms. These may be in ways that are quite straightforward, or which are abstract, fragmented, or in other ways surprising or significantly processed away from recognition. We are eager to see just how artists make work in any media or genre (painting, drawing, collage, photography, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, video, and non-traditional art, etc.) using text or letter forms as a significant element. $40 entry fee. Learn more here.
Call for 2019 Site-Specific Artist Installations at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (PA)
Deadline: June 13. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is currently accepting proposals for its 2019 season of site-specific artist installations. We’re again offering two funding levels: $7,500 per standard project, and $15,000 per Criminal Justice Today project.
MFA Circle Gallery “American Landscapes” (MD)
Deadline June 14. Introducing American Landscapes: Scenes from the Americas. MFA (Maryland Federation of Art) invites all artists residing in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico to enter its 18th annual American Landscapes competition. Following entry guidelines, any original 2-D or 3-D work depicting a landscape from one of the Americas* will be considered (*North America, Hawaii, Central America, Caribbean & South America). The selected works will be on exhibit at MFA’s Circle Gallery from August 23 through September 22, 2018. Exhibition Chair: Mike McSorley (and The Art League’s June Solo Artist). To apply, click here.
National Open Visual Arts Show 2018 (GA)
Deadline: June 15. The National Open Visual Arts Show (NOVAS) is a competition and gallery exhibit that showcases a wide variety of high-quality art from around the country, bringing a national perspective to our community, located just 30 minutes outside of Atlanta. All media two-dimensional and three-dimensional are eligible. Every artist who submits an application to NOVAS is guaranteed to have at least one of their works on display and available for sale during the September exhibit. Artists may submit up to three artworks. This year’s jury panel welcomes Savannah College of Art & Design professors Matthew Maloney, Alessandro Imperato, and Tila Studio owner Tiffany Latrice. The judges will select the artwork for the exhibit and determine the award recipients. Apply online here.
Allied Artists of America 105th Annual Exhibition (NY)
Deadline: June 15. At the Salmagundi Club in New York, NY. Open to all artists 18 years and older. Original artwork in oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, graphic, mixed media, and sculpture accepted. Over $25,000 in cash awards. Exhibit on view August 30-September 16, 2018. More information here.
Exhibit: Tabletop wares @ The Art League (VA)
Deadline: June 15. Tabletop: Exploring Food and Function will showcase the artistry of various functional wares associated with the table. Mediums that will be accepted include ceramic, metal, fiber, wood, and glass. All works must be functional. Open to all artists; Art League members receive discounted entry.
WHO. ARE. YOU? (Re)Presentation and Challenge – ATLANTIC GALLERY 2018 NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION (NY)
Deadline: June 24. ATLANTIC GALLERY 2018 JURIED EXHIBITION WHO. ARE. YOU? (Re)Presentation and Challenge July 17 – August 4, 2018. Juror: Karen Kettering Dimit, Curator and Artist. Prize: A Solo Exhibition in September at Atlantic Gallery (in New York City’s Chelsea Art District). CALL DESCRIPTION: A juried Group Show with Grand Prize: a Solo Show at Atlantic Gallery in NYC’s Chelsea art district. Entrants are invited to question how they wish to represent themselves. Realistically? Symbolically? With — or obliquely through — intimate or talismanic objects? Conspicuously by absence? Or …? Works may be two- or three-dimensional. Juror is NY-based Curator and Artist. To submit please visit: http://atlanticgallery.org/juried-show/
Exhibit: MFA Circle Gallery “Beacon Celebration of the Arts” (MD)
Deadline: June 29. The Beacon Newspapers is pleased to present the “Celebration of the Arts” – a year-long program, in partnership with the Maryland Federation of Art – designed to entice individuals 50 and over throughout the MD/DC/VA region to try a new artistic endeavor, and then to enter their best work in a regional competition in one or more of these four categories:
Painting and drawing: Any one-dimensional work on any flat surface in pen and ink, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, oil paint or other paint or dye
3D/mixed media artwork: any handmade, two- or three-dimensional sculpture, pottery, frieze, woven or fabric art, found object art, mosaic, jewelry, glass art or painting containing multi-dimensional objects
Photography: any images taken with film or digitally, whether manipulated by computer program or not
Poetry: a poem of no more than two pages in length in any style
Apply to New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Fiscal Sponsorship
Deadline(s): June 30, September 30, December 31, and March 31. Application for NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship is free and open to all artists with a U.S. Tax Identification Number, regardless of location. Artists who live in the U.S. but work overseas are welcome to apply. NYFA also accepts out-of-cycle reviews; please email [email protected] for details. To learn more about the scholarship, click here.
Exhibit: Strange Figurations (NY)
Deadline: June 30. Strange Figurations is an international, thematic group exhibition curated and hosted by the Limner Gallery. The exhibition is open to all interpretations of the concept, Strange Figurations, which would include surreal, visionary and generally all out of the ordinary figurative art. The show is open to all media, techniques and styles from realist to expressionistic. 72″ maximum dimension. The exhibition will be held at the Limner Gallery, September 6 – 30. More information here.
$1000 Working Artist Purchase Award (NJ)
Deadline: June 30. We offer a small art purchase award to help serious artists keep working. Our award is open worldwide to all visual artists, including but not limited to those working in traditional styles, ie., painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, glass, installation, or with digital/new media, photography, and film/video. See our complete submissions guidelines here. Also look out for our Spring Quarter Photography Award Deadline: July 17, 2018.
9th Annual International Painting Annual: A Juried Publication of Works of Recent Contemporary Painting (OH)
Deadline: June 30. A wide variety of approaches to painting are encouraged for submission, including a range of painting types, from the most academic to the most experimental, but all with some relevance to the artists’ honest understanding of the practice of “painting.” Works that challenge the common notion that painting must be made with ’paint’ are also welcome. The International Painting Annual is open to any artist submitting original works of art or design created within the past three plus years (2015–2018). Artists, designers, illustrators, and creative visual artists in ALL disciplines are encouraged to submit. Awards and Cash Prizes: First, Second, and Third Place awards for works of painting will be decided by the jury committee. Each award winner will have a brief artist’s statement included in the publication. Learn more here.
PlySpace Collaborative Artist-in-Residence Program (IN)
Deadline: July 1, 11:59 pm. PlySpace is an artist-in-residence program in Muncie, IN that is dedicated to offering visual artists, writers, performers, designers, and other creative individuals time and space to investigate and pursue their own practices. Additionally, it serves as a platform for experimentation and provocation by catalyzing conversation and collaboration with various Muncie communities. PlySpace facilitates opportunities for residents to engage with the public through partnership and programming that is tailored to their area of interest. The residency is fully funded with a $500 stipend for travel. We are now accepting applications for the Fall 2018 term, with flexible residency periods from 4-12 weeks beginning in mid-September. Interested applicants should visit www.plyspace.org to learn more about the application process, residency structure, and community collaboration requirements. Applications submitted before June 25 benefit from an early application fee of $25. Questions or comments about the program and application process can be directed to [email protected].
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational (VA)
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
Art Enables: 12th Annual Outsider Art Inside the Beltway Exhibition (DC)
Deadline: July 22. OAIB is an annual exhibition that showcases self-taught artists from across the nation together in Art Enables’ two gallery spaces in September and October 2018. Work should be made by an artist(s) who identifies as a self-taught, folk, or outsider artist. For more information and to submit, visit the OAIB website.
The Torpedo Factory – Art of Armistice (VA)
Deadline: July 22, 11:59 pm. Exhibition Dates: October 27 – December 2. Reception Date: Friday, November 16, 7:00–9:00 pm. Gallery Talk at 8:00 pm. Juror: Spencer Dormitzer, DC-based artist and curator. The Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit artwork to the Art of Armistice, a group exhibition that explores the after effects of war. The exhibition will focus on the physical, mental, and cultural effects of war on the world through the perspective of both civilians and veterans alike. This exhibition will be paired with different public programs in honor of the 100th year anniversary of the ground breaking of the former munitions plant that the Torpedo Factory Art Center now calls home. For more information and to submit, visit torpedofactory.org/artopps.
MFA Circle Gallery “Stormy Weather” (DC)
Deadline: July 24. Stormy weather—from onset to aftermath and all in between—is the theme of MFA’s (Maryland Federation of Art) 3rd annual exhibition. MFA invites all 2-and 3-D artists to submit any original 2-D artwork depicting the sounds, colors, impact, anticipation, and more, of stormy weather. The selected artworks may be viewed on MFA’s online Curve Gallery from August 15 through September 30, 2018.
Exhibit: MFA Circle Gallery “50 Forever” (MD)
Exhibit dates: July 25 – August 16. Please enter your artwork for each exhibition online here. In celebration of our 50th year at Circle Gallery, MFA is hosting two Fifty Forever Exhibitions! Fifty Forever @ Circle Gallery – MFA current Members – Entry fees are $10 for one entry for this all-hang, all-media exhibition. Artworks must be no larger than 20″ x 20″ x 20″, including frame. MFA former members may rejoin and exhibit for $80 during the entry process ($70 for a one-year membership and $10 for the entry fee). Entry fees are non-refundable. Fifty Forever Online Exhibition – Entry fees are $5 for one entry. Open to all current and former MFA Members. Artworks must be no larger than 72″x 72″x 72″, including frame. If your work is larger, please contact MFA. There will be a closing reception for all artists at Circle Gallery on August 16 during Annapolis Artwalk.
The 37th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show 2019 — National Building Museum (DC)
Deadlines: September 7. Late Deadlines: September 8 – September 21.
The Smithsonian Craft Show is a prestigious juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American craft in art and design held annually in Washington, DC. Three jurors who are experts in the field and newly selected each year choose 120 artists from a large pool of applicants. Artists are selected on the basis of the originality, artistic conception, and quality of their work. The show is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee. Proceeds from the Show fund grants that benefit the Smithsonian’s education, outreach, research, and conservation programs. ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: Basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood. Learn more about this opportunity here.
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
2019 Post Graduation Residency Program (VA)
Deadline: October 7. Jurors: Nicole Dowd, program director of Halcyon Arts Lab and Leslie Holt, DC-based artist and co-director of Red Dirt Studios. The Torpedo Factory Post-Grad Residency is a competitive juried program that provides meaningful support and three-month term solo studio space. This residency is open to recently-graduated students who earned a bachelor’s or master’s art degree from an accredited university. The program is unique for addressing the critical post-graduation juncture in an emerging artist’s career, offering an opportunity for professional development, and a chance to define their independent work process outside of the academic context. Submissions are open for both art school students in the region and nationwide, provided nationwide artists submit proof of their permanent residence in the area and/or commitment of contributing to the ongoing future of the DC/Maryland/Virginia arts scene. Please read and review Guidelines before applying.
Ongoing:
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.
NYC volunteer opportunity (NY)
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org for more information.
Superfine art fair (DC)
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
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].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery (VA)
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
Oil painter Michael McSorley brings together the unexpected, the ordinary, and the unassuming through carefully constructed three-dimensional assemblages in “Collections of Perceptions,” on view at The Art League gallery now through July 1, 2018.
McSorley artfully merges fine art with carpentry through his masterfully painted and expertly crafted assemblages. First, he paints a collection of individual still lifes, favoring curiously humble objects. Then he explores the relationships between his chosen items, grouping them aesthetically and conceptually. At first, McSorley’s choice of object groupings or the connections between them seem perplexing.
After all,
“What do a sweet potato, a lemon, and a kitchen pan have to do with one other??”*
In the Kitchen
*Lemons, sweet potato, cinnamon, butter, and marshmallows are the ingredients for a sweet potato casserole.
This is initial ambiguity is intentional.
McSorley hopes to challenge the way viewers value and categorize everyday items, places, and familiar faces.
By shining the spotlight on objects that normally disappear into the background, McSorley has instilled his assemblages with sly humor, hoping to make his viewers smile.
Possessions
McSorley’s main installation, Plein Air Adventure, combines 49 paintings of various structures, scenes, and iconic sites from across the Mid-Atlantic region. The installation spans nearly the width of the main wall in our solo artist gallery. Like the other works in the exhibit, it is best viewed in person. The composition of the collection of paintings, the depth and dimension of the installation, and the shadows the pieces cast on the wall all create an immersive experience.
Plein Air Adventure detail
About the Artist
Pennsylvania native Michael McSorley received his BA in Fine Art from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1979. Since then, his work has been showcased in numerous group and solo exhibits, including shows at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art and the Gallery on 43rd Street, both in Pennsylvania. His awards and accolades are many, including first place awards at both the Paint Berlin! and Falls Church Plein Air Festivals. His work was recently acquired for the Washingtonia Collection by the DC Commission of Arts and Humanities. He currently lives and works in Washington, DC.
View “Collections of Perceptions” through July 1 in The Art League gallery. Join us for the FREE opening reception, Thursday, June 14 at 6:30 pm.
The Art League Blog is taking a trip down memory lane and reposting some of our most popular resources! Please enjoy this post from the vault, originally published August 11, 2017 and updated with info for 2018–19.
If you’re just starting out as an exhibiting artist, congratulations! You’ve taken an important step in your artistic growth, and we wish you the best of luck.
At The Art League, we operate a membership gallery, which means artist members can enter juried shows and, hopefully, have artwork accepted into an exhibit. (That part’s up to the juror.)
With the 2018–19 exhibit year starting July 1, we wanted to put together an overview of how the juried exhibit process works. We’ve also compiled lots of links to other articles that will help you through the process. If you have any questions, please let us know in the comments below!
From the June 2016 Open Exhibit, juried by Jeff Huntington
Step 1: Join as an exhibiting artist and pay your dues
This part is pretty straightforward. You can join as an artist on this page. The membership year runs from July 1 to June 30. Toward the end of the year, the cost of a membership is prorated.
There are two options for how to pay:
Traditional: pay the membership fee (currently $95) and pay $5 each time you enter an artwork
All-Inclusive: pay the membership fee (currently $144) and entry fees are included
Which one is right for you depends on how many exhibits you plan on entering.
Step 2: Take a look at our schedule of upcoming exhibits
Stay on top of those deadlines! We have new exhibits every month. (Upcoming deadlines: entries for Tabletop and the July Open Exhibit).
Starting July 2018, all monthly Art League exhibits will be juried by digital-entry. The deadline is typically the 15th of the month before the exhibit. See the upcoming exhibit calendar.
You’ll also want to look out for any potential awards for specific exhibits. All months have cash awards for best-in-show; some months have cash awards for specific media as well, like pastel, watercolor, or collage.
January 2012 juror Allen Beland. Up until July 2018, most exhibits were juried in the gallery. As of July 1, 2018, exhibits will be juried digitally.
Step 3: Choose what you want to enter
Artists may enter multiple artworks (three), but jurors may only select up to one artwork by each artist.
Some exhibits are Open Exhibits, which means there is no limitation on theme, medium, process, or content. Other exhibits have themes, which may suggest different subject matters, sizes, or other guidelines.
(Note that there is always one limitation on size: artwork must fit through our doors, and must be installed by the artist if it weighs over 60 pounds.)
Settle on a title and price for each artwork ahead of time so you’re ready to fill out the entry form when the time comes!
Don’t Move They Might Be Watching (detail), mixed media, by Chris Malone
Step 4: Submit
You’ll submit artwork online at theartleague.submittable.com. You’ll need to create a free account first, then enter the information for each piece of artwork you’re entering: title, medium, price, and so forth. You also need to submit a digital image of your artwork! Give yourself plenty of time to get the best photograph you can, since this is how the juror will judge your artwork.
You won’t be around for this part, but it’s important to know what happens.
Exhibits at The Art League are blind juried, meaning the juror doesn’t see the artist’s name.
Each juror goes at their own pace, but generally this is how it works: each piece gets a Yes, No, or Maybe from the juror during the first go-round. (Remember that a single artist may only have up to one artwork selected.)
No: set aside immediately
Yes: accepted into the show
Maybe: will get another pass.
Jurors are instructed to select around 100 pieces for a typical show, because that’s roughly what can fit, but their decisions are theirs alone. After selections are made, the juror goes back to award any cash prizes and honorable mentions.
What happens after jurying? If you’re accepted to the exhibit, congratulations! You’ll get an email with the results and instructions for bringing in your artwork, if applicable. We’ll notify you if you were selected for any awards. During the exhibit, we’ll also notify you if your artwork is sold! Please pick up any unsold artwork at the end of the exhibit.
10th Annual Nude: Exploring the Uncovered Human Form in Current Art – OH
Deadline: June 11. Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, OH announces a call to artists for an international competitive exhibit, August 17–September 14. Up to $2500 in awards. This year, Manifest is happy to celebrate a decade of exploring the nude in contemporary art, and renew our invitation to artists to submit works in any media, of any style or genre (abstract, conceptual, highly realistic, etc.), and of any size, for this exhibit exploring the uncovered human form. $40 entry fee. For more information, visit: http://www.manifestgallery.org/nude/index.html
Textuality: Exploring Works Which Incorporate Text or Letter Forms – OH
Deadline: June 13. Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, OH announces a call to artists for an upcoming art exhibition, August 17 – September 14. Up to $2500 in awards. This project is intended to feature and explore works which incorporate text or letter forms. These may be in ways that are quite straightforward, or which are abstract, fragmented, or in other ways surprising or significantly processed away from recognition. We are eager to see just how artists make work in any media or genre (painting, drawing, collage, photography, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, video, and non-traditional art, etc.) using text or letter forms as a significant element. $40 entry fee. For more information, visit: http://www.manifestgallery.org/textuality/index.html
Call for 2019 Site-Specific Artist Installations at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site – PA
Deadline: June 13. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is currently accepting proposals for its 2019 season of site-specific artist installations. We’re again offering two funding levels: $7,500 per standard project, and $15,000 per Criminal Justice Today project. The deadline for proposals is June 13. For guidelines and to apply, visit http://www.easternstate.org/art. www.easternstate.org.
National Open Visual Arts Show 2018 – GA
Deadline: June 15. The National Open Visual Arts Show (NOVAS) is a competition and gallery exhibit that showcases a wide variety of high-quality art from around the country, bringing a national perspective to our community, located just 30 minutes outside of Atlanta. Founded in 1986 to promote the arts in Douglas County, GA, the Cultural Arts Council Douglasville/Douglas County (CAC) is a multi-disciplinary arts non-profit organization and gallery that showcases visual arts in the Roberts-Mozley House, a National Historic Registry house built in 1901. The six show large rooms and foyer allow for plentiful exhibit space in a unique & cozy environment. All media two-dimensional and three-dimensional are eligible. Every artist who submits an application to NOVAS is guaranteed to have at least one of their works on display and available for sale during the September exhibit. Artists may submit up to three artworks. This year’s jury panel welcomes Savannah College of Art & Design professors Matthew Maloney, Alessandro Imperato, and Tila Studio owner Tiffany Latrice. The judges will select the artwork for the exhibit and determine the award recipients. Apply online at www.artsdouglas.org/novas2018callentries/
WHO. ARE. YOU? (Re)Presentation and Challenge – ATLANTIC GALLERY 2018 NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION – NY
Deadline: June 24. ATLANTIC GALLERY 2018 JURIED EXHIBITION WHO. ARE. YOU? (Re)Presentation and Challenge July 17 – August 4, 2018. Juror: Karen Kettering Dimit, Curator and Artist. Prize: A Solo Exhibition in September at Atlantic Gallery (in New York City’s Chelsea Art District). CALL DESCRIPTION: A juried Group Show with Grand Prize: a Solo Show at Atlantic Gallery in NYC’s Chelsea art district. Entrants are invited to question how they wish to represent themselves. Realistically? Symbolically? With — or obliquely through — intimate or talismanic objects? Conspicuously by absence? Or …? Works may be two- or three-dimensional. Juror is NY-based Curator and Artist. To submit please visit: http://atlanticgallery.org/juried-show/
Strange Figurations – NY
Deadline: June 30. Strange Figurations is an international, thematic group exhibition curated and hosted by the Limner Gallery. The exhibition is open to all interpretations of the concept, Strange Figurations, which would include surreal, visionary and generally all out of the ordinary figurative art. The show is open to all media, techniques and styles from realist to expressionistic. 72″ maximum dimension. The exhibition will be held at the Limner Gallery, September 6 – 30. Information, email and postal and mail entry forms at: http://www.slowart.com/prospectus/strange.htm
$1000 Working Artist Purchase Award – NJ
Deadline: June 30. We offer a small art purchase award to help serious artists keep working. Our award is open worldwide to all visual artists, including but not limited to those working in traditional styles, ie., painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, glass, installation, or with digital/new media, photography, and film/video. See our complete submissions guidelines at: http://www.workingartist.org/submission-guidelines.html Also look out for our Spring Quarter Photography Award Deadline: July 17, 2018.
9th Annual International Painting Annual: A Juried Publication of Works of Recent Contemporary Painting – OH
Deadline: June 30. A wide variety of approaches to painting are encouraged for submission, including a range of painting types, from the most academic to the most experimental, but all with some relevance to the artists’ honest understanding of the practice of “painting.” Works that challenge the common notion that painting must be made with ’paint’ are also welcome. The International Painting Annual is open to any artist submitting original works of art or design created within the past three plus years (2015–2018). Artists, designers, illustrators, and creative visual artists in ALL disciplines are encouraged to submit. Manifest is eager to receive works of painting in a wide range of applications. Awards and Cash Prizes: First, Second, and Third Place awards for works of painting will be decided by the jury committee. Each award winner will have a brief artist’s statement included in the publication. There will be three cash prizes of $1200, $500, and $300 for first, second, and third place winners. To view the full prospectus and to submit work: http://www.manifestgallery.org/inpa9/
PlySpace Collaborative Artist-in-Residence Program – Indiana
Deadline: July 1, 11:59 pm. PlySpace is an artist-in-residence program in Muncie, IN that is dedicated to offering visual artists, writers, performers, designers, and other creative individuals time and space to investigate and pursue their own practices. Additionally, it serves as a platform for experimentation and provocation by catalyzing conversation and collaboration with various Muncie communities. PlySpace facilitates opportunities for residents to engage with the public through partnership and programming that is tailored to their area of interest. The residency is fully funded with a $500 stipend for travel. We are now accepting applications for the Fall 2018 term, with flexible residency periods from 4-12 weeks beginning in mid-September. Interested applicants should visit www.plyspace.org to learn more about the application process, residency structure, and community collaboration requirements. Applications submitted before June 25 benefit from an early application fee of $25. Applications submitted between June 26 (12:00 am) and July 1 (11:59 pm) require a last-chance application fee of $40. Questions or comments about the program and application process can be directed to [email protected].
Internships: The Art League’s Summer Art Camp
The Art League School’s Summer Art Camp is currently searching for interns for Summer 2018. Assistance is needed with class set ups, class coordination, in class-instructor assistance, and helping to evaluate the effectiveness of classes offered. Interns are trained and directly supervised by the camp coordinator. Interns will also have the opportunity to create and teach their own lessons towards the end of the summer. More information here.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
The 37th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show 2019 — National Building Museum
Deadlines: May 23 – September 7. Late Deadlines: September 8 – September 21.
The Smithsonian Craft Show is a prestigious juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American craft in art and design held annually in Washington, DC. Three jurors who are experts in the field and newly selected each year choose 120 artists from a large pool of applicants. There is no quota for any category of Craft Art. Artists are selected on the basis of the originality, artistic conception, and quality of their work. The show is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee. Proceeds from the Show fund grants that benefit the Smithsonian’s education, outreach, research, and conservation programs.
However, accepted artists are encouraged to donate an item for the Show’s online auction, raffle, or other fundraising initiatives, the proceeds of which benefit the Smithsonian. ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: Basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood. Learn more about this opportunity here.
Washington Printmakers Gallery: National Small Works Competition & Exhibition
Deadline: June 7. National call for exhibit at Washington Printmakers Gallery (DC). Open to artists 18 years and older. Submit hand-pulled prints, screen prints, digital prints, photographs, and three-dimensional work with print components completed within the past two years. Image may be no larger than 100 square inches, with framed size of 256 square inches or less. 3D works are limited to 250 cubic inches. Juror: Susan Goldman. Grand Prize: 2019 Solo Exhibition. Other prizes include art materials, gift certificates, and a $250 screenprint prize. For more information, visit the Washington Printmakers Gallery website.
Kaplan Gallery – NextGen 5.0 Open Call
Deadline: June 8, 11:59 pm. NextGen 5.0 is calling all DMV aspiring artists. VisArts welcomes artists ages 17 – 27 in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area to submit their application for NextGen 5.0, our fifth exhibition in our Kaplan Gallery from July 11 – August 19. NextGen 5.0 is an opportunity for aspiring artists with little to no experience exhibiting their work in a professional gallery. VisArts is a non-profit organization whose mission is to transform individuals and communities through the visual arts. VisArts provides children, teens and adults with opportunities to express their creativity and enhance their awareness of the arts. Applicants should have little or no experience exhibiting in a professional gallery. Previous NextGen participants are ineligible. Previous NextGen applicants who were not selected may re-apply for this year’s exhibition. Online applications are due by June 8, 11:59 pm at visartscenter.org/call-for-entries.
Bill of Rights Project
Deadline: June 8. Open to all medium and persuasions. The Bill of Rights was created in response to the Constitution, “to prevent misconstruction and abuse of it’s powers.” According to the ACLU’s webpage, “The Constitution was remarkable, but deeply flawed. For one thing, it did not include a specific declaration—or bill—of individual rights. It specified what the government could do but did not say what it could not do. For another, it did not apply to everyone. The ‘consent of the governed’ meant propertied white men only.” In images and/or words, please react to OUR Bill of Rights. You can respond to a particular amendment or to the bill as a whole, or you can pose a question. Here are a few sites to get you started. The first exhibition of the completed piece will be in Bellows Falls VT, June 15 as part of The Arts of Resistance. Jeanette Staley is a VT artist working in collage and mixed media. Email: [email protected]. Mail pieces to Jeanette Staley, 201 Church Ave., Bellows Falls, VT 05101
Alexandria Commission for the Arts Call to Artists – Voting Sticker Design
Deadline: June 8 at 5:00 pm. The City of Alexandria Commission for the Arts invites artists and artist teams that live and/or work and/or attend school within the City of Alexandria, Virginia to submit their qualifications for the City’s first Voting Sticker Design. One artist will be selected to design the City’s official 2018 “I Voted” and “Future Voter” stickers. Artists are encouraged to use a variety of media, such as photography, painting, collage, digital imagery, etc. to develop their designs. To develop the designs, artists are encouraged to consider the spirit of Alexandria, the importance of democracy, as well as ensure non-partisanship. The City will be responsible for the printing of the stickers and distribution of the stickers for the November 2018 elections in the City of Alexandria. For more information and how to apply, click here.
Exhibit: Juxtaposed
Deadline: June 10. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit to Juxtaposed, a group exhibition focusing on the contradictory or conflicting. Whether it be through the use of mixed media or the themes represented, the work itself should be at odds with two or more juxtaposing concepts.
Call for 2019 Site-Specific Artist Installations at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site – PA
Deadline: June 13. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is currently accepting proposals for its 2019 season of site-specific artist installations. We’re again offering two funding levels: $7,500 per standard project, and $15,000 per Criminal Justice Today project.
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
MFA Circle Gallery “American Landscapes” – Maryland
Deadline June 14. Introducing American Landscapes: Scenes from the Americas. MFA (Maryland Federation of Art) invites all artists residing in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico to enter its 18th annual American Landscapes competition. Following entry guidelines, any original 2-D or 3-D work depicting a landscape from one of the Americas* will be considered (*North America, Hawaii, Central America, Caribbean & South America). The selected works will be on exhibit at MFA’s Circle Gallery from August 23 through September 22, 2018. Exhibition Chair: Mike McSorley (and The Art League’s June Solo Artist). To apply, click here.
Allied Artists of America 105th Annual Exhibition
Deadline: June 15. At the Salmagundi Club in New York, NY. Open to all artists 18 years and older. Original artwork in oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, graphic, mixed media, and sculpture accepted. Over $25,000 in cash awards. Exhibit on view August 30-September 16, 2018. More information here.
Exhibit: Tabletop wares @ The Art League
Deadline: June 15. Tabletop: Exploring Food and Function will showcase the artistry of various functional wares associated with the table. Mediums that will be accepted include ceramic, metal, fiber, wood, and glass. All works must be functional. Open to all artists; Art League members receive discounted entry.
Art Enables: 12th Annual Outsider Art Inside the Beltway Exhibition
Deadline: July 22. OAIB is an annual exhibition that showcases self-taught artists from across the nation together in Art Enables’ two gallery spaces in September and October 2018. Work should be made by an artist(s) who identifies as a self-taught, folk, or outsider artist. For more information and to submit, visit the OAIB website.
The Torpedo Factory – Art of Armistice
Deadline: July 22, 11:59 pm. Exhibition Dates: October 27 – December 2. Reception Date: Friday, November 16, 7:00–9:00 pm. Gallery Talk at 8:00 pm. Juror: Spencer Dormitzer, DC-based artist and curator. The Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit artwork to the Art of Armistice, a group exhibition that explores the after effects of war. The exhibition will focus on the physical, mental, and cultural effects of war on the world through the perspective of both civilians and veterans alike. This exhibition will be paired with different public programs in honor of the 100th year anniversary of the ground breaking of the former munitions plant that the Torpedo Factory Art Center now calls home. For more information and to submit, visit torpedofactory.org/artopps.
MFA Circle Gallery “Stormy Weather” – Maryland
Deadline: July 24. Stormy weather—from onset to aftermath and all in between—is the theme of MFA’s (Maryland Federation of Art) 3rd annual exhibition. MFA invites all 2-and 3-D artists to submit any original 2-D artwork depicting the sounds, colors, impact, anticipation, and more, of stormy weather. The selected artworks may be viewed on MFA’s online Curve Gallery from August 15 through September 30, 2018.
Show Chairs: Richard Niewerth and Wil Scott.
MFA Circle Gallery “50 Forever” – Maryland
Exhibit dates: July 25 – August 16. Please enter your artwork for each exhibition online here. In celebration of our 50th year at Circle Gallery, MFA is hosting two Fifty Forever Exhibitions! Fifty Forever @ Circle Gallery – MFA current Members – Entry fees are $10 for one entry for this all-hang, all-media exhibition. Artworks must be no larger than 20″ x 20″ x 20″, including frame. MFA former members may rejoin and exhibit for $80 during the entry process ($70 for a one-year membership and $10 for the entry fee). Entry fees are non-refundable. Fifty Forever Online Exhibition – Entry fees are $5 for one entry. Open to all current and former MFA Members. Artworks must be no larger than 72″x 72″x 72″, including frame. If your work is larger, please contact MFA. There will be a closing reception for all artists at Circle Gallery on August 16 during Annapolis Artwalk.
MFA Circle Gallery “Beacon Celebration of the Arts” – Maryland
Deadline: June 29. The Beacon Newspapers is pleased to present the “Celebration of the Arts” – a year-long program, in partnership with the Maryland Federation of Art – designed to entice individuals 50 and over throughout the MD/DC/VA region to try a new artistic endeavor, and then to enter their best work in a regional competition in one or more of these four categories:
Painting and drawing: Any one-dimensional work on any flat surface in pen and ink, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, oil paint or other paint or dye
3D/mixed media artwork: any handmade, two- or three-dimensional sculpture, pottery, frieze, woven or fabric art, found object art, mosaic, jewelry, glass art or painting containing multi-dimensional objects
Photography: any images taken with film or digitally, whether manipulated by computer program or not
Poetry: a poem of no more than two pages in length in any style
Apply to New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Fiscal Sponsorship
Deadline(s): June 30, September 30, December 31, and March 31. Application for NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship is free and open to all artists with a U.S. Tax Identification Number, regardless of location. Artists who live in the U.S. but work overseas are welcome to apply. NYFA also accepts out-of-cycle reviews; please email [email protected] for details. To learn more about the scholarship, click here.
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
2019 Post Graduation Residency Program
Deadline: October 7. Jurors: Nicole Dowd, program director of Halcyon Arts Lab and Leslie Holt, DC-based artist and co-director of Red Dirt Studios. The Torpedo Factory Post-Grad Residency is a competitive juried program that provides meaningful support and three-month term solo studio space. This residency is open to recently-graduated students who earned a bachelor’s or master’s art degree from an accredited university. The program is unique for addressing the critical post-graduation juncture in an emerging artist’s career, offering an opportunity for professional development, and a chance to define their independent work process outside of the academic context. Submissions are open for both art school students in the region and nationwide, provided nationwide artists submit proof of their permanent residence in the area and/or commitment of contributing to the ongoing future of the DC/Maryland/Virginia arts scene. Please read and review Guidelines before applying.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo
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
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
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.
NYC volunteer opportunity
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org, contact us at http://awnyc.org/contact-us/ or find us on Facebook at artworksnyc.
Artists 50 and over
The Beacon is holding a regional competition for people over 50 who have picked up a new artistic endeavor: painting/drawing, 3D art, photography, or poetry. The competition opened in April 2018. For details, download the PDF flyer.
Superfine art fair
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
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
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
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].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
Art on the Vine, our auction of faculty artwork and wine tasting, is this Friday. Auction artwork continues to pour in from our generous and talented faculty, which you can check out here. But, let’s take a minute to talk about the wine.
Wine tasting events in the summer are as ubiquitous as barbeques and beach days, which is fine by us.
But, Art on the Vine is different.
Well Crafted Beverage, an importer of unique and estate driven wines into the US, has curated a selection of wines from around the world for our Art on the Vine event. They specialize in importing artisan, biodynamic, and organic wines. The wines come from small artisanal vineyards, accompanied by fascinating stories and personalities. “We travel to source our own wines with the hope of bringing a face and a story to the wine world here in the States.”
“The selected wines are hard-to-find, made by artisan producers, and mirror and pair with the art on display for the evening.” —Tony Acampora, Sommelier for Art on the Vine
Tony Acampora of Well Crafted Beverage at our 2017 Art on the Vine
The 10 wines – three red, three white, three sparklers, one sweet – take the palette palate on a journey from light to bold. Here are Acampora’s selections for the evening:
Signat Brut Rose Cava of Pinot Noir and Grenache. Catalonia, Spain: In the beautiful hills that surround Barcelona, Cava is the traditional Sparkling Wine made in the Champagne Methode. The Signat Brut Rose is a blend of Pinot Noir and Grenache. The color is obtained from a brief maceration of the must with the skins. After fermentation, the wine is aged on the lees for 15-20 months. The Signat Brut Rose has a gorgeous cranberry red color in the glass. On the palate, it is fruity, but dry and perfectly rounded. The fine bubbles lead to an elegant, crisp finish. Pairs well with: fresh fruits, salads, grilled fish, turkey and fish.
Antonio Facchin Rosato of Raboso di Piave. Veneto, Italy: A fourth generation winery and still all in the family, the team at Antonio Facchin make traditional Italian wines seldom seen in the international wine marketplace. The grape Raboso is a local delicacy. A perfect hors d’oeuvres wine, this wine is elegant and light with subtle notes of raspberries and cream. Pairs well with: cheese and charcuterie, fresh fruit.
Costers del Sio Petit Sios Blanco of Viognier, Chardonnay and Muscat 2017. Catalonia, Spain: Costers Del Sio produce inspiring and unique wines, often using blends not considered by less creative wine makers. This is a Viognier lovers Viognier as it drinks with fresh minerality and floral lift but also has a round and persistent body due to the blend with the Chardonnay grape. Pairs well with: spicy cuisine, white fish.
Artwork recommendation: While viewing Bryan Jernigan’s Balance of Spring, imagine that you’re standing in the beautiful, rolling hills of northeast Spain, sipping this fresh, floral white wine.
Bryan Jernigan’s Balance of Spring
Rivers Edge Pinot Gris 2016. Elkton, Oregon: Located on the edge of the Umpqua River in Oregon, River’s Edge Winery produces very limited releases of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The wine has a fruit forward nose of pear, a focused lemon/lime flavor on the palate, and refreshing acidity on the finish. This wine was made in a traditional Alsatian style, having been aged in old oak barrels for seven months. Pairs well with: spicy cuisine, poultry or pork dishes, blue cheese.
Alfaro Family Vineyards and Winery Estate Chardonnay 2016. Santa Cruz Mountains, California: Richard Alfaro produces some of the best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in California but is still under the radar in the east coast due to his small production. His Estate Chardonnay is perfectly balanced between fruit, acidity, and body. Using mainly old French oak barrels, this wine is fresh and crisp but also has spiced vanilla and apple pie notes. Paris well with: creamy pastas, pork tenderloin, grilled fish.
Artwork recommendation: The golden colors in Delna Dastur’s Estuary pair well while sipping this crisp California Chardonnay.
Delna Dastur’s Estuary
Quinta Picouto de Cima Vinho Verde of Espadeiro. 2017. Vinho Verde, Portugal: An often misunderstood wine region, Vinho Verde is host to some of Portugal’s oldest wine sites. Quinta Picouto de Cima is located in a UNESCO heritage site and they produce traditional Vinho Verde that is much more refined and elegant than the more fruity versions we see in the grocery stores here. This wine has beautiful minerality and salinity, reminding us of the ocean nearby. It’s the perfect summer wine. Pairs well with: ceviche, fresh fish, shellfish, and fresh fruits.
Crosarola Valpolicella Ripasso of Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella. 2015. Veneto, Italy: Crosarola is a small winery just outside of Verona. Often referred to as a “Baby Amarone,” this Ripasso Valpolicella is made in an ultra traditional style blending Valpolicella wine with reserved grape skins from the production of Amarone wine where the grapes are left to dry and raisin in the sun. The result is a stunning, elegant red wine with generous fruit and a medium to full bodied structure. Pairs well with: cheese and charcuterie, pasta, grilled meats.
Remhoogte Estate Chronicle Cape Blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinotage. 2015. Stellenbosch, South Africa: The Remhoogte Estate dates back to the 1800’s and currently boasts some of the Western Cape’s finest wines. As with the majority of the wines chosen for Art on the Vine, this is winery is also a small family farm.
Just as wine drinkers refer to Bordeaux Blends or Rhone Blends, many wine makers in South Africa have taken pride in coining the term “Cape Blend” as the wines include the indigenous Pinotage grape.
The Chronicle is meant to be a reflection of the wine farm in its entirety, showcasing all of the red grapes of the farm and only using the best rows of those particular vineyards. The wine has spiced red fruit upon entry with a full mid palate. Firm refined tannins lead into a finish that smacks of dark chocolate. Pairs well with: grilled meats, heartier dishes, stews, cigars.
Avarizza Reserve Malbec 2015. Mendoza, Argentina: While we are used to all kinds of mass-produced Malbecs flooding into the American marketplace from Argentina, it is easy often to lose sight of what makes Argentine Malbec so special. This Reserve wine from Avarizza reminds us of what great Mendoza Malbec should be. Plush and smooth with a deep, dark chocolate color this wine is full of silky tannins and black currant fruit. Pairs well with: grilled meats, chocolate.
Cantine Bonelli Bonarda Amabile 2017. Emilia Romagna, Italy: Cantine Bonelli produce very traditional, regional wines in Emilia Romagna known as “Amabile” or “lovable” wines. The wine is red but has a slight effervescence and is ever so slightly off dry. This is the perfect after dinner palate cleanser and is a perfect fit as well for pizza.
Artwork recommendation: While viewing Teresa Oaxaca’s Cornucopia, sip on this surprising, fun, and slightly effervescent red wine.
Teresa Oaxaca’s Cornucopia
Ready to taste these wines for yourself?
Get your tickets to Art on the Vine, Friday, June 8, 7:30–10:30 pm in the Torpedo Factory Art Center.
Our May solo exhibit, Deborah Conn’s “A Sense of Herself,” is only open through the rest of this week. The women Conn has portrayed on paper not only “speak” to us through strong color and composition, but also through their own narratives and stories which accompany each portrait.
While you still have a few days to stop by the gallery and view the large-scale, textured portraits (and read all the stories), here’s a sneak preview of some of the amazing tales of resilience and strength:
Anila by Deborah Conn
Anila
Anila is a Pakistani Muslim woman who grew up in Virginia and Maryland. As a youth, her father forbade her to continue beyond 10th grade, and relatives arranged her marriage to secure a green card for her cousin. Her husband physically and verbally abused her, keeping her confined to the house, eventually abandoning her and their toddler and infant daughters. Today, with the help of social services groups like Homestretch —and through her own persistence and determination —Anila is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and working as a classroom assistant in a Montessori school.
Ellalyne by Deborah Conn
Ellalyne
Ellalyne was born in Sierra Leone, where she changed elementary schools seven times and high schools twice because of political unrest and an unstable home situation. “One of my step-dads was the chief of Magburak in the Tonkolili District. He had several wives and children and that was a difficult situation to live in, but I did try my best to embrace the lifestyle.” Before settling in Virginia, Ellalyn lived in England, Scotland, Ireland and, briefly, Paris. She began her own business, LaBella Bridal Boutique, in Occoquan 11 years ago and is president of her local chapter of Business Network International.
Pam by Deborah Conn
Pam
Pam has made art since she was a child. Her art education took a few detours, including working in an hospital emergency room and a stint in the Air Force, where she worked on special operations helicopters and airplanes. After she left the military, she finished her degree in visual arts and took a job at the Southwest School of Art in San Francisco. “My own artmaking is a passion, but I always knew I would be more focused on helping other artists achieve their dreams and goals,” she says. Today she is executive director of the Bay School of Arts in Mathews, Virginia, where she says, she is applying the patience and empathy she learned working in hospitals, and the tolerance, discipline and flexibility she learned in the military to her current career.
Ken Marlow is a renowned American painter known for his exceptionally realistic still life paintings and portraits. He studied at Yale University, apprenticed with Nelson Shanks, and then taught at The Art League school in the 1980s. Unfortunately, he’s suffered a series of devastating strokes, but Feldenkrais therapy has him holding a brush again. Donate to Ken’s GoFundMe page and help this amazing artist get the treatment he needs.
“In the galaxy of contemporary artists in the US today, Marlow looms as a rising star whose genius and creativity in the field of realism seems to know no boundaries.”
Hollis Taggart, President of Hollis Taggart Galleries. Exhibition catalog, 1992.
Ken suffered a serious stroke in 2013 and then a devastating stroke in 2015, leaving him bedridden, on Medicaid in a nursing home, unable to speak or swallow. He has only minimal mobility on his right side and is paralyzed on his left. Amazingly, his zest for life and sense of humor have remained intact throughout. Friends who visit him regularly are convinced this applies as well to his artistic genius, resting inside him, waiting to be re-awakened.
Recently, Ken has had private Feldenkrais therapy sessions, paid by a friend. These involve gentle physical manipulations of his body designed to awaken neural muscle connections. Ken has engaged in these enthusiastically and the improvement in the last several months is noticeable and encouraging. He can now hold a brush with his right hand and manipulate it to some degree. He desperately wants to paint again. But it is unknown how long the window for improvement will remain open.
Self portrait
The strategy is to increase the frequency of Feldenkrais therapy sessions and enhance their benefit with complementary speech and physical therapies and, possibly, sign language training. The aim is to reach the point where Ken can paint again and enjoy a fuller life in the near future.
These sessions are expensive and his resources are limited. Medicaid provides only the bare minimum – no physical nurturing, only basic sustenance. Funding assistance is urgently needed. Ken’s family, friends and supporters have already responded enthusiastically with donations from $50 to $5,000.
Any assistance you can provide will be most appreciated. As Ken’s abilities return, samples of his creations will be shared by email with all donors.
All funds will be directed to: TCVA, trustee for CCT, fbo Ken Marlow. This is a special needs trust which ensures Ken’s benefits under Medicaid will not be jeopardized.
Rose O’Donnell posing with an installation from the 2018 Biennial Ikebana Show
It’s hard to believe that Rose O’Donnell was ever a newcomer to The Art League because, for many, she is synonymous with the organization. When Rose arrived in spring 2006, fresh to the east coast and to The Art League gallery, she didn’t know how deeply the organization and the role of Gallery Director would impact her. After 10 years as Gallery Director and Supporter Relations and Development Associate for over two years, Rose has been back as Gallery Director since April 1. Now that she’s on the precipice of moving on to the next chapter in her life, we wanted to sit down with Rose and asked her to talk about her career at The Art League, how the gallery has changed over the years, and what she’ll remember and miss most.
What are the biggest ways in which the gallery has changed over the last 12 years?
The way we communicate is by far the biggest change The Art League has seen over the last 12 years. And, it’s completely transformed how we engage with our community.
Our monthly Tidings newsletter, which used to be sent in the (snail) mail, was our only consistent communication with our artist members. Now we communicate with them (and everyone connected to The Art League) digitally – through email, social media, our blog, and more. During our 60th Anniversary year in 2014, Diane Blackwell’s piece Happy in the “POP Exhibit” garnered so much attention online – it was crazy! That made me realize the power and reach the Internet has and what an important communication tool it can be.
How have the artists and the artwork exhibited changed?
If you walked into the gallery today after being away for awhile, you wouldn’t notice a huge change as far as the type of work hanging on the walls. Although the gallery space has changed cosmetically, what has really evolved is the exhibiting artist membership.
We have a more diverse group of exhibiting artist members than we did 10 years ago, which I think can be accredited to our digital presence and the many ways in which someone can be a member. Moving toward digital-only submissions really allows us to diversify even more, because it broadens our juror pool and makes it easier for more artists to submit their work.
Artists often ask what type of work sells best. I’ve learned that there is no magic formula for what people will buy. There wasn’t 12 years ago and there isn’t now. People buy what they love, and artists should paint, draw, sculpt, photograph, and print what they love.
What was your favorite exhibit?
The “POP Exhibit” during our 60th Anniversary year definitely remains a favorite. It was fun, the work was inventive, the publicity we received was amazing, and we had a great juror – Robin Nicholson from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) in Richmond.
“HerStory” and “The Feminist Movement in Art” were other favorites. We did a retablo exhibit in 2011 to coincide with Day of The Dead called “Altars, Icons, and Reliquaries.” It didn’t quite take off the way I imagined but I think the subject still has a lot of potential.
Diane Blackwell’s Happy garnered international media coverage
What has been your most meaningful accomplishment?
In addition to watching artists grow in their work, I feel that playing a role in getting the IMPart participants to show their work in the gallery was very important. To see Jon Meadows’ amazing artwork and get an honest and powerful view of what he experienced in Iraq and Afghanistan… that’s what The Art League is all about and shows that art can change lives.
What will you miss most?
Absolutely the people. I’ve been so inspired by the people I’ve met. Many people don’t realize how diverse the gallery membership is – we have a former US Senator as an exhibiting artist member! It’s been wonderful to watch so many talented, determined, and driven artists grow and succeed. I will miss everyone.
At a gallery reception with members
What are you most looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to focusing on my own artwork (!) and spending time with family.
What are your hopes for the gallery in the future?
I hope the gallery continues to be a space where all artists feel welcome and can learn and grow in their creative lives
The 37th Annual Smithsonian Craft Show 2019 — National Building Museum
Deadlines: May 23 – September 7. Late Deadlines: September 8 – September 21.
The Smithsonian Craft Show is a prestigious juried exhibition and sale of contemporary American craft in art and design held annually in Washington, DC. Three jurors who are experts in the field and newly selected each year choose 120 artists from a large pool of applicants. There is no quota for any category of Craft Art. Artists are selected on the basis of the originality, artistic conception, and quality of their work. The show is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee. Proceeds from the Show fund grants that benefit the Smithsonian’s education, outreach, research, and conservation programs.
However, accepted artists are encouraged to donate an item for the Show’s online auction, raffle, or other fundraising initiatives, the proceeds of which benefit the Smithsonian. ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: Basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art, and wood. Learn more about this opportunity here.
MFA Circle Gallery “American Landscapes” – Maryland
Deadline June 14. Introducing American Landscapes: Scenes from the Americas. MFA (Maryland Federation of Art) invites all artists residing in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico to enter its 18th annual American Landscapes competition. Following entry guidelines, any original 2-D or 3-D work depicting a landscape from one of the Americas* will be considered (*North America, Hawaii, Central America, Caribbean & South America). The selected works will be on exhibit at MFA’s Circle Gallery from August 23 through September 22, 2018. Exhibition Chair: Mike McSorley (and The Art League’s June Solo Artist). To apply, click here.
MFA Circle Gallery “Beacon Celebration of the Arts” – Maryland
Deadline: June 29. The Beacon Newspapers is pleased to present the “Celebration of the Arts” – a year-long program, in partnership with the Maryland Federation of Art – designed to entice individuals 50 and over throughout the MD/DC/VA region to try a new artistic endeavor, and then to enter their best work in a regional competition in one or more of these four categories:
Painting and drawing: Any one-dimensional work on any flat surface in pen and ink, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, oil paint or other paint or dye
3D/mixed media artwork: any handmade, two- or three-dimensional sculpture, pottery, frieze, woven or fabric art, found object art, mosaic, jewelry, glass art or painting containing multi-dimensional objects
Photography: any images taken with film or digitally, whether manipulated by computer program or not
Poetry: a poem of no more than two pages in length in any style
Deadline: July 24. Stormy weather—from onset to aftermath and all in between—is the theme of MFA’s (Maryland Federation of Art) 3rd annual exhibition. MFA invites all 2-and 3-D artists to submit any original 2-D artwork depicting the sounds, colors, impact, anticipation, and more, of stormy weather. The selected artworks may be viewed on MFA’s online Curve Gallery from August 15 through September 30, 2018.
Show Chairs: Richard Niewerth and Wil Scott.
Apply to New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Fiscal Sponsorship
Deadline(s): June 30, September 30, December 31, and March 31. Application for NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship is free and open to all artists with a U.S. Tax Identification Number, regardless of location. Artists who live in the U.S. but work overseas are welcome to apply. NYFA also accepts out-of-cycle reviews; please email [email protected] for details. To learn more about the scholarship, click here.
MFA Circle Gallery “50 Forever” – Maryland
Exhibit dates: July 25 – August 16. Please enter your artwork for each exhibition online here. In celebration of our 50th year at Circle Gallery, MFA is hosting two Fifty Forever Exhibitions! Fifty Forever @ Circle Gallery – MFA current Members – Entry fees are $10 for one entry for this all-hang, all-media exhibition. Artworks must be no larger than 20″ x 20″ x 20″, including frame. MFA former members may rejoin and exhibit for $80 during the entry process ($70 for a one-year membership and $10 for the entry fee). Entry fees are non-refundable. Fifty Forever Online Exhibition – Entry fees are $5 for one entry. Open to all current and former MFA Members. Artworks must be no larger than 72″x 72″x 72″, including frame. If your work is larger, please contact MFA. There will be a closing reception for all artists at Circle Gallery on August 16 during Annapolis Artwalk.
Internships: The Art League’s Summer Art Camp
The Art League School’s Summer Art Camp is currently searching for interns for Summer 2018. Assistance is needed with class set ups, class coordination, in class-instructor assistance, and helping to evaluate the effectiveness of classes offered. Interns are trained and directly supervised by the camp coordinator. Interns will also have the opportunity to create and teach their own lessons towards the end of the summer. More information here.
Exhibit: Tabletop wares @ The Art League
Deadline: June 15. Tabletop: Exploring Food and Function will showcase the artistry of various functional wares associated with the table. Mediums that will be accepted include ceramic, metal, fiber, wood, and glass. All works must be functional. Open to all artists; Art League members receive discounted entry.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Mural Request for Proposals
Deadline: May 31. Akre Capital Management, located in the historic building formerly known as Mosby’s Tavern in Middleburg, has released a RFP to have an exterior mural painted on the side of their office building. They are seeking proposals from those who have the ability to design, manage and implement the project to completion.
Apparel and jewelry
Deadline: June 1. STYLE ‘18 will take place over two days at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco. Jurors will hand select 36 national and international designers to participate in the 2018 event.
Exhibit: We Are Takoma
Deadline: June 4. The City of Takoma We Are Takoma cultural series is seeking proposals from artists who wish to participate in group exhibitions in 2019 in the galleries of the Takoma Park Community Center. Artists do not need to be Takoma Park residents. Individual artists working in any visual art medium are encouraged to apply, as well as independent curators or artist collectives with proposals for their own cohesive group exhibitions. Artists aren’t paid but are welcome to sell their work with no commission. Apply online.
The 2018 Photo Review 34th Annual International Photography Competition – NY
Deadline: May 31. The Photo Review seeks entries for a juried photography exhibition, November 9 – December 9 at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA and on the The Photo Review website. Awards include exhibitions, purchase prize, gear. Juror: Sarah Meister, Curator of Photography, Museum of Modern Art, New York. All photographic processes are eligible. $35 for 3 images, $8 each additional. More info, visit: The Photo Review contest site. Contact: [email protected] or call 215-891-0214. Visit the Photo Review website to learn more.
Gloucester Arts Festival : Stewart Gallery
You’re invited to the Symphony Nocturne Paint Out (Saturday, June 2, 7:00-9:30 pm) and the Small Painting Sunday Paint Out (Sunday, June 3, 8:00–11:00 am) hosted by Stewart Gallery in conjunction with the Gloucester Arts Festival. Finished paintings will be included in the En Plein Air Show at Stewart Gallery, June 1 – 30. For more information about events and application specifics to each, please visit The Stewart Gallery website.
Washington Printmakers Gallery: National Small Works Competition & Exhibition
Deadline: June 7. National call for exhibit at Washington Printmakers Gallery (DC). Open to artists 18 years and older. Submit hand-pulled prints, screen prints, digital prints, photographs, and three-dimensional work with print components completed within the past two years. Image may be no larger than 100 square inches, with framed size of 256 square inches or less. 3D works are limited to 250 cubic inches. Juror: Susan Goldman. Grand Prize: 2019 Solo Exhibition. Other prizes include art materials, gift certificates, and a $250 screenprint prize. For more information, visit the Washington Printmakers Gallery website.
Kaplan Gallery – NextGen 5.0 Open Call
Deadline: June 8, 11:59 pm. NextGen 5.0 is calling all DMV aspiring artists. VisArts welcomes artists ages 17 – 27 in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area to submit their application for NextGen 5.0, our fifth exhibition in our Kaplan Gallery from July 11 – August 19. NextGen 5.0 is an opportunity for aspiring artists with little to no experience exhibiting their work in a professional gallery. VisArts is a non-profit organization whose mission is to transform individuals and communities through the visual arts. VisArts provides children, teens and adults with opportunities to express their creativity and enhance their awareness of the arts. Applicants should have little or no experience exhibiting in a professional gallery. Previous NextGen participants are ineligible. Previous NextGen applicants who were not selected may re-apply for this year’s exhibition. Online applications are due by June 8, 11:59 pm at visartscenter.org/call-for-entries.
Bill of Rights Project
Deadline: June 8. Open to all medium and persuasions. The Bill of Rights was created in response to the Constitution, “to prevent misconstruction and abuse of it’s powers.” According to the ACLU’s webpage, “The Constitution was remarkable, but deeply flawed. For one thing, it did not include a specific declaration—or bill—of individual rights. It specified what the government could do but did not say what it could not do. For another, it did not apply to everyone. The ‘consent of the governed’ meant propertied white men only.” In images and/or words, please react to OUR Bill of Rights. You can respond to a particular amendment or to the bill as a whole, or you can pose a question. Here are a few sites to get you started. The first exhibition of the completed piece will be in Bellows Falls VT, June 15 as part of The Arts of Resistance. Jeanette Staley is a VT artist working in collage and mixed media. Email: [email protected]. Mail pieces to Jeanette Staley, 201 Church Ave., Bellows Falls, VT 05101
Alexandria Commission for the Arts Call to Artists – Voting Sticker Design
Deadline: June 8 at 5:00 pm. The City of Alexandria Commission for the Arts invites artists and artist teams that live and/or work and/or attend school within the City of Alexandria, Virginia to submit their qualifications for the City’s first Voting Sticker Design. One artist will be selected to design the City’s official 2018 “I Voted” and “Future Voter” stickers. Artists are encouraged to use a variety of media, such as photography, painting, collage, digital imagery, etc. to develop their designs. To develop the designs, artists are encouraged to consider the spirit of Alexandria, the importance of democracy, as well as ensure non-partisanship. The City will be responsible for the printing of the stickers and distribution of the stickers for the November 2018 elections in the City of Alexandria. For more information and how to apply, click here.
Exhibit: Juxtaposed
Deadline: June 10. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit to Juxtaposed, a group exhibition focusing on the contradictory or conflicting. Whether it be through the use of mixed media or the themes represented, the work itself should be at odds with two or more juxtaposing concepts.
Call for 2019 Site-Specific Artist Installations at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site – PA
Deadline: June 13. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is currently accepting proposals for its 2019 season of site-specific artist installations. We’re again offering two funding levels: $7,500 per standard project, and $15,000 per Criminal Justice Today project.
Allied Artists of America 105th Annual Exhibition
Deadline: June 15. At the Salmagundi Club in New York, NY. Open to all artists 18 years and older. Original artwork in oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, graphic, mixed media, and sculpture accepted. Over $25,000 in cash awards. Exhibit on view August 30-September 16, 2018. More information here.
Art Enables: 12th Annual Outsider Art Inside the Beltway Exhibition
Deadline: July 22. OAIB is an annual exhibition that showcases self-taught artists from across the nation together in Art Enables’ two gallery spaces in September and October 2018. Work should be made by an artist(s) who identifies as a self-taught, folk, or outsider artist. For more information and to submit, visit the OAIB website.
The Torpedo Factory – Art of Armistice
Deadline: July 22, 11:59 pm. Exhibition Dates: October 27 – December 2. Reception Date: Friday, November 16, 7:00–9:00 pm. Gallery Talk at 8:00 pm. Juror: Spencer Dormitzer, DC-based artist and curator. The Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites artists working in all visual media to submit artwork to the Art of Armistice, a group exhibition that explores the after effects of war. The exhibition will focus on the physical, mental, and cultural effects of war on the world through the perspective of both civilians and veterans alike. This exhibition will be paired with different public programs in honor of the 100th year anniversary of the ground breaking of the former munitions plant that the Torpedo Factory Art Center now calls home. For more information and to submit, visit torpedofactory.org/artopps.
Exhibit: Athenaeum Invitational
Deadline: July 13. Artists who live or work in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia may enter the 2018 Athenaeum Invitational (Alexandria, VA). The theme is “Cabinet of Curiosities.”
New prize for women painters
Deadline: September 28. The recently announced Bennett Prize will spotlight women artists who paint in the figurative realist style, and who have not yet reached full professional recognition – both new artists and those who have painted for many years.
2019 Post Graduation Residency Program
Deadline: October 7. Jurors: Nicole Dowd, program director of Halcyon Arts Lab and Leslie Holt, DC-based artist and co-director of Red Dirt Studios. The Torpedo Factory Post-Grad Residency is a competitive juried program that provides meaningful support and three-month term solo studio space. This residency is open to recently-graduated students who earned a bachelor’s or master’s art degree from an accredited university. The program is unique for addressing the critical post-graduation juncture in an emerging artist’s career, offering an opportunity for professional development, and a chance to define their independent work process outside of the academic context. Submissions are open for both art school students in the region and nationwide, provided nationwide artists submit proof of their permanent residence in the area and/or commitment of contributing to the ongoing future of the DC/Maryland/Virginia arts scene. Please read and review Guidelines before applying.
Exhibit at Hotel Indigo
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
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
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.
NYC volunteer opportunity
Introduce NYC school children to the world of art by giving tours at The MET Museum. Volunteer in this year-round program. Visit us at awnyc.org, contact us at http://awnyc.org/contact-us/ or find us on Facebook at artworksnyc.
Artists 50 and over
The Beacon is holding a regional competition for people over 50 who have picked up a new artistic endeavor: painting/drawing, 3D art, photography, or poetry. The competition opened in April 2018. For details, download the PDF flyer.
Superfine art fair
Deadline: rolling admission through September 2018. Applications are now open for Superfine!’s first fair in DC, coming this Halloween to Union Market. Galleries, artist collectives, and solo artists can apply for space.
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
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
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].
Looking for artists: Multiple Exposures Gallery
Multiple Exposures Gallery, (MEG), a cooperative fine art photography gallery located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA is issuing an open call to all local photographers interested in gallery membership. For more information, please contact Membership Chair, Colleen Henderson: [email protected]
Best in Show: Beverly Ryan, Drone Silhouette, May 2018 Open Exhibit
Artist and Art League instructor Beverly Ryan’s Drone Silhouette seems to be suspended in air, blades whirling off the ground and ready to strike. This recurring, spider-shaped figure permeates Ryan’s recent work and was the subject of her March solo exhibit in The Art League Gallery.
The feeling of discomfort, curiosity, and the desire to sit and study the piece longer is something that this month’s juror, Fidencio Fifield-Perez was not immune to, “Some works were incredibly potent images that surpassed the medium” said Fifield-Perez. “It’s those pieces, like Drone Silhouette, that made me curious to sit longer with them.”
We talked to Ryan about her process, her May 2018 Best in Show winning piece Drone Silhouette, and what makes her drone artwork tick. How would you describe this work? Ryan: I would describe Drone Silhouette as an intense charcoal work on very good paper (Saunders Waterford).
How did you start off with the concept for your drone series? Ryan: The series began in 2015 with my concern about weaponized drones (UAVs) and our government conducting drone strikes in other countries. I had created a couple of imaginary map paintings. Drones crept into one because they had been on my mind and lead to more related works.
Line of Sight, Beverly Ryan
What was the most startling thing that stood out to you from your initial drone and surveillance research? Ryan: I was surprised to learn of the extent of our use of drone strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It had not been in the news much at all. As of 2018, this type of warfare has increased exponentially. What led you to use charcoal for this work instead of mixed media? Ryan: In the summer of 2016, I enrolled in New York Studio School’s Drawing Marathon with Graham Nickson. For two weeks, we drew all day and used charcoal almost exclusively. I began to love the deep, black richness of the medium.
Ryan’s March 2018 solo exhibit, “Drone Zone”
How does Drone Silhouette fit into the series? Was it an earlier or later work? Ryan: This drawing idea grew out of my metalwork drones. The design of the steel sculptures is a simplified silhouette of a specific drone that, to me, looks like a spider. Charcoal drawings seemed like the next step. In the Juror’s Statement, Fidencio Fifield-Perez wrote: “Some works were incredibly potent images that surpassed the medium. It’s those pieces, like Drone Silhouette, that made me curious to sit longer with them.” How would you suggest the viewer “sit with” your works? Ryan: I hope the viewer will enjoy the stark image and will imagine the movement of the air as it hovers over the land.
Did you plan out this work extensively, or let it take life of its own as it manifested on the paper?
Ryan: I usually work intuitively. My plans for artworks evolve as I go. Smearing the charcoal was an impulse after I completed the drawing. The landscape below is an artifact of the process. It occurred as I ground more and more charcoal into the drawing. I enjoyed the process and liked watching it build up on the bottom edge of the paper. I was happy it created such an interesting look and kept it. Where do you see this series going next? Ryan: The drone series’ future is unknown. I have applied to a couple other venues hoping to show the body of work again. My next drone artwork ideas have to do with swarms. Fleets of programmed swarms offer image ideas and my questions about where this is all leading continue.
We also posted an 
