F.O.M.A. (noun): “fear of missing art”; the nagging feeling that cool art events are passing you by.
While the advent of Memorial Day usually imparts days spent by the beach or chowing down on barbecue al fresco, enjoying a little art in the great indoors is a welcome respite from the heat and humidity of summer in the DMV as well as a great rainy day alternative.
The Art League – “Art on the Vine”
Art on the Vine – part global wine tour, part fine art tour – features a 7-day online auction of artwork by our esteemed faculty of artists. Join us for the kick-off wine-tasting party and the “Artwork Unveiling & First Bid” on Friday, June 8 from 7:30 to 10:30 pm. Each ticket includes: event admission, the opportunity to see all of the artwork in person, access to the Silent Auction, a souvenir wine glass, eight redeemable wine tasting tags + one full pour “coin,” and a complementary light buffet. The auction, ticket sales, and a portion of the wine and food sales, all raise money to benefit The Art League and its programs. Last chance for Early Bird tickets is May 25, so don’t wait! Cheers!
The Art League – Michael McSorley: “Collections of Perceptions”
A pocket watch, a palette knife, a matchbox; oil painter Michael McSorley brings together the unexpected, the ordinary, and the unassuming through carefully constructed three-dimensional assemblages in “Collections of Perceptions.” McSorley merges fine art with carpentry through his masterfully painted and expertly crafted assemblages, the resulting assemblages evoke the idea of a curio cabinet—some offering assorted trinkets, others portraying faces and places. The free exhibit is on view at The Art League gallery, June 6 – July 1. The Opening reception for the exhibit will be held Thursday, June 14, 6:30–8:00 pm.
In the Kitchen, Oil, 18″ x 19″, by Michael McSorely
The Renwick – “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man”
Escape the heat (but keep the desert aesthetic) by visiting the Renwick’s much hyped “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man.” The exhibit brings puts the focus on the maker culture and allows the viewer to touch, interact with, and even utilize many of the pieces. Enjoy the art and feeling of Burning Man with absolutely none of the Steampunk goggles or a trip to the Nevada desert. The exhibit will be on display until January 2019.
Smithsonian American Art Museum – “Diane Arbus: A Box of 10 Photographs”
Any photography history buff worth their lenses knows of Diane Arbus, but her photography is rarely on view. “A Box of 10 Photographs” launched Arbus’s posthumous career and solidified her photography (mainly focusing on rare human subjects or shocking scenes) as “high art.” 80’s street photography fans may be familiar with her daughter, The Village Voice’s Amy Arbus. The exhibit runs until January 27.
ARTECHOUSE – “Naked Eyes”
ARTECHOUSE hosts “Naked Eyes” an installation created specifically for the space and designed around LED lights and lasers and combined with music. Comprised of four unique installations, with each piece very site specific, this audio visual light exhibition is a celebration of light. Simple geometric light forms are used to define the relationship between time, space, and reality. The light has been sculpted, contained, diffused, projected, and reflected so Naked Eyes can enjoy the three dimensionality of it all. ARTECHOUS is also great place to end an art-filled day with cocktail or two with the locale’s famous digitally enhanced cocktail experience. “Naked Eyes” runs through June 30.
National Gallery of Art
West Wing
You may have seen a Cézanne or two in your life, you haven’t seen the artist’s work like this. This exhibit is the first entirely devoted to portraits by the famed post-impressionist – 60 on loan from collections around the world. “Cézanne Portraits” explores the unconventional aspects of his portraiture, the role his portraits play in the development of his radical style and method, and the range and influence of his sitters (who included his friends and other people he knew, rather than strangers). The exhibit is up at the National Gallery of Art, West Building on the main floor, until July 1.
Paul Cézanne, Boy in a Red Waistcoat, 1888-1890, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art
May is Asian American Pacific American heritage month, and DC museums are celebrating Asian art traditions in style with beautiful textiles!
George Washington University: The Textile Museum – “Vanishing Traditions: Textiles and Treasures from Southwest China”
Dazzling festival costumes and accessories, including a richly ornamental child’s hat, are on display in GWU’s museum specifically for textiles (one of only a few in the world). “Vanishing Traditions” explores traditions from minority cultures in southwest China, now endangered by modernization. The exhibit runs now through July 9.
Freer Sackler Smithsonian’s Museums of Asian Art – “To Dye For: Ikats from Central Asia”
Nothing signaled a person’s rank in Central Asia as conspicuously as a boldly patterned ikat coat. As valuable personal belongings, cherished ikat robes were handed down from one generation to the next and were eventually recycled into hangings, covers, or trims. “To Dye For: Ikats from Central Asia” brings together about 30 of the finest historical Central Asian ikat hangings and coats from the Freer|Sackler collections, donated by Guido Goldman, as well as several of Oscar de la Renta’s iconic creations. The aim is to explore the original use and function of these dazzling fabrics and the enduring appeal of their extraordinary designs. The exhibit runs through July 29.
Photo: Freer Sackler Gallery.
Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments!
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 3rd, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A Regional Juried Call to Emerging Artists 30 and Under – RI
Deadline: May 27. The Imago Foundation for the Arts announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, July 26 – September 2 at the Imago Gallery in Warren, RI. All media accepted by artists 30 years of age and younger (must be at least 18 years old). Work must be hand delivered. Artists are expected to participate in an artist talk or presentation. Work will be juried online. All work must be original and completed in the last 3 years. All work must be for sale. IFA takes a 25% commission on all sales. All work must be properly framed (with wire) and ready for display, or ready to install including any special instructions. Artwork can weigh no more than 40 pounds and must fit through an average door. Artists are responsible for insuring their own work if they choose. $20 entry fee. More info, visit the Imago site. To apply, visit the Imago Online Juried Show site. Contact:[email protected] or call 401-245-3348.
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.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Paul Robeson Call for Artwork: Food
Deadline: May 25. Food may be experienced as a social, political, and bodily phenomenon. This exhibition explores food as both a source of inspiration and a medium for artwork. Themes of interest include food as a commodity; the relationship between food, death, sex, and the abject; food’s relationship to global economics and geo-politics; the food chain and the environmental impacts of food production; and food justice. The exhibition will include projects located outside the Main Gallery that will directly involve the local and university community, as well as a series of performances enacting the possibility for learning, conviviality, and meaningful exchange during the production and consumption of food. More information and apply here.
“Gone Astray” (Art As The Message / In Care Of The White House)
Deadline: May 28. In Care of The White House Overview: Conservatives and liberals; critics and supporters; artists of all genres are invited to send creative work to The White House as messages of hope, messages of concern, and messages of protest. In this variation on the “In Care of the White House” project, artists supply an image and a message and we’ll create a greeting card for the President and mail it to the White House. Samples of other art work can be found here. More information on how the project and how to submit can be found here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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]
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]
Uncertainty by Jackie Saunders, Ink Drawing, Best in Show for 2-D Figurative Work
This month’s Open Exhibit (un-themed and untethered to a certain medium) had a number of varied pieces, but artist (and Art League instructor) Jackie Saunder’s sketchy figure in Uncertainty certainly stood out to juror Fidencio Fifield-Perez.
The choice to use tactile response to create a gestural figure makes for an expressive figure drawing, and the artist’s choice to sit below the subject makes for striking composition. To find out more about the process behind the piece we spoke with the artist who has been using this technique for several years and finished this piece in a less time than it takes to bake a batch of cookies.
How would you describe Uncertainty?
Jackie Saunders: Uncertainty is an ink drawing, done in 20 minutes, in which I “felt my way” along the contours of the figure, rarely looking at my paper, keeping my eye on the model, and letting my hand and eye work together. I did not “measure,” I traveled along, around and through the figure, attempting to capture his gesture in a dramatic way.
You do a lot of figurative work. What was your goal with this piece? What were you trying to capture?
Jackie Saunders: My goal in this piece (and in all of the ink drawings from life) was capture the gesture dramatically. This model was a young man, who worked an all-night job, too. He seemed uncertain about his finances.
What draws you to create figurative work?
Jackie Saunders: I love people and DRAWING them! The human figure is the most challenging subject, full of complexity and emotion. The models are generous and vulnerable to us, posing nude, and I want to “immortalize” them with sensitive drawings. I respect them and thank them for posing. I do my most emotional work from the live figure.
How is working in pen and ink different than just using watercolor?
Jackie Saunders: Pen and ink is more graphic and powerful with the rich black ink. The pen nib allows me to draw sensitive contour lines with varying pressure, suggesting the twists and turns of the figure in space. Ink washes allow me to model form quickly (most poses are only 20 minutes ) and the pen line drawn into a wash makes rich bleeds where I want them. The whole process is very spontaneous and exciting.
What made you decide on the black and white color palette for this piece?
Jackie Saunders: I love the powerful line and design of Egon Schiele drawings. This pose reminded me of Egon Schiele. The model’s face was turned down. hair hanging over; his feet were strong and expressive, providing visual balance to his face.
Uncertainty in The Art League Gallery received Best in Show for 2-D Figurative Work
How does sitting below the subject change the composition of the piece?
Jackie Saunders: Sitting below the model allowed me to get as close to him as possible (without blocking other artists’ view). I can connect emotionally to the model when I am close, feeling as if my drawing hand is actually touching him, recording my visual response. I am much more united to my model. Also, drawing from below the model elevates and makes him monumental…it gives a more emotional “punch,” I think.
What’s your creative process like?
Jackie Saunders: It is all very spontaneous, using line and washes with pen and brush, feeling as if I am caressing the figure with my eye. I really keep my hand anchored to the paper, sweeping down the contours, across the forms, finding the form in space by a tactile response, not by measuring.
What would you like the viewer to come away from the piece with?
Jackie Saunders: I would like the viewer to enjoy the drama of a lanky, solitary figure, perched on the stool, head down, knees thrusting down, foot arched, toes grabbing the ground.
Where do you see your work going next?
Jackie Saunders: I think I will just continue drawing and painting the models in the Art League Open Life sessions. I am most motivated working from life (not photographs). The act of drawing and painting from life keeps me focused on responding to beauty with my whole being. This keeps me seeking “right relationships” of line, shape, value, composition… all of which leads to a certain truth and beauty.
June 8, 7:30–10:30 pm Tickets: $45 until May 25. $55 afterwards (must be 21+)
Art on the Vine – part global wine tour, part fine art tour – features a 7-day online auction of artwork by our esteemed faculty of artists. The event kicks-off with a wine-tasting party and the “Artwork Unveiling & First Bid on Friday, June 8 in the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Save $10 by purchasing your early bird tickets by May 25!
Each ticket includes:
Event admission, the opportunity to see all of the artwork in person, access to the Silent Auction, a souvenir wine glass, eight redeemable wine tasting tags + one full pour, and a complementary light buffet.
The auction will kickoff with a silent bidding beginning at the event. The online portion of the auction will launch at 12:00 noon on Saturday, June 9. This is an incredible opportunity to purchase your very own masterpiece from a renowned artist from our talented artist network!
Along with the beautiful artwork, there will be one-of-a-kind specialty items—appealing to a range of creative interests and appetites.
What do the proceeds go to?
The auction, ticket sales, and a portion of the wine and food sales, all raise money to benefit The Art League and its programs. Many more auction items to come – stay tuned!
2017 was the inaugural Art on the Vine. Check out our post on the 2017 event and get excited for June 8. Cheers!
Road Trip, oil on panel, by Dennis Crayon, from his December 2016 Art League exhibit.
The Art League Blog is taking a trip down memory lane and reposting some of our most popular art resources! Please enjoy this newly updated post from the vault, originally published December 16, 2016.
If you love art, you’ve surely come across the term trompe l’oeil. It’s often defined simply by explaining that the words are French for “fool the eye,” but that doesn’t really tell the whole story.
Here’s how trompe l’oeil works, and some of our favorite examples:
Trompe l’oeil vs. photorealism
Both trompe l’oeil and photorealism both involve depicting something as realistically as possible, but there are a few differences:
Trompe l’oeil is intended to fool the eye into thinking something is really there, so the subject matter is limited to objects that could conceivably be on a wall. Playing cards, window scenes, and recognizable materials like wood and marble are common subjects. In photorealism, the subject could be anything.
The two techniques have different goals: a trompe l’oeil artist wants to trick the viewer with the illusion of three-dimensionality. (Look at the shadows and folds in the painting at the top of this post.) Photorealism aims simply to recreate an image as realistically as possible, in two dimensions.
Photorealism is inspired by photography, so the compositions are closer to what a camera would see than what the eye sees. Trompe l’oeil is a tradition that goes way, way back before photography existed.
Nicholas, graphite, by Wendy Donahoe, winner of best in show in December 2012.
So, the above drawing by Wendy Donahoe could be described as photorealistic, but not trompe l’oeil. For one, because it’s monochrome, it doesn’t try to fool the eye the way a drawing or painting in color could. The composition is that of a classic portrait, as well: the figure is posing within the frame, not attempting to climb out of it.
How do they do it?
There are many tricks and techniques painters can use to fool the viewer.
This painting by Art League instructor Patrick Kirwin uses the texture of wood and attention to the details of light to create an illusion that would be at home in a carnival.
Art League instructor Patrick Kirwin shows how he uses things like a turkey feather and plastic bag to paint marble in these videos. (Kirwin is known for painting murals, a common setting for trompe l’oeil because there’s no frame to give away the illusion.)
Dennis Crayon, a 2016 solo artist at The Art League, explained some of his process in our 2013 Q&A interview. He starts with a photograph and plans out the composition in Photoshop before starting the painting.
“R is for Rose” by Dennis Crayon was awarded second prize in the “Flora & Fauna” exhibit.
Regardless of the approach, a smooth surface is an essential starting point. Crayon paints and sands many layers of gesso (a white, paint-like material) onto his panels before he starts painting.
An artist can take the illusion as far as they wish, even extending to the frame, or in this artwork’s case, the signature:
Artichokes on a Crate by Brent Erickson, signed with the artist’s initials as though carved into the box.
Off the wall
Trompe l’oeil isn’t limited to painting, either.
Ghost Clock, bleached Honduras mahogany, by Wendell Castle.
In Wendell Castle’s famous Ghost Clock sculpture, what appears to be a clock draped in cloth is in fact a single piece of wood, partially bleached to complete the illusion.
In other settings, trompe l’oeil can provoke a stronger reaction. For example, these life-size security guard sculptures can make museum visitors jump. And you’ve probably seen photos of crowd-gathering trompe l’oeil sidewalk chalk artworks. Instead of popping out from the wall, these illusions rise up out of the ground, and they need to be viewed from just the right angle.
Duane Hanson, Museum Guard, 1975. (Photo by George Miller)
Learn the art of illusion
Now that you’ve learned what trompe l’oeil means, maybe you’d like to give it a try!
Peppermill Community Center Public Art Opportunity
Deadline: May 21. Budget: Project budget, including materials, fabrication, installation, travel and expenses, is $75,000. Selected artists will be paid a stipend of $1,000 to develop their proposals and accompanying support materials, including story boards, maquettes, etc. Eligibility: Professional artists and design professionals are invited to apply as an individual or a team. Preference will be given to artists who have public art experience and are residents of, or maintain a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland or Montgomery County, Maryland. Selection Process and Criteria: Three artists/artist teams will be selected to develop proposals for the project. Qualifications must be submitted hereand more information about this opportunity here.
Paul Robeson Call for Artwork: Food
Deadline: May 25. Food may be experienced as a social, political, and bodily phenomenon. This exhibition explores food as both a source of inspiration and a medium for artwork. Themes of interest include food as a commodity; the relationship between food, death, sex, and the abject; food’s relationship to global economics and geo-politics; the food chain and the environmental impacts of food production; and food justice. The exhibition will include projects located outside the Main Gallery that will directly involve the local and university community, as well as a series of performances enacting the possibility for learning, conviviality, and meaningful exchange during the production and consumption of food. More information and apply here.
“Gone Astray” (Art As The Message / In Care Of The White House)
Deadline: May 28. In Care of The White House Overview: Conservatives and liberals; critics and supporters; artists of all genres are invited to send creative work to The White House as messages of hope, messages of concern, and messages of protest. In this variation on the “In Care of the White House” project, artists supply an image and a message and we’ll create a greeting card for the President and mail it to the White House. Samples of other art work can be found here. More information on how the project and how to submit can be found here.
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 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.
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 3-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.
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.
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!
Exhibit: PaperWorks
Deadline: May 20. Upstream Gallery in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, June 21 – July 29, 2018. Juror: James Lancel McElhinney. Seeking works on paper, not including photography. Artists are invited to submit images of work on paper including collage, drawing, painting, printmaking, etc. All work should be originally created on paper. Photography submissions will be declined. We have a separate annual juried photography exhibition earlier in the year, in February. $30 for one entry, $45 for two entries, $50 for three and $55 for four entries (maximum). For more info., visit: Contact: [email protected] or call 914-674-8548. http://www.upstreamgallery.com/
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.
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.
Callfor2019 Site-Specific Artist Installations at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site – PA
Deadline: June 13. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is currently accepting proposalsfor 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 Todayproject.
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: 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.
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]
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 opens 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]
Deborah Conn isn’t just an Art League Gallery exhibitor – she’s a product of The Art League school itself. Conn began her journey as a student artist right here in Old Town. Now, 20 years later, is displaying her recent work “A Sense of Herself” in The Art League gallery, May 9–June 3, 2018.
The student-turned-teacher presents paintings that take a on a life of their own, even from the very beginning. Part sculpture and part painting, almost 3D in nature, and employing textured paper and specialized glazes, Conn’s work incorporates not just “natural” portraiture pigments but also deep greens and blues that course over the canvas like veins.
Ellalyne
Barbara
Shuet
There is a certain element of unpredictability to Conn’s work, which visibly shows what most watercolorists would perceive to be “mistakes” – things like drips, or paint meeting and pooling across the paper. This is a product of the textured paper that Conn has employed specifically for its unique effect on the final product. “The paint gathers in the nooks and crannies. There’s an interplay between what the paint wants and what the painter wants,” says Conn.
Conn’s watercolor paintings of women, when hung, seem to be inviting you into conversation, create instant emotion. Some elicit a sense of sadness, others a sense of great passion, others of lingering pain, but all evoke a feeling of strength and and a story to tell. This series is particularly poignant in 2018, when women’s stories and bravery are taking the spotlight like never before.
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“Art creates an emotional connection with the viewer. It can give us the strength to say things like ‘me too’ or ‘time’s up,’” Conn remarks. As for what she wants viewers to take away from her exhibit – “ [a] Celebrat[ion] of ‘the sense of self’ of strong women persisting and battling odds. I want [viewers] to feel a sense of power in the room.”
Conn’s studio
About the Artist:
Deborah Conn has been painting in watercolor for 20 years, and she first began by taking classes at The Art League School. Her work appears in national and regional shows, and recent awards include a first place in Potomac Valley Watercolorists’ exhibition at NOVA’s Ernst Community Cultural Center, an Award of Excellence at the Virginia Watercolor Society 2016 exhibit, and an honorable mention in The Art League’s April 2018 Open Exhibit. Conn teaches beginning and intermediate watercolor in her Falls Church home studio as well as on Cunard, Celebrity, and Azamara cruise lines.
Is it too early to think about summer reading? We don’t think so!
Get a head start
We’ve taken our reading list of art-related books from the past three summers (links below) and compiled this master list. Books by artists, for artists, about artists, and even about fictional artists are all included.
Of course, we’re always open to new suggestions — and new books are always being released! If you have something to add to our reading list, please leave us a comment below.
Deadline: May 15 at midnight EST. The Pennsylvania Watercolor Society announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, September 15 to October 20, 2018 at the Crary Art Gallery in Warren, PA. Over $14,000 in cash and merchandise. Juror of Selection: Keiko Tanabe; Juror of Awards: Ron Thurston. Open to artists over 18, all work must be original on paper completed after May 2015, and never shown in any juried exhibition or PWS show. No prints, copies, class work or digital work accepted. Work must be matted and framed under Plexiglas. Maximum outside frame dimension in any direction is 40 inches. PWS Members: $25 for 1 or 2 entries. Non-members: $40 for 1 or 2 entries.Contact: email, [email protected] or call 717-235-5310.
Exhibit: PaperWorks
Deadline: May 20. Upstream Gallery in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, June 21 – July 29, 2018. Juror: James Lancel McElhinney. Seeking works on paper, not including photography. Artists are invited to submit images of work on paper including collage, drawing, painting, printmaking, etc. All work should be originally created on paper. Photography submissions will be declined. We have a separate annual juried photography exhibition earlier in the year, in February. $30 for one entry, $45 for two entries, $50 for three and $55 for four entries (maximum). For more info., visit: Contact: [email protected] or call 914-674-8548. http://www.upstreamgallery.com/
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.
Callfor2019 Site-Specific Artist Installations at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site – PA
Deadline: June 13. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site is currently accepting proposalsfor 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 Todayproject.
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!
Exhibit: Goodwin House Alexandria
Deadline: May 15. Goodwin House Alexandria is currently seeking DMV area artists interested in showing their work during the 2019 calendar year. Shows run for approximately six weeks. Display space for 3-D work is limited unless it is able to be hung. All mediums are encouraged.
Residencies: The Studios of Key West
Deadline: May 15. The Studios of Key West, the premiere arts organization at the Southernmost Point of the United States, is now accepting residency applications from artists and writers from around the world. One month residencies are awarded to visual artists, writers, composers, performers, and interdisciplinary artists. Facilities include three residency cottages and a 14,000 square foot building in Old Town, Key West, housing a 200 seat theater, classrooms and 3 exhibition spaces.
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: 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.
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: 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.
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]
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 opens 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]
Maybe taking an art class was one of your resolutions for 2018, or maybe painting, drawing, sculpting (insert your medium here) is already a part of your life. Regardless – with 128 classes and 44 workshops – summer is the PERFECT time to embrace your inner artist and check taking an art class at The Art League off your bucket list!
Registration for Summer Classes at The Art League is open and Summer Term kicks off on June 18 (the same day as Summer Art Camp). Check course details for specific start dates.
About Summer Art Camp
Art camp — for ages five and up — provides children a wonderful introduction to visual art. This summer, we’re offering 90 different camps over nine weeks!
In our regular art camp, each day brings a new project that may include drawing, painting, printmaking, or sculpture. Our specialty camps, like Drawing Camp or Painting Camp, focus on immersion in one particular medium.
Art camps run from June 18 to August 17, Monday to Friday, and have a varied curriculum from week to week. Register for multiple weeks throughout the summer for an immersive artistic experience!
You can register for half-day camps or full-day camps. Tuition for full-day camps includes a supervised lunch hour.
Combine regular and specialty camps, or two specialty camps, for a custom, full-day schedule.
Not sure where to start?
If you’re brand-new to art classes — or if you just need a refresher — we most often recommend Basic Drawing as a great first class. If that’s not your speed, there are good classes for beginners in every medium, including ceramics, sculpture, fiber art, painting, photography, and printmaking.
No two artistic journeys are the same! That’s why you can always get in touch with us for advice on which class is right for you:
Virtue Feed & Grain presents a refreshing cocktail at Art on the Rocks 2018
This past Friday, we celebrated the eighth Art on the Rocks with 250+ art and artisan cocktail enthusiasts.
Five area restaurants dazzled us with their cocktail and food pairings matched expertly with our Ikebana flower arrangements and instructor artwork.
After sampling the art-cocktail-appetizer pairings, the Judges’ Choice Award went to Chadwicks, and Vola’s Dockside Grill won the Popular Vote Award for the night!
Olsen doing demonstration at the National Arboretum
The Art League asked Tone Olsen, the Branch Director of the Washington, DC Sogetsu School, some questions about Ikebana, our show, and how she became involved in the art form.
How did you become acquainted with Ikebana?
I moved to Japan in 1990 because of my husband’s job and was invited by an expat to join her Sogetsu Ikebana group at someone’s home in Tokyo. It was fun to learn how to work with flowers in a very contemporary style. Sogetsu has some elements of mathematics, which made it comfortable for me to work with. I began to take lessons and worked through the curriculum to obtain certification.
As I learned the basics, this led to me creating more freestyle arrangements and using many different materials.
How is Sogetsu Ikebana different from the other schools of thought?
Recognized as a sculptural form of art, Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging, has over 300 schools of thought. Sogetsu was founded in 1927 by Sofu Teshigahara, who showed originality in starting new, modern styles of Ikebana. Sogetsu Ikebana features the idea that Ikebana may be arranged anytime, anywhere, by anyone, with any material— fresh, dried, or unconventional. The Sogetsu School believes that Ikebana should aim to be contemporary and should always be refreshing and attractive.
What do you keep in mind when working on an arrangement? What elements are most important to you (ie, design, composition, color, etc)?
The three basic design elements of Sogetsu are line, space, and color.
How do you approach creating an arrangement for The Art League’s Ikebana Show? Is it different from how you normally design an arrangement?
We must decide on a piece of work that speaks to us; perhaps it is the colors in the artwork, lines, or subject matter. Our goal is to enhance the art; to make the artwork and have the Ikebana reflect each other.
When working on an exhibit at the National Arboretum, we think of the space we want to work in, the materials available, and containers we have to use.
Detail of Olsen’s arrangement in the 2018 Biennial Ikebana Show
What makes The Art League’s Show different/unique from other Ikebana Shows?
It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to work with the artists art at The Art League. Once we choose a piece to work with, we then decide what scale we need to work in and what colors we want to use. It is a partnership that we need to develop so that the artwork and arrangement become one.
Where do you find the plants and flowers for your arrangement?
We shop at local super markets, wholesale flower outlets, neighbor’s gardens, and roadside flowers. Everywhere!
In your opinion, what makes a successful arrangement?
The most successful Ikebana arrangement would be one that reflects the arrangers own style. If the arranger is content, hopefully the observer is also.
Olson’s installation
How can someone learn or get involved in Sogetsu Ikebana?
The Sogetsu Branch of Metropolitan Washington, DC has four meetings/workshops a year. We participate in the annual exhibit at the National Arboretum, with Ikebana International. There are teachers certified by the Sogetsu School located in VA, MD, and DC.
Catch the 17th Biennial Ikebana Show through Sunday, May 6. Free events: Reception: Thursday, May 3, 6:30 pm
Flower arranging demos: Saturday, May 5, 1:00-2:00 pm with Sheila Advani Sunday, May 6, 1:00-2:00 pm with Jane Redmon
Get tickets for Art on the Rocks on May 4! Mixologists from Brabo, Chadwicks, Virtue Feed & Grain, Vola’s Dockside Grill, and The Wharf have each selected an Ikebana installationas inspiration to create the most artistic cocktail and appetizer pairing and then compete for the title of ‘Art on the Rocks’ champion. Taste all the pairings at the event.
A piece by Linda Hurt incorporating woven and felted elements.
The Art League Blog is taking a trip down memory lane and reposting some of our most popular resources on sharing your art online! Please enjoy this post from the vault, originally published September 11, 2015.
In our fiber arts studio, you can weave, felt, knit, dye, and hook your own wardrobe from head to toe. With classes including spinning and dyeing, you can learn about pretty much any part of the process, except for shearing the sheep. If functional art isn’t your style, you can also make fine art to hang on your wall. Class topics range from traditional to contemporary, and there are plenty of entry points for the complete beginner!
Our fiber arts department draws on a wide variety of traditions and cultures — not to mention a few thousand years of history — so there are lots of different terms in our class catalog that you might not recognize.
Here’s a quick guide to the fiber arts and a rundown of what’s in store this school year.
Everybody knows what felt looks like and feels like, but what is it? Basically, you take a bunch of loose fibers (roving) and tangle them up so they make a solid piece of fabric — either using hot soapy water and friction (wet felting) or a notched needle (needle felting). There’s a new method, nuno, below.
What does it make? Let’s see: flowers, slippers, sculptures, clothes, accessories, houses, …
Nuno felting was invented in the 1990s and exploded in popularity shortly thereafter. It involves felting a small amount of fibers onto some other fabric — silk, say — for a lightweight, flexible product with a distinctly textured surface.
What does it make? Clothes and accessories with “drape”
Weaving brings together multiple yarns, using a floor loom (like in this video), a card loom, an inkle loom, a frame loom, or any number of other ways. The warp thread runs the length of the fabric, and the weft thread runs back and forth across it. There are countless types of weaving — see the catalog for a rough idea. Tapestry is “weft-faced weave,” which means only the weft yarns are visible: perfect for weaving pictures. Our tapestry instructor teaches Gobelin techniques in a contemporary style. Sprang is an old way of weaving that makes an elastic, net-like product.
What does it make? Scarves, towels, placemats, belts, tapestries, hammocks (sprang)
In contrast to weaving’s multiple threads, knitting uses one long yarn, looped on itself to build a fabric. (The word comes from “knot.”) Where woven fabric is stretchy on the diagonal, knits are stretchy along their length. This is also a good place to note that knitting and weaving aren’t necessarily limited to the fiber arts — check out knitted glass and woven photographs.
What does it make? Clothes, accessories, yarn bombs
Millinery’s a word that just means hat-making. Someone who makes hats is a milliner. Naturally, hats can incorporate many different materials, like felt or straw, and even non-fiber materials like feathers. Fascinators are small headpieces that are attached with a clip, comb, or something similar. Hat blocks are carved forms that a hat is shaped on.
What does it make? Hats!
What can I take? Check out last year’s hat-making workshops and stay tuned for new opportunities!
This is a dyeing technique. It’s a Japanese method for resist dyeing fabric in different ways by binding, stitching, wrapping, and so forth — think tie-dyeing, but with more possibilities.
What does it make? Your own designs on silk, cotton, or other fabrics.
2018 Hill Center Galleries Regional Juried Exhibition
Deadline: May 7. Open only to artists residing in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Original hanging work, in any medium, created since June 1, 2015, will be considered. $40 for up to five pieces; $10 for each additional piece. Exhibition Dates: June 27–September 22, 2018. More information here.
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.
Residencies: The Studios of Key West
Deadline: May 15. The Studios of Key West, the premiere arts organization at the Southernmost Point of the United States, is now accepting residency applications from artists and writers from around the world. One month residencies are awarded to visual artists, writers, composers, performers, and interdisciplinary artists. Facilities include three residency cottages and a 14,000 square foot building in Old Town, Key West, housing a 200 seat theater, classrooms and 3 exhibition spaces.
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.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Deadline: May 7. The Academy Art Museum Craft Show (Easton, MD) draws patrons from all over the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Alexandria Art Purchase Awards
Deadline: May 7. The Alexandria Art Purchase Awards call will be held biannually over four years, totaling eight calls with each call purchasing up to $4000 in artwork. For this second call, the concept of “Natural and Urban Systems” must be conveyed in the artwork submitted.
DMV artists
Deadline: May 7. Open Regional Juried Art Exhibition at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital: Open only to artists residing in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Original hanging work, in any medium, created since June 1, 2015, will be considered.
Exhibit at Goodwin House Alexandria
Deadline: May 15. Goodwin House Alexandria is currently seeking DMV area artists interested in showing their work during the 2019 calendar year. Shows run for approximately six weeks. Display space for 3-D work is limited unless it is able to be hung. All mediums are encouraged.
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.
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.
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.
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]
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 opens 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.
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.
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].
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]
The Art League Blog is taking a trip down memory lane and reposting some of our most popular resources on sharing your art online! Please enjoy this post from the vault, originally published January 27, 2017.
Artists and videos: it’s a match made in heaven. People love watching visual art in progress, whether you’re documenting, demonstrating, or just talking about it. As of November 2015, there were an average of 8 billion views daily of videos on Facebook.
Making your first artist video can seem daunting, but the truth is that you probably already have your video camera in your pocket, and free editing software on your computer.
Why bother? People spend a lot of time watching videos online (8 billion views daily, remember?), so it’s an excellent way for fans and collectors to discover new artists. More importantly, including a video on your website can increase sales and make you more memorable to visitors. It’s a great investment for a small business — like yours!
You’ll find ideas for videos at the beginning of this post, and tips for first-timers at the end.
1. Demonstrate a technique
By far the most popular subject matter on our own YouTube channel, demo videos can take a number of forms.
They can be narrated or set to music. They can be in real time, sped up, created from time-lapse photography, or edited down to just the highlights. Show off your skills!
A livestream — a live, unedited broadcast watched online — is great for demos, because you can answer questions from the audience. You can use YouTube, Periscope, or take advantage of your Facebook following by livestreaming there. (These are all easy to do right from your phone or webcam.)
Martha Wilson performed as Barbara Bush in 2008 and documented the performance. (Watch the video here.)
2. Document an event
Got a performance or an installation to share? Make a video! A time lapse is a great way to show a long process — like an hours-long studio session, or an installation process.
The iPhone, iPad, and GoPro all have built-in time lapse functions. Or, use your regular video camera, then use any editing software to speed up the footage (and take out the slower parts). If you go this route, you’ll need new audio: think music, or narration.
Whether you are responding to questions from a real interviewer, or answering imaginary questions, a video is the perfect outlet for talking about your art. Include images of your artwork to create visual interest.
Frames from a Scott Hutchison animation (see i don’t know, below)
4. Other
We hardly need to say this to artists, but: get creative! How can you use video to add to your art?
Peter Draws combines sped-up footage of Peter drawing with rambling, unrelated narration.
i don’t know is an animation using oil paintings by Scott Hutchison
Tips & Resources
Be compelling: Does your video inspire, inform, entertain? If not, back to the drawing board!
Gear: Not as important as you’d think. Our most-watched video was shot at The Art League using an inexpensive Flipcam, and your phone probably shoots higher quality footage than that. The most important thing is the content of the video.
Tripod: If you’re both the artist and the videographer, you’ll need something to hold the camera for you. There are plenty of options out there for tripods to hold your phone or camera.
Editing: Editing makes the video. In your case, it’s probably as simple as cutting down clips and stitching them together, and the free software that’s already on your computer can do that. (Try iMovie on your Mac or iPad, and Windows Movie Maker on Windows.)
Duration: On our videos, the average watch time is three minutes. After that point, it gets harder to hold the viewer’s attention. Try to make your video as short and concise and possible, and grab the viewer’s attention at the very start. (This isn’t necessarily true for livestreams.)
Where to upload: Your video will probably live on YouTube or Vimeo, and from there you can share it on your website, in emails, etc. If you are on Facebook, upload the video directly onto that platform for optimal engagement.
Call for entries: International Print Center New York
Deadline: April 29. Submit your prints and print-based work to International Print Center New York’s New Prints exhibition series. New Prints 2018/Summer will be on view from June 21 to September 21, 2018. To apply: ipcny.submittable.com
“Light of the Caribbean”
Deadline: April 30. Any artist who has been inspired by the Caribbean is eligible to submit artwork to this juried exhibition celebrating National Caribbean-American Heritage Month. “Light of the Caribbean”will be featured at Mattawoman Creek Art Center in Marbury, MD, June 8-July 8, 2018.
Residencies: The Studios of Key West
Deadline: May 15. The Studios of Key West, the premiere arts organization at the Southernmost Point of the United States, is now accepting residency applications from artists and writers from around the world. One month residencies are awarded to visual artists, writers, composers, performers, and interdisciplinary artists. Facilities include three residency cottages and a 14,000 square foot building in Old Town, Key West, housing a 200 seat theater, classrooms and 3 exhibition spaces.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Glow in the dark
Deadline: April 29. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites national and international artists to apply for Illuminate, a special glow-in-the-dark exhibition that is focused on the relationship between art and light. The lights will be turned off in the gallery, turning the viewer’s attention to the illuminated artwork whether it be through the lighting of video, light installation/sculpture, or use of black light mediums.
King Street Art Festival
Deadline: May 1. The King Street Art Festival (September 15–16, 2018) in Alexandria, VA is limited to approximately 250 exhibitors chosen by a jury of highly qualified, talented, experienced, 2D and 3D fine artists and craftspeople.
NYC festival/exhibit
Deadline: May 1. Art in Odd Places: BODY, curated by Katya Grokhovsky, invites proposals for its fourteenth annual public art and performance festival in Manhattan, NY and accompanying coinciding group exhibition at Westbeth Gallery, for visual and performance art projects by women, female identifying and non-binary artists.
Deadline: May 7. The Academy Art Museum Craft Show (Easton, MD) draws patrons from all over the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Alexandria Art Purchase Awards
Deadline: May 7. The Alexandria Art Purchase Awards call will be held biannually over four years, totaling eight calls with each call purchasing up to $4000 in artwork. For this second call, the concept of “Natural and Urban Systems” must be conveyed in the artwork submitted.
DMV artists
Deadline: May 7. Open Regional Juried Art Exhibition at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital: Open only to artists residing in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Original hanging work, in any medium, created since June 1, 2015, will be considered.
Exhibit at Goodwin House Alexandria
Deadline: May 15. Goodwin House Alexandria is currently seeking DMV area artists interested in showing their work during the 2019 calendar year. Shows run for approximately six weeks. Display space for 3-D work is limited unless it is able to be hung. All mediums are encouraged.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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]
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 opens 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.
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.
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].
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]
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 April 4, 2015 and updated with fresh links.
When the weather’s beautiful and the skies are blue, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing — reading, cooking, writing a blog post — you want to do it outside.
For painters, that’s called painting en plein air. It’s a French phrase that means, simply, “in the open air.” Why don’t we call it painting al fresco? Because the French got there first! (Specifically, the Impressionists were famous plein air aficionados, taking advantage of the first portable paint tubes.)
Painting outside isn’t just about enjoying the sun and the breeze, although that’s certainly a big part of the fun. It’s also a great way to paint from direct observation, whether that means a landscape, a cityscape, or even something like a portrait.
Median Trees #1 and #2 by Mike Francis.
So what do I need to get started?
“When I sit down to make a sketch from nature, the first thing I try to do is to forget that I have ever seen a picture.”
— celebrated plein air artist John Constable
Packing for a plein air painting session is like packing for a hike: travel light, be prepared, and you’ll be a happy painter!
Paints: Some oil painters use alkyd paints for their faster drying time. Color-wise, each of our instructors has their own recommended palette, but the lists for Mike Francis, Fred Markham, and Sara Linda Poly have these colors in common: Titanium White, Ivory Black, Alizarin Crimson, Quinacridone Red (a.k.a. Permanent Rose), Ultramarine Blue, and Cadmium Yellow Medium.
Palette: Something that won’t blow away! Glass, plexiglas, and wood are all recommended.
Easel: This will likely be your biggest new purchase. A French easel is larger, but heavier. A pochade box is more portable for longer trips and smaller paintings. Pochade boxes mount on top of tripod legs, which you might have to purchase separately. Sara Linda Poly recommends the Easyl, Open Box M, Sienna, and Sun Eden brands. Some models will have a hook to hang your solvent, and some have shelves for your other supplies. If they don’t, you may need to keep them on the ground.
Other: You’ll definitely miss sunscreen and/or a hat if you forget it. Depending on your location, a warm jacket, windbreaker, and bug spray might be necessary. Bring a water bottle and snacks to prolong your painting time! Finally, bring a trash bag for used rags so you can leave the landscape as pristine as you painted it.
What classes are available? (updated for 2018)
The Art League offers a few classes and workshops for plein air painting every year. Other classes sometimes take field trips outside, but these are geared toward plein air:
Support The Art League during Alexandria’s Spring2ACTion event!
From now until 11:59 pm on Wednesday, April 25, you can support The Art League through Spring2ACTion and your gift will be matched!
What is Spring2ACTion?
Spring2ACTion is an online giving day, hosted by ACT for Alexandria, that was created to support all the nonprofits doing great work in Alexandria, VA. Since 2011, 45,000 generous donors have given more than $6 million dollars to 160 nonprofits through Spring2ACTion, making it one of the most successful city-wide giving days in the country!
Why should I give?
As you know, the pressure on the arts community, both nationally and locally, has been intense.
But, you made your voices heard and Congress listened. You helped save the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) from decreased funding and elimination.
Now is the time to bring this momentum and your amazing support close to home: It’s never been a more important, challenging, yet exciting time for The Art League. You can help ensure that we are here tomorrow!
Give during Spring2ACTion and help us reach our goal of raising $25,000 through the Mason Hirst Foundation’s generous $10,000 matching gift challenge. Not only will your donation be matched during this campaign, but every donation helps The Art League get closer to winning thousands of dollars in additional grants and prizes!
Spring will finally be in full bloom during the first week of May, as our Biennial Ikebana Show with the Washington, DC Sogetsu School returns. And, this year, our Ikebana Show collides with our cocktail competition, Art on the Rocks!
May 1-6, 2018 Reception: Thursday, May 3, 6:30–8:00 pm Flower arranging demos: Saturday, May 5 and Sunday May 6 at 1:00 pm in the gallery.
From the 2016 exhibit. Ikebana artist: Carol House; Painting: David Carter; Vessel: Carla Amerau
Every two years, art and nature converge for The Art League’s Biennial Ikebana Show.
Members of the Washington, DC Sogetsu School select works of art by Art League instructors to inspire and complement their Ikebana arrangements. This year, 15 carefully crafted compositions of art and nature will create a peaceful and reflective environment in the gallery. A Sogetsu member will always be present, tending to the arrangements and answering questions about their art form.
Recognized as a sculptural form of art, Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging, has over 300 schools of thought. Sogetsu promotes an Ikebana of no limits, in which plant materials of any kind may be used and displayed anywhere and in any circumstance.
The Ikebana Show is sponsored by the Japan Foundation, Charles Schwab, Genesco Sports, and the Hunting Creek Garden Club.
Event Date: Friday, May 4, 7:30–10:00 pm Tickets: $45 each.$55 after April 21 (must be 21+ to attend)
Art on the Rocks, 2016
Mixologists from Chadwicks, Brabo, Mia’s Italian Kitchen, Vola’s Dockside Grill, Virtue Feed & Grain, and The Wharf have been challengedto each select an installation from our Biennial Ikebana Showas inspiration to create the most artistic cocktail and appetizer pairing. They will compete for the title of ‘Art on the Rocks’ champion at the event on Friday, May 4.
Art on the Rocks ticket holders may sample all of the delicious pairings and vote for their favorite during the event. A panel of experts will crown the winners of the most creative cocktail, appetizer, and artwork pairing. Save $10 on tickets through Saturday, April 21 – purchase here!
Join us for some creative fun – delicious cocktail and food pairings, music, and imaginative art and Ikebana installations, all while supporting The Art League and our local business community!
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 October 14, 2015. Do you have a question about art supplies? Let us know in the comments or by contacting us here.
There are lots of cool things in art supply stores, including a fair number that might make you wonder, “what’s that for?”
At The Art League Store, staff members are working artists, so they can answer that question for you. They helped us tackle the subject of tortillons.
How’s it pronounced?
Tour-tee-ohn, roughly. (Note: if you ask for a “tortle-on,” the store clerk will still know what you’re looking for. We speak from experience.)
It’s French, meaning “something twisted.” Sometimes spelled tortillion, with an extra “i”.
What is it?
A short stick made from tightly rolled paper. You can see what they look like close-up at the top of the post.
What’s it for?
It can be used for blending graphite, charcoal, and pastel. Use it by rubbing and see the effect it has on your drawing. To clean it, you can use sandpaper (also sold in the store) or just grab a new one. They’re very inexpensive.
How’s it different from a blending stump?
They’re used for the same thing, but they have some differences. Tortillons are much smaller and have harder, scratchier paper. They’re made from a sheet of paper in a tightly rolled stick.
In contrast, blending stumps are molded from paper pulp and have a more “velvety” texture, as described to us by store clerk Chris Cardellino. Because they’re larger and stubbier, they’re better suited to large areas of blending, while tortillons can get into the detailed areas of your drawing.
How much are they?
At The Art League Store, they’re $1.20–1.30 for a pack of six (in either Small or Medium). Blending stumps come in a variety of sizes and range from $0.84–2.45.
You can also experiment with making your own: just cut out a trapezoid of scrap paper and roll it as tightly as you can.
Deadline: May 1. The King Street Art Festival (September 15–16, 2018) in Alexandria, VA is limited to approximately 250 exhibitors chosen by a jury of highly qualified, talented, experienced, 2D and 3D fine artists and craftspeople.
Alexandria Art Purchase Awards
Deadline: May 7. The Alexandria Art Purchase Awards call will be held biannually over four years, totaling eight calls with each call purchasing up to $4000 in artwork. For this second call, the concept of “Natural and Urban Systems” must be conveyed in the artwork submitted.
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]
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
Works on paper
Deadline: April 20. The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County and the Montgomery County Public Art Trust are issuing a call for art to reactivate the Contemporary Works on Paper Collection with new acquisitions from artists living in Montgomery County and the Greater Washington area. This call is specifically for the purchase of original and unframed two-dimensional works of art that are contemporary and modern in style. There is no entry fee for this call for art.
Woman Made Gallery, Chicago
Deadline: April 22. Wordplay serves to highlight the voice of all female identified artists who use text and image or text as image as a means of creative expression. Works in all media.
Glow in the dark
Deadline: April 29. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites national and international artists to apply for Illuminate, a special glow-in-the-dark exhibition that is focused on the relationship between art and light. The lights will be turned off in the gallery, turning the viewer’s attention to the illuminated artwork whether it be through the lighting of video, light installation/sculpture, or use of black light mediums.
NYC festival/exhibit
Deadline: May 1. Art in Odd Places: BODY, curated by Katya Grokhovsky, invites proposals for its fourteenth annual public art and performance festival in Manhattan, NY and accompanying coinciding group exhibition at Westbeth Gallery, for visual and performance art projects by women, female identifying and non-binary artists.
Deadline: May 7. The Academy Art Museum Craft Show (Easton, MD) draws patrons from all over the Mid-Atlantic Region.
DMV artists
Deadline: May 7. Open Regional Juried Art Exhibition at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital: Open only to artists residing in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Original hanging work, in any medium, created since June 1, 2015, will be considered.
Exhibit at Goodwin House Alexandria
Deadline: May 15. Goodwin House Alexandria is currently seeking DMV area artists interested in showing their work during the 2019 calendar year. Shows run for approximately six weeks. Display space for 3-D work is limited unless it is able to be hung. All mediums are encouraged.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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]
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 opens 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.
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.
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].
The latest pop-up exhibit at The Art League is also a photography exhibit from the girls of Space of Her Own. Photographs by the ten-year-olds are juxtaposed with important works by famous female photographers.
“Looking UP” shows the way these artists, amateur and professional both, engage with their surroundings and relationships. Like past SOHO photography exhibits, these artworks open the door to empowerment through portraiture.
What is SOHO?
The Art League’s collaboration with SOHO, Inc.—now in its 13th year— continues to strengthen the City of Alexandria’s ability to reach and intervene for youth who would otherwise be at-risk for delinquent behavior.
The Space of Her Own project is an afterschool art-based mentoring program designed to use art as a catalyst for change in at-risk youth in the local community and the region. This program year, The Art League’s commitment to this life-transforming program takes the form of targeted visual arts education curriculum across multiple Alexandria-based SOHO chapters.
“Looking UP” is presented by The Art League, the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Space of Her Own, and the International Institute of Photography. For information and hours: [email protected] or 703-519-1741.
The New Normal, monotype, by Karen Schmitz. Winner of the Marshall Award for Best in Show.
Karen Schmitz’s first best-in-show award at The Art League — after nearly 30 years — is also her biggest monotype: The New Normal. We took this opportunity to ask this long-time member about her creative process, what she’s working on now, and what the monotype means to her.
The New Normal (detail) by Karen Schmitz. The artwork is composed of three plates printed simultaneously.
‘Why don’t you just paint?’
That wasn’t one of our questions, but it’s one Schmitz said she’s asked often. That’s because of how monotypes are made: the artist paints with ink on a plate, then transfers the ink to paper by running it through a printing press.
There’s a simple answer to that question: there are techniques possible with the monotype process. For instance, in The New Normal and other monotypes, she uses oily ink to repel water-based ink, applied with a brayer.
1% Oxygen, acrylic on canvas, by Karen Schmitz
In and out of the studio
That said, Schmitz doesn’t consider herself a printmaker. She’s more of an experimental artist, she says, working with found objects and collage as well.
Currently, she’s taking advantage of the outdoors to work on some large, abstract canvases. Some incorporate monotype techniques, printed on before the canvas is stretched.
“I can really make a mess out in the backyard,” she said.
Monotypes do offer one advantage: instant gratification. “I conjure up what’s going on in my world,” Schmitz says, calling works created in this way “images of the moment.”
Guessing Blank, collage, by Karen Schmitz
The cliche
For the artist, the phrase “the new normal” is a cliche that conflicts with her optimism. So titling her award-winning monotype The New Normal was an ironic argument against complacency.
“It’s about resistance, a little bit of anarchy,” Schmitz said.
The feeling of resistance comes through in the dark color scheme, which she noted isn’t absolute.
“It’s dark, but there is some light in it.”
You can view this monotype and the April Open Exhibit through Sunday, April 29.
Deadline: May 7. Open Regional Juried Art Exhibition at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital: Open only to artists residing in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Original hanging work, in any medium, created since June 1, 2015, will be considered.
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.
Re-runs: These announcements have been posted here before, but it’s not too late to enter!
VA fair
Deadline: April 13. Calling exceptional artisans for the 74th Waterford Fair. Located in the Historic Landmark of Waterford, Virginia, our event draws 18,000+ visitors over 3 days, October 5–7, 2018.
MD fellowship
Extended deadline: April 13. VisArts invites applications and proposals from local, national, and international artists for a six month Studio Fellowship at VisArts at Rockville, MD.
Exhibit proposals: Maryland
Deadline: April 14. Brentwood Arts Exchange is seeking proposals from artists and curators to present exhibitions for available dates November 2018–November 2020. Solo and group exhibitions are welcome.
Works on paper
Deadline: April 20. The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County and the Montgomery County Public Art Trust are issuing a call for art to reactivate the Contemporary Works on Paper Collection with new acquisitions from artists living in Montgomery County and the Greater Washington area. This call is specifically for the purchase of original and unframed two-dimensional works of art that are contemporary and modern in style. There is no entry fee for this call for art.
Woman Made Gallery, Chicago
Deadline: April 22. Wordplay serves to highlight the voice of all female identified artists who use text and image or text as image as a means of creative expression. Works in all media.
Glow in the dark
Deadline: April 29. Target Gallery (Alexandria, VA) invites national and international artists to apply for Illuminate, a special glow-in-the-dark exhibition that is focused on the relationship between art and light. The lights will be turned off in the gallery, turning the viewer’s attention to the illuminated artwork whether it be through the lighting of video, light installation/sculpture, or use of black light mediums.
NYC festival/exhibit
Deadline: May 1. Art in Odd Places: BODY, curated by Katya Grokhovsky, invites proposals for its fourteenth annual public art and performance festival in Manhattan, NY and accompanying coinciding group exhibition at Westbeth Gallery, for visual and performance art projects by women, female identifying and non-binary artists.
Deadline: May 7. The Academy Art Museum Craft Show (Easton, MD) draws patrons from all over the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Exhibit at Goodwin House Alexandria
Deadline: May 15. Goodwin House Alexandria is currently seeking DMV area artists interested in showing their work during the 2019 calendar year. Shows run for approximately six weeks. Display space for 3-D work is limited unless it is able to be hung. All mediums are encouraged.
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.
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.
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.
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]
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 opens 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.
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.
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].
