Art Clinic Online - Saturday, May 28 from 10:30 -11:30am

Join me at the Art Clinic Online for a discussion and Q&A about nearly everything you wanted to know about being an artist, grants, resume-building, approaching galleries, etc.

About Art Clinic Online (ACO)

The Art Clinic Online community aims to create a friendly artsy environment and bring together artists who may have taken classes with us before or who are contemplating it and want to learn from one another in an online community-based setting. As such, they are not didactic sessions but a forum for the equal exchange of art ideas and art information as well as an opportunity to share art challenges and breakthroughs. 

The Stone Tower resident artists created the ACO after hearing the need for such a forum expressed by many of their students. If you are interested in joining, click the button below and email Mariana to join! Yes, it's still FREE.

Location: Glen Echo.

Get excited for art, entertainment, food & more at the annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, May 14 (10am - 6pm) & Sunday, May 15 (10am - 5pm)! Stroll Norfolk & Auburn Avenues to see 100+ artist booths, listen to great music & enjoy food, wine & beer for the perfect weekend in downtown Bethesda.

All free and also plenty of free parking!

Details here.

You can see the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2022 artists here.

You know what's coming next - my awards for top artists in the show.  As a brilliant juror, I can use my experienced eye from the thumbnails and website visits to award the Campello awards.

For the painters I liked  Zhiyi Li (from Enfield, CT) in Booth #66, and Thomas Williams (from Chicago, IL) in Booth #78.  

All three printmakers in the show are exceptional -- I've written a lot about Joseph Craig English from Washington Grove, MD (Booth #84) - in this show John Pernell and Michael Nemnich are also quite good.

For Mixed Media, my top pick was Sandra Sedmak Engel, whose sensual work is a pleasure both to the eye and the eros that outdoor shows usually try to eliminate.

There are a lot of talented photographers in the show. See them all here. James Richmond from Titusville, Florida (Booth #76) went to Cuba and has the mandatory photos of old 1950s cars in Havana, as I understand that the Cuban dictatorship will not allow tourists (and photographers especially) to depart from the jailed island unless evidence is presented at the airport that photographs of the vintage cars have been taken.  

Pet peeve aside, Richmond has an exceptional eye for capturing the grace that is human kind, all the way from Portuguese card players in Old Europe to gorgeous indigenous women in Panama, to Cuban farmers in the brutalized Castro Brothers' Workers Paradise. It is a wonderful photograph, capturing the essence of the Cuban guajiro, his ancient Basque bloodlines still quite cleaning running through his veins as evidenced by the telltale ear lobe, a wide smile for the American tourist on his thin lips, and a hand-rolled Habano in his mouth, the envy of every smoker millionaire around the planet.

"Cuban Farmer" by James Richmond

In the category of sculpture, Tanya Tyree caught my attention as her sculptures struggle between talented efficiency and a bit of whimsy. What is clear is a straight and unique vision being delivered by the (I suspect) very strong and skilled hands of this artist.

And the Campello pick for Best in Show?

It goes to painter Cassie Taggart from Rehoboth, DE in Booth #51.

Parachutes by Cassie Taggart

While anyone can immediately see that Taggart's work explore surrealism, what she has brilliantly done is to deliver a new 21st century version of surrealism, where her skilled painting talents marry it with fantasy, and the fantastical (which is different) as well as a healthy dose of narrative storytelling.  

It is "otherworldly" artwork deeply anchored in data which lives hidden in our ancestral brain.  This is work which once you buy it and hang it in your house, will dominate everything else which you have hung on those walls.

Go outside and see some artwork this weekend, talks to artists and artisans, eat some bad-for-you food and listen to some outdoor music.

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) requests applications from qualified arts, humanities, arts education, and service organizations for its Fiscal Year 2023 Art Bank Program. Award amounts vary but eligible applicants can be awarded up to $15,000.

RFA Release: Monday | May 2, 2022

Submission Deadline: Friday | June 24, 2022 | 4 pm

Incomplete or late applications or applications that do not follow the instructions and guidelines will be automatically deemed ineligible for review and funding.

Prospective applicants should read through the Request for Applications (RFA) in its entirety before submitting an application.

Details here.

Staff Contact: Sarah Gordon, Curator | sarah.gordon2@dc.gov

 Art Clinic Online - Saturday, May 28 from 10:30 -11:30am

Join me at the Art Clinic Online for a discussion and Q&A about nearly everything you wanted to know about being an artist, grants, resume-building, approaching galleries, etc.

About Art Clinic Online (ACO)

The Art Clinic Online community aims to create a friendly artsy environment and bring together artists who may have taken classes with us before or who are contemplating it and want to learn from one another in an online community-based setting. As such, they are not didactic sessions but a forum for the equal exchange of art ideas and art information as well as an opportunity to share art challenges and breakthroughs. 

The Stone Tower resident artists created the ACO after hearing the need for such a forum expressed by many of their students. If you are interested in joining, click the button below and email Mariana to join! Yes, it's still FREE.

Location: Glen Echo.

Get excited for art, entertainment, food & more at the annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, May 14 (10am - 6pm) & Sunday, May 15 (10am - 5pm)! Stroll Norfolk & Auburn Avenues to see 100+ artist booths, listen to great music & enjoy food, wine & beer for the perfect weekend in downtown Bethesda.

All free and also plenty of free parking!

Details here.

You can see the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2022 artists here.

You know what's coming next - my awards for top artists in the show.  As a brilliant juror, I can use my experienced eye from the thumbnails and website visits to award the Campello awards.

For the painters I liked  Zhiyi Li (from Enfield, CT) in Booth #66, and Thomas Williams (from Chicago, IL) in Booth #78.  

All three printmakers in the show are exceptional -- I've written a lot about Joseph Craig English from Washington Grove, MD (Booth #84) - in this show John Pernell and Michael Nemnich are also quite good.

For Mixed Media, my top pick was Sandra Sedmak Engel, whose sensual work is a pleasure both to the eye and the eros that outdoor shows usually try to eliminate.

There are a lot of talented photographers in the show. See them all here. James Richmond from Titusville, Florida (Booth #76) went to Cuba and has the mandatory photos of old 1950s cars in Havana, as I understand that the Cuban dictatorship will not allow tourists (and photographers especially) to depart from the jailed island unless evidence is presented at the airport that photographs of the vintage cars have been taken.  

Pet peeve aside, Richmond has an exceptional eye for capturing the grace that is human kind, all the way from Portuguese card players in Old Europe to gorgeous indigenous women in Panama, to Cuban farmers in the brutalized Castro Brothers' Workers Paradise.

Cuban farmer by James Richmond

In the category of sculpture, Tanya Tyree caught my attention as her sculptures struggle between talented efficiency and a bit of whimsy. What is clear is a straight and unique vision being delivered by the (I suspect) very strong and skilled hands of this artist.

And the Campello pick for Best in Show?

It goes to painter Cassie Taggart from Rehoboth, DE in Booth #51.

Parachutes by Cassie Taggart

It is "otherworldly" artwork deeply anchored in data which lives hidden in our ancestral brain.  This is work which once you buy it and hang it in your house, will dominate everything else which you have hung on those walls.

Go outside and see some artwork this weekend, talks to artists and artisans, eat some bad-for-you food and listen to some outdoor music.

 Maybe we can find this artist a sponsor  --   I kinda like the fresh, open approach?

Dear Sir 

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Karema Karissa and I'm an artist based in Nairobi, Kenya. I write to you seeking patronage in order to continue my career in art. I seek your patronage for many reasons that will benefit both of us, to be honest, mostly me as I am in need. I'll start by telling you a bit more about myself and the work I do.

I was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2013 I graduated from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa with a bachelor's degree in commerce majoring in marketing. Upon graduating I ventured into a career in art as this has been my interest since I was 8 years old. Throughout the years I have tried different mediums and techniques. In 2019, I finally established my own niche and launched my website kareshart.com in 2020.

My niche is modern art with modern techniques. I apply smooth layer upon layer with wax based Prismacolor colored pencils, ink vector patterns and gold acrylic paint to create unique high quality skyscape and arabic calligraphy pieces.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to sell to the point that I would be able to earn a living entirely out of my talent. I truly believe in my talent and my aim is to make a name for myself as a great talent of my time. To book my place in history as an artist who showed dedication, character, hard work and exceptional talent in his niche. I would like to live out my life creating art.

I priced my work low in order to survive but surviving is not living. Out of 101 pieces currently I have sold 12 in 2 years for a total of $650. My artwork was priced $140 each on my website but I believe it is worth so much more. Thus I have disabled purchases on my website as I now seek a patron for this collection of artworks. It has taken me a whole lifetime of ups and downs, failures, progress, learning and unlearning, to get to this level of skill. 22 years to be precise. Prior to my website launch and the establishment of my niche, I sold over 60 pieces of art since the official launch of my art career in 2013. But not at a price enough to make a living. I do believe that I am an exceptional talent. All I need is someone to believe in me.

You can visit my Instagram page @karesh_art. If you scroll down my page while checking the dates you will see that I have been constantly working on my craft. I can producing 5 to 8 pieces a month. All of them are beautiful, similar yet unique in their own way.  My goal is to create one of the largest bodies of artworks in my niche. I have done 101 pieces so far, I would like to get to 1000 God willing. I am passionate about my work, I love what I do. Unfortunately my work has stalled because of financial constraints and lack of time. I have had to seek other sources of income to cater for my living expenses. This has taken up the time I had to work on my craft. Thus I am in need of your assistance to save and maintain my career.

A short description of my work is as follows: The skyscapes/seascapes are inspired by the mystery that's above us and below us. Whenever I look up to the sky I'm amazed at the possibilities of what could be out there in the universe. Same goes for the ocean, so much of it is yet to be explored. The vast array of amazing creatures, plants, mountains and trenches. So much more than the eyes can see. Another inspiration is the general beauty of the sky and the ocean. How they both change with different times, seasons and tides. We live on a beautiful planet and we are responsible for its preservation.

My Arabic calligraphy is inspired by the need to educate on Islam, sending reminders to my Muslim brothers and sisters and the beauty of the Arabic language. It's my way of giving back and spreading peace and love to a people that are greatly misunderstood.

Historically, people in positions of power like kings, queens and wealthy people funded all types of visual artists. They guaranteed financial security to artists giving them an opportunity to earn a living while creating art. They would do so through patronage. This increased value and security and shaped artists to be viewed as people possessing unique skills that warrant respect, admiration and payment. This earned these individuals the title 'Patron of the Arts' as they stood out as those who are capable of supporting artistic talent. With their passion for talent and philanthropy they changed the lives of many artists and paved the way for growth of the art industry over the years shaping it to what it is today.

I therefore seek your patronage to save my career, to give me an opportunity to achieve my goals and to help me realize my full potential. Your patronage is going to have great benefits for me. My career is currently at risk and your assistance would help me maintain it. 

You will be helping me realize my dream just like every other athlete, actor, musician and so on who have had the opportunity to earn through their talent and hard work. This will give me the freedom to practice my craft for the rest of my life. I will be able to afford a better studio space, better supplies, better recording equipment, preservation of my artwork and so much more. I will be able to cater for travel expenses to attend exhibitions and mentorships in order to improve my career. I have received invites to exhibit my artwork and mentorship opportunities by masters of art but I lost the opportunities as I could not afford the travel expenses. Art can be capital intensive sometimes. I will have the opportunity to teach my craft and pass down the knowledge I have acquired throughout the years. I would like to help improve my community through my talent. The benefits are many. The world is full of people with different sets of skills. Some doctors, lawyers, bankers, footballers...Art is what I'm good at, so I'm asking you to grant me this opportunity.

I reach out to you because of your capabilities and I do believe this is where I can find someone capable of granting me the assistance I need. The values you uphold and your drive are a great inspiration. It would be an honour to secure your patronage. 

The benefit to you is first off, the delight of helping someone in need. You will also be an important part of my journey. An artistic journey I will be on, for the rest of my life God willing. You will be the patron who set the stage for me to become a great artist of his age. You will be a 'Patron of the Arts' for my collection and I will not let you down in making sure that your contribution is well placed. You will be amongst those who support people with unique talents in society in these times where talent has developed high consideration. If you give me this opportunity I will not waste it.

My proposal is that you purchase my whole collection of current artworks. They are 92 in total, 17 by 17 cm artworks. 68 skyscapes and 24 arabic calligraphy artworks. This will give me a lot of breathing space. I propose you  purchase them at $3,000 each. A total of $276,000 for the whole collection. This is for a skill that has been 22 years in the making. This will give me the opportunity to pursue and achieve my goals God willing. I do believe my work is worth it and so much more. I do believe you won't be disappointed when you see them. I lay great emphasis on quality. You can view the collection on my website kareshart.com, portfolio page.

The pieces can be kept in a private collection. They can be kept in a corporate collection. They can be hung all over the walls of your company premises. Art has been known to create an inspiring work environment for employees. The pieces can be given as gifts to family. They can be given to employees as gifts for appreciation. Amongst many other uses of Art.

Art is also an increasing asset. If you invest in my talent you will have a valuable asset in your hands. My success in the art industry, God willing, will also increase it's value. As the years go by the value of the asset keeps increasing. Recently a 2.75 by 2.75 inch sketch by Da vinci sold for 12 million dollars. Companies such as UBS have a collection of upto 35,000 artworks. I have attached a comprehensive report by Dr. Clare McAndrew, founder of Art Economics for the year 2022. This detailed report reveals the kind of value the art industry holds together with the shifts as per the market environment. Granting me your patronage will be a worthy investment that will benefit you in the short term and the long term. It will secure a future for generations to come. 

This is not entirely about the money though. This is about gaining the freedom to practise my craft. Something I have worked on for years and I feel I have earned it. I feel it is time I got the platform to truly realise my full potential. That platform is my freedom. With the limited time I currently have, I am already working on a new collection of artworks to keep my career a float. But it's my dream to be able to do this full time. Some of the piece are already available for purchase on my website.

Upon securing your patronage, my next step will be to find a mentor who is already established in the art industry. Someone who will guide me on how to introduce and maintain  my brand in the international art industry amongst many other benefits of mentorship. I seek to use this achievement of securing patronage to secure mentorship from a master of art. Your patronage will improve my reputation and grant me the resources to pursue this goal. I also have the option to reach out to the masters of art who had previously agreed to mentor me as I'll have the funds to meet the financial demands. I am also still in contact with the international art galleries that have invited me to work with them. All that's left is the financing. You're welcome to follow up on my progress anytime and as much as you please.

The artworks will be delivered as per your request. The pieces are not framed but are well packaged, secured and ready for delivery to the address you will provide. 

I welcome any proposal you have. Or any terms and conditions you may have. I have attached my art C.V with references and I can provide sample images of my artworks. You can also view the collection on my website kareshart.com, portfolio page. Videos of the creation of the piece are available on my Instagram highlights, page name @karesh_art. I am willing to provide any documentation that you need for authentication. I truly am in need of assistance thus I reach out as far as I can. I hope you shall consider my proposal.

I apologize for the long e-mail. Thank you in advance

Regards,

Karema Karissa

+254715750845

Two Maryland artists were awarded commissions for the Catonsville courthouse project. 

From over 200 applications received, the Artist Selection Committee for the District Court of Maryland's new Catonsville Courthouse selected two artists for the building's visual public art commissions. 

Jackson Jarvis Studios will develop large-scale mosaics for the building's lobby, and Wesley Clark will create a multimedia painting installation for the 2nd floor. Both are inspired by the flora and fauna and the natural landscape of the Patapsco River valley found in western Baltimore County. 

Congratulations to both!

Now in its 31st year, the Tephra ICA Festival (formerly Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival) will take place on May 20–22, 2022 and will highlight more than 200 artists and artisans from across the nation. Drawing upon a robust exhibitor and collector base coupled with Tephra ICA’s contemporary art foundation, the Festival has become one of the region’s most anticipated events, attracting approximately 30,000 people to the unique, outdoor environment of Reston Town Center.

Details here.

I juried this festival a few years ago, and have participated in it many times over the years, maybe 25 or 26 times out of the 31 years, and I have won a ton of awards over the years - I applied again this year and got rejected, which is OK, since there are new jurors each year, and rejection is part of an artist's life.

It is a great show!

This year's jurors will select the award winners when the festival opens - but as usual, I'd like to run through them online and award my own awards.

You can see the artists here and make up your own awardees... my first observation is that (as usual), this show is heavily tilting towards the craft side - it's somewhat of a trademark for Reston, and since the beginning it has added more and more jewelry, furniture, etc. at the expense of the fine arts. There are about 30 jewelers in the group! And they're all really good!

But, did I sound elitist or what? Sorry...

And the awards go to...

Best Painting Award: Jill Banks - Booth 943 - A true example of the 10,000 hour rule; Banks is a master and her work shows it. Tough category with 37 painters here - all really good with notable ones such as the superbly talented Ann Barbieri, Jon Smith, Cassie Taggart and others.

Best Photography Award - Landscape photography dominates, which is to be expected, and (as I've noted for decades now) I tire of seeing photos of crumbling buildings in Havana and old 1950s cars - please! Enough! If you wanna take photographs of Cuba, go somewhere else other than Havana! Maybe photograph some of the heroes who often take to the streets to protest the brutality of Communism! 

James McArthur Cole is trying hard to head in the right direction, and he has some stunning Cuban photos, such as the one below - but I deduct two points for each photo of an old car.

Cuba 60 by James McArthur Cole

But John Deng - Booth 317 - stands out! His beautiful photos are equally adept at capturing immensely different landscapes as well as the diversity of the human species.

Honey Gatherers by John Deng

Photo by John Deng at Tephra 2022 ICA Festival

Best Weird Art Award: Greg Stones - Booth 523 - Greg notes that his "basic process is this: Paint a landscape. Then add weird stuff." It works! They are immensely interesting paintings.

Best DMV Award: Joseph Craig English - Booth 700 - Craig is a master of the DMV landscape/landmarks - no one on the planet can do it better. By the way - there are only four printmakers in the entire show: English plus Mel Fleck, Jim McCormick and Laura Wilder; they are all really, really good. Note to future jurors: More printmakers!!!!

Best Craft Award: Mick Whitcomb - Booth 816 - Specializes in one-of-a-kind furniture and lighting made from architectural and industrial salvage - the kind of stuff that some call "steampunk."  The work is clever and unique and far outshines (no pun intended) the category competitors.

Fan Light Fixture by Mick Whitcomb

Best Drawing Award - Easy pick here with the complex drawings of Susan Deaton in booth 423. She notes that her work is about "conceptualization of social and environmental issues through the use of symbolic images." Methinks there's a lot of Lovecraft in there as well.

Best Glass Award - The DMV is home to three of the best known glass artists on the planet, and thus a magnet place for artists of this genre.  The work of David Sandidge stands out... some of the whimsical pieces remind me of Carmen Lozar's early work.  Sandidge is clearly a master of this most demanding of all arts.

Glass art by David Sandidge

I will announce the Best in Show winner when I visit the show in person next month!

Exhibit Opportunity: Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House

The Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House is seeking exhibition proposals for 2023. 

The Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House is a non-profit gallery located in Columbia, Maryland. Operated by the Wilde Lake Community Association, the gallery features two spaces within the Slayton House lobby and Conference Room that hosts multiple juried art exhibits per year.

Details here -- Send completed application forms to Lisa Kim at events@wildelake.org. 

Deadline: June 20, 2022

The Howard County Arts Council will hold its annual Celebration of the Arts in Howard County gala on November 5. The Celebration is an exciting showcase for local artistic talent, and is one of HCAC's major funding sources for arts programs. They are seeking artists for the submittable.com/submit/225383/juried-silent-auction-2022" target="_blank">Juried Silent Art Auction, which takes place in the Rouse Company Foundation Gallery at Howard Community College and is an essential part of the Celebration.

Eligibility:

2D, 3D, and fine craft artists who work, live, or study in Howard County are eligible to submit, as are HCAC members or artists who have exhibited at the Howard County Center for the Arts within the past year. Artists must be 18 years or older. Artwork exhibited in previous auctions is ineligible.

Details here.

Eight painters have been selected as finalists for the Bethesda Painting Awards, a juried competition and exhibition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District. Over 200 artists from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. submitted work to the annual competition created to exclusively honor regional painters.

The top prize winners will be announced on Wednesday, June, 8nd in a private reception. The Best in Show winner will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000.

The artists selected as finalists are:

• Emma Childs, Baltimore, MD
• Jim Condron, Lutherville-Timonium, MD
• Andrew Hladky, Kensington, MD
• Jeremy Jirsa, Dundalk, MD
• Magnolia Laurie, Baltimore, MD
• McKinley Wallace III, Baltimore, MD
• James Williams II, Baltimore, MD
• Ju Yun, Chantilly, VA

The exhibit will be on display June 9 – July 3, 2022 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E in the former Fraser Gallery space. Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibit will be Thursday-Sunday, 12 – 5pm.

The competition’s jurors consisted of Maggie Michael, Painter and The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, Best in Show winner 2008; Tony Shore, Bethesda Painting Award Best in Show winner 2006 and Maryland Institute College of Art, Painting Chair; and Robert Yi, George Mason University, Assistant Professor and Interim Chair of Drawing and Painting.

The Bethesda Painting Awards was established by local business owner Carol Trawick in 2005. Ms. Trawick has served as a community activist for more than 25 years in downtown Bethesda and established The Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation in 2007. She is the former Chair of the Maryland State Arts Council, Strathmore, Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. and founder of The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards.

I walked through the 10th Annual Rockville Arts Festival in downtown Rockville today - as usual it is a terrific show with loads of good artists, food and entertainment!

I love the fact that every booth is a corner booth - thus maximizing the exhibition space for each artist! This show is always good and reflects the hard work of its director Robin Markowitz.

As usual, my two bits on some of my faves from this show.

I liked Bob Friedenberg's fantasy line drawings and Matthew Miller's paintings.

I also admired the paintings of Richard McMurry, who told me that he's somewhat new to the outdoor art circuit; he's clearly a painter at the top of his form!

Detail of a painting by Richard McMurry

Painting by Sandra Sedmark Engel

Sculptures by Tanya Tree

$3,500 Grants - All Media Eligible

Deadline: May 17, 2022

The Hopper Prize is now accepting entries for the Spring 2022 artist grants.

They are offering $3,500 and $1,000 grants to artists and photographers around the world.

Grants will be awarded through an open call art competition juried by leading contemporary curators. Current Jurors:

— Jody Graf, Assistant Curator, MoMA PS1

— Pamela Meadows, Curator, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art

The Hopper Prize was established in order to increase the recognition of artwork created by artists and photographers. Their aim is to advance artists' careers by providing them with unrestricted financial support that is coupled with a platform for increased visibility. They accept submissions twice a year via an open call.

They are currently accepting submissions for the Spring 2022 grant cycle.

Program Highlights

Total Awards: $11,000.00 USD for visual artists

• $3,500.00 – 2 artists will each receive a $3,500 (USD) grant

• $1,000.00 – 4 artists will each receive a $1,000 (USD) grant

• 30 artists will have their work archived at hopperprize.org

• A selection from the submissions will be featured on their Instagram feed @hopperprize

• Additional exposure will be available to winners through their Journal: Insights into Contemporary Art

Connect with Curators

They collaborate with contemporary curators holding prominent positions at major institutions in order to select our grant winners. The open call provides you with a direct path to get your work in front of these forward thinking exhibition makers. Jurors for the current awards are:

Jody Graf

Assistant Curator

MoMA PS1

&

Pamela Meadows

Curator

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA)

The jurors will be selecting 6 artists from the open call who will each receive an unrestricted cash grant.

2 artists will win $3,500 and 4 artists will win $1,000.

The jurors will also select a shortlist of 30 artists who will have their work archived here.

Grant awards are unrestricted and may be used any way the recipients choose.

When submitting your work, you will have the option to opt-in to be considered for possible Instagram features on our feed @hopperprize, where we currently reach an audience of over 65k. Our editors will be featuring select submissions on a rolling basis prior to the application deadline.

In addition to grant awards, their shortlist, and Instagram reach, we will be providing an additional platform for exposure via the online Journal Insights Into Contemporary Art. They launched this digital publication to give artists a new channel to amplify their voice while providing an in-depth look at their work, practice, and background. Grant recipients and shortlisted artists will all receive the opportunity to publish an interview to include any work of their choosing as a means of providing continued support beyond the open call.

Eligibility

The Hopper Prize is open to all artists age 18 and older working in any media. There are no restrictions on genre, subject matter, or media. They welcome entries in all media.

They are committed to supporting artists from diverse cultural backgrounds at all stages of their professional careers. All artists are encouraged to apply.

Deadline

May 17, 2022

Simple Application

They've made the grant application simple to reduce the stress of submitting your work and save you time. The application is short and can be completed in under 20 minutes.

To apply for a grant, you only need to submit this information:

• Name & Email

• Instagram Username (optional)

• Up to 10 Image or Video attachments

• Artwork captions

• Artist Statement & Biography (optional)

• $40 submission fee

Apply Now - HERE

Harwood Art Center has an opening for a full-time Arts Education Coordinator. They ae are looking for someone who "embodies the philosophy, mission and values of Harwood and our parent organization, Escuela del Sol Montessori, and who believes in our work as deeply as the other extraordinary members of our core staff. If you feel called to steward and create opportunities grounded in arts, engagement, community, citizenship, education and professional development, you are the person for this role."

They encourage you to apply using the form linked below. For best consideration, please submit as soon as possible. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis.

APPLY HERE

Exposed DC Returns to Mount Pleasant for 16th Annual Photography Show. Featuring 38 images of the Washington, D.C. metro area taken by local photographers.

Exhibit presented at Lost Origins Outside in Mount Pleasant. The exhibition will be on view at Lost Origins Outside located along the exterior wall of Ellē restaurant at 3221 Mt Pleasant St NW through July 24.

Opening celebration: Sunday, May 29 from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

Best in Show awards chosen by five distinguished local photographers. Five of the photographs will receive a Best in Show award along with a $100 cash prize. These awards are selected by independent judges who are acclaimed photographers in the D.C. community. This year, they are Dee Dwyer, Andrew Harnik, Kenny Holston, Cheriss May, and Michael McCoy selecting these special awards.

Full-color exhibition magazine featuring all winning images available for purchase. 

You can see all the images here.  As usual, I always like to run through these juried shows and selected my own prize winners.  From the 38 photos in this very strong show, but my pick for Best in Show is Arpita Upadhyaya's wonderful "Morning Silhouette", which is a spectacular display of contrast wizardry!

Arpita Upadhyaya – Morning Silhouette

I also liked the raw power of Chris Suspect's Thelma and the Sleaze at Slash Run.

Chris Suspect – Thelma and the Sleaze at Slash Run

Sandra Kauffman – Disconnected

 Art Clinic Online - Saturday, May 28 from 10:30 -11:30am

Join me at the Art Clinic Online for a discussion and Q&A about nearly everything you wanted to know about being an artist, grants, resume-building, approaching galleries, etc.

About Art Clinic Online (ACO)

The Art Clinic Online community aims to create a friendly artsy environment and bring together artists who may have taken classes with us before or who are contemplating it and want to learn from one another in an online community-based setting. As such, they are not didactic sessions but a forum for the equal exchange of art ideas and art information as well as an opportunity to share art challenges and breakthroughs. 

The Stone Tower resident artists created the ACO after hearing the need for such a forum expressed by many of their students. If you are interested in joining, click the button below and email Mariana to join! Yes, it's still FREE.

Location: Glen Echo.

Get excited for art, entertainment, food & more at the annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, May 14 (10am - 6pm) & Sunday, May 15 (10am - 5pm)! Stroll Norfolk & Auburn Avenues to see 100+ artist booths, listen to great music & enjoy food, wine & beer for the perfect weekend in downtown Bethesda.

All free and also plenty of free parking!

Details here.

You can see the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2022 artists here.

You know what's coming next - my awards for top artists in the show.  As a brilliant juror, I can use my experienced eye from the thumbnails and website visits to award the Campello awards.

For the painters I liked  Zhiyi Li (from Enfield, CT) in Booth #66, and Thomas Williams (from Chicago, IL) in Booth #78.  

All three printmakers in the show are exceptional -- I've written a lot about Joseph Craig English from Washington Grove, MD (Booth #84) - in this show John Pernell and Michael Nemnich are also quite good.

For Mixed Media, my top pick was Sandra Sedmak Engel, whose sensual work is a pleasure both to the eye and the eros that outdoor shows usually try to eliminate.

There are a lot of talented photographers in the show. See them all here. James Richmond from Titusville, Florida (Booth #76) went to Cuba and has the mandatory photos of old 1950s cars in Havana, as I understand that the Cuban dictatorship will not allow tourists (and photographers especially) to depart from the jailed island unless evidence is presented at the airport that photographs of the vintage cars have been taken.  

Pet peeve aside, Richmond has an exceptional eye for capturing the grace that is human kind, all the way from Portuguese card players in Old Europe to gorgeous indigenous women in Panama, to Cuban farmers in the brutalized Castro Brothers' Workers Paradise. It is a wonderful photograph, capturing the essence of the Cuban guajiro, his ancient Basque bloodlines still quite cleaning running through his veins as evidenced by the telltale ear lobe, a wide smile for the American tourist on his thin lips, and a hand-rolled Habano in his mouth, the envy of every smoker millionaire around the planet.

"Cuban Farmer" by James Richmond

In the category of sculpture, Tanya Tyree caught my attention as her sculptures struggle between talented efficiency and a bit of whimsy. What is clear is a straight and unique vision being delivered by the (I suspect) very strong and skilled hands of this artist.

And the Campello pick for Best in Show?

It goes to painter Cassie Taggart from Rehoboth, DE in Booth #51.

Parachutes by Cassie Taggart

While anyone can immediately see that Taggart's work explore surrealism, what she has brilliantly done is to deliver a new 21st century version of surrealism, where her skilled painting talents marry it with fantasy, and the fantastical (which is different) as well as a healthy dose of narrative storytelling.  

It is "otherworldly" artwork deeply anchored in data which lives hidden in our ancestral brain.  This is work which once you buy it and hang it in your house, will dominate everything else which you have hung on those walls.

Go outside and see some artwork this weekend, talks to artists and artisans, eat some bad-for-you food and listen to some outdoor music.

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) requests applications from qualified arts, humanities, arts education, and service organizations for its Fiscal Year 2023 Art Bank Program. Award amounts vary but eligible applicants can be awarded up to $15,000.

RFA Release: Monday | May 2, 2022

Submission Deadline: Friday | June 24, 2022 | 4 pm

Incomplete or late applications or applications that do not follow the instructions and guidelines will be automatically deemed ineligible for review and funding.

Prospective applicants should read through the Request for Applications (RFA) in its entirety before submitting an application.

Details here.

Staff Contact: Sarah Gordon, Curator | sarah.gordon2@dc.gov

 Art Clinic Online - Saturday, May 28 from 10:30 -11:30am

Join me at the Art Clinic Online for a discussion and Q&A about nearly everything you wanted to know about being an artist, grants, resume-building, approaching galleries, etc.

About Art Clinic Online (ACO)

The Art Clinic Online community aims to create a friendly artsy environment and bring together artists who may have taken classes with us before or who are contemplating it and want to learn from one another in an online community-based setting. As such, they are not didactic sessions but a forum for the equal exchange of art ideas and art information as well as an opportunity to share art challenges and breakthroughs. 

The Stone Tower resident artists created the ACO after hearing the need for such a forum expressed by many of their students. If you are interested in joining, click the button below and email Mariana to join! Yes, it's still FREE.

Location: Glen Echo.

Get excited for art, entertainment, food & more at the annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, May 14 (10am - 6pm) & Sunday, May 15 (10am - 5pm)! Stroll Norfolk & Auburn Avenues to see 100+ artist booths, listen to great music & enjoy food, wine & beer for the perfect weekend in downtown Bethesda.

All free and also plenty of free parking!

Details here.

You can see the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2022 artists here.

You know what's coming next - my awards for top artists in the show.  As a brilliant juror, I can use my experienced eye from the thumbnails and website visits to award the Campello awards.

For the painters I liked  Zhiyi Li (from Enfield, CT) in Booth #66, and Thomas Williams (from Chicago, IL) in Booth #78.  

All three printmakers in the show are exceptional -- I've written a lot about Joseph Craig English from Washington Grove, MD (Booth #84) - in this show John Pernell and Michael Nemnich are also quite good.

For Mixed Media, my top pick was Sandra Sedmak Engel, whose sensual work is a pleasure both to the eye and the eros that outdoor shows usually try to eliminate.

There are a lot of talented photographers in the show. See them all here. James Richmond from Titusville, Florida (Booth #76) went to Cuba and has the mandatory photos of old 1950s cars in Havana, as I understand that the Cuban dictatorship will not allow tourists (and photographers especially) to depart from the jailed island unless evidence is presented at the airport that photographs of the vintage cars have been taken.  

Pet peeve aside, Richmond has an exceptional eye for capturing the grace that is human kind, all the way from Portuguese card players in Old Europe to gorgeous indigenous women in Panama, to Cuban farmers in the brutalized Castro Brothers' Workers Paradise.

Cuban farmer by James Richmond

In the category of sculpture, Tanya Tyree caught my attention as her sculptures struggle between talented efficiency and a bit of whimsy. What is clear is a straight and unique vision being delivered by the (I suspect) very strong and skilled hands of this artist.

And the Campello pick for Best in Show?

It goes to painter Cassie Taggart from Rehoboth, DE in Booth #51.

Parachutes by Cassie Taggart

It is "otherworldly" artwork deeply anchored in data which lives hidden in our ancestral brain.  This is work which once you buy it and hang it in your house, will dominate everything else which you have hung on those walls.

Go outside and see some artwork this weekend, talks to artists and artisans, eat some bad-for-you food and listen to some outdoor music.

 Maybe we can find this artist a sponsor  --   I kinda like the fresh, open approach?

Dear Sir 

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Karema Karissa and I'm an artist based in Nairobi, Kenya. I write to you seeking patronage in order to continue my career in art. I seek your patronage for many reasons that will benefit both of us, to be honest, mostly me as I am in need. I'll start by telling you a bit more about myself and the work I do.

I was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2013 I graduated from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa with a bachelor's degree in commerce majoring in marketing. Upon graduating I ventured into a career in art as this has been my interest since I was 8 years old. Throughout the years I have tried different mediums and techniques. In 2019, I finally established my own niche and launched my website kareshart.com in 2020.

My niche is modern art with modern techniques. I apply smooth layer upon layer with wax based Prismacolor colored pencils, ink vector patterns and gold acrylic paint to create unique high quality skyscape and arabic calligraphy pieces.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to sell to the point that I would be able to earn a living entirely out of my talent. I truly believe in my talent and my aim is to make a name for myself as a great talent of my time. To book my place in history as an artist who showed dedication, character, hard work and exceptional talent in his niche. I would like to live out my life creating art.

I priced my work low in order to survive but surviving is not living. Out of 101 pieces currently I have sold 12 in 2 years for a total of $650. My artwork was priced $140 each on my website but I believe it is worth so much more. Thus I have disabled purchases on my website as I now seek a patron for this collection of artworks. It has taken me a whole lifetime of ups and downs, failures, progress, learning and unlearning, to get to this level of skill. 22 years to be precise. Prior to my website launch and the establishment of my niche, I sold over 60 pieces of art since the official launch of my art career in 2013. But not at a price enough to make a living. I do believe that I am an exceptional talent. All I need is someone to believe in me.

You can visit my Instagram page @karesh_art. If you scroll down my page while checking the dates you will see that I have been constantly working on my craft. I can producing 5 to 8 pieces a month. All of them are beautiful, similar yet unique in their own way.  My goal is to create one of the largest bodies of artworks in my niche. I have done 101 pieces so far, I would like to get to 1000 God willing. I am passionate about my work, I love what I do. Unfortunately my work has stalled because of financial constraints and lack of time. I have had to seek other sources of income to cater for my living expenses. This has taken up the time I had to work on my craft. Thus I am in need of your assistance to save and maintain my career.

A short description of my work is as follows: The skyscapes/seascapes are inspired by the mystery that's above us and below us. Whenever I look up to the sky I'm amazed at the possibilities of what could be out there in the universe. Same goes for the ocean, so much of it is yet to be explored. The vast array of amazing creatures, plants, mountains and trenches. So much more than the eyes can see. Another inspiration is the general beauty of the sky and the ocean. How they both change with different times, seasons and tides. We live on a beautiful planet and we are responsible for its preservation.

My Arabic calligraphy is inspired by the need to educate on Islam, sending reminders to my Muslim brothers and sisters and the beauty of the Arabic language. It's my way of giving back and spreading peace and love to a people that are greatly misunderstood.

Historically, people in positions of power like kings, queens and wealthy people funded all types of visual artists. They guaranteed financial security to artists giving them an opportunity to earn a living while creating art. They would do so through patronage. This increased value and security and shaped artists to be viewed as people possessing unique skills that warrant respect, admiration and payment. This earned these individuals the title 'Patron of the Arts' as they stood out as those who are capable of supporting artistic talent. With their passion for talent and philanthropy they changed the lives of many artists and paved the way for growth of the art industry over the years shaping it to what it is today.

I therefore seek your patronage to save my career, to give me an opportunity to achieve my goals and to help me realize my full potential. Your patronage is going to have great benefits for me. My career is currently at risk and your assistance would help me maintain it. 

You will be helping me realize my dream just like every other athlete, actor, musician and so on who have had the opportunity to earn through their talent and hard work. This will give me the freedom to practice my craft for the rest of my life. I will be able to afford a better studio space, better supplies, better recording equipment, preservation of my artwork and so much more. I will be able to cater for travel expenses to attend exhibitions and mentorships in order to improve my career. I have received invites to exhibit my artwork and mentorship opportunities by masters of art but I lost the opportunities as I could not afford the travel expenses. Art can be capital intensive sometimes. I will have the opportunity to teach my craft and pass down the knowledge I have acquired throughout the years. I would like to help improve my community through my talent. The benefits are many. The world is full of people with different sets of skills. Some doctors, lawyers, bankers, footballers...Art is what I'm good at, so I'm asking you to grant me this opportunity.

I reach out to you because of your capabilities and I do believe this is where I can find someone capable of granting me the assistance I need. The values you uphold and your drive are a great inspiration. It would be an honour to secure your patronage. 

The benefit to you is first off, the delight of helping someone in need. You will also be an important part of my journey. An artistic journey I will be on, for the rest of my life God willing. You will be the patron who set the stage for me to become a great artist of his age. You will be a 'Patron of the Arts' for my collection and I will not let you down in making sure that your contribution is well placed. You will be amongst those who support people with unique talents in society in these times where talent has developed high consideration. If you give me this opportunity I will not waste it.

My proposal is that you purchase my whole collection of current artworks. They are 92 in total, 17 by 17 cm artworks. 68 skyscapes and 24 arabic calligraphy artworks. This will give me a lot of breathing space. I propose you  purchase them at $3,000 each. A total of $276,000 for the whole collection. This is for a skill that has been 22 years in the making. This will give me the opportunity to pursue and achieve my goals God willing. I do believe my work is worth it and so much more. I do believe you won't be disappointed when you see them. I lay great emphasis on quality. You can view the collection on my website kareshart.com, portfolio page.

The pieces can be kept in a private collection. They can be kept in a corporate collection. They can be hung all over the walls of your company premises. Art has been known to create an inspiring work environment for employees. The pieces can be given as gifts to family. They can be given to employees as gifts for appreciation. Amongst many other uses of Art.

Art is also an increasing asset. If you invest in my talent you will have a valuable asset in your hands. My success in the art industry, God willing, will also increase it's value. As the years go by the value of the asset keeps increasing. Recently a 2.75 by 2.75 inch sketch by Da vinci sold for 12 million dollars. Companies such as UBS have a collection of upto 35,000 artworks. I have attached a comprehensive report by Dr. Clare McAndrew, founder of Art Economics for the year 2022. This detailed report reveals the kind of value the art industry holds together with the shifts as per the market environment. Granting me your patronage will be a worthy investment that will benefit you in the short term and the long term. It will secure a future for generations to come. 

This is not entirely about the money though. This is about gaining the freedom to practise my craft. Something I have worked on for years and I feel I have earned it. I feel it is time I got the platform to truly realise my full potential. That platform is my freedom. With the limited time I currently have, I am already working on a new collection of artworks to keep my career a float. But it's my dream to be able to do this full time. Some of the piece are already available for purchase on my website.

Upon securing your patronage, my next step will be to find a mentor who is already established in the art industry. Someone who will guide me on how to introduce and maintain  my brand in the international art industry amongst many other benefits of mentorship. I seek to use this achievement of securing patronage to secure mentorship from a master of art. Your patronage will improve my reputation and grant me the resources to pursue this goal. I also have the option to reach out to the masters of art who had previously agreed to mentor me as I'll have the funds to meet the financial demands. I am also still in contact with the international art galleries that have invited me to work with them. All that's left is the financing. You're welcome to follow up on my progress anytime and as much as you please.

The artworks will be delivered as per your request. The pieces are not framed but are well packaged, secured and ready for delivery to the address you will provide. 

I welcome any proposal you have. Or any terms and conditions you may have. I have attached my art C.V with references and I can provide sample images of my artworks. You can also view the collection on my website kareshart.com, portfolio page. Videos of the creation of the piece are available on my Instagram highlights, page name @karesh_art. I am willing to provide any documentation that you need for authentication. I truly am in need of assistance thus I reach out as far as I can. I hope you shall consider my proposal.

I apologize for the long e-mail. Thank you in advance

Regards,

Karema Karissa

+254715750845

Two Maryland artists were awarded commissions for the Catonsville courthouse project. 

From over 200 applications received, the Artist Selection Committee for the District Court of Maryland's new Catonsville Courthouse selected two artists for the building's visual public art commissions. 

Jackson Jarvis Studios will develop large-scale mosaics for the building's lobby, and Wesley Clark will create a multimedia painting installation for the 2nd floor. Both are inspired by the flora and fauna and the natural landscape of the Patapsco River valley found in western Baltimore County. 

Congratulations to both!

Now in its 31st year, the Tephra ICA Festival (formerly Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival) will take place on May 20–22, 2022 and will highlight more than 200 artists and artisans from across the nation. Drawing upon a robust exhibitor and collector base coupled with Tephra ICA’s contemporary art foundation, the Festival has become one of the region’s most anticipated events, attracting approximately 30,000 people to the unique, outdoor environment of Reston Town Center.

Details here.

I juried this festival a few years ago, and have participated in it many times over the years, maybe 25 or 26 times out of the 31 years, and I have won a ton of awards over the years - I applied again this year and got rejected, which is OK, since there are new jurors each year, and rejection is part of an artist's life.

It is a great show!

This year's jurors will select the award winners when the festival opens - but as usual, I'd like to run through them online and award my own awards.

You can see the artists here and make up your own awardees... my first observation is that (as usual), this show is heavily tilting towards the craft side - it's somewhat of a trademark for Reston, and since the beginning it has added more and more jewelry, furniture, etc. at the expense of the fine arts. There are about 30 jewelers in the group! And they're all really good!

But, did I sound elitist or what? Sorry...

And the awards go to...

Best Painting Award: Jill Banks - Booth 943 - A true example of the 10,000 hour rule; Banks is a master and her work shows it. Tough category with 37 painters here - all really good with notable ones such as the superbly talented Ann Barbieri, Jon Smith, Cassie Taggart and others.

Best Photography Award - Landscape photography dominates, which is to be expected, and (as I've noted for decades now) I tire of seeing photos of crumbling buildings in Havana and old 1950s cars - please! Enough! If you wanna take photographs of Cuba, go somewhere else other than Havana! Maybe photograph some of the heroes who often take to the streets to protest the brutality of Communism! 

James McArthur Cole is trying hard to head in the right direction, and he has some stunning Cuban photos, such as the one below - but I deduct two points for each photo of an old car.

Cuba 60 by James McArthur Cole

But John Deng - Booth 317 - stands out! His beautiful photos are equally adept at capturing immensely different landscapes as well as the diversity of the human species.

Honey Gatherers by John Deng

Photo by John Deng at Tephra 2022 ICA Festival

Best Weird Art Award: Greg Stones - Booth 523 - Greg notes that his "basic process is this: Paint a landscape. Then add weird stuff." It works! They are immensely interesting paintings.

Best DMV Award: Joseph Craig English - Booth 700 - Craig is a master of the DMV landscape/landmarks - no one on the planet can do it better. By the way - there are only four printmakers in the entire show: English plus Mel Fleck, Jim McCormick and Laura Wilder; they are all really, really good. Note to future jurors: More printmakers!!!!

Best Craft Award: Mick Whitcomb - Booth 816 - Specializes in one-of-a-kind furniture and lighting made from architectural and industrial salvage - the kind of stuff that some call "steampunk."  The work is clever and unique and far outshines (no pun intended) the category competitors.

Fan Light Fixture by Mick Whitcomb

Best Drawing Award - Easy pick here with the complex drawings of Susan Deaton in booth 423. She notes that her work is about "conceptualization of social and environmental issues through the use of symbolic images." Methinks there's a lot of Lovecraft in there as well.

Best Glass Award - The DMV is home to three of the best known glass artists on the planet, and thus a magnet place for artists of this genre.  The work of David Sandidge stands out... some of the whimsical pieces remind me of Carmen Lozar's early work.  Sandidge is clearly a master of this most demanding of all arts.

Glass art by David Sandidge

I will announce the Best in Show winner when I visit the show in person next month!

Exhibit Opportunity: Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House

The Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House is seeking exhibition proposals for 2023. 

The Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House is a non-profit gallery located in Columbia, Maryland. Operated by the Wilde Lake Community Association, the gallery features two spaces within the Slayton House lobby and Conference Room that hosts multiple juried art exhibits per year.

Details here -- Send completed application forms to Lisa Kim at events@wildelake.org. 

Deadline: June 20, 2022

The Howard County Arts Council will hold its annual Celebration of the Arts in Howard County gala on November 5. The Celebration is an exciting showcase for local artistic talent, and is one of HCAC's major funding sources for arts programs. They are seeking artists for the submittable.com/submit/225383/juried-silent-auction-2022" target="_blank">Juried Silent Art Auction, which takes place in the Rouse Company Foundation Gallery at Howard Community College and is an essential part of the Celebration.

Eligibility:

2D, 3D, and fine craft artists who work, live, or study in Howard County are eligible to submit, as are HCAC members or artists who have exhibited at the Howard County Center for the Arts within the past year. Artists must be 18 years or older. Artwork exhibited in previous auctions is ineligible.

Details here.

Eight painters have been selected as finalists for the Bethesda Painting Awards, a juried competition and exhibition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District. Over 200 artists from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. submitted work to the annual competition created to exclusively honor regional painters.

The top prize winners will be announced on Wednesday, June, 8nd in a private reception. The Best in Show winner will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000.

The artists selected as finalists are:

• Emma Childs, Baltimore, MD
• Jim Condron, Lutherville-Timonium, MD
• Andrew Hladky, Kensington, MD
• Jeremy Jirsa, Dundalk, MD
• Magnolia Laurie, Baltimore, MD
• McKinley Wallace III, Baltimore, MD
• James Williams II, Baltimore, MD
• Ju Yun, Chantilly, VA

The exhibit will be on display June 9 – July 3, 2022 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E in the former Fraser Gallery space. Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibit will be Thursday-Sunday, 12 – 5pm.

The competition’s jurors consisted of Maggie Michael, Painter and The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, Best in Show winner 2008; Tony Shore, Bethesda Painting Award Best in Show winner 2006 and Maryland Institute College of Art, Painting Chair; and Robert Yi, George Mason University, Assistant Professor and Interim Chair of Drawing and Painting.

The Bethesda Painting Awards was established by local business owner Carol Trawick in 2005. Ms. Trawick has served as a community activist for more than 25 years in downtown Bethesda and established The Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation in 2007. She is the former Chair of the Maryland State Arts Council, Strathmore, Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. and founder of The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards.

I walked through the 10th Annual Rockville Arts Festival in downtown Rockville today - as usual it is a terrific show with loads of good artists, food and entertainment!

I love the fact that every booth is a corner booth - thus maximizing the exhibition space for each artist! This show is always good and reflects the hard work of its director Robin Markowitz.

As usual, my two bits on some of my faves from this show.

I liked Bob Friedenberg's fantasy line drawings and Matthew Miller's paintings.

I also admired the paintings of Richard McMurry, who told me that he's somewhat new to the outdoor art circuit; he's clearly a painter at the top of his form!

Detail of a painting by Richard McMurry

Painting by Sandra Sedmark Engel

Sculptures by Tanya Tree

$3,500 Grants - All Media Eligible

Deadline: May 17, 2022

The Hopper Prize is now accepting entries for the Spring 2022 artist grants.

They are offering $3,500 and $1,000 grants to artists and photographers around the world.

Grants will be awarded through an open call art competition juried by leading contemporary curators. Current Jurors:

— Jody Graf, Assistant Curator, MoMA PS1

— Pamela Meadows, Curator, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art

The Hopper Prize was established in order to increase the recognition of artwork created by artists and photographers. Their aim is to advance artists' careers by providing them with unrestricted financial support that is coupled with a platform for increased visibility. They accept submissions twice a year via an open call.

They are currently accepting submissions for the Spring 2022 grant cycle.

Program Highlights

Total Awards: $11,000.00 USD for visual artists

• $3,500.00 – 2 artists will each receive a $3,500 (USD) grant

• $1,000.00 – 4 artists will each receive a $1,000 (USD) grant

• 30 artists will have their work archived at hopperprize.org

• A selection from the submissions will be featured on their Instagram feed @hopperprize

• Additional exposure will be available to winners through their Journal: Insights into Contemporary Art

Connect with Curators

They collaborate with contemporary curators holding prominent positions at major institutions in order to select our grant winners. The open call provides you with a direct path to get your work in front of these forward thinking exhibition makers. Jurors for the current awards are:

Jody Graf

Assistant Curator

MoMA PS1

&

Pamela Meadows

Curator

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA)

The jurors will be selecting 6 artists from the open call who will each receive an unrestricted cash grant.

2 artists will win $3,500 and 4 artists will win $1,000.

The jurors will also select a shortlist of 30 artists who will have their work archived here.

Grant awards are unrestricted and may be used any way the recipients choose.

When submitting your work, you will have the option to opt-in to be considered for possible Instagram features on our feed @hopperprize, where we currently reach an audience of over 65k. Our editors will be featuring select submissions on a rolling basis prior to the application deadline.

In addition to grant awards, their shortlist, and Instagram reach, we will be providing an additional platform for exposure via the online Journal Insights Into Contemporary Art. They launched this digital publication to give artists a new channel to amplify their voice while providing an in-depth look at their work, practice, and background. Grant recipients and shortlisted artists will all receive the opportunity to publish an interview to include any work of their choosing as a means of providing continued support beyond the open call.

Eligibility

The Hopper Prize is open to all artists age 18 and older working in any media. There are no restrictions on genre, subject matter, or media. They welcome entries in all media.

They are committed to supporting artists from diverse cultural backgrounds at all stages of their professional careers. All artists are encouraged to apply.

Deadline

May 17, 2022

Simple Application

They've made the grant application simple to reduce the stress of submitting your work and save you time. The application is short and can be completed in under 20 minutes.

To apply for a grant, you only need to submit this information:

• Name & Email

• Instagram Username (optional)

• Up to 10 Image or Video attachments

• Artwork captions

• Artist Statement & Biography (optional)

• $40 submission fee

Apply Now - HERE

Harwood Art Center has an opening for a full-time Arts Education Coordinator. They ae are looking for someone who "embodies the philosophy, mission and values of Harwood and our parent organization, Escuela del Sol Montessori, and who believes in our work as deeply as the other extraordinary members of our core staff. If you feel called to steward and create opportunities grounded in arts, engagement, community, citizenship, education and professional development, you are the person for this role."

They encourage you to apply using the form linked below. For best consideration, please submit as soon as possible. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis.

APPLY HERE

Exposed DC Returns to Mount Pleasant for 16th Annual Photography Show. Featuring 38 images of the Washington, D.C. metro area taken by local photographers.

Exhibit presented at Lost Origins Outside in Mount Pleasant. The exhibition will be on view at Lost Origins Outside located along the exterior wall of Ellē restaurant at 3221 Mt Pleasant St NW through July 24.

Opening celebration: Sunday, May 29 from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

Best in Show awards chosen by five distinguished local photographers. Five of the photographs will receive a Best in Show award along with a $100 cash prize. These awards are selected by independent judges who are acclaimed photographers in the D.C. community. This year, they are Dee Dwyer, Andrew Harnik, Kenny Holston, Cheriss May, and Michael McCoy selecting these special awards.

Full-color exhibition magazine featuring all winning images available for purchase. 

You can see all the images here.  As usual, I always like to run through these juried shows and selected my own prize winners.  From the 38 photos in this very strong show, but my pick for Best in Show is Arpita Upadhyaya's wonderful "Morning Silhouette", which is a spectacular display of contrast wizardry!

Arpita Upadhyaya – Morning Silhouette

I also liked the raw power of Chris Suspect's Thelma and the Sleaze at Slash Run.

Chris Suspect – Thelma and the Sleaze at Slash Run

Sandra Kauffman – Disconnected

 Art Clinic Online - Saturday, May 28 from 10:30 -11:30am

Join me at the Art Clinic Online for a discussion and Q&A about nearly everything you wanted to know about being an artist, grants, resume-building, approaching galleries, etc.

About Art Clinic Online (ACO)

The Art Clinic Online community aims to create a friendly artsy environment and bring together artists who may have taken classes with us before or who are contemplating it and want to learn from one another in an online community-based setting. As such, they are not didactic sessions but a forum for the equal exchange of art ideas and art information as well as an opportunity to share art challenges and breakthroughs. 

The Stone Tower resident artists created the ACO after hearing the need for such a forum expressed by many of their students. If you are interested in joining, click the button below and email Mariana to join! Yes, it's still FREE.

Location: Glen Echo.

Get excited for art, entertainment, food & more at the annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, May 14 (10am - 6pm) & Sunday, May 15 (10am - 5pm)! Stroll Norfolk & Auburn Avenues to see 100+ artist booths, listen to great music & enjoy food, wine & beer for the perfect weekend in downtown Bethesda.

All free and also plenty of free parking!

Details here.

You can see the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2022 artists here.

You know what's coming next - my awards for top artists in the show.  As a brilliant juror, I can use my experienced eye from the thumbnails and website visits to award the Campello awards.

For the painters I liked  Zhiyi Li (from Enfield, CT) in Booth #66, and Thomas Williams (from Chicago, IL) in Booth #78.  

All three printmakers in the show are exceptional -- I've written a lot about Joseph Craig English from Washington Grove, MD (Booth #84) - in this show John Pernell and Michael Nemnich are also quite good.

For Mixed Media, my top pick was Sandra Sedmak Engel, whose sensual work is a pleasure both to the eye and the eros that outdoor shows usually try to eliminate.

There are a lot of talented photographers in the show. See them all here. James Richmond from Titusville, Florida (Booth #76) went to Cuba and has the mandatory photos of old 1950s cars in Havana, as I understand that the Cuban dictatorship will not allow tourists (and photographers especially) to depart from the jailed island unless evidence is presented at the airport that photographs of the vintage cars have been taken.  

Pet peeve aside, Richmond has an exceptional eye for capturing the grace that is human kind, all the way from Portuguese card players in Old Europe to gorgeous indigenous women in Panama, to Cuban farmers in the brutalized Castro Brothers' Workers Paradise. It is a wonderful photograph, capturing the essence of the Cuban guajiro, his ancient Basque bloodlines still quite cleaning running through his veins as evidenced by the telltale ear lobe, a wide smile for the American tourist on his thin lips, and a hand-rolled Habano in his mouth, the envy of every smoker millionaire around the planet.

"Cuban Farmer" by James Richmond

In the category of sculpture, Tanya Tyree caught my attention as her sculptures struggle between talented efficiency and a bit of whimsy. What is clear is a straight and unique vision being delivered by the (I suspect) very strong and skilled hands of this artist.

And the Campello pick for Best in Show?

It goes to painter Cassie Taggart from Rehoboth, DE in Booth #51.

Parachutes by Cassie Taggart

While anyone can immediately see that Taggart's work explore surrealism, what she has brilliantly done is to deliver a new 21st century version of surrealism, where her skilled painting talents marry it with fantasy, and the fantastical (which is different) as well as a healthy dose of narrative storytelling.  

It is "otherworldly" artwork deeply anchored in data which lives hidden in our ancestral brain.  This is work which once you buy it and hang it in your house, will dominate everything else which you have hung on those walls.

Go outside and see some artwork this weekend, talks to artists and artisans, eat some bad-for-you food and listen to some outdoor music.

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) requests applications from qualified arts, humanities, arts education, and service organizations for its Fiscal Year 2023 Art Bank Program. Award amounts vary but eligible applicants can be awarded up to $15,000.

RFA Release: Monday | May 2, 2022

Submission Deadline: Friday | June 24, 2022 | 4 pm

Incomplete or late applications or applications that do not follow the instructions and guidelines will be automatically deemed ineligible for review and funding.

Prospective applicants should read through the Request for Applications (RFA) in its entirety before submitting an application.

Details here.

Staff Contact: Sarah Gordon, Curator | sarah.gordon2@dc.gov

 Art Clinic Online - Saturday, May 28 from 10:30 -11:30am

Join me at the Art Clinic Online for a discussion and Q&A about nearly everything you wanted to know about being an artist, grants, resume-building, approaching galleries, etc.

About Art Clinic Online (ACO)

The Art Clinic Online community aims to create a friendly artsy environment and bring together artists who may have taken classes with us before or who are contemplating it and want to learn from one another in an online community-based setting. As such, they are not didactic sessions but a forum for the equal exchange of art ideas and art information as well as an opportunity to share art challenges and breakthroughs. 

The Stone Tower resident artists created the ACO after hearing the need for such a forum expressed by many of their students. If you are interested in joining, click the button below and email Mariana to join! Yes, it's still FREE.

Location: Glen Echo.

Get excited for art, entertainment, food & more at the annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, May 14 (10am - 6pm) & Sunday, May 15 (10am - 5pm)! Stroll Norfolk & Auburn Avenues to see 100+ artist booths, listen to great music & enjoy food, wine & beer for the perfect weekend in downtown Bethesda.

All free and also plenty of free parking!

Details here.

You can see the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2022 artists here.

You know what's coming next - my awards for top artists in the show.  As a brilliant juror, I can use my experienced eye from the thumbnails and website visits to award the Campello awards.

For the painters I liked  Zhiyi Li (from Enfield, CT) in Booth #66, and Thomas Williams (from Chicago, IL) in Booth #78.  

All three printmakers in the show are exceptional -- I've written a lot about Joseph Craig English from Washington Grove, MD (Booth #84) - in this show John Pernell and Michael Nemnich are also quite good.

For Mixed Media, my top pick was Sandra Sedmak Engel, whose sensual work is a pleasure both to the eye and the eros that outdoor shows usually try to eliminate.

There are a lot of talented photographers in the show. See them all here. James Richmond from Titusville, Florida (Booth #76) went to Cuba and has the mandatory photos of old 1950s cars in Havana, as I understand that the Cuban dictatorship will not allow tourists (and photographers especially) to depart from the jailed island unless evidence is presented at the airport that photographs of the vintage cars have been taken.  

Pet peeve aside, Richmond has an exceptional eye for capturing the grace that is human kind, all the way from Portuguese card players in Old Europe to gorgeous indigenous women in Panama, to Cuban farmers in the brutalized Castro Brothers' Workers Paradise.

Cuban farmer by James Richmond

In the category of sculpture, Tanya Tyree caught my attention as her sculptures struggle between talented efficiency and a bit of whimsy. What is clear is a straight and unique vision being delivered by the (I suspect) very strong and skilled hands of this artist.

And the Campello pick for Best in Show?

It goes to painter Cassie Taggart from Rehoboth, DE in Booth #51.

Parachutes by Cassie Taggart

It is "otherworldly" artwork deeply anchored in data which lives hidden in our ancestral brain.  This is work which once you buy it and hang it in your house, will dominate everything else which you have hung on those walls.

Go outside and see some artwork this weekend, talks to artists and artisans, eat some bad-for-you food and listen to some outdoor music.

 Maybe we can find this artist a sponsor  --   I kinda like the fresh, open approach?

Dear Sir 

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Karema Karissa and I'm an artist based in Nairobi, Kenya. I write to you seeking patronage in order to continue my career in art. I seek your patronage for many reasons that will benefit both of us, to be honest, mostly me as I am in need. I'll start by telling you a bit more about myself and the work I do.

I was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2013 I graduated from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa with a bachelor's degree in commerce majoring in marketing. Upon graduating I ventured into a career in art as this has been my interest since I was 8 years old. Throughout the years I have tried different mediums and techniques. In 2019, I finally established my own niche and launched my website kareshart.com in 2020.

My niche is modern art with modern techniques. I apply smooth layer upon layer with wax based Prismacolor colored pencils, ink vector patterns and gold acrylic paint to create unique high quality skyscape and arabic calligraphy pieces.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to sell to the point that I would be able to earn a living entirely out of my talent. I truly believe in my talent and my aim is to make a name for myself as a great talent of my time. To book my place in history as an artist who showed dedication, character, hard work and exceptional talent in his niche. I would like to live out my life creating art.

I priced my work low in order to survive but surviving is not living. Out of 101 pieces currently I have sold 12 in 2 years for a total of $650. My artwork was priced $140 each on my website but I believe it is worth so much more. Thus I have disabled purchases on my website as I now seek a patron for this collection of artworks. It has taken me a whole lifetime of ups and downs, failures, progress, learning and unlearning, to get to this level of skill. 22 years to be precise. Prior to my website launch and the establishment of my niche, I sold over 60 pieces of art since the official launch of my art career in 2013. But not at a price enough to make a living. I do believe that I am an exceptional talent. All I need is someone to believe in me.

You can visit my Instagram page @karesh_art. If you scroll down my page while checking the dates you will see that I have been constantly working on my craft. I can producing 5 to 8 pieces a month. All of them are beautiful, similar yet unique in their own way.  My goal is to create one of the largest bodies of artworks in my niche. I have done 101 pieces so far, I would like to get to 1000 God willing. I am passionate about my work, I love what I do. Unfortunately my work has stalled because of financial constraints and lack of time. I have had to seek other sources of income to cater for my living expenses. This has taken up the time I had to work on my craft. Thus I am in need of your assistance to save and maintain my career.

A short description of my work is as follows: The skyscapes/seascapes are inspired by the mystery that's above us and below us. Whenever I look up to the sky I'm amazed at the possibilities of what could be out there in the universe. Same goes for the ocean, so much of it is yet to be explored. The vast array of amazing creatures, plants, mountains and trenches. So much more than the eyes can see. Another inspiration is the general beauty of the sky and the ocean. How they both change with different times, seasons and tides. We live on a beautiful planet and we are responsible for its preservation.

My Arabic calligraphy is inspired by the need to educate on Islam, sending reminders to my Muslim brothers and sisters and the beauty of the Arabic language. It's my way of giving back and spreading peace and love to a people that are greatly misunderstood.

Historically, people in positions of power like kings, queens and wealthy people funded all types of visual artists. They guaranteed financial security to artists giving them an opportunity to earn a living while creating art. They would do so through patronage. This increased value and security and shaped artists to be viewed as people possessing unique skills that warrant respect, admiration and payment. This earned these individuals the title 'Patron of the Arts' as they stood out as those who are capable of supporting artistic talent. With their passion for talent and philanthropy they changed the lives of many artists and paved the way for growth of the art industry over the years shaping it to what it is today.

I therefore seek your patronage to save my career, to give me an opportunity to achieve my goals and to help me realize my full potential. Your patronage is going to have great benefits for me. My career is currently at risk and your assistance would help me maintain it. 

You will be helping me realize my dream just like every other athlete, actor, musician and so on who have had the opportunity to earn through their talent and hard work. This will give me the freedom to practice my craft for the rest of my life. I will be able to afford a better studio space, better supplies, better recording equipment, preservation of my artwork and so much more. I will be able to cater for travel expenses to attend exhibitions and mentorships in order to improve my career. I have received invites to exhibit my artwork and mentorship opportunities by masters of art but I lost the opportunities as I could not afford the travel expenses. Art can be capital intensive sometimes. I will have the opportunity to teach my craft and pass down the knowledge I have acquired throughout the years. I would like to help improve my community through my talent. The benefits are many. The world is full of people with different sets of skills. Some doctors, lawyers, bankers, footballers...Art is what I'm good at, so I'm asking you to grant me this opportunity.

I reach out to you because of your capabilities and I do believe this is where I can find someone capable of granting me the assistance I need. The values you uphold and your drive are a great inspiration. It would be an honour to secure your patronage. 

The benefit to you is first off, the delight of helping someone in need. You will also be an important part of my journey. An artistic journey I will be on, for the rest of my life God willing. You will be the patron who set the stage for me to become a great artist of his age. You will be a 'Patron of the Arts' for my collection and I will not let you down in making sure that your contribution is well placed. You will be amongst those who support people with unique talents in society in these times where talent has developed high consideration. If you give me this opportunity I will not waste it.

My proposal is that you purchase my whole collection of current artworks. They are 92 in total, 17 by 17 cm artworks. 68 skyscapes and 24 arabic calligraphy artworks. This will give me a lot of breathing space. I propose you  purchase them at $3,000 each. A total of $276,000 for the whole collection. This is for a skill that has been 22 years in the making. This will give me the opportunity to pursue and achieve my goals God willing. I do believe my work is worth it and so much more. I do believe you won't be disappointed when you see them. I lay great emphasis on quality. You can view the collection on my website kareshart.com, portfolio page.

The pieces can be kept in a private collection. They can be kept in a corporate collection. They can be hung all over the walls of your company premises. Art has been known to create an inspiring work environment for employees. The pieces can be given as gifts to family. They can be given to employees as gifts for appreciation. Amongst many other uses of Art.

Art is also an increasing asset. If you invest in my talent you will have a valuable asset in your hands. My success in the art industry, God willing, will also increase it's value. As the years go by the value of the asset keeps increasing. Recently a 2.75 by 2.75 inch sketch by Da vinci sold for 12 million dollars. Companies such as UBS have a collection of upto 35,000 artworks. I have attached a comprehensive report by Dr. Clare McAndrew, founder of Art Economics for the year 2022. This detailed report reveals the kind of value the art industry holds together with the shifts as per the market environment. Granting me your patronage will be a worthy investment that will benefit you in the short term and the long term. It will secure a future for generations to come. 

This is not entirely about the money though. This is about gaining the freedom to practise my craft. Something I have worked on for years and I feel I have earned it. I feel it is time I got the platform to truly realise my full potential. That platform is my freedom. With the limited time I currently have, I am already working on a new collection of artworks to keep my career a float. But it's my dream to be able to do this full time. Some of the piece are already available for purchase on my website.

Upon securing your patronage, my next step will be to find a mentor who is already established in the art industry. Someone who will guide me on how to introduce and maintain  my brand in the international art industry amongst many other benefits of mentorship. I seek to use this achievement of securing patronage to secure mentorship from a master of art. Your patronage will improve my reputation and grant me the resources to pursue this goal. I also have the option to reach out to the masters of art who had previously agreed to mentor me as I'll have the funds to meet the financial demands. I am also still in contact with the international art galleries that have invited me to work with them. All that's left is the financing. You're welcome to follow up on my progress anytime and as much as you please.

The artworks will be delivered as per your request. The pieces are not framed but are well packaged, secured and ready for delivery to the address you will provide. 

I welcome any proposal you have. Or any terms and conditions you may have. I have attached my art C.V with references and I can provide sample images of my artworks. You can also view the collection on my website kareshart.com, portfolio page. Videos of the creation of the piece are available on my Instagram highlights, page name @karesh_art. I am willing to provide any documentation that you need for authentication. I truly am in need of assistance thus I reach out as far as I can. I hope you shall consider my proposal.

I apologize for the long e-mail. Thank you in advance

Regards,

Karema Karissa

+254715750845

Two Maryland artists were awarded commissions for the Catonsville courthouse project. 

From over 200 applications received, the Artist Selection Committee for the District Court of Maryland's new Catonsville Courthouse selected two artists for the building's visual public art commissions. 

Jackson Jarvis Studios will develop large-scale mosaics for the building's lobby, and Wesley Clark will create a multimedia painting installation for the 2nd floor. Both are inspired by the flora and fauna and the natural landscape of the Patapsco River valley found in western Baltimore County. 

Congratulations to both!

Now in its 31st year, the Tephra ICA Festival (formerly Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival) will take place on May 20–22, 2022 and will highlight more than 200 artists and artisans from across the nation. Drawing upon a robust exhibitor and collector base coupled with Tephra ICA’s contemporary art foundation, the Festival has become one of the region’s most anticipated events, attracting approximately 30,000 people to the unique, outdoor environment of Reston Town Center.

Details here.

I juried this festival a few years ago, and have participated in it many times over the years, maybe 25 or 26 times out of the 31 years, and I have won a ton of awards over the years - I applied again this year and got rejected, which is OK, since there are new jurors each year, and rejection is part of an artist's life.

It is a great show!

This year's jurors will select the award winners when the festival opens - but as usual, I'd like to run through them online and award my own awards.

You can see the artists here and make up your own awardees... my first observation is that (as usual), this show is heavily tilting towards the craft side - it's somewhat of a trademark for Reston, and since the beginning it has added more and more jewelry, furniture, etc. at the expense of the fine arts. There are about 30 jewelers in the group! And they're all really good!

But, did I sound elitist or what? Sorry...

And the awards go to...

Best Painting Award: Jill Banks - Booth 943 - A true example of the 10,000 hour rule; Banks is a master and her work shows it. Tough category with 37 painters here - all really good with notable ones such as the superbly talented Ann Barbieri, Jon Smith, Cassie Taggart and others.

Best Photography Award - Landscape photography dominates, which is to be expected, and (as I've noted for decades now) I tire of seeing photos of crumbling buildings in Havana and old 1950s cars - please! Enough! If you wanna take photographs of Cuba, go somewhere else other than Havana! Maybe photograph some of the heroes who often take to the streets to protest the brutality of Communism! 

James McArthur Cole is trying hard to head in the right direction, and he has some stunning Cuban photos, such as the one below - but I deduct two points for each photo of an old car.

Cuba 60 by James McArthur Cole

But John Deng - Booth 317 - stands out! His beautiful photos are equally adept at capturing immensely different landscapes as well as the diversity of the human species.

Honey Gatherers by John Deng

Photo by John Deng at Tephra 2022 ICA Festival

Best Weird Art Award: Greg Stones - Booth 523 - Greg notes that his "basic process is this: Paint a landscape. Then add weird stuff." It works! They are immensely interesting paintings.

Best DMV Award: Joseph Craig English - Booth 700 - Craig is a master of the DMV landscape/landmarks - no one on the planet can do it better. By the way - there are only four printmakers in the entire show: English plus Mel Fleck, Jim McCormick and Laura Wilder; they are all really, really good. Note to future jurors: More printmakers!!!!

Best Craft Award: Mick Whitcomb - Booth 816 - Specializes in one-of-a-kind furniture and lighting made from architectural and industrial salvage - the kind of stuff that some call "steampunk."  The work is clever and unique and far outshines (no pun intended) the category competitors.

Fan Light Fixture by Mick Whitcomb

Best Drawing Award - Easy pick here with the complex drawings of Susan Deaton in booth 423. She notes that her work is about "conceptualization of social and environmental issues through the use of symbolic images." Methinks there's a lot of Lovecraft in there as well.

Best Glass Award - The DMV is home to three of the best known glass artists on the planet, and thus a magnet place for artists of this genre.  The work of David Sandidge stands out... some of the whimsical pieces remind me of Carmen Lozar's early work.  Sandidge is clearly a master of this most demanding of all arts.

Glass art by David Sandidge

I will announce the Best in Show winner when I visit the show in person next month!

Exhibit Opportunity: Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House

The Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House is seeking exhibition proposals for 2023. 

The Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House is a non-profit gallery located in Columbia, Maryland. Operated by the Wilde Lake Community Association, the gallery features two spaces within the Slayton House lobby and Conference Room that hosts multiple juried art exhibits per year.

Details here -- Send completed application forms to Lisa Kim at events@wildelake.org. 

Deadline: June 20, 2022

The Howard County Arts Council will hold its annual Celebration of the Arts in Howard County gala on November 5. The Celebration is an exciting showcase for local artistic talent, and is one of HCAC's major funding sources for arts programs. They are seeking artists for the submittable.com/submit/225383/juried-silent-auction-2022" target="_blank">Juried Silent Art Auction, which takes place in the Rouse Company Foundation Gallery at Howard Community College and is an essential part of the Celebration.

Eligibility:

2D, 3D, and fine craft artists who work, live, or study in Howard County are eligible to submit, as are HCAC members or artists who have exhibited at the Howard County Center for the Arts within the past year. Artists must be 18 years or older. Artwork exhibited in previous auctions is ineligible.

Details here.

Eight painters have been selected as finalists for the Bethesda Painting Awards, a juried competition and exhibition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District. Over 200 artists from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. submitted work to the annual competition created to exclusively honor regional painters.

The top prize winners will be announced on Wednesday, June, 8nd in a private reception. The Best in Show winner will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000.

The artists selected as finalists are:

• Emma Childs, Baltimore, MD
• Jim Condron, Lutherville-Timonium, MD
• Andrew Hladky, Kensington, MD
• Jeremy Jirsa, Dundalk, MD
• Magnolia Laurie, Baltimore, MD
• McKinley Wallace III, Baltimore, MD
• James Williams II, Baltimore, MD
• Ju Yun, Chantilly, VA

The exhibit will be on display June 9 – July 3, 2022 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E in the former Fraser Gallery space. Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibit will be Thursday-Sunday, 12 – 5pm.

The competition’s jurors consisted of Maggie Michael, Painter and The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, Best in Show winner 2008; Tony Shore, Bethesda Painting Award Best in Show winner 2006 and Maryland Institute College of Art, Painting Chair; and Robert Yi, George Mason University, Assistant Professor and Interim Chair of Drawing and Painting.

The Bethesda Painting Awards was established by local business owner Carol Trawick in 2005. Ms. Trawick has served as a community activist for more than 25 years in downtown Bethesda and established The Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation in 2007. She is the former Chair of the Maryland State Arts Council, Strathmore, Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. and founder of The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards.

I walked through the 10th Annual Rockville Arts Festival in downtown Rockville today - as usual it is a terrific show with loads of good artists, food and entertainment!

I love the fact that every booth is a corner booth - thus maximizing the exhibition space for each artist! This show is always good and reflects the hard work of its director Robin Markowitz.

As usual, my two bits on some of my faves from this show.

I liked Bob Friedenberg's fantasy line drawings and Matthew Miller's paintings.

I also admired the paintings of Richard McMurry, who told me that he's somewhat new to the outdoor art circuit; he's clearly a painter at the top of his form!

Detail of a painting by Richard McMurry

Painting by Sandra Sedmark Engel

Sculptures by Tanya Tree

$3,500 Grants - All Media Eligible

Deadline: May 17, 2022

The Hopper Prize is now accepting entries for the Spring 2022 artist grants.

They are offering $3,500 and $1,000 grants to artists and photographers around the world.

Grants will be awarded through an open call art competition juried by leading contemporary curators. Current Jurors:

— Jody Graf, Assistant Curator, MoMA PS1

— Pamela Meadows, Curator, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art

The Hopper Prize was established in order to increase the recognition of artwork created by artists and photographers. Their aim is to advance artists' careers by providing them with unrestricted financial support that is coupled with a platform for increased visibility. They accept submissions twice a year via an open call.

They are currently accepting submissions for the Spring 2022 grant cycle.

Program Highlights

Total Awards: $11,000.00 USD for visual artists

• $3,500.00 – 2 artists will each receive a $3,500 (USD) grant

• $1,000.00 – 4 artists will each receive a $1,000 (USD) grant

• 30 artists will have their work archived at hopperprize.org

• A selection from the submissions will be featured on their Instagram feed @hopperprize

• Additional exposure will be available to winners through their Journal: Insights into Contemporary Art

Connect with Curators

They collaborate with contemporary curators holding prominent positions at major institutions in order to select our grant winners. The open call provides you with a direct path to get your work in front of these forward thinking exhibition makers. Jurors for the current awards are:

Jody Graf

Assistant Curator

MoMA PS1

&

Pamela Meadows

Curator

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA)

The jurors will be selecting 6 artists from the open call who will each receive an unrestricted cash grant.

2 artists will win $3,500 and 4 artists will win $1,000.

The jurors will also select a shortlist of 30 artists who will have their work archived here.

Grant awards are unrestricted and may be used any way the recipients choose.

When submitting your work, you will have the option to opt-in to be considered for possible Instagram features on our feed @hopperprize, where we currently reach an audience of over 65k. Our editors will be featuring select submissions on a rolling basis prior to the application deadline.

In addition to grant awards, their shortlist, and Instagram reach, we will be providing an additional platform for exposure via the online Journal Insights Into Contemporary Art. They launched this digital publication to give artists a new channel to amplify their voice while providing an in-depth look at their work, practice, and background. Grant recipients and shortlisted artists will all receive the opportunity to publish an interview to include any work of their choosing as a means of providing continued support beyond the open call.

Eligibility

The Hopper Prize is open to all artists age 18 and older working in any media. There are no restrictions on genre, subject matter, or media. They welcome entries in all media.

They are committed to supporting artists from diverse cultural backgrounds at all stages of their professional careers. All artists are encouraged to apply.

Deadline

May 17, 2022

Simple Application

They've made the grant application simple to reduce the stress of submitting your work and save you time. The application is short and can be completed in under 20 minutes.

To apply for a grant, you only need to submit this information:

• Name & Email

• Instagram Username (optional)

• Up to 10 Image or Video attachments

• Artwork captions

• Artist Statement & Biography (optional)

• $40 submission fee

Apply Now - HERE

Harwood Art Center has an opening for a full-time Arts Education Coordinator. They ae are looking for someone who "embodies the philosophy, mission and values of Harwood and our parent organization, Escuela del Sol Montessori, and who believes in our work as deeply as the other extraordinary members of our core staff. If you feel called to steward and create opportunities grounded in arts, engagement, community, citizenship, education and professional development, you are the person for this role."

They encourage you to apply using the form linked below. For best consideration, please submit as soon as possible. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis.

APPLY HERE

Exposed DC Returns to Mount Pleasant for 16th Annual Photography Show. Featuring 38 images of the Washington, D.C. metro area taken by local photographers.

Exhibit presented at Lost Origins Outside in Mount Pleasant. The exhibition will be on view at Lost Origins Outside located along the exterior wall of Ellē restaurant at 3221 Mt Pleasant St NW through July 24.

Opening celebration: Sunday, May 29 from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

Best in Show awards chosen by five distinguished local photographers. Five of the photographs will receive a Best in Show award along with a $100 cash prize. These awards are selected by independent judges who are acclaimed photographers in the D.C. community. This year, they are Dee Dwyer, Andrew Harnik, Kenny Holston, Cheriss May, and Michael McCoy selecting these special awards.

Full-color exhibition magazine featuring all winning images available for purchase. 

You can see all the images here.  As usual, I always like to run through these juried shows and selected my own prize winners.  From the 38 photos in this very strong show, but my pick for Best in Show is Arpita Upadhyaya's wonderful "Morning Silhouette", which is a spectacular display of contrast wizardry!

Arpita Upadhyaya – Morning Silhouette

I also liked the raw power of Chris Suspect's Thelma and the Sleaze at Slash Run.

Chris Suspect – Thelma and the Sleaze at Slash Run

Sandra Kauffman – Disconnected

 Art Clinic Online - Saturday, May 28 from 10:30 -11:30am

Join me at the Art Clinic Online for a discussion and Q&A about nearly everything you wanted to know about being an artist, grants, resume-building, approaching galleries, etc.

About Art Clinic Online (ACO)

The Art Clinic Online community aims to create a friendly artsy environment and bring together artists who may have taken classes with us before or who are contemplating it and want to learn from one another in an online community-based setting. As such, they are not didactic sessions but a forum for the equal exchange of art ideas and art information as well as an opportunity to share art challenges and breakthroughs. 

The Stone Tower resident artists created the ACO after hearing the need for such a forum expressed by many of their students. If you are interested in joining, click the button below and email Mariana to join! Yes, it's still FREE.

Location: Glen Echo.

Get excited for art, entertainment, food & more at the annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, May 14 (10am - 6pm) & Sunday, May 15 (10am - 5pm)! Stroll Norfolk & Auburn Avenues to see 100+ artist booths, listen to great music & enjoy food, wine & beer for the perfect weekend in downtown Bethesda.

All free and also plenty of free parking!

Details here.

You can see the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2022 artists here.

You know what's coming next - my awards for top artists in the show.  As a brilliant juror, I can use my experienced eye from the thumbnails and website visits to award the Campello awards.

For the painters I liked  Zhiyi Li (from Enfield, CT) in Booth #66, and Thomas Williams (from Chicago, IL) in Booth #78.  

All three printmakers in the show are exceptional -- I've written a lot about Joseph Craig English from Washington Grove, MD (Booth #84) - in this show John Pernell and Michael Nemnich are also quite good.

For Mixed Media, my top pick was Sandra Sedmak Engel, whose sensual work is a pleasure both to the eye and the eros that outdoor shows usually try to eliminate.

There are a lot of talented photographers in the show. See them all here. James Richmond from Titusville, Florida (Booth #76) went to Cuba and has the mandatory photos of old 1950s cars in Havana, as I understand that the Cuban dictatorship will not allow tourists (and photographers especially) to depart from the jailed island unless evidence is presented at the airport that photographs of the vintage cars have been taken.  

Pet peeve aside, Richmond has an exceptional eye for capturing the grace that is human kind, all the way from Portuguese card players in Old Europe to gorgeous indigenous women in Panama, to Cuban farmers in the brutalized Castro Brothers' Workers Paradise. It is a wonderful photograph, capturing the essence of the Cuban guajiro, his ancient Basque bloodlines still quite cleaning running through his veins as evidenced by the telltale ear lobe, a wide smile for the American tourist on his thin lips, and a hand-rolled Habano in his mouth, the envy of every smoker millionaire around the planet.

"Cuban Farmer" by James Richmond

In the category of sculpture, Tanya Tyree caught my attention as her sculptures struggle between talented efficiency and a bit of whimsy. What is clear is a straight and unique vision being delivered by the (I suspect) very strong and skilled hands of this artist.

And the Campello pick for Best in Show?

It goes to painter Cassie Taggart from Rehoboth, DE in Booth #51.

Parachutes by Cassie Taggart

While anyone can immediately see that Taggart's work explore surrealism, what she has brilliantly done is to deliver a new 21st century version of surrealism, where her skilled painting talents marry it with fantasy, and the fantastical (which is different) as well as a healthy dose of narrative storytelling.  

It is "otherworldly" artwork deeply anchored in data which lives hidden in our ancestral brain.  This is work which once you buy it and hang it in your house, will dominate everything else which you have hung on those walls.

Go outside and see some artwork this weekend, talks to artists and artisans, eat some bad-for-you food and listen to some outdoor music.

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) requests applications from qualified arts, humanities, arts education, and service organizations for its Fiscal Year 2023 Art Bank Program. Award amounts vary but eligible applicants can be awarded up to $15,000.

RFA Release: Monday | May 2, 2022

Submission Deadline: Friday | June 24, 2022 | 4 pm

Incomplete or late applications or applications that do not follow the instructions and guidelines will be automatically deemed ineligible for review and funding.

Prospective applicants should read through the Request for Applications (RFA) in its entirety before submitting an application.

Details here.

Staff Contact: Sarah Gordon, Curator | sarah.gordon2@dc.gov

 Art Clinic Online - Saturday, May 28 from 10:30 -11:30am

Join me at the Art Clinic Online for a discussion and Q&A about nearly everything you wanted to know about being an artist, grants, resume-building, approaching galleries, etc.

About Art Clinic Online (ACO)

The Art Clinic Online community aims to create a friendly artsy environment and bring together artists who may have taken classes with us before or who are contemplating it and want to learn from one another in an online community-based setting. As such, they are not didactic sessions but a forum for the equal exchange of art ideas and art information as well as an opportunity to share art challenges and breakthroughs. 

The Stone Tower resident artists created the ACO after hearing the need for such a forum expressed by many of their students. If you are interested in joining, click the button below and email Mariana to join! Yes, it's still FREE.

Location: Glen Echo.

Get excited for art, entertainment, food & more at the annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, May 14 (10am - 6pm) & Sunday, May 15 (10am - 5pm)! Stroll Norfolk & Auburn Avenues to see 100+ artist booths, listen to great music & enjoy food, wine & beer for the perfect weekend in downtown Bethesda.

All free and also plenty of free parking!

Details here.

You can see the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2022 artists here.

You know what's coming next - my awards for top artists in the show.  As a brilliant juror, I can use my experienced eye from the thumbnails and website visits to award the Campello awards.

For the painters I liked  Zhiyi Li (from Enfield, CT) in Booth #66, and Thomas Williams (from Chicago, IL) in Booth #78.  

All three printmakers in the show are exceptional -- I've written a lot about Joseph Craig English from Washington Grove, MD (Booth #84) - in this show John Pernell and Michael Nemnich are also quite good.

For Mixed Media, my top pick was Sandra Sedmak Engel, whose sensual work is a pleasure both to the eye and the eros that outdoor shows usually try to eliminate.

There are a lot of talented photographers in the show. See them all here. James Richmond from Titusville, Florida (Booth #76) went to Cuba and has the mandatory photos of old 1950s cars in Havana, as I understand that the Cuban dictatorship will not allow tourists (and photographers especially) to depart from the jailed island unless evidence is presented at the airport that photographs of the vintage cars have been taken.  

Pet peeve aside, Richmond has an exceptional eye for capturing the grace that is human kind, all the way from Portuguese card players in Old Europe to gorgeous indigenous women in Panama, to Cuban farmers in the brutalized Castro Brothers' Workers Paradise.

Cuban farmer by James Richmond

In the category of sculpture, Tanya Tyree caught my attention as her sculptures struggle between talented efficiency and a bit of whimsy. What is clear is a straight and unique vision being delivered by the (I suspect) very strong and skilled hands of this artist.

And the Campello pick for Best in Show?

It goes to painter Cassie Taggart from Rehoboth, DE in Booth #51.

Parachutes by Cassie Taggart

It is "otherworldly" artwork deeply anchored in data which lives hidden in our ancestral brain.  This is work which once you buy it and hang it in your house, will dominate everything else which you have hung on those walls.

Go outside and see some artwork this weekend, talks to artists and artisans, eat some bad-for-you food and listen to some outdoor music.

 Maybe we can find this artist a sponsor  --   I kinda like the fresh, open approach?

Dear Sir 

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Karema Karissa and I'm an artist based in Nairobi, Kenya. I write to you seeking patronage in order to continue my career in art. I seek your patronage for many reasons that will benefit both of us, to be honest, mostly me as I am in need. I'll start by telling you a bit more about myself and the work I do.

I was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2013 I graduated from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa with a bachelor's degree in commerce majoring in marketing. Upon graduating I ventured into a career in art as this has been my interest since I was 8 years old. Throughout the years I have tried different mediums and techniques. In 2019, I finally established my own niche and launched my website kareshart.com in 2020.

My niche is modern art with modern techniques. I apply smooth layer upon layer with wax based Prismacolor colored pencils, ink vector patterns and gold acrylic paint to create unique high quality skyscape and arabic calligraphy pieces.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to sell to the point that I would be able to earn a living entirely out of my talent. I truly believe in my talent and my aim is to make a name for myself as a great talent of my time. To book my place in history as an artist who showed dedication, character, hard work and exceptional talent in his niche. I would like to live out my life creating art.

I priced my work low in order to survive but surviving is not living. Out of 101 pieces currently I have sold 12 in 2 years for a total of $650. My artwork was priced $140 each on my website but I believe it is worth so much more. Thus I have disabled purchases on my website as I now seek a patron for this collection of artworks. It has taken me a whole lifetime of ups and downs, failures, progress, learning and unlearning, to get to this level of skill. 22 years to be precise. Prior to my website launch and the establishment of my niche, I sold over 60 pieces of art since the official launch of my art career in 2013. But not at a price enough to make a living. I do believe that I am an exceptional talent. All I need is someone to believe in me.

You can visit my Instagram page @karesh_art. If you scroll down my page while checking the dates you will see that I have been constantly working on my craft. I can producing 5 to 8 pieces a month. All of them are beautiful, similar yet unique in their own way.  My goal is to create one of the largest bodies of artworks in my niche. I have done 101 pieces so far, I would like to get to 1000 God willing. I am passionate about my work, I love what I do. Unfortunately my work has stalled because of financial constraints and lack of time. I have had to seek other sources of income to cater for my living expenses. This has taken up the time I had to work on my craft. Thus I am in need of your assistance to save and maintain my career.

A short description of my work is as follows: The skyscapes/seascapes are inspired by the mystery that's above us and below us. Whenever I look up to the sky I'm amazed at the possibilities of what could be out there in the universe. Same goes for the ocean, so much of it is yet to be explored. The vast array of amazing creatures, plants, mountains and trenches. So much more than the eyes can see. Another inspiration is the general beauty of the sky and the ocean. How they both change with different times, seasons and tides. We live on a beautiful planet and we are responsible for its preservation.

My Arabic calligraphy is inspired by the need to educate on Islam, sending reminders to my Muslim brothers and sisters and the beauty of the Arabic language. It's my way of giving back and spreading peace and love to a people that are greatly misunderstood.

Historically, people in positions of power like kings, queens and wealthy people funded all types of visual artists. They guaranteed financial security to artists giving them an opportunity to earn a living while creating art. They would do so through patronage. This increased value and security and shaped artists to be viewed as people possessing unique skills that warrant respect, admiration and payment. This earned these individuals the title 'Patron of the Arts' as they stood out as those who are capable of supporting artistic talent. With their passion for talent and philanthropy they changed the lives of many artists and paved the way for growth of the art industry over the years shaping it to what it is today.

I therefore seek your patronage to save my career, to give me an opportunity to achieve my goals and to help me realize my full potential. Your patronage is going to have great benefits for me. My career is currently at risk and your assistance would help me maintain it. 

You will be helping me realize my dream just like every other athlete, actor, musician and so on who have had the opportunity to earn through their talent and hard work. This will give me the freedom to practice my craft for the rest of my life. I will be able to afford a better studio space, better supplies, better recording equipment, preservation of my artwork and so much more. I will be able to cater for travel expenses to attend exhibitions and mentorships in order to improve my career. I have received invites to exhibit my artwork and mentorship opportunities by masters of art but I lost the opportunities as I could not afford the travel expenses. Art can be capital intensive sometimes. I will have the opportunity to teach my craft and pass down the knowledge I have acquired throughout the years. I would like to help improve my community through my talent. The benefits are many. The world is full of people with different sets of skills. Some doctors, lawyers, bankers, footballers...Art is what I'm good at, so I'm asking you to grant me this opportunity.

I reach out to you because of your capabilities and I do believe this is where I can find someone capable of granting me the assistance I need. The values you uphold and your drive are a great inspiration. It would be an honour to secure your patronage. 

The benefit to you is first off, the delight of helping someone in need. You will also be an important part of my journey. An artistic journey I will be on, for the rest of my life God willing. You will be the patron who set the stage for me to become a great artist of his age. You will be a 'Patron of the Arts' for my collection and I will not let you down in making sure that your contribution is well placed. You will be amongst those who support people with unique talents in society in these times where talent has developed high consideration. If you give me this opportunity I will not waste it.

My proposal is that you purchase my whole collection of current artworks. They are 92 in total, 17 by 17 cm artworks. 68 skyscapes and 24 arabic calligraphy artworks. This will give me a lot of breathing space. I propose you  purchase them at $3,000 each. A total of $276,000 for the whole collection. This is for a skill that has been 22 years in the making. This will give me the opportunity to pursue and achieve my goals God willing. I do believe my work is worth it and so much more. I do believe you won't be disappointed when you see them. I lay great emphasis on quality. You can view the collection on my website kareshart.com, portfolio page.

The pieces can be kept in a private collection. They can be kept in a corporate collection. They can be hung all over the walls of your company premises. Art has been known to create an inspiring work environment for employees. The pieces can be given as gifts to family. They can be given to employees as gifts for appreciation. Amongst many other uses of Art.

Art is also an increasing asset. If you invest in my talent you will have a valuable asset in your hands. My success in the art industry, God willing, will also increase it's value. As the years go by the value of the asset keeps increasing. Recently a 2.75 by 2.75 inch sketch by Da vinci sold for 12 million dollars. Companies such as UBS have a collection of upto 35,000 artworks. I have attached a comprehensive report by Dr. Clare McAndrew, founder of Art Economics for the year 2022. This detailed report reveals the kind of value the art industry holds together with the shifts as per the market environment. Granting me your patronage will be a worthy investment that will benefit you in the short term and the long term. It will secure a future for generations to come. 

This is not entirely about the money though. This is about gaining the freedom to practise my craft. Something I have worked on for years and I feel I have earned it. I feel it is time I got the platform to truly realise my full potential. That platform is my freedom. With the limited time I currently have, I am already working on a new collection of artworks to keep my career a float. But it's my dream to be able to do this full time. Some of the piece are already available for purchase on my website.

Upon securing your patronage, my next step will be to find a mentor who is already established in the art industry. Someone who will guide me on how to introduce and maintain  my brand in the international art industry amongst many other benefits of mentorship. I seek to use this achievement of securing patronage to secure mentorship from a master of art. Your patronage will improve my reputation and grant me the resources to pursue this goal. I also have the option to reach out to the masters of art who had previously agreed to mentor me as I'll have the funds to meet the financial demands. I am also still in contact with the international art galleries that have invited me to work with them. All that's left is the financing. You're welcome to follow up on my progress anytime and as much as you please.

The artworks will be delivered as per your request. The pieces are not framed but are well packaged, secured and ready for delivery to the address you will provide. 

I welcome any proposal you have. Or any terms and conditions you may have. I have attached my art C.V with references and I can provide sample images of my artworks. You can also view the collection on my website kareshart.com, portfolio page. Videos of the creation of the piece are available on my Instagram highlights, page name @karesh_art. I am willing to provide any documentation that you need for authentication. I truly am in need of assistance thus I reach out as far as I can. I hope you shall consider my proposal.

I apologize for the long e-mail. Thank you in advance

Regards,

Karema Karissa

+254715750845

Two Maryland artists were awarded commissions for the Catonsville courthouse project. 

From over 200 applications received, the Artist Selection Committee for the District Court of Maryland's new Catonsville Courthouse selected two artists for the building's visual public art commissions. 

Jackson Jarvis Studios will develop large-scale mosaics for the building's lobby, and Wesley Clark will create a multimedia painting installation for the 2nd floor. Both are inspired by the flora and fauna and the natural landscape of the Patapsco River valley found in western Baltimore County. 

Congratulations to both!

Now in its 31st year, the Tephra ICA Festival (formerly Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival) will take place on May 20–22, 2022 and will highlight more than 200 artists and artisans from across the nation. Drawing upon a robust exhibitor and collector base coupled with Tephra ICA’s contemporary art foundation, the Festival has become one of the region’s most anticipated events, attracting approximately 30,000 people to the unique, outdoor environment of Reston Town Center.

Details here.

I juried this festival a few years ago, and have participated in it many times over the years, maybe 25 or 26 times out of the 31 years, and I have won a ton of awards over the years - I applied again this year and got rejected, which is OK, since there are new jurors each year, and rejection is part of an artist's life.

It is a great show!

This year's jurors will select the award winners when the festival opens - but as usual, I'd like to run through them online and award my own awards.

You can see the artists here and make up your own awardees... my first observation is that (as usual), this show is heavily tilting towards the craft side - it's somewhat of a trademark for Reston, and since the beginning it has added more and more jewelry, furniture, etc. at the expense of the fine arts. There are about 30 jewelers in the group! And they're all really good!

But, did I sound elitist or what? Sorry...

And the awards go to...

Best Painting Award: Jill Banks - Booth 943 - A true example of the 10,000 hour rule; Banks is a master and her work shows it. Tough category with 37 painters here - all really good with notable ones such as the superbly talented Ann Barbieri, Jon Smith, Cassie Taggart and others.

Best Photography Award - Landscape photography dominates, which is to be expected, and (as I've noted for decades now) I tire of seeing photos of crumbling buildings in Havana and old 1950s cars - please! Enough! If you wanna take photographs of Cuba, go somewhere else other than Havana! Maybe photograph some of the heroes who often take to the streets to protest the brutality of Communism! 

James McArthur Cole is trying hard to head in the right direction, and he has some stunning Cuban photos, such as the one below - but I deduct two points for each photo of an old car.

Cuba 60 by James McArthur Cole

But John Deng - Booth 317 - stands out! His beautiful photos are equally adept at capturing immensely different landscapes as well as the diversity of the human species.

Honey Gatherers by John Deng

Photo by John Deng at Tephra 2022 ICA Festival

Best Weird Art Award: Greg Stones - Booth 523 - Greg notes that his "basic process is this: Paint a landscape. Then add weird stuff." It works! They are immensely interesting paintings.

Best DMV Award: Joseph Craig English - Booth 700 - Craig is a master of the DMV landscape/landmarks - no one on the planet can do it better. By the way - there are only four printmakers in the entire show: English plus Mel Fleck, Jim McCormick and Laura Wilder; they are all really, really good. Note to future jurors: More printmakers!!!!

Best Craft Award: Mick Whitcomb - Booth 816 - Specializes in one-of-a-kind furniture and lighting made from architectural and industrial salvage - the kind of stuff that some call "steampunk."  The work is clever and unique and far outshines (no pun intended) the category competitors.

Fan Light Fixture by Mick Whitcomb

Best Drawing Award - Easy pick here with the complex drawings of Susan Deaton in booth 423. She notes that her work is about "conceptualization of social and environmental issues through the use of symbolic images." Methinks there's a lot of Lovecraft in there as well.

Best Glass Award - The DMV is home to three of the best known glass artists on the planet, and thus a magnet place for artists of this genre.  The work of David Sandidge stands out... some of the whimsical pieces remind me of Carmen Lozar's early work.  Sandidge is clearly a master of this most demanding of all arts.

Glass art by David Sandidge

I will announce the Best in Show winner when I visit the show in person next month!

Exhibit Opportunity: Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House

The Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House is seeking exhibition proposals for 2023. 

The Bernice Kish Gallery at Slayton House is a non-profit gallery located in Columbia, Maryland. Operated by the Wilde Lake Community Association, the gallery features two spaces within the Slayton House lobby and Conference Room that hosts multiple juried art exhibits per year.

Details here -- Send completed application forms to Lisa Kim at events@wildelake.org.