Find the work of Simmy Pell, Rachel Kerwin, Johanna Rodriguez, Olivia Rodriguez, and Patrick Kirwin on display at 5710 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville, MD.

The reception will be held April 28th, 2012.

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Curator’s Statement:
This exhibit surveys the broad range of various “realisms”. Used as a broad term to mean recognizable realities, “Realism” is a vehicle for various expressions; political, aesthetic, emotional and illusory. This exhibition brings together these forms in one show.

Olivia Rodriguez and Patrick Kirwin both deal in illusion. Between them, both ends of the aesthetic spectum are represented. Rodriguez creates small sculptural illusions of garbage while Kirwin paints attractive Trompe L’oeil illusions. Rodriguez takies found objects and recreates and creates tableaus of filth – a cigarette put out in a pile of dirt and a cockroach crawling out from under a cup. She elicits the viewer’s psychological responses with confrontation of things we would rather forget about.

Kirwin’s illusions are essentially about material verisimilitude, but also probe the illusion of space. He is represented with illusions of mosaics, marble and a large plaster face, which is cropped in such a way as to negate an illusion. His is about the joy of being fooled, yet the remaining illusions are beautiful.

Johanna Rodriguez presents some of her work from a series about doors. She shares her views them, enlarging small details and painting them in a somewhat expressionistic fashion using house paint. There is something eerie about these images from the color, the feeling of the paint and the expressionistic rendering.

Simmy Pell on the other hand, shows paintings about painting. Hers are joyful explorations into the “regular” still life genre. Her twist is that she uses minimal medium, resulting in a thicker application of oil paint. The sensuous and generous application of paint is enhanced with a thoughtful resolution of color.

Rachel Kerwin brings a political message to the show. Her paintings of weeping, mourning Iraqi women no less than ask us, “Why?” The message is very clear as expressed through the vigorous and efficient realistic painting of the women’s faces and hands. The flesh is the only living thing in the paintings. Their garb is flat black and to further focus the point, there is nothing else except a flat green of death coloring the background.

This is a very interesting survey of how realism works to different ends. Not to be missed.

EARTH DAY EXHIBIT at artdc

The art works chosen for this exhibit are imaginative as well as beautiful and representational. The work is done using various techniques and media defining nature for the viewer. The work is almost magnetic in the way it draws you to it! The artists are all members of HCAA (Hyattsville Community Arts Alliance).

Mary Ann Lipovsky uses the history of a place when creating her watercolor painting,” It’s The Mud Season”, you imagine the time when the barn was in use and feel the dampness in the air as the snow melts.

Monna Kauppinen in “Catskill Quiet” chooses a remote space to capture Earth’s beauty in watercolor, a respite from the urban setting we find impinging on us and we are called by its nurturing effect on us. Marie Crow, in “Dancers II“, using acrylics in a sculptural technique, creates magical images grounded in realism. We long to be lost in the magic places.

Barbara LoMacchio in her image, “How Far Have We Come “ uses nature, and abstracts the image for a fantasy effect.

Delia Mychajluk in “Wolf Woman Dreams” uses a sculptural technique to impose the feeling of ‘the wild‘, looking at the boundaries of life, death in the physical and spiritual worlds.

Allita Irby with her Photography,” First Shoots“, aspires to capture in color the compositions, the detail, and clarity of nature.

Roxanne Ando with her Chinese Watercolor in “Floral Fire”, achieves a peaceful, wistful, space you want to experience.

Sally Ann Rogers uses her time in Maine every summer to capture special images such as “Mountain Mist”, in pastel, you can feel the moisture in the air.

Richard Brown with his walnut wood sculpture “Standing On The Rock” evokes crossing streams and hiking, interacting with nature, being physical and immediate drawing what
healing power he can from the rock. Denise Marie uses silhouette and bright color in her sunset oil painting, ”Pine Branch Sunset”.

Take a little vacation from your hectic pace and stop by artdc for a respite in the Earth Day Exhibit at artdc from March 25 through April 21. Opening night, SaturdayMarch 31 and Friday April 6 from 7-10pm. Artdc is located at 5710 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20781. For more info contact Jesse Cohen at fineartventures@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/events/396106593750186/

Hand picked is a selection of Washington, DC area artists who work in a range of mediums from works on paper to wet plate photographs and beyond. The Washington, DC area art scene is active, and it takes someone in that scene to find connections. Our creative manager, Grayson Heck a previous guest curator for the artdc Gallery is an active artist, and he sees connections and activity developing in his peers. We invited Grayson to select artists that he things are important with developing careers in our art scene. This show is representative of the relationships he’s developed through the University of Maryland, and artdc.org.

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Barry Schmetter
Barry gives us a modern view of darkroom photography. His treatment of light and composition, choice of objects and mastery of process make him a giant in his field.

Camden Place 
Camden brings us a layered view of life. His intricate carvings evoke emotions and questions. Each piece seems tell a story.

Justin Strom
Justin’s work demonstrates a stellar blend of concept, design and process. The work he has included in this show consists of strong, multi-faceted images. He is a master of print.

Peter Gordon
Peter is a non-stop multiple medium artist. He is always producing and exhibiting. Peter is showing two pieces from a new body of work, which is quite exceptional.

Ryan McKibbin
Ryan is a Lecturer and Fabrication Lab Director, Catholic University’s School of Architecture and Planning. Ryan’s work references communication and human interaction through the use of a variety of materials.

Henrik Sundqvist
Henrik is a print maker, who brings the frame into the image which adds an exciting layer so that the whole work is a sculpture.  He deals with life, death, and the toxicity of the world

View a video of our reception here:

Retold is an invitational exhibit featuring 9 Mid Atlantic artists who were asked to consider the words of T.S. Eliot found in The Art of Assemblage/MOMA 1961 by William C. Seitz.

The memory throws up high and dry
A crowd of twisted things;
A twisted branch upon the beach
Eaten smooth, and polished
As if the world gave up
The secret of its skeleton,
Stiff and white.
A broken spring in a factory yard,
Rust that clings to the form that the strength has left
Hard and curled and ready to snap.

- T. S. Eliot (1917)

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Poetry is a visual language; The culmination of this show brings together photographers, sculptors and mixed media artists who contribute to
a visual dialog that retell the story. Come see for yourself.

Featuring works by:

C. Mason – photography
Michael Mendez – photography
Carlos Fyfe – photography
Jenny Wallace – photography
Brian Slagle – sculpture
Steven Dobbin – sculpture
Kristin Bohlander – mixed media
Jeff Bohlander – mixed media
Jesse Cohen – photography

Deborah Winram – guest curator, artist and educator

Artists:
Adam Echavarren
Asha Augustine
Ava Lowe
Melanie Fischer
Meg Floyd
Kurt Pung
Ryan Villardo
Sheila Bell

This is our annual UMD intern show.  We offer the experience to a University of Maryland Art student to manage a gallery like it was their own.  They control the show from artist selection to installation.  This is our opportunity to see art of a Student’s peers through their eyes!  We feel this is a unique opportunity, and are pleased to offer this again.  Our first intern exhibition was developed in 2010.

Saturnalia was traditionally held on December 17th; thus, our reception for the beautiful exhibit “Saturnalia: Abstracting Reality,” will be held on the same date in this year, 2011.

The show presents University of Maryland artists working with abstraction–some pulling straight from the unconscious mind, others working with the assistance of models and forms. Techniques vary from the pressing together of canvas to the application of cut plexiglass to screen prints on top of paintings.

The color palette is vivid and surreal, though sometimes moody and mystical. The works presented are by undergraduates, Juniors and Seniors, in the Studio Art program.

Food and wine will be bountiful, just as it would have been during a Saturnalia celebration.
If you greet the curator with “lo, Saturnalia,” she will pour you a drink.

October 7 – 30, 2011 

Artists’ Reception:
Saturday, October 15, 2011 7-10pm
artdc Gallery at the Lustine Center
5710 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20781

Inspired by the words of Spanish poet Antonio Machado, “Caminante no hay camino, se hace el camino al andar…” Traveller, there’s no road. The path is made as we travel.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, local Latin American artists join to explore their journeys through art and life in the US.
Come and enjoy canvas of colors and symbols deeply rooted in the cultures of Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

Elba Molina.

Born in Santiago, Chile and lives in the DC area since 1973.  Elba has studied art at the Corcoran School of Art, The Art League in Old Town Alexandria and Georgetown University, and has exhibited in DC, Miami, New York and New Delhi, India. Her palette varies widely demonstrating a strong sense of color, intimacy and freedom.

Claudia Olivos.
(www.claudiaolivos.com)

Raised in Chile and born in US, holds an MFA from Vermont College, and a BFA in painting from George Mason University.  Her paintings have been featured in several publications and CD covers.  She teaches art and is involved in the local DC art community.

Sergio Olivos.
(www.sergioolivosm.com)

Born in Villahermosa, Mexico, holds a BFA in painting from Universidad de Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico.  He has exhibited throughout Mexico and the Washington DC Metro area to and in other locations in the USA.  He teaches painting, printmaking, drawing and encaustics.

Gloria Valdes “Tarasca”.
(www.gloriavaldes.com)

Born in Michoacán, Mexico.  Self taught artist inspired by the culture of the Tarascan ancestral people from which she interrelates her work, colors and shapes, and draws an artistic identity. Gloria has exhibited throughout the DC area. 

Marité Vidales.
(www.maritevidales.com)

Born in San José, Costa Rica, graduated from the School of Fine Arts of the University of Costa Rica.  For over 20 years, Marité has exhibited throughout United States, Costa Rica and Germany.  Her work reflects a passion for symbols and colors.

Dates: September 4th, 12pm to October 2nd, 2011
Reception: September, 24th 2011in conjunction with the Hyattsville Arts Festival!
Location: artdc Gallery, 5710 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20815
Website: www.artdc.com
Find details on the Hyattsville Arts Festival here: www.hyattsvillearts.com

The artists include:
Ameliese Giordano
Amy Cohen
Angela Kleis
Barry Schmetter
Chris Suspect
Claudia Olivos
Dancing Queen
Denise Brown
Fabian H Rios Rubino
Grayson Heck
Ian Delaney Doherty
Jamie Downs
Jen Vallina
Jenn Verrier
Jennifer Bienhacker
Jenny Trussell
Joanna Knox Yoder
Joe Morey
Joeseph Rodgers
Justin Fair
Laurie Tylec
Lillian Mattiaccio
Linda Hosek
Lisa K Rosenstein
Matthew Malone
Meg Floyd
Ric Garcia
Robert Brown
Roy Utley
Sabeth Jackson
Sergio Olivos
Stephen Mead
Tom Cardarella
Victoria McGoogan

Photography is a form of art. It was often considered just representational documentation. But as the form has progressed, the workflow has become transformative, where the process creates a shift in the viewer’s reaction moving beyond simple representational work.

Whether through technique or abstraction, many movements have evolved. Practice and skill has developed in others professional career paths. Similar to the impact that advertising had on painter James Rosenquist, advertising has developed a beautiful and visible impact on photography, specifically in the world of fashion.

Photographers have developed a means of conveying powerful emotional works through crystal clear images fabricated in the studio with top-notch equipment and models.

A new level of hyper reality has emerged. As fashion photography develops, a new movement in photography blooms. Fashion photographers are creating art, and their work stands on its own as art without the products used to create the images. The dreams and desire that they represent are transformative!

With excitement, we bring you the work of three local and emerging fashion photographers: Violetta Markelou, Len Rizzi, and Rodney Ladson.

While you view this amazing show, in the studio you will find a retrospective of works collected by the gallery in addition to a few other works from previous shows!