We would like to wish all of the artists and art patrons in the area, and the world at large for your support in ‘09 and the great things to come for ‘10. It’s could out there, but art is hot in the DC area. We’re overflowing details, events, and new plans for the year to come. We look forward to seeing you at an event soon. Create art, and collect more art, and support the DC area creative economy weather it’s with us or another area gallery! Speaking of which, check out the ever increasing number of pins on our art map. Click on a pin, zoom in, zoom out, drag the map, and look, the art even extends beyond the beltway! There’s a lot to see.
We just heard from Michael Winger that Bill Taylor died. Bill Was Sy Gresser’s teacher, and it’s mean a lot for us to get to see the progression of work from one generation to the next. From Bill, to Sy, to Michael. It’s been a rare and unusual gift. I finally was able to really see the connection between Sy and Bill at their recent UMUC show which we posted here. This is a tremendous loss for the DC area art scene. I hear their show may remain up for a few extra days, so I highly suggest you see it while you can.
For some more background about Bill and Sy, please read this article at the City Paper. I was so pleased to see them write this artist’s profile.
Join attorney John D. Mason for a discussion of legal issues artists face–from copyright and trademark to contracts on December 12th, 1pm at the artdc Gallery. Questions are welcome.
Mr. Mason is a Washington DC/Maryland based art, entertainment, and intellectual property attorney. His practice focuses on copyright and trademark matters, litigation, contracts, and commercial matters. He works with artists, writers and creative people and companies to protect and exploit their work and is also a literary agent. He is on the Advisory Board of the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington and the Board of Director of Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts. The website for his firm, The Intellectual Property Group, PLLC, is www.artlaws.com and his e-mail is artlaws2@aol.com.
Find the schedule of events for a Day of art, music, and creativity here.
The artdc Gallery gives back to supporting artists with a patrons’ exhibit.
HYATTSVILLE, MD (December 3, 2009) – The artdc Gallery will feature a Patron Members’ Exhibition from December 6, 2009, to January 3, 2010. A reception, open studio, and cash-and-carry event, titled “Cool Yule Arty Party,” will be held on Saturday, December 12, 2009, from noon to 6 p.m. The doors open at 11am!
The gallery is located at The Lustine Center, 5710 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville, Maryland 20781. Gallery visits are by appointment.
“This is a great way to give back to the patron members who support artdc’s discussion forum and other projects,” said gallery director and artist Jesse Cohen. “You’ll see an amazing variety of work in a broad range of mediums. If you’re looking to build your collection–or start one–this show brings together talented established and emerging artists in the metro DC area who offer unique, top-quality work at recession-friendly prices.”
On the same day, the “Cool Yule Arty Party” will also feature performances by 4 bands and a Legal Lecture by John Mason, and the amazing work from a fine group of local vendors selling their hand made Fine Art and Holiday Craft Items. The group is diverse ranging from DC Conspiracy graphic novelists to artists, and stunning crafters. Come support your local art scene and economy. Works in the Art Fair and Patron’s show are commission free. Continue reading
We had a tremendous reception for Michael Winger’s, “I cure myself…” We had a good number of people passionate about supporting a strong gathering of creativity. To celebrate, we were pleased to present 2 fascinating groups, the DCIC and Anorak. Find details about the bands can be found here. DCIC and Anorak both explored the limits and boundaries of creativity and improvisation in the moment. We thought the music was a fantastic addition to the artist’s reception. Patrons came to view the work, then stayed to enjoy the sounds gushing out of the studio.
We’ve seen artists work with process related materials, but that was nothing in comparison to this. Recently I visited Steven Dobbin’s studio to view his new work, and I was impressed.
If you happened to visit the Zip Code show in our pop up gallery in Arlington, VA, then you’ve seen the predecessor of this work. He has a show that recently opened in New York. Yes. Yes. All tremendous area artists end up there, but with out rambling on too much where the good artists are, let’s take a second to look.
Steven takes an icon, and obsesses about it. Seriously. We’re not talking about a few cans stacked against a wall. We’re talking about volume, and that means work. He preps the cans, which includes proper disposal of the paint, and the instigation of the deterioration of the cans with both chemical and natural means. Yes, yes, oxidation in nature is chemistry, but let’s move beyond that, his yard has been full of containers filled with paint and cat littler to aid the drying of left over paint. Think of the 100s of gallons of dried paint which receive proper disposal! It’s also important to note that these are all essentially recycled, from paint left overs that were either found or donated to the project.
I’m constantly in awe of what he does with diligence and perfection, which is followed by obsession. One work isn’t enough. He continues the idea until it’s done, and this time we’re talking well over 850 cans in our friend’s gallery in NY. Steven has often told me that he wished he could stop, but he can’t. He’s compelled to move forward.
View his current installation entitled “Reclamation” at Causey Contemporary below. We are so lucky to get to see his process of installation here.
View the show here, check out the images of rust and pigment on a panel. Well worth the visit!
The gurus at the express night out have picked up the details about our Fringe Jazz show with Anorak and the DCIC. We’re really pleased to see this in the express. Find the note about the show here. Find the complete release about this show here.
“I cure myself…” is an exhibition developed by Michael Winger, a man, and an artist on a pathway to find solace in world where the medical system leaves you asking questions with an unsure fate for one’s health and well being. He’s been on a journey to cure his own bouts with Cancer. Through this process he’s developed art based on natural products, and the process is as important as the final out come of the objects.
On November 8th, a group of artists including Lauren Pond, Grayson Heck, and Jesse Cohen met at the Gallery to aid Michael in developing a one-o-a-kind gallery installation.
This work is an example great spiritual enlightenment.
We’ll have a limited supply of extra materials for you to build your own nest.
We would be honored to have you view this work before our Fringe Jazz Concert the same night. Details on the music can be found here.
Before developing this exhibition we wanted to get a better handle on Installation art, so we turned to the net, and read this link. Specifically, they write, “Installation art describes an artistic genre of site-specific, three-dimensional works designed to transform the perception of a space.” The end of that line is important, …designed to transform the perception of a space. That’s what the installation at “I cure myself…” does. You walk in, and there’s a perception of energy, peace, and tranquility.
Yesterday, I stopped by the Art League at the Torpedo Factory to Jury a new show entitled Becoming Animal. The show runs from November 4 to December 7, 2009. Artists were asked to explore the animal within us all or submit images of animals real or imaginary including everything from our favorite pets to endangered and/or extinct species. Artists are also encouraged to explore the fine line between humans and animals. It was my goal to develop a selection of works that did exactly that. It was important for me to attempt to move beyond the average pet picture and find raw emotion with in a tremendous pool of work.
There were well over 450 submissions which made this a tough yet pleasurable task. The Art League is an organized movement which could give Seiko or even a Rolex a run for the money. I was amazed at the attention. There were 5 or 6 volunteers dedicated to helping the process run smoothly. They insisted on bringing the work to me to view it. I felt guilty watching them run from one pile to the next bringing me art. In the end, I was exhausted, yet they had to feel it more since they were constantly running back and forth!
The most difficult task was saying no, over 35o times, such an un-Dale Carnegie task. (I keep hearing his instructions, make them say yes!)
The Art League’s marketing manager too notes on our discussion about the curatorial process, and what I looked for to include a work. At which point, I had to say, there could have been 2 or 3 other shows in this body of work.
One image or painting wasn’t better than another, the chosen works seemed to fit the theme better. Some were picked for their raw emotion, others for my opinion of great skill, and many things in-between. I would have loved to come back for a later visit to think more about which images were chosen, however the spontaneity of the of the process is part of the excitement, and it ads to the show. I like the outcome.
