Friday, December 11, 2009

Happy Holidays


As of the week of Thanksgiving the Workhouse Photographic Society has reorganized, changed its name to the Workhouse Photography Group, and moved into a new gallery space at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton. We are now located in Building W-16 in the Vulcan Gallery on the first floor. There are eight very talented photographers in our newly formed group. The new gallery is a bright space with two separate "rooms" and our first show is a "small works" exhibit. The eight (very) small black and white prints I have on display for this show include photographs from New Mexico ("Santa Fe Wall" above) and Texas, as well as four from a figure workshop I attended this year in the Virginia countryside. Our gallery is open normal Workhouse hours: Wednesday-Saturday 11:00- 7:00 and Sunday 12:00-5:00. Our building will be closed from Christmas through New Year's.



There is also another "small works" exhibit in the remaining galleries on the first floor of Building W-16. This show includes works from most of the artists who have studios at the Workhouse (100+-) working in all artistic mediums. I have five photographs in this show, including "Yucca In The Sun."

The second floor of W-16 currently displays donated pieces from 90+ Workhouse artists. On the evening of Saturday, December 12 the Collector's Showcase Fete D'Etoile will take place and patrons who purchase tickets ($150 each or $175 per couple) will take home a work of art of their choice. Food, drinks and music will be provided for the evening event, which takes place from 8:00-11:00pm. For more information visit http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddz3k33s_0ghz877hj.


My photo "Afternoon Storm," (which is one of the donated works for the Collector's Showcase) has been chosen, along with 12 other works from this show, to be in the Workhouse 2011 Calendar. On Saturday night at the event the Best In Show from these 13 works will be announced and will have a prominent spot on the cover of the calendar. I am very honored to have been chosen to be in the calendar from such a talented collection of artists. The juror was Maureen Littleton of Maureen Littleton Gallery in Georgetown. "Afternoon Storm" also won first place in the advanced print category by judge and nationally-known photographer Frank Van Riper at the Vienna Photographic Society's November competition. Now I must give you a little background on how I happened to catch this shot. I was leaving the Workhouse one afternoon and the skies were stormy and getting darker by the second. Something caught my eye to my right and it was the most amazing sight; the late afternoon sun was shining on a barn but the sky behind was dark. I pulled over, picked up my camera (unfortunately only a five megapixel point-and-shoot which I use in my residential appraisal work by day), struggled to get the car door open due to very strong winds, and tried to steady my camera all the while shooting through a chainlink fence!


Before I sign off, another of my photographs is hanging at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria in the current month's all-media show at the Art League. I have attempted to get this image into their shows two times previously...and I guess the old adage is true "the third time's a charm." It is titled "Paris Alley" and is of an alley (French word allee) of trees which lead to Napoleon's tomb in the Dome Church of the Invalides in Paris.

I have been feeling the need to travel and hopefully will have some new images to report on soon after the New Year. Happy Holidays to all and I wish you and your loved ones good health and much happiness in the New Year.