Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Most Recent Exhibits And Other News





"Scapes - The International Landscape Show" was on display during the month of August at the Art League of Alexandria on the first floor of the Torpedo Factory in Old Town. The show was juried by Nora M. Heimann, Chairman of the Art Department of Catholic University. My photograph "Abandoned" of a long-forgotten sailboat on the shores of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands was one of the chosen works for this annual show.


The current month's All-Media Show at the Art League entitled "Interaction of Color" was juried by Patrick Craig. My image "Sante Fe Colors" from a recent trip to New Mexico was one of the 138 accepted by the juror out of a total of 652 works submitted, and will be on display (and offered for purchase) through Monday, November 2. Mr. Craig is a Professor of Art at the University of Maryland, www.patrickcraig.com. I have been a member of the Art League for a year now (July 2008-July 2009), and since I was juried into at least three monthly shows during that first year I am now eligible to display and sell works in their Bin Gallery throughout the current year. In the Bin Gallery art works in all mediums and in varying sizes are on display - all available for purchase. In any given month I now have one framed photograph hanging and six mat-only photos on display in the bins.




As an ongoing member of the Vienna Photographic Society (VPS), photos that have won awards at our monthly member-competitions (where we bring in outside judges) are eligible to be entered into the final group show at the end of the year (our year runs Sept-June). My image "Morning Bath" won a second place ribbon at our final competition which was judged this year by Judy Switt, www.nvacc.org/Switt.html. A print of this image was also recently purchased by a regular patron of the Workhouse Arts Center where I am an artist-member.


Another photo, "The Jewelry Maker," taken while in New Mexico in June won a first place ribbon in the first member-competition of our current year at VPS.  I really can't say that it was the photographer who made this image stand out, as it was the subject and her "story" that made the portrait.


Finally, back to the subject of the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton. The Workhouse Photographic Society has (temporarily) moved out of their home in building W-6. We hope to soon be moving into new space on the first floor of the main gallery building next door, W-16. We are in the process of forming a new cooperative and we hope our first show will be hung in time for Black Friday, an event hosted by the Workhouse for the day after Thanksgiving. This event is from 9:00-5:00 and includes live music from 2:00-4:00 by the Potomac Jazz Project. Patrons are encouraged to mingle and shop and tickets for the “Workhouse Gift Raffle” will be available for $5, allowing for the opportunity to win gift baskets and prizes valued at $350 or more (contents of the baskets include original works of art and private lessons with a Workhouse artist).


If all goes well in forming the new photography cooperative, I hope you will visit us in our (proposed) new home in the Vulcan Gallery, named after one of the Workhouse benefactors. As in our former space, we plan to change our shows every six-to-eight weeks. It's been a terrific first year for the Workhouse Photographic Society and while we have lost some of the original members we have gained new talented artists and will strive to jury new members in the months - and years - to come. Thanks to all who have visited and supported the Workhouse over the past year!