As I've noted multiple times over the last 20 years of this blog, and 40+ years of writing about art, I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this past Saturday it was American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

The Open Studios were held on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

I must give props that I was tipped off about the studios by Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. I visited him in Studio 253 and see his latest work, and he was actively chatting about his work with a few folks who there at the same time. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates also showcased their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages as we are now fully recovered from the Covidian Age.

Before I get into the good stuff, and just as I complained about the same issue during my last visit to the Torpedo Factory, I was somewhat disappointed to see multiple close studio doors during the Open Studio night.  The reason for that could be:

(a) Those studios were not occupied by MFA candidates

(b) The MFA candidates from those studios did not want to participate in the Open Studios because: 

• They were too chicken to interact with the public
• The state of their artworks were not "ready" to be seen
• They were too lazy
• They were advised not to

Personally, I think that part of the biggest education than an art tudent can get is by interacting with the public; there's nothing like exposing your artwork to the masses to trigger artistic passions - both from positive criticism or negative feedback!

"Enough with your fucking whining about close studios Lenster," you say, "move on to the good stuff!"

Gagne built wooden pulpits, created ancient looking leather-bound books - tomes once would say - to display his photos, along with a one-of-a-kind written language that Gagne has created. 

And Gagne, in spite of his youth, is an engaging dude, who at first appearance could easily pass for a time traveler who just popped in from medieval France, but ends up being a soft spoken, erudite and intelligent artist, able to get the viewer engaged and interested in his immensely complex and uniquely individual work!

We were also quite engaged and enlightened by the powerful political work of Phaedra Askarinam - her work, which has an intense focus on the issue of human rights in Iran, and in particular, the rights of women, is strong, visceral and elegant as it calls out Iran's brutal treatment of women.

"The only thing I could do to make an impact was to make my art big, make it seen, and invite other students to join me."

Phaedra Askarinam ‘24, an Iranian-born artist, watched protests unfold in her home country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022. Since then, anti-government protests have riled the country, leaving countless protesters injured, arrested, or dead. 

“For a few weeks I couldn’t make any art. I was paralyzed,” Phaedra says. “Then, I knew I had to do something. The protestors needed help.” As Askarinam’s artistic practice centers around the experiences of women and girls in society, she was roused to act in the only way she could—through her art.  

Phaedra was inspired to create a monumental, 19-foot-long banner dominated by a painted portrait of Amini. The banner hung in the Katzen Arts Center rotunda in December and again in February, when passers-by were invited to actively participate by signing the banner in solidarity with protestors. “Sometimes we pass by art, or only give it a few seconds. If you participate in something, you remember it—viewers feel like they did something. They were part of this. We all want to be part of something good that helps others.” Additionally, she asked viewers to contribute locks of their hair in tribute to Amini, who was arrested for wearing her hijab “improperly.” 

In Iran, protests have been primarily led by students. Phaedra says, “I wanted to connect young people across the world, from our campus to theirs. We can amplify the protesters’ voices—plus, our students need to know and understand what’s happening around the world.”  

We also liked the complex, almost 3D works of Marie B. Gauthiez, Pooja Campbell, and others.

In the visit, I asked almost every artist if they had ever heard of Art Bank; none had - this says something.

I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this Saturday it is American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

American University MFA fall graduate Open Studios event is on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Come and discover new artists and trends in Washington D.C.  Open Studios will be located on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

Check out Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. Visit him in Studio 253 and see his latest work. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates will also showcase their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages. 

Rhea Nayyar from Hyperallergic went to the Affordable Art Fair in NYC with a thousand imaginary bucks...

I gave myself an imagined budget and set out to find everything from dorm-room art to a housewarming gift for that friend who loves crystals.

I was admittedly grumpy when I arrived at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan to see that the line for the Affordable Art Fair entry wrapped around three-quarters of the block. For what it’s worth, the line moved quickly and I got to daydream about organizational solutions while peering into the neighboring Container Store, but even then, I still couldn’t believe how many people were waiting to get in on the preview night alone. Thankfully, the fair runs through September 24.

And I appreciate that Nayyar picked my Bisque drawings as one of her recommendations! About 30 of them sold on VIP Preview Night!

Read the article here.

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, a juried art competition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, announced the 2023 prize winners!

Rex Delafkaran of Washington, D.C. was awarded the prestigious “Best in Show” title and received the $10,000 top prize. 

Charles Mason III from Baltimore, MD was named second place and given $2,000; Stephanie Garon from Baltimore, MD was bestowed third place and received $1,000; and Megan Koeppel from Hyattsville, MD was awarded the Young Artist Award and received $1,000.

Congrats to all the prizewinners!

submittable.com/submit/271428/life-in-layers-the-2023-prince-georges-county-juried-exhibition" target="_blank">The 35th Annual Prince George’s County Juried exhibition is open to visual artists that live, work, or maintain a studio in Prince George’s County.

Deadline: Fri, Oct 13, 2023 11:59 PM

Juror: Phil Hutinet, a third generation Capitol Hill resident, is the publisher of East City Art, DC's Visual Arts publication of record, which he began in 2010.

Again: This call is open to all artists who are 18 years of age or older who live, work, study, or have a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration.

No Entry Fee

EXHIBITION TIMELINE

Deadline to apply online: Sunday, October 13, 2023, 11:59 pm

Artists notified: Thursday, October 19, 2023

Artists drop off work at Brentwood Arts Exchange: Sunday, October 29, 2023, 10am-4pm

Exhibition start date:  Thursday, November 2, 2023 

Reception date and curator talk: Saturday, November 18, 2023, 5-8 pm

Last day of exhibit: Saturday, January 6, 2024

Artists pick up work from Brentwood Arts Exchange: Saturday, January 13, 2024

Apply here.

Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell, a multi-disciplinary fine artist, curator, and educator, to receive the 2023 East Of The River Distinguished Artist Award. The annual award presented by Honfleur Gallery in memory of Sharon Hughes Gautier honors a living artist in Wards 7 or 8 for creative excellence while significantly impacting the cultural landscape of Washington, DC. The recipient receives a $5,000 honorarium. 

"Zsudayka's mixed media pieces tell stories of the African American family life and experiences. Each piece's bold colors, textures, perspectives, and intricate patterns create a narrative of their power, unity, dignity, beauty, and resilience.", says artist Luis Del Valle, recipient of the 2013 EotR Distinguished Artist Award. "Her impact and contribution to our community and culture cannot be denied."

From Aurora, CO, Zsudayka Nzinga's work is largely focused on mixed media portraiture of American life, including themes of motherhood and culture and identity. Her pieces explore patterns and textures using acrylic, oil, decorative and hand-dyed paper, fabric, thread, and ink on canvas. She uses photography and video to tell stories behind her work. She is a proud mother of 3 children and wife to artist James Terrell.

Says Terrell, "I've lived in DC for 12 years, 8 East of the River. It is a community I have fallen in love with for its resilience and history. I always jokingly call it the authentic part of DC because it's real families who have been here for generations. It's a deep culture that has begun to seep into my work. It's a place that deserves incredible advocates, access, and care. It is my hope that I live my life in a way that creates opportunities, particularly in the arts, for the people on this side of the river who have so much vibrant art to offer the world."

In addition to receiving the 2023 East of the River Distinguished Artist Award, Terrell curated this year's East of the River Exhibition, "Interlocked" by the Infinity Collective. The exhibit explores the connections forged between groups of people working in unison towards a common goal. The show features works of talented black women artists, including Camille Angel, Sanah Brown-Bowers, Shante Bullock, Bria Edwards, Artiste Fletcher, Dany Green, Joy Nutt, Reshada Pullen, Liz Stewart, Chantae Sudlow, Candice Tavares, and Vanessa Villareal.

Award Ceremony and Opening Reception, Saturday, September 30th, 2023, 7-9pm at Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Road, SE; Washington, DC 20020. RSVP at bit.ly/INTERLOCKED. Show details available at honfleurgallerydc.com. Terrell bio and inventory available at terrellartsdc.com.

Yesterday I spent about three hours wandering around the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, visiting every single space, gallery and studio that was open.  The place was very busy, full of tourists, locals, and all kinds of people walking around the DMV's most precious art jewel.

Over the years I've written many, many, many articles, blog posts and pieces about this very special place, including these last two in the Old Town Crier newspaper, (1 and 2) discussing my thoughts on what is happening at the Factory since the City of Alexandria took over.

But for this post I'm just going to focus on this visit, with some observations and opinions.

On the subject of "open", I was both surprised and disappointed by the significant number of studios which were closed on a Saturday afternoon. "Saturdays are our busiest day," noted a prominent Torpedo factory artist who has been there for decades... as I left her studio after chatting with her for a while, she was working to close an $8,000 sale.

On the third floor alone, I would estimate that half the studios were closed, which in my opinion is not acceptable, especially when they are routinely closed. By that I mean that I saw signs on the studio doors that stated the open hours, which were Monday through Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays being either "Closed" or "By Appointment Only."

Since the heavy hand of the state now dictates every and all things Torpedo Factorish, I would recommend that the City Kommissars order the artistic workers to be open on weekends. In an amendment to that motion, as there are 52 weekends a year - let's settle on 42 weekends.

At the Art League on the ground floor, I walked through the current group show, which was curated by juror-info" target="_blank">Regina DeLuise. 

As art jurying is very subjective, I usually knock heads with jurors when I form my own decisions as to prize winners, etc., but in this case Ms. DeLuise and I agree 1000% that Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe indeed earned that prize!

Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe

The Feast Of The Gods by Teresa Oaxaca

On the third floor I walked into Jacelyn Orellana as she was painting a small portrait. 

As I've noted multiple times over the last 20 years of this blog, and 40+ years of writing about art, I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this past Saturday it was American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

The Open Studios were held on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

I must give props that I was tipped off about the studios by Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. I visited him in Studio 253 and see his latest work, and he was actively chatting about his work with a few folks who there at the same time. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates also showcased their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages as we are now fully recovered from the Covidian Age.

Before I get into the good stuff, and just as I complained about the same issue during my last visit to the Torpedo Factory, I was somewhat disappointed to see multiple close studio doors during the Open Studio night.  The reason for that could be:

(a) Those studios were not occupied by MFA candidates

(b) The MFA candidates from those studios did not want to participate in the Open Studios because: 

• They were too chicken to interact with the public
• The state of their artworks were not "ready" to be seen
• They were too lazy
• They were advised not to

Personally, I think that part of the biggest education than an art tudent can get is by interacting with the public; there's nothing like exposing your artwork to the masses to trigger artistic passions - both from positive criticism or negative feedback!

"Enough with your fucking whining about close studios Lenster," you say, "move on to the good stuff!"

Gagne built wooden pulpits, created ancient looking leather-bound books - tomes once would say - to display his photos, along with a one-of-a-kind written language that Gagne has created. 

And Gagne, in spite of his youth, is an engaging dude, who at first appearance could easily pass for a time traveler who just popped in from medieval France, but ends up being a soft spoken, erudite and intelligent artist, able to get the viewer engaged and interested in his immensely complex and uniquely individual work!

We were also quite engaged and enlightened by the powerful political work of Phaedra Askarinam - her work, which has an intense focus on the issue of human rights in Iran, and in particular, the rights of women, is strong, visceral and elegant as it calls out Iran's brutal treatment of women.

"The only thing I could do to make an impact was to make my art big, make it seen, and invite other students to join me."

Phaedra Askarinam ‘24, an Iranian-born artist, watched protests unfold in her home country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022. Since then, anti-government protests have riled the country, leaving countless protesters injured, arrested, or dead. 

“For a few weeks I couldn’t make any art. I was paralyzed,” Phaedra says. “Then, I knew I had to do something. The protestors needed help.” As Askarinam’s artistic practice centers around the experiences of women and girls in society, she was roused to act in the only way she could—through her art.  

Phaedra was inspired to create a monumental, 19-foot-long banner dominated by a painted portrait of Amini. The banner hung in the Katzen Arts Center rotunda in December and again in February, when passers-by were invited to actively participate by signing the banner in solidarity with protestors. “Sometimes we pass by art, or only give it a few seconds. If you participate in something, you remember it—viewers feel like they did something. They were part of this. We all want to be part of something good that helps others.” Additionally, she asked viewers to contribute locks of their hair in tribute to Amini, who was arrested for wearing her hijab “improperly.” 

In Iran, protests have been primarily led by students. Phaedra says, “I wanted to connect young people across the world, from our campus to theirs. We can amplify the protesters’ voices—plus, our students need to know and understand what’s happening around the world.”  

We also liked the complex, almost 3D works of Marie B. Gauthiez, Pooja Campbell, and others.

In the visit, I asked almost every artist if they had ever heard of Art Bank; none had - this says something.

I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this Saturday it is American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

American University MFA fall graduate Open Studios event is on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Come and discover new artists and trends in Washington D.C.  Open Studios will be located on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

Check out Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. Visit him in Studio 253 and see his latest work. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates will also showcase their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages. 

Rhea Nayyar from Hyperallergic went to the Affordable Art Fair in NYC with a thousand imaginary bucks...

I gave myself an imagined budget and set out to find everything from dorm-room art to a housewarming gift for that friend who loves crystals.

I was admittedly grumpy when I arrived at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan to see that the line for the Affordable Art Fair entry wrapped around three-quarters of the block. For what it’s worth, the line moved quickly and I got to daydream about organizational solutions while peering into the neighboring Container Store, but even then, I still couldn’t believe how many people were waiting to get in on the preview night alone. Thankfully, the fair runs through September 24.

And I appreciate that Nayyar picked my Bisque drawings as one of her recommendations! About 30 of them sold on VIP Preview Night!

Read the article here.

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, a juried art competition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, announced the 2023 prize winners!

Rex Delafkaran of Washington, D.C. was awarded the prestigious “Best in Show” title and received the $10,000 top prize. 

Charles Mason III from Baltimore, MD was named second place and given $2,000; Stephanie Garon from Baltimore, MD was bestowed third place and received $1,000; and Megan Koeppel from Hyattsville, MD was awarded the Young Artist Award and received $1,000.

Congrats to all the prizewinners!

submittable.com/submit/271428/life-in-layers-the-2023-prince-georges-county-juried-exhibition" target="_blank">The 35th Annual Prince George’s County Juried exhibition is open to visual artists that live, work, or maintain a studio in Prince George’s County.

Deadline: Fri, Oct 13, 2023 11:59 PM

Juror: Phil Hutinet, a third generation Capitol Hill resident, is the publisher of East City Art, DC's Visual Arts publication of record, which he began in 2010.

Again: This call is open to all artists who are 18 years of age or older who live, work, study, or have a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration.

No Entry Fee

EXHIBITION TIMELINE

Deadline to apply online: Sunday, October 13, 2023, 11:59 pm

Artists notified: Thursday, October 19, 2023

Artists drop off work at Brentwood Arts Exchange: Sunday, October 29, 2023, 10am-4pm

Exhibition start date:  Thursday, November 2, 2023 

Reception date and curator talk: Saturday, November 18, 2023, 5-8 pm

Last day of exhibit: Saturday, January 6, 2024

Artists pick up work from Brentwood Arts Exchange: Saturday, January 13, 2024

Apply here.

Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell, a multi-disciplinary fine artist, curator, and educator, to receive the 2023 East Of The River Distinguished Artist Award. The annual award presented by Honfleur Gallery in memory of Sharon Hughes Gautier honors a living artist in Wards 7 or 8 for creative excellence while significantly impacting the cultural landscape of Washington, DC. The recipient receives a $5,000 honorarium. 

"Zsudayka's mixed media pieces tell stories of the African American family life and experiences. Each piece's bold colors, textures, perspectives, and intricate patterns create a narrative of their power, unity, dignity, beauty, and resilience.", says artist Luis Del Valle, recipient of the 2013 EotR Distinguished Artist Award. "Her impact and contribution to our community and culture cannot be denied."

From Aurora, CO, Zsudayka Nzinga's work is largely focused on mixed media portraiture of American life, including themes of motherhood and culture and identity. Her pieces explore patterns and textures using acrylic, oil, decorative and hand-dyed paper, fabric, thread, and ink on canvas. She uses photography and video to tell stories behind her work. She is a proud mother of 3 children and wife to artist James Terrell.

Says Terrell, "I've lived in DC for 12 years, 8 East of the River. It is a community I have fallen in love with for its resilience and history. I always jokingly call it the authentic part of DC because it's real families who have been here for generations. It's a deep culture that has begun to seep into my work. It's a place that deserves incredible advocates, access, and care. It is my hope that I live my life in a way that creates opportunities, particularly in the arts, for the people on this side of the river who have so much vibrant art to offer the world."

In addition to receiving the 2023 East of the River Distinguished Artist Award, Terrell curated this year's East of the River Exhibition, "Interlocked" by the Infinity Collective. The exhibit explores the connections forged between groups of people working in unison towards a common goal. The show features works of talented black women artists, including Camille Angel, Sanah Brown-Bowers, Shante Bullock, Bria Edwards, Artiste Fletcher, Dany Green, Joy Nutt, Reshada Pullen, Liz Stewart, Chantae Sudlow, Candice Tavares, and Vanessa Villareal.

Award Ceremony and Opening Reception, Saturday, September 30th, 2023, 7-9pm at Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Road, SE; Washington, DC 20020. RSVP at bit.ly/INTERLOCKED. Show details available at honfleurgallerydc.com. Terrell bio and inventory available at terrellartsdc.com.

Yesterday I spent about three hours wandering around the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, visiting every single space, gallery and studio that was open.  The place was very busy, full of tourists, locals, and all kinds of people walking around the DMV's most precious art jewel.

Over the years I've written many, many, many articles, blog posts and pieces about this very special place, including these last two in the Old Town Crier newspaper, (1 and 2) discussing my thoughts on what is happening at the Factory since the City of Alexandria took over.

But for this post I'm just going to focus on this visit, with some observations and opinions.

On the subject of "open", I was both surprised and disappointed by the significant number of studios which were closed on a Saturday afternoon. "Saturdays are our busiest day," noted a prominent Torpedo factory artist who has been there for decades... as I left her studio after chatting with her for a while, she was working to close an $8,000 sale.

On the third floor alone, I would estimate that half the studios were closed, which in my opinion is not acceptable, especially when they are routinely closed. By that I mean that I saw signs on the studio doors that stated the open hours, which were Monday through Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays being either "Closed" or "By Appointment Only."

Since the heavy hand of the state now dictates every and all things Torpedo Factorish, I would recommend that the City Kommissars order the artistic workers to be open on weekends. In an amendment to that motion, as there are 52 weekends a year - let's settle on 42 weekends.

At the Art League on the ground floor, I walked through the current group show, which was curated by juror-info" target="_blank">Regina DeLuise. 

As art jurying is very subjective, I usually knock heads with jurors when I form my own decisions as to prize winners, etc., but in this case Ms. DeLuise and I agree 1000% that Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe indeed earned that prize!

Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe

The Feast Of The Gods by Teresa Oaxaca

On the third floor I walked into Jacelyn Orellana as she was painting a small portrait. 

As I've noted multiple times over the last 20 years of this blog, and 40+ years of writing about art, I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this past Saturday it was American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

The Open Studios were held on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

I must give props that I was tipped off about the studios by Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. I visited him in Studio 253 and see his latest work, and he was actively chatting about his work with a few folks who there at the same time. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates also showcased their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages as we are now fully recovered from the Covidian Age.

Before I get into the good stuff, and just as I complained about the same issue during my last visit to the Torpedo Factory, I was somewhat disappointed to see multiple close studio doors during the Open Studio night.  The reason for that could be:

(a) Those studios were not occupied by MFA candidates

(b) The MFA candidates from those studios did not want to participate in the Open Studios because: 

• They were too chicken to interact with the public
• The state of their artworks were not "ready" to be seen
• They were too lazy
• They were advised not to

Personally, I think that part of the biggest education than an art tudent can get is by interacting with the public; there's nothing like exposing your artwork to the masses to trigger artistic passions - both from positive criticism or negative feedback!

"Enough with your fucking whining about close studios Lenster," you say, "move on to the good stuff!"

Gagne built wooden pulpits, created ancient looking leather-bound books - tomes once would say - to display his photos, along with a one-of-a-kind written language that Gagne has created. 

And Gagne, in spite of his youth, is an engaging dude, who at first appearance could easily pass for a time traveler who just popped in from medieval France, but ends up being a soft spoken, erudite and intelligent artist, able to get the viewer engaged and interested in his immensely complex and uniquely individual work!

We were also quite engaged and enlightened by the powerful political work of Phaedra Askarinam - her work, which has an intense focus on the issue of human rights in Iran, and in particular, the rights of women, is strong, visceral and elegant as it calls out Iran's brutal treatment of women.

"The only thing I could do to make an impact was to make my art big, make it seen, and invite other students to join me."

Phaedra Askarinam ‘24, an Iranian-born artist, watched protests unfold in her home country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022. Since then, anti-government protests have riled the country, leaving countless protesters injured, arrested, or dead. 

“For a few weeks I couldn’t make any art. I was paralyzed,” Phaedra says. “Then, I knew I had to do something. The protestors needed help.” As Askarinam’s artistic practice centers around the experiences of women and girls in society, she was roused to act in the only way she could—through her art.  

Phaedra was inspired to create a monumental, 19-foot-long banner dominated by a painted portrait of Amini. The banner hung in the Katzen Arts Center rotunda in December and again in February, when passers-by were invited to actively participate by signing the banner in solidarity with protestors. “Sometimes we pass by art, or only give it a few seconds. If you participate in something, you remember it—viewers feel like they did something. They were part of this. We all want to be part of something good that helps others.” Additionally, she asked viewers to contribute locks of their hair in tribute to Amini, who was arrested for wearing her hijab “improperly.” 

In Iran, protests have been primarily led by students. Phaedra says, “I wanted to connect young people across the world, from our campus to theirs. We can amplify the protesters’ voices—plus, our students need to know and understand what’s happening around the world.”  

We also liked the complex, almost 3D works of Marie B. Gauthiez, Pooja Campbell, and others.

In the visit, I asked almost every artist if they had ever heard of Art Bank; none had - this says something.

I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this Saturday it is American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

American University MFA fall graduate Open Studios event is on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Come and discover new artists and trends in Washington D.C.  Open Studios will be located on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

Check out Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. Visit him in Studio 253 and see his latest work. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates will also showcase their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages. 

Rhea Nayyar from Hyperallergic went to the Affordable Art Fair in NYC with a thousand imaginary bucks...

I gave myself an imagined budget and set out to find everything from dorm-room art to a housewarming gift for that friend who loves crystals.

I was admittedly grumpy when I arrived at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan to see that the line for the Affordable Art Fair entry wrapped around three-quarters of the block. For what it’s worth, the line moved quickly and I got to daydream about organizational solutions while peering into the neighboring Container Store, but even then, I still couldn’t believe how many people were waiting to get in on the preview night alone. Thankfully, the fair runs through September 24.

And I appreciate that Nayyar picked my Bisque drawings as one of her recommendations! About 30 of them sold on VIP Preview Night!

Read the article here.

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, a juried art competition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, announced the 2023 prize winners!

Rex Delafkaran of Washington, D.C. was awarded the prestigious “Best in Show” title and received the $10,000 top prize. 

Charles Mason III from Baltimore, MD was named second place and given $2,000; Stephanie Garon from Baltimore, MD was bestowed third place and received $1,000; and Megan Koeppel from Hyattsville, MD was awarded the Young Artist Award and received $1,000.

Congrats to all the prizewinners!

submittable.com/submit/271428/life-in-layers-the-2023-prince-georges-county-juried-exhibition" target="_blank">The 35th Annual Prince George’s County Juried exhibition is open to visual artists that live, work, or maintain a studio in Prince George’s County.

Deadline: Fri, Oct 13, 2023 11:59 PM

Juror: Phil Hutinet, a third generation Capitol Hill resident, is the publisher of East City Art, DC's Visual Arts publication of record, which he began in 2010.

Again: This call is open to all artists who are 18 years of age or older who live, work, study, or have a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration.

No Entry Fee

EXHIBITION TIMELINE

Deadline to apply online: Sunday, October 13, 2023, 11:59 pm

Artists notified: Thursday, October 19, 2023

Artists drop off work at Brentwood Arts Exchange: Sunday, October 29, 2023, 10am-4pm

Exhibition start date:  Thursday, November 2, 2023 

Reception date and curator talk: Saturday, November 18, 2023, 5-8 pm

Last day of exhibit: Saturday, January 6, 2024

Artists pick up work from Brentwood Arts Exchange: Saturday, January 13, 2024

Apply here.

Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell, a multi-disciplinary fine artist, curator, and educator, to receive the 2023 East Of The River Distinguished Artist Award. The annual award presented by Honfleur Gallery in memory of Sharon Hughes Gautier honors a living artist in Wards 7 or 8 for creative excellence while significantly impacting the cultural landscape of Washington, DC. The recipient receives a $5,000 honorarium. 

"Zsudayka's mixed media pieces tell stories of the African American family life and experiences. Each piece's bold colors, textures, perspectives, and intricate patterns create a narrative of their power, unity, dignity, beauty, and resilience.", says artist Luis Del Valle, recipient of the 2013 EotR Distinguished Artist Award. "Her impact and contribution to our community and culture cannot be denied."

From Aurora, CO, Zsudayka Nzinga's work is largely focused on mixed media portraiture of American life, including themes of motherhood and culture and identity. Her pieces explore patterns and textures using acrylic, oil, decorative and hand-dyed paper, fabric, thread, and ink on canvas. She uses photography and video to tell stories behind her work. She is a proud mother of 3 children and wife to artist James Terrell.

Says Terrell, "I've lived in DC for 12 years, 8 East of the River. It is a community I have fallen in love with for its resilience and history. I always jokingly call it the authentic part of DC because it's real families who have been here for generations. It's a deep culture that has begun to seep into my work. It's a place that deserves incredible advocates, access, and care. It is my hope that I live my life in a way that creates opportunities, particularly in the arts, for the people on this side of the river who have so much vibrant art to offer the world."

In addition to receiving the 2023 East of the River Distinguished Artist Award, Terrell curated this year's East of the River Exhibition, "Interlocked" by the Infinity Collective. The exhibit explores the connections forged between groups of people working in unison towards a common goal. The show features works of talented black women artists, including Camille Angel, Sanah Brown-Bowers, Shante Bullock, Bria Edwards, Artiste Fletcher, Dany Green, Joy Nutt, Reshada Pullen, Liz Stewart, Chantae Sudlow, Candice Tavares, and Vanessa Villareal.

Award Ceremony and Opening Reception, Saturday, September 30th, 2023, 7-9pm at Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Road, SE; Washington, DC 20020. RSVP at bit.ly/INTERLOCKED. Show details available at honfleurgallerydc.com. Terrell bio and inventory available at terrellartsdc.com.

Yesterday I spent about three hours wandering around the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, visiting every single space, gallery and studio that was open.  The place was very busy, full of tourists, locals, and all kinds of people walking around the DMV's most precious art jewel.

Over the years I've written many, many, many articles, blog posts and pieces about this very special place, including these last two in the Old Town Crier newspaper, (1 and 2) discussing my thoughts on what is happening at the Factory since the City of Alexandria took over.

But for this post I'm just going to focus on this visit, with some observations and opinions.

On the subject of "open", I was both surprised and disappointed by the significant number of studios which were closed on a Saturday afternoon. "Saturdays are our busiest day," noted a prominent Torpedo factory artist who has been there for decades... as I left her studio after chatting with her for a while, she was working to close an $8,000 sale.

On the third floor alone, I would estimate that half the studios were closed, which in my opinion is not acceptable, especially when they are routinely closed. By that I mean that I saw signs on the studio doors that stated the open hours, which were Monday through Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays being either "Closed" or "By Appointment Only."

Since the heavy hand of the state now dictates every and all things Torpedo Factorish, I would recommend that the City Kommissars order the artistic workers to be open on weekends. In an amendment to that motion, as there are 52 weekends a year - let's settle on 42 weekends.

At the Art League on the ground floor, I walked through the current group show, which was curated by juror-info" target="_blank">Regina DeLuise. 

As art jurying is very subjective, I usually knock heads with jurors when I form my own decisions as to prize winners, etc., but in this case Ms. DeLuise and I agree 1000% that Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe indeed earned that prize!

Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe

The Feast Of The Gods by Teresa Oaxaca

On the third floor I walked into Jacelyn Orellana as she was painting a small portrait. 

As I've noted multiple times over the last 20 years of this blog, and 40+ years of writing about art, I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this past Saturday it was American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

The Open Studios were held on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

I must give props that I was tipped off about the studios by Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. I visited him in Studio 253 and see his latest work, and he was actively chatting about his work with a few folks who there at the same time. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates also showcased their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages as we are now fully recovered from the Covidian Age.

Before I get into the good stuff, and just as I complained about the same issue during my last visit to the Torpedo Factory, I was somewhat disappointed to see multiple close studio doors during the Open Studio night.  The reason for that could be:

(a) Those studios were not occupied by MFA candidates

(b) The MFA candidates from those studios did not want to participate in the Open Studios because: 

• They were too chicken to interact with the public
• The state of their artworks were not "ready" to be seen
• They were too lazy
• They were advised not to

Personally, I think that part of the biggest education than an art tudent can get is by interacting with the public; there's nothing like exposing your artwork to the masses to trigger artistic passions - both from positive criticism or negative feedback!

"Enough with your fucking whining about close studios Lenster," you say, "move on to the good stuff!"

Gagne built wooden pulpits, created ancient looking leather-bound books - tomes once would say - to display his photos, along with a one-of-a-kind written language that Gagne has created. 

And Gagne, in spite of his youth, is an engaging dude, who at first appearance could easily pass for a time traveler who just popped in from medieval France, but ends up being a soft spoken, erudite and intelligent artist, able to get the viewer engaged and interested in his immensely complex and uniquely individual work!

We were also quite engaged and enlightened by the powerful political work of Phaedra Askarinam - her work, which has an intense focus on the issue of human rights in Iran, and in particular, the rights of women, is strong, visceral and elegant as it calls out Iran's brutal treatment of women.

"The only thing I could do to make an impact was to make my art big, make it seen, and invite other students to join me."

Phaedra Askarinam ‘24, an Iranian-born artist, watched protests unfold in her home country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022. Since then, anti-government protests have riled the country, leaving countless protesters injured, arrested, or dead. 

“For a few weeks I couldn’t make any art. I was paralyzed,” Phaedra says. “Then, I knew I had to do something. The protestors needed help.” As Askarinam’s artistic practice centers around the experiences of women and girls in society, she was roused to act in the only way she could—through her art.  

Phaedra was inspired to create a monumental, 19-foot-long banner dominated by a painted portrait of Amini. The banner hung in the Katzen Arts Center rotunda in December and again in February, when passers-by were invited to actively participate by signing the banner in solidarity with protestors. “Sometimes we pass by art, or only give it a few seconds. If you participate in something, you remember it—viewers feel like they did something. They were part of this. We all want to be part of something good that helps others.” Additionally, she asked viewers to contribute locks of their hair in tribute to Amini, who was arrested for wearing her hijab “improperly.” 

In Iran, protests have been primarily led by students. Phaedra says, “I wanted to connect young people across the world, from our campus to theirs. We can amplify the protesters’ voices—plus, our students need to know and understand what’s happening around the world.”  

We also liked the complex, almost 3D works of Marie B. Gauthiez, Pooja Campbell, and others.

In the visit, I asked almost every artist if they had ever heard of Art Bank; none had - this says something.

I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this Saturday it is American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

American University MFA fall graduate Open Studios event is on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Come and discover new artists and trends in Washington D.C.  Open Studios will be located on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

Check out Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. Visit him in Studio 253 and see his latest work. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates will also showcase their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages. 

Rhea Nayyar from Hyperallergic went to the Affordable Art Fair in NYC with a thousand imaginary bucks...

I gave myself an imagined budget and set out to find everything from dorm-room art to a housewarming gift for that friend who loves crystals.

I was admittedly grumpy when I arrived at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan to see that the line for the Affordable Art Fair entry wrapped around three-quarters of the block. For what it’s worth, the line moved quickly and I got to daydream about organizational solutions while peering into the neighboring Container Store, but even then, I still couldn’t believe how many people were waiting to get in on the preview night alone. Thankfully, the fair runs through September 24.

And I appreciate that Nayyar picked my Bisque drawings as one of her recommendations! About 30 of them sold on VIP Preview Night!

Read the article here.

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, a juried art competition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, announced the 2023 prize winners!

Rex Delafkaran of Washington, D.C. was awarded the prestigious “Best in Show” title and received the $10,000 top prize. 

Charles Mason III from Baltimore, MD was named second place and given $2,000; Stephanie Garon from Baltimore, MD was bestowed third place and received $1,000; and Megan Koeppel from Hyattsville, MD was awarded the Young Artist Award and received $1,000.

Congrats to all the prizewinners!

submittable.com/submit/271428/life-in-layers-the-2023-prince-georges-county-juried-exhibition" target="_blank">The 35th Annual Prince George’s County Juried exhibition is open to visual artists that live, work, or maintain a studio in Prince George’s County.

Deadline: Fri, Oct 13, 2023 11:59 PM

Juror: Phil Hutinet, a third generation Capitol Hill resident, is the publisher of East City Art, DC's Visual Arts publication of record, which he began in 2010.

Again: This call is open to all artists who are 18 years of age or older who live, work, study, or have a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration.

No Entry Fee

EXHIBITION TIMELINE

Deadline to apply online: Sunday, October 13, 2023, 11:59 pm

Artists notified: Thursday, October 19, 2023

Artists drop off work at Brentwood Arts Exchange: Sunday, October 29, 2023, 10am-4pm

Exhibition start date:  Thursday, November 2, 2023 

Reception date and curator talk: Saturday, November 18, 2023, 5-8 pm

Last day of exhibit: Saturday, January 6, 2024

Artists pick up work from Brentwood Arts Exchange: Saturday, January 13, 2024

Apply here.

Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell, a multi-disciplinary fine artist, curator, and educator, to receive the 2023 East Of The River Distinguished Artist Award. The annual award presented by Honfleur Gallery in memory of Sharon Hughes Gautier honors a living artist in Wards 7 or 8 for creative excellence while significantly impacting the cultural landscape of Washington, DC. The recipient receives a $5,000 honorarium. 

"Zsudayka's mixed media pieces tell stories of the African American family life and experiences. Each piece's bold colors, textures, perspectives, and intricate patterns create a narrative of their power, unity, dignity, beauty, and resilience.", says artist Luis Del Valle, recipient of the 2013 EotR Distinguished Artist Award. "Her impact and contribution to our community and culture cannot be denied."

From Aurora, CO, Zsudayka Nzinga's work is largely focused on mixed media portraiture of American life, including themes of motherhood and culture and identity. Her pieces explore patterns and textures using acrylic, oil, decorative and hand-dyed paper, fabric, thread, and ink on canvas. She uses photography and video to tell stories behind her work. She is a proud mother of 3 children and wife to artist James Terrell.

Says Terrell, "I've lived in DC for 12 years, 8 East of the River. It is a community I have fallen in love with for its resilience and history. I always jokingly call it the authentic part of DC because it's real families who have been here for generations. It's a deep culture that has begun to seep into my work. It's a place that deserves incredible advocates, access, and care. It is my hope that I live my life in a way that creates opportunities, particularly in the arts, for the people on this side of the river who have so much vibrant art to offer the world."

In addition to receiving the 2023 East of the River Distinguished Artist Award, Terrell curated this year's East of the River Exhibition, "Interlocked" by the Infinity Collective. The exhibit explores the connections forged between groups of people working in unison towards a common goal. The show features works of talented black women artists, including Camille Angel, Sanah Brown-Bowers, Shante Bullock, Bria Edwards, Artiste Fletcher, Dany Green, Joy Nutt, Reshada Pullen, Liz Stewart, Chantae Sudlow, Candice Tavares, and Vanessa Villareal.

Award Ceremony and Opening Reception, Saturday, September 30th, 2023, 7-9pm at Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Road, SE; Washington, DC 20020. RSVP at bit.ly/INTERLOCKED. Show details available at honfleurgallerydc.com. Terrell bio and inventory available at terrellartsdc.com.

Yesterday I spent about three hours wandering around the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, visiting every single space, gallery and studio that was open.  The place was very busy, full of tourists, locals, and all kinds of people walking around the DMV's most precious art jewel.

Over the years I've written many, many, many articles, blog posts and pieces about this very special place, including these last two in the Old Town Crier newspaper, (1 and 2) discussing my thoughts on what is happening at the Factory since the City of Alexandria took over.

But for this post I'm just going to focus on this visit, with some observations and opinions.

On the subject of "open", I was both surprised and disappointed by the significant number of studios which were closed on a Saturday afternoon. "Saturdays are our busiest day," noted a prominent Torpedo factory artist who has been there for decades... as I left her studio after chatting with her for a while, she was working to close an $8,000 sale.

On the third floor alone, I would estimate that half the studios were closed, which in my opinion is not acceptable, especially when they are routinely closed. By that I mean that I saw signs on the studio doors that stated the open hours, which were Monday through Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays being either "Closed" or "By Appointment Only."

Since the heavy hand of the state now dictates every and all things Torpedo Factorish, I would recommend that the City Kommissars order the artistic workers to be open on weekends. In an amendment to that motion, as there are 52 weekends a year - let's settle on 42 weekends.

At the Art League on the ground floor, I walked through the current group show, which was curated by juror-info" target="_blank">Regina DeLuise. 

As art jurying is very subjective, I usually knock heads with jurors when I form my own decisions as to prize winners, etc., but in this case Ms. DeLuise and I agree 1000% that Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe indeed earned that prize!

Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe

The Feast Of The Gods by Teresa Oaxaca

On the third floor I walked into Jacelyn Orellana as she was painting a small portrait. 

As I've noted multiple times over the last 20 years of this blog, and 40+ years of writing about art, I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this past Saturday it was American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

The Open Studios were held on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

I must give props that I was tipped off about the studios by Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. I visited him in Studio 253 and see his latest work, and he was actively chatting about his work with a few folks who there at the same time. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates also showcased their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages as we are now fully recovered from the Covidian Age.

Before I get into the good stuff, and just as I complained about the same issue during my last visit to the Torpedo Factory, I was somewhat disappointed to see multiple close studio doors during the Open Studio night.  The reason for that could be:

(a) Those studios were not occupied by MFA candidates

(b) The MFA candidates from those studios did not want to participate in the Open Studios because: 

• They were too chicken to interact with the public
• The state of their artworks were not "ready" to be seen
• They were too lazy
• They were advised not to

Personally, I think that part of the biggest education than an art tudent can get is by interacting with the public; there's nothing like exposing your artwork to the masses to trigger artistic passions - both from positive criticism or negative feedback!

"Enough with your fucking whining about close studios Lenster," you say, "move on to the good stuff!"

Gagne built wooden pulpits, created ancient looking leather-bound books - tomes once would say - to display his photos, along with a one-of-a-kind written language that Gagne has created. 

And Gagne, in spite of his youth, is an engaging dude, who at first appearance could easily pass for a time traveler who just popped in from medieval France, but ends up being a soft spoken, erudite and intelligent artist, able to get the viewer engaged and interested in his immensely complex and uniquely individual work!

We were also quite engaged and enlightened by the powerful political work of Phaedra Askarinam - her work, which has an intense focus on the issue of human rights in Iran, and in particular, the rights of women, is strong, visceral and elegant as it calls out Iran's brutal treatment of women.

"The only thing I could do to make an impact was to make my art big, make it seen, and invite other students to join me."

Phaedra Askarinam ‘24, an Iranian-born artist, watched protests unfold in her home country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022. Since then, anti-government protests have riled the country, leaving countless protesters injured, arrested, or dead. 

“For a few weeks I couldn’t make any art. I was paralyzed,” Phaedra says. “Then, I knew I had to do something. The protestors needed help.” As Askarinam’s artistic practice centers around the experiences of women and girls in society, she was roused to act in the only way she could—through her art.  

Phaedra was inspired to create a monumental, 19-foot-long banner dominated by a painted portrait of Amini. The banner hung in the Katzen Arts Center rotunda in December and again in February, when passers-by were invited to actively participate by signing the banner in solidarity with protestors. “Sometimes we pass by art, or only give it a few seconds. If you participate in something, you remember it—viewers feel like they did something. They were part of this. We all want to be part of something good that helps others.” Additionally, she asked viewers to contribute locks of their hair in tribute to Amini, who was arrested for wearing her hijab “improperly.” 

In Iran, protests have been primarily led by students. Phaedra says, “I wanted to connect young people across the world, from our campus to theirs. We can amplify the protesters’ voices—plus, our students need to know and understand what’s happening around the world.”  

We also liked the complex, almost 3D works of Marie B. Gauthiez, Pooja Campbell, and others.

In the visit, I asked almost every artist if they had ever heard of Art Bank; none had - this says something.

I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this Saturday it is American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

American University MFA fall graduate Open Studios event is on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Come and discover new artists and trends in Washington D.C.  Open Studios will be located on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

Check out Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. Visit him in Studio 253 and see his latest work. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates will also showcase their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages. 

Rhea Nayyar from Hyperallergic went to the Affordable Art Fair in NYC with a thousand imaginary bucks...

I gave myself an imagined budget and set out to find everything from dorm-room art to a housewarming gift for that friend who loves crystals.

I was admittedly grumpy when I arrived at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan to see that the line for the Affordable Art Fair entry wrapped around three-quarters of the block. For what it’s worth, the line moved quickly and I got to daydream about organizational solutions while peering into the neighboring Container Store, but even then, I still couldn’t believe how many people were waiting to get in on the preview night alone. Thankfully, the fair runs through September 24.

And I appreciate that Nayyar picked my Bisque drawings as one of her recommendations! About 30 of them sold on VIP Preview Night!

Read the article here.

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, a juried art competition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, announced the 2023 prize winners!

Rex Delafkaran of Washington, D.C. was awarded the prestigious “Best in Show” title and received the $10,000 top prize. 

Charles Mason III from Baltimore, MD was named second place and given $2,000; Stephanie Garon from Baltimore, MD was bestowed third place and received $1,000; and Megan Koeppel from Hyattsville, MD was awarded the Young Artist Award and received $1,000.

Congrats to all the prizewinners!

submittable.com/submit/271428/life-in-layers-the-2023-prince-georges-county-juried-exhibition" target="_blank">The 35th Annual Prince George’s County Juried exhibition is open to visual artists that live, work, or maintain a studio in Prince George’s County.

Deadline: Fri, Oct 13, 2023 11:59 PM

Juror: Phil Hutinet, a third generation Capitol Hill resident, is the publisher of East City Art, DC's Visual Arts publication of record, which he began in 2010.

Again: This call is open to all artists who are 18 years of age or older who live, work, study, or have a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration.

No Entry Fee

EXHIBITION TIMELINE

Deadline to apply online: Sunday, October 13, 2023, 11:59 pm

Artists notified: Thursday, October 19, 2023

Artists drop off work at Brentwood Arts Exchange: Sunday, October 29, 2023, 10am-4pm

Exhibition start date:  Thursday, November 2, 2023 

Reception date and curator talk: Saturday, November 18, 2023, 5-8 pm

Last day of exhibit: Saturday, January 6, 2024

Artists pick up work from Brentwood Arts Exchange: Saturday, January 13, 2024

Apply here.

Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell, a multi-disciplinary fine artist, curator, and educator, to receive the 2023 East Of The River Distinguished Artist Award. The annual award presented by Honfleur Gallery in memory of Sharon Hughes Gautier honors a living artist in Wards 7 or 8 for creative excellence while significantly impacting the cultural landscape of Washington, DC. The recipient receives a $5,000 honorarium. 

"Zsudayka's mixed media pieces tell stories of the African American family life and experiences. Each piece's bold colors, textures, perspectives, and intricate patterns create a narrative of their power, unity, dignity, beauty, and resilience.", says artist Luis Del Valle, recipient of the 2013 EotR Distinguished Artist Award. "Her impact and contribution to our community and culture cannot be denied."

From Aurora, CO, Zsudayka Nzinga's work is largely focused on mixed media portraiture of American life, including themes of motherhood and culture and identity. Her pieces explore patterns and textures using acrylic, oil, decorative and hand-dyed paper, fabric, thread, and ink on canvas. She uses photography and video to tell stories behind her work. She is a proud mother of 3 children and wife to artist James Terrell.

Says Terrell, "I've lived in DC for 12 years, 8 East of the River. It is a community I have fallen in love with for its resilience and history. I always jokingly call it the authentic part of DC because it's real families who have been here for generations. It's a deep culture that has begun to seep into my work. It's a place that deserves incredible advocates, access, and care. It is my hope that I live my life in a way that creates opportunities, particularly in the arts, for the people on this side of the river who have so much vibrant art to offer the world."

In addition to receiving the 2023 East of the River Distinguished Artist Award, Terrell curated this year's East of the River Exhibition, "Interlocked" by the Infinity Collective. The exhibit explores the connections forged between groups of people working in unison towards a common goal. The show features works of talented black women artists, including Camille Angel, Sanah Brown-Bowers, Shante Bullock, Bria Edwards, Artiste Fletcher, Dany Green, Joy Nutt, Reshada Pullen, Liz Stewart, Chantae Sudlow, Candice Tavares, and Vanessa Villareal.

Award Ceremony and Opening Reception, Saturday, September 30th, 2023, 7-9pm at Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Road, SE; Washington, DC 20020. RSVP at bit.ly/INTERLOCKED. Show details available at honfleurgallerydc.com. Terrell bio and inventory available at terrellartsdc.com.

Yesterday I spent about three hours wandering around the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, visiting every single space, gallery and studio that was open.  The place was very busy, full of tourists, locals, and all kinds of people walking around the DMV's most precious art jewel.

Over the years I've written many, many, many articles, blog posts and pieces about this very special place, including these last two in the Old Town Crier newspaper, (1 and 2) discussing my thoughts on what is happening at the Factory since the City of Alexandria took over.

But for this post I'm just going to focus on this visit, with some observations and opinions.

On the subject of "open", I was both surprised and disappointed by the significant number of studios which were closed on a Saturday afternoon. "Saturdays are our busiest day," noted a prominent Torpedo factory artist who has been there for decades... as I left her studio after chatting with her for a while, she was working to close an $8,000 sale.

On the third floor alone, I would estimate that half the studios were closed, which in my opinion is not acceptable, especially when they are routinely closed. By that I mean that I saw signs on the studio doors that stated the open hours, which were Monday through Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays being either "Closed" or "By Appointment Only."

Since the heavy hand of the state now dictates every and all things Torpedo Factorish, I would recommend that the City Kommissars order the artistic workers to be open on weekends. In an amendment to that motion, as there are 52 weekends a year - let's settle on 42 weekends.

At the Art League on the ground floor, I walked through the current group show, which was curated by juror-info" target="_blank">Regina DeLuise. 

As art jurying is very subjective, I usually knock heads with jurors when I form my own decisions as to prize winners, etc., but in this case Ms. DeLuise and I agree 1000% that Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe indeed earned that prize!

Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe

The Feast Of The Gods by Teresa Oaxaca

On the third floor I walked into Jacelyn Orellana as she was painting a small portrait. 

As I've noted multiple times over the last 20 years of this blog, and 40+ years of writing about art, I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this past Saturday it was American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

The Open Studios were held on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

I must give props that I was tipped off about the studios by Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. I visited him in Studio 253 and see his latest work, and he was actively chatting about his work with a few folks who there at the same time. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates also showcased their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages as we are now fully recovered from the Covidian Age.

Before I get into the good stuff, and just as I complained about the same issue during my last visit to the Torpedo Factory, I was somewhat disappointed to see multiple close studio doors during the Open Studio night.  The reason for that could be:

(a) Those studios were not occupied by MFA candidates

(b) The MFA candidates from those studios did not want to participate in the Open Studios because: 

• They were too chicken to interact with the public
• The state of their artworks were not "ready" to be seen
• They were too lazy
• They were advised not to

Personally, I think that part of the biggest education than an art tudent can get is by interacting with the public; there's nothing like exposing your artwork to the masses to trigger artistic passions - both from positive criticism or negative feedback!

"Enough with your fucking whining about close studios Lenster," you say, "move on to the good stuff!"

Gagne built wooden pulpits, created ancient looking leather-bound books - tomes once would say - to display his photos, along with a one-of-a-kind written language that Gagne has created. 

And Gagne, in spite of his youth, is an engaging dude, who at first appearance could easily pass for a time traveler who just popped in from medieval France, but ends up being a soft spoken, erudite and intelligent artist, able to get the viewer engaged and interested in his immensely complex and uniquely individual work!

We were also quite engaged and enlightened by the powerful political work of Phaedra Askarinam - her work, which has an intense focus on the issue of human rights in Iran, and in particular, the rights of women, is strong, visceral and elegant as it calls out Iran's brutal treatment of women.

"The only thing I could do to make an impact was to make my art big, make it seen, and invite other students to join me."

Phaedra Askarinam ‘24, an Iranian-born artist, watched protests unfold in her home country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022. Since then, anti-government protests have riled the country, leaving countless protesters injured, arrested, or dead. 

“For a few weeks I couldn’t make any art. I was paralyzed,” Phaedra says. “Then, I knew I had to do something. The protestors needed help.” As Askarinam’s artistic practice centers around the experiences of women and girls in society, she was roused to act in the only way she could—through her art.  

Phaedra was inspired to create a monumental, 19-foot-long banner dominated by a painted portrait of Amini. The banner hung in the Katzen Arts Center rotunda in December and again in February, when passers-by were invited to actively participate by signing the banner in solidarity with protestors. “Sometimes we pass by art, or only give it a few seconds. If you participate in something, you remember it—viewers feel like they did something. They were part of this. We all want to be part of something good that helps others.” Additionally, she asked viewers to contribute locks of their hair in tribute to Amini, who was arrested for wearing her hijab “improperly.” 

In Iran, protests have been primarily led by students. Phaedra says, “I wanted to connect young people across the world, from our campus to theirs. We can amplify the protesters’ voices—plus, our students need to know and understand what’s happening around the world.”  

We also liked the complex, almost 3D works of Marie B. Gauthiez, Pooja Campbell, and others.

In the visit, I asked almost every artist if they had ever heard of Art Bank; none had - this says something.

I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this Saturday it is American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

American University MFA fall graduate Open Studios event is on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Come and discover new artists and trends in Washington D.C.  Open Studios will be located on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

Check out Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. Visit him in Studio 253 and see his latest work. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates will also showcase their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages. 

Rhea Nayyar from Hyperallergic went to the Affordable Art Fair in NYC with a thousand imaginary bucks...

I gave myself an imagined budget and set out to find everything from dorm-room art to a housewarming gift for that friend who loves crystals.

I was admittedly grumpy when I arrived at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan to see that the line for the Affordable Art Fair entry wrapped around three-quarters of the block. For what it’s worth, the line moved quickly and I got to daydream about organizational solutions while peering into the neighboring Container Store, but even then, I still couldn’t believe how many people were waiting to get in on the preview night alone. Thankfully, the fair runs through September 24.

And I appreciate that Nayyar picked my Bisque drawings as one of her recommendations! About 30 of them sold on VIP Preview Night!

Read the article here.

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, a juried art competition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, announced the 2023 prize winners!

Rex Delafkaran of Washington, D.C. was awarded the prestigious “Best in Show” title and received the $10,000 top prize. 

Charles Mason III from Baltimore, MD was named second place and given $2,000; Stephanie Garon from Baltimore, MD was bestowed third place and received $1,000; and Megan Koeppel from Hyattsville, MD was awarded the Young Artist Award and received $1,000.

Congrats to all the prizewinners!

submittable.com/submit/271428/life-in-layers-the-2023-prince-georges-county-juried-exhibition" target="_blank">The 35th Annual Prince George’s County Juried exhibition is open to visual artists that live, work, or maintain a studio in Prince George’s County.

Deadline: Fri, Oct 13, 2023 11:59 PM

Juror: Phil Hutinet, a third generation Capitol Hill resident, is the publisher of East City Art, DC's Visual Arts publication of record, which he began in 2010.

Again: This call is open to all artists who are 18 years of age or older who live, work, study, or have a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration.

No Entry Fee

EXHIBITION TIMELINE

Deadline to apply online: Sunday, October 13, 2023, 11:59 pm

Artists notified: Thursday, October 19, 2023

Artists drop off work at Brentwood Arts Exchange: Sunday, October 29, 2023, 10am-4pm

Exhibition start date:  Thursday, November 2, 2023 

Reception date and curator talk: Saturday, November 18, 2023, 5-8 pm

Last day of exhibit: Saturday, January 6, 2024

Artists pick up work from Brentwood Arts Exchange: Saturday, January 13, 2024

Apply here.

Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell, a multi-disciplinary fine artist, curator, and educator, to receive the 2023 East Of The River Distinguished Artist Award. The annual award presented by Honfleur Gallery in memory of Sharon Hughes Gautier honors a living artist in Wards 7 or 8 for creative excellence while significantly impacting the cultural landscape of Washington, DC. The recipient receives a $5,000 honorarium. 

"Zsudayka's mixed media pieces tell stories of the African American family life and experiences. Each piece's bold colors, textures, perspectives, and intricate patterns create a narrative of their power, unity, dignity, beauty, and resilience.", says artist Luis Del Valle, recipient of the 2013 EotR Distinguished Artist Award. "Her impact and contribution to our community and culture cannot be denied."

From Aurora, CO, Zsudayka Nzinga's work is largely focused on mixed media portraiture of American life, including themes of motherhood and culture and identity. Her pieces explore patterns and textures using acrylic, oil, decorative and hand-dyed paper, fabric, thread, and ink on canvas. She uses photography and video to tell stories behind her work. She is a proud mother of 3 children and wife to artist James Terrell.

Says Terrell, "I've lived in DC for 12 years, 8 East of the River. It is a community I have fallen in love with for its resilience and history. I always jokingly call it the authentic part of DC because it's real families who have been here for generations. It's a deep culture that has begun to seep into my work. It's a place that deserves incredible advocates, access, and care. It is my hope that I live my life in a way that creates opportunities, particularly in the arts, for the people on this side of the river who have so much vibrant art to offer the world."

In addition to receiving the 2023 East of the River Distinguished Artist Award, Terrell curated this year's East of the River Exhibition, "Interlocked" by the Infinity Collective. The exhibit explores the connections forged between groups of people working in unison towards a common goal. The show features works of talented black women artists, including Camille Angel, Sanah Brown-Bowers, Shante Bullock, Bria Edwards, Artiste Fletcher, Dany Green, Joy Nutt, Reshada Pullen, Liz Stewart, Chantae Sudlow, Candice Tavares, and Vanessa Villareal.

Award Ceremony and Opening Reception, Saturday, September 30th, 2023, 7-9pm at Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Road, SE; Washington, DC 20020. RSVP at bit.ly/INTERLOCKED. Show details available at honfleurgallerydc.com. Terrell bio and inventory available at terrellartsdc.com.

Yesterday I spent about three hours wandering around the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, visiting every single space, gallery and studio that was open.  The place was very busy, full of tourists, locals, and all kinds of people walking around the DMV's most precious art jewel.

Over the years I've written many, many, many articles, blog posts and pieces about this very special place, including these last two in the Old Town Crier newspaper, (1 and 2) discussing my thoughts on what is happening at the Factory since the City of Alexandria took over.

But for this post I'm just going to focus on this visit, with some observations and opinions.

On the subject of "open", I was both surprised and disappointed by the significant number of studios which were closed on a Saturday afternoon. "Saturdays are our busiest day," noted a prominent Torpedo factory artist who has been there for decades... as I left her studio after chatting with her for a while, she was working to close an $8,000 sale.

On the third floor alone, I would estimate that half the studios were closed, which in my opinion is not acceptable, especially when they are routinely closed. By that I mean that I saw signs on the studio doors that stated the open hours, which were Monday through Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays being either "Closed" or "By Appointment Only."

Since the heavy hand of the state now dictates every and all things Torpedo Factorish, I would recommend that the City Kommissars order the artistic workers to be open on weekends. In an amendment to that motion, as there are 52 weekends a year - let's settle on 42 weekends.

At the Art League on the ground floor, I walked through the current group show, which was curated by juror-info" target="_blank">Regina DeLuise. 

As art jurying is very subjective, I usually knock heads with jurors when I form my own decisions as to prize winners, etc., but in this case Ms. DeLuise and I agree 1000% that Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe indeed earned that prize!

Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe

The Feast Of The Gods by Teresa Oaxaca

On the third floor I walked into Jacelyn Orellana as she was painting a small portrait. 

As I've noted multiple times over the last 20 years of this blog, and 40+ years of writing about art, I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this past Saturday it was American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

The Open Studios were held on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

I must give props that I was tipped off about the studios by Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. I visited him in Studio 253 and see his latest work, and he was actively chatting about his work with a few folks who there at the same time. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates also showcased their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages as we are now fully recovered from the Covidian Age.

Before I get into the good stuff, and just as I complained about the same issue during my last visit to the Torpedo Factory, I was somewhat disappointed to see multiple close studio doors during the Open Studio night.  The reason for that could be:

(a) Those studios were not occupied by MFA candidates

(b) The MFA candidates from those studios did not want to participate in the Open Studios because: 

• They were too chicken to interact with the public
• The state of their artworks were not "ready" to be seen
• They were too lazy
• They were advised not to

Personally, I think that part of the biggest education than an art tudent can get is by interacting with the public; there's nothing like exposing your artwork to the masses to trigger artistic passions - both from positive criticism or negative feedback!

"Enough with your fucking whining about close studios Lenster," you say, "move on to the good stuff!"

Gagne built wooden pulpits, created ancient looking leather-bound books - tomes once would say - to display his photos, along with a one-of-a-kind written language that Gagne has created. 

And Gagne, in spite of his youth, is an engaging dude, who at first appearance could easily pass for a time traveler who just popped in from medieval France, but ends up being a soft spoken, erudite and intelligent artist, able to get the viewer engaged and interested in his immensely complex and uniquely individual work!

We were also quite engaged and enlightened by the powerful political work of Phaedra Askarinam - her work, which has an intense focus on the issue of human rights in Iran, and in particular, the rights of women, is strong, visceral and elegant as it calls out Iran's brutal treatment of women.

"The only thing I could do to make an impact was to make my art big, make it seen, and invite other students to join me."

Phaedra Askarinam ‘24, an Iranian-born artist, watched protests unfold in her home country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022. Since then, anti-government protests have riled the country, leaving countless protesters injured, arrested, or dead. 

“For a few weeks I couldn’t make any art. I was paralyzed,” Phaedra says. “Then, I knew I had to do something. The protestors needed help.” As Askarinam’s artistic practice centers around the experiences of women and girls in society, she was roused to act in the only way she could—through her art.  

Phaedra was inspired to create a monumental, 19-foot-long banner dominated by a painted portrait of Amini. The banner hung in the Katzen Arts Center rotunda in December and again in February, when passers-by were invited to actively participate by signing the banner in solidarity with protestors. “Sometimes we pass by art, or only give it a few seconds. If you participate in something, you remember it—viewers feel like they did something. They were part of this. We all want to be part of something good that helps others.” Additionally, she asked viewers to contribute locks of their hair in tribute to Amini, who was arrested for wearing her hijab “improperly.” 

In Iran, protests have been primarily led by students. Phaedra says, “I wanted to connect young people across the world, from our campus to theirs. We can amplify the protesters’ voices—plus, our students need to know and understand what’s happening around the world.”  

We also liked the complex, almost 3D works of Marie B. Gauthiez, Pooja Campbell, and others.

In the visit, I asked almost every artist if they had ever heard of Art Bank; none had - this says something.

I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this Saturday it is American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

American University MFA fall graduate Open Studios event is on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Come and discover new artists and trends in Washington D.C.  Open Studios will be located on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

Check out Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. Visit him in Studio 253 and see his latest work. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates will also showcase their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages. 

Rhea Nayyar from Hyperallergic went to the Affordable Art Fair in NYC with a thousand imaginary bucks...

I gave myself an imagined budget and set out to find everything from dorm-room art to a housewarming gift for that friend who loves crystals.

I was admittedly grumpy when I arrived at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan to see that the line for the Affordable Art Fair entry wrapped around three-quarters of the block. For what it’s worth, the line moved quickly and I got to daydream about organizational solutions while peering into the neighboring Container Store, but even then, I still couldn’t believe how many people were waiting to get in on the preview night alone. Thankfully, the fair runs through September 24.

And I appreciate that Nayyar picked my Bisque drawings as one of her recommendations! About 30 of them sold on VIP Preview Night!

Read the article here.

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, a juried art competition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, announced the 2023 prize winners!

Rex Delafkaran of Washington, D.C. was awarded the prestigious “Best in Show” title and received the $10,000 top prize. 

Charles Mason III from Baltimore, MD was named second place and given $2,000; Stephanie Garon from Baltimore, MD was bestowed third place and received $1,000; and Megan Koeppel from Hyattsville, MD was awarded the Young Artist Award and received $1,000.

Congrats to all the prizewinners!

submittable.com/submit/271428/life-in-layers-the-2023-prince-georges-county-juried-exhibition" target="_blank">The 35th Annual Prince George’s County Juried exhibition is open to visual artists that live, work, or maintain a studio in Prince George’s County.

Deadline: Fri, Oct 13, 2023 11:59 PM

Juror: Phil Hutinet, a third generation Capitol Hill resident, is the publisher of East City Art, DC's Visual Arts publication of record, which he began in 2010.

Again: This call is open to all artists who are 18 years of age or older who live, work, study, or have a studio in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration.

No Entry Fee

EXHIBITION TIMELINE

Deadline to apply online: Sunday, October 13, 2023, 11:59 pm

Artists notified: Thursday, October 19, 2023

Artists drop off work at Brentwood Arts Exchange: Sunday, October 29, 2023, 10am-4pm

Exhibition start date:  Thursday, November 2, 2023 

Reception date and curator talk: Saturday, November 18, 2023, 5-8 pm

Last day of exhibit: Saturday, January 6, 2024

Artists pick up work from Brentwood Arts Exchange: Saturday, January 13, 2024

Apply here.

Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell, a multi-disciplinary fine artist, curator, and educator, to receive the 2023 East Of The River Distinguished Artist Award. The annual award presented by Honfleur Gallery in memory of Sharon Hughes Gautier honors a living artist in Wards 7 or 8 for creative excellence while significantly impacting the cultural landscape of Washington, DC. The recipient receives a $5,000 honorarium. 

"Zsudayka's mixed media pieces tell stories of the African American family life and experiences. Each piece's bold colors, textures, perspectives, and intricate patterns create a narrative of their power, unity, dignity, beauty, and resilience.", says artist Luis Del Valle, recipient of the 2013 EotR Distinguished Artist Award. "Her impact and contribution to our community and culture cannot be denied."

From Aurora, CO, Zsudayka Nzinga's work is largely focused on mixed media portraiture of American life, including themes of motherhood and culture and identity. Her pieces explore patterns and textures using acrylic, oil, decorative and hand-dyed paper, fabric, thread, and ink on canvas. She uses photography and video to tell stories behind her work. She is a proud mother of 3 children and wife to artist James Terrell.

Says Terrell, "I've lived in DC for 12 years, 8 East of the River. It is a community I have fallen in love with for its resilience and history. I always jokingly call it the authentic part of DC because it's real families who have been here for generations. It's a deep culture that has begun to seep into my work. It's a place that deserves incredible advocates, access, and care. It is my hope that I live my life in a way that creates opportunities, particularly in the arts, for the people on this side of the river who have so much vibrant art to offer the world."

In addition to receiving the 2023 East of the River Distinguished Artist Award, Terrell curated this year's East of the River Exhibition, "Interlocked" by the Infinity Collective. The exhibit explores the connections forged between groups of people working in unison towards a common goal. The show features works of talented black women artists, including Camille Angel, Sanah Brown-Bowers, Shante Bullock, Bria Edwards, Artiste Fletcher, Dany Green, Joy Nutt, Reshada Pullen, Liz Stewart, Chantae Sudlow, Candice Tavares, and Vanessa Villareal.

Award Ceremony and Opening Reception, Saturday, September 30th, 2023, 7-9pm at Honfleur Gallery, 1241 Good Hope Road, SE; Washington, DC 20020. RSVP at bit.ly/INTERLOCKED. Show details available at honfleurgallerydc.com. Terrell bio and inventory available at terrellartsdc.com.

Yesterday I spent about three hours wandering around the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, visiting every single space, gallery and studio that was open.  The place was very busy, full of tourists, locals, and all kinds of people walking around the DMV's most precious art jewel.

Over the years I've written many, many, many articles, blog posts and pieces about this very special place, including these last two in the Old Town Crier newspaper, (1 and 2) discussing my thoughts on what is happening at the Factory since the City of Alexandria took over.

But for this post I'm just going to focus on this visit, with some observations and opinions.

On the subject of "open", I was both surprised and disappointed by the significant number of studios which were closed on a Saturday afternoon. "Saturdays are our busiest day," noted a prominent Torpedo factory artist who has been there for decades... as I left her studio after chatting with her for a while, she was working to close an $8,000 sale.

On the third floor alone, I would estimate that half the studios were closed, which in my opinion is not acceptable, especially when they are routinely closed. By that I mean that I saw signs on the studio doors that stated the open hours, which were Monday through Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays being either "Closed" or "By Appointment Only."

Since the heavy hand of the state now dictates every and all things Torpedo Factorish, I would recommend that the City Kommissars order the artistic workers to be open on weekends. In an amendment to that motion, as there are 52 weekends a year - let's settle on 42 weekends.

At the Art League on the ground floor, I walked through the current group show, which was curated by juror-info" target="_blank">Regina DeLuise. 

As art jurying is very subjective, I usually knock heads with jurors when I form my own decisions as to prize winners, etc., but in this case Ms. DeLuise and I agree 1000% that Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe indeed earned that prize!

Party on East Park Place by Wendy Donahoe

The Feast Of The Gods by Teresa Oaxaca

On the third floor I walked into Jacelyn Orellana as she was painting a small portrait. 

As I've noted multiple times over the last 20 years of this blog, and 40+ years of writing about art, I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this past Saturday it was American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

The Open Studios were held on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

I must give props that I was tipped off about the studios by Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. I visited him in Studio 253 and see his latest work, and he was actively chatting about his work with a few folks who there at the same time. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates also showcased their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages as we are now fully recovered from the Covidian Age.

Before I get into the good stuff, and just as I complained about the same issue during my last visit to the Torpedo Factory, I was somewhat disappointed to see multiple close studio doors during the Open Studio night.  The reason for that could be:

(a) Those studios were not occupied by MFA candidates

(b) The MFA candidates from those studios did not want to participate in the Open Studios because: 

• They were too chicken to interact with the public
• The state of their artworks were not "ready" to be seen
• They were too lazy
• They were advised not to

Personally, I think that part of the biggest education than an art tudent can get is by interacting with the public; there's nothing like exposing your artwork to the masses to trigger artistic passions - both from positive criticism or negative feedback!

"Enough with your fucking whining about close studios Lenster," you say, "move on to the good stuff!"

Gagne built wooden pulpits, created ancient looking leather-bound books - tomes once would say - to display his photos, along with a one-of-a-kind written language that Gagne has created. 

And Gagne, in spite of his youth, is an engaging dude, who at first appearance could easily pass for a time traveler who just popped in from medieval France, but ends up being a soft spoken, erudite and intelligent artist, able to get the viewer engaged and interested in his immensely complex and uniquely individual work!

We were also quite engaged and enlightened by the powerful political work of Phaedra Askarinam - her work, which has an intense focus on the issue of human rights in Iran, and in particular, the rights of women, is strong, visceral and elegant as it calls out Iran's brutal treatment of women.

"The only thing I could do to make an impact was to make my art big, make it seen, and invite other students to join me."

Phaedra Askarinam ‘24, an Iranian-born artist, watched protests unfold in her home country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022. Since then, anti-government protests have riled the country, leaving countless protesters injured, arrested, or dead. 

“For a few weeks I couldn’t make any art. I was paralyzed,” Phaedra says. “Then, I knew I had to do something. The protestors needed help.” As Askarinam’s artistic practice centers around the experiences of women and girls in society, she was roused to act in the only way she could—through her art.  

Phaedra was inspired to create a monumental, 19-foot-long banner dominated by a painted portrait of Amini. The banner hung in the Katzen Arts Center rotunda in December and again in February, when passers-by were invited to actively participate by signing the banner in solidarity with protestors. “Sometimes we pass by art, or only give it a few seconds. If you participate in something, you remember it—viewers feel like they did something. They were part of this. We all want to be part of something good that helps others.” Additionally, she asked viewers to contribute locks of their hair in tribute to Amini, who was arrested for wearing her hijab “improperly.” 

In Iran, protests have been primarily led by students. Phaedra says, “I wanted to connect young people across the world, from our campus to theirs. We can amplify the protesters’ voices—plus, our students need to know and understand what’s happening around the world.”  

We also liked the complex, almost 3D works of Marie B. Gauthiez, Pooja Campbell, and others.

In the visit, I asked almost every artist if they had ever heard of Art Bank; none had - this says something.

I consider any University's open studios as a prime opportunity for young collectors to meet and acquire art by emerging artists, and this Saturday it is American University's lauded MFA program's time for open studios by its MFA candidates.

American University MFA fall graduate Open Studios event is on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Come and discover new artists and trends in Washington D.C.  Open Studios will be located on the second floor of the Katzen Art Center at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 

Check out Andres Izquierdo, an artist and Master in Fine Arts candidate at American University who took the initiative to reach out to me. Visit him in Studio 253 and see his latest work. 

My art celebrates the awareness of self and the ability of people to reveal who they are. I work on oil and film.  You can experience my work on Instagram: [@zurdoartist]@zurdoartist and website https://zurdoart.wordpress.com.

The group of MFA candidates will also showcase their latest art pieces in room 246 on the second floor of the Katzen Arts Center, along with complimentary food and beverages. 

Rhea Nayyar from Hyperallergic went to the Affordable Art Fair in NYC with a thousand imaginary bucks...

I gave myself an imagined budget and set out to find everything from dorm-room art to a housewarming gift for that friend who loves crystals.

I was admittedly grumpy when I arrived at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan to see that the line for the Affordable Art Fair entry wrapped around three-quarters of the block. For what it’s worth, the line moved quickly and I got to daydream about organizational solutions while peering into the neighboring Container Store, but even then, I still couldn’t believe how many people were waiting to get in on the preview night alone. Thankfully, the fair runs through September 24.

And I appreciate that Nayyar picked my Bisque drawings as one of her recommendations! About 30 of them sold on VIP Preview Night!

Read the article here.