Crafty Bastards 2012- This Saturday!

Crafty Bastards 2012 is this coming Saturday!

I'm very excited to be participating in Crafty Bastards again. A handful of years ago I started doing street festivals and became determined to set up at as many as I could.  This led me to create smaller works, and in turn i made hundreds and hundreds of pieces, allowing me to experiment and grow as an artist in a way i would not have otherwise been able. Nowadays i'm not as inclined to set up at street festivals. My focus has been on larger works, and sets of works. But i still try to participate in Crafty Bastards. It's not a normal show. It's amazingly fun, put on by a few of the finest gals in DC, and brings out the best crowd. I'm always excited, energized and impressed by Crafty Bastards.

So please come!

It's going to be at Union Market, in the wholesale market area of DC, next to Gallaudet University in NE DC.

The newly revamped and fancified market will be open for you to check out. It's a short walk from the New York Avenue Metro. It's right off of the Metropolitan Bike Trail. And theres a lot of parking nearby.

Because of the move from Adams Morgan, this year is the first year that there is an admission fee for crafty bastards. It's $5 at the door. If you get your tickets ahead of time, you can get a 2 for 1 rate.

As usual, I will be setting up next to my amazingly talented wife, GOSHDARNKNIT. We're in booths 108 and 109.
Here's a Map with our locations marked

Please note that North is down on the map.

Crafty Bastards
10-5 PM
Union Market
1305 5th street NE
Washington, DC



VIP Tickets get you in at 9:00, $25. Click here for those bad boys.
Regular ole 2 for 1 tickets can be purchased here
Facebook Event Page
Vendor Gallery

ART Tonight, Tomorrow, Saturday. Do these things.

If you are DC, there are a few cool things going on this weekend.

Tonight
Go to this:
SOAPBOX
SOAPBOX is excited to present two Boston-based duos Creighton Baxter and Hayley Morgenston, and Sarah Hill and Jessica Borusky, and Baltimore/Providence Xavier Valentine for October's Soapbox.

See More info HERE
Hillyer Art Space
8-10


Friday Night

1. First come to my closing reception and buy a piece.

410 Florida Avenue NW

5-8 PM

2. Then go to this Kelly Towles/ DC Brau/ Kushi event

Limited Edition release artist series DC Brau at Kushi
kelly is awesome. he painted up the place and designed some new DC brau cans. 
go look at art, eat, and drink good beer.

Kushi
465 K street NW

Saturday
 Open Studio at DC Glassworks!
they've added more space! the best hot shop in the dc area. definitely go!
5346 46th Avenue  Hyattsville, MD


52 O Street Open Studios
One of the coolest artists housing in the city. you will be impressed.
52 O Street NW

newsletter full of lies and misinformation

Occasionally, my wife and I get it together and send out a newsletter of our arts events. Sometimes we offer discounts and secret sales. maybe invites to VIP previews. treasure chests of gold and iphones. you never know.

Interested?
sign up HERE
we just switched over to mailchimp because we met one of their people at the summit of awesome and they bribed us. we're prolly sending one out a newsletter tomorrow.

we will never ever ever sell your info, unless we're really strapped for cash.

Closing Reception for Reimagining Alice October 26th

There will be a closing reception on Friday October 26th, 2012 for my exhibition Reimagining Alice: A mixedmultimedia series based on Alice in Wonderland.

If you weren't able to make it, or just want to see it again, please join me.
I just got some fresh images of the work made by Anything Photo Please check them out on my website

Friday October 26th
5-8 PM
410 Goodbuddy Gallery
410 Florida Avenue NW

Please check the map below if you haven't been to 410 Goodbuddy. Some folks gps put them on the other side of Rhode Island Ave.

21st century reliquaries

I just got back from a trip to Penland School of Craft in Spruce Pine North Carolina. I've been down there a number of times and have always enjoyed my visit.
The first trip I took, was way back in 2005, when my wife Rania Hassan, and I took a glass blowing class that Tim Tate and Michael Janis had set up durring the winter.

Me, being taught to blow a tiny tiny bubble by Simone Travisano.
I actually used that bubble in the reliquary i made for class.

I've been down to their annual auction twice, and even helped teach a technique as a visiting (assistant) instructor a couple of years ago.

This visit I went down as the Studio Assistant, along with Rob Kincheloe,  for Tim Tate's one week 21st Century Reliquaries class. I was to show the class examples of the Dry Plaster Casting technique that the Washington Glass school pioneered and I use in all of my work. It was great to be down there in a more official capacity and actually get to work. In my past visits, I've felt a bit distant and removed from the intensity of the experience. This time we got straight to work.

We started Sunday night with a class orientation, a slide show of the history of reliquaries, and we all shared images of our own work.  We got to know each other a bit.

Mary O'Shaughnessy

We hit the ground like mad on Monday working doing demonstrations on Rubber Mold Making, Wax Casting, Plaster/Silica Mold Making, Lost wax, Dry Plaster Casting, Painting Glass, Cutting Glass, Glass etching, Flameworking. we talked through ideas with students, help shape the directions of work, encouraged, excited, and admired all their interest and energy. We went through pretty much everything except glass blowing. But since the absolutely incredible Pablo Soto was teaching a glass blowing class in the next room, and even had his class make domes for our class.

Stories of regret were created, stories of anger, stories of triumph, religion, lamenting the death of bees, cheering the death of squirrels, issues of money, sexuality, and hope were all created.

All in all a fantastic experience. I would highly recommend taking a class there.
Check out my slideshow of the class and the work that was created.

Alice in Wonderland Series

A slideshow of my most recent work based on Alice in Wonderland


Come out on Friday the 28th to see them in person! 
5-8 PM
410 GooDBuddY Gallery 
410 Florida Avenue NW Washington, DC

Hense DC: Full building wrap by Atlanta Based artist Hense right here at the Nation's Capital!

	"Hense DC"  Full building wrap by Atlanta Based artist Hense  right here at the Nation's Capital! Eastern Shore  Oyster, VA Art Whino is pleased to announce a very special project in the Nation's Capital with Atlanta-based artist Alex Brewer, better known as HENSE. HENSE’s unique language of organic shapes and abstract approach sets his work apart from the rest and results in work that is instantly recognizable. Among his many mural projects he recently completed murals at the Museum of Design Atlanta, the Canal Walk in Richmond, VA and the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. When we were granted the privilege of painting an 10,000sqft building in the SW corridor of DC, HENSE was the perfect choice to bring new life to this area of the city with the great energy and lively color of his shapes. Just a short walk from DC’s second annual contemporary art fair, the project will bring an interactive component to this year’s (e)merge.  Visitors will be able to come to the project site and see the artist at work as the mural evolves over these four days of the fair. On Saturday, October 6th, we will host an outdoor reception to welcome HENSE to the city and celebrate his work with live music, food and complementary beverages for patrons who RSVP in advance to this event.  Thursday - Sunday, October 4th-7thLocation: 700 Delaware Ave SW Washington, DC 20024 Saturday October 6th Outdoor Reception Noon-8pm Live Music, Food and Mural Painting! Complimentary beverages with advance RSVP to rsvp@artwhino.com Musical performance by Eighteen Street Lounge Music's very own Congo Sanchez with special performances by Harry Bells. The event is FREE and open to the public.  About the Artist Hense Born and raised in Atlanta, Brewer has been painting for about twenty years. He developed much of his technique in the street as a prolific graffiti artist and later muralist, working under the moniker HENSE. Atlantans have long enjoyed his verve for capturing the energy of place in commissioned public art for the City of Atlanta on the Beltline, the Shops Around Lenox, and for the permanent collection of public art at the Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs. Brewer has also painted in numerous U.S. cities outside of Atlanta and abroad in Spain, France, Japan, Taiwan and Mexico. His work has been exhibited in galleries in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Miami, New York, Richmond, San Francisco, Tokyo, Taipei, and Barcelona. His client list also includes AOL, Adidas, Sprite, Hilton Hotels, TED, T-Mobile, Ford, and Kia. Brewer recently erected a large installation at the Museum of Design Atlanta and at the of July begins a large mural at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. After a humble beginning roaming the roads with a spray paint can as a young man, his career has recently exploded like the pastel shapes and scribbles of his paintings. Selected exhibitions and projects include “Soft Light,” Sandler Hudson Gallery, Atlanta, GA, (2008); Mark Making in Black and White, Sandler Hudson Gallery, (2011); “Letters First,” Tokyo, Taipei and Barcelona, (2006); “Skate it or Hang it,” Museum of Design Atlanta, (2012); Public mural, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Virginia Beach, VA, (2012); Float, Public mural, City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs, (2011); Loose, Public mural, RVASAF, Richmond, VA, 2012. Brewer lives and works in Atlanta, GA. Art Basel FL Atlanta, Ga Richmond, Virginia Atlanta, Ga Musical Performance By Congo Sanchez Congo Sanchez the backbeat of the Washington DC party scene.  As one of the city’s most adept instrumentalists, he is the favored sideman and producer for dance bands and world music ensembles alike. His contributions to The Empresarios Bestia EP, Funk Ark’s From the Rooftops and Thievery Corporation’s Culture of Fear stand out with distinct character. He finally steps out on his own with his solo debut, Congo Sanchez, Vol. 1, out April 17, 2012 on ESL Music. Musician and Selecta extraordinaire, Congo can generally be found in one of two places. If he’s not on the road drumming with DC’s own, Thievery Corporation or See-I: he’s  jamming out to fresh vibes at the mysterious Lillypad studios.   He is developing a unique blend of Afro-Latin Dub, as he evolves in to his own on the DC music scene. This EP-his first solo outing-proves that the sound is here, and Congo Sanchez is the ambassador.  His over-all taste, and musical personality are a delight, with a superlative sense of rhythm and a musicianly approach to arrangements and melody. “I embodied Afro-Cuban and Haitian rhythms while accompanying for world dance classes, and began composing pieces for Solo Percussion and Chamber Jazz Ensembles….built a DIY home studio and started to produce my own beats with these ideals in mind.” Congo produces and performs everything on the EP, with two notable exceptions. Karen Joy McCoy plays shimmering violin on “Democrazy,” the opening track, while the horn section from Ikebe Shakedown – Morgan Price, sax; Jason Colby, trumpet; Nadav Nirenberg, trombone – add their blazing ensemble work to “T.E.T.O. (strut)” . Congo lays down subtle keyboard textures and multi-layered percussion tracks throughout, giving the music an otherworldly vibe rooted by his earthy backbeat. “During college, I took interest world music. I learned of the Yoruba and Fon traditions of West Africa and how they remained vital throughout colonialization in the Western Hemisphere. All the time re-discovering these rhythms and melodies in music that I listened to growing up in suburban America.” Congo Sanchez knows his roots and leads the listener on a fascinating journey along the vibrations of DC’s outernational sound.

Reimagining Alice: A Mixedmultimedia Series Based on Alice in Wonderland

Reimagining Alice: A Mixedmultimedia series based on Alice in Wonderland.

Washington, DC artist, Sean Hennessey, presents a new series of mixed and multimedia media works  in his upcoming exhibition at 410 GooDBuddY. Combing Glass, Concrete, Steel, Wood, Paint, Sound Video, LED's and Electroluminescent Lights,  Hennessey creates wall relief interpretations of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

Please join the artist for a reception on Friday September 28th, 2012 from 5-8 PM
410 GooDBuddY
410 Florida Avenue NW

For more information on Sean Hennessey, please visit his website at dcSean.com
Facebook Event Page HERE

This exhibition was made possible through the generous support of
Wiebenson and Dorman Architects PC for use of their space, and through financial assistance from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

A brand spanking new series of work!

For the last few months I've been working on a series of pieces based on Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. I've been combining Glass, Paint, Steel, Wood, Concrete, found objects, stencils,  LED's, electroluminescent lighting and video. All the fun stuff! The series was funded, in part, from a grant I received from the District of Columbia's Commission on the Arts and Humanities and will be hosted by the architecture firm Weibenson and Dorman in the 410 Goodbuddy Gallery.

I wanted to start with the fun, absurdist, creative stories of  Lewis Carrol's story, using my own imagery, visual language and (very) loose interpretations, riddled with a personal take on metaphors and combine that with materials I have been using and with materials that are very new to me. The desire to include video and lighting in my work was the original impetus for this project.


Please join me at the reception for this exhibition

Friday September 28th
5-8 PM
410 Good Buddy Gallery
410 Florida Avenue NW
Washington, DC

Art. Craft. Design. at Arlington Art Center. Call for entries.

CALL FOR ENTRIES JURIED EXHIBITION 2013 APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 19, 2012 NOTIFICATION DATE: November 5, 2012 EXHIBITION DATES: January 18 - March 24, 2013 AAC is very pleased to announce two exciting jurors, Melissa Messina, Senior Curator at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and Kathryn Wat, Chief Curator at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, who will select the artwork for Interwoven.  This exhibition seeks to emphasize and expand the creative dialog around the every-blurring boundaries between craft, design, and fine art. The jurors are especially interested in artists who explore DIY practices, engage in the reclamation of craft-based materials, re-examine design aesthetics, and otherwise reinvent cross-disciplinary genres within the dialog of contemporary art. Artists may submit examples of up to three projects, completed in the last three years, for consideration. The jurors will pick as many projects from a given artist as they like. The show is open to cutting edge contemporary artists working in any/all media, and who live or work in Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, or Pennsylvania.  Application forms can be found on the AAC website.  aac: arlington arts center 3550 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201  p 703-248-6800     f 703-248-6849 www.arlingtonartscenter.org

Bloomingdale-Bates-Eckington Festival!

The North Capitol Main Streets neighborhoods of Bloomingdale, Eckington, and Bates (Truxton Circle) will be hosting a block party on Sunday October 7th from noon-8.

There will be music and children's activities from Noon to 8PM (Live Jazz, DJ & Live Rock Band).

There will also be artists and other vendors.

check out the information here to apply 

Summit of Awesome 2012 in DC

Apparently there are still some tickets left for the Summit of Awesome.

About the Summit of Awesome:

The Summit of Awesome is an annual conference that brings together crafters and makers from across the U.S. to learn, grow, and be prosperous in today’s economy.

With a desire to help sustain the handmade movement and support independent crafters within the community,  Hello Craft welcomes independent business owners and makers to the Summit of Awesome each year.

Check out a video highlighting the 2010 Summit of Awesome (shot and edited by the excellent cinematographer Josh Dion):

Here's the schedule:

Schedule*

Saturday September 8, 2012
9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
1418 North Capitol Street
Washington, DC 20001

9:30 – 10am Registration + Breakfast
10 – 10:30am Welcome
10:45 – 12pm Morning Sessions

• Small Manufacturing with FabLab
• Own Your Awesome with Kelly Rand
• Bookbinding with Grace Dobush

12pm – 1:30pm Lunch – Craftnote with Stephen Fraser, co-founder of Spoonflower
1:45 – 3pm Afternoon Sessions

• Finance 101: The Basics for Crafters with Jennifer Dunn of Outright
• In Writing with Kate McKean and Grace Dobush

3:15 – 4:30pm Afternoon Sessions

• What’s the Deal? New Wholesale Opportunities with Tina Seamonster
• Licensing and Copyright for Crafters with John Mason of Washington Area Lawyer for the Arts
• Pitch Your Craft Book! with Kate McKean (pre-registration is required)

4:45 – 5:30pm Afternoon Sessions

• Advanced Email Marketing with Amy Ellis of MailChimp
• The Retail Experience with Allison Lince-Bentley of Bits of Thread
• Pitch Your Craft Book! with Kate McKean (pre-registration is required)

5:45pm – 6:15pm Closing

Awesome Party
8:30pm – 10:30pm

Old City Green
9th St NW & N St NW
Washington, DC 20001

Sunday September 9

40 Under 40: Craft Futures Docent Tour**
10:30 am

Renwick Gallery
17th and Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Meet at information desk

**This tour is limited to the first 20 registered Summit of Awesome attendees. You must sign up during check in and registration at the Summit of Awesome on September 8.

*Schedule is subject to change

Sign up here

Support the Human Rights Campaign

The sixteenth annual Human Rights Campaign National Dinner will be held
Saturday, October 6, 2012 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC.

Info for the Dinner is here
I will be donating a piece to the auction and I encourage other artists to do so as well. The donation form is HERE

For more information, please contact DCAuction@hrc.org or call (202) 423-2875.

Call for Entries: ReCreate3 at Center for Green Urbanism

ReCreate 3

ReCreate 3 marks the third anniversary of The Center for Green Urbanism. The past year has been both successful and challenging.  We want to mark this occasion by paying tribute to rising above, crushing roadblocks, and successes from the point of view of our artists.
This year’s theme will celebrate positive influences and personal inspirations. We invite artists to reflect on their inspirations and motivations, as well as their challenges – and ways roadblocks are overcome. We are looking for works representing sustainability of self – specifically telling a story of overcoming challenge of any sort, or at a broad, holistic level.

Important DatesExhibition: October 1 – November 2, 2012
Submission deadline: Friday, September 14th, 11:59pm
Artist Notification: Saturday, September 14-Sunday, September 15
Drop-off: Sunday, September 30th: 11am-2pm
Opening: Friday, October 5th, 6:30-8:30pm
Artist’s Talk and Coffee: Sunday, October 21st, 2-4pm
Pick-up: Sunday, November 4th, 1-4pm

Interested in submitting?
Start here: Exhibition Prospectus
Call for Art – Step 1 
Call for Art – Steps 2 and 3

Sell your art and craft on H Street NE DC

Gallery O on H, is sponsoring a locally made artisan area at the H Street Festival.  They are expecting 50-60K attendees and have lots of great vendors already signed up!  (GREAT opportunity!!!!)  

Date and time: September 15, Noon - 7pm

Space:  6 Foot Table under 20x40 tent (includes table and 1 chair)

Cost: $75.

Only a handful of spaces left--- please contact Mary Ellen Vehlow  at mev@pensaredesign.com

by this Thursday with confirmation if you plan to vend.  Vendor application  and payment must be sent to H Street Main Street *address and information is on the form.

   

video of mold making process for LIbrary of Congress Doors.

mold making process for LIbrary of Congress Doors. a video by Scenic Artisan on Flickr.

I put together a video of the process of applying rubber to the doors of the Library Congress.

more info on the project here:
http://washingtonglass.blogspot.com/2012/05/us-library-of-congress-new-cast.html

Newbrow

The owner of Art Whino Gallery just published a new book called Newbrow.


“Newbrow: 50 Contemporary Artists”

Newbrow art is an underground art movement featuring pop surrealism and strong social commentary. View the cross section of Newbrow art with 50 contemporary artists displaying the embodiment of humor and commentary of the underground comix movement.

Atglen P.A. — This vivid art book spotlights 50 artists of the Newbrow art, pop surrealism movement with over 180 striking color photos of their work. Artists from across the US, Denmark, Germany, and Australia are featured. The images themselves are filled with powerful social commentary, startling imagery, and sharp humor. The work ranges from that of street artists who trace back to the 1980s hip hop culture, using tools such as stenciling, wheat pasting, spray paint, and guerilla art installations, to illustrative artists who trace their backgrounds to graphic design and illustration. For those unfamiliar with Newbrow art, the author describes it as, “…a raw unapologetic form of expression that represents today’s current culture.” The artists presented are arranged alphabetically in the book, with text providing information about each artist’s life, inspiration, influences, and style. Contact information for each artist is also provided.


http://artwhino.com/
Art Whino

Artlibs -June 18th- August 10

 Come Check out Artlibs, a fun group show curated by Sherill Anne Gross at Harmony Hall in Fort Washington, Maryland.

ArtLibs Curator’s Statement

(adjective) local artists will help (verb) a story through their art. The catch is that the (noun -pl) will not know what the story is. The artists will only receive a type of word to illustrate. The artworks will complete the (noun) with the help of viewer’s interpretations. The (adjective) stories the visitors create will all be included as part of the (noun). In this way the exhibit will continue to (verb) (adverb).

This show has been in my head for several years. The idea came to me while thinking of ways to make art shows more interactive with the public and have fun with it. I believe art is for everyone and that the viewer should be able to be involved with the art in some way. I thought this is a great way to combine everything together.

The artists who are participating in the show really had no idea what they were in for. They were all assigned word types – but had no idea about the stories they were going to be incorporated into. Just like a classic game of mad libs. The stories were kept under wraps!

The idea of the show is for the artists and the public to complete the story with how they are interpreting the artwork. The fun of mad libs are how ridiculous the final stories are so we hope viewers will play along and leave their completed mad libs on the story wall for others to get a chuckle. The show will grow as the stories get left. We are not making easy – so we are not including titles of the artworks.

I am overjoyed seeing the show come together. I wrote the stories, so filling them in as I was seeing the artwork come in made me laugh. Getting to work with so many talented artists in the area is an added bonus, The DC area has such an amazing pool of artists and it’s great to see them play along!

--IMPORTANT DATES--

Reception is Sat. June 30, 3-5pm.

Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center

10701 Livingston Rd

Fort Washington, MD 20744

Affordable Artists Housing in DC

Are you an artist in Washington, DC making less than $40,000 and need a space to live/work

Check this out right now! You must fill out this simple form and email it today.


Manna is finalizing plans for The Left Bank Studio-House, an aff ordable artist work/live space in Northeast
Washington’s Langdon neighborhood for artists and their families.
Great location
This converted warehouse at 2414 Douglas Street NE is two blocks from bus lines that travel down
Rhode Island Avenue (just minutes to the Rhode Island Avenue Metro) and Bladensburg Road. We are
conveniently located in the growing arts corridor running from H Street to Brookland and onto Mt. Rainier, MD.
Specialized services
The Left Bank Studio-House will provide local artists with an integrated community where you can share
ideas and materials and build your social and business networks. There will be a common area that
residents can use for performances and exhibitions. Residents will also have access to business training
and legal advice to help their business thrive.
Join us
If you are an artist looking for affordable work/live space, join our waiting list today by completing the form
below.  Email completed forms to chunter@mannadc.org or mail to
Manna, Inc., 828 Evarts Street, NE , Washington, DC 20018

Artomatic 2012: My Recommendations

Artomatic 2012 is now OPEN. And it's HUGE! If you don't have the 6 or 7 hours it will take to see everything, allow me to make some recommendations for your game plan in approaching this exhibit.  I took a quick walkthrough and noted some of the pieces I think you shouldn't miss. I will be adding to this list as I  update my notes and photos. some i didn't note which floor they were on, so i need to go back. I'll add links when I can.

First thing, Check out the floorplans HERE . Print them out. Make notes on them. Clicking on names will bring you to the artists Artomatic info page, including their location.

Floor 2
Michael Janis

Floor 3
Drew Storm

Floor 8
David D'Orio
Nils Henrick Sundquist

Floor 9

Me!
Rania Hassan
Christian Tribastone
Jacqui Corcetta
Erin Antognoli
Zophie Lang

Floor 10
Roger Cutler 
Walter G. Stiles
Tim Tate

Floor 11

Andrew Wodzianski
Marty Ittner
Kirk Waldroff
Justin Cameron
Cory Oberndorfer
Melissa Burley
Joe Corcoran


In truth, i hope that you will try to see everything over the course of the event! it is much easier to get through on the weekdays and early on the weekends.
More Info Here