| Del Ray Artisans News since 1992 |
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Thanks to the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the City of Alexandria for funding support. |
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March 2005 VOLUME 13 ISSUE 3
Members vote
on bylaws DRA LENDING LIBRARY Did you know that DRA has a small lending library? There are a number of books on the arts and technique that may be checked out for use. Next time you’re in the gallery, ask to be directed to the library area. DEL RAY ARTISANS NEWS
Many thanks to our monthly sponsors: Edited by: Dave Nicholson f8photog@yahoo.com
ARCHIVE
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Members vote on
bylaws Nearly 40 people attended the General Members Meeting and Swap Meet on February 15th. The first order of business was the bylaws, which we unanimously approved. Then it was time to swap. There was a wonderful array of gently used art supplies to choose from, including rubber stamps, instructional books, picture frames, fabrics, and many types of paint. When not voting or swapping, everyone enjoyed delicioso food from Los Tios (just down the street from the gallery) and desserts from our members. Mark the next General Members Meeting on your calendars--Tuesday, May 17th at 7:30 PM. Hope to see you there! Steve Crossett one man show in April
As Crossett tells the story for his inspiration for his work, it was during an evening with friends in Oklahoma City in the Spring of 2003, that he survived a near-miss with a tornado. Prior to the alarms sounding the conversation had been predominately about alcoholism and the collateral damage that it incurs. After the "all clear", he found that the tornado had smashed homes just three blocks away. With relief and a little adrenalin rush, the conversation resumed. An art show idea was born, one that would incorporate alcoholism and its effects on the family using weather and the home as its metaphors. Alcoholism has the same effect as a tornado in its ability to shake a home to its foundation and destroy everything in its path. The home is viewed as a "safe" place; but, within an alcoholic family everything is in a whirlwind. Moods and pressure drops can be precipitous. For the past two years Crossett has been putting together objects using traditional (charcoal and acrylics) and non-traditional (steel and tar) media depicting vignettes from an alcoholic life. He has developed a vocabulary of images that allude to the inner turmoil and cyclical nature of the disease, as well as touch on the intergenerational aspects. Music is an integral part of the concept. Roger Lienke, Tom Lienke, and Terry Ware were kind enough to lend their talents in this regard. Their songs have been carefully chosen for their timely relevance. Indeed, most of the works have a one-to-one relationship with a specific song. The art and the song are meant to be "of a piece." As enlightening trip has come to fruition with this show...Twelve Story House. Further information along with examples of both art and music may be found at his website: http://www.12storyhouse.com .Steve Crossett may be reached at artisan18@comcast.net . Imagine walking into a fabric store filled with richly colored and textured handmade fabrics and yarns waiting to be purchased and transformed into an article of clothing or home furnishing. This is the inspiration for the annual collaborative effort of DRA and the Springwater Fiber Workshop (SFW). Co-curators Linda Silk (DRA) and Randy Scheessele (SFW) will recreate the ultimate fabric store filled with textile art produced by the yard in the DRA gallery. Artists will concentrate on producing work at least two yards long without any regard to its final application. The focus will be on the process, color and structure, letting their "art by the yard" inspire others on its ultimate use. Art by the Yard will open Friday, March 4th with a reception to be held from 7:00-10:00 PM, and will run through Sunday, March 20th. Multiple Judge's Choice awards, including cash awards, will be awarded to winning entries. Some of the Judge's Choice awards will be given specifically to novice artists who have take up their art since January 2004. In addition, there will be a Handweavers Guild of America Award, Complex Weavers Award, and a Surface Design Association award. For more information about the Springwater Fiber Workshop, visit www.springwaterfiber.org. The Alexandria Commission for the Arts is seeking nominations for the 2005 Alex Award. The City-sponsored program recognizes individuals, organizations, schools, and businesses for making exceptional contributions to Alexandria's cultural life. Nominations for the award must be submitted to the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, 1108 Jefferson St., by 4 PM on Monday, March 21. The annual award program seeks to stimulate local interest in the arts by recognizing excellence in an artistic discipline, excellence in service to the arts, outstanding contributions to arts education, and innovative partnerships between businesses and the arts. The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce's Cultural Committee presented the Alex Award each year from 1985 to 1995. The City revived the program in 2004. The 2005 Alex Award will be presented on May 20 at the Northern Virginia Community College Schlesinger Concert Hall and Art Center, 3001 N. Beauregard Street in Alexandria. Winners of the award will receive a commissioned piece of art from a local artist. For more information or to obtain a nomination form, call Cheryl Anne Powalisz, Alexandria Commission for the Arts, at 703.838.6348, or email alexandriacommissionforthearts@verizon.net . The second annual Spring Art Sale is scheduled for Saturday, May 7th (the day before Mother's Day) in Colasanto Park, adjoining the DRA gallery. We'd like to build on last year's success, and need your participation to make this happen. This is a great opportunity to display your new creations as well as clear out your studio of artwork in need of a new home. All participants must be members of Del Ray Artisans, and all work sold must be created by the artist. This is a rain or shine event, so pray for sun! Artists must provide their own shelters and tables. Space may be limited, so respond early. We are looking for a wide diversity of disciplines. Artists may share a booth. A participation fee of $35 plus 10% of sales is required. We also need a few volunteers to help out with putting on the sale. Contact Rob Rudick, at 301.270.2323 or email robrudick@yahoo.com. Saturday, May 1 - Titan Expo 2005's Art on the Green - Contact titanexpo@yahoo.com or Paulette Burdett 703.549.1231 Saturday & Sunday, May 14-15 - Alexandria Volunteer Bureau's Old Town Arts & Crafts Fair - Contact mail@alexandriavolunteers.com or 703.836.2176 The Lorton Arts Foundation is soliciting the level of interest by artists in the rental of studios at the "to be opened" Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton. Studios will be available in approximately 12-18 months. Please see the enclosed Call for Interest or contact skainmason@verizon.net or 703.451.7583. The allocation process will be completed by March 11, 2005. "Sales were brisk," beamed artist and cardmaker Alice Kale as she sat the gallery the first weekend of the House of Cards show. Initial sales, with 23 artists displaying over 500 cards, totaled over $1,200! Photographer and cardmaker Paige Ireland remarked that "...this type of show is a fantastic idea because art can be purchased and taken the same day, pieces have a low price point and artist can replenish their stock." Curator Karen Schmitz was pleased with the array of styles of cards and gave a SWAK (Sealed With Artistic Kudos) to Meri Cole-Henshaw, Theresa Kulstad, Yvette Rosenberg and Susan Slattery for excellent cardmaking achievements! Alexandria's Carpenter Shelter Kids also had a special Valentine Card for sale, "What Love is..." created by 4 year old contest winner and shelter resident Lenner Garner, Jr. Over $400 was raised for the Shelter from the sale of these cards! At the suggestion of Mart Larson, Schmitz coordinated DRA members in the creation of a large, "multi-hearted and multi-signed" Valentine presented to Marian Van Landingham wishing her well and thanking her for all she has done for the Alexandria arts community. Special thanks go to: Stacy Block, Jen Chappell, Barbara and Karen Craley, Jane Deweerd, Ellyn Ferguson, Rebecca Gordon, Irene Hoffman, Theresa Kulstad, Brain Marquis, Laura "Cousin" Parker, Sharon Reilly, Royce Flowers, Collen Sherlock, Alison Sigethy and Karen Vigmostad. We also welcome two new members, Yumi Belanga and Pamela Stout. ...that we recently have lost two of our cherished DRA members. We offer our sympathies and best wishes to their family and friends. Eugene Hill, husband of member Grace Hill (who has been celebrated with her own show in our DRA gallery in one of our previous locations, passed away last July. Also, Richard Dwyer, Jr. (preceded by his wife Catherine) who was active in the senior art class at Mt. Vernon Recreation Center, as many of our members are, and who had done a collaborative exhibit with DRA, passed on recently. We will miss them. |
Twelve
Story House, a one-man show by DRA member, Steve Crossett is the upcoming April
show. An opening reception will be held Friday, April 1st, from 7:00 PM
until 10:00 PM. The show will run through Sunday, April 3rd.