First Lady's Art Gallery Opens with Student Art Show

Working in conjunction with the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), First Lady Yumi Hogan presented a selection of artworks by Maryland students during the inaugural show in the new First Lady's Art Gallery.

First Lady Hogan, who is an accomplished artist and a professor at Maryland Institute College of Art, is an active supporter of the arts and a powerful advocate for arts programs in schools across Maryland.

In keeping with Mrs. Hogan's dedication to supporting art education, the First Lady's Art Gallery, which is located in the House of Delegates Office Building in Annapolis, will continue the student art program with shows slated for every fall and spring.

 
The inaugural show features the works of student artists from more than 20 Maryland school systems. During the October 23 opening reception, the First Lady presented first place awards to artists in the elementary, middle and high school categories.

Jasmine Diaz, a second grader at Vansville Elementary School in Prince George's County; Mackenzie Clark, a sixth grade student from Kent County Middle School; and Taylor Williams, a senior at Huntington High School in Calvert County were the inaugural winners. The exhibition will run through November 13.

First Lady Yumi Hogan awards Jasmine Diaz, a second grade student at Vansville Elementary School with her first place award. Photo by Richard Lippenholz

 
2015 ALTA Awards Tickets Available

Maryland Traditions, the Folklife Program of the Maryland State Arts Council, announces the 2015 ALTA (Achievement in Living Traditions and Arts) Award recipients. The ALTA recognizes outstanding stewards of living traditions in Maryland. The recipients will be feted at a December 5, 2015, ceremony/concert at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center on the Takoma Park – Silver Spring campus.

The ALTA, given annually to an individual or group, a place, and a tradition, helps safeguard Maryland’s living cultural heritage. The 2015 recipients are Captain Kermit “Robert Lee” Travers (Person), St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (Place), and Marbles Game of the Greater Cumberland Region (Tradition).  Reserve the free tickets by calling (240) 567-5775 or online.

Captain Kermit Travers, ALTA awardee. Photo by Edwin Remsberg

 
MSAC News

Maryland Presenters Network Meeting a Success

MSAC recently hosted the 8th annual Maryland Presenters Network meeting for Maryland professional presenting organizations, at the Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts in College Park.  The Network provides resources and networking opportunities to individuals and organizations in the presenting and touring field to advance and promote the arts in Maryland. 

The day’s topics included “Harnessing Data to Strategy: How to Make Sure What You’re Collecting Is Actually Useful,” presented by Ian David Moss, Senior Director of Information Strategy at Fractured Atlas and “New and Trending Programming Genres: A Panel Discussion of Opportunities, Challenges and Successes”. 

A group photo of Presenters during the tour of the Clarice Smith Center.

Buy Local: MSAC Online Marketplace Opens

The Maryland Artist Marketplace is now open, giving art, music and literary enthusiasts the ability to buy local art online. The MSAC is promoting the Maryland Marketplace as a hub for Maryland-made art including books, music, and visual arts.

Maryland Artist Registry members can opt-in to the Maryland Art Marketplace by logging-in and editing their account. Terms of use for sellers and buyers are included in sign-up.

Those who are not in the Maryland Artist Registry should create an account, and opt-in to the Maryland Art Marketplace while signing-up. Both webpages support audio, jpeg, PDF files, and embedded video. For assistance, email Paul Shortt, registry administrator.

Carved wooden bowls by Maryland Marketplace crafter William Pierce

ArtsLAB Theme is Community Engagement

This year’s ArtsLAB 2015, presented by Maryland Citizens for the Arts (MCA) and sponsored by MSAC, was a sold out success. The event, held October 27, was at BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.

The theme of this fourth conference was "Community Engagement." ArtsLAB was created by MCA to provide a space for the nonprofit arts sector to come together to address concerns facing the arts field.

John Schratwieser, executive director of MCA said the group participated in great conversations about creating bold community engagement opportunities - an important role, and responsibility of publicly funded arts organizations.

Arts advocates discuss community engagement during ArtsLAB. Photo by Kintz

Musician and artist Wayne Coyne Mixed media -“King’s Mouth” (interior) Photo by Shawn Levin-2015.

Divine Hope, theme of AVAM’s 20th celebration
The American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) is celebrating its 20th anniversary with “The Big Hope Show” (through September 4, 2016) and the “Simply Divine Years” gala on November 21.

Museum founder and director, Rebecca Alban Hoffberger, curated The Big Hope Show, an exhibit aiming to inspire a courageous and positive outcome on personal struggles. More than 25 visionary artists will exhibit creations reflecting their personal transcendence. Among them, Flaming Lips’ front man Wayne Coyne, who experienced a near-death trauma, engineered an explosion of inspirations including a happy installation titled, “King's Mouth.”

AVAM's 20th Anniversary Gala Celebration is November 21. Tickets are available until November 15 for the public and members by November 20. “After Party” tickets are also available. Visit the AVAM website.

Cultural Data Project to Rebrand as DataArts
The Cultural Data Project, a resource for in-depth data about nonprofit arts, culture, and humanities organizations, has announced it will change its name to DataArts, effective January 2016.

The new name and brand identity will signal the launch of a significantly upgraded version of its technology and Data Profile survey, a new national website, and enhanced services to advance data-informed management practices for the cultural sector. DataArts will offer a new technology platform, national website, improved resources to advance the cultural sector’s use of data. Learn more.

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Launches Redesigned Website
Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation has launched its redesigned website! Starting more than two years ago, user surveys, interviews, and research drove the development of a site that is vibrant and user friendly, has intuitive navigation, includes site-wide search capability as well as a searchable grants database, and is responsive across multiple mobile platforms.

Rebecca Alban Hoffberger, pictured with DeVon Smith’s “World First Robot Family,” courtesy of AVAM..

Rebecca Alban Hoffberger is founder, director and principal curator of the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM), which opened Thanksgiving weekend, 1995. AVAM is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month.

MSAC: When did you realize you were destined to make the arts your life’s journey?

Rebecca Hoffberger: As a child, my thoughts were so fast my motor mouth couldn't even keep up. I was drawn to creative and philosophic expressions in art and science as they wordlessly convey - via visual symbols and/or audio vibrations - uplifting, universal concepts. Art and physics, dance and music, all transcend mere words. At their best, they serve as conveyances of love and beauty, wisdom and delight, much like my favorite art - Nature itself.

MSAC: Please explain how the American Visionary Art Museum came to be.

Read the full interview.

Opportunities

Seeking local artists for the 21st Western Maryland Blues Fest
The Washington County Arts Council, and the Western Maryland Blues Fest, invites Maryland visual artists, to become the “2016 Blues Fest Poster Artist.”

The 21st annual Western Maryland Blues Fest is June 2 - 5, 2016. The chosen artwork will appear on posters, T-shirts, programs and promotional materials. Digital submissions preferred. Deadline is November 13 at noon. Learn more.

Take a Moment to Submit Artwork
“Moments in Time,” sponsored by the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, seeks artists to submit up to three works for consideration via its digital portal on the Arts Council website by November 23.   

Opening December 11, 2015 at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, the exhibit will be between concourses C & D through April 15, 2016.  The juried show is open to all Anne Arundel County residents over the age of 18 and has a $20 entry/administrative fee. Call 410-222-7949 for information.

Winter Art Show Needs Artists
The Charles County Arts Alliance is accepting submissions for its Winter Art Show, a multi-media public exhibit from January 9 to April 2, 2016, at the Waldorf West Library.

Artists can submit free – 2 works of art for consideration on any subject until November 16. Artwork must be digital (jpg) sent via email. A "Meet the Artists" reception is January 16, 2016, from 2 to 4 pm, at the Library's Main Gallery. Call 301-392-5900 or e-mail.

The 18th Maryland Film Festival (MFF) is Accepting Submissions
Since 1999, MFF has been an annual tradition in Baltimore. Festival submissions from all genres including documentaries, feature-length films, animation and experimental features, are accepted. Applicants should not submit films that have had heavy exposure in the Baltimore market. International submissions are welcome. Deadline isJanuary 4, 2016, the festival is May 4-8, 2016Learn more.

MSAC Grants

Grants for Organizations (GFO) ›› RFF
The FY 2017 GFO Request for Funding for current grantees on a three-year application cycle should fill out the RFF in eGrant. The deadline is December 3, 2015. Learn more.

GFO Interim Reports Opening Soon ››
The Grants for Organizations Interim Reports begin December 16, 2015 in eGrant. Deadline is January 28, 2016. Learn more.

CAD grant opens next month ››
Community Arts Development FY 2017 Grants will open on December 2, 2015. Deadline is January 22, 2016. Learn more.

Community Arts Development (CAD) Interim Reports ››
CAD Interim Reports will open in eGrant on December 11, 2015. Deadline is January 29, 2016. Learn more.

Maryland Traditions Project Grant ››
The Maryland Traditions Project Grant opens in eGrant on December 11, 2015. Deadline is January 26, 2016. Learn more.

Sculptor Scott Cawood lives and works at his residence in historic Antietam, where he has been a professional artist since 1992. His log house circa 1790, once housed workers for the nearby Antietam Iron Works (1758-1880).

Cawood uses a mixture of steel items including scrap steel, steel oil tanks, and found items, all hand-formed and welded to create his visions. “Siren,” is an intricate chopper on display at Treasure Island Casino, Las Vegas, busts of African-American bluesmen of the Mississippi Delta are at the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale MS.

“Rising up,” depicts a family rising above life’s challenges at the Center for Joint Surgery and Sports Medicine, Hagerstown. In 2014, he created several public art sculptures "Climb and Glide” at the Switchback Sculpture Garden along the Great Allegheny Passage Bicycle Trail in Frostburg.

 
This winter he will create the "Frostburg Arch" for the City Of Frostburg as an entrance for their Switchback Sculpture Garden. Currently, he is exhibiting at the Bismark Wilson Gallery in Fells Point. A closing reception is on November 15, 1-4 pm. Cawood will host an Autumn Open Studio from 1-5pm, December 5 & 6 in Sharpsburg, MD 21782.

Scott Cawood’s “Rooster” is on exhibit at the Bismark Wilson Gallery.

 
Featured Events

Through November 14

Tony Cornwell & Western Maryland Professional Artists
Saville Gallery
Cumberland A&E District

November 8, 2015-
January 31, 2016

Pearls on a String: Artists, Patrons, and Poets at the Great Islamic Courts
Walters Art Museum
Baltimore

November 11-15

Waterfowl Festival
Easton
Talbot County

December 5 & 6

Scott Cawood, Autumn Open Studio
Sharpsburg
Washington County

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