Shoulder surgery last month necessitated my soliciting a little help in delivering a local review for my March column so I asked my good friend Judith Peck for some help.

DMV artist Judith Peck is one of the area’s hardest working and most talented painter – this month she guest reviews Deanna Schwartzberg’s show at the gorgeous Art Museum of the Americas:

“It was my pleasure to attend the opening reception of “Primal Connections” a one-person show by local artist, Deanna Schwartzberg, at the Art Museum of the Americas F Street Gallery.

It is a deceptively simple, long, and brightly lit grand hall.  Deanna’s intensely jewel colored palette and assured brush strokes lit up the space.

As curator of the exhibition, “Primal Connections”, Ana Maria Ascano tells us; “Viewing the art of Deanna Schwartzberg is like reading a favorite poem.”  This thought stayed with me as I viewed an array of paintings beautifully composed, with the artist’s unique understanding of color and light.  These works spoke to me in an indirect manner, the way poetry does, igniting the mind and senses and making the artist’s subject matter all the more intense and powerful.

For many years, Deanna has been working with the interconnection of humanity and the world of nature. She gave an intriguing talk about how she went from nonobjective painting to finding her voice in paintings that invite us, the viewer, to discover with her the fluid relationship between body and nature.  In her larger works a powerful figure merges with an abstracted landscape. The subject matter resonates, and her color choices are so inventive that we feel we are discovering places we have been, perhaps only in a dream.

Along with eight large figurative pieces, the artist has an installation of 28 small painted faces.  The poem by the artist, Primal Connections, is the source of inspiration for these works. The faces, each have a feminine name for one of the elements: earth, fire and air. Each one is different and expressive in its own way.  Neither happy, sad, scared nor surprised, they appear to be centered in their own thoughts and feelings and part of the drama and wonder of the world that surrounds them.”

Call for Artists
Next, I want to encourage all of you to participate in the call for artists for DC’s art collection; it’s free and can all be done online!

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is seeking to purchase original two and three-dimensional works of art- including but not limited to paintings; drawings; mixed media; prints; photographs; fabric art; ceramics; sculptures; installations, and video work. Applicants are allowed to submit artwork(s) in a series. However, each artwork within a series will be counted individually as part of the allowable maximum for portfolio submission from individual artists (5) and art galleries (10).

All artwork submitted will be equally considered ranging from representational, conceptual, landscape, and abstract artworks. Artwork must be created using archival materials and be no larger in size than 96″ in any direction. The overall weight of artwork shall not exceed 100 lbs.

Each individual artist’s application is allowed to submit up to 5 works of art for consideration. Art galleries are allowed to submit up to 10 works of art from any combination of two or more represented artists. All artwork submitted must be available for purchase and available for an in-person review upon Semi-finalist notification. The 2015 Art Bank Call will close on Friday, March 20, 2015. Applications must be submitted digitally at dcarts.slideroom.com

Art Bank 2015 Eligibility & Calendar Dates:
The 2015 Art Bank call is open to artists who reside full time or maintain studio space in the Washington, DC and metropolitan surrounding area including Maryland and Virginia whose city falls within a 50 mile radius. Art Galleries who apply fall under the same guidelines as above where represented artists must live or work within these parameters for compliance.

Art Bank 2015 Calendar Dates:

• March 20, 2015, 11:59 PM- Art Bank 2015 Call Closes.
• May 01, 2015- Panelists selection of Art Bank 2015 Semi-finalists.
• May 08, 2015- Notifications to all applicants.
• May 21 – 22, 2015, 2 – 5 PM- Semi-finalists deliver selected artworks to DCCAH.
• May 28 – May 29, 2015- Panelists review to make final recommendations.
• June 08, 2015- Notifications to Semi-finalists.
• June 09 – 10, 2015, 2 – 5 PM- Semi-finalists retrieve works that were not selected.

For additional information or questions about the Art Bank 2015 Call please contact: Zoma Wallace, Art Bank Coordinator, zoma.wallace@dc.gov| (202) 724-5613.

Tell her Lenny sent ya!

Written by: F. Lennox Campello