Artful Weekend June 18-20 – The Art League

Welcome to Artful Weekend, our guide to fun and interesting ways to enjoy art in person or virtually.

This weekend: The June 2022 Landscape Exhibit, The Spirit of Carnival by Beverly Valdez, and the 2022 Student/Faculty Show at the League; Cold Warriors by Tom Sliter at Multiple Exposures Gallery; Ancestors Know Who We Are at National Museum of the American Indian; and Are We There Yet by Wesley Clark at Pyramid Atlantic.

June 2022 Landscape Exhibit

For the June 2022 Landscape Exhibit, League member artists present works that capture a sense of place. From quiet countrysides and majestic mountains, to lively streetscapes and varied bodies of water, artists expressed their visions in acrylic, collage, mixed media, oil, photography, printmaking, watercolor, and sculpture. A mix of 94 figurative and abstract artworks are featured. It was juried by Thaisa Way, the director of garden and landscape studies at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C.; and landscape architecture photographer Sahar Coston-Hardy.

The Spirit of Carnival by Beverly Valdez

In The Spirit of Carnival, June’s solo artist Beverly Valdez conveys the essence of carnival culture in her homeland of Trinidad and Tobago. Valdez’s series of brilliant, abstract paintings speak to this popular event’s history, symbolism, nuances, and iconic themes. They are joyous, musical, and dynamic! The Spirit of Carnival is on view through July 3.

2022 Student/Faculty Show

Our annual Student/Faculty Show gives our student body and instructors an opportunity to shine! This year it returns online and includes artworks completed by students between the March 2020 and Winter 2022 terms, as well as signature works by instructors. It was juried by Scott Hutchison, an Associate Professor of Practice in painting and drawing at Georgetown University and former Art League painting and drawing instructor, and is on view through July 15.

Join us via Zoom as we celebrate these artists during the Virtual Reception and Awards Ceremony Sunday, July 10, 2–3:30 pm. RSVP here.

Cold Warriors by Tom Sliter

D.C.-based fine art photographer and aviation enthusiast Tom Sliter’s new exhibit Cold Warriors, is a series of images that takes a different look at the aircraft that defined the Cold War. Rather than focusing on the aircraft’s characteristics, the exhibit delves into the underlying design elements — the grand sweeps, smooth lines, sharp angles, and graceful curves that are a hallmark of pushing boundaries. Higher. Faster. Farther. See it in person through July 24 at Multiple Exposures Gallery in Studio 312 in the Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N Union Street, Alexandria, VA, or virtually here.

Ancestors Know Who We Are

Ancestors Know Who We Are, a digital exhibition launched recently by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, ignites a conversation on the experiences of Black-Indigenous women through art. Joelle Joyner’s and Paige Pettibon’s paintings honor ancestors who continue to inspire and guide. Moira Pernambuco’s photographs are a counter-narrative to negative portrayals of Black boys and men. Monica Rickert-Bolter’s digital artwork is a reflection on the relationship between hair and cultural identity. Storme Webber’s prints and spoken-word performance pay tribute to her multiracial family and childhood. Basketry by Rodslen Brown (1960–2020), a Freedman descendant and citizen of the Cherokee Nation, embraces her activism and both her heritages. Ancestors Know who We Are is on view through September 30.

Are We There Yet by Wesley Clark

Are We There Yet features new works that primarily consist of graphite drawings and lithographic prints, the latter made at Pyramid Atlantic during Clark’s recent Keyholder Residency. At their core, the works are exercises in mark making, expressing pent up energies—thoughts, feelings, and conversations. “Where do I want to go,” “Where should I go,” and “Where am I going” are encapsulated in the phrase “Are We There Yet.” It is on view through July 31 at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, MD. You can also view Clark’s works here.

Enjoy the long weekend!