From Left to Right: 15th St. & Constitution Ave, NW, Watercolor on paper, 42” x 31” framed. 7th and “G” St., NW, Watercolor on paper, 41” x 31” framed. 7th St., and “I” St., NW #2, Watercolor on paper, 40” x 31” framed.
alyst, “ to bring artists and marketers closer. Now they have a gallery for contemporary artists at the Monroe Street Market. The inaugural show is provocatively titled, Wet Dreams – Contemporary Use of Water-Based Media. Seven artists, including DC painters Mariah Anne Johnson and Jenny Walton, provide a variety of watercolor styles and approaches. http://catalystartprojects.com.
“Great Streets – the Urban Life of DC”, Zenith Gallery, Washington DC Economic Partnership, 1495 F St. NW, to Nov 8.
This is an important show because of what it is and where it is. It is about the life, soul and art of Washington. It features the dynamic city paintings of Richard Fitzhugh (see Artist Profile). Six other top-rated artists, through sharply contrasting styles, capture those qualities that are so distinctly the District: Anne Marchand, Bradley Stevens, Philip Hazard, Glenn Moreton, Curtis Woody and me, Jim Magner. The Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) exists to attract business to the District and to help existing DC businesses with “Accelerate DC” a mentorship program. It’s on the corner of 15th and F St.— close enough for the president to stroll over to check out terrific homegrown art. You should too. www.zenithgallery.com.
“Uncommon Objects”, Zenith Gallery, 1429 Iris St. NW, Nov. 2
Katie Dell Kaufman’s “found object, assemblage and encaustic paintings” span a 30year career of finding the “fragile beauty of overlooked objects of daily life.” You will find dozens of other artists at the same location. www.zenithgallery.com.
All Member Show, Touchstone Gallery, 901 New York Avenue, NW, Oct. 4 –27, Recep: Oct 4, 6-8:30
This is the annual big show of all 45 artist-members in the main gallery. You won’t find a better mix of styles and approaches in a complete range of media. There are two solo shows, Anthony Dortch and Mary Trent Scott, in the smaller rooms. www. touchstonegallery.com.
Fall Shows, Gallery plan b, 1530 14th St. NW, Recep: Sat, Oct. 19
Chad Andrew and Joey Manlapaz have very different but sophisticated styles in expressing ideas about the world in which we live. The year-end “Gift Giving” group show of over 30 artists runs from Nov. 29 to Dec. 24, with the artist reception on Sat. Dec 7, 6-8. These are smaller works that you can buy and take with you. www.galleryplanb.com.
Ahmed Alkarki, Hill Center Galleries, 921 Pennsylvania Ave, SE, Nov. 7 – Jan. 5, Recep: Tue, Nov 9, 6-8
Ahmed Alkarki is from Iraq. His personal story is a marvel of surviving the trials and tragedies of that country over the last 30 years. Whether the topic is landscape, a portrait or simply abstraction, his true subject is light. www.Alkarkhi.com.
National Gallery of Art, West Bld. 7th and Constitution NW
The NGA usually has several special exhibits at the same time. Here are three: Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections traces the Byzantine visual arts from the fourth to the 15th century—from the pagan world of the Roman Empire to the opulent, yet spiritual world of the Christian Byzantine Empire. Over 170 rare works bring you the exquisite splendor of the Byzantine Empire: sculptures, icons, mosaics, frescoes, manuscripts, metalwork, jewelry, glass, embroideries, and ceramics…it’s all there. Oct. 6—March 2. Charles Marville: Photographer of Paris.
About 100 photographs and three albums span the artist’s career of city scenes and landscape studies across Europe in the1850s including his photographs of Paris both before and after many of its medieval streets were razed. Through Jan 5. Tell It with Pride: The 54th Massachusetts Regiment and Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Shaw Memorial honors one of the first regiments of African Americans formed during the Civil War, the 54th Massachusetts. The unit famously fought in the Battle of Fort Wagner and was the subject of the 1989 movie “Glory. The exhibit includes daguerreotype, tintype, and carte de visite portraits of the soldiers and the people who recruited, nursed, taught, and guided them. To Jan 20. www.nga.gov. A Capitol Hill artist and writer, Jim can be reached at Artandthecity05@ aol.com. Jim’s award-winning book, “A Haunting Beauty” can be acquired through www.ahauntingbeauty.com H
HillRag | October 2013 H 95