JUNE|2010
1371 Harvard St. N.W. Washington D.C. 20009 (202) 724-5613 (202) 724-4493 TTY/TDD
www.dcarts.dc.gov
content
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IMPRINT 32 Under 32 Sia Tiambi Barnes & Sarah Koss: When I was 16...
COVER ART |ADAM DE BOER & LISA MARIE THALHAMMER
EDITOR
SHYREE MEZICK
DESIGNER ROD LITTLE
CONTRIBUTORS
32 Under 32 Video | Chris Keener Photos | Nicole Aguirre Song | Aaron Thompson Liz DeRoche Sia Tiambi Barnes
SPOTlight
PROFILE
Meet DCCAH’s 32 Under 32: the 32 recipients of our 2010 Young Artist Grant Program
REBECCA LANDWEHR SIA TIAMBIA BARNES SARAH KOSS
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2010 YOUNG ARTIST GRANT RECIPIENTS
•Announcing our 2011 artistic opportunities • 2010 Grantees
art 101
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•MadLib by Nicole Aguirre •Artist 2 Artist Talk: Sarah Koss & Sia Tiambi Barnes
97 • Department of Insurance, Securities & Banking: Phillip Barlow • Art Bank: 32 Under 32
IN KNOW
THE
BITE
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• Upcoming Art Salons June 26 @ Connor Contemporary Art, Industry Gallery & G Fine Art •Hip Hop Theater Festival July 6-10
• Public Art’s Student Show Wiinners on display at the Historical Society of Washington through July 10 •Poet’s Corner with Dolores Kendrick, Poet Laureate of DC.
SOUND
in
dialed
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• ART(202): D.E.A.R. this summer! • Staff Spotlight: 32 Under32
IMPRINT
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ILLUSTRATION|ADAM DE BOER & LISA MARIE THALHAMMER
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What attracts a lizard to
concrete? What compels an artist to become a business, our freedom packaged and promoted in the rigid constructs of the marketplace? In this issue, from the sweet innocence of a teenager to the crushing devotion of a young adult, we reflect upon who we were, are, and hope to be.
COVER ARTISTS | ADAM DE BOER & LISA MARIE THALHAMMER PHOTO | NICOLE AGUIRRE, WORN MAGAZINE
Cover Artists Lisa Marie Thalhammer and Adam de Boer combined their realist and surrealist styles of visual art for their original contribution to ART(202) Journal.
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LISA MARIE THALHAMMER |LOT LIZARD
ADAM DE BOER |PORTRAIT OF SCOTT RATTLER
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Contr “The age of sixteen found me planning to set aside painting to begin my journey into the real world. I went off to college to become a doctor. But sitting in an interview one day, staring at a table full of white lab coats, I realized the “real world” was no place for me. That very afternoon I began researching graduate programs in fine arts, and heard DC calling my name. Moving from southwest Virginia where there are more green fields than traffic lights, I found the concrete heat of the city threatening. Soon, though, I began to stumble upon new sources of nourishment. Lights twinkling in tall office buildings at night, taxis tooting greetings to one another, gobs of lost tourists wandering around on the Mall-all of these images embody the energy of life in ways that I had never experienced. Then there were the glimpses of other artists- the splotches of color on an old pair of shoes, the legs on a ladder moving a spotlight in the upper window of an apartment, the fuzzy outline of a poem unfolding on a laptop in the coffee shop. Lizards, it is time for us to all come out, to sun ourselves on the concrete and bask in the heat of our own city.”
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Sarah Koss
ributors “At sixteen-years-old, having grown up in this concrete desert that is Washington, DC (where it seems as if it is all dry politics or, to an artist, more marketing than artistry), I was the epitome of dehydration, almost delusional in my pursuit of self-expression. I coveted it, rarely shared it, but also exploited it to get A’s in English and History. At 18, I journeyed to New York City, the East Coast’s Las Vegas (where every mirage is inspiration). “If I could make it there...” I was told. I graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s in Advertising and Marketing Communications while interning as a journalist and publicist in the publishing industry. I worked my first official career job at The Source, the “bible” of hip hop, writing and editing, rarely sleeping, hustling my talent to recreate an experience with words. However, the lack of presence of the District’s art in the magazine (meaning on the national scene, and at least in comparison to other metropolitan areas), gave me a homesickness that only returning could heal. Now, I am self-employed as owner and operator of a DC-based media firm, N’KOSI, LLC, inspired and supported by a wellspring of District talents who are also entrepreneurial in spirit and passionate about creating a sustainable marketplace for local art.”
Sia Tiambi Barnes
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TOP (L-R)|ALEX CLARK, CHRISTYLEZ BACON, TOMMY BOBO, MARK PERKINS BOTTOM (L-R) | JES THERKELSON, LIZ DEROCHE AKA THE SINGING LIZARD, GRACIELA LOPEZ, SIA TIAMBI BARNES
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PHOTO | NICOLE AGUIRRE, WORN MAGAZINE
Dynami
c.
ble.
Dura
. c i t e g r Ene Fresh.
The FY 2010 Young Artist Program grant recipients are all of these and much more. In order to describe truly their enthusiasm and devotion to high quality twenty-first century artistic pursuits, you have to experience it. These artists do more with less by taking adversity and marginalization and turning them on their heads. Not only have this year’s grant recipients proven themselves as burgeoning professional artists, they have taken a substantial step toward sharpening their skills as grant writers, administrators and businesspeople. The FY 2010 Young Artist grantees are proof that the applicants to the program get better every year. After hand picking 8 panelists to sift through the 60 applications and work samples, this tight group of DC’s finest came to light. As these savvy artists continue to improve and fine-tune their various forms of artistic expression, my greatest hope for them is that they continue to create, dream, and carve their way through the world. At odds with rejection, ridicule and poverty, young artists have a heavy burden and, oftentimes, intangible rewards. One smile, one moment, one grant is sometimes all the payment that an artist needs to challenge the apathy, social adversities, financial limitations, ignorance and fears that are all too common in the District and around the world. Art touches every life. These young artists are stepping out on artistic faith that they will be embraced and encouraged by the city that supports them. I applaud them and wish them all the best.
—Moshe Adams is DCCAH’s
Young Artist Grant Program Manager .
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L E E R DC COMMISSION ON THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES
32 UNDER 32 Contributors: Adam de Boer Alex Clarke Christylez Bacon Graciela Lopez Jes Therkelsen Lisa Marie Thalhammer Liz DeRoche aka The Singing Lizard Mark Perkins Rachel Beamer Sia Tiambi Barnes Tommy Bobo
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VIDEO|CHRIS KEENER PHOTOS|NICOLE AGUIRRE SONG | Composed & Performed by
AARON THOMPSON, LIZ DEROCHE AKA THE SINGING LIZARD AND SIA TIAMBI BARNES CONCRETE LIZARD Dive in Heart First / It’s been a winding journey, but we stay on the road / Feeding off the hot air although our blood is cold / We’re getting wiser now, and yet we’re still alone / Just like a desert lizard we’re feeling real exposed / Out on this rigid concrete our tracks they may not show / So will we ever find out where it is we belong? / We need to find a pocket that we can call our own / Just have to help each other quench thirst off this mirage
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SPOTlight
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TOP (L-R)|ALEX CLARK, CHRISTYLEZ BACON, TOMMY BOBO, LIZ DEROCHE AKA THE SINGING LIZARD BOTTOM (L-R) | JES THERKELSON, GRACIELA LOPEZ, SIA TIAMBI BARNES
PHOTOS|NICOLE AGUIRRE, WORN MAGAZINE
In an alley around the corner from where MTV’s The Real World was housed, a new reality developed as a group of DCCAH’s Young Artist Program recipients gathered on a plain white canvas blanketing a brick wall. It was a photo shoot for ART(202) Journal led by Worn Magazine photographers Nicole Aguirre (also a recipient) and Josh Yospyn. It was like a high school reunion of all the artistic introvert spirits brought together to encourage each other with impromptu songs and infectious smiles. Together, we stepped out from behind the solitude of our lenses, drawing boards, and musical instruments and onto a set that symbolized our growth as young adults determined to prosper with artistic integrity in tact. We discovered that, by combining our childlike infatuation with self-expression with the adult-minded practicality of self-promotion, we’re becoming a hybrid essential for survival as artists in a city most popularly known for its politics. -Sia Tiambi Barnes
D, MARK PERKINS
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thirty•two
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L-R|MARK PERKINS, MARIA BRYK, RACHEL BEAMER
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thirty•two
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L-R|LIZ DE ROCHE AKA THE SINGING LIZARD, SIA TIAMBI BARNES
www.khanhhle.com
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thirty•two
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L-R|TOMMY BOBO, CHRISTYLEZ BACON
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L-R|GRACIELA LOPEZ, JES THERKELSON
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BEACH BODY|L-R|JUSTIN RODERMAND, BJ BURTON, ALEX CLARKE, BRANDON MOSES
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SPOTlight
PROFILE
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NicolE
aguirre Nicole Aguirre’s journey from L.A. to Seoul, Korea to D.C. has colored her life as a photographer, fashion blogger, and photo editor who, now as Editor-in-Chief of Worn Magazine, makes it her mission to bring artistic and fashion consciousness to the District and beyond. “When I was 13 I went to Bali for three months. I was helping out at a restaurant and I would go to this fish market really early in the morning to buy fresh fish for the day and the people that were working there didn’t own cameras and didn’t really have pictures of their kids... I figured out there was a way to communicate with them through pictures and through sharing that moment where you didn’t even really needs words. After that, I was hooked.”
www.wornmagazine.com
PHOTO| COURTESY OF NICOLE AGUIRRE
Worn Magazine’s 2nd Issue will be available September 2010. The magazine can be purchased online at www.wornmagazine.com/ purchase or at the following vendors throughout the Washington, DC. area: Treasury, Redeem, Mid-City Caffe, Filter Coffeehouse, Baked & Wired, Junction, Chinatown Coffee, Toucan Boutique, FoBoGro, Durkl. Go to www.wornmagazine. com for more information.
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SaraH
koss
Artist Sarah Koss graduated this year with her MFA from The George Washington University and has Bachelor’s degrees in Biology, Psychology, and Studio Art from Virginia Tech. She brings her thesis to life in a display of large paintings and sculptures at the Classroom 102 Gallery at GWU in June. The exhibit is an attempt to navigate a complex matrix of ideologies in search of a calmness that otherwise alludes Washingtonians. “[At a young age] I realized that a box of colored wax sticks didn’t amuse everyone in the way it did me. I began to feel very lucky that crayons could suck me into an alternate universe.” Sarah Koss’ MFA Thesis Show Abductions of the Psyche: A Kunstkammer for the Antipodes of the Mind. Opening reception 5:30-7pm Artist’s talk 5p.
www.sarahkoss.com
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PHOTO|COURTESY OF SARAH KOSS
SiatiambI
barnes Sia Barnes is a native Washingtonian, writer, and founder of N’KOSI, LLC, a green-collar media firm developing media kits, web content, and integrated marketing communications strategies for local artists and nonprofit organizations and small businesses; and commercial media projects like the forthcoming environmental/musical documentary, HoodStock. “Think of yourself as CEO of a multi-billion dollar brand (the brand being you). You have access to the whole world as inspiration (even if you only travel via the Internet) and you invest your time as if producing and promoting your art is a 9-5 (or rather, 9-9 because have you ever heard of a part-time billionaire?).” Join her on set at HoodStock 6p, July 15th, on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building for a concert/rally for DC voting rights featuring some of the hottest hip hop artists and activists in the city.
www.n-kosi.com PHOTO|NICOLE AGUIRRE
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JeS
therkelsen
NEPAL|BAGMATI RIVER
NEPAL|YAK BUTTER CANDLES
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ECUADOR|COTOPAXI
Jes Therkelson is a filmmaker, photographer, media consultant, and activist who has lived in and developed multimedia projects on four continents, and is currently exploring every ward in the District through short video, audio, and photographic vignettes of city life. “It’s exhilarating, it’s surprising, it’s challenging it takes me out of my comfort zone. That’s when I expand as a person... it’s kind of addicting in that way.”
www.cleanhandsproject.com
PHOTO|NICOLE AGUIRRE
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TommY
bobo Tommy Bobo examines the affect of digital art on the pastime of storytelling, most recently with four digitally animated videos installations and accompanying soundtrack that appropriates the color palate of Stephen King’s “The Shining.” “In my mind back then, artists were these bold emotion-filled people who just created on the canvas with little to no fore thought. As an adult, I savor the periods of development and planning.”
www.iamtommybobo.com
PHOTO|COURTESY OF TOMMY BOBO
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LiZ
deroche AkaThe Singing Lizard
Available Now!
Liz DeRoche (or “The Singing Lizard” as she is affectionately known) is a singer, drummer, and self-taught keyboardist who makes techno soul for the young at heart like the remakes of childhood classics found on her new album, AlphaBeat. “Something I’ve learned very quickly is that there is a great amount of work that goes into the business of being a musician... reach out, collaborate and push yourself as an artist.”
www.thesinginglizard.com PHOTO|NICOLE AGUIRRE
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PatricK
crowley A graduate of American University, Patrick Crowley is an awardwinning playwright and director. He has directed performances at the Intersections Festival, Woolly Mammoth’s rehearsal hall, Imagination Stage, and the National Performance Network. Crowley’s playwriting credits include A Nation of Immigrants, which received a reading at Gala Hispanic Theatre, and Reaching for Home, which was performed at the DC Hip Hop Theater Festival. He is a member of the Directors Lab at the Lincoln Center.
http://sites.google.com/site/ patrickcrowleyinfo
PHOTO|COURTESTY OF PATRICK CROWLEY
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GracielA
lopez Graciela Lopez taps into the healing powers of
dance and poetry through videos she produces and live performances like her recent Forgotten Women, stories and voices of Latina and Indigenous heroines. “The mission of my art: to inspire people to get into that creative spirit, get in touch with what makes them excited and passionate to be alive.�
www.peacefulchicana.com PHOTOS|LAUREN GOLDSTEIN
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RacheL
beamer Photographer Rachel Beamer fittingly deals with themes of memory and nostalgia by infusing the more modern photographic practices of digital editing with the manual, chemical photo processes of yesteryear. She is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Photographic and Electronic Media at Maryland Institute College of Art.
www.rachelbeamer.com PHOTO|NICOLE AGUIRRE
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MariA
bryk
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Maria Bryk is an illustrator and photographer with a double major Bachelor’s degree in Scientific Illustration and Industrial Design, and a current project entitled Devotion in the District which captures the similarities and individual beauties of the diverse worship practices in DC. “I always wanted to be an artist... In elementary school you have to write what you want to be when you grow up and I wrote this essay about what I wanted to do and I was like, ‘I want to be an artist and have my studio in a tree-house.’”
PHOTO|NICOLE AGUIRRE
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ChristyleZ
bacon Christon “Christylez� Bacon marries classical theatre and hip hop concert in In Pursuit of Me, his autobiographical stage performance that explores his experience as a Southeast, DC resident whose musical repertoire includes the spoons, didjeridu, djembe, acoustic guitar, his own voice as a lyricist and human beat box, and a Grammy nomination.
www.christylez.com
PHOTO|JOSHUA YOSPYN
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DCPL Tour 2010: A Summer of Literacy, Music and Learning for DC Youth June 2010 will kick off a Summer of library tours throughout the District for Christylez. The DC Public Library Tour will last until the end of July and will include performances at All 24 DC Public Library locations. Click here for a listing of appearances.
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MarK
perkins Filmmaker Mark Perkins is a native Washingtonian employing his documentary project, Our Columbia Heights as a catalyst for community empowerment, using the voices of his neighbors to describe the convergence of disparate backgrounds in one place as an opportunity for education. “If I had all the money in the world I would provide a community space for people to come and showcase their own films and maybe provide them with equipment to shoot their own films... instead of making it this big industrial beast that you have to have millions of dollars in order to crack into.�
www.ourcolumbiaheights.com
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AleX
clarke Alex Clarke is a 60s rock and ragtime influenced musician determined to make quality recordings the standard in the emerging underground D.C. music scene with his band Beach Body’s latest album, “Old King Gold.” “If you can make something that’s also viable as far as people wanting to pay you for it then that’s wonderful... it’s such a fine line, the line between like being true to yourself and making what you want to make and thinking of it that way versus thinking of things in a business sense when you think about other people.”
PHOTOS|NICOLE AGUIRRE
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AdaM
de boer Adam de Boer is a visual artist who
began
his
professional
venture into art as a graphic designer for a skateboard shop he opened with his twin brother and
best
friend.
His
current
preferred medium is combining water color, oil, and acrylic in large-scale figurative paintings that
are
narratives
of
social
rituals, particularly inspired by his experiences with his family and traveling around the world like his recent trips to Mallorca and his native Southern California. He is a graduate of the College of Creative Studies at University of
California
and Studio
Santa
Barbara
the
Summer
at
Virginia
attended Program
Commonwealth University.
www.adamdeboer.com
PHOTO|NICOLE AGUIRRE
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His paintings have been displayed as part of a collective at Conner Contemporary Art and in solo exhibitions at The Santa Barbara Arts Fund and DC Arts Center. He plans to embark on Indonesia, his father’s place of birth, for his next inspirational journey. “I don’t know that you’re necessarily born with talents, but you’re born with tendencies to do things and one of mine was to make drawings.” Finca |Flashpoint Gallery | 916 G Street, NW WDC | October 15-November 13 Diet Faith |Russell Projects |0 East 4th Street #44 Richmond, VA |Spring 2011
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Lisa mariE
thalhammer Young Artist Grant Program Alumna: 2007, 2008, 2009
Having spent her formative years working in the truck plaza diner owned by her family, Lisa Marie Thalhammer’s work raises important
questions
femininity
in
contemporary
society.
Her
features
women
been
about
“Lizard”
dismantled
who
series have
and
re-
assembled with various body parts to create images that evoke
Thalhammer’s
own
experience of growing up as a woman in America. And like every fine American lady, she
boxes
and
practices
Taekwondo. The development of power becomes another theme from Thalhammer’s life that mirrors her art, or perhaps vice versa.
www.lisamariestudio.com
PHOTO|NICOLE AGUIRRE
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The Lizard pieces show passages of complex line work that reference the obsessive perfection of illuminated manuscripts. For both Thalhammer and her artistic creations, time becomes strength. Hours spent in the gym leave her feeling personally empowered, and hours spent scratching out tiny lines turn the Lizards into hand-crafted fetish objects that stand out in a cultural climate suffocated with cookie cutter reproductions. Since moving to DC, the Commission on Arts and Humanities has awarded her five grants, and her work has achieved a noticeable impact on the community.
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MarY
coble
Tap water in DC could be cleaner. Mary Coble reminds us of this fact in her current show at Conner Contemporary. The show features videos, mixed media work, and a performance piece that took place the day of the opening. After gathering water from various locations all around the district, Coble spent a hot, sunny afternoon climbing up and down rusted ladders lugging jugs of water to the top of a fountain holding carbon bags that filtered the water as it ran through the apparatus. Watching Coble work for even a short time became uncomfortable, as her exhaustion mingled with the supposed futility of the pouring.
www.marycoble.com
Mary Coble, photo documentation, Source, performed 2pm - 7:30pm, May 15, 2010
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Copyright Mary Coble | Courtesy Conner Contemporary Art
Hannah naomI
kim
In order to address the intersections of post-modern and cyberspaces, Hannah Naomi Kim works in collected media, archival, and personal photography. She uses collage to respond to her preception of the shifting terrain of visual culture. Kim is a part of the midcity artists group, and wants “to explore what rootedness means in an era that reifies continual displacement of time and space�.
www.bitonality.com
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PHOTO|COURTESY OF HANNAH NAOMI KIM
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CarmeN
wong Carmen Wong, producer for and founding artistic director of avant-pop interdisciplinary performance company, banished? productions, recently toured art life beyond the monuments through a collection of alternative audio tours of District neighborhoods. banished? productions joins forces with Happenstance Theater to present Handbook for Hosts as part of the Capital Fringe Festival July 9-24, 2010
www.banishedproductions.org
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PHOTO|JESSICA SEO
JessicA
solomon Jessica Solomon is the founder of The Saartjie Project, an awardwinning women of color ensemble theatre company exploring race, gender and power. She holds B.A.’s in African American Studies and Communication Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park, an M.S. in Organization Development from American University. A 2007 StartingBloc for Social Innovation Fellow and 2009 American University Hal Kellner Awardee, Jessica is invested in harnessing more creativity within the public arena, specifically in the realms of community development, education, and cultural citizenship.
www.thesaartjieproject.com
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Inspired by 1930s Jazz and Cabaret, singer/songwriter Maureen Andary is part of the pop/folk duo The Sweater Set. She teaches guitar and ukulele at Middle C Music Store in Tenleytown and at the Petworth Boys & Girls Clubhouse, sings at local churches, coffeehouses, parties, and universities throughout the DC area. The Sweater Set is currently serving as Artist-in-Residence at the Strathmore Center for the Performing Arts.
www.thesweaterset.com
MaureeN
andary 55
PHOTO|COURTESY OF MAUREEN ANDARY
ThomaspatricK
goss
Former Catholic-priest-intraining, Tom Goss now tours the nation with his acoustic guitar as a singer-songwriter who has released 3 albums since 2006 and, his most recent project, a 12-song DVD titled Live At Terry’s. “Strangely enough I was much more jaded about love and innocence when I was 16 than I am now... Today, as I fall deeper in love with my partner and traveling from city to city performing my music, I find that I am further softened by the ‘real world.’”citizenship. PHOTO|MICHAEL BRIGGS
www.tomgossmusic.com
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DaniellE
evennou An ex-cheerleader from Central New Jersey, Danielle Evennou’s poetry has appeared in many Washington-based publications including Blue Collar Review, Objet d’Art, and Xenith. Evannou serves the president of the board of investigators for the DC women’s spoken word organization mothertongue, and is a co-host of Sparkle: a queerdriven reading series for all. She has been a featured reader at Sunday Kind of Love, Queering Sound, Cheryl’s Gone, Capital Pride, Poetic Situations, Sparkle, and Come Hear!
www.myspace.com/mothertonguedc Danielle will be releasing her first chapbook, Queen of Tuesday Wednesday, July 14, 7pm O Street Studios, #100 52 O Street NW, WDC 20001
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PHOTO|COURTESY OF DANIELLE EVENNOU
GuarinA
lopez-davis Guarina Lopez-Davis began photographing at the age of 13 after seeing a book of works at the local library by the photographer Diane Arbus. Her work “is influenced by a variety of mediums, most especially French cinematography, as well as the mood of Ingmar Bergman and the Spanish composer Alberto Iglesias.” Her body of work includes portraiture, interiors and exteriors, and “the imprint of people who’ve only just departed, mostly in parks and homes.”
www.guarinalopezphoto.com PHOTO|COURTESY OF GUARINA LOPEZ-DAVIS
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AlexandrA
silverthorne In more than 35 photos, some of which are to be compiled in a book titled “MidNights,� photographer Alexandra Silverthorne examines how the body moves and uses its senses when exploring unfamiliar landscapes.
www.alexandrasilverthorne.com
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PHOTO|EUGENIE SILVERTHORNE
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Sculptor Ryan McDonnell’s work, which has been shown at many DC venues including the Smithsonian Craft Show, combines ceramics, stone, wood, and metal. He has taught in DC public schools and currently holds the position of Ceramics and Sculpture Studio Coordinator at The George Washington University. McDonnell is currently running a youth sculpture course that includes the creation of a public sculpture garden at CentroNia, a local charter school in the Columbia Heights neighborhood.
RyanpatricK
mc donnell 61
MattheW
hemerlein Matthew Hemerlein uses multiple instruments (violin, cello, upright bass, guitar, piano, mandolin, and his own vocal box) in his work as a music teacher and his life as a prodigious musician.
www.matthewhemerlein.com
PHOTO|DAKOTA FINE
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JasoN
nickens Jason Nickens is a designer and illustrator with over eight years of experience in art, design, and illustration. Born and raised in Washington, DC, Jason has created works for many organizations including the ESA (Entertainment Software Association), the VH1 Hip Hop Honors, Versailles Records, The University of DC, and Capital Community News. His work blends various mediums to bring to life an exciting fusion of design and illustration.
www.jasonnickens.com
PHOTO|COURTESY OF JASON NICKENS
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PauL
thornley Paul Thornley is a part of U.S. Royalty (USR), a musical group in Washington, DC that writes, records, and performs original songs with the goal of bringing a creative resurgence to the local arts scene and youth culture.
USR
has
been
the
featured artist on PureVolume. com,
UrbanOutfitters.com,
and SPIN.com. Their last E.P. featured a music video with the
local
team
video
Wake
up
production the
Giant.
www.usroyaltymusic.com
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JohN a.
johnson Native Washingtonian John Johnson is the creator of Verbal Gymnastics, an organization that uses workshops and interactive theater productions to reach out to the community. Johnson graduated from the University of the District of Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theater Arts. Over the last few years he has been performing and perfecting his one man show called One Man in a World Full of Women. His latest project is Sentenced, a prison story that explores the lives of black men who have lost their freedom. John uses theater to address troubling social issues and promote dialogue within the community.
www.verbalgymnastics.com
PHOTO|COURTESY OF JOHN A. JOHNSON
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JustiN
young Justin Young now tours the nation with his acoustic guitar as a singer-songwriter who has released 3 albums since 2006 and, his most recent project, a 12-song DVD titled “Live At Terry’s.”
www.readysetdc.com
LindsaY
routt
A student at The George Washington
University, Lindsay Routt makes use of a wide variety of materials in her artistic practice. Her latest project involves the development of a temporary gallery and communal exhibition space in Washington. In another recent body of work, Routt placed small paintings in random spots around the city, free for the taking. Interning at the Wadsworth Athenaeum in Hartford, Connecticut and the Arlington Arts Center had fed her interest in the juxtapositions between the
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art and the public.
PeteR
chang Native Washingtonian Peter Chang is a multidisciplinary artist whose work ranges from 2-D to sculpture to performance art and dance.
www.nokingscollective.com
EriC
rubin Actor/director Eric Rubin infuses humor in the otherwise serious issue of gentrification in his multimedia show, “Gentrify My Life,� which is based on his experience residing in Columbia Heights.
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DCCAH proudly announces
Opportunities for FY 2011 Funding Education-Based Grants
Capacity Building and Operating Support Grants
Arts Education Projects - Funds projects that provide training and in-depth exploration of artistic disciplines to students from pre-K through 12th grades. Grant Amount: Individuals$1,000 - $5,000 Organizations- $1,000 - $30,000 Deadline: Wednesday, July 24, 2010
Artist Fellowship Program (Visual and Media Arts) - Funds individual artists who make a significant contribution to the arts and who promote the arts in the District of Columbia. Grant Amount: Individuals - $5,000 Deadline: Thursday, July 14, 2010
Project-Based Grants
UPSTART - Capacity-building program for small to mid-sized arts organizations. Grant Amount: Organizations - Cohort A up to $100,000 Cohort B up to $30,000 Deadline: Wednesday, August 4, 2010
City Arts Projects - Encourages the growth of quality arts activities throughout the city, supports local artists, and makes arts experiences accessible to District residents. Grant Amount: Individuals- $1,000 - $5,000 Organizations- $1,000 - $30,000 Deadline: Friday, July 30, 2010 Elders Learning Through The Arts - Funds artists and arts organizations that provide programs that serve DC residents, ages 60 and older. Grant Amount: Individuals and Organizations- $500 - $5,000 Deadline: Friday, August 6, 2010 Festivals DC - Funds arts festivals or festivals with significant arts components that: encourage growth and promote awareness of quality arts activities throughout the city, support local artists, stimulate economic benefits to the community, promote a sense of community identity, and make arts experiences accessible to District residents and visitors. Grant Amount: Organizations - $1,000 - $30,000 Deadline: Friday, July 23, 2010 Folk & Traditional Arts Mini-Grant Program - Individuals and Organizations - Provides funding for artists and arts organizations practicing or supporting folk traditions. Grant Amount: Individuals and Organizations- up to $1,000 Deadlines: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 Wednesday, February 9, 2011 Hip Hop Community Arts Initiative - Funds artists and arts organizations that encourage the growth of quality Hip Hop arts activities and make Hip Hop arts experiences accessible to District residents. Grant Amount: Individuals - $1,000 $2,500 Organizations - $1,000 - $5,000 Deadline: Friday, August 6, 2010 Small Projects Program - Provides funds to individual artists and arts organizations for small-scale arts projects with budgets under $4,000. Grant Amount: Individuals and Organizations- Up to $2,000 Deadlines: Monday, July 19, 2010 Wednesday, December 8, 2010 Young Artist Program - Funds individual artists between the ages of 18 to 30 through eligible projects include support for innovative art projects and community service art projects that aim to provide access and positive alternatives for youth and seniors. Grant Amount: Individuals- up to $3,000 Deadline: Wednesday, September 18, 2010
East of the River Arts Program - Funds arts activities in underserved communities east of the Anacostia River. Grant Amount: - Organizations - Category 1: up to $20,000 Category 2: up to $5,000 Deadline: Monday, August 2, 2010 Grants-In-Aid - Funds general operating expenses and financial assistance to nonprofit arts organizations. Grant Amount: Organizations - $3,000 - $30,000 Deadline: Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Capital Projects Grants Cultural Facilities Program - Provides funds to help defray costs related to the improvement, expansion and rehabilitation of existing buildings owned or leased by nonprofit cultural institutions. Grant Amount: Organizations - $10,000 - $100,000 Deadline: Monday, July 26, 2010 Public Art Building Communities Grants - Funds individuals and nonprofit organizations for the creation and installation of permanent public art projects with a life span of at least five years. Grant Amount: Individuals - $1,000 - $20,000 Organizations - $1,000 - $100,000 Deadline: Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Roster Opportunities Teaching Artist Roster - Individuals - Provides District schools and community centers a clear and accessible roster of DC area teaching artists who have gone through a rigorous panel process in order for them to be selected for the Artist In Residence grant program and other opportunities. No Monetary Award Deadline: Friday, July 16, 2010 Performing Artist Roster - Individuals and OrganizationsPromotes DC-based performing artists through their inclusion on the touring roster in an effort to increase marketability, touring capacity and artistic development. No Monetary Award Deadline: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 Art Bank - Individuals and Organizations- Artwork is purchased by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities from local artists, providing them with financial and professional benefits. The artwork is documented, framed and installed in public areas of District government agencies. Grant Award Varies. Theme: District Identities Deadline: Monday, August 2, 2010
2010grantees
DCCAH will award 515 grants totaling $7.25 million to fund arts projects across the District of Columbia. DCCAH is proud to continue offering support to the District’s unique artists and arts organizations. Congratulations to these individuals and organizations who received funding in 2010: ARTIST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM •Abdul Ali Addurrahman •Amy Saidman •Anupama Yadav •Assane Konte •Brian Wilbur Grundstrom •Frederic Yonnet •Gabriel Feldman •Henry Ofori-Atta •Issachah James Savage •Juan H. Gaddis •Karen L.B. Evans •Karen Zacarias •Kyle Dargan •Laura Zam •Lawrence B. Redmond •Marc Anthony Nelson •Mary Hall Surface •Maurice Michael Saylor •Randall Packer •Ryan Richmond •Sandra Beasley •Sara Ilyse Jacobson •Suzanne Zweizig •Vijay Palaparty
ARTS EDUCATION PROJECTS INDIVIDUALS •Asssane Konte •Joel Bergner •Marc S. Spiegel •Mary Beth Bowen ARTS EDUCATION PROJECTS ORGANIZATIONS •Capital Fringe, Inc. •Capitol Hill Arts Workshop •Capitol Letters Writing Center •CapoeiraDC •Center for Inspired Teaching •CentroNia •City Arts, Inc. •City at Peace, Inc. •CityDance Ensemble •Critical Exposure •DC Scores •Dumbarton Concerts, Inc. •Festivals DC, Ltd. •Folger Shakespeare Library •Grupo de Artistas Latino Americano •John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
•Joy of Motion Dance Center, Inc. •Latin American Youth Center Youth-
Build Public Charter School •National Building Museum •National Housing Trust Enterprise Preservation Corporation •PEN/Faulkner Foundation •Septima Clark Public Charter School •St. Coletta of Greater Washington, Inc. •Step Afrika! USA, Inc. •The Choral Arts Society •The Ellington Fund •The National Museum of Women in the Arts •The Parkmont School •The Patricia M. Sitar Center for the Arts •The Phillips Collection •The Selma M. Levine School of Music •The Shakespeare Theatre •The Studio Theatre •The Theatre Lab School of Dramatic Arts •The Washington Ballet •The Washington Middle School for Girls •The Washington National Opera •The Washington Theatre Awards Society •Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art •Turning the Page •Washington Bach Consort •Washington Drama Society, Inc. •Washington Performing Arts Society •William E. Doar, Jr. Public Charter School •WVSA School For Arts in Learning •Young Playwrights Theater, Inc. ARTS TEACHER FELLOWSHIPS •Christina Greta Schorn •Dawn Naser •Katie Coogan •Premila Mistry
ARTISTS IN SCHOOLS INDIVIDUALS •Jose Gonzalez •Marta Perez Garcia •Regie Cabico •Thembi Duncan
ARTISTS IN SCHOOLS ORGANIZATIONS •Center City Public Charter SchoolCongress Heights Campus •Dorothy I. Height Community Academy Public Charter School-Amos 1 Campus •Hyde Leadership Public Charter School •KippDC-LEAP Academy •School Within School at Peabody •Scott Montgomery Elementary School • SEED Public Charter School CITY ARTS PROJECTS INDIVIDUALS •Audrey L. Brown •Holly Bass •Holly Tank •Joy Jones •Kim Roberts •Rex Weil •Ruth Stenstrom •Sarah Browning •Sukumar Srinivasan CITY ARTS PROJECTS ORGANIZATIONS •Art Enables •Building Bridges Across the River •Capital City Symphony •CapoeiraDC •CentroNia •Cultural Development Corporation of the District of Columbia •Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Company •Dance Institute of Washington •DC Film Alliance •DC Wheel Productions, Inc. •Ford’s Theatre Society •Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington •James Renwick Alliance •John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts •Mexican Cultural Institute •Moving Forward: Contemporary Asian American Dance Company •Opera Lafayette •Pin Points Theatre •Post-Classical Ensemble, Inc. •Sixth & I Historic Synagogue •Speakeasy DC
•Teaching for Change •The Choral Arts Society •The Shakespeare Theatre •The Textile Museum •The Washington National Opera •Transformer, Inc. •Vera Institute of Justice, Inc. •Washington Bach Consort •Washington Drama Society, Inc. •Washington Improvisational Theater Co. •Washington Parks & People •Washington Project for the Arts •Washington Sculptor’s Group EAST OF THE RIVER
•African Diaspora Ancestral Com-
memoration Institute •Arch Development Corporation •East of the River Boys and Girls Steelband •Life Pieces To Masterpieces, Inc •Northeast Performing Arts Group •Serenity Players, Inc. •Sewing Opportunities Never Ending Young Playwrights Theater, Inc. (S.O.N.E.) •Smithsonian Institution’s Anacostia Community Museum •The Washington Ballet •Ward 7 Arts Collaborative •Young Playwrights Theater, Inc. ELDERS LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS PROGRAM •Abraham and Laura Lisner Home for Aged Women •Audrey L. Brown •IONA Senior Services •Sharna Fabiano •The Double Nickels Theatre Company, Inc. •The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts •The Washington Ballet •Washington Improvisational Theater Co. FESTIVALS DC
•Building Bridges Across the River •Capital Fringe, Inc. •Cultural Tourism DC •D.C. Blues Society •Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Company
•DC Film Alliance •El Teatro de Danza
Contemporanca de El Salvador
•Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital
•Festivals DC, Ltd. •FotoWeekDC •French-American
Cultural Foundation
•Grupo de Artistas Latino Americano
•John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
•National Building Museum •National Cherry Blossom Festival Committee, Inc.
•One in Ten, Inc. •VSA Arts •Washington Project for the Arts •Washington, DC International Film Festival
FOLK & TRADITIONAL ARTS MINI-GRANT PROGRAM •Brendan Bell •Carlenia Springer •Interstages, Inc. •Lucy Ann Jickling •Sharna Fabiano
GRANTS IN AID •21st Century Consort •African Continuum Theatre Coalition •Art Enables •Atlas Performing Arts Center •Building Bridges Across the River •Capital City Symphony •Capital Fringe Inc. •Capitol Movement, Inc. •City Arts, Inc. •City at Peace, Inc •CityDance Ensemble •Critical Exposure •Cultural Development Corporation of the District of Columbia •D.C. Blues Society •Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company •Dance Institute of Washington •DC Film Alliance •DC Wheel Productions, Inc. •Edgeworks •Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital •Federal City Performing Arts Association, Inc. •FotoWeekDC •Free Minds Book Club and Writing Workshop •Friends of Fillmore Arts Center •Hamiltonian Artists, Inc. •International Arts and Artists •International Capoeira Angola Foundation •Joy of Motion Dance Center, Inc. •KanKouran West African Dance Co. •Maru Montero Dance Company •Moving Forward:Contemporary Asian American Dance Company •Musica Aperta •Northeast Performing Arts Group
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•One Common Unity, Inc. •Opera Camerata of Washington DC,
Inc. •Opera Lafayette •Pan American Symphony Orchestra •PEN/Faulkner Foundation •Post-Classical Ensemble, Inc. •Smith Farm Center for the Healing Arts •Solas Nua, Inc. •Southwest Renaissance Development Corporation •SpeakeasyDC •Step Afrika! USA, Inc. • Taffety Punk Theatre, Inc. •The Black Women Playwrights’ Group •The Congressional Chorus •The In Series, Inc. •The Inkwell •The National Men’s Chorus •The Patricia M. Sitar Center for the Arts •The Selma M. Levine School of Music •The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts •The Thomas Circle Singers •The Wagner Society of Washington, D.C. •The Washington Chorus •The Washington Theatre Awards Society •The Washington Women’s Chorus •Theater Alliance of Washington •Theatre Downtown, Inc, t/a The Washington Stage Guild •Transformer, Inc. •Vocal Arts Society •Washington Bach Consort •Washington Concert Opera •Washington District of Columbia Jewish Community Center, Inc •Washington Improvisational Theater Co. •Washington Project for the Arts •Washington, DC International Film Festival •Words Beats & Life •Youth Organizations United to Rise
HIP HOP COMMUNITY ARTS
•CityDance Ensemble •Dance Institute of Washington •David Nicholas Adams •DC Wheel Productions, Inc. •Diallo Sumbry •Facilitating Leadership in Youth, Inc. •Festivals DC, Ltd •Jerald Bryant •Latin American Youth Center, Inc. •Magee McIlvaine •Mentors of Minorities in Education •Pediatric Aids/HIV Care, Inc. •The Patricia M. Sitar Center for the Arts •The Studio Theatre •William E. Doar, Jr. Public Charter School •Words Beats & Life •Youth Organizations United to Rise
SMALL PROJECTS PROGRAM •Alexis E. Gillespie •Allison Lince-Bentley •Building Bridges Across the River •Carol Pineau •City Arts, Inc. •CityDance Ensemble •Consumer Action Network •DC Youth Orchestra Program •El Teatro del Danza Contemporanea de El Salavador •Eleanor Walton •In Da Streets, Inc. •Jamelle G. Thomas •Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington •Keisha Dene Mitchell •Khanh H. Le •Lorton Art Program, Inc. •New Horizons •Noah Getz •Ryan Richmond •Shawn Short •Sherri Lyn Sosslau •SpeakeasyDC •The Selma M. Levine School of Music •The Washington Ballet •Washington Bach Consort •Washington Project for the Arts •Women in Film & Video •VERGE Ensemble
•Eric Rubin •Graciela Requel Sedillo Lopez •Guarina Lopez-Davis •Hannah Naomi Kim •Jason Nickens •Jes Therkelsen •Jessica Solomon •John A. Johnson •Justin Young •Lindsay Routt •Maria Emelyn Villa Bryk •Mark Perkins •Mary Christina Coble •Matthew Jordan Hemerlein •Maureen Elizabeth Andary •Nicole Aguirre •Patrick Crowley •Paul Joseph Thornley •Peter Chang •Rachel Beamer •Ryan Patrick McDonnell •Sarah Koss •Sia Tiambi Barnes •Thomas Patrick Goss •Tommy Bobo
STIM10
•American Poetry Museum •Building Bridges Across the River •Capital City Symphony •City Arts, Inc. •CityDance Ensemble •Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh
Company •DC Youth Orchestra Program •Joy of Motion Dance Center, Inc. •Life Pieces To Masterpieces, Inc. •Opera Lafayette •Prisons Foundation •The Choral Arts Society •The Double Nickels Theatre Company, Inc. •The Patricia M. Sitar Center for the Arts •Theater Alliance of Washington •Washington District of Columbia Jewish Community Center, Inc •Washington Men’s Camerata •Woolly Mammoth Theater Company UPSTART PROGRAM
•Environmental Film Festival in the
Nation’s Capital •FotoWeekDC •Jones-Haywood Dance School, Inc. •One in Ten, Inc. •The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts •Youth Organizations United to Rise YOUNG ARTIST PROGRAM
•Adam de Boer •Alexander Richard Clarke •Alexandra Silverthorne •Carmen Wong •Christylez Bacon •Danielle M. Evennou •Elizabeth Dawn DeRoche
CULTURAL FACILITIES PROGRAM
•Atlas Performing Arts Center •Dance Institute of Washington •DC Wheel Productions, Inc. •Folger Shakespeare Library •Grupo de Artistas Latino Americano •Hillwood Museum and Gardens
Foundation •Meridian International Center •National Trust for Historic Preservation •The National Museum of Women in the Arts •The Patricia M. Sitar Center for the Arts •The Shakespeare Theatre •The Studio Theatre •The Washington Ballet •Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art •Washington District of Columbia Jewish Community Center, Inc PUBLIC ART BUILDING COMMUNITIES •Bill Warrell •Chinatown Community Cultural Center, Inc •City Arts, Inc. •Golden Triangle Business Improvement District •Kelly Towles •Latin American Youth Center, Inc. •Roderick Turner
PUBLIC ART COMMISSIONED PROJECTS •Takoma Metro Underpass – Sam Gilliam •NY Avenue BridgeDesign Team – Kent Bloomer •Girard Street Playground Mural – Words Beats and Life – Albus Cavus – Aniekan Udofia •Benning Library Project – Rik Freeman –Life Pieces To Master Pieces •Anacostia Library Project – Kamala Subramanian –Bill Howard •New Beginnings Youth Development Center Mural – Cheryl Foster –Joey Tomassoni •The New Saint Elizabeths Hospital Suspended Installations – Matthew Barinholtz – Walter Kravitz •The New Saint Elizabeths Hospital Murals – Sheila Crider – Roderick Turner – Bill Gibbons
PUBLIC ART BANK RECENT ACQUISITIONS Artists •Aliza Lelah •BJ Adams •Carol Brown Goldberg •Caroline Thorington •Catherine Kleeman •Cynthia Connolly •David Allen Harris •Denise Wright •Elaine Langerman •Ellen Hill •Frank Hallam Day •Frank Smith •Gloria Kirk •Gwen Lewis •James Brown Jr. •Jarvis Grant •Jason Horowitz •Jenny Walton •John Aquilino •John Grunwell •John James Anderson •Joseph Craig English •Judy Byron •Karen Hubacher •Kay Hwang •Lely Constantinople •Lisa Fanning •Lisa Marie Thalhammer •Margaret Boozer •Matt Dunn •Michael B. Platt •Michael Dax Iacovone •Peggy Fleming •Robert Sanabria •Sandra Parra •Sharon Moody
•Solomon Wondimu •Sondra Arkin •Stanley Squirewell •Steven Jackson •Susana Raab
Artomatic Purchases •Arlie Hammons •Ben Nicholson •Carlito Cabading •Claudia Minicozzi •Jamea Richmond Edwards •Jeremy Arn D. Ramirez •Jessica Van Brakle •John Sawyer •Kerry Cavanagh •Kimberley Bursic •Lori Larusso (Jordan Faye Contemporary) •Lynne Venhart •Marina Reiter •Mark Jude •Matthew R. Carucci •Michael Torra •Pat Goslee •Patricia McDonald Hartnett •Rachel Thern •Rob Chester •Sam Vasfi •Sean Hennessey •Stephen Beardsell •Susan Finsen •Susannah Parnin Artists Represented by Galleries •Colby Caldwell (Hemphill Gallery) •Franz Jantzen (Hemphill Gallery) •Godfrey Frankel (Hemphill Gallery) •James Huckenpahler (Hemphill Gallery) •Jamils Rahimi (ArtEnables) •Kate McGraw (Curator’s Office) •Kevin McDonald (Pyramid Atlantic) •Margie Smeller (ArtEnables) •Michael Farrell (Curator’s Office) •Nancy McIntyre (Jane Haslem Gallery) •Renee Stout (Hemphill Gallery) •Robin Wheeler (ArtEnables) •Workingman Collective (Hemphill Gallery) *2010 Art Bank Calls available now!
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art 101 PUBLIC ART
STUDENT
SHOW DCCAH, in partnership with DC Public Charter Schools and DC Public Schools issued a citywide call for student art work from the 2009-2010 school year. Art instructors submitted the top works created during the 2009-2010 school year, and of those, 42 works are currently on display at the Historical Society of Washington, DC. A panel of jurors have selected 10 works to be added to DCCAH’s Art Bank, a collection of over 2000 works placed in public corridors of District Government agencies: Opening Reception: June 4th, 6PM-8PM Exhibition open June 4th- July 4th, 2010 Where: The Historical Society of Washington DC, 801 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 For questions or further information, contact Rachel Dickerson
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HAJAR DOUHAR “Hey” Francis Stevens Educational Campus Teacher: Johanna Janssens
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TYJUAN DAY “Self Portrait” Children’s Studio School Teacher: Mei Mei Chang
MENSA KONDO “Make it Funky” Duke Ellington High School Teacher: Bill Harris and Mel Davis
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ANGEL PEREZ “The African American Experience” Duke Ellington High School Teacher: Bill Harris and Mel Davis
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YORUBAS AND INCAS COMMUNITY “Acrobatic Lamp” Latin American Montessori Bilingual Teacher: Marta Perez Garcia
OMOTAYO AKINBOLAJO “Hard Day’s Work” Duke Ellington High School Teacher: Bill Harris and Mel Davis
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COLLECTIVE 4-8TH GRADERS “Voices Heard” SAIL Teacher: Amanda Dudek
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JALEN CIAGNE
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“Gothic Cathedral” Lafayette Elementary Teacher: Laurie McLaughlin
JOE SPAETH “Freedom to Vote” Lafayette Elementary Teacher: Laurie McLaughlin
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SOPHIE HEALY “Poppie” Watkins Elementary School Teacher: Viola Leak
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On
Advice to Young P
by Dolores K
“Here are some basic thoughts on that literary genre we call Poetry. Consider them if you will and if your needs dictate such thinking. I suppose the fundamental consideration here is to know the rules before you break them.�
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C 2004, Dolores Kendrick
Poets
Becoming
Kendrick, Poet Laureate of the District of Columbia
1. Avoid words.
in becoming a celebrity through words, but nourish the celebrity of
2. Recognize
that poetry is an art form. That implies discipline, and the willingness to sublimate any attitudes that might interfere with your calling.
3. Be willing to seek and consider advice from seasoned, experienced poets. 4. Respect the language. 5.As a disciplined artist know that poems may make demands upon you that will challenge your creativity.
6.
Since words are the only material out of what you create, respect the word, especially through its housekeeping, i.e., correct spelling, usage, etc.
7.Use
dialect only if the poem requires it. Never use dialect out of context to impress the Reader.
8.
Poems require more than one writing. Respect that. Make changes wherever the poems dictate. Watch the poem change and don’t be threatened by that. Follow the poem in as many writings as necessary, and let the final poem surprise you. Remember, a good poem must be nourished.
9.
Avoid didactic poems at all cost. (Don’t preach to the Reader.) If this is you leaning, write an essay. If you wish to make a serious point, however,
10.
If you wish to make a point, use poetic structures such as metaphors, similes, understand language, and punctuation.
11.
Sound and Sense must work together. Therefore, never sacrifice the sense of a poem to rhyme schemes.
12.
Don’t be too anxious to get published. Once you show evidence that you are a committed artist, publication of your work will no longer be an issue, even if such publication is spasmodic.
13. When
you feel ready as a committed artist, write your book, but know that poetry has empowered you. You have not empowered poetry
14. Don’t
let literary movements define your work. Consider your talent unique. Let your vision guide you. God lives there. (Or whatever you choose to call Him.)
15. Trust you.
your vision. If you’re good at what you do, it will outlive
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SOUND
E T BI
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I was born in ( ) amidst the entertainment industry and fashionistas. As a sophomore in college, I transferred to ( ) University to fulfill my dream of becoming a ( ). Once in DC, I won a Boren Scholarship and moved to ( ) for a year, to learn ( ) language. While abroad, I spent most of my time studying ( ) in ancient Temples and practicing my ( ) skills. In 2008, I graduated from college and and soon accepted an internship at ( ) Gallery, which thrust me into the DC ( ) scene. Not long after, I accepted a dream internship at ( ) Magazine and moved to ( ) for the summer. My experience inspired me to pursue ( ) full-time and I returned to DC to start my own ( ). A Young Artist grant from the DCCAH helped me launch ( ) in April 2010.
(1. Los Angeles, 2. GWU, 3. diplomat, 4. Seoul, South Korea, 5. Korean, 6. Zen, 7. photography, 8. Flashpoint, 9. arts, 10. Vanity Fair, 11. New York City, 12. photography, 13. magazine, 14. Worn Magazine.)
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DCCAH WANTS TO KNOW... What would your 16-year-old self say to you about the work you are creating now? What guidance would you give your 16-year-old self about how to woo your art through these phases? Sarah Koss
Liz DeRoche (aka The Singing Lizard)
One of the biggest challenges
It’s taken a few years to really settle it in my
of being “an artist” is to be
mind that I am a musician. I think my 16-year-
willing to go into the studio and
old self would wonder why I’m not headlining
work even when the inspiration
music festivals and opening for Madonna....
is not there. Making the work
Something I’ve learned very quickly is that there
really
WORK
is a great amount of work that goes into the
sometimes. Luckily, I have never
business of being a musician. Guidance I would
had too much of a problem
give my 16-year-old self would be to reach out,
pushing myself to go do studio
collaborate and push yourself as an artist. Music
work, it’s everything else in
has a unique connection for each individual and
my life that has to get done
when many people experience music together it
that becomes a problem. My
can be incredibly powerful.
does
become
16-year-old self would probably tell me I don’t spend enough time in the studio, and that all
Alexandra Silverthorne
those other piddly things that
Right away, my 16-year old self would probably be
waste my time need to stop. I
pretty disappointed that I am rarely working in a
would have to explain to her
darkroom these days. But always eager to experiment,
that I have mellowed out a little
she would eventually come around to appreciate
bit since she was last around,
the variety of techniques that my 30-year old self uses.
and that all those other things
Part-artist/part-athlete, my 16-year old self felt equally
that seem trivial actually end up
at home in the darkroom and on the tennis courts.
feeding the work and making it
I would remind my 16-year old self that art isn’t just
better. Balance is an important
made in the studio and a beautiful day is better spent
challenge for me at this time,
outside on the courts than inside in with chemicals.
learning to have a life outside of
Plus, you never know what you might dream up during
the studio while still knowing how
a match, on a walk into town, or even in the middle
important the time there is to my
of math class. I would tell her: as long as you keep an
development as a painter.
open mind, anything is possible.
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Maureen Andary My 16 year old self would be excited and impressed. I’m not too embarrassed to say it! Because of my
Tommy Bobo
ruthless poetry workshopping at NYU, word choice
When it comes to my artwork, I am
means the world to me and I spend a lot of time crafting and considering my songs.
Back when I
was 16 I was just starting to explore writing. Most of my poems were fluid and natural but not always conscious or thoughtful. There’s a consciousness to my writing now that allows listners to digest the songs themselves. When I was 16 I was a lot more literal and angsty and in love with the process of writing. Today I’m still in love with the work and the late nights or moments when a song pops into my head. It’s just a question of having time or allowing the creative space to exist. I could fill every minute of every day with administrative and publicity work but if I don’t create the space for songwriting there won’t be anything to promote. I’d say woo your art by continuing on the journey of self and prioritizing your health and well being first. I’ve tried to force myself to write songs for the sake of writing a song and it just doesn’t work. In fact that FEELS like work, and I begin to resent my own artform. forget that. Go to a group meditation or play some ultimate frisbee or wander around the Bishops Garden with a lover. Take an afternoon to go to a drum circle or the Farmer’s Market. Those experiences that make up our lives - and the imagery of all of those gorgeous things going on in Washington - those are what make up quality songs or poems or paintings. You can’t just sit in a room after working a desk job for 10 hours and create a meaingingful song. You’re going to create some super forced and angsty work that way. and trust me, you’ll resent your own work. you’ll know when your artwork is forced and you’ll hate how it feels coming out of your mouth on the stage. Go out and experience the world.
a serial monogamist all the way. I am terrible at working on more than one idea at a time. Sure there are distractions and passing crushes, but those rarely take root. Finishing a large project it is extremely similar to a break up. You can’t be in love with a work once you start showing it because every comment or critique goes straight to your core. My younger self would find my artistic process interesting there is far too much technology and math involved for him not to be intrigued. Though he would be puzzled by my most recent inspiration, the Washington Color School. At 16 I hated colorfield paintings only slightly less than I hate landscapes (which still occupy the bottom rung of my artistic appreciation). I just didn’t understand why an artist
would
meticulously
paint
straight lines all day. In my mind back then artists were these bold emotion-filled
people
who
just
created on the canvas with little to no for thought. As an adult I savor the periods of development and planning. When all of that is properly and thoroughly it makes the actually act of creation easy and more satisfying.
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dialed
in
Join us for June’s Art Salon: 32 under 32 on Saturday, June 26 as we commend and celebrate these emerging young artists in DC’s thriving artistic community. Hosted in the heart of the growing H Street Corridor, this event is a collaborative evening between Conner Contemporary Art and Industry Gallery. Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts (WALA) will be on hand to offer tutorials on organizing a small business, declaring nonprofit status, and the benefits to joining their organization.
DATE: Saturday, June 26 TIME: 5-8pm LOCATION: Conner Contemporary Art & Industry Galleries, 1358 Florida Ave., NE
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DC Hip Hop Theater Festival: DCCAH and the New York City Hip-Hop Theater Festival join forces again for the Annual DC HipHop Theater Festival. Started in the Summer of 2000, the Hip-Hop Theater Festival incorporates stories, people, music, dance, and word of Hip-Hop in one venue. The event has expanded to 30 full-length productions and staged readings in multiple venues and in various cities across the country, including DC, San Francisco and Chicago.
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Thalhammer’s Hand to DC Walls
DEPARTMENT OF
ARTBANK
INSURANCE,SEC
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PHILIP BARLOW DISB Associate Commissioner for Insurance
“Although I wasn’t sure what to expect, when I got to the DCCAH office and was able to see the wide variety of work available, I quickly settled on two criteria – I wanted work that I found interesting and work that was representative of the diversity of artists working in the District. The work selected for the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking includes a diversity of work by age, gender, race, sexual orientation and artistic experience. Lisa Marie [Thalhammer]’s King series stood out as work for our Department because not only was the work visually striking even though small in size, but also the playing card theme seemed appropriate for a financial regulator’s office.”
AND
CURITIES D BANKING
Lisa Marie Thalhammer| “King of Clubs”oil pencil on ink| and collage on paper, 2006
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ARTBANK 2009 ACQUISITIONS The following works by local artists under the age of 32 were acquired in 2009 by DCCAH’s Art Bank Collection.
Colby Caldwell|“How to Survive Your Own Death” |archival pigment print mounted on pane, 2009
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102
Lisa Fanning|“Another Place in Time�|digital c-print, 200
29 1 03
130 04
Matt Dunn |“Elvis in Chinatown” |fuji pearl metallic photo, 2004
Susana Raab | “Dixie Cup Flag Mississippi” | C-print, 2008
29 1 05
Kate McGraw “A Peaceful Taming or Riling”| “Searching, Dancing” | ”Radiation” graphite stick, pencil, conte crayon on paper, 2007
42 130 06
Lely Constantinople|“Atlantic Plumbing Supply Co., WDC”|4 digital c-prints, 2004
Kay Hwang “Schematics No. 600-TT.TB/BLK” oil pencil on Denvil, 2008
29 1 07
Michael Dax Iacovone |“U Street: East to West”|digital print/matte, 2009
Caroline Thorington|Contemplating Betelgeuse”|lithograph, 2006
42 30 108
THE
IN KNOW
HONFLEUR & VIVID SOLUTION’S
EAST OF THE RIVER CALL
POP UP @ U STREET Thursday, July 15th, 6-10pm
Deadline: Friday, June 25
Deadline for submissions: July 5
Honfleur Gallery and The Gallery at Vivid Solutions present their Fourth Annual East of the River exhibition, highlighting the creative minds of Wards 7 and 8. Artists living, working or personally invested in the areas East of the Anacostia River may submit up to 10 images for review by the panel of judges
Monument Music & Arts Festival, Affinity Lab and Dreams for Kids invite artists to submit work for an exhibition and auction of art to be held at Affinity Lab. This international call includes a wide variety of media: ceramics, glass, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture to exhibit and sell.
FEDERALGRANTS BULLETIN
SUMMER SCRENINGS
The OPG Funding Alert is available for all of DC interested in federal funding opportunities. Interested individuals and organizations can sign up by clicking here.
Renaissance Dupont Circle Hotel together with DCCAH will present Summer Screenings, a series of independent film screenings in conjunction with area film organizations: Politics on Film, DC Shorts Film Festival, Reel Affirmations, the GI Film Festival, Docs in Progress, Capital Irish Film Festival and the Washington Jewish Film Festival. Tuesday evenings July 13-August 24 7pm to 10pm
STAY ITK WITH CULTURECAPITAL.COM! CultureCapital.com connects DC to the heart of the arts and culture community of the DC area. This virtual arts marketplace provides information and ticket-purchase options for shows, performances, classes and exhibitions from more than 300 regional arts organizations and cultural institutions.
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For more events, visit our website and Facebook page.
STEP AFRIKA!’S
HOME PERFORMANCE SERIES June 16-June 19 Featuring full-length performances, community outreach activities and a special Saturday evening Gala performance, all funds raised in this performance will help to support the work of Step Afrika! year-round as well as the recently established scholarship fund for college students.
VERIZON’S
CALL FOR MURALISTS Deadline: Sunday, June 27th Verizon is searching for local muralists in cities across the US on the How Sweet The Sound national tour to create a mural that best represents their city and the tenets of the How Sweet the Sound gospel experience. For more information, visit their call.
artisttoolbox
Each month, you’ll find a staple of arts resources, with new additions provided by grantees.
PARTNERSHIPS Provides a forum for artists to convene, perform and exhibit; strengthening Washington’s arts community.
RESOURCES ARTS EDUCATION •The American Alliance for Theatre & Education •The Kennedy Center ArtsEdge •National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts
FUNDING C U LT U R A L A L L I A N C E
& SERVE
RESEARCH
CONVENE
A D V O C AT E GREATER WASHINGTON
This virtual arts marketplace connects users to more than 300 DC-area arts organizations and cultural institutions.
Provides access to arts and humanities education for DC Public and Public Charter Schools to encourage the growth of the whole child.
A private, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Humanities Council funds and conducts humanitiesbased cultural and educational programs across DC.
Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, supporting excellence in the arts bringing art to all Americans, and leading the nation in arts education.
•ArtsReady •Grantmakers in the Arts •Mayor’s Office of Partnerships and Grants Development (OPGD) •Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers (WRAG)
MARKETING •National Arts Marketing Project •Technology in the Arts
LEGAL •The Artists Rights Society •The Copyright Society of the United States of America •Porterfield’s Fine Art Licensing •Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA)
GENERAL •Americans for the Arts •National Council of Nonprofit Associations •National Endowment for the Humanities •National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts •The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation supports the richness and diversity of the region’s arts resources and promotes wider access to the art and artists of the region, nation and world. Provides education, advocacy and volunteer services through workshops, seminars, and clinics for artists and arts organizations, and pro-bono referral services.
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Young artisttoolbox Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts provides
legal services for the creative community in DC. Since 1983, they have supported artistic expression and creative innovation by serving the legal needs of Washington, Maryland and Virginia’s arts and cultural communities. A 501 (c) 3 not-for profit organization, WALA provides education, advocacy and volunteer legal services through workshops and seminars, legal clinics for artists and arts organizations, and pro-bono referral services. More than 350 of Washington’s top lawyers and law firms participate as volunteers in WALA’s legal services program.
Sign up for one of WALA’s Upcoming Workshops: June 23 - 6:30 pm at THEARC
LEGAL ISSUES FOR CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS Part 4: Negotiation Skills This five-part series was designed for artists and creators who want to organize the business side of their work. Sign up for one or all five by emailing info@thearcdc.org. June 24 - 7 pm
TRADEMARK BASICS WORKSHOP at Finnegan, 901 New York Ave., NW Learn about what you can do to protect your brand name. June 30 - 6:30 pm at THEARC
LEGAL ISSUES FOR CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS Part 5: Tax Strategies July 8 (by appointment)
LEGAL CLINIC AT DLA PIPER WALA members may make an appointment to talk to an attorney about nonadversarial legal issues for general legal information. August 11 - 7 pm
COPYRIGHT BASICS WORKSHOP at Finnegan, 901 New York Ave., NW Learn how to protect your own creations and how to properly and legally use the work of others. August 12 (by appointment)
LEGAL CLINIC AT DLA PIPER, 500 8th St., NW WALA members may make an appointment to talk to an attorney about non-adversarial legal issues for general legal information.
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ART(202):
Drop Everything And Read
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dccah
ABOUT DCCAH STAFF
Gloria Nauden | Executive Director Ayris T. Scales | Deputy Director Moshe Adams | Legislative and Grants Manager Ebony Blanks | Program Coordinator Catherine H. Cleary | Director of Grants and Legislative Affairs Rachel Dickerson | Manager, DC Creates! Public Art Deirdre Ehlen | Coordinator, DC Creates! Public Art Lamont A. Harrell | Director of Partnerships and Development Erin Jackson | Special Assistant Charlese Jennings | Information Specialist Yuyu Kim | Graphic Designer/Animator Rebecca Landwehr | Outreach Coordinator Rod Little | Graphics Consultant Shyree Mezick | Outreach Manager & ART(202) Editor Samuel Miranda | Arts Education Coordinator Carolyn Parker | Office Manager Keona Pearson | Grants Assistant Lisa Richards Toney | Program Manager Zoma Wallace | Art Bank Coordinator, DC Creates! Public Art
INTERNS
Lucas P. Hayes | ART(202) TV Intern Takia Simpson | Development Intern Michael Zakarin | Special Events Intern David Olson | SYEP Coordinator Jennifer Cooke | DC Creates! Public Art Intern
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MISSION
Our Mission at The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is to provide grants, programs and educational activities that encourage diverse artistic expressions and learning opportunities, so that all District of Columbia residents and visitors can experience the rich culture of our city.
COMMISSIONERS
Anne Ashmore-Hudson, Ph.D. | Chair WARD 1 Bernard Richardson | WARD 1 Rhona Wolfe Friedman, J.D. | Vice Chair WARD 2 Lou Hill Davidson | WARD 2 Rebecca Fishman | WARD 2 Marsha Ralls | WARD 2 Michael R. Sonnenreich | WARD 2 Christopher Cowan | WARD 3 Rogelio Maxwell | WARD 3 Deborah Royster | WARD 4 Judith Terra | WARD 4 Lavinia Wohlfarth | WARD 5 Susan Clampitt | WARD 6 Marvin Joseph Bowser | WARD 7 Tendani Mpulubusi | WARD 8 Philippa Hughes | At -Large Ian Williams | At-Large
OFFICE OF THE POET LAUREATE Dolores Kendrick | District of Columbia
Get Connected!
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STAFF SPOTLIGHT DCCAH salutes its own staff under 32: 1. Ebony Blanks | Program Coordinator 2. Catherine Cleary | Director of Grants and Legislative Affairs 3. Deirdre Ehlen | Coordinator, DC Creates! Public Art 4. Lamont A. Harrell |Director of Partnerships and Development 5. Erin Jackson | Special Assistant 6. Yuyeon Kim | Graphic Designer/Animator 7. Rebecca Landwehr | Outreach Coordinator 8. Shyree Mezick | Outreach Manager & ART(202) Editor 9. Keona Pearson | Grants Assistant 10. Zoma Wallace | Art Bank Coordinator, DC Creates! Public Art
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STUDENTS OF THE MONTH Mensa Kondo |
Angel Perez
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Omatayo Akinbolajo
The above winners of the DC Creates! Student Art Show at the Historical Society of Washington will be young leaders in DCCAH’s emerging Media Arts Camp 2010 through the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program.
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