'Off the Wall' 3D clay exhibition at The Scope Gallery

The Scope Gallery is such a pleasant place to visit. When it is 80-90 degrees in the shade, it will be a pleasant 72 degrees in the Scope Gallery. It is bright and cheery too. Best of all, the work is a blast. Some of the work is quite sophisticated and reflects a long tradition in the craft. Other work just knocks the doors off from tradition and exudes modern creativity with a sense of humor. Check it out.

"Propelling themselves beyond their Scope, clay artists push wall art of into another dimension

Alexandria, Va., August 31, 2015-- Artists have achieved lift-off into another dimension at Scope Gallery as clay is launching artistry into the 3-D galaxy.

Walls have launched a ground-breaking generation of creative tiles, mirrors, plaques, sculpture and vases, pushing the boundaries of ceramic science. Earthbound artwork has been expelled from the kitchen and curio cabit, thrust forth to Kling-on to the vertical interiors of the domestic universe.

Figurative representations of angels and animals are presented in telescopic relief. Natural forms have been beamed up in the form of hanging vases, pockets and planters. Elephants and fish have survived thermal blasters, resulting in earthiness and hyper-organic results.

Clay collages show fragmented artistry juxtaposed against the contoured surface of thrown elements. Hanging tiles are brushpainted with flower and bird compositions and laced with dateless decorative elements of bamboo and beading. Dazzling platters, charming trivets and tasteful plates serve spacial frontiers of the domestic diningroom, livingroom and throughout a creative living space.

High-fire functional-ware can be stored on wall plate hangers between uses, to double as dishes and decorative elements. Ceramic wall art is stable and washable, ideal for humid and messy environments and remains relatively safe from the grasp of youngsters, goonies, gremlins or other household hazards.

A multi-dimensional mission has taken the brave Scope starfleet onto an odyssey to boldly go where no artist has gone before. Follow them as they explore infinite creativity and the expanse of unknown cosmic entities, for inspired celestial objects they will create, as once said by a short, green master."

Tracie Griffith

The "Off the Table, Onto the Walls" Ceramic Guild show at Scope Gallery runs August 31 to September 27, hours areMonday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Thursdays open until 9 p.m. The gallery is located at 105 North Union Street, ground floor Studio 19, Alexandria, VA. 22314. For further information, call Scope Gallery at 703-548-6288, visit www.torpedofactory.org/galleries/scope and 'Scope Gallery at the Torpedo Factory Art Center' on Facebook

Puzzled smoked wall tile by Klaudia Levin of Silver Spring, Md

Textured hanging pocket by Linda Bernard of Laurel, Md. Photo by Guy Zoller

Raku-fired elephant tile by Heidi Schramm of Arlington, Va. Photo by Guy Zoller

Incised fish tile by Shirley Gromen of Arlington, Va.

Scroll hanging vase brush painted with squirrels and plum blossoms by Tracie Griffith of Reston, Va. Photo by Guy Zoller

Kicking off a new art season: Gallery Underground

Here is the best part of operating your own communications channel, you can pretty much do as you wish. Now, I will tell you that the best big show gallery for artists in Northern Virginia is probably Gallery Underground that features members of the Arlington Artists Alliance, many of whom have studios in the "Underground" in Crystal City. I love them, and artists so much that I started this channel and James George, Art Lover Facebook channel dedicated to writing about them.

I have been busy this summer writing and publishing some books and a journal article on other topics of my personal interest: Sustainable Economics and Politics. Interestingly, I have been welcomed into the world of academic and scholarly writers at Springer Publishing as well as Common Ground Publishing.

(University of Illinois) Common Ground just published a most esoteric paper titled: "Environmental Energy Strategy, An Induced Linguistic Ordered Weighted Averaging Approach to a Sustainable Economy," in the Journal of Sustainability in Economic, Social, and Cultural Context by James A. George and James A. Rodger. 

A textbook titled "Sustainable Economics: A Path For Regeneration" by James A. George and James A. Rodger (c) 2015 Springer is now into publication. That could be a blockbuster. Still, Springer has now entertained publishing "How to Select an American President by James A. George and James A. Rodger (c) 2015 Springer for publication ASAP. 

Now aside from writing, our daughter is having babies to be born in London soon. So, we will be globetrotting to become doting over "grandtwins" of which at least one is destined to become an artist while the other is destined to become a writer.


"SEPTEMBER SHOWS AT GALLERY UNDERGROUND


Focus Gallery: “Rain of My Soul,” Paintings by Nihal Kececi

Dates: September 1-26, 2015

Opening Reception: Friday, September 4, 5-8pm


Arlington, VA – In September, the Focus Gallery presents paintings by Nihal Kececi in an exhibit titled “Rain of my Soul.” The show explores both landscapes and cityscapes, as well as the artist’s transition between them. She notes: “After moving from Bethesda MD to Washington, DC, the theme in my paintings changed with my environment…in particular, I find pure beauty and magic in rain. The light that reflects off cars in traffic as raindrops hit the ground placed my mind and brush in a romantic place…I started to see the peace in chaos as light escaping the clouds gracefully hits the city.”



Main Gallery: SEPTEMBER Members Show

Dates: September 1-26, 2015

Opening Reception: Friday, September 4, 5-8pm



During September, Gallery Underground also features a new exhibit of members’ work in the Main Gallery, including sculpture, glass, ceramics, jewelry, watercolor, oil, acrylic and mixed media. Featured artist this month will be painter and Gallery member, Rebecca Croft. Also featured this month is the Artists Corner with interpretative artwork paying tribute to the renowned French artist, Henri Matisse.


For more information about events, visit www.galleryunderground.org


Located in the Crystal City Shops at 2100 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202, this visual arts venue showcases the work of established and emerging regional artists. It is sponsored by the Arlington Artists Alliance (AAA), in partnership with the Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID), and Vornado/Charles E. Smith."


Gallery Hours: M-F 10am - 6pm, Saturday 10am - 2pm. Metro accessible. Parking is available in metered spots on nearby streets and in public garages, which are free all day Saturdays and after 4pm on weekdays.


GALLERY UNDERGROUND

The Arlington Artists Alliance Gallery

Crystal City Shops @ 2100 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202

info@galleryunderground.org

www.galleryunderground.org

571-483-0652

“Rain of My Soul,” Paintings by Nihal Kececi

Communities of Artists

Throughout the nation, there are communities of artists that appear in neighborhoods where conditions are right to host them. What are those conditions? Well, it begins with there being artists living and working in the vicinity. When there are a critical mass of artists who need space to work and space to exhibit their work, then leaders may emerge to organize attention to addressing these shared needs.

The broad need is for studio and gallery space. More specific needs center upon supporting specific types of arts. While painters may need studios, printers need printers, and ceramists need pottery equipment and kilns, for instance. There are many more painters than specialists such as potters and printmakers.

Of course, there is another consideration and that has to do with patrons. Where are they? Hopefully, patrons who support the arts by acquiring artwork live in areas that are accessible to art studios and galleries. Therein lies some challenges.

Often, economic developers favor encouraging artists to occupy real estate that is either in decline or underdeveloped. That space may not be in the most desirable locations. Therefore that may be contradictory to serving the needs or art patrons.

Both artists and art patrons often go with the flow in these matters because the attraction of artists and patrons produces a more desirable environment and therefore helps the community by enhancing potentially neglected or deficient property.

As an arts advocate who lives in Northern Virginia, I want to examine communities of artists and to report about their locations and profile their membership.

When a particular community has an open house or gallery and studio event, they typically do so at certain times. If they conduct an event on a weekday evening, for instance, that will constrain the hours and accessibility by the audience. Weekend events open the gallery and studios to a larger audience. Having weed day events expands the window of accessibility.

Social media and websites are a huge multiplier for marketing artists’ work and their credentials.

In the end, patrons must support artists by purchasing work to make it worthwhile for everyone. There is a caveat: Artists will keep making work, motivated by their passion, no matter what.