Foundry Gallery Exhibit: "Room for Blue"

ROOM FOR BLUE

 NEW WORK BY DONNA K. McGEE

EXHIBIT DATES: WED, OCT 31 - SUN, DEC 02, 2012

OPENING RECEPTION: FRI, NOV 02, 2012 6:00 - 8:00 PM

LOCATION: 1314 18TH STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036

REGULAR HOURS: WED - SUN NOON - 6:00 PM

"Room for Blue"

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
  

McGee’s medium and large-scale abstract works reveal an exploration in compositional qualities as well as a palpable sensitivity to palette. The intellectual yet profoundly emotive approach to painting emerges from McGee’s extensive background in early childhood education in the arts. Her paintings have won awards and are found in private collections in the US, Europe, and in numerous corporate establishments throughout Washington, DC. Donna K. McGee treats viewers to the wonder and richness of colors and uses color to create atmosphere and emphasize forms. The imagery that is present in many of the pieces is highlighted by the use of the color blue which speaks eloquently in a language all its own. There is much that is exciting in this collection, and the overall impression is one that allows the audience to feel themselves in the role of an adventurer, daring to venture further and to see more clearly. The result is sure to speak to both the head and the heart, and remain a lasting memory for those who see it. 

EXHIBITING IN GALLERY II

In addition to the main Gallery, Foundry Gallery II features member artists exhibiting work that has not been shown before at the Foundry. For an exciting array of work that changes monthly and is exhibited by a unique group of talented artists, please be sure to regularly visit the Foundry Gallery. All work is for sale. For more information about the Foundry artists, please visit www.foundrygallery.org.

VISIT THE FOUNDRY VIA OUR VIRTUAL GALLERY

The Foundry Gallery has an on-line Virtual Gallery featuring several of our member's artwork. The tour was developed to promote a new Art Lease/Purchasing Program. The program is designed to reach out to organizations or individuals who are looking to compliment their environment with artwork that expresses their personal style or image. Artwork shown on the Virtual Gallery is currently available to lease, lease to purchase, or purchase outright through the Foundry Gallery. To visit the Virtual Gallery visit our website. 

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NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR NEW MEMBERS!
(Visit our website for an artist application and detail membership information.)

DC Art Glass Open Studio

DC ART GLASS OPEN STUDIO

Mark your calendars! The 2012 Mid City Fall Open Studio Tour is just around the corner! On October 13 and 14, twenty-four artists from the Dupont/Logan Circle neighborhoods will open their studio doors to the general public. DC Art Glass will be open both days and will feature several new designs from artist Robert Wiener, including his new Collage Series. Don't miss this opportunity to mingle with the Mid City Artists, explore work spaces, discover the artistic process and purchase new art directly from the source! See you there!

WHERE: 

Start your tour at:

DC Art Glass Studio 

1322 Corcoran Street, NW

Washington, DC 20009

WHEN:

Saturday, Oct 13, 11 am - 5 pm

Sunday, Oct 14, noon - 5 pm

(Individual studio hours vary. For a map/brochure of the entire tour, click here.)

Free and open to the public.

Plan ahead. Browse the MCA website to see which artists are participating, what kind of art they create and who is new. Then, for a handy reference guide during the tour, download a map/brochure.

OTHER CURRENT EXHIBITS

In addition to the MCA Fall Open Studio Tour, this month Robert's art glass is on exhibit at the following locations:

Foundry Gallery

1314 18th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20036

Hours: Wed - Fri 1 pm - 7 pm; Sat & Sun noon - 6 pm

Gallery Har Shalom

11510 Falls Road

Potomac, MD 20854

Hours: Mon - Thu 9 am - 5 pm; Fri 9 am - 3 pm (excluding holidays)

Craft and Folk Art Museum

5814 Wilshire Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90036

Hours: Tue - Fri 11am - 5pm; Sat & Sun 12 pm - 6 pm

For more information and images of Robert's Colorbar Murrine Series, please visit his website at www.dcartglass.com. Robert can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Foundry Gallery: "A Small Hope"

IN COOPERATION WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE AND COMMUNITY
AT THE KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT OFFICE
THE FOUNDRY GALLERY PRESENTS:

A SMALL HOPE

EXHIBIT DATES: WED, AUG 01 - SUN, SEPT 02, 2012
OPENING RECEPTION: FRI, AUG 03, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
LOCATION: 1314 18TH STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036
REGULAR HOURS: WED - FRI 1:00 - 7:00 PM, SAT - SUN, NOON - 6:00 PM

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

Lukeman Ahmad, a Kurdish, self-taught artist portrays in his works a strong sense of Kurdish spirit and identity despite his people are with "no country" and "no boarders". His vivid colors and moving shapes artistically express his profound, personal connection to the Kurdish land and its people, with a history layered with tragedy, perseverance and aspirations. Ahmad's imagination runs free as his style and paintings emphatically portray a swinging graceful dancer painted in colorful fluid shapes alongside a magical horse against a vast white background of nature. His works picture a proud cultural heritage that provides viewers a deeper understanding of the Kurdish people.

In contrast, Lukman paints the heaviness of a grief stricken woman recently widowed. She is cloaked in black and sits in front of a yellow backdrop - reflecting on the desert sands where her loved ones have said goodbye to their cherished land. Lukman's emotional range of work provides insight into the deeper meaning of Kurdish life.

Lukman Ahmad came to the United States in 2010 as a refugee. He has coped with the difficulties of adapting, learning a new language, earning a living and finding his place in the U.S. as an artist. He is a member of the Arlington Arts Gallery.

The Foundry Gallery in Washington, DC in cooperation with the Department of Culture and Community at the Kurdistan Regional Government Office in Washington, DC will present gues artists, Lukman Ahmad's solo show: "A Small Hope" during the month of August. The opening reception will be held Friday, August 3 from 6PM to 8PM and the exhibit is open to the public from August 1, 2012 through September 2, 2012.

Press is invited to attend the public opening and opportunities for private comment with Lukman Ahmad. To request a meeting opportunity, please contact: Najat Abdullah at 202-821-1852 or email najat.abdullah@krg.org.

AUGUST ALL MEMBER EXHIBIT

In addition to the exhibit in the main Gallery, Foundry's Gallery II features member artists exhibiting work that has not been shown before at the Foundry. For an exciting array of work that changes monthly and is exhibited by a unique group of talented artists, please be sure to regularly visit the Foundry Gallery. All work is for sale. For more information about the Foundry artists, please visit www.foundrygallery.org.

VISIT THE FOUNDRY VIA OR VIRTUAL GALLERY

The Foundry Gallery has an on-line Virtual Gallery featuring several of our member's artwork. The tour was developed to promote its new Art Lease/Purchase Program. The program is designed to reach out to organizations or individuals who are looking to complement their environment with artwork that expresses their personal style or image. Artwork shown on the Virtual Gallery is currently available to lease, lease to purchase, or purchase outright through the Foundry Gallery. Detail information about each piece is available by clicking on the camera icon next to the artwork. More information on the artists may be found by clicking on the "!" next to the artwork.

To lease and/or purchase artwork, please contact the Foundry Gallery directly. Consultation services are also available where one of our representatives will work directly with you or your committee to assist in the selection process (hourly fees apply). Our contact information can be found by clicking on the contact icon in the main menu bar at the bottom of the Virtual Gallery screen.

To visit the Virtual Gallery, click on the image below, or copy the following link to your browser: http://www.panoramastreet.com/live/Demos/foundry%20gallery%204-2012/. Feel free to share our Virtual Gallery with friends, family and colleagues.

We always welcome visitors to our physical location at 1314 18th Street, NW, WDC 20036. Our website has an ongoing schedule of monthly solo shows, group exhibits and opening receptions.

Look for us on Facebook and Twitter!

Share our Virtual Gallery on your mobile device!

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR NEW MEMBERS!
(Visit our website for artist application and detail membership information.)

CAROL RUBIN: A Review by Devin Joyce

Carol Rubin's show "Scapes and Escapes" runs until June 16th. Her artist's reception is this Saturday June 9th, from 4 - 6 PM. The exhibition and the reception are open to the public.

Day dreaming of beaches and pining for a vacation are all too common as summer greets us with rising temperatures and busy schedules. It is a tempting thought to abandon responsibilities for a day or just close your eyes for a moment to yourself. Or in my case, to explore Carol Rubin's current show: Scapes and Escapes. As the title suggests, it truly is an escape from the cloudy day hovering above me or a stressful to do list.

The walls are covered in a variety of landscapes that include city, coast, and 'mind-scapes'.

Rubin builds layers upon deteriorating layer in Orange Crush and City on a Hill, as you can almost feel as the pieces fracture and break away off in the distance. Rubin plays with the colors in a way that creates confusion between fore and background. These harsh urban pieces oppose the fluid, calming movement in her Palms and Tide pieces. The repetitive stripes of color serve to simplify the ocean tides but still create a recognizable coastline. Her series of Palm trees are an abstract perception of the patterns in the sky created by the leaves. Rubin's tracts of color through the thick layers of white show how light dances through the leaves on a sunny day.


One piece that stands apart from the recognizable scapes is Angle of Repose. This piece is titled after the architectural phrase which means, “ the angle where everything relaxes”. As Rubin explained the piece to me, it was very clear that is was an internal experience. These pieces on the canvas fit within each other and made sense to her. As a viewer, it stands out from the rest of the show because I was not looking for familiar architecture or elements of nature, but trying to explore it from Rubin's perspective.

Rubin discusses the role of empathy through her work, she explained that her paintings are an emotional experience. This show is infused with the seen and the imagined, the cool breeze and noises of the city, and an escape on every wall. Whether that may be a far away place or Carol's mind, they are all beautifully done.