Nevin Kelly Gallery Blog

Nevin Kelly Gallery bids the public farewell...for now

2010-01-12T16:42:00.018-05:00

With a little bit of sadness and great appreciation for your support over the years, we wish to announce that Nevin Kelly Gallery will close its permanent gallery space effective January 31, 2010 in favor of a different approach to exhibiting art. For the past seven years or so, we have tried to bring a fresh perspective to offerings of contemporary art in the Washington, DC area. We have featured work by established Polish and other European artists and showcased works by talented local artists. Along the way, we have made some great friends and have had the pleasure of being surrounded by some really fine art.

The past year has been exciting. After six years on U Street, we moved to the Highland Park Building in Columbia Heights. We are grateful to Chris Donatelli and Bozzuto Management for their support of our efforts and for the use of public space in the building to display art. We also made a second trip to the Affordable Art Fair in New York City and received a heart-warming nomination for Best Gallery in DC courtesy of the readers of Express Newspaper, owned and printed by the Washington Post. In the last year, we hosted two solo shows featuring works by H. Wesley Wheeler and Ellyn Weiss, respectively, and staged two group exhibitions that reflected the issues of the day. The first, Stimulus, was meant to stimulate the mind and the economy by offering all works at $500 or less. The second, Zeitgeist II: What's Important Now?, a follow-up to 2008's Under Surveillance, presented the participating artists' views on the most important issues we currently face as Americans.

Although we are closing our retail space, we hope to continue our participation in DC's vibrant art scene. We will seek opportunities to host shows in pop-up locations and will continue to gather artists together to talk and showcase their ideas.

So, stay tuned by checking out our blog or by receiving updates via our newsletters. Thanks for being part of our community during the last few years!

Holiday events around town

2009-12-03T13:46:00.007-05:00

We are back and rejuvenated from Thanksgiving break. Now, preparations for the holiday season begin. Here's a small list of upcoming events in which some of the gallery artists are participating:

TONIGHT: Thursday, December 3
Holiday Open House
105 N. Union St, Alexandria, VA
Free Event 6-9pm
The Torpedo Factory Art Center is transformed into a glittering spectacle of holiday spirit for this annual bash! Shop for one-of-a-kind gifts as live music and refreshments get you into the holiday spirit. Guests will enjoy refreshments as they wander from studio to studio stocking up on affordable, original artwork for everyone on their shopping lists. From $20 mugs to $200 earrings; $40 scarves to $4000 paintings, there's something for every taste and budget.

Friday, December 4, 6-8pm
Opening Night of WPA's Holiday Shop, Icebox
2023 Massachusetts Ave, Washington, DC

The shop will feature artworks and products for sale by WPA artists. Small works, photographs, hand sewn brooches, notecards, ornaments, jewelry, candle holders, accessories, apparel and more- made by hand by WPA member artists. Items range from $4 to $250 (most under $100, many items under $25)

Participating member artists: John M Adams, Beth Baldwin, Tom Block, Maureen Burns-Bowie, Cynthia Connolly, Charles Farmer, Sandy Gold, Alex Goldschmidt, Julie Hart, Linda Hesh, Rebecca Kallem, Kathleen Kelley, Erica Orgen, Project Dispatch, Susana Raab, Lisa Rosenstein, Amy Carmichael Smith, Jerry Svat, Claudia Vess, and Robert Weiner.

The Icebox will be open till December 21. Hours are 11am-5pm and by appointment. Special shopping event December 21, 6-8pm.

Saturday and Sunday December 5 and 6, 11am – 6pm
Studio 4903 Holiday Show
4903 Wisconsin Ave, NW 2nd Floor Washington, DC

This highly-anticipated annual show features the fabulous residents from Studio 4903, who specialize in jewelry, graphic design, and painting. They have also invited a few artists to join them, including Ellyn Weiss. She will be displaying some of the “virus” prints she made this summer, along with some new encaustics and perhaps a tar piece or two.

Thursday, December 10, 6-8pm
Opening of Pandora's Box
The Target Gallery @ Torpedo Factory Art Center
105 N. Union St, Alexandria, VA

Target Gallery presents Pandora’s Box; an exhibition that had artists create a visual interpretation of the Greek Myth and express how it relates to modern times. The exhibition is a visual interpretation of Pandora’s act of releasing woe (and hope) upon humanity. On December 10, there will be a reception to meet the artists from 6-8pm and to hear the juror’s remarks about her selections at 7pm. The show closes on January 10, 2010. The juror for the exhibition is Landria Shack, former curator with Pyramid Atlantic Art Center in Silver Springs, MD. She chose 37 works out of approximately 150 submitted for her review. Keep an eye out for "Stimulus" artist J. Ford Huffman's piece.

Friday, December 11, 5-8pm
Reception for Friend Request: Mid City Artists + 12 Friends
Art 17| Coldwell Banker| 1606 17th St, NW, WDC

Participating artists include: Sondra N. Arkin, Chuck Baxter, Jim Cassell, Robert Dodge, Thomas Drymon, Bill Harris, Harriet Lesser, Charlie Jones, Doris Kennedy, Bridget Sue Lambert, Lucinda Murphy, Juan Palomo, Mark Parascandola, Zade Ramsey, Ron Riley, Fabian H. Rios Rubino, Deborah Saks, Nikolas Schiller, Nicolas Shi, George Smith-Shomari, Clara de Soto, Isabelle Spicer, Trish Tillman, Ellyn Weiss.
Show runs from December 7, 2009 - January 29, 2010.

Saturday, December 12, 2-6pm
Fine Arts and Crafts Holiday Show at the Gateway Arts District
3814 34th St, Mount Ranier, MD

Support local artists and crafters and get your holiday gift shopping done in one spot during Gateway Arts District's Arts and Crafts Holiday Show. This show will feature a diverse array of fine art and spectacular crafts...sure to put a smile on the face of any gift recipient. Multiple locations.
The Sinel/Stewart/Weiss studios will be among the many in Mt. Ranier, Brentwood and Hyattsville open to the public, including the Washington Glass School, Red Dirt, Flux and pretty much everybody in Ellyn Weiss's Mt. Ranier hood. Sinel/Stewart/Weiss Studios is at 3706 Wells Ave, Mt. Ranier, in the back building of our complex. We’re just two blocks from the DC line, so suburb-phobes have no excuse...unless you're on your way to the OPEN HOUSE at NKG (noon-6pm)!

Video from the opening

2009-12-03T12:58:00.005-05:00

Thanks to Vince Brown, the man behind The Boulevardier View blog, for his video trip to the opening of Zeitgeist II: What's Important Now?

Our show Zeitgeist II: What's Important Now? will be up till December 12. If you can't stop by before then, make sure you come to our OPEN HOUSE/closing event that afternoon. For more info, you can go to Facebook and RSVP while you're there.

People were curious to find out What's Important Now

2009-11-21T13:44:00.008-05:00

On Thursday, What's Important Now? opened to a big crowd eager to learn all about what sixteen local artists had to say about the world's current situation.

This is how it started...

The artists were present and happy to engage with their audience and each other.

Artist Ellyn Weiss and poet BRASH, who recently wrote a couple of poems inspired by Ellyn's previous works, exchange words. Behind Ellyn, you can also see artist Groover Cleveland (unless I'm mistaken) and poet Carol Beane.

Two of the artists catching up: Aziza Claudia Gibson-Hunter and Michael B. Platt

Sondra Arkin and Judy Byron's online project, What's Important to You?, went live! TV monitors set up in the gallery and in an adjacent "party room" displayed the responses submitted by visitors to the website over the past month, as well as those being submitted by guests during the opening. One of my favorite responses comes from Gretchen from South Dakota: The intangible ring of laughter, the warmth of real love, and hope for tomorrow.

Guests submitting answers to "What's Important to You?" website

Thanks to everyone for coming out despite the stormy weather and making the night such a success. And a special thanks to the friends that helped make our guests feel taken care of: Beth, Cheryl, Anya and Alaina.

The show runs through December 12...plenty of time for you to stop by.

An Important Preview

2009-11-10T15:15:00.014-05:00

Here is a sneak peek of some of the works featured in our upcoming show. The artists have created pieces that act as their very own personal statements regarding the question "What's Important Now?" sometimes by identifying current issues that resonate throughout our society.

Scott G. Brooks, "Patience," oil on canvas, 36" x 24"

Aziza Claudia Gibson-Hunter, "Cheney-Bush-Rove," acrylic mixed media, 35" x 26" (each)

Rosina Memolo, "W. Ellington & Tobias," color chromira print, 16" x 20"

Renée Stout, "The Real Chess Game (American Style)", detail, mixed media, 3 1/2" x 16 3/4" x 12 1/4"

Ellyn Weiss, "You Get What You Need", detail, encaustic on board, 12" x 12" (each)

“Zeitgeist II: What's Important Now?” runs from November 19 through December 12 with an opening reception on Thursday, November 19 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.

Upcoming Show: "Zeitgeist II: What's Important Now?"

2009-11-02T15:20:00.006-05:00

In October 2008, the Nevin Kelly Gallery hosted the first "zeitgeist" show, titled Under Surveillance. Curated by Ellyn Weiss and Sondra N. Arkin, it presented the responses of twelve artists to what Weiss and Arkin saw as one of the most important elements of the then-prevailing ethos: "the increasingly diminishing zone of personal privacy available to any of us as we are constantly under surveillance by a growing array of government, corporate and media technologies." As a follow up, Weiss and Arkin are asking a group of local artists to reflect upon an uncertain future and respond to the question: "What's important now?"

Participating artists include Sondra N. Arkin, Carol Beane, Scott G. Brooks, Judy Byron, Groover Cleveland, Richard Dana, Anna U. Davis, Thomas Drymon, Aziza Claudia Gibson-Hunter, Deb Jansen, Rosina Memolo, Michael Platt, Renée Stout, Tim Tate, Ruth Trevarrow, and Ellyn Weiss.

Show runs from November 19 till December 12. Opening Reception to be held on Thursday, November 19 from 6-9pm. You can RSVP on Facebook.

Also, remember that you can still help participating artists Sondra Arkin and Judy Byron complete their collaborative project for the show. Simply go to www.important2you.com and let them know what is important to you at this point in time.

Poems inspired by "Dark Matter"

2009-10-23T14:26:00.011-04:00

Local extemporaneous poet BRASH visited the gallery during the closing celebration for our recent show, "Dark Matter," and created two poems inspired by Ellyn Weiss's work.

Alchemistry
To Ellyn Weiss’ Lost Continent

The luminous bowl
That is the skull
Scoops the elixir of thought
From the synaptic clot
Of emotion,
Transmutes its graygold matter
Of alchemic fits and starts
Into the wordless patter
Of the heart’s Impatient motion.

© October 17/21, 2009, BRASH

Dreams
To Ellyn Weiss’ Cladocera

At night the brain
Uncouples itself from its mooring
Follows its own bright train
Through the wilderness, seeking, touring,
A restless conductor’s scoring.

At night the brain derails
From crisply ordered thought
To follow the wisp of trails
Unbound, unbordered, hot
With organic combustion wrought.

At night the brain cracks
Free of relentless time’s elapse,
Leaves the faintest spoor of tracks
On the crackled surface that maps
The sharpest etchings of synapse.

Oh to leave behind the shoddy
Hovel of durance mater, — why but for a night? —
To ever escape this grim and earthen body
For the burn of passages deep and bright
Dark and pure as anthracite.

© October 17/21, 2009, BRASH

Artists ask the public to participate in communal art project

2009-10-22T17:16:00.013-04:00

Local artists Sondra N. Arkin and Judy Byron have teamed up to create a collaborative work of art and they need your help to complete it. The work is to be included as the artists’ contribution to our upcoming group exhibition entitled What’s Important Now?, which is set to run from November 19 through December 12.

Arkin and Byron are asking the public to answer the question “what’s important to you?” (in 10 words or less) by logging onto www.important2you.com. People can answer as many times as they want, subject only to the 10-word limit per response. Follow the project on Facebook and on Twitter @important2you. The final product will be revealed at the opening reception for the exhibition, which will take place at the gallery on November 19 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. More info about the show to come soon.

TONIGHT: Support a good cause, leave with some art

2009-10-15T15:12:00.003-04:00

"True Beauty - D.C.": Group Exhibition & Fundraiser

The Fridge
From Thursday, 15 October 2009 - 7:00pm
To Friday, 16 October 2009 - 1:00am

A one-evening group exhibition of photographic artworks from the "True Beauty - Young Womanhood in D.C." photobook by Sardar Zaib, Jim Tretick, and Richard Chu.

Signed limited-edition print of the artworks will be available for sale and a raffle will be held for portfolio-quality photo sessions with the photographers

All proceeds from this event go toward the funding of a medical vehicle that goes to underprivileged communities to provide free breast cancer screening.

Exhibited alongside the photos will be tribute artworks from the photobook by DECOY, Anna U. Davis, Randall Holloway, and Graham Jackson.

Info on the True Beauty project and sample photography and verses from the photobook are on our website: http://www.TrueBeautyDC.org

++++++++

There will be a after-party from 10PM to 1AM DJ'd by the inimitable Cheryl DJ Breeze spinning her groove thangs and dance music from the 80 's and 90 's - David Bowie, Blondie, Devo, B-52 's and such.

Also featuring naked sushi, a rousing catwalk modeling/burlesque show, and a live auction of donated paintings (artist Eve Hennessa will create a full-lenght portrait on the spot), antique/vintage items, and high-end designer clothing & accessories.

For more info, visit the Facebook event page.

Quick Reminders

2009-10-13T13:04:00.003-04:00

Closing Reception for "Dark Matter": Saturday, October 17, 2009 from 3-6pm

Stop by the gallery for your last chance to take a look at the innovative works created by local artist Ellyn Weiss using tar as medium. The artist will be in attendance to partake in the celebration.

You can RSVP on Facebook.

Joan Belmar's new show

The Chilean Embassy presents: Migrations, Selected Works from 1995 to 2009. The exhibit opens today and runs through November 27.

Express' Best of 2009!

Voting ends this Friday, so if you haven't done so already please vote for Nevin Kelly Gallery as the best gallery in DC. You can find it under the Arts and Entertainment category.

Recent works by John Adams on exhibit next week

2009-10-08T13:16:00.007-04:00

Recent Works: John M. Adams, Elaine Florimonte, Kim Basinger, Debbie Glakas, and Rory Marcaccio-Schaffer

October 16th, 4-10pm
October 17th, 11am-3pm

Fairfax Station Railroad Museum
11200 Fairfax Station Road
Fairfax Station, Virginia

Featuring recent drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, jewelry and sculpture by these five artists.

John M. Adams will be exhibiting paintings from the artist residency this summer. Visit www.thefullempty.com for more info or call 202-557-9495

Element 1 -John M. Adams
oil, acrylic and graphite on birch
6"x6" - 2009

Talk with Ellyn Weiss

2009-10-03T17:36:00.015-04:00

Saturday afternoon Ellyn Weiss stopped by to share with a curious audience the story behind her new collection of works, "Dark Matter."

The talk became an interactive show-and-tell session when those in attendance sat in a makeshift circle passing around old and recent prints, while Weiss explained the progression of her overall oeuvre.

After a short introduction explaining the motivations behind her new work, a dialogue emerged between the artist and her audience. One of the attendants mentioned that these new paintings seem more expressive than her previous work, richer somehow, even though the color palette has been reduced to brown hues and an almost all-encompassing black. The play on texture developed through technique, the application/removal of tar on canvas, gives way to unique paintings; images that appear to be "living things, swimming up from the primeval darkness."

"Dark Matter" will be on exhibit until October 17. A closing reception will be held that Saturday from 3-6pm.

NKG presents...

2009-09-29T15:15:00.004-04:00

We are holding two more events to showcase "Dark Matter," Ellyn Weiss's new work in tar!

Please join us this Saturday, October 3 for a talk with the artist between 2-3pm. Weiss will discuss her process of creation, as well as the motivation behind her paintings.

You are also invited to a closing reception on Saturday, October 17, where we will be holding a final celebration between 3-6pm.

Take a look at our newsletter for this and more.

And the finalists are...

2009-09-26T12:46:00.003-04:00

The Nevin Kelly Gallery has become one of the finalists in the Best of Express 2009 reader-favorite awards!

Go to the Express website from October 5-16 to vote for us, as well as other finalists in categories from food to shopping to sports.

Watch for the winners in the Express Best of 2009 special section, which will be published Friday, Nov. 6.

Upcoming shows around town

2009-09-25T13:57:00.008-04:00

Try to stop by these shows early in October to support gallery artists Sondra N. Arkin and Joan Belmar.

FORM & FREEDOM: paintings by Sondra N. Arkin, John Blee, Carlotta Hester and Linda St. Clair

October 2- October 13, 2009
Reception / Friday, October 2, 6-8pm

Aaron Gallery
1717 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
contact the gallery for more information
www.aarongallerydc.com
T: 202.234.3311
[ Parking: 2001 S Street, Location No. 531, 202.667.3030]

Click on thumbnail for larger image

Observatory
48" x 48"
encaustic on canvas on dibond

Plumbing My Inner Pink
32 " x 32"
encaustic on canvas on dibond

***

The Chilean Embassy presents: MIGRATIONS by Chilean painter Joan Belmar

October 13-November 27, 2009
Opening Reception: October 13, 2009, 6-8pm

Embassy of Chile
1732 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202.785.1746

If you plan to attend the opening reception for Joan Belmar's exhibition, you need to RSVP today!

Gallery Hours

2009-09-22T17:28:00.005-04:00

Just a short note to let you know about the new gallery schedule. Lately we have cut back on our hours, but that doesn't mean you should avoid stopping by. We are open on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Saturdays, from noon to 6pm, and by appointment.

Remember, our current show featuring works by Ellyn Weiss, "Dark Matter", is up until October 17. We hope to see you soon!

"Dark Matter" shines brightly

2009-09-19T16:31:00.018-04:00

The show's opening was a success! I wish I could say the same about the pictures that were taken that night. Let's just say that this will be the last time I mess around with the camera's shutter speed days before an event. Here are some of the better pictures:

Guests downstairs

Downstairs

Ellyn Weiss and two attendees (pardon the blurriness)

Ellyn engaged in conversation

In case you were not able to attend the opening, here are a few more pictures of the art. Make sure you stop by before October 17. These works need to be seen in person to fully appreciate the richness of tones and textures that can be found within them.

Flagellates, 30 x 30, asphalt and shellac on board, 2009

Pseudopodia| Serpentes| Turbellaria

Lost Continent| Cladocera

NKG on Facebook, plus upcoming exhibit

2009-08-29T13:25:00.015-04:00

During the past few months, we here at the Nevin Kelly Gallery have made efforts to become a bigger presence in the interactive world of the web. Back in February, we joined Constant Contact for our email updates and created a group on Facebook as well. To follow up, we have now created a page, making it easier to keep you updated about what is happening at the gallery. To become a fan, click on the link below.

What’s to Come
In more exciting news, you will soon be receiving invites for Ellyn Weiss's upcoming solo exhibition, "Dark Matter: New Work in Tar." The show will run from September 17 – October 11 with an Opening Reception on Thursday, September 17, 6 to 9 pm. Here's a preview of the invite and a little snippet from the press release to get you better acquainted with the show.

"Weiss has discovered that tar is not the dull and uniformly black substance it first appears to be. It contains a range of subtle hues—rich browns, subtle grays and warm amber tones. She uses these colors to coax images from the tar. The images are not planned in advance, but reveal themselves as she works.They have an eerily organic quality to them, appearing to the artist like living things “swimming up from the primeval darkness.” They register with us at the most basic level of all, as if triggering a memory we carry in our DNA of the moment life began."

STRANGE FRUITS

2009-08-08T16:57:00.017-04:00

I am sure you have been wondering what we have been doing at the gallery since the closing of “Stimulus.” Although we have kept busy tending to a few private functions, such as last week's NEST charity event, we are now in the midst of preparing for our next show (which is set to open on September 17). Previews to come soon.

In the meantime, here is an update on one of the local artist who participated in our last group show: Emily Greene Liddle will soon be having a solo exhibition at Aroma (Cleveland Park location). The show opens on Saturday, August 15, 2009 and runs through September 28, 2009.

As mentioned on her website, “working mainly with oil on canvas, Liddle uses classical academic technique to portray modern pop imagery. While her paintings initially appear light and playful, her subject matter plays on deeper themes of contrast and contradiction in form, function, and perception in modern Pop culture.”

In her series “Strange Fruit,” Liddle merges commonplace objects with luscious fruit and vegetables in order to sometimes create a visual oxymoron or a conceptual allusion to a certain word or idea. A selection of these works is currently on display at the gallery. Come on by for a sneak peek of what you can expect when you go to her upcoming show (and, of course, to take a look at the rest of the art that graces our walls)!

Security Blanket, 2009, oil on canvas, 48 x 36

Thank You Elizabeth

2009-07-15T11:30:00.004-04:00

Just a quick word to express my sincere thanks to Elizabeth Carriger for her tireless work on behalf of the gallery over the past two years. Elizabeth started with us as an intern in the Fall of 2006 and assumed full-time responsibility for all gallery affairs the following Spring. She was the main force behind nearly 20 exhibits at the gallery during her tenure and did all of the planning for our participation in two New York art fairs. Because the gallery bears my name, I get to claim the title of Director. In reality, it is Elizabeth who has performed that role during the past 2 years. She did it all, and she did a fabulous job.

Having earned her Masters in Art History from GWU last Spring, I knew the time would come for Elizabeth to pursue opportunities more in line with her long-term career goals. I am grateful for her loyalty to the gallery, for her professionalism and for her friendship.

Good luck, Elizabeth. We will miss you here.

LAST CHANCE to Stimulate the Mind

2009-07-08T13:50:00.008-04:00

"Stimulus” is coming to a close this Saturday! Therefore, we are giving you one more opportunity to come together with some of the artists who have participated in the show during a closing reception on Friday, July 10 from 5:00-8:00pm.

Keep in mind that everything in the exhibition is $500 or less and all works are priced at least 15% below their normal cost just for the show. A selection of works on display can be seen in previous blogs (label: Stimulus), as well as on Facebook.

Farewell

2009-06-26T17:22:00.005-04:00

Dear friends out there in blogger land, my time at NKG has come to an end. Thank you so much for tuning into my posts over the past year. But don't go anywhere, Nevin and Vanessa will continue to bring you artistic delights.

I will leave you with some pipe-smoking ducks.

Edward Dwurnik, “Kaczki”, watercolor, 18” x 22”

Take it to HEART

2009-06-26T11:43:00.003-04:00

Everyone is a winner with LottoHEART, an art lottery benefiting CAMP Rehoboth—a non-profit, gay and lesbian community service organization, originally developed to “Create A More Positive” relationship among all the people of the Rehoboth Beach area. The event, organized by NK Gallery artist Sondra Arkin, gives you the opportunity to own a post-card sized work of art created by one of 200 participating artists. Here are the details:

TAKE A CHANCE ON LOVE

Each $100 Ticket Includes an Original Work of Art!

As part of the Whole Lotta Love Weekend (July 3-4, 2009) at CAMP Rehoboth in Rehoboth Beach, DE, over 200 artists have created postcard-sized works of art, each for sale for $100. Among the artists, over 15% are represented in museums or major collections, and they reside in 10 states as far away as CA and FL with 78 residing fulltime in DE. With established artists alongside emerging artists, anyone could walk away with a fantastic bargain — will you?

VISIT THE WEB GALLERY!
Use our online tool to create your Favorites' List — and with a little mouse action, rank them into your top 20 (or so) and print it out. Bring it with you to the event so that you can keep track of which art is top of your list and if it is still available when the time comes for the lottery. It's fast, did we say that?? really fast. Visit here.

On July 4th, we'll add the artists' names so you will know who did what.

PREVIEW PARTY - JUNE 27th
A preview party honoring the artists and exhibiting the LottoHEART works will be held at CAMP Rehoboth (37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE) on Saturday, June 27th from 4-6pm. The preview is free and open to the public.

PLAY THE GAME
LottoHEART Game Show July 3rd!
This rollicking evening of fast-paced fun is hosted by the hilarous Christopher Peterson. The Lotto: “Players” are selected in random order and have only seconds to choose art.

The HEART: you take a chance on getting the work you love, but you'll have a blast doing it. Your $100 ticket gets you into the event and guarantees you a piece of art.

Buy my LottoHEART Art Ticket Now!

CAN'T COME? STILL BE A WINNER!
Buy a Blind Date Ticket
Every artist worked double-time to create two works: one piece is part of the LottoHEART event, the other work is in the Blind Date group. Buy your $100 Blind Date ticket and you receive a random piece of art from the same terrific pool of talented artists. It could be a match made in heaven.

Buy my Blind Date Art Ticket Now!

“Stimulus” Opens with a Boom

2009-06-19T15:11:00.012-04:00

We had a full house on Tuesday for the opening of “Stimulus”. A good time was had by all! Here are some photos* from the night.

Upstairs

Downstairs

Upstairs from downstairs (guest starring “Giant Head” by Ming Yi Sung Zaleski)

Downstairs from upstairs

Candace of Radiance Medspa performing digital skin analysis

Ron, exhibiting artist Sondra Arkin, and Nevin

Exhibiting artist J. Ford Huffman and Tony

Exhibiting photographers Stirling Elmendorf and Mark Parascandola

Cheers to art

Thank you to local businesses Radiance Medspa, Commonwealth Gastropub, Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza, and Rumberos for offering specials for the evening.

Stop by and see “Stimulus” between now and July 11th. Did I mention that everything in the exhibition is $500 or less and all works are priced at least 15% below their normal cost just for the show.

*Thanks to Amy Lestition for helping with the photographs

Stimulating Preview II

2009-06-15T18:51:00.016-04:00

As promised, here are more images of works that are in the “Stimulus” show.

Anna U. Davis, “Devilution 3”, paper and acrylic on canvas, 10” x 10”

Pat Goslee, “Vang Vent”, mixed media on wood, 12” x 9”

Laurel Hausler, “Baroque Doll”, digital print, 21” x 17”

Eve Hennessa, “True Love”, watercolor and ink on Arches paper, 25” x 21”

J. Ford Huffman, “In God We Trust”, mixed media, 9” x 5.75” x 2.5”

Rosalind Kennedy, “The Stairwell”, digital archival print, 20” x 27”

Mark Parascandola, “Lincoln Theater”, pigment print, 29” x 23”

Anneliese Sullivan, “Daydreams”, oil on canvas, 16” x 30”

Ming Yi Sung Zaleski, “Big Head”, yarn stuffed with batting

Ruth Trevarrow, “Caution Signs”, mixed media, 28” x 28” (each)

Ellyn Weiss, “Aqua Genes 2”, encaustic on panel, 12” x 12”

Tomorrow I bring you installation shots. "Stimulus" opens June 16 (tomorrow!) and runs through June 11.

Stimulating Preview I

2009-06-13T16:24:00.018-04:00

It has been like Christmas around here with artworks arriving everyday for the “Stimulus” show opening next Tuesday. This is going to be a great exhibition, but don’t take it from me; see for yourself.

John M. Adams, “At Last Dwindling”, graphite on polypropylene, 20” x 16”

Sondra N. Arkin, “Oasis”, encaustic on paper on dibond, 16” x 12”

Joan Belmar, “Becoming Wood”, mixed media on masonite, 12” x 15”

Tanja Bos, “October”, oil on canvas, 12" x 12”

Anne Bouie, “Rising Sun 1”, mixed media, 10” x 30”

Molly Brose, “Meet Me in the Morning”, mixed media on paper, 6” x 6”

Mary Chiaramonte, “Rude to Stare”, pen and pencil on paper, 11” x 7”

Jenny Davis, “Bella in Yellow”, watercolor on paper, 16” x 10”

Thomas Drymon, “Roll the Stone Away”, acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 24” x 18”

Stirling Elmendorf, “Fountain”, pigment print, 24” x 18”

Emily Greene Liddle, “Calamity”, oil on canvas, 36” x 24”

This is just a selection of the approximately 75 pieces that will be in the show. All works will be priced at $500 or less, most at limited-opportunity prices. More images to come! You can also check the exhibition out on Facebook.

“Stimulus” runs from June 16 through July 11 with an opening reception on Tuesday, June 16 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.

Buzz Word

2009-06-05T16:23:00.003-04:00

Something to stimulate the mind and the economy.

For more information, click HERE. Stay tuned for images of some of the stimulating works that will be in the exhibition.

Happy 10th Anniversary

2009-05-26T15:19:00.008-04:00

Artomatic 2009 opens this weekend! The month-long art festival celebrating its 10th Anniversary runs from May 29 - July 5, 2009 and will be held in a 275,000 square foot building on the Capitol Riverfront. You may want to make multiple trips to experience the nine floors of visual and installation art, theater performances, dance and comedy, three music stages, street performances such as fire dancing and drum troupes, and a film screening theater. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Check out the Artomatic Web site for more details.

When:
May 29 - July 5, 2009
Fridays and Saturdays - Noon to 1 am

Sun, Wed & Thu - Noon to 10 pm

Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Check out the calendar for info on special events.

Where:
55 M Street, SE

(at the corner with Half Street)

Washington, DC 20003

Metro - Green Line, Navy Yard, Ballpark exit

Why:
1,000 visual artists and 600 performing artists.
Free admission.

Need I say more!

Weekend Art It List

2009-05-14T16:39:00.003-04:00

Mid City Artists Open Studios
Saturday & Sunday, May 16-17, 2009 (see map for specific times)
Opening Reception: Friday, May 15, 5-8pm, Coldwell Banker, 1606 17th Street, NW (meet the artists and enjoy refreshments)

Artists in the Dupont/Logan neighborhoods are opening up their studios to the public this weekend. See where the creation happens, browse through works, and take some art home with you. Participating artists include Sondra N. Arkin, Mark Parascandola, and Thomas Drymon among many others. For a map and listing of specific studios and times, click HERE. I’ll be helping out at Sondra’s studio (1764 Church Street, NW) on Sunday from noon to 5 pm, so stop by and say hello.

Mt. Rainier Open Studios
Saturday, May 16, 2009, noon-6pm

On Saturday, artist studios in creatively charged Mt. Rainier, MD will be open to the public from noon to 6 pm. Check out the studios of Ellyn Weiss, Betsy Stewart, and Ellen Sinel at 3706 Wells Avenue, visit the Washington Glass School and Red Dirt Studio, and check out the studios of a number of other participating artists. See my previous Field Trip post, for reasons on why this area is not to be missed. For more information, check out Ellyn Weiss’s Web site.

And for those of you who want to enjoy some art virtually this weekend…

Art Dealers Association of Greater Washington Spring Internet Exhibition
Through June 30, 2009

Check out the Art Dealers Association of Greater Washington’s online exhibition of works by ADAGW members: http://www.washingtonartdealers.org/exhibitions/2009-internet_exhibition/. Nevin Kelly Gallery is a proud member of this group of esteemed galleries in the Washington, DC area.

AAF Recap

2009-05-14T12:31:00.008-04:00

We are back from the Affordable Art Fair NYC! Thank you to everyone, NYC and DC friends, who stopped by booth A-300. I thought I’d share some pictures of our little corner. Do you know how challenging it is to hang a 120 square foot space with the work of seven artists?

Left side of the booth showing the work of Laurel Hausler, Ellyn Weiss, H. Wesley Wheeler, Anna U. Davis, and Mary Chiaramonte

Right side of the booth showing the work of Sondra N. Arkin and Molly Brose

The scene at the Preview Night Party

Anna. U. Davis with her work

Molly Brose and her mother with her work

Laura looking lovely with Sondra Arkin’s “Plumbing My Inner Pink”

The big excitement for the weekend was a visit by a certain celeb who tells people what not to wear. She walked away with a Mary Chiaramonte painting under her arm. We still have quite a bit of work that we exhibited at AAF, so if something catches your eye, don’t hesitate to contact us.

A special thanks to Nora Weiss, daughter of the talented Ellyn Weiss, for helping us out for the weekend while yours truly was in FL.

NYC Bound

2009-05-01T12:57:00.010-04:00

We are loading up the truck (minivan) and heading to NYC for the Affordable Art Fair next week. Here is a sneak peak of what you can see at booth A-300 by the seven talented artists that we will be exhibiting.

Sondra Arkin, “Dialogue”, 2009, encaustic on dibond, 12” x 16”

Molly Brose, “Quiet Evening”, 2009, watercolor and acrylic on paper, 10” x 10”

Mary Chiaramonte, “Statuette”, 2008, mixed media on panel, 21” x 14”

Anna U. Davis, “Russian Deli”, 2009, paper and acrylic on canvas, 20” x 20”

Laurel Hausler, “Temporary”, 2009, digital print

Ellyn Weiss, “Pure Nerves”, 2008, monoprint, 15” x 11” (paper)

H. Wesley Wheeler, “Four Play”, 2008, oil on canvas, 48” x 36”

The fair will host more than 60 galleries from the US, Europe, Asia, Canada and South America. Come see Nevin Kelly Gallery at booth A-300 and then stop next door at Bethesda’s Fraser Gallery. For more information on fair location and hours, please visit the AAF Web site.

Field Trip

2009-04-21T15:35:00.007-04:00

Recently I took a little trip to Mt. Rainier, MD to visit the studio of Ellyn Weiss. I had never been out to that neck of the woods and was impressed by the number of artist studios clustered in the area. Ellyn shares a great space with Ellen Sinel and Betsy Stewart. I thought I would share some pictures of her lovely studio and some works in progress.

Where the creativity happens

Check out the beauty on the left (“Asylum Seeker”, 2006, oil bar and dry pigment on masonite, 48” x 48”)

Recently-completed 18 panel grid of encaustic and oil paintings from the “Gene Pool” series, each panel measures 12” x 12”

Six little oil bars all in a row, each panel 12” x 12”

After being visually delighted at Ellyn’s studio, she took me over to the Washington Glass School where I was given a tour by one of school’s directors Michael Janis. I got to see Michael’s work as well as the work of the other two directors, Tim Tate and Erwin Timmers. Check out the Washington Glass School’s Web site for a list of classes offered.

Ellyn Weiss, studio mates, and other artist studios in the area (including the Washington Glass School, Flux Studios, and Red Dirt Studio) are having an Open Studios on Saturday, May 16 from noon to 5 pm.

Fresh Air

2009-04-09T11:38:00.004-04:00

Good news for those of you who are still checking off your “to see” lists. We are extending H. Wesley Wheeler’s “Atmospheric Conditions” for another week through April 18th.

H. Wesley Wheeler, “Atmospheric Conditions” Installation

The sun is shining and there's not a cloud in the sky (last time I checked), so get out in the fresh air and make a stop at Nevin Kelly Gallery for some fresh art.

Adventures in Doll Land

2009-04-02T13:58:00.008-04:00

Laurel Hausler has been busy conducting photo shoots. Her model has a head of flaming red curls and porcelain skin.

Laurel Hausler, “Baroque Doll”, digital print, 2009

Laurel assembles tableaux with objects acquired from various dollhouse stores, ebay, and her own collections and brings them to life with the lens. Her heroine has braved the elements trekking through rain-soaked forests and treacherous weed fields. When discussing her venture in to photography, Laurel says, “I think I look at my use of this medium as painting with photographs. This allows me to look at the color and blur of the final image as more of a fantastic scene instead of a snapshot.”

Laurel Hausler, “Treacherous Weed Field”, digital print, 2009

The series of photographs will debut at the Affordable Art Fair in New York where the gallery will have a booth May 7th - 10th, 2009. Stay tuned for more doll adventures.

“Atmospheric Conditions” Opens with Clear Skies

2009-03-21T22:48:00.009-04:00

Thank you to everyone who came out to the opening of H. Wesley Wheeler’s solo exhibition “Atmospheric Conditions” on Thursday night. The rain cleared just in time for a wonderful evening with a great crowd, a beaming artist, and the stars of the show shining like jewels on the walls of the gallery.

H. Wesley Wheeler and friend Tesia Gallinari in front of “Sea and Sky”

Wes and Nevin in front of “Restless in New York”

The scene on the first floor from above*

The scene on the second floor*

The second floor looking vibrant*

*Photos by Amy Lestition (thanks Amy!)

Stop by the gallery between now and April 11th to experience “Atmospheric Conditions”.

On Edge

2009-03-20T17:02:00.012-04:00

I know you can hardly wait to see photos from last night’s Opening Reception for H. Wesley Wheeler’s “Atmospheric Conditions”. I will share them tomorrow, so check back. It was a great evening! Congratulations to Wes!!

H. Wesley Wheeler touching up the edges of “Restless in New York” before the opening

“Atmospheric Conditions” featuring new paintings by H. Wesley Wheeler will be on view through April 11th.

Akzidenz-Grotesk

2009-03-12T14:19:00.005-04:00

Extra, extra! Nevin Kelly Gallery is currently the featured gallery on a new Web site dedicated to promoting local art. Chris Davis, the founder of the recently launched The Fifteen Before Fifteen, came by the gallery a few weekends ago to interview Nevin while photographer Chris Flynn took some great photographs of the space. To see the article and photos, click HERE.

The Fifteen Before Fifteen is free for artists to join and showcase their work and a great resource for patrons of the visual arts. New artist and gallery features are posted weekly.

Why Akzidenz-Grotesk? Read the article to find out!

The Forecast

2009-03-07T13:44:00.007-05:00

We finally finished unpacking all six boxes of paintings Wesley Wheeler shipped to us from Upstate New York for his solo exhibition “Atmospheric Conditions” which opens March 17th. I thought I would share some images of Wheeler’s new mood-provoking canvases.

H. Wesley Wheeler, “Sea and Sky”, 2008, oil on canvas, 48” x 36”

H. Wesley Wheeler, “Window”, 2008, oil on canvas, 40” x 30”

Wheeler’s paintings are best enjoyed in person to appreciate the rich impasto, vibrant colors and subtle nuances, such as tinges of orange and red peaking through layers of blue.

H. Wesley Wheeler, “Restless in New York”, 2008, oil on canvas, 60” x 48”

H. Wesley Wheeler, “Ice Lake”, 2008, oil on canvas, 36” x 24”

H. Wesley Wheeler’s “Atmospheric Conditions” runs from March 17th through April 11th. Please join us at the Opening Reception and meet the artist on Thursday, March 19th from 6 to 9 pm.

Ephemeral Art

2009-03-03T15:46:00.004-05:00

This morning when I opened the blinds covering the sliding glass door that leads out onto the strip of yard behind the gallery, I was greeted by a broccoli-topped friend staring at me with red radish eyes.

Looks like a snow ghost to me—Laurel Hausler did you sneak into our backyard? Well, whoever created our snow friend/ghost/creature, thank you for putting a smile on my face this morning!

Noteworthy and Voteworthy

2009-02-26T17:39:00.007-05:00

Why hello everyone! Sorry for not posting last week. I’ve been quite busy bringing the gallery into the 21st century and working on our next exhibition. As a result, I’ve got some exciting items of note.

Facebook
Nevin Kelly Gallery has jumped on board the Facebook bandwagon. Now we need some friends! You can join our group by clicking here.

Constant Contact
In other tech news, we will soon be using Constant Contact for our e-mail updates. If you are not on our e-mail list but would like to be, please e-mail me at elizabeth@nevinkellygallery.com. We only send e-mails out once or twice a month if not less with information on exhibitions and other gallery events.

What’s to Come
We just received a shipment of paintings from H. Wesley Wheeler for his upcoming solo exhibition “Atmospheric Conditions”. The show will run from March 17 – April 11 with an Opening Reception on Thursday, March 19, 6 to 9 pm. I’ll post some images of the new paintings soon.

And please VOTE...

Washington City Paper Best of D.C.
Washington City Paper is conducting its annual Best of D.C. poll. Vote for Nevin Kelly Gallery for Best Art Gallery by clicking here.

I HeART

2009-02-14T15:53:00.005-05:00

Sharing some art love....

H. Wesley Wheeler, “Passion”, 2008, oil on canvas, 48” x 36”

H. Wesley Wheeler’s work will be featured in an upcoming solo exhibition entitled “Atmospheric Conditions” on view from March 17 - April 11. Mark your calendars for the Opening Reception on Thursday, March 19 from 6-9 pm. Stay tuned for more sneak peaks.

The Art of Hypnosis

2009-02-10T14:59:00.008-05:00

Mesmerizing is the first word that comes to mind when regarding the new works that Joan Belmar recently delivered to the gallery. The Chilean-born artist has taken his mixed media creations to a whole new level of technical merit.

Joan Belmar, “Red”, 2008, mixed media on masonite, 32” x 41”

While Belmar continues to work with strips of painted Mylar and sheets of frosted acetate, his new works incorporate grids, glazing, ink, and a more pronounced use of Mylar ribbons.

Joan Belmar, “Becoming Green and Blue”, 2008, mixed media on masonite, 41” x 32”

The multi-layered pieces are intended to reflect the dual layers of life as Belmar so beautifully expresses:

“My current work explores the conflict on the one hand between the external, structured world in which we all live and are measured and evaluated. But that is only one layer of our lives. On a deeper layer resides our internal, fluid selves, where emotions may be undisciplined and cannot be easily charted. But this is also where the yearning for the connection with independence, freedom and closeness to nature is most purely expressed.”

Joan Belmar, “Exhale Green”, 2008, mixed media on masonite, 37” x 37”

We currently have a number of Joan Belmar’s works on view in the gallery. Stop by and prepare to be mesmerized.

Prescription

2009-02-04T14:01:00.006-05:00

Post-inauguration blues getting you down with no more parades, parties, or balls to look forward to? Warehouse Gallery has the perfect remedy. Come out to the Warehouse this Friday evening for the Closing Reception of Inaugural Blast and celebrate the inauguration one last time. The gallery features inaugural art rooms produced by local artists including “Hope/Change” by Sondra N. Arkin and Ellyn Weiss.

What: Inaugural Blast Closing Reception

When: Friday, February 6th from 6 to 9 pm

Where: Warehouse Gallery, 1021 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC (tel. 202.783.3933)

Why: It’s what the doctor ordered.

Witchy Women

2009-01-30T13:40:00.013-05:00

Laurel Hausler has been working her magic on Russian nesting dolls by transforming them into witches with paint, pen, torn paper, and twine.

Laurel Hausler, “Russian Witch Dolls 2”, 2009, mixed media

The little works of art in Laurel’s solo exhibition “A History of Dogs and Witches” last fall cast a spell on many who came into their midst, and she was commissioned to create a second set. Each doll takes on the persona of an unconventionally witchy figure with enchanting attributes.

Laurel Hausler, “Russian Witch Dolls 2” (Doll 1)

Laurel Hausler, “Russian Witch Dolls 2” (Doll 3 - side view)

Laurel Hausler, “Russian Witch Dolls 2” (Doll 5)

Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about Laurel Hausler’s work.

Party Animal

2009-01-27T14:44:00.002-05:00

A belated THANK YOU to everyone who came out to our January 17th Open House! It was so great to see many of our U Street friends and meet some of our new neighbors here in Columbia Heights.

Usually this is where I delight you with a number of photographs from the event. Alas, I failed miserably at capturing the afternoon, mainly because I was quite busy meeting and greeting. So, I will leave you with a photo of our resident party animal.

(left to right) Ellyn Weiss, “Genetic Instructions”; Sondra Arkin, “Meadow” & “Wildflowers”; Ming Yi Sung Zaleski, “Pink Monkey”

We hope to host a repeat performance again soon, so please stay tuned for information on future events.

The “O”s Have It

2009-01-21T12:33:00.007-05:00

Welcome to the White House President Obama and family! We would be honored to have you visit us at Nevin Kelly Gallery someday.

Ellyn Weiss, “November 5, 2008”, 2008, mixed media on paper, 45” x 120”

Ellyn Weiss writes that the painting above “started before the election but afterward, it got much happier. See all the “O”s?” The work is currently on view at the gallery.

Get Your NKG On

2009-01-15T15:14:00.018-05:00

I've included some photos below of an art-laden new Nevin Kelly Gallery. Intrigued, confused, in need of a NKG fix? Stop by our Open House this Saturday, January 17th between 2:00 and 6:00 pm. Take a tour of the gallery, enjoy refreshments, and view new works by many of our gallery artists as well as some Polish favorites.

You know you want to see more! We are located at 1400 Irving Street, NW, #132 in the Highland Park complex directly above the Columbia Heights Metro Station on the Green Line.

Artobama

2009-01-15T12:48:00.003-05:00

Celebrate the Inauguration creatively with The Art of CHANGE: An Inaugural Celebration of DC's Creative Communities. Mid-Atlantic arts organizations Artomatic, Inc. and Playa del Fuego, Inc. have joined together to create one of the most distinctive 2009 inaugural celebrations. The event will be held on Tuesday, January 20th at 8 pm at the Warehouse arts complex and surrounding locations on the 1000 block of 7th Street, NW and will feature visual and performing arts, multiple dance floors, fire dancing, and live music. The talented Sondra Arkin and Ellyn Weiss have been given a room on the second floor of the Warehouse to present their own version of Hope/Change. For more information and to purchase $50 tickets go to http://www.artists-ball.org/.

Down Under the Sea

2009-01-06T17:50:00.009-05:00

I recently stopped by Sondra Arkin's studio to see a commissioned piece she had just completed consisting of two 48" x 48" encaustic panels.

Sondra Arkin, “Effervescence”, 2008, encaustic on canvas on dibond, 48” x 48” each

Arkin ventured away from her favored bold palette for more subdued hues. She described the work as emitting “effervescence” through the bubbling up beads of wax, a technique she has taken to a whole new level of methodical detail.

Sondra Arkin, “Effervescence” (detail)

Standing before the striking paintings mounted side-by-side on the wall gave me the sensation of staring into a large aquarium.

Sondra Arkin, “Effervescence” (right panel)

New Year, New Gallery

2009-01-02T15:22:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year!! We hope that the holidays were good to you!

M.P. Bocianowski, “Wild Boars”, nd, aquaforte/aquatint etching, 9” x 7”

As you probably know by now, the gallery recently relocated to Columbia Heights. We will be celebrating our new space with an Open House on Saturday, January 17, 2009 from 2:00 to 6:00 pm. We look forward to welcoming you! More details to come.

Part II - Fourth Annual Attainable Art Goes Virtual

2008-12-16T16:45:00.002-05:00

Here is another round of Attainable Art for your virtual shopping or browsing enjoyment. See below for Part I. If you see something you like or want to see more, please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone (202-232-3464) or e-mail (info@nevinkellygallery.com).

Sondra Arkin, “Hover”, 2008, encaustic on panel, 6” x 6”, $250

Sondra Arkin, “Showers”, 2008, encaustic on paper on dibond, 12” x 16”, $650

Joan Belmar, “Kapoor’s”, 2007, mixed media, 15” x 12”, $650 (framed)

Mary Chiaramonte, “Desert Floor”, 2007, mixed media, 20” x 15”, $700

Mary Chiaramonte, “Tulsa”, 2008, mixed media, 20” x 15”, $900

Laurel Hausler, “Allan Gray”, 2008, digital print mounted under plexi-glass, 14” x 10”, $275

Ellyn Weiss, “Cellebration”, 2008, monoprint with chine collé and gouache on rice paper, 13” x 10”, $150 (unframed)

Ellyn Weiss, “Pure Nerves”, 2008, monoprint, 15” x 11”, $250 (unframed)

Wesley Wheeler, “In Dreams”, 2006, oil on canvas, 36” x 30”, $1500

Ming Yi Sung Zaleski, “Head of Dog”, 2007, yarn stuffed with batting, $200

Elzbieta Bocianowska, “Two Tree Trunks”, 2005, aquaforte/aquatint etching, 11” x 9”, $150 (framed)

M.P. Bocianowski, “Gil”, nd, aquaforte/aquatint etching, 7” x 6”, $125 (unframed)

Maciej Deja, “Nude”, 2000, mezzotint, 15” x 12”, $250 (unframed)

Jacek Lydzba, “Airplane”, 2006, watercolor on paper, 22” x 27”, $800 (framed)

Fourth Annual Attainable Art Goes Virtual

2008-12-12T18:09:00.002-05:00

For the past three years, Nevin Kelly Gallery has held a special “Attainable Art” holiday exhibition. Because we just moved and are still working on getting our new space organized, this year we are going virtual. So, if you are still checking off your holiday gift list, adding to your own wish list, or just window shopping, check out these little beauties. For most artists, we have more works available in the gallery that we would be happy to share with you. Happy virtual shopping!

Sondra Arkin, “Overlook”, 2005, oil pastel and acrylic on paper, 12” x 8”, $425 (mounted between plexi)

Joan Belmar, “The Telegraph”, 2007, mixed media on canvas (mylar, acrylic, plastic), 13” x 17”, $650 (framed)

Mary Chiaramonte, “Favorite”, 2007, mixed media, 20” x 15”, $700

Laurel Hausler, “Red Alice Box”, 2007, mixed media, 15” x 12” x 7”, $350

Ellyn Weiss, “Nerve Cells, Two Views”, 2008, monoprint with chine collé, 15” x 11”, $250

Wesley Wheeler, “West Across the River”, 2008, oil on canvas, 26” x 21”, $900

Elzbieta Bocianowska, “Landscape”, 1992, aquaforte/aquatint etching, 11” x 14”, $250 (framed)

M. P. Bocianowski, “Bird with Crescent Moon”, nd, aquaforte/aquatint etching, 12” x 10”, $225 (framed)

Maciej Deja, “Untitled Toes”, 1994, mezzotint, 15” x 15”, $300 (framed)

Lukasz Huculak, “Three Stools”, 2002, gouache on paper, 11” x 14”, $1100 (framed)

Jacek Lydzba, “Red Flags”, 2006, watercolor on paper, 14” x 20”, $800 (framed)

Mikolaj Kasprzyk, “Giotti's Angel”, 2008, oil on linen, 15” x 21”, $1500

Katarzyna Kmita-Pukocz, “Flowers and People”, 2003, pastel on paper, 19” x 18”, $650 (framed)

Malina Wieczorek, “Red Nude”, 2003, oil on canvas, 9” x 7”, $400 (framed)

If you see something you like or want to see more, please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone (202-232-3464) or e-mail (info@nevinkellygallery.com).

Welcome!

2008-12-11T15:27:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Nevin Kelly Gallery's new space in Columbia Heights (1400 Irving Street, NW, #132)! Please come in and pardon the mess; we still have a bit of unpacking to do.

Check out the shiny kitchen, all the better to serve you with at opening receptions.

Here is the first floor room with a view of the second level. Loving the high ceilings, perfect for hanging large paintings. Note our portable column…a little something familiar from U Street.

Let’s go upstairs. What a view! This will be a great spot for art.

And the best part…just wait…storage, storage, storage!

Join me on our next tour, when we will have art on the walls.

Ellyn Weiss’s Muse

2008-12-06T20:55:00.000-05:00

I recently finished photographing a new body of work by Ellyn Weiss and wanted to share some of the images of her beautiful prints with you. Weiss often draws inspiration from the biological world, and this summer nerve cells served as her muse.

Ellyn Weiss, “Biological Agent”, 2008, monoprint, 15” x 11”

Ellyn Weiss, "Nerve Cells, Two Views", 2008, monoprint with chine collé, 15" x 11"

Once Ellyn selects a theme, she pursues it until her imagination plays out. She focuses on particular parts of images, enhancing and deconstructing them to create compositions of layered imagery that are suggestive of her original inspiration but never literal. She usually begins with one or more repeatable matrices (etched plates, woodblocks, or even Styrofoam blocks) to which she adds various elements of color, collage, and stenciling--often running a print through the press three to six times.

Ellyn Weiss, "Deconstructed Elements", 2008, monoprint, 22" x 28"

Although Ellyn served as the first General Counsel for the Union of Concerned Scientists from 1978 to 1988, it was not until a decade later that she became intrigued by the forms and colors of the human body's internal structures. At an exhibition in Baltimore, she was moved by the beauty, depth, and vibrancy she saw in photographic images of magnified cells by two Johns Hopkins scientists. She describes that exhibition as a pivotal experience, explaining that she was "overcome at the thought of this beauty twinned with functionality inside each of us."

Ellyn Weiss, "Cellebration", 2008, monoprint with gouche and chine collé on rice paper, 13" x 10"

Please let us know if you are interested in learning more about Ellyn Weiss’s work.

Winning Combinations

2008-12-04T23:23:00.002-05:00

You can’t go wrong with art, chocolate, and holiday cheer. Here is a list of exhibitions and events that some of our gallery artists and friends are participating in over the holidays.

“Rapture, Ecstasy & Bliss” at Biagio Fine Chocolate  (1904 18th Street, NW)
December 5, 2008 - January 4, 2009*

Small works by Sondra N. Arkin, Joan Belmar, Scott G. Brooks, Anna U. Davis, Tom Drymon, Mary Beth Ramsey, Kelly Towles, and Ellyn Weiss

*Complimentary Chocolate Tasting with Amedei of Italy, December 5, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
*Chocolate Tasting and Reception with the Artists, December 10, 6:30 - 8:30 pm 

Holiday Show at Long View Gallery (1302 9th Street, NW)
December 4, 2008 - January 4, 2009

Works by Scott G. Brooks, Mary Chiaramonte, Billy Colbert, Anna U. Davis, Dana Elyn, Matt Seso, and Chris Stephens

Mid City Art Exhibit at Art17, Coldwell Banker  (1606 17th Street, NW)
December 5, 2008 - February 8, 2009 *

Works by Sondra N. Arkin, Joan Belmar, Jody Bergstresser, Tanja Bos, Tom Drymon, Charlie Gaynor, Dwight Lissenden, Lucinda F. Murphy, Marina Reiter, Ronald Riley, and Richard Seigman

*Opening Reception, December 5, 6 - 9 pm 
*Meet the Artists: December 6, 1 - 3 pm & December 7, 1 - 3 pm

Mid City Artists Fall Open Studios
December 6 & 7, 2008

Artist studios in the Dupont/Logan Circles area will be open for visitors with over 20 artists exhibiting. For more information and a map of participating studios, visit the Mid City Artists Web site.

Moving Day

2008-12-03T18:47:00.001-05:00

Never fear, Nevin Kelly Gallery is still here! Monday the gallery moved to our new location in Columbia Heights. Although we will miss U Street and our wonderful neighbors, we are in a beautiful new space in the Highland Park complex at 14th and Irving Streets, NW. Columbia Heights is bustling, and we are excited to be part of the action.

We will need some time to get organized but are planning an open house for early next year to introduce everyone to the gallery’s new home. In the meantime, we are still around and happy to help with your holiday shopping needs. Our e-mail address (info@nevinkellygallery.com) and phone number (202-232-3464) are still the same. Stay tuned for updates on the new space, art, and other delights!

In Memoriam: Gretchen Feldman

2008-11-23T15:30:00.002-05:00

We are saddened by the recent death or our dear friend Gretchen Feldman, whose vibrant works in watercolor graced the walls of our gallery earlier this year. Gretchen was remarkable not only for her enormous artistic talent, but for her grace, kindness and unfailing humor. The obituary in her hometown paper, the [Martha's] Vineyard Gazette, got her just right.

Gretchen Feldman, "Stripes & Squares", 2007, watercolor on paper, 29" x 27"

Our deepest sympathies go out to her beloved Sam and her daughters and grandchildren. We will miss her delightful presence.

Heavy Metal

2008-11-22T19:06:00.001-05:00

With an affinity for exotic metals and hardware, it is no surprise that Stirling Elmendorf is a fan of the architecture of Frank Gehry. “Temporary Constructions” features a series of photographs Stirling took of the Gehry-designed Experience Music Project in Seattle, WA.

Stirling Elmendorf, “Static Wave”, 2008, pigment print

Appropriately, a pile of electric guitar parts inspired Gehry’s design for the EMP which was created as a venue for the history and exploration of popular music. In his photographs, Stirling captures beauty in the gleaming ripples of metal that form the futuristic structure as well as what he describes as “the juxtaposition of rigid elements taking on completely fluid lines.”

Although this is the last weekend to see “Temporary Constructions: New Photographs by Stirling Elmendorf and Marc Parascandola”, please contact the gallery or the artists directly if you are interested in seeing more of their work.

Lucky Number 7

2008-11-20T14:39:00.001-05:00

Well, you don’t have to take our word for it, the FotoWeek DC bloggers agree that “Temporary Constructions” is a Top 10 Must Attend (lucky number 7 to be exact) on your tour of FotoWeek exhibitions. For the complete list, click here.

Thank you to Laura Kuah (former NKG employee and now talented gallery opening photographer) for mentioning the show in her article for the Baltimore Examiner. For the complete article, click here.

This is the last weekend to see “Temporary Constructions: New Photographs by Stirling Elmendorf and Mark Parascandola” and the official end of the first annual FotoWeek DC. For more information on other photography exhibitions and events, check out the FotoWeek DC Web site. We also have FotoWeek guides here that at the gallery, so make us your number one stop, pick up a guide, and go from there.

Preserving Constructions

2008-11-19T15:55:00.001-05:00

Mark Parascandola recently blogged about the history and fate of the Carabanchel prison in Madrid, a site he had the opportunity to photograph in October. A number of his photos of the prison are currently on view in the gallery as part of the exhibtion “Temporary Constructions”. Here is an excerpt from his blog:

Mark Parascandola, “Carabanchel 1”, 2008, pigment print

“The Carabanchel prison in Madrid is one of the most infamous architectural landmarks from Spain’s decades of dictatorship. General Francisco Franco ordered construction of the prison in the 1940s to house the regime’s many political prisoners. The complex is designed on the panopticon model, with the cell blocks extending outwards from a round central tower. This arrangement, first proposed by 17th century philosopher Jeremy Bentham, allowed guards to easily observe all areas of the prison and was intended to amplify the prisoners’ sensations of powerlessness.

“Carabanchel was finally closed in 1998 and its few remaining inhabitants moved to other prisons. Since then, the building has been heavily looted—all the metal gates and fixtures have been removed—and it has been visited by graffiti artists, drug addicts, gypsies and curious observers.

Mark Parascandola, “Carabanchel 2”, 2008, pigment print

“The Spanish government now wants to make the site available to private developers with plans for condominiums and a hospital. However, an informal group of architects, social workers, neighbors, and former prisoners have demanded that part of the prison be preserved as a memorial to those who suffered under the dictatorship. Members of the Platform for a Center for Peace and Memory have held a series of demonstrations and camped out near the site.

“Just a few weeks ago the fate of the structure appeared uncertain. A national judge had ordered a study of the prison for possible evidence relevant to ongoing investigations into crimes committed under Franco’s regime. And the Congress was debating legislation on the prison’s future. However, the Madrid city government effectively put an end to the debate by authorizing the start of demolition. Seventy people were removed from the complex, mostly Romanian gypsies who had been living on the site. Construction crews began work at 1:00 am on Wednesday October 22. By the following Saturday half of the 32-meter wide central cúpula, the most architecturally significant element, had collapsed.”

Carabanchel and other architectural structures have been captured in time by Mark Parascandola and Stirling Elmendorf in the photographs of “Temporary Constructions” on exhibit through November 23rd.

“Temporary Constructions” Reception Breaks Ground

2008-11-16T16:08:00.000-05:00

Thank you to friends, photography lovers and passersby who came out Thursday night for the opening reception for “Temporary Constructions”. What a great crowd! Congratulations to Stirling Elmendorf and Mark Parascandola on their striking collaborative exhibition.

Mark Parascandola, Nevin Kelly and Stirling Elmendorf

Mark Parascandola and guest

Stirling Elmendorf and friends

Here is a snippet from a statement that Stirling and Mark prepared for the show:

“Monumental man-made structures suggest a confidence in the future and the human capacity to conquer the natural environment. However, their seemingly timeless presence belies the reality that even the most ambitious of constructions are subject to the same natural and man-made forces of decay, destruction, and transformation. The images presented here highlight the contrast between two extremes -- the idealized, abstract elements of innovative, contemporary buildings, versus the complex, textured surfaces of decaying structures, revealing changes in human priorities and the impact of time and the natural environment. In these scenes, new architectural elements appear detached from their surrounding environment and devoid of human presence. In turn, the aged structures are captivating not so much for the architectural ideals behind them but for the accumulation of imprints that serve as evidence of the activity of the human and natural world.”

Installation shot of the show

“Temporary Constructions” is a must see on your tour of FotoWeek DC and will be on view through November 23rd.

I Break for Abstraction

2008-11-08T18:35:00.001-05:00

We recently had some good news from one of our gallery artists Wesley Wheeler. Wes, who lives in Upstate New York, sold a painting to a major corporate collection in Philadelphia, PA. The painting entitled “The Fire Next Time” takes its name from a book by African-American writer James Baldwin (1924-1987) about race relations in America. The striking painting speaks to Baldwin’s passion and ultimate offering of hope and healing.

Wesley Wheeler, “The Fire Next Time”, 2008, oil on canvas, 48” x 48”

While “The Fire Next Time” already has a home, the gallery has a number of Wesley Wheeler’s meditative abstractions available.

Wesley Wheeler, “August Afternoon”, 2007, oil on canvas, 40” x 30”

Wesley Wheeler, “Water Columns”, 2008, oil on canvas, 40” x 30”

Please stop by the gallery, and we will be happy to show you Wesley Wheeler’s work in person.

Don't Miss "A History of Dogs and Witches"

2008-11-07T13:20:00.000-05:00

You’ve probably already hung up your brooms until next year, but it is not too late to see Laurel Hausler’s solo exhibition “A History of Dogs and Witches”.

Laurel Hausler, “Witch Hunt”, 2008, mixed media on paper, 18” x 18”

The show will be up through this Sunday, November 9th.

Celebrating FotoWeek DC with “Temporary Constructions”

2008-11-06T17:48:00.005-05:00

Next week marks the much-anticipated launch of FotoWeek DC. In conjunction with this first annual city-wide celebration of photography, the gallery will host a two-artist exhibition of works by local photographers Stirling Elmendorf and Mark Parascandola.

top: Stirling Elmendorf, “Tenley”, 2008, pigment print
bottom: Mark Parascandola, “Carabanchel 1”, 2008, pigment print

The exhibition, titled “Temporary Constructions”, will showcase new photographs by Elmendorf and Parascandola highlighting architectural changes over time in Washington, DC and elsewhere by juxtaposing images of contemporary monumental architecture with those of time-worn abandoned structures.

“Temporary Constructions” will be on view November 12-23, 2008. Please join us in celebrating photography and local talent at the Opening Reception on Thursday, November 13 from 6 to 9 pm.

Inside the Phelps House

2008-10-30T18:59:00.001-04:00

Take a peak inside Laurel Hausler’s “Phelps House”. Laurel’s house was inspired by paranormal activities that took place in a mansion in Stratford, CT beginning in the 1850s. To read about some of the incidents that took place in the mansion click here or here.

“Phelps House” is part of Laurel Hausler’s solo exhibition “A History of Dogs and Witches” on view through November 9th.

Happy Halloween!

In the Press: “A History of Dogs and Witches”

2008-10-25T15:14:00.001-04:00

The press responds to Laurel Hausler's solo exhibition “A History of Dogs and Witches”.

Laurel being interviewed by Sasha Wilson for the Georgetown Hoya

Click here to read Lynne Venart’s interview with Laurel Hausler for the DCist.

Click here to read Sasha Wilson’s article in The Hoya.

Click here to read a review on Washington Post Express online.

"A History of Dogs and Witches" will be on view through November 9th.

“A History of Dogs and Witches” Charms at the Opening Reception

2008-10-25T14:33:00.003-04:00

Last week we celebrated the opening of Laurel Hausler’s solo exhibition “A History of Dogs and Witches” and wanted to share some pictures from the party.

Laurel Hausler, Alice Poole and Adam Jaroszynski with "The Moors"

Guests taking a peak inside "The Phelps House" (more on this later)

The scene from above

The scene from outside

Congratulations to Laurel on this mysterious, haunting and charming new series. “A History of Dogs and Witches” will be on view in the gallery through November 9th.

Photos courtesy of Laura Kuah (I hope to put all of our reception pictures on Flickr in the near future)

Dogs, Witches, and Purple Cats...Oh My!

2008-10-18T19:27:00.001-04:00

Thank you to everyone who came out yesterday afternoon for the Haunted Open House in support of the Washington Animal Rescue League. Laurel Hausler’s “A History of Dogs and Witches” was the perfect backdrop to celebrate Halloween and our furry friends for a great cause.

Laurel Hausler, The Party, 2008, mixed media on board, 36" x 44"

Nevin Kelly, Dr. Gary Weitzman (Executive Director of WARL), and Laurel Hausler

Two-legged and four-legged art lovers came out to support WARL

Boone sporting his witch costume…that lasted for about five seconds

Purple sugar cats

WARL has many wonderful animals up for adoption. Please visit their Web site for more information on adopting a pet or for other ways to support the organization.

Laurel Hausler’s “A History of Dogs and Witches” will be up through November 9th.

Haunted Open House to Benefit Washington Animal Rescue League

2008-10-17T15:43:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow (Saturday, October 18) from 3 to 6 pm the gallery will host an afternoon of tricks, treats, and art by Laurel Hausler in support of the Washington Animal Rescue League.

Laurel Hausler, “The Effigy”, 2008, mixed media on canvas, 36” x 36”

Grab your brooms and fly on over to Nevin Kelly Gallery to see Laurel's solo exhibition "A History of Dogs and Witches" and enjoy refreshments and hobnob with goblins, witches, and (of course) dogs. Costumes are encouraged.

Donation: $10 donation to WARL at the door; Additionally 10% of sales made during the event will be donated to WARL.

Laurel Hausler’s “A History of Dogs and Witches” Opens Next Week

2008-10-09T17:56:00.000-04:00

Laurel Hausler has been working around the clock in her studio in the old Lorton Prison in preparation for her upcoming solo exhibition “A History of Dogs and Witches”. The show will feature paintings, ink and watercolor drawings, sculpture, and other mixed media compositions.

Laurel Hausler in her studio working on paintings for the show

Laurel Hausler’s “A History of Dogs and Witches” is a pastiche of beloved works of literature, movies, admired artists, observations from everyday life and strange nuances in history. Her fanciful witches—partially inspired by Quentin Blake's illustration for Roald Dahl's book The Witches—wear 1940's suit-coats and hats with veils.

“The Moors”, 2008, gouache, pen, ink and pencil on paper, 12" x 12"

Hausler’s characters live in a world of dark ambiguity. Her paintings often appear haunting at first, but her message is typically more poignant and cheeky than macabre. Guided by her choice of medium, Hausler explains that her characters often push forth their own stories—a phenomenon she describes as “mysterious.” Alternately erudite, evil and beautiful, the works contain elements of narrative, fashion, history and theater.

“Family”, 2008, gouache, ink and pencil on paper, 10" x 8"

This is just a sneak peak! “A History of Dogs and Witches” will be on view from October 15 through November 9, 2008. The Opening Reception will be held Thursday, October 16 from 6 to 9 pm.

For art and animal lovers, we will also host a Haunted Open House to benefit the Washington Animal Rescue League on Saturday, October 18 from 3 to 6 pm. We will be collecting a $10 donation to WARL at the door; additionally 10% of sales made during the open house will be donated to WARL. Costumes are encouraged!

In addition to the special event benefiting WARL, Laurel will be donating 10% of all sales (outside of WARL event) to Miriam's Kitchen.

Last Chance to be “Under Surveillance”

2008-10-04T17:42:00.002-04:00

We thought we would share more installation shots of “Under Surveillance”. The exhibition will be up until the end of next week.

Sondra Arkin’s “Government TALONS” exposes data from the Threat and Local Observation Notice System; created from copper wire, polymer clay, chamois, paraffin, thread, acrylic, paper and ink

Watch what you say, the gallery is bugged; plates from Ruth Trevarrow’s series “Bugged”

Richard Dana’s distorted portraits “Swarthy”, “Loner” and “Liberal” comment on government profiling programs

Tim Tate’s “Detector” consisting of cast and blown glass, camera and audio wave captures your image as you pass by

Animated Painting

2008-10-04T13:55:00.001-04:00

Have you ever wondered what lies beneath the glossy surface of a Thom Flynn work of art.

Thom Flynn, Untitled, 2008, torn paper and resin on plywood, 47” x 50”

Check out the many layers that go into the creation of a Flynn piece by viewing his animated painting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reMtO0PghZQ

New Paintings by Mary Chiaramonte

2008-10-03T16:32:00.001-04:00

Mary Chiaramonte recently made a trip to DC from VA with a car load of new works. Mary continues to delight us with the stories that come forth in her paintings.

"Jessie XIV", 2007, mixed media, 22" x 19" (left)

"St. Sebastian" (The Hula Girls), 2008, mixed media, 22" x 18"

"Volcano", 2008, mixed media, 18" x 24"

To view more, please visit Mary's artist page on our Web site or stop by the gallery and ask to see the work in person.

“Under Surveillance” Opens with Record Breaking Attendance and Rave Reviews!

2008-09-25T14:26:00.001-04:00

Thank you to everyone who attended the opening of “Under Surveillance” last week and contributed to a great night with over 200 guests. Congratulations to Sondra Arkin and Ellyn Weiss for pulling together this fascinating show and to the artists who created work for the exhibition.

Come by and see this visually and mentally stimulating show up through October 8th.

Nevin Kelly, Ellyn Weiss, and Sondra Arkin

The fans enjoying the show

Guest viewing Elizabeth Morisette's "plot: land", "plot: water", and "plot: road"

View of Ann Stoddard's video installation "Keeping 'Merica safe 4U" and Ellyn Weiss's "My Life From the Satellite” series

Photos courtesy of Laura Kuah

Somebody’s Watching You: “Under Surveillance” Opens Next Week

2008-09-10T16:48:00.000-04:00

Join us for the opening of “Under Surveillance” next Thursday, September 18 from 6 to 9 pm.

Aziza Claudia Gibson-Hunter, "Information Signature", mixed media

Curated by Ellyn Weiss and Sondra N. Arkin, “Under Surveillance” will feature the work of Scott G. Brooks, Groover Cleveland, Richard Dana, Anna U. Davis, Aziza Claudia Gibson-Hunter, Rosemary Luckett, Elizabeth Morisette, Ann Stoddard, Tim Tate, Ruth Trevarrow, and the curators themselves. The exhibition will reflect the artist’s concerns over the technology and the license now given both to the government and private corporations to watch and listen to us.

“Under Surveillance” runs September 17 through October 8, 2008. Opening reception, Thursday, September 18, 6 to 9 pm.

Artist Updates III: Mary Chiaramonte

2008-08-17T17:20:00.001-04:00

Mary Chiaramonte reports that she has had a relaxing summer in Virginia, spending time with family and catching up with old friends:

“I guess the most interesting thing that has happened this summer was the new freckle I got on my right pointer finger. No, my existence must be the most abysmally dull of all the artists at the NK gallery, because all I do is paint and stare at the neighbors from the porch view, but there have been some high points even still. My twin sis had a slide show at the flower garden behind her house at night (with romance lighting to boot) and that was quite wonderful indeed. There were a great deal of people there and everyone had a blast, so much so that I didn't sleep until the sun was rising, a lot of noise. The men were sliding down the stairs on their bellies, face first. But she had 365 photographs, one that she took for each day of 2007. Of them all, the best was a shot of her spaying my parents' dog at the clinic where she is a veterinarian. It was grotesque and beautiful at once. And a dear friend of mine of 15 years came back to visit me after her journey across South America. Hearing her stories and just getting to see her again was quite good. Other than that, it is the porch and the hissy fits of the lonesome life, but from this I have discovered a lot of new music that I love, so. Oh, and I have made my first two encaustic paintings. Smells like bees.”

Mary Chiaramonte, Jessie Man XVIII, encaustic, 2008, 12” x 8”

“Dull” sounds pretty good to me! We have a number of Mary Chiaramonte’s paintings up in the gallery now and will be getting some new pieces next week.

Mary Chiaramonte, "Tulsa", mixed media, 2008, 20” x 15”

Artist Updates II: Ellyn Weiss

2008-08-17T16:42:00.000-04:00

Ellyn Weiss has been spending her summer in Cape Cod and has been very busy indeed. Perhaps “infected by seaside colors” she created the first painting she has done “in many moons.” Big Day, seen below, was created with no brushes but mostly with hands and plastic gloves.

Ellyn Weiss, “Big Day”, 2008, oil on canvas with shredded cheesecloth

She also spent a week painting with tar and other “odd and toxic substances” at Castle Hill Center for the Arts in Truro.

Ellyn Weiss, Tar painting, 2008, tar, solvent, and shellac

Throughout the summer, she been participating in workshops at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown and working there independently in the printshop on a press once owned by Robert Motherwell. She took one workshop in drypoint, a printmaking technique involving drawing into a metal or plexiglass plate with very sharp tools, and started a small series based on images of nerve cells.

Ellyn Weiss, Nerve Cell series, 2008, drypoint etchings

Check out Ellyn’s blog for more on her summer adventures. We have a number of her prints and oil bar pieces available in the gallery.

Summer Artist Updates I

2008-08-02T17:22:00.004-04:00

We certainly are missing our creatively talented employee and faithful blogger Laura who as some of you may know has gone on to further pursue her interests in graphic and web design. We will do our best to keep the blog going starting with keeping you posted on what some of the gallery’s artists have been up to this summer.

Congratulations to Sondra Arkin and Laurel Hausler for their summer solo exhibitions!

Sondra Arkin’s show “Topography” opened this past weekend at Ward Ellinger Gallery in Rehoboth Beach, DE. I recently got a sneak peak of the work and saw her in the act of creating some of her encaustics in her studio. In addition to encaustic paintings, the exhibition features richly hued oil paintings. Take a trip to the beach and stop by and see the show which runs through August 28th with an opening reception on August 9th, 5 to 7 pm.

Sondra Arkin, Wildflowers, 2008, oil on canvas, 40” x 40”

Laurel Hausler’s exhibition “My House is Haunted: Twenty Rooms” is currently on view at Gallery in the Woods in Brattleboro, VT through August 30th. The show presents twenty paintings each representing a room or part of the grounds of a haunted house.

Laurel Hausler, The Attic, 2008, oil on canvas, 24” x 36”

We have several of Sondra's encaustic pieces currently on display at the gallery. We also have many of Laurel's paintings hanging. We will be hosting a solo exhibition of Laurel's works this fall. Additional details will be announced later.

Sultry Summer Gallery Update

2008-07-03T15:31:00.001-04:00

July has arrived and the heat of the Washington summer is upon us. For those who are still in town during these months, please stop by NKG to see various works by our gallery artists, some never seen before pieces and old favorites. Notable favorites include new works by Sondra Arkin (pictured above), Jacek Lydzba and pieces by Edward Dwurnik and Thom Flynn.

For those who have walked by the gallery recently, you might have noticed that our building is currently under scaffolding. Please note that we are OPEN during this period of construction and welcome visitors during our normal business hours. Thanks for your patience during this time of transition.

Hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July!

AAF Recap

2008-06-24T23:12:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth at the Affordable Art Fair in New York City last weekend. A huge thankyou goes out to Sondra Arkin and Laura McGowan, who helped us during the course of the Fair. Thanks also to Rob and Laura Jones of Migration Gallery (Charlottesville, VA) for featuring us on their blog. We enjoyed meeting some new faces and reconnecting with those of you who are familiar with our gallery. The Art Fair presented an intriguing mix of emerging and established artists represented by more than 70 galleries from the United States, Europe, Asia and South America.

To view pictures from the Preview Cocktail Party, please click here. If you have any feedback from the Fair, please do not hesitate to email us at info@nevinkellygallery.com

NKG at Affordable Art Fair NYC

2008-06-03T17:19:00.002-04:00

Nevin Kelly Gallery will join more than 70 other galleries from around the world at the Affordable Art Fair in New York City from June 12 through June 15. The fair is located at the Altman Building and Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 & 135 W. 18th Street in Manhattan (between 6th and 7th Avenues). Look for us in Booth M-703 (Metropolitan Pavilion). The Fraser Gallery in Bethesda is also participating (they'll be in Booth A-100 in the Altman Building). If you plan to be in NYC during this period, please stop by to see us. We have a limited number of day passes available. Please call if you would like a pass while our supply lasts.

Last Chance!

2008-05-30T17:34:00.000-04:00

Please stop by the gallery and see Gretchen Feldman's exhibition "stitches in time, etc." before it closes THIS Sunday, June 1, 2008. Don't miss the opportunity to see Gretchen's new paintings, which mark both a forward progression in her development as an abstract watercolorist and a return to her roots as a textile conservator. We are open until 8pm tonight and Saturday, and until 6pm on Sunday.

For more information on the artist, please visit:
http://www.gretchenfeldman.com

New Works from Poland

2008-05-29T18:59:00.007-04:00

Mikolaj Kasprzyk / Morning / 2008 / oil on linen / 15 x 21 in

Nevin just returned from a quick trip to Poland and brought back an eclectic group of visual delights, including paintings by Mikolaj Kasprzyk and Jacek Lydzba , as well as etchings by M.P. and Elzbieta Bocianowski. These new works, as well as other NKG gallery artists, will be on view at the gallery in the near future. Please stop by to see them when you get the chance.

Here is a sneak peek of the new Polish works:

M.P. Bocianowski / Zimorodek / nd / etching / 7 x 5.5 in (paper)

Jacek Lydzba, Pink Room, 2007, watercolor on paper, 14 x 20 in.

"stitches in time, etc." opens with much fanfare

2008-05-17T12:48:00.002-04:00

Thanks to all of you who came out for the opening of Gretchen Feldman's "stitches in time, etc." last Saturday night! We had a full house and were very pleased with the turnout. If you haven't had the chance to see the exhibition, please stop by before June 1st.

To view candid photographs of the opening, please click here.

Have a great weekend!

Opening Thursday: "stitches in time, etc."

2008-05-05T08:26:00.003-04:00

New abstract watercolors by Gretchen Feldman.

Please join us for the opening reception of “stitches in time, etc.” on Saturday, May 10, 2008 from 5:30 – 8:30pm. The artist will be present. Public parking is available in the garage at 14^th and U Streets.

Chinese Checkers / 2007 / Watercolor on Paper / 30’’ x 22’’

We are honored to have Gretchen Feldman show her new works at our gallery beginning this week. The paintings, which combine transparent watercolor with thick, multi-layered opaque colors, mark both a forward progression as an abstract watercolorist and a return to the artist’s prior career as a textile conservator. Many of the works in “stitches in time, etc.” are influenced by the common titles of traditional American quilts, such as Baby Blocks, Queen’s Puzzle and Chinese Checkers (pictured above). Others (the “etc.” part of the exhibition title) are inspired by microscopic imagery. In a sense, “stitches in time, etc.” contrasts the biotechnological explosion of the 21^st century with the more functional creations (quilts) of 19^th-century rural America.

As an abstract artist, Feldman balances shape, form and powerful color to capture a sense of the intangible. She draws on the past for inspiration, acknowledges the present and looks to the future. Her pieces serve both as a form of her own creative expression and as a catalyst for inquiry, inviting us to ask questions, seek answers and create a bridge between viewer and artist.

Laurel Hausler to show at "Rackets and Remedies" exhibition

2008-04-18T19:43:00.001-04:00

NKG artist Laurel Hausler will participate in this spring's Rackets and Remedies exhibit at the Athenaeum Gallery in Alexandria, VA. This talented mixed media artist will also have a solo show at our gallery in October.

Rackets and Remedies will explore old apothecary and the inexorable link between advertising and medicine. In addition, it will also take a closer look at how little this relationship has changed over the course of the last 100 years.

Please join Laurel for the opening reception on May 2, 2008, from 5-7pm and a series of other events centered around this theme throughout the months of May and June. For more information, please visit the "News" section of Laurel's official website.

Rackets and Remedies will be on view from May 2 to June 15, 2008.

Recent Acquisitions!

2008-04-10T18:43:00.002-04:00

Mary Chiaramonte's "Dead Eyes" and "Desert Floor"

Mary Chiaramonte and Ellyn Weiss recently brought in new paintings to the gallery. Both artists have continued painting in their signature styles and produced works that fascinate us. Please stop by and see their new creations, as well as other gallery artists, during the month of April.

Ellyn Weiss' "Morning Becomes Electric", "Oxford Avenue", "The Secret Life of My Ever-Fleeting Thoughts"

Stayed tuned for news on upcoming our exhibitions, and enjoy the start of spring!

Artists of the Gallery on View

2008-03-30T14:01:00.003-04:00

Between now and our next opening on May 7th, we will be exhibiting various artists of the gallery, both new works and some old friends. Please stop by and take a look!

View of gallery with mascot Boone

Hours: Wednesday & Sunday, 12 to 6 pm; Thursday – Saturday, 12 to 8 pm; Closed Monday & Tuesday.

Gretchen Feldman: “stitches in time, etc.” opens May 7th

Recent NKG Feature!

2008-03-28T19:09:00.001-04:00

Many thanks to the Prince of Petworth for featuring NKG and the Water Media on Paper show on his March 25, 2008 blog entry! We really appreciate the kudos. The entry, complete with a fabulous picture of Boone, can be found here.

Gallery artists (local, national and Polish) are currently on view between now and the beginning of May. We hope you drop by and see us again soon!

Miriam's Kitchen Benefit Thursday; Last Week for NSAL Show

2008-03-17T17:40:00.003-04:00

This is the last week to view the exhibition of paintings by the 19 regional winnners of the National Society of Arts and Letters' 2007 watercolor painting competition. The competition was won by Washington D.C.'s Jenny Davis for her "Portrait of Tess."

If you come on Thursday, you can also benefit Miriam's Kitchen, a Foggy Bottom food bank and counseling center for the homeless. On Thursday, March 20, NGK is joining several other business on the 1500 and 1600 blocks of U Street for a night of shopping and community support. Individual businesses will serve as drop-off points for donations of clothing and other essential items to benefit the clients that Miriam's Kitchen serves. Drop off your new or "gently used" blue jeans at Nevin Kelly Gallery between 6 and 9 p.m. Other participating businesses, and the donations items to be collected there, include:

Caramel 1603 U Street NW (Men's Underwear)
Habitat 1510 U Street NW (Men's Socks)
Moojoo Ken 1512 U Street NW (Deodorant)
Nana 1528 U Street NW (Vitamins)
RCKNDY 1515 U Street NW (Razors)
Wild Women Wear Red 1512 U Street NW (Hotel-Sized Bottles of Shampoo/Lotion)

Most of the businesses will be donating 10 percent of all sales to Miriam's Kitchen.

The event runs from 6 to 9 PM.

Contact Caramel boutique at contact@caramelfashion.com or 202-265-1930 for more information.

Artist Feature 11 : Molly Brose

2008-03-07T13:49:00.003-05:00

Local artist Molly Brose is best inspired while engaged in the making of her art, taking chances along the way. Molly started out as a jewelry maker after college, and gradually returned to her childhood love of making art. The subjects chosen for Molly’s lyrical pieces consist of anything that speaks to her intuitively, from an old photograph to a phone conversation. According to Molly, “it’s gotta be worthy of a song.”

NKG has two new pieces by Molly on view right now. Both “Good Together” and “The Girl He Chose” [pictured below] feature Molly’s meticulous drawings on a smudged background of watercolor and conté. “The Girl He Chose” allows the viewer to see the subject through a zoomed-in lens. “Good Together” shows two people on horseback inside a more defined diamond shape, with a red circle overlapping the picture plane. Both backgrounds are scratched more than her previous works, and greater emphasis is given to the paintings’ linear properties (done in watercolor and graphite).

Molly’s new work continues to sparkle like precious jewels, worn as a personal ornament to remember where they came from, and where they are headed. Stop by and see them if you haven't done so already!

DCist Review of NSAL Water Media on Paper Show

2008-03-05T17:36:00.000-05:00

Thank you to Kelly Rand of the DCist for her review of the National Society of Arts and Letters Water Media on Paper exhibition currently up in the gallery. Please read the review here.

NSAL Water Media on Paper will be on view through March 23rd, 2008.

Water Media on Paper Opening Review

2008-02-29T17:59:00.002-05:00

Thank you to all of you who came out last night to celebrate the opening of the National Society of Arts and Letters Water Media on Paper (2007 Finalists) exhibition with us! We are the second to last stop on this national tour. This exhibit is a wonderful opportunity for young artists to explore more imaginative realms, while using a very difficult medium. Local artist Jenny Davis (first prize winner of the NSAL Competition), along with her mother and friend, were also present at the opening.

If you missed the festivities (or simply want to re-live them), visual documentation can be found here. Hope you enjoy the photos and slideshow!

Water Media on Paper will be on view until March 23, 2008.

Looking Ahead...

2008-02-08T18:32:00.000-05:00

January has come and gone, and February is well under way. With the start of spring right around the corner, it seems appropriate to introduce talented, emerging artists into the local art community. From February 27 thru March 23, Nevin Kelly Gallery will host a traveling exhibition featuring the winners of the National Society of Arts and Letters’ 2007 arts competition. This competition was open to young artists (ages 18-29) who work in water media on paper. Local artist Jenny Davis, a previous NKG exhibitor, won this year’s $10,000 national first prize for her watercolor work entitled "Portrait of Tess” (pictured above). The winning works of the other 18 local chapter competitions who competed for the grand prize will also be on display.

We will host an opening reception at the gallery, 1517 U Street, NW for the National Tour of Works by 2007 NSAL Water Media On Paper competition winners on Thursday, February 28, 2008 from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Please stop by and see this notable exhibition!

New Works by Sondra Arkin

2008-02-01T19:38:00.000-05:00

She’s done it again! Local artist Sondra Arkin recently brought four new works to the gallery depicting a different style. She was uncertain about the new direction her paintings were headed and wanted to see her work outside the confines of the studio. Arkin’s works were mounted on the gallery’s white walls right before the talk on Saturday afternoon. They were the most talked-about pieces of the day. Sondra may have felt that she “jumped off the cliff”, but she sure landed well.

Stylistic development is crucial in the oeuvre of every artist. If Picasso stuck with the academic realism of his figures prior to 1901, the history of art would have never witnessed his defying of tradition via the Blue, Rose and African-influenced Periods, as well as the different stages of Cubism. In the twenty-first century, artists are expected to reinvent their styles over and over again. For many, it is the only way to keep developing artistically. It is hard to do, and even harder to do it successfully.

Two of Arkin’s new works (pictured above), 32’’x32’’ encaustic on dibond paintings, particularly stand out. Her “brick wall” motif both dominates and accents the new compositions, without becoming repetitive, (as, in my view, the paintings in Sean Scully’s Wall of Light series did). These compositions are less structured than before, and indicate the artist’s desire to toss all pre-determined fears aside and simply jump into the unknown. The colors, though still energetic, are slightly muted, as if to reduce the focus on color itself in favor of returning to a focus on the effects of layering – which contain Arkin’s stylistic reference to the overlapping layers of joy, sadness, triumph and tragedy that come to define each of us.

In my opinion, the biggest difference between the old and new Arkin works is in her ability to create movement with the tactile rendering of colors. Rather than having the colors compliment each other side by side, Arkin has produced lines, points and shapes that are suspended in a timeless dance on the picture plane. In her new paintings Mitosis and Waterloo (both 2008), it is the texture that compliment each other; they tell stories and compose melodies. Like the musical paintings of Wassily Kandinsky, Arkin’s new works express power in linear forms and prove that abstraction is not simply the effect of a random process but the result of authenticity and an effort towards the beauty found inwards.

Above all, Sondra Arkin’s continued success in creating abstract art teaches us to observe our surroundings and "see" things we have never seen before or perhaps never looked close enough to see. May these musical pieces continue to add to the many layers of experience that influence our lives.

Polish Art Talk Re-cap

2008-02-01T19:25:00.000-05:00

A big, heart-felt thank you to those who came out for the Polish Art Talk and reception supporting “An Ideal Mix-Up” last Saturday. Highlights from the afternoon included the unveiling of Sondra Arkin’s newest pieces (see entry above) and Nevin’s talk on the history of the gallery and the Polish art that inspired it. As indicated on the press release, we will be switching paintings around during the course of the show so please stop by and see us this winter – you’re bound to see something new.

[ Links ]
Video: Polish Art Talk
Photos: Talk and Reception

and...

Photos from the 40x26.667 show featuring Mark Parascandola and Stirling Elmendorf:

Mark Parascandola & Stirling Elmendorf at Caramel

2008-01-27T14:02:00.000-05:00

Kudos to local men's and women's clothing boutique Caramel for providing much-needed alternative exhibition space to local artists. On Friday evening, I attended the opening reception for the collaborative digital photography exhibition of works by local artists Mark Parascandola and Stirling Elmendorf at Caramel's 1603 U Street, NW location. Mark and Stirling's photographs are ideally suited to each other, like a perfect wine/cheese or wine/chocolate pairing. In their first collaboration, these young photographers look like they've been working together for years. Please show your thanks to Caramel, and your appreciation for local artists, by stopping in to see this show (and the wonderful merchandise Caramel has to offer). You will leave enriched--and better dressed.

An IDEAL Mix-Up: Event this Saturday!

2008-01-24T17:53:00.000-05:00

An Ideal Mix-Up: A Winter Group Exhibition at the NKG
January 16 - February 24, 2008

Please join us THIS Saturday, 26 January 2008 at 4pm for a lecture on Polish art by gallery director Nevin Kelly. Refreshments will follow the talk...

A group exhibition that includes works by the contemporary Polish artists that helped launch the gallery in May 2003 and the many local artists who have joined the gallery along the way. The exhibition celebrates both the gallery's origins and its development as a platform for showcasing emerging trends in local art. Unlike most group shows, which remain static during their entire run, works in this show will be hung and re-hung in stages as works are sold or anchor pieces are moved to share the spotlight. The exhibition will feature works by local artists Sondra Arkin, Joan Belmar, Ellyn Weiss, Mary Chiaramonte and Laurel Hausler and by Polish artists Edward Dwurnik, Darek Pala, Krzysztof Kokoryn, Pawel Król, Lukasz Huculak and Michal Zaborowski.

Nevin J. Kelly, Director
Nevin Kelly Gallery
1517 U Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009

Tel.: 202-232-3464
Fax: 202-232-3465
E-mail: info@nevinkellygallery.com
Web: www.nevinkellygallery.com
and http://nevinkellygallery.blogspot.com

Artist Feature 10: Pawel Król

2008-01-18T18:23:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an art student by day and exhibiting artist by night, while contributing to the history of art? Pawel Król did. This Cracow native is among the newest generation of young artists to appear on the contemporary Polish art scene since the collapse of socialism almost twenty years ago. With his uncommonly mature painting style, it is hard to believe that Król was a full-time painting student (Institute of Art of the Pedagogical Academy, Crakow) at the same time he was having solo exhibitions at galleries and venues in Europe and the United States. Like those of many of his Polish contemporaries, Król’s work capture a certain Polish identity crisis at the onset of the 21st century.

Tea (2004) tempera and india ink on canvas paper

On first glance, each of the artist’s paintings seems to be carefully planned, as if he knew exactly what was going on the canvas. Król explains the process differently:

“The plain sheet of paper or canvas before which I sit creates a blank space; and a blank space develops inside me, in my soul. I become as vulnerable as a child. Neither my knowledge of my trade nor my knowledge of painting techniques can eliminate this sense of vulnerability; it is still just me and the empty space, which must soon be filled with a subject and colors to start the process of coming to be.”

Król's “streams of consciousness” methodology produces results that are refreshingly honest; his works capture the young Pole’s struggle to be Polish in the wider world. His works seem to reflect a journey into the innermost parts of his soul, where he touches on emotions of reluctance, melancholy and elation. His paintings seem to reflect the collision between the new and old Poland, seen from every angle. The subject matters he chooses—women sharing a pot of afternoon tea, a thief stealing the moon, roly-poly men dancing around the Polish flag—reflect a keen sense of humor that counterbalances the angst of his introspective search. Król is perceptive of all that is going on around him, and illustrates it with maturity.

Vive L'Polonia, watercolor on paper

In the works on display at the gallery, Pawel Król’s work is mostly water media on paper—tempera, India ink and watercolor. In paintings such as Tea (2004) and Musical Chairs, the tempera paint helps fill in a background drawn in India ink, using brush strokes that create a scratchboard-like effect. His colors are raw and naturalistic. His process produces highly detailed, precise and sometimes textured artwork.

Król’s childlike vulnerability is shown in pieces such as the watercolor Vive L’Polonia, which uses the medium as a linear technique (note the sketchbook qualities of the figures) to insert a sense of playfulness into what might be considered a more “nationalistic” piece.

Król’s paintings are allegorical. They are capable of broad interpretation. They are “music” to one’s eyes. If one wants to know what it feels like these days to be young and Polish, one could do little better than to look at the paintings of Pawel Król.

Artist Feature 9: Darek Pala

2008-01-11T13:41:00.000-05:00

This week’s feature focuses on one of the first artists shown at NKG: Polish-born Darek Pala who currently resides in Miami, FL. Pala graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow in 1992 and became a well known exhibitor in Warsaw before moving to the U.S. in 1998. He still exhibits frequently there and has exhibited extensively in the United States and elsewhere in Europe. Pala’s paintings are marked by a thick impasto and bold colors that project both energy and mood.

[Author’s interpretation of Darek Pala’s Pamamour (Amant), 1999, oil on canvas, 42’’x42’’]

It is a sunny, Saturday morning on the Miami shoreline. A fair-skinned woman, wearing a flowery blouse, sits in front of her caffe con leche at the local breakfast café, smoking what appears to be a pipe. Sunlight radiates throughout the room, creating a sharp contrast of yellow against the light blue sky peeking out of the small window behind the woman. Globs of textured yellow paint are highlighted over a hidden under painting of orange, red, turquoise and indigo blue colors. To the left stands a contemporary accent vase, splashed in red, green, blue and white tones, with decorative stems sprawling out. As is typical in Pala’s paintings, this woman is depicted in profile. She raises her index finger, as if to request something. A tanned accordion player wearing a red coat and white bowtie stands cropped to the right, serenading her with lively [mariachi] music. Their eyes meet, and a connection is made. This seemingly private moment is brought to life by Pala’s use of yellow to bring out the intensity of the situation.

Darek Pala’s paintings vibrate with the energy of living. His figures, when facing each other, are engaged in constant dialogue. When we take a closer look, we discover the mixtures of their personalities. Pala is also a master of still-life objects such as flowers and fruit. On his canvases of flattened picture planes highlighted with sharp lines, these objects have the tendency to jump out at the viewer. Together, with the texture, they form a timeless and poetic, physical unity.

Like the geometric compositions of Joan Miró, Darek Pala has succeeded in exuding his love for shapes and vibrant colors. His mission statement in life is to trust his intuition and paint the world around him. Pala is not interested in painting only the happy scenes in life, but instead, to evoke feelings of love, fear, laughter, and delight through the eyes of a child.

Pablo Picasso once stated: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” In my opinion, Darek Pala has excelled in remaining a true artist into his adult years, constantly reminding us to never lose our childish innocence no matter where this journey of life takes us.

For more information...
Official Website: http://www.darekpala.com
NKG Artists Site: http://www.nevinkellygallery.com/artists/pala