Ideas for gift giving this holiday season
The Bibliophile A thoughtful gift-giver should consider the interests of the recipient in selecting an appropriate present. Here are several suggestions. All’s Fair in Love and War: The Ultimate Cartoon Book by the World’s Greatest Cartoonists, edited by Bob Eckstein, 144 pages, Princeton Architectural Press hardcover, 2020 This witty and sophisticated anthology of captioned... READ MORE
Linda Ronstadt celebrates Hispanic roots
Growing up near the U.S. border in Tucson, Arizona, Linda Ronstadt was exposed to the music and culture of Mexico from an early age. Her father would often sing at their home in Spanish. “I heard Mexican radio my whole life,” the American singer told The Associated Press in a recent phone interview. It’s something that stuck with her even decades after establishing her... READ MORE
Photography winners have a special eye
Almost anyone can take a photograph. With all the technology available to us through our phones and cameras, most of us can capture a moment in time. It requires a special talent, though, to take an artistic photograph. Photographers must pay attention to details the novice might not even notice, from framing the scene to considering the light and shadow. Over time, the three... READ MORE
Painters focus on unconventional topics
The painting category of the Celebration of the Arts has the potential to elicit dramatic, unusual works, and this year was no exception. Rather than traditional landscapes or still lifes, two of the winning paintings depict industrial scenes, and the third is a busy European cityscape. First Place Ellen Yahuda Chevy Chase, Md. At her 75th birthday celebration, Ellen Yahuda saw a... READ MORE
Ceramics artists like to ‘play in the mud’
To make pottery or ceramic work, artists become very familiar with the concept of transformation. First they transform a gray lump of clay into a shape — which is easier said than done. Next the work gains color, or glaze. Finally, the work is dried and transformed by heat. After years of experience, the winners of this year’s Ceramics/Pottery category are accustomed to... READ MORE
Mixed media opens up many possibilities
Creative inspiration can come from surprising places. Often, something we happen upon at a particular moment can generate a reaction in us and lead us down creative paths we might never have anticipated. The three women who won awards for the Celebration of the Arts Mixed Media category have all been artistic for much of their lives. As they’ve gotten older, they have focused more time ... READ MORE
Drawing winners have eye for fine detail
A well accomplished drawing can leap off the page. Although Leonardo’s famous drawings of the human form are no more than ink on paper, their faces and muscles seem to have three-dimensional depth and texture. The winners of the Drawing category have a similar way with pen and paper. This year, all the winners, including the honorable mentions, are women. First Place Ruth... READ MORE
Sculptors, carvers use humble materials
American sculptor Malvina Hoffman wrote in 1939 that “sculpture is a parable in three dimensions, a symbol of spiritual experience, and a means of conveying truth by concentrating its essence into visible form.” Whether it involves building up materials like clay or carving away stone, sculpture can tell a distinct story, memorializing a person, a moment in time, or even an... READ MORE
Jewelers work with color, beauty and joy
Ask any of the three winners of the Stained Glass and Jewelry category why they spend hours creating intricate works, and they’ll say the same thing: Because it makes them happy. The category’s juror, Maryland art designer and instructor Jill Tannenbaum, was pleased with the three winners and eight honorable mentions. “Overall, the quality was impressive,” Tannenbaum said of all... READ MORE
Poe’s stories come alive over the radio
Dr. Mallard leads his guests at the mental hospital to a cell, where a patient relates his sad story: “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore; while I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.” In the next 21 minutes, listeners hear the ... READ MORE
Arts 2024
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