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
Artists bring new life to shops
In a cozy, second-floor studio at Long Reach Village Center in Columbia, where the walls gleam with a fresh coat of white paint, artist Stacey Berger stepped back from a collage to gain perspective. She gazed at the meticulously arranged, diamond-shaped pieces of orange and blues. “I tore pages out of National Geographics and cut them into strips,” explained Berger, surrounded by the ... READ MORE
Fresh deliveries help support local farms
The turning point in Mark Lilly’s life came in 2008, when the former Marine decided to take a course at the University of Richmond, where he worked. As part of the emergency management class, titled “Hazards and Threats of the Future,” Lilly had to create a 20-year projected scenario of a disaster; in his case, famine in the West in the year 2029. When he predicted a pandemic... READ MORE
Scaled-down performances start to return
“Gathering to hear a story is a basic human need,” said Edgar Dobie, Arena Stage’s executive producer and president. Amid challenging pandemic protocols, gathering has been a fleeting fantasy for most, but some area theaters are re-opening with limited and re-imagined programming. The show is going on, cautiously, at several creative theaters. “Art will always find a way,” said ... READ MORE
Reminiscing about desserts of childhood
At 3 a.m. — sleepless yet again — odd memories can flit through what’s left of one’s brain. The other night, for no particular reason, I conjured a vision of a dessert I haven’t eaten in more than 65 years. It was called Apple Brown Betty. Perhaps it was a mainstay of elementary school lunch for you. It certainly was for me. There it sat, in a little circular dish, sliced ... READ MORE
To-dos and no-nos for your autumn yard
It’s hard for me to relax in my own back yard because I always see tidying to do. In the late fall, however, I can relax a bit. That’s because it’s easier and more environmentally friendly to leave leaves and ignore the decaying stalks of herbaceous plants. Overwintering insects, birds and other creatures make use of what looks unkempt to our eyes. If allowing the plants in your ... READ MORE
Arts 2024
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