Alexandria’s distinguished shop, A Show of Hands, which does double time as a hub of art and community activity, has taken on consignment twelve original, self-taught artworks by Shauna Lee Lange. Six pieces are photographic works taken between 2006 – 2008 and the remaining six works are reproduction pictorial archives of printer’s ornaments in a variety of pencil types. Lange’s pencil work is unlike any other currently on shop’s display, where over 200 artists are represented.

Pat Miller, one of the locally made craft and artwork boutique owners, juggles interacting and conversing with shop customers, the city’s Sheriff, two artists on consignment, and two babies all in the course of a half hour on a Saturday morning. Miller IS a mover and a shaker and her shop on Del Ray’s Mt. Vernon Avenue not only promotes arts as a whole in the community, but serves as lifeline to Miller’s investment in the arts. It is no wonder the shop was named as Virginia Retailer of the Year. Miller is involved with the City of Alexandria’s Arts Commission and she is the vital linchpin in Del Ray’s Arts on the Avenue (Oct. 4, 2008).

We thank Pat for her enthusiasm and support of this writer, and we look forward to working with her in a variety of arts capacities in the near future.

Washington DC’s Shauna Lee Lange Arts Advisory has donated an original artwork in pencils and reproduction renaissance printers blocks to the Washington DC non-profit organization Beyond Talent. Beyond Talent, headed by Ellie Phillips, will be holding a fundraising event in the upcoming months. The education fundraiser will feature a silent auction of donated artworks to support its causes of success.

More than 50 percent of the students who enter DC high schools do not graduate. For many, a GED or other high school-equivalent credentials offer a second chance to get the education they so desperately need to begin a career, and support themselves and their loved ones. Unfortunately the drive and intelligence needed to earn a GED are often not enough. Adult learners face a host of other financial, social, and emotional challenges that can delay or prevent graduation from a GED program.

Beyond Talent believes that no one is better equipped to help non-traditional learners face these challenges than the people who have already overcome them. Beyond Talent matches top GED graduates with current GED students in mentoring relationships that provide the current students with the insight and support necessary to overcome adversities and achieve their educational goals.

In addition to core mentoring programs, Beyond Talent provides financial and other support to program participants eager to continue their education at college or in vocational training and certification programs. Beyond Talent is also developing other innovative ways to build capacity and foster academic achievement among non-traditional learners beyond the high school-equivalent level.

Explanatory text about Beyond Talent is adapted from their website.

Last year’s Art on the Avenue was hot. I mean uncomfortably hot. When I saw our good friend, painter, and silk-scarf designer Wynn Creasy melting in the sun, I really knew it was hot. Wynn doesn’t wither away easy, you know.

Vendors lined up nice and early and they were the refreshing, cottage-y kind – moms trying to make a business out of nothing but elbow grease and intuition. Jewelers trying to out-design and out-create sustainability adornment. Or take the couple who had hand-pressed dried flowers into elaborate and careful garden inspirations. That’s Del Ray’s Art on the Avenue. It has a completely different feel, different flavor, and different fun for art lovers in Alexandria.

October 4, 2008 is the date set for the Mt. Vernon Avenue multicultural extravaganza, festival, and all around part-ay. If you’re in for that kind of thing, you may want to check out the volunteer opportunities as exhibitor slots are now full. If you’re a musician hoping to impress what is sure to surpass last year’s 40,000 visitors count, you won’t want to miss this Saturday soiree.

De-installing an art exhibit, particularly one that’s been running for several months, can be a strange experience for the artist. When you haven’t seen works for a period of time, it’s always a bit of a shock to view them anew. It’s a strange out-of-body experience with the self telling the self, “I did that. I made that. What do I really think of that?” And so with that strange set of emotions, there is also satisfaction at having shown and sadness at seeing an exhibit come to an end. For a short time, you were an exhibiting artist and now that the display is down, what does that make you?

It’s Shauna Lee Lange Art Advisory’s experience that de-installation is also almost always fraught with technical de-hanging problems. They can’t find the maintenance man with the keys, the gallery director is absent, you need to come back and sign paperwork, it’s the gallery attendant’s first day, the works are not in the condition you left them, and then there’s always the nasty business of attending to any outstanding commission payments. Uuughh. What’s worse, is then there you are, carting your little box of wares out to the car like you did on the day you were fired from the corporate job you hated before you even became an artist.

Like life, art exhibits are cyclical with definable stages. But remember, an artist exhibits to share a vision and to sell. And when one day, you go to do your de-install, and shockingly and surprisingly you find some of the works actually SOLD – it’s such a joy and a great confirmation. Recently, we even had the pleasure of meeting a collector who purchased small pencil works inspired by antique printers blocks. And when the collector sees the beauty you see and the collector’s sense of aesthetics clicks with yours, whew! It’s like you can finally exhale – like you’ve been holding your breath and now you can relax, go back to the studio, and start all over again.

Image: “Basket” mixed media pencils and pastels by Shauna Lee Lange 2006..

Having attended each of the past five outdoor annual arts festivals in Old Town Alexandria, Shauna Lee Lange Arts Advisory looks forward to this year’s celebration slated for September 13 – 14th. Over all the past years, we walked away most amazed at the growth in glass art vendors (see the in-depth glass works article on this site) and most surprised by the year that had a young man of less than 13 years of age selling driftwood from a side table.

We’re blessed to live in a community with such a rich arts culture and one that happens to be less than 15 minutes away from our nation’s best arts archives. The Alexandria Festival of the Arts features jewelry, sculpture, photography, mixed media, incredible oils and watercolors, musicians, good weather, and dogs. Oh, you’re going to see dogs. Dogs mixed in with bicyclists, kids in strollers, cups of coffee, and bottles of water. Bring your sunglasses, comfortable walking shoes, and an eye of discernment in selecting works for your business or your home.

Alexandria’s own first woman veteran owned arts writing, arts designing, arts coaching, and arts consulting firm, Shauna Lee Lange Arts Advisory, specializes not only in acquisition and placement of art works, but also in determining appropriate market price points so you know you’re getting value for your art investments.

Washington DC-based Shauna Lee Lange Arts Advisory is scheduled to attend an intensive September seminar in Connoisseurship and Collecting, held at the Ripley Center, Smithsonian and co-sponsored with the American Society of Appraisers and Weschler’s Auctioneers and Appraisers. The session includes a private preview and reception where William P. Weschler and Thomas M. Weschler will address issues facing today’s antiques market, the workings of auction houses, and will host preview displays of paintings, jewelry, and decorative arts. Additional session speakers include Sandra J. Tropper on “All About Fine Arts”; Paula Hantman on “Quality in Furniture”; Martin Fuller on the “World of Gems and Jewelry”; Louise T. Hall on “Silver as a Collectible”; Leatrice Eagle on “Contemporary Crafts and Design”; and John V. Lanterman who will serve as moderator.

Image Credit: Shauna Lee Lange Arts Advisory, “Antique Sign” August 2008.

Shauna Lee Lange Arts Advisory earned the endorsement of New Hampshire’s established Photographer Scott Bulger. Bulger says of the Washington DC-based arts firm: “Eager and enthusiastic, Shauna has the knowledge and ability to get things done.” Top Qualities: Personable, Expert, Creative. Service Category: Promotion/Marketing. Year first hired: 2007. Shauna Lee Lange Arts Advisory has been writing, designing, coaching, and consulting for the art world since 2006.

About a year ago, Bulger and Lange worked together in taking an initial look at marketing Bulger’s work. Many artists who live in rural-suburbia find it a challenge to find pathways to large metropolitan art markets. To some in the arts world, this is known as regionalism – a work in Paducah doesn’t sell in Paducah, but bring it out to La Jolla and suddenly they’re charging at the door. In New York markets, out-region artists are highly courted for representation. For many artists, regionalism is a double edged sword.

The metropolitan market doesn’t necessary know who’s out there in the yonder regions and the out-region artist feels (s)he can’t get placed in the big city. For Bulger, Lange made detailed recommendations about presenting Bulger’s work via the Internet. Lange also provided tips on creating a “branding” presence through a web site. The two then explored ways Lange could channel DC photographic opportunities to Bulger. Ultimately, Bulger decided to continue to do the day-in and day-out of what was working for him at the time. The effort of the two is a credit to the adage for artists especially in minding your relationships as they often return unexpectedly.

Photography chose Bulger at an early age. Purchasing his first 35mm camera at 16, photography became firmly entrenched as part of his self-identification. Studying the work of the photographers that he most admired; Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Alfred Stieglitz, Elliot Erwitt, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, a common thread was realized and switching to B&W seemed a natural transition.

Working solely with B&W film for the next 20 years, Bulger developed a style that notices the details and displayes them in a unique way by separating them from their surroundings to concentrate on their inherent beauty. Bulger’s work has been displayed in many exhibits, published in text books, has won numerous awards, and is included in several private collections. In 2001, “A Portrait of the Yucatan,” a collection of photographs from Mexico was also published.

Like all masters, Bulger’s turned to sharing and teaching aspects of photography to students with a different vision. Three years ago, Bulger switched to digital capture and output and he has slowly begun to reintroduce color into his work. Bulger currently teaches “Black and White Darkroom” and “Introduction to Digital Photography” at Kimball-Jenkins School of Art in Concord, New Hampshire where he also sits on the School of Arts Advisory Team.

In the future, when the opportunity arises, Shauna Lee Lange Arts Advisory looks forward to sharing with gallerists and museum curators the unique challenges Bulger’s work represents. In the meantime, Lange is very pleased to hear of Bulger’s continued photographic success.

Featured small scale images are directly from the artist’s website. Arched Door, Concord, NH, Aug 08; Double Door, New Hampton, NH, May 07; and No Trespassing, Epsom, NH, Jul 06.