Martha Lever of Jacksonville, Florida is one heck of a calligrapher and she’s got a fresh, punchy little blog to go with her talent.  If you’re doing any kind of art journaling, visual diary, lettering, or sketchbook work you need and I repeat….you need to give a click.  

She says, “I am a lettering artist (that’s a calligrapher who uses calligraphy as an art form rather than just wedding invitations) although that is an art form too. I have been practicing the art of calligraphy and lettering for 25 years. It is a difficult art to learn and it takes much patience, practice, and blood, sweat and tears. But the rewards are so great that you just can’t quit. I also am a mixed media artist and have been learning about this art for several years. It is fascinating all they mediums and techniques you can include in this wonderful kind of art. I will attempt to create an art piece a day. It might be calligraphic lettering of some kind, mixed media painting or watercolor. But the important thing is that I CREATE!!! Just creating is so important— and to enjoy the process–no matter how it turns out.”

Subject: College Art Association signs anticensorship amicus brief for upcoming First Amendment court case

CAA has signed an amicus curiae brief, prepared by the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), regarding a crucial First Amendment issue now facing the US Supreme Court.

US v. Robert Stevens involves part of a federal statute (18 U.S.C. § 48) that makes it a crime to own, possess, or display depictions of animal cruelty if the acts portrayed are illegal in the state where someone owns, possesses, or sells them—even if the acts portrayed weren’t illegal when or where they were performed.

A conviction in US v. Robert Stevens was recently reversed on appeal on the ground that the prohibition on the depiction alone violates the First Amendment, and the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case in the fall.

CAA and NCAC believe Section 48 is unconstitutional because it could deter and punish the production, distribution, and even the simple possession of constitutionally protected speech. If the lower court’s decision is reversed, not only will some lawful expression depicting animals being killed or injured be subject to criminal sanction, but the ramifications are also far-reaching: Congress and the states could outlaw the creation and possession of artworks that depict certain types of conduct simply on the basis that the conduct itself is illegal.

This would chill a wide range of expression, including, potentially, art that depicts such criminal activities as terrorist acts, drug use, and certain types of sexual behavior. Although CAA does not condone cruelty to animals or any other sort of unlawful conduct, CAA has long and firmly opposed artistic and scholarly censorship of all kinds.
See http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.collegeart.org/news/2009/07/28/caa-signs-anticensorship-amicus-brief-for-us-v-stevens/ for more information and http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.collegeart.org/pdf/CAA-NCAC-amicus-brief.pdf to read the full amicus brief.

We encourage your thoughts?  If you’re an artist working in the areas of animals, pornography, or 1st amendment censorship – let us know how this impacts you.  

The Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St, is featuring the work of Dan White, who spent almost two decades photographing Kansas City jazz musicians. The result of his work is The Fine Art of Jazz, a series of 50 black-and-white portraits of Kansas City jazz musicians. The exhibition also offers a look into the performers’ lives through excerpts of interviews with the musicians. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a suggested admission of $2. For more information, visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.  Read another fantastic review here.  The official ABHM press release is here. 

FotoWeek DC 2009 EXHIBITION:  Framing the Economic Downturn (FED)
Curated by Jim Hubbard, award winning photojournalist and Creative Director of Venice Arts, at Gallery O/H, 1352 H Street NE, Washington, DC

Deadline for entries: Works on the ArtFile Online must be tagged by 5:00pm on September 2, 2009
As part of FotoWeek DC 2009, WPA will present an exhibition of photography selected exclusively from the ArtFile Online (AFO) by the acclaimed documentary photographer, Jim Hubbard. In 1989, Hubbard created Shooting Back, a Washington-based organization dedicated to empowering children at risk by teaching them photography. For this exhibition, Hubbard invites photographers to submit works that are relative to today’s economic hardships.

“…This new exhibition will explore the human drama and its various visual forms against the backdrop of the current and former economic meltdowns that have left millions of our fellow Americans outside the American dream and framed through the lens.” 
-Jim Hubbard

Download the Call for Entry Form >>

Longwood Gardens invites you to participate in a harvest design competition that will take place during a extraordinary display with thousands of vegetables arranged in creative & artistic designs! 

On September 5-7, 2009 , Longwood will feature arrangements including an artichoke archway, tomato towers, a 12′ wide chandelier of golden corn, squash and lemons, and ten large-scale floral designs created by our continuing education students.

The community harvest design competition will be judged by top experts from Better Homes & Gardens magazine, leading florists and gardening professionals.

Entries must be at Longwood between 2:00 and 5:00 pm on Friday, September 4, or between 7:00 and 9:00 am on Saturday, September 5 to be considered for cash prizes. No pre-registration is required. 

More than 50% of the design must be fruits and vegetables. Designs should be artistic and creative, using only natural elements. Judging categories are: homegrown, locally (farmer’s market) purchased, grocery store/supermarket purchased and vegetable critters. Children are welcome to participate in all categories! For more information contact Karl Gercens at kgercens@longwoodgardens.org.

The Soundry, a new art space in Vienna, VA, opened last December and has been having wonderful experiences building a supportive community of artists, musicians, and creative people. There is a working artist studio, coffee shop, and gallery with a performance space, as well as events every night of the week.

“12 Angry Women” is an art show that will be the Soundry’s first juried show, and will include art submitted by only male artists and judged by only female art professionals. Its sort of a social experiment and we have no expectations as to what may result.

As a juror, I will sit on a panel with 12 women and judge submissions for the show based on established criteria.

Call for entries in the show have begun. You can view the Call for Entries here, and pass it along to any artists whom you think would be interested in submitting.

Melissa Branin
Curator/Member Relations Coordinator
The Soundry
316 Dominion Road
Vienna, VA
www.soundry.net
703-698-0088

How are you being affected by the global recession? As an artist, the conditions you face in this current economic climate should be heard and addressed.

You are among a select group of artists being asked to participate in the Artists and the Economic Recession Survey. The survey is being conducted by Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC), a ten-year national initiative to improve conditions for artists. CuDCis working withLINC and other organizations around the country to distribute the survey.

Your input about your experiences will add immense value to the study. The survey is being supervised by Princeton Survey Research
Associates International and is now available online. It will take about 15 minutes to complete and is offered in both English and Spanish. If you complete the survey, you will have the opportunity to enter a drawing for one of four $100 prizes.

Please click on the link below to complete the survey or type the survey website address in your browser. Once you are on the survey page, enter your User Name to begin the survey.

Survey web site: http://survey.confirmit.com/wix/p938893825.aspx Your User Name: ART818

Your participation in the survey is completely voluntary. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact techsupport@psra.com. Please feel free to pass along to other friends and artists.

FotoWeek DC is pleased to announce the second annual FotoWeek DC Awards has expanded from a regional competition to an international call for entries of remarkable imagery, both in single and series form, as well as multimedia pieces that combine the strength of still images with video, sound and graphics. Submit your best work!

Open to all professionals, amateurs, and students around the world.

The Perks: $21,500 in cash awards. Distinguished panel of
international judges. National Geographic Society Awards Ceremony Nov 5, 2009. Work displayed at FotoWeek DC Festival Nov 7-14, 2009. Published in Limited Edition 2010 FotoWeek DC Book. Media & Online exposure at fotoweekdc.org. Entries judged in 12 separate categories (including social documentary and multimedia. Images accepted in digital, film, cell phone, and alternatives processes.

The final awards deadline is September 13, 2009.

Click www.fotoweekdc.org for a complete listing of award categories, eligibility, rules, judges and information on FotoWeek DC 2009.