NEXT MEETING: June 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Glenview Mansion.

Greetings

This will be the last newsletter for this year. I want to thank Rebecca Waring for taking the helm as newsletter editor for the past two years. She has done a wonderful job and we are going to miss her. WE STILL HAVE NOT HAD ANYONE VOLUNTEER TO TAKE OVER AS NEWSLETTER EDITOR AND ARE IN DIRE NEED OF A VOLUNTEER SOON. Our newsletter is essential to RAL’S ability to function and communicate with our members. The newsletter provides artist call for entries, art events and allows our members to announce their own shows, awards or places they are exhibiting. Also our newsletter is posted on our web site, which gives wider access to our shows and events. PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING. IF WE DON’T HAVE A NEWSLETTER EDITOR BY SEPTEMBER WE WILL NOT HAVE A NEWSLETTER. PLEASE contact me through e-mail sschelb@hotmail.com or phone 301-984-7211 or cell 240-401-9134

Our Spring show was a big success. Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations to those who were accepted and the award winners. A tremendous thank-you to Marian Macker for coordinating the show. This is a very big job and Marian does it with so much grace and efficiency. We also appreciate the many volunteers who helped with the show. Seventeen people volunteered to help with receiving, judging, hanging and pick-up. So much cooperation from our members really helped to make things go smoothly and resulted in a beautifully hung show. Also thanks to Julie Farrell and Anne Nicholson for their work in hanging the show and Anne’s daughter did the lighting. Finally, a very big thanks to Sandra Levine and her volunteers for the refreshments at the opening. Many members commented on how much they enjoyed the judge, Roberta Staat. This was the first walk through I remember where the judge commented on almost every work and did not just focus on the prize winners. She kept us moving and we actually finished before 9:30. If you have a piece in the show and were not able to attend the walk through she probably commented on your work. Her comments were positive but with plenty of constructive criticism thrown in. We may want to think about having her come to one of our monthly meetings and conduct a members critique.

MEMBERSHIP in the ROCKVILLE ART LEAGUE has been declining for the past few years. The board is discussing ways to attract new members. We welcome any input and suggestions from all of our members. If you know of any potential new members encourage them to join. All information for membership can be found on our website. We had two new members and one interested among people who came to see our show. I also have fliers that people can distribute. Please spread the word. It benefits all of us.

We are also planning programs for next year. We have a richness of creativity throughout our membership. If you have any suggestions for programs, speakers or demonstrations please let Liliane Blom or me know. Also if you have any art-related technique, approach or topic you would like to share please let us know.

One of the missions of RAL is to provide support to students of the fine arts in the form of a $500 scholarship award to Montgomery College’s Art Department. This year’s recipient was Stephanie Anne Stevitch. We would like to congratulate Stephanie Anne and wish her success in her art career.

Our next meeting will be Thursday, June 5^th at 7:30pm. We will not meet again until September.

Susan Schellberg, President

This is my last issue as editor of the Rockville Art League Newsletter. I hope that someone will take a few hours each month to volunteer for the Rockville Art League to keep the newsletter going. From feedback we get, it seems that quite a few folks look forward to the newsletter each month. I can get you set up so it will take a minimum of time – a few hours a month. All you need are email and Microsoft Word. I get most of the ‘calls for artists’ from a list that is put out by the Montgomery County Arts and Humanities Council – you just sign up. Otherwise the various board members send you their contributions and you just type it up and send it along to our Webmaster, Noble. There is certainly room for you to add your own creative touches if you feel so inclined. Also, you get to participate in the board members’ show each year. Please email Susan or me if you can step up to the plate. Board positions are for a 2-year period. It is crucial that we fill this position if members want to continue to receive the newsletter.

Congratulations to all the Winners! Thank you to our juror, Roberta Staat, for judging a wonderful show. Roberta had a lively walk through. She kept us moving from room to room and tried to talk about every piece. Some of the members had difficulty locating Roberta’s website. Please try this address; www.mysite.verizon.net/rmstaat/.

There was some confusion as to what categories some artworks should be placed in. I believe we need some guidelines for each category. I would like some suggestions even perhaps a small committee to meet for about an hour. Please contact me via email or phone with suggestions at 301-590-9437 or mackerer@comcast.net. If you are willing to meet and discuss please let me know.

Thank you,

Marian MacKerer

May 2008 -Rockville Art League Juried Member Show

Following the May show we now have 177 members on board, two of which are new members: Rachel & Robyn Hatton.

Robyn at very short notice was very good to provide me with a small BIO about herself:

" I am the mother of a daughter and daughter of a mother who are artists. Their companionship and encouragement in art has been one of my life's treasures. I am currently painting mostly in oil, but enjoy forays into other media. While children's book illustrators were my heroes as a child, I was strongly influenced by artist friends of the Taos Art Colony as a youth. The "Old Masters" enthralled and challenged me in later years, during my studies in Holland. These days I keep one foot in the basics while I teach art, and with all the others, including my left, I continue to take steps to grow in the wonderful gift of art that never ceases to amaze me."

Welcome to our new members and thanks to all our members who renewed last month!

Artomatic 2008

Other membership news: we have member artists exhibiting at Aromatic 2008 at Capital Plaza I - corner of First & M streets NE - NY Ave Metro. This huge show of over 1000 visual & performing artists will run until June 15th. The space (a brand new building) & the show is great!

Our artists are:

1. Lillian Blom - 11th floor SW section

2. Jackie Hoysted - 7th Floor SE

3. Cynthia Farrell Johnson 12th floor NE

I've posted photos of the above installations at :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26622976@N08/sets/72157605042005058/

Check out Artomatic.org for a schedule of events: workshops, music, recitals ... something for everyone!

Phone: 301-330-5265

Web: www.jackiehoysted.com

Erwin Timmers of the Washington Glass school will be our speaker in June.

Erwin Timmers is co-founder and co-director of the Washington Glass School, where he teaches glass, lighting, sculpture, and metal work.

Originally from Amsterdam, he moved to California where he graduated from Santa Monica College for Design Art and Architecture. In 1999 he came to the Washington DC area and since then his sculptural artwork has been on display in an increasing number of local and regional galleries. He has received numerous public art commissions and is also featured in various private collections.

Erwin is one of the area’s leading "green artists". Recycling, waste and how they relate to society are recurring themes in his work. Erwin’s main medium is one of the least recycled materials; float glass or window glass, and he has had to develop new techniques to exploit the properties of this material. His approach to art is multifaceted, incorporating metalwork, innovative lighting and glass design.

The Washington Glass School was established in 2001 as a unique educational program. The Washington Glass School provides education for artists and the general public. It encourages research and exploration of new techniques in all aspects of glass, as well as other media such as steel, ceramics, lighting and electronics.

The School’s hallmark is using glass as an expressive component in a larger whole; mastering technique in order to express the content the artists want to convey. Their artworks take the next inevitable step; they ask a question, tell a story, and invite the viewer to be part of the dialog. These ‘post-craft’ artists strive at making works that transcend words and discrete disciplines - and therein lies their beauty.

A number of the Washington Glass School artists embrace concepts and principles of using sustainable resources to convey ideas about the relationship between industrial and natural resources. The eco-artworks focus on the use of recycled materials to convey ideas about the relationship between human craft making and industrial technology.

The school maintains its tradition of educational innovation and keeps its place on the cutting edge of the intellectual and creative life of Washington, DC.

The Washington Glass School is located at 3700 Otis Street, Mt Rainier, MD 20712. This is approx 4 miles northeast of Logan Circle (off Rhode Island Ave).

It's time to get prepared for the Montgomery County Arts Association's

Labor Day Weekend

Also be a part of the Plein Air Event (A show within a show!)

In order to enter, One Work Must Be Based on a Subject within the 20895 Zip Code of Kensington.

Other works are subjects of the Artists' choice.

So get out to Kensington and take your reference photos or set up your easel! This show is very well attended and many works sell. Cash awards and prizes are given to the winners in 4 categories. This year's judge will be Nicholas Simmons.

See you in September!

Debbie Halprin

For more information contact Debra Halprin at halprinart@aol.com or 301-260-9701

Several RAL members are participating in Artomatic 2008

May 9 through June 15
1^st & M Streets NE

www.artomatic.org

Mara Odette

7th Floor, SE, C6

"CATRINA"

My Installation "Catrina" honors my ancestors in the Mexican tradition. "The Day of The Dead" is the most important holiday in Mexico. My sculpture/installation is mixed media, including papier mache, fabric, styrofoam and acrylic.

My work consists of paintings, sculptures and installations. I use different media, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, clay, glass, and designer cast. I like to make installations because they allow me to play with a wide range of materials.

I am a Mexican-American local artist with roots in Chiapas and Studio in Bethesda , Maryland . I have exhibited throughout Mexico and the United States, to include frequently in the Washington , D.C. area. I have paintings in numerous collections in the U.S. and Mexico.

My next exhibit of Oil Paintings and Sculptures will be at the ORCHARD GALLERY, located at 7917 Norfolk Avenue , Bethesda , Maryland , from July 10 throughout July 30, 2008.

Please visit my Website www.maraodette.com

Liliane Blom

11th floor – SE corner

"NORWEGIAN NIGHTS"

Norwegian Nights is the first of a projected series of installation pieces entitled "Outside Inn" by local artist Liliane Blom and is to be displayed at Artomatic 2008 in the up and coming NoMa neighborhood of Washington DC, for 5 weeks starting May 9th.

This series of environmental art pieces brings the vastness and beauty of the outdoors indoors. It brings the mountains, ocean and woods to the viewer in the urban areas. The pieces are meant to remind the viewers of the amazing world of which we are a part, by putting them in the middle of it. They are what she dubs "green art" - their purpose to remind the onlooker in a way that is neither preachy nor overbearing, but experiential and meditative, of the world we share and are the stewards of. It is also meant to stir in the viewer’s soul, a longing for these places and a desire to commune with nature.

And on a sad note, RAL member Iris Cotter passed away this week at Shady Grove Memorial Hospital. A talented artist, Iris has a piece in the current show and has been an award-winner in the past. She will be missed.

8th Annual American Landscapes at Maryland Federation of Art, September 5-October 12, 2008.  Slide/digital deadline June 25.  Juror: F. Lennox Campello. All media depicting the American landscape.  Up to 2 entries $25, additional 4 entries $5 each. Awards $1,500. For prospectus: Send SASE to MFA Circle Gallery, Dept. RAL, 18 State Circle, Annapolis MD 21401; email: info@mdfedart.org with subject line American Landscapes Dept. AA; or download from http://www.mdfedart.org/.

"17th Annual National Juried Exhibition" call for entries - MD Deadline: June 2, 2008. The Art Institute & Gallery in Salisbury, Maryland announces a call to artists for the "17th Annual National Juried Exhibition", held September 14 - October 11, 2008. Cash Awards: Best in Show $1000 & 2009 Solo Exhibit; 2 Awards of Excellence @ $500 each; 3 Honorable Mentions. Juror: Ellen Harris, Former ED of Aperture Foundation, NYC; Former Deputy Director of the Museum of Modern Art. The competition is open to artists over 18 years of age, residing in the United States working in all media. 2D artists may submit one digital image for up to 3 artworks. 3D artists may submit up to 2 images each for up to 3 artworks. Only images on CD will be accepted - no slides. For more information, visit http://www.artinstituteandgallery.org or send a SASE to: Art Institute and Gallery, Box 193, Salisbury, MD 21801. $35.00 non-refundable entry fee. Questions? Please contact Fred W. Peterson at aiandg@comcast.net or call 410-546-4748.

(Sorry this is late – I just got it. Rebecca)

Studio Spaces Available at Glen Echo Park – Deadline Extended to May 27. The Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture is seeking visual artists and nonprofit visual arts organizations to join the Park’s Resident Artists and to lease studio space in the refurbished Chautauqua Tower. Artists are invited to join us for an Open House on Saturday, May 3 from 10:30am to 1pm for studio tours and more information. Two studios will be available for a 1-3 year lease starting on July 1, 2008. For further details about Glen Echo Park, its resident artists, and to download the Request for Proposals, please visit http://www.glenechopark.org/. Responses to the Request for Proposals are now due on May 27, 2008.

Artist-Created Identity for Metropolitan Branch Trail Design Budget: $7,550 Deadline: Friday, May 30th, 2008 at 5:30 pm The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH), in collaboration with District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and surrounding communities, is seeking an artist or artist team to work with urban designers, transportation and trail planners, landscape architects, civil engineers and District government employees to create a comprehensive and cohesive plan that visually unifies the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) with artistic enhancements. This artistic driven identity created by the selected artist(s) will be included in a variety of signage and amenities along the trail as well as maps and materials about the trail. This call is open to Mid-Atlantic artists. To download the Call to Artist please visit, http://dcarts.dc.gov/ For more information please email Deirdre Ehlen at Deirdre.Ehlen@dc.gov or call 202-724-5613.

Folk Festival T-Shirt Design Contest – Last Chance Friday, June 5 is the final deadline for the 2008 Takoma Park Folk Festival T-Shirt Design Contest. The winning entry will be used for t-shirts sold at this year’s Festival, and the artist will receive $200. The deadline for submission of a design is Friday, June 6. The contest is open to everyone in the community, artists and non-professionals. Designs should reflect the music, dance and cultural heritage displayed at the Folk Festival. A panel will judge the entries on originality, artistic merit, suitability for reproduction on a shirt, and reflection of the themes of the Festival. Full instructions are available at http://www.tpff.org/ The Barracks Row Main Street in Washington, DC seeks an artist or artist team to design, create and install an urban mural for the SE Freeway overpass that divides the south end of 8th Street SE, now known as Barracks Row. The goal of this project is to create a unique landmark that expresses the character of the surrounding neighborhood. The large mural will help draw residents and non-residents for repeated viewings to the area and reinforce a sense of place within this community. For application and more information contact: Louis Wassel Contractor to the Barracks Row Main Street Program 202-544-3188 or louis.wassel@gmail.com

Fall For The Arts at Lake Anne - VA Deadline: May 21, 2008. Fall for the Arts at Lake Anne is accepting entries from fine art and fine crafts artists in the VA, DC and MD area. Our two day festival will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2008 and Sunday September 21, 2008 and will feature 50+ fine arts & fine crafts artists. Fall for the Arts at Lake Anne will be at the Lake Anne Village Center. The Lake Anne Village Center, is the historic heart of Reston, Virginia. A destination spot for residents and visitors alike, Lake Anne Village Center prides itself on being internationally recognized as one of the finest examples of the modern planned community. Entry forms are available at http://www.lakeannearts.com/ Hours are September 20, 10:00 am 6:00 pm; September 21, 10:00 am 4:00 pm. For more information email info@lakeannearts.com.

Please send an email to Rebecca if you know of events or websites that members would enjoy! rswaring@yahoo.com

RAL 30-day Glenview Mansion Member Shows in Conference Rooms 5 & 6 (Rm 6 has the fireplace) are open to members who have received awards in previous juried member-only shows.  If you have received a 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd place award and would like to sign up for a 30-day show in the conference rooms, please contact Diane Jeang at 301-871-1589 or swinedoc@yahoo.com

Chair person: Diane Jeang (301) 871-1589 E-mail: swinedoc@yahoo.com

Message to RAL Members: There is no one signed up at the Rockville Community Center yet this month. Please contact me if interested, I do not want any wall empty. Also, a new show is starting at the Wheaton

Library June 15, 2008, please contact me to sign up now. Thank you. Diane Jeang

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