Artful Weekend July 2-3 – The Art League

Welcome to Artful Weekend, our guide to fun and interesting ways to enjoy art in person or virtually.

This weekend: The June 2022 Landscape Exhibit, The Spirit of Carnival by Beverly Valdez, and the 2022 Student/Faculty Show at the League; Connections at Foundry Gallery; and printmaker Karen La Du’s coastal inspired works at DC Arts Center.

June 2022 Landscape Exhibit

For the June 2022 Landscape Exhibit, League member artists present works that capture a sense of place. From quiet countrysides and majestic mountains, to lively streetscapes and varied bodies of water, artists expressed their visions in acrylic, collage, mixed media, oil, photography, printmaking, watercolor, and sculpture. A mix of 94 figurative and abstract artworks are featured. It was juried by Thaisa Way, the director of garden and landscape studies at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C.; and landscape architecture photographer Sahar Coston-Hardy.

The Spirit of Carnival by Beverly Valdez

In The Spirit of Carnival, June’s solo artist Beverly Valdez conveys the essence of carnival culture in her homeland of Trinidad and Tobago. Valdez’s series of brilliant, abstract paintings speak to this popular event’s history, symbolism, nuances, and iconic themes. They are joyous, musical, and dynamic! The Spirit of Carnival is on view through July 3.

2022 Student/Faculty Show

Our annual Student/Faculty Show gives our student body and instructors an opportunity to shine! This year it returns online and includes artworks completed by students between the March 2020 and Winter 2022 terms, as well as signature works by instructors. It was juried by Scott Hutchison, an Associate Professor of Practice in painting and drawing at Georgetown University and former Art League painting and drawing instructor, and is on view through July 15.

Join us via Zoom as we celebrate these artists during the Virtual Reception and Awards Ceremony Sunday, July 10, 2–3:30 pm. RSVP here.

Connections

As the longest day of the year passes, we take for granted the heated embrace of humanity. We try to find ways to busy ourselves, we try to ignore the drums of our souls. However, summer is waiting with more opportunities for physical and emotional Connections. Foundry Gallery’s July All-Member exhibit celebrates these connections. Attend the opening reception Sunday, July 2, 5–7 pm. Connections is on view through July 31; 2118 8th St NW.

Surf: A View From After by Karen La Du

“I have drawn and communed with the sea for most of my life as I was fortunate to call an idyllic barrier island home,” says artist Karen La Du. Surf: A View From After, her solo exhibit at DC Arts Center Gallery, features petite prints with bold color juxtapositions of organic shapes, providing alternately microscopic and enlarged views of the collaged originals that mimic the ebb and flow of the tides. Surf: A View From After takes you into imaginary landscapes reminiscent of a beautiful garden where land, sea, and sky converge. It is on view through September 25; 2438 18th Street, NW.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

This is the final weekend of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival! Spend time this weekend at the National Mall enjoying music and dance performances, craft workshops, kitchen demonstrations, hands-on family activities, and much more—all free and open to the public. The festival is open this weekend through Monday, July 4. Check the schedule for all of the exciting happenings at this year’s Folklife Festival.

Enjoy the long weekend!