Sensazione: Awaken the Senses
Opening reception Friday, March 28 from 7 – 9 p.m. Don Beyer Volvo (1231 Broad St., Falls Church). After opening night, this show will be moved to the Falls Church Arts gallery in the back of Art and Frame (111 Park Ave, Falls Church. Gallery Hours: Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). The show will continue to run at Art and Frame from Monday, March 31 through Saturday, April 19.
This is Falls Church Arts’ biggest show of the year. The opening receptions at Don Beyer are typically packed to the gills with Falls Church City art patrons and elected city officials.
Youth Art Show: Middle and High School Students
March 25 through April 8. Reception Thursday, March 27, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
The show features works by McLean area middle and high school students, organized by Fairfax County Public School Art Teachers. The show will be held at the McLean Project for the Arts, on the second floor of the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean). Gallery Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Saturdays, 1 – 5 p.m.
For more information, call 703-790-1953, or see www.mpaart.org. This show always seems to offer up several amazingly accomplished young artists.
Yuri's Night Out 2008
Tickets now on sale for this April 12 event at the Art Whino Gallery (717 N. Saint Asaph St., Alexandria). Tickets are $20 in advance, and $25 at the door.
When the going gets wacky, nothing beats hanging out with a horde of artists blowing off steam. This one would certainly seem to qualify as such. The premise for the celebration is that Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's April 12, 1961 voyage into space — the first human space flight — needs to be commemorated. What better way to do that than host the “most out-of-this-world” party you can think of? Of course Stoli will be there. Wherever Russians go, Stoli goes.
A mix of a rave and performance art might be the best way to define this one. Doors open at 8 p.m. and, for those still able to hear the last call, will close at 2 a.m. There are enough events on this schedule that you'll feel like you've been subjected to the Vulcan Mind Meld before it's all over.
For starters, you'll want to plot the trajectory on your celestial costume, as prizes for best orbital outfits will be awarded at midnight. Flight suit … Check.
The Stoli sponsored (De-) Hydration Sequence runs from 8 – 10 p.m. featuring cosmic concoctions. Ticket price includes three tankfuls with a cash bar refueling station throughout the night. Rocket fuel … Check.
Preflight Band Performance runs from 9 – 10 p.m. featuring Mr. Moccasin. Uh, Houston, we have a problem. How ya gonna Moonwalk in moccasins? Houston, this here Injun needs some proper dust kickin' space boots. Some people never know how to dress for the mission.
Performance Orbit is scheduled to run from 10:30 p.m. – 1 a.m. featuring burlesque acts, Gilded Lily Troupe & L'il Dutch; Scenes from Landless Theatre Company's Space Battles and starring Miss Saturn and her 40-plus Hula Hoop-derived Celestial Rings. All of this is hosted by Master Uranus. Speak for your own planet pal. DJs will be launching tunes all night long.
Splashdown is 2 a.m. This is a 21 orbits and over event. Oh yeah … there will also be 9,000 square feet of interstellar art on display.
Artist Opportunities
arts council @ grace
This annual show at Greater Reston Arts Center is the Fairfax Arts Council's big annual show, with a cash prize package totaling $2,000. It's almost the only open-call show they have. The Arts Council backs the work of other arts organizations in Fairfax County throughout the year. This one they put their name up front. Along with Arlington's annual Ellipse Arts Center Photo show, this show has been running roughly since dirt was invented. They are certainly the two longest-running, annual Northern Virginia art shows I can recall.
The postmark deadline for submissions is Friday, March 28. Visit www.restonarts.org/exhibitions/Exhibit-Opps.htm, or call 703-471-9242 for more information.
Art-omatic 2008 Approaches
The hottest news this week … Art-omatic 2008 is about to be launched. The pre-announcements have gone out, which is actually necessary at this venue. The only way they can possibly be fair to everyone is put the word out to watch for the upcoming announcement. At that point, virtually every D.C.-area artist will attempt to jump through the required hoops at the same time.
Art-omatic is enough of a free for all as it is. Running the sign-up process any other way would surely generate rumors of favoritism and the like. So, this is the way we do it. Be sure to get on the Art-omatic email list and watch your e-mail like a hawk the next couple of weeks or so. The venue for this edition is the Capitol Plaza I Building (1200 First St. NE, D.C.). The nearest Metro station is on the Red Line at New York Avenue. Use the M street exit.
This Art-omatic will run from May 9 through June 15. Site delection for visual artists will be held April 12–15. Although the exact date when the sign up process begins is still a state secret — even I can't shake them out of — it has to be very, very soon. Do not delay. If you aren't already on the Art-omatic email list, beat feet to www.artomatic.org.
At 200,000 square feet of floor space, this one will be seriously big.
