arts dispatch writes the pres about the NEA cuts

Barry Johnson's blog arts dispatch a loca-arts-ivore staple: here he writes to the president about the NEA cuts.

PDXOS calling all artists!

Portland Open Studios: Call to Artists

Deadline March 15, 2011

Jury: Mark Woolley, Elise Wagner, Modou Dieng

October 8, 9 and 15, 16

All artist studios open both weekends

Application at www.portlandopenstudios.com

What is Portland Open Studios?

The annual Portland Open Studios tour is a unique opportunity for you to open your studio to the public and educate visitors about your creative methods and materials, inspiration and enjoyment. As a member, you will meet other artists, have access to quality publicity and dialogue, and sell your work.

Open to all visual media. Artists are chosen by a jury of three art professionals.

The participation fee is $140 plus 8 hours of volunteer service. Artists who choose not to volunteer pay an additional $155. There is a separate non-refundable jury fee of $25 for early application before March 8. The jury fee is $35 from the 8^th to the 15^th.

Artists are required to open their studio and demonstrate their working methods both weekends.

Open to residents of Portland, Tigard, Beaverton, Aloha, Milwaukie, Oak Grove, Gladstone, Happy Valley, Lake Oswego, West Linn and Tualatin

Kimberly Gales Scholarship Artists 20–30 years of age are encouraged to apply for the Kimberly Gales Scholarship to Portland Open Studios. Recipient will have all fees waived, and will receive a $100 stipend. See the website for details.

The 2011 Jury

Mark Woolley founded one of the first commercial galleries in what is now the Pearl District in 1993. Known initially as Acanthus Gallery the space featured emerging, mid-career and iconic late career painters and sculptors as well as challenging and provocative "outsider" artists and socio-political installation shows coupled with legendary openings and literary events. For the last 17 years, Woolley has been a force for moving the visual and performing arts forward in Portland and co-founded the Wonder Ballroom in 2005. He currently curates a variety of independent spaces and sponsors selected individual and group shows throughout the Portland area.

Elise Wagner has been a working and exhibiting artist in Portland for over twenty years. Best known for her deft handling of the encaustic medium, Wagner teaches both nationally and internationally. Wagner is represented locally by Butters Gallery in addition to Chase Young Gallery in Boston, Hallway Gallery in Bellevue, WA and Aberson Exhibits in Tulsa, OK. Elise Wagner was the recipient of a 2010 Oregon Arts Commission Career Opportunity Grant to fund concurrent 2011 solo exhibitions in Boston and at the Sordoni Art Gallery in Wilkes Barre, PA.

Modou Dieng is an Assistant Painting and Drawing Professor at PNCA. Dieng is known internationally for his multidisciplinary artistic work conceptualizing visions of contemporary life. He has exhibited with numerous galleries including Steve Turner Gallery (Los Angeles), Pascal Polar Gallery (Brussels), Museum of Contemporary African and Diaspora Art (NY), and Carousel du Louvre (Paris). Dieng is the founder and curator of Portland’s Worksound Gallery.

Benefits of being a Portland Open Studios member artist:

• Have your artwork published in 2,500 full color Tour Guides with targeted distribution, and on the website with a link to your site. A ticketed map with your location will also be printed.

• Get 5 free Tour Guides and the use of studio signs.

• Connect with other artists in 2 free workshops as you learn marketing and demonstration techniques. Gain confidence with self-presentation.

• Submit announcements in the Portland Open Studios blog for one year

• Tangible benefits extend beyond the two weekend event:

The Tour Guide is a valuable catalog with your name and contact info given to and used by the media, curators, and art buyers all year long. Artists may be invited to exhibitions, sell their work, become the subject of news articles, or asked to teach classes as a result of being in Portland Open Studios.