Next Waldorf West Library Gallery Exhibit to Feature Horticulture Theme

Submission Deadline Extended to May 20!

You still have time to submit your artwork! Computer issues delayed on-line submission, so the date has been extended to May 20, 2013.

The multimedia exhibit will be held from July 2 - September 30, 2013. The galleries are located in the new Waldorf West Library.  

The upcoming show will center around a horticultural theme. According to Webster's Dictionary, "horticulture" is the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants.  This upcoming art exhibit seeks to explore the breadth and depth of nature's bounty and beauty in Charles County.  Charles County's heritage has rural roots, with traditional farming a focal point of the local economy.  In addition, gardening is the number-one hobby today in the United States, and is increasing in popularity every year.


Local artists are invited to submit a maximum of two artworks to the Charles County Arts Alliance for consideration (there is no submission fee). 

Artwork entries must be submitted electronically as low-resolution digital images (jpegs) attached to an email sent to waldorfwestgallery@gmail.com. Entries should include artist's name, title of artwork, medium/materials used, size/dimension, year created, and price if applicable.

Artists who have previously shown in the gallery are invited to submit new work for consideration.  

For more information on the Waldorf West Gallery, the Charles County Arts Alliance and joining its membership, visit the website at www.CharlesCountyArts.org or call 301-392-5900.

ARTS ALLIANCE PRESENTS ANN MAGGI MEMORIAL EXHIBIT

Civista Medical Center Gallery, La Plata 

The Charles County Arts Alliance presents a special memorial exhibit showcasing the artwork of the late Ann Maggi at the Civista Medical Center Gallery in La Plata. The show will run through the end of May.

Maggi, who passed away a year ago, left behind a wealth of paintings -- a small sample of which now hangs in the gallery located off just off the main lobby of the La Plata hospital. Maggi had a special connection to the hospital, having been a nurse for more than 25 years at Civista.

In addition to being a visual artist, Maggie was a talented writer, actor, and singer. Her love of music came through her Irish parents who sang the old ballads, which she joined in on, imbuing her poetry with the same rhythm, humor, and longing. Her book, a compilation of hers and her sister's poetry title "The Moriarity Sisters." She shared her vocal and acting talents with the Port Tobacco Players, performing in their road show, "The Comedy of Broadway." In 2006, she was chosen as Charles County's Senior Idol winner, and she went on to be the second place winner of Senior Idol for Maryland.

A group of Maggi's friends -- Pat McConkey, Lynette Smoot, Judy Durner, Kathy Keough, and Diane Kenney -- presented the idea to the Arts Alliance for the exhibit.

"We were concerned that her many paintings would languish unseen in storage and knew that Ann would have loved the idea of her artworks being displayed at the hospital where she devoted so much of her life as a nurse," said Durner. "She was such a special individual whose love and good humor extended far beyond her family to include everyone with whom she shared her many gifts and talents. We all felt blessed by her presence."    

 
Proceeds from the sale of any of the displayed artworks will be donated to Maggi's favorite charity, The Sisters of Mt. Carmel.

 Saturday, June 8, 2013
12:00 Noon - 6:00 pm
La Plata Town Hall

The Charles County Arts Alliance (CCAA) is pleased to announce that ArtsFest 2013 will be held this year on Saturday, June 8, 2013, from 12:00 noon - 6:00 pm, at the La Plata Town Hall! This annual countywide outdoor event celebrates ALL the arts in Charles County: music, visual art, drama, dance and literature. Now in its 21st year, it is the largest arts festival in Charles County!

ArtsFest is returning to La Plata this year and will once again bring the festivities to the lawn surrounding the beautiful La Plata Town Hall. Last year's ArtsFest in La Plata was well attended by over 2000 individuals from across Southern Maryland. Previous ArtsFests have been held in Indian Head, Cobb Island and Waldorf.

Arts Alliance President Diane Rausch, said, "We are delighted with our continuing partnership with the Town of La Plata, and appreciate their support as our host. We are planning to make ArtsFest 2013 a memorable one!"

Visual artists of all media are invited to display and sell artworks on the lawn at ArtsFest 2013. In addition, arts organizations are invited as exhibitors to display information and encourage participation in their performing, visual and literary arts activities. Also invited as exhibitors are historical, heritage, multicultural and environmental organizations.

ArtsFest 2013 is the Art Alliance's "free gift" to the citizens of Charles County and Southern Maryland. There is no charge to the public to attend. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase throughout the day.

Last year's ArtsFest showcased over 60 artists and exhibitors at the La Plata Town Hall, along with musical and dance entertainment at several locations on the lawn. ArtsFest 2013 promises to be even more spectacular, with several special events taking place throughout the day.

ArtsFest 2013 Registration Forms and additional information are available on the CCAA website (www.charlescountyarts.org), so please check there for all information needed to participate in this year's festival.

Please save the date and mark your calendars for ArtsFest 2013 on Saturday, June 8!

CALL FOR VENDORS for Green Craft fair
Deadline to apply:  April 1, 2013

 The Calvert County Citizens Green Team is pleased to announce the addition of a Green Craft Fair to The 5th Annual Calvert County Green Expo to take place Saturday, April 20, 2013, 10am-5pm at Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, Dowell (Solomons), Maryland.         

ELIGIBILITY for GREEN CRAFT FAIR:  the call is open to vendors who sell goods that are:  earth-friendly, salvaged, upcycled, recycled, home grown, homemade, sustainably-harvested, revamped, refurbished, fair trade, OR organic, etc.  This includes eco arts & crafts, home décor, plants, jewelry, pet products, body & health, food, home & garden, bee products, kids products, toys, fashion, and more!     Deadline to apply:  April 1, 2013!

To apply or learn more about the GREEN CRAFT FAIR, CLICK here!

For general information about the Calvert County Green Expo, emailcalvertgreenexpo@gmail.com or visit www.calvertgreenexpo.org.   

CALL FOR ARTISTS
Waldorf West Library Multi-Media Exhibit  


The Charles County Arts Alliance, in partnership with the Charles County Public Library, presents its second exhibit of local artists for the new gallery in Waldorf West Library in St. Charles.  The exhibit will be held from February 9 - June 30, 2013.  Visual artists throughout Charles County are invited to submit artworks for consideration.  The deadline for submission is January 25, 2013.     

Due to space limitations, only 25-35 total artworks can be displayed.  Charles County artists are invited to submit a maximum of two (2) artworks electronically (jpg file) to the Arts Alliance at   WaldorfWestGallery@gmail.com for consideration. The deadline for submission of proposed artwork entries is January 25, 2013.  The show is open to all Charles County residents. Artwork must be original, two-dimensional, properly wired, and ready to hang. There are no size restrictions. Only digital (jpg) submissions will be accepted. For more information and complete submission guidelines, visit the Arts Alliance website at www.charlescountyarts.org or call 301-392-5900. 

Call for entries for the annual Mattawoman Creek Art Center's  "Holiday Salon: Shopping Days at MCAC", scheduled to run November 2 to December 16, 2012.  Artists may rent a 7'x8' booth space in the Center to sell original artwork and prints for the holidays.  Tables, easels, etc may be used for displaying works in allotted spaces.  Artists are responsible for set up and take down of their booth areas and are requested to attend the reception for the exhibit on Sunday, November 4, 2012.  Entries may be brought to MCAC between Thursday, November 1st and Saturday, November 3rd, at which date spaces must be completely set up.  An entry fee of $30 for members and $45 for non-members is required.  For more information visit www.mattawomanart.org.    

About Mattawoman Creek Art Center   Mattawoman Creek Art Center (MCAC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1986 to encourage the practice and appreciation of the visual arts in the Southern Maryland community.  Located in Smallwood State Park in Marbury, Maryland, the Art Center is open Fridays - Sundays from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. for exhibit visitors. It is also open whenever workshops or special events are taking place and by special arrangement. MCAC receives support from Charles County Commissioners, Charles County Art Alliance, Maryland State Arts Council, Benefactors, and MCAC's membership fees.  Donations are gratefully accepted.   Follow us on Facebook!

People’s Choice Award via annmariearts on Facebook


Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center (Annmarie Garden) congratulates Anya McCullough, 7, and Dennis Halcomb (Anya’s Grandpop), 77, winners of the People’s Choice Fairy and Gnome Home Contest!   Anya and Dennis will receive a Gift Certificate to Wentworth’s Nursery and a Family Membership to Annmarie Garden for their beautiful 2 foot hexagon shaped cedar fairy home, titled Fairy Wishes.    

Fairy Wishes, the perfect title for this perfect home, was inspired by a fairy home made from cardboard and leaves on a rainy day.  Anya and her Grandpop developed this idea that created this magical home, complete with a loft, stone fireplace, furniture, removable roof (for easy cleaning and interior decorating), staircase with railings, and landscaping to follow once the house is returned (currently on exhibit at Annmarie Garden through October 8, 2012).

“Whether you are 7, or 77, fairy and gnomes are for everyone” states Anya’s mom, Gina McCullough.  The Best in Show Competition via Annmarie Garden’s Facebook page, created a lot of positive energy and interest!  McCullough and Halcomb’s home received 134 likes, 25 comments, and 25 shares!  

The 3rd Annual Fairies in the Garden exhibit is on display until October 8, 2012...don't miss all the magic and fun! Be sure to look through one of the five windows of Fairy Wishes, you will be pleasantly surprised and may even wish that you were a fairy!

Come beat the heat with a weekend of fun in Leonardtown Square! A special First Fridays event on August 3rd from 5 – 8:00 p.m. kicks-off Leonardtown’s Beach Party on the Square event the next day, August 4th from 4 – 9:00 p.m.  

On the first Friday of each month, the Leonardtown Business Association celebrates First Fridays from 5 – 8:00 p.m. with a variety of specials offered by our Town businesses in downtown and uptown Leonardtown, the Leonardtown Arts Center, Port of Leonardtown Winery, the Maryland Antiques Center complex, the Shops at Breton Bay and Breton Marketplace. 

The August celebration of First Fridays will be a great evening of art, entertainment, food, and special offers.  Have a bite to eat with friends and family, buy your raffle tickets before it is too late, and drop off your used cell phones to benefit Hope Phones. Then come to the Square for the live music starting at 6:00 p.m. featuring the talents of Miles from Clever, or just listen to the tunes as you browse from store to store. 

Join the crowd in the Square at 7:30 p.m. for the Summertime Raffle Drawing to see who wins First prize - a gorgeous, hand-crafted coffee display table built by artisan carpenter Rob Seltzer of Herring Creek Furniture.  Ticket holders are also eligible for a variety of Gift Certificates from local businesses – like Port of Leonardtown Winery, Good Earth Natural Foods, Big Larry’s Comic Book Café, Brewing Grounds, and Fenwick Street Used Books and Music.  Summertime Raffle tickets will be on sale through August 3rd at Port of Leonardtown Winery, Fuzzy Farmers Market, North End Gallery, and Fenwick Street Used Books and Music  -  $1 each or 12 tickets for $10. 

Get some rest Friday night, because you’re going to need the energy for great family fun at Leonardtown’s Beach Party on the Square the following day, Saturday, August 4th from 4 – 9:00 p.m.   This action-packed event is sure to provide a good time for all!   Highlights include the fantastic tunes of The 25th Hour Band, the high-stepping jump ropers of Greenbelt Sity Stars, energetic line-dancing with Pam Veitch, The Daughters of Veda Mid Eastern Dance Troupe, Zumba dance with Robyn Butcher, strolling juggler Philip DePalo, and scientific magic and hands-on experiments with Mad Science!  Take the free shuttle to Tudor Hall where you and your children will learn about the culture surrounding the War of 1812 with engaging activities and historical re-enactors.

The fun continues throughout the evening with a tug-of-war in the sand hosted by the College of Southern Maryland, fire truck hose-downs provided by the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department, inflatable Velcro sticky wall and Bungee Football, moon bounce, kids’ sand pit, hula hoop, jump rope and limbo contests, face painting, crafts, informational displays, games, prizes, food and much more! Both for the young and the young-at-heart, is a display of antique cars and classic corvettes.  Returning to the Beach Party this year is the Running of the Balls, at 7:00 p.m. on Fenwick Street Hill.  Get your prepaid balls from any Leonardtown or Lexington Park Rotary member, at any businesses where you see the Running of the Balls signs, or at the Beach Party event.

If  you’re looking for the water slide, it isn’t in the Square this year, it’s been moved to the Leonardtown Wharf to join the kayaks and stand up paddle boats, as well as the new Giant Basketball Hoop.  Stroll down the hill or take the Hillside Ride shuttle to enjoy the picturesque scenery on beautiful Breton Bay and talk to Mike McWilliams, a waterman and representative of the National Waterman Heritage Foundation.  

Admission to Leonardtown’s "Beach Party" is FREE, but please note that the inflatable Velcro sticky wall and Bungee Football will require wrist bands, which can be purchased for $5 each and allow for unlimited use throughout the event.  Food from Town restaurants, as well as local food trucks and non-profit organizations will also be available for purchase.     

On Beach Party day, Saturday, August 4th, from 12 Noon until 11:00 p.m. several streets in the downtown Square area will be closed to thru traffic.  You are encouraged to park at the College of Southern Maryland and take the free shuttle bus, provided by Carter’s Bus Service, into the downtown area.  Leonardtown’s Beach Party on the Square is held in historic downtown Leonardtown in the Town Square, on Washington and Fenwick Streets.  This event is sponsored by the Commissioners of Leonardtown and the Leonardtown Business Association.

A special thank you to our Beach Party financial sponsors:  Quality Built Homes, Inc., MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, Two Guys Collision Center, College of Southern Maryland, Loiderman Soltesz Associates, Inc., Cedar Point Federal Credit Union, Salsa’s Mexican Café, St. Mary’s Macaroni Kid and a grant from the St. Mary’s County Arts Council and the Maryland Arts Council.

For more information on Leonardtown’s August First Fridays or the Beach Party on the Square events, contact the Office of the Commissioners of Leonardtown at 301-475-9791 or email us at leonardtown.commissioners@verizon.net.  You can also visit First Friday on the web at www.leonardtownfirstfridays.com and Leonardtown on the web at www.leonardtown.somd.com.  

Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center (Annmarie Garden) celebrated Art Blooms, a unique floral exhibit, co-hosted by the Calvert Garden Club and Ann’s Circle of Annmarie Garden, with a fundraising gala on Friday, July 13, 2012! Proceeds from the Gala will benefit the artLAB, Annmarie Garden’s creative reuse center.

Attendance was 170 and included hors d'oeuvres by Canard’s catering, performances by the Patuxent Baroque Trio and Southern Maryland Teen Piano Group, and blossom creations in the artLAB. Art Blooms coincided with the awards reception for Treasured:  honoring precious and vanishing worlds, an exhibit that seeks to reveal the beauty and vulnerability of the endangered and the threatened.  Treasured jurors Dr. Joshua A. Bell (Smithsonian Institution) and Professor Lisa Scheer (St. Mary’s College of Maryland) presented four awards to the following artists:  Riccardo Berlingeri’s Hope, Sasha Zhitneva’s Apple Juice, Karen Lemmert’s Turfgrass, and Al Denyer’s, Mississippi 5, Mississippi 6.

Art Blooms was a three day show featuring the work of 38 floral designers from across the region. Each floral designer was assigned a work of art and asked to create an arrangement. The results were surprising, beautiful, and provocative!  A number of arrangements are visible at Annmarie Arts on Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/annmariearts

Art Blooms would not have been possible without the generosity of floral designers, artists, sponsors, patrons, friends, volunteers, and guests.

For additional information about the floral designers, please contact The Calvert Garden Club.  

Scavenger Hunt, Fairy & Gnome Home Silent Auction, and Best in Show

  Find fifty-eight fabulous handmade fairy and gnome homes scattered along the shady walking path at Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center (Annmarie Garden) in Solomons, Maryland this summer.  The beautiful backdrop of Annmarie Garden is the perfect setting for this fabulous collection of homes constructed of everything from gum balls to solar panels.  With an exhibit that includes houses titled, Tooth Fairy, Meadow Flower Manor, Palm Tree Beach Resort, Tea House to name but a few, a visit is necessary!  Guests start their magical tour by stopping in the Arts Building to pick up the ‘Can You Find…? guide, created by noted graphic artist, Melinda Fabian.  Fabian has created a delightful guide that features hidden pictures, a puzzle, and a location map for all the houses. 

Fairy and Gnome homes for sale (over 20 homes to choose from)

Are you looking for a new home for your garden?  This summer twenty–two homes are available for Silent Auction!  Houses for sale are labeled accordingly and the public can register to bid within the Arts Building (simply complete a form and a number will be allocated to place bids).  The auction will take place throughout the course of the exhibit; final bids are due the first week of October!  The highest bidder of each home will be able to take their home…home!  All proceeds from the auction support the artLAB, Annmarie Garden’s new creative reuse centre. 

Best in Show Competition – Like your favorite fairy & gnome home on Facebook

Vote for your favorite fairy & gnome home on Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/annmariearts#!/annmariearts

The Fairy/Gnome home with the most comments and likes will win a Gift Certificate to Wentworth Nursery and a Family Membership to Annmarie Garden (should artists already be members, Annmarie Garden will simply extend their membership for an additional year).  Annmarie Garden employees and their family members are ineligible to win prizes.  The competition will conclude on July 31, 2012!  The winner will be announced on Wednesday, August 1, 2012.  ‘LIKE’ Annmarie Arts on Facebook and then comment on the home that you love!  Homes are numbered 1-58, with corresponding artist names.  Happy voting!