Open Studios at new 'Mid City' Location

Washington D.C.'s Mid City Artists Open Studios took place on Sat, May 22nd & Sun, May 23rd 2010; it featured 27 participants, 5 new members and a whole plethora of work.

(from l to r: Joren Lindholm, David Peterson, Hannah Naomi Kim, Thomas Drymon)

Featured throughout the whole 2nd floor studio was the work of my studio colleagues Thomas Drymon, Hannah Naomi Kim, David Peterson as well as mine. Most of the art I displayed were framed oil colors which I made throughout 2009 and a few new ones from this year. In addition to that there were one or two viewer surprises, including a wall installation of drawings that I had done in different styles. My work has been described as 'surprising humor and irony, and emotive fields of color alternating with lyrical imagery'.

view of 'Isabella Etruscan' and 'Stationary Girl' (photo: Kim Vu)

Among the hundreds of attendees were a number of french families (painting appreciators invited through a local french mothers' network), people from the fitness center, staff members from DC Commission on the Arts, art & culture critics from The Washington Post, fellow area artists and lots of friends and local professionals. Also making the rounds were photographers from ReadySetDC and Borderstan. Within the two weeks that followed, Tom, Hannah, David and myself were each the subject of online artist features. See mine via the Logan-area Borderstan blog, here.

We have been at 1716 14th Street NW #2 (between R & S Streets) since February. Consequently, in conversing with some of the open studio visitors we found out some locals knew more about the building (and former occupants) than we had up to that point.

(photo: Liz Medina Chiomenti)

The event was relief-inducing for me; it completed a period of transition that started in February, when I moved out of my former space at Takoma Park's A.Salon building, subsequently readjusting to and customizing the new one. It was a busy springtime, in the middle of which I was completing and framing the 12 pieces which I contributed to Tom's premier group show at Dupont Circle's Studio Gallery.

View of Tom Drymon out back from my window (photo: Kim Vu)

We do this twice a year.

Our next Open Studios event (in the same location) is November 6th & 7th, 2010.