Artomatically Insane!

The Opening for Artomatic was insane! What was I thinking that I could post live that night. Too much happening, and too much moving around to get clear pictures, but I did get a few. Besides missing the season finale of Grimm, my phone died...perfect! Whats the purpose of  a full charge!


The evening started early for me. First, the VIP Reception where they had guest speakers. Call me a bad blogger for not getting their names, but it was hard enough trying to hear them.They were the people who made Artomatic possible in Crystal City. I met the representatives for the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation Prince Georges County, who will  purchase artwork from Artomatic participants who live, work, or have their studio in PG County. Connected with a few  people I have met while working on this project, which was nice.  There were also a few other participating artists at the reception, so I wasn't totally alone. So I took a few pictures.

Opening Night

Then the fun began! well sort of, part of my purpose for being there was to meet with the Co-Chairman of Artomatic George Koch who is also the creator of the Professional Development Series for Artomatic, which I  help coordinate. My task at the conclusion of my meeting, was to put posters in the two rooms being used as workshops for the series.  After doing that, I began to walk around and managed to get a few pictures that I didn't get to post Friday night. Talked with the Avi Wisinia band members, they were great to listen to and very nice guys. Julie Mack, a singer who was doing her volunteer shift on opening night, she performed the next night at Artomatic. Another artist, LenDeh Sherman whose work was very interesting and full of culture and heritage from Haiti, had work on the wall and floor (below).  I managed to post LenDeh and Avi before my phone died. Met and talked with a few people on my floor (3rd), one sister Natacha who is a lawyer and abstract painter, had a nice set up with her pieces, not too many, just the right size.  Her work is bright and colorful, layering her colors to create depth and movement. Her partner, Cynthia did the lighting. The artwork by everyone is great, even the not so great art got bumped up a notch somehow. A few other artists who I met before were at the opening, Larry Jones, Ishmail Reaves, Stephanie Smith to name a few, their work is part of the photo essay. It didn't seem like a lot of people were at Artomatic, until you tried to get on an elevator.  Most people went to the top and worked their way down.  The lower floors were not crowded.

Larry Jones

Ishmail Reaves

Stephanie Smith

Julie Mack

LenDeh Sherman Art

My buddy Sarah

Catching up with my new buddy Sarah, who is on the 11th floor, and does these awesome light bulbs that I want to buy, we decided to walk around and go to a floor we hadn't been on before. Saw a wonderful artists work named Focsi, does the afro-chyck style art. So much to see that there are areas with sofas for people to sit and enjoy the view on every floor. We ended up on my floor and I had to sit down, by this time it was almost 11pm.....oooh late! NOT! Just didn't realize that I had been walking around since 7pm. Wanted to stay and hear the bands play, but my stomach said "feed me!" and it could not be ignored. I did have a few beers and a few glasses of wine before that at the reception. There was finger food at the reception and I had managed to take a few cookies, so all was not lost.  But this was art overkill!! My head couldn't take another performance, art filled moment or artist. So I opted to leave, travelling alone has it disadvantages, but they can be life saving advantages in the end. 

Focsi

Getting home and thinking it was a great time to blog, I sat down at my computer and realized, "Houston, I have a problem!" my computer has an unwanted guest and now I whip out my IT repair hat and try to fix it. Had to hurl my IT hat across the floor! ended up taking my laptop to the geek squad at Best buy for them to tell me it's a virus! and they want $200 to fix it! Dude, I said, just give me the step by step and we'll go from there.  When I got home and tried to do what he said, it didn't work. So, after mumbling several expletives, I called my computer guru cousin in law Bo, things got better secured and my files restored.  Thanks to him, I can live to blog another day!! 


Taking and editing pictures as fast as I can to update the photo essay page.  There is so much art! My artist interviews are many and I'm editing them to post.  My friends are doing very interesting things. So stay tuned, its coming! See you next time, same blog time, same blog channel!