Events

Organized by the Laurel Art Guild, this annual exhibit is juried
by a regional professional and showcases works by artists
ages 18 and older who live in the Washington metropolitan
area and surrounding states. The exhibit includes paintings,
drawings, photographs, wall-hung sculptures, collages, and
more. This year will be the 55th anniversary exhibit. Cash
prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third places, and
three merit awards. Get involved in your local arts activities
and enjoy the support and camaraderie of your fellow artists.
Find more information at laurelartguild.org.

Through painting, Cynthia Rivarde explores connections, as
well as the disruptions, in nature, people, and time. Drawing
from her experiences of living in Florida, California, and then
back to Maryland, she has made connections that illustrate
the pathways in her collective experiences. Using planes of
color, similar to Cezanne or Fairfield Porter, Rivarde paints in
layers and linear work that emphasizes gesture and color.

Working in varied media allows artist Sharon Hart Sefton to utilize her love of drawing, painting, and printmaking. She creates nature portraits of landscapes, plants, and animals for which she has a deep appreciation. Some artworks in the show are inspired by the poetry of Emily Dickinson, a Victorian nature lover, student of botany, and an avid gardener.

Montpelier Arts Center’s 43rd annual invitational sculpture exhibition showcases the Washington Glass School. Using glass as the primary creative material, the artists from the Washington Glass School explore new territories, going beyond the boundaries of tradition. They illuminate and examine the diverse worlds we live in, sparking conversations and creating connections. To register for the Artist Talk/Luncheon, please call 301-377-7800 by Monday, June 10, 2024.

Using paper that was invented in China and introduced into
Korea around the 3rd Century, Sookkyung Park utilizes this
material to explore the connections between people. Through
the repetitive process of folding and threading paper, the artist
expresses harmony and community through structure and
form. Paper has a rich cultural significance as she grew up in
Korea where the windows and walls were made of paper. In
her exhibit, she intends to define the flexible characteristics of
paper, its indispensability along with its strong natural power
of being made from wood.

Melissa Burley combines reclaimed objects and symbols
from the past and creates illuminated sculptures that may
include glass, test tubes, furniture parts, clocks, bicycle
components, and resin. In a surrealistic manner, Burley dives
into the dreams of our unconsciousness to explore symbolism,
theories, and mysteries of what we dream and why.

While originally a painter, Chris Kirages also works in
sculpture. Kirages will show us his affinity for ceramic work
with new pottery from the wheel. Working in two divergent
mediums allows him to explore a multitude of possibilities.