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Welcome to Artist Alley,
Washington County Arts Council's electronic newsletter.
We hope this publication will engage you with the arts in your community.
WCAC welcomes your ideas and support as it continues to take the lead in bringing together the community's art organizations to strengthen our region's arts culture.
For artist information, arts events, calls for art, and more visit WCAC's web page...
www.washingtoncountyarts.com.
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Most images are "clickable," meaning you can click or touch an image
to go to that event's website/event page.
| | Because of you, art thrives. | | |
Denny Clarke: Hands, Faces, and Whatever
Thursday, July 3, 2025 - Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
Opening Reception: Thursday, July 3, 2025 from 5pm to 7pm
in the Main and Michael G. Callas galleries at
34 S Potomac St, Ste 100, Hagerstown, MD 21740
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7th Annual Washington Goes Purple
2025 Call for Artists
The Washington County Arts Council, Inc. (WCAC) and Washington Goes Purple invite local artists working in any medium to submit their art for the September 2025 exhibit, “The Art of Overcoming: Healing Through Creativity.” The juried community art exhibit be on display in the gallery from September 4 through September 30, 2025.
“The Art of Overcoming: Healing Through Creativity - Exploring themes of recovery from substance use and mental health challenges through the transformative power of art.”
Please read the entire Prospectus and Guidelines before submitting artwork.
Then, submit up to three entries with the Submission Form.
If chosen, please adhere to the Hanging Specifications
and fill out the online PR/Media Release Form.
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Washington County Arts Council
Exhibits - Call for Artists
The Washington County Arts Council is currently accepting show proposals for 2026 through 2031. Please click the button below, download and fill out one of the documents, save it to your computer, and email back with your proposal and required materials (listed in the document) to gallerymanager@washingtoncountyarts.com.
Applications encompassing both galleries are encouraged! Please make note of the intent to show in both galleries within your application materials.
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Membership
Meet & Greet
Saturday June 28, 10 AM-Membership Meeting
Whether you are a member already or not, you are invited to learn about our organization, ask questions and meet the folks that keep the lights on.
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The Potomac Playmaker Performing Arts Center
17303 W Washington St
Hagerstown, MD 21740-5155
potomacplaymakers@gmail.com
(240) 513-6260
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Saturday, July 5 - 3:00 to 4:30 PM
The Elements of Two Dimensional Art
Gallery Talk – Just Lookin’ Gallery
Have you ever paused to consider what truly captivates you when you encounter a piece of art? While our instinctual reaction often centers around the image, there is a wealth of intricate techniques and intentional choices made by the artist that shape our experience. We invite you to delve deeper into the fascinating world of art by exploring fundamental concepts such as line, negative space, motion, and visual weight. Each of these elements and many more plays a vital role in forming the narrative resonance of the artwork. Discover the hidden stories behind the art that speaks to your soul!
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Just Lookin' Gallery
40 Summit Avenue
Hagerstown, MD 21740
P 301.714.2278
www.justlookin.com
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Over the Mountain Studio Tour Summer Preview
Shepherdstown, WV - The artists of the Over the Mountain Studio Tour will present their annual summer preview and sale July 11-13 at Evolve Shepherdstown, 106 West German Street, Shepherdstown, WV. The show opens Friday evening July 11 from 5-8pm with a welcome reception. Come and meet the artists, or visit them on Saturday July 12 from 11:00am - 7:00pm and Sunday July 13 from 11:00am - 4:00pm.
The purpose of the summer show is to introduce the latest work by Over the Mountain Studio Tour members and is a preview to the work that will be available during the group’s annual fall tour. This year the group welcomes one returning member and two new artists. Returning is wood artist Charles Steven Adams. Painter Rebecca Grace Jones and ceramic artist Denise Kupiszewski are the newest members.
For a taste of things to come, make the Over the Mountain Studio Tour summer preview part of your July 11th weekend plans. Visitors will be treated to high quality fine art and fine craft work in basketry, glass, painting, graphic art, fiber & textiles, jewelry, metals, ceramics, wood, paper, and more. Evolve Shepherdstown is located near the corner of King Street and parking is free on weekends. Mark your calendar for the annual Studio Tour this year on November 8th and 9th.
The Over the Mountain Studio Tour is a juried group of working artisans located in Jefferson County, WV. Every year on the second weekend of November, the artists open their studios to guests on a self-guided tour, to share their work and life as artists. Now in its 36th year, the Over the Mountain Studio Tour highlights the work of artists living locally and is the longest running studio tour in West Virginia. For more information, visit https://www.overthemountainstudiotour.com/.
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Auditions
July 14-15 @ 7
The story of Second Samuel steps out of all stereotypesand any, what you might call, narrative bounds. There really isn’t an individual hero, no specific protagonist other than the town itself. This tale is about the decisions and consequences that have to be faced by the small community of Second Samuel GA, and ultimately, by each of our communities today. It boils down to one question: What does “Love Your Neighbor” actually look like?
With a healthy dose of humor, and a little added music, PamelaParker’s original work, Second Samuel questions some of the most divisive issues of the 21st century.
Directed by Cathy James with kind permission of Dramatic Publishing Company, auditions for Second Samuel will be held on July 14 and July 15, 2025 at The Potomac Playmakers Performing Arts Center, located at 17303 W. Washington Street, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740. Auditions start at 7:00 p.m. and will consist of cold readings from the script. The play calls for seven men and four women, ranging in ages from 25-60. People of color are strongly encouraged and needed for the cast, and one female performer will be needed to sing in a gospel style. The show will run September 5-7 and September 12-14, 2025.
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Through July 27 – Cumberland Valley Photographers
Juried, annual exhibition showcasing artists of the Cumberland Valley region. Organized by the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, support for the exhibition has been provided by Conservit, Inc., and Delaplaine Foundation, Inc; awards funded by Jennifer Jones of Cooling Services, Inc.; Hugh and Marty Talton; Nora and Bruce Wilder (Best in Show); Sherry Cramer (Juror’s Awards); Louis Kawaja in honor of Ms. Mary Helen Strauch; and Washington County Arts Council (Juror’s Awards).
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Washington County Museum of Fine Arts
401 Museum Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.
(301) 739-5727
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Lesa Cook Workshop
August 1 & 2, 2025
In this 2 day workshop students will work from their own photos to create a low relief in water based clay. Taking inspiration from the reliefs of Saint-Gaudens, Verrochio, and contemporary sculptors, we will sculpt a bas (low) relief. Animal, human, you choose the subject matter and provide the reference photo. (If it is a person, the suggestion is to use a profile). Learn techniques for creating the illusion of depth in a shallow space, and combine drawing and sculpting to create a shallow relief that can be wall-mounted after firing. Topics explored will include proper use of tools, properties of clay, preparation for firing, and finishing details. This class is open to all levels of sculpting but best for students with some drawing experience. Instructor will loan tools for use in class, and keep sculpture pieces hydrated between classes.
About Lesa Cook
Lesa Cook is a sculptor and painter living in Burkittsville, MD. She has studied under: Robert Liberace, Richard Weaver, Brian Booth Craig and others. She spent two years in the sculpture program at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. She is an instructor at the Delaplaine Art Center in Frederick, MD, and is a certified copyist at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.. She has won numerous awards and her work has been shown internationally. She has a passion for figurative work, and is an enthusiastic and experienced teacher. Her work can be seen at www.lesacook.com, and on Instagram: www.instagram.com/lesacook_art.
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Frida Kahlo: Picturing an Icon
This summer and fall, visitors to the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (WCMFA) in Hagerstown, Maryland, will have the opportunity to view Mexican artist and activist Frida Kahlo’s life as she saw it – not through her paintings, but through her personal photographs, as captured by friends, lovers and family members.
Frida Kahlo: Picturing an Icon, running through October 5, offers an intimate view of the celebrated artist’s life and consists of 115 images out of the 450 images and objects acquired in 2003 by Cuban-born Vicente Wolf, a New York City-based interior designer believed to be the owner of the largest known collection of personal and family photographs of Kahlo in private hands.
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Washington County Museum of Fine Arts
401 Museum Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.
(301) 739-5727
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Opportunities for Artists
Explore MSAC grants and opportunities available to independent artists.
Click here for details.
Maryland Arts Directory
A free online platform that showcases the high-caliber, diverse,
and relevant work of Maryland’s artists and arts organizations.
Click here for details.
Arts Across Maryland
Use our map to find public art, arts venues,
and Arts & Entertainment Districts to explore.
Click here for details.
Resource Bulletin
The MSAC online Resource Bulletin is maintained by the Maryland Art Place,
and includes local, regional, and national opportunities, calls for artists,
grants, and vendor opportunities.
Click here for details.
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The Washington County Arts Council, Inc. is funded by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), an agency of the Department of Business & Economic Development. | | |
The Washington County Arts Council is a proud member of
County Arts Agencies of Maryland,
Maryland Citizens for the Arts, and Americans for the Arts
| | The WCAC facility is wheelchair accessible! | | |
Thank you for providing your email address to the
Washington County Arts Council. Your information was obtained from
at least one of the following methods: signing our guest book,
becoming a member, donating, entering a contest, or exhibiting with us.
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