WSS Artist Faculty Spotlight

This group exhibition, curated by Audra Lee, reckons with the ways longing has shaped life, sometimes as a source of hope, sometimes as a way of avoiding the present. Peruvian-American artist, Andrea Fort, will show four new works alongside artists, Maurice Scarlett III, Ayanah George, Heather Brown, Brian Tolbert, Jamillia Kaye, and Ray Puerini. Through sculpture, painting, collage, photography, and poetry, the talented artists in this show give form to that tension. Their works speak to the ache of yearning—for love, safety, connection, belonging—and to the quiet strength of sitting with desire without trying to resolve it. Opening: Saturday November 8 | 5 - 9 PM Poetry Reading: Saturday, November 15 | 7 - 9 PM Curator/Artist Talk Close: Saturday, November 22 | 1 - 3 PM

The current exhibit at XoXo Gallery, honors the importance of creative community that mentors and sustains us on our individual creative journeys. Phyllis Mayes pulls together artists from the D.C. metro area with two Baltimore artists in FAUNA. Exhibit Statement: In the mid 1990’s when I was around 40, I started taking classes at the Washington Studio School. This went on for many years, and I now consider myself to be a working artist. This is thanks to the people in this show who were my teachers and friends. Three of them have passed on; many are retired or current faculty members. I added two from my current gallery, XOXO, whose work so compliments theirs. I decided to focus on the human figure plus other animals thus the title, Fauna. This is my homage to a magnificent group of artists and teachers. The work speaks for itself. -Phyllis Mayes

Chinedu Osuchukwu's works will be shown alongside a vibrant collection at the highly anticipated grand reopening of the Studio Museum on Saturday November 15th, in the museum's stunning new home along with community celebrations.