Black Friday held us in its grip as we feverishly snapped up the biggest and best bargains, including the up-to-the-minute technology gifts on your loved ones’ list of wants, or maybe you’re waiting for tomorrow’s Cyber Monday deals. If advice is worth anything (it’s not but I’m going to offer it anyway), make those deals and check those items off your list and then participate in a different type of insanity: Midnight Madness, occurring the first three Thursdays every December.
In reality, Midnight Madness shopping is far more sane and in keeping with the holiday spirit than getting carpal tunnel. Online shopping is here to stay, but we can have the best of both worlds, because nothing can replace the experience of seeing and touching that new shiny thing. You get a three-for-one by coming out to the galleries on the next three Thursdays (Dec. 5, 12, 19).
First, you’ll find original art that is high quality and wallet friendly. Second, you’re supporting local artists and businesses. Third, and this might be the most important one this season, you’re creating and fostering social connections — meet local gallery and shop owners, enjoy music in the streets and have your pick of food choices galore. You are guaranteed to come away with great art gifts and at least one new friend.
MFA Circle Gallery is delighted to present the 22nd Annual “Small Wonders,” an exhibition filled with work by artists who create small and dream big. Little things can make a big impact, and the details come together to form a bigger picture, or in this case, an exhibition of 113 small but wonderful works. Visit Circle Gallery to see the Small Wonders exhibition open now through Dec. 21. To hear the juror discuss the exhibition and award-winning pieces, the Virtual Awards Ceremony is online via Zoom at 5 p.m. today. Visit the mdfedart.org website to join. There will be an in-person reception during Midnight Madness to celebrate the artists from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday. Circle Gallery will also be open the following two Thursdays for Midnight Madness until 7 p.m.
Looking to reduce stress, calm anxiety and heal your soul? These are a few special qualities that people feel who adore about their pets — cats in particular! “Meow Meow” at West Annapolis Artworks is on display and for sale through January. Experience the love these local artists have for their cats through their work. Find solace and a “companion” to your home’s ambience with original artwork and clever vintage finds. West Annapolis Artworks will be open during the West Annapolis Community’s Holiday Market with hot chocolate, shopping and a visit from Santa from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Stay tuned for an after-hour holiday gathering at West Annapolis Artworks.
“Holiday Artisan Market, Artistic Gifts of the Season” has opened at the Galleries of Quiet Waters Park. Its 13th annual show and sale is open now through Jan. 5. Work can be removed when payment is complete. Artworks are from the following: Audrey Lengbeyer, ceramics and fresh greens; Brenda Larson, paintings and oyster shells; Chesapeake Woodturners, wooden accessories for the home; Chesapeake Weavers, weavings to wear and to use in the home; Kelly Lagaras, paintings, decorations, Firelight glass, fused glass and ornaments, jewelry and accessories; Norma Brooks, coiled baskets, rugs and coasters; and Paul Gruner, functional ceramics for the home. The Galleries in the Visitor Center are open weekdays and weekends during regular hours. The park entry fee is $6 per vehicle.
MFA at 49 West presents the work of Steven Krueger, opening Thursday and running through late February. Krueger considers art as “the skill to document one’s emotions.” His interest in painting began during visits to Austrian museums while he was living in Vienna in 1997. He began painting the next year and created works while staying in Guatemala, Finland, Argentina and more. His artwork energetically echoes Abstract Expressionism, Cubism, and other styles, but with his own twists to better explore human emotions and sentiments. Meet the artist at a reception in the back room at 49 West from 5 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 8.
There is a new art gallery in town! The Annapolis Pearl Gallery just opened its doors at 32 West Street, where 13 local artists are showing a wide range of work, including acrylic and oil painting, mixed media, digital artwork, photography, laser-cut woodwork and hand-crafted jewelry. Art enthusiasts are invited to visit seven days a week, just in time for the holiday shopping season. Join them for an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday and stay for Midnight Madness.
Annapolis Marine Art Gallery is featuring new works by waterfowl artist Christopher Forrest.Forrest has been in Hyperrealism Magazine, American Art Museum and is a member of the American Society of Marine Artists. View the new works during Midnight Madness and meet local photographer Mike Driscoll on Dec. 12 during the Annapolis Holiday Market.
McBride Gallery presents “Small Gems,” its annual holiday show featuring little works of art with big character. This exhibition showcases a curated collection of small-scale pieces, perfect for holiday gifting or personal enjoyment. They are especially excited about Deborah Kommalan’s latest chalkboard trompe l’oeil paintings. Experience the charm and creativity of these unique pieces while enjoying artist demonstrations and light refreshments all three Thursday evenings of Midnight Madness.
Jo Fleming Contemporary Art presents “Art for Gifting,” an exhibit and sale offering affordable selections by 12 regional artists. The works include monoprints, ceramics and wood turnings. The show will fill the front gallery and run through December. Please join for “Midnight Madness” events all three Thursday evenings from 4 to 9 p.m.
Maryland Hall’s Openshaw Gallery presents “Baroque’n” by Nichole Leavy with an opening wine and food artist reception at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. This Openshaw Artist in Residence show is an exhibition of Mixed Media Assemblage featuring broken and discarded household items that have been transformed into objects of opulence and ceremony. On display 5″]Thursday through Feb. 14 in Openshaw gallery on the third floor. Join in on the Artist’s Roundtable on the third Tuesday of each month at Maryland Hall hosted by their Artists in Residence. Artists of any level are welcome to share what they do, offer feedback and get to know other artists from their community in a supportive environment. Ways to participate include bringing work for feedback, asking questions about art or the art business, sharing artistic ideas or techniques, or bringing ideas about artistic community. Call for Dec. 17 details.
The Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum invites you to stop by for holiday festivities as this year’s Kwanzaa Celebration will feature the Sacred Spaces Artmaking Workshop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 14. Artist Jabari Jefferson will lead attendees in the engaging process of preparing materials for an upcoming exhibit, while sharing his journey and artistic insights. Attendees can also shop local vendors, enjoy cultural food and experience a special performance by Ni Dembaya African Drum & Dance Ensemble. RSVP at bdmuseum.maryland.gov/events/
Don’t miss the current exhibit, “REVISIT/REIMAGINE: The Civil Rights Era in Maryland and Parallels of Today,” ahead of the new year. On display until Jan. 4, the exhibit remembers the legacies of civil rights leaders and their effect on Black Marylanders and the nation. In collaboration with Afro Charities, images of nationally and locally recognized civil rights leaders from the AFRO American Newspapers archives are displayed alongside the work of contemporary artists living and working in Maryland. Like the curation of living quarters, the exhibition has books, plants and intimate ephemeral objects placed throughout the space to heighten the feeling of “home.” The domestic setting aims to make the journey taken for social justice more approachable and invites everyday citizens to become active participants in the progress to be found in the next 60 years. Be sure to check out this engaging exhibit and its curated book list.
MFA at Paul’s Homewood Café continues the exhibition and sale of artwork by painters Laurie Hewitt and Irene Martinelli through the end of January. Both artists have always had a creative mind and have taken different paths to get to where they are now. After years in the graphic design industry, Hewitt decided to push her boundaries of art and began learning various methods of creating representational paintings. Martinelli has explored a variety of medias from writing to clay. After turning 70, she wanted to bring more vibrancy in her life, which can be seen in her dynamic and colorful portraits.
This is your last chance to see “Theatre of Turmoil” at Elizabeth Mitchell Myers Art Museum (/m) at St. John’s College before it closes on Dec. 8. Comprising reproductions of masterworks from the Baroque to the present, the exhibition looks at violence in art, the methods artists use to heighten and universalize it, and the psycho-emotional effects such artworks and artifacts have on us. The stunning installation was designed in collaboration with Annapolis-based Bohl Architects, and the show is enveloped in a 60-minute musical score by Annapolis-based composer Zachary Konick. One of the central questions it asks is, “Do we live in exceptional times?”
Patrice Drago is a painter and writer in Annapolis. Her website is www.patricedrago.com. This column is written in cooperation with the Annapolis Gallery Association. Contact her at art@patricedrago.com.