Author: Mary W

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed a bill establishing plans to transfer the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia to the Smithsonian Institution. The unanimous vote came after the House passed a companion bill in September that paved the way for the process. The bill passed by the Senate would create an eight-member committee appointed by members of the House and Senate to evaluate Weitzman’s feasibility of joining the Smithsonian Institution. Partially funded by the federal government. Related articles Over the past decade, Congress has authorized the Smithsonian to develop two new museums: the National Museum of…

Sonja Kalb’s path into the art world weaves together structure, creativity, and a fearless embrace of change. Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Kalb began her journey grounded in the precision of textile and design engineering. This foundation shaped her artistic voice, blending technical finesse with a bold exploration of abstract forms. Kalb’s formal training as a Dipl. Ing. in Textile and Design immersed her in the meticulous world of patterns and craftsmanship. Yet, her artistic instincts were always present. Early on, she found herself drawn to visual storytelling through photography, nature sketches, and figurative studies. Her early works—spanning nudes, portraits, and…

Oronde Kairi paints with a vibrant energy, weaving stories that reflect the rhythm of everyday life. His work explores themes of sports, music, and urban culture, capturing the vitality of human existence in bold strokes. From his Germantown studio in Philadelphia, he creates pieces inspired by the city’s cultural richness and his personal experiences. Growing up in the 1980s, Philadelphia’s graffiti culture left a deep imprint on Oronde. Subways and building walls were canvases for voices that couldn’t be silenced, and these dynamic visuals sparked his fascination with storytelling through art. His current work echoes the aesthetics of graffiti—its bold…

Sylvia Nagy has carved a unique path where technology meets creativity, blending her expertise in industrial techniques with a passion for artistic exploration. Her academic roots trace back to the Moholy-Nagy University in Budapest, where she earned an MFA in Silicet Industrial Technology and Art. This rigorous technical foundation set the stage for her innovative approach to ceramics. Later, at the Parsons School of Design, she not only taught but designed a course on mold-making techniques, passing on her skills and insights to aspiring artists. Her career spans continents, with residencies in Japan, China, Germany, the USA, and her native…

Born in Montreal in 1964, Adamo Macri is a multidisciplinary artist who navigates the boundaries of photography, sculpture, painting, video, and drawing. His artistic vision emerges from a fascination with the physical world—every element in his work begins as an object. Whether shaping a sculpture’s contours or framing a photographic narrative, his art is rooted in tangible forms. Macri honed his craft at Dawson College, where he studied a range of disciplines including graphic design, art history, and fine arts. This eclectic foundation has allowed him to approach his work with a versatile and open-ended perspective. Over the years, he…

Vicky Tsalamata, an Athens-based artist, approaches her work with a sharp, reflective lens on the human condition. Drawing inspiration from Honoré de Balzac’s La Comédie Humaine, she creates art that feels as much a critique as a call for contemplation. Her works challenge us to reflect on the transient nature of life and our place within it, weaving together the past and present in a layered narrative. Tsalamata isn’t only an artist but also a Professor Emeritus of Printmaking at the Athens School of Fine Arts. Her academic background informs her deeply technical and conceptual work, which spans expanded printmaking, digital…

Juliette Lepage Boisdron’s life and art are inseparable. Born in Paris, her work transcends the boundaries of any single place or tradition. Her journey—both literal and figurative—has taken her across continents, immersing her in a rich blend of cultures. From China to the U.S.S.R., Abu Dhabi to Pondicherry, and New York to Singapore, she has absorbed influences like a sponge, with each locale adding new textures and perspectives to her artistic voice. Juliette’s academic roots run deep. With a Master’s Degree in History of Art from Sorbonne University, she has an intellectual foundation that informs her creative process. But theory…

Clint Imboden, born in 1953 in St. Louis, Missouri, is a Bay Area-based artist whose work channels a unique blend of nostalgia, cultural history, and social critique. Now residing in Oakland, California, Imboden crafts intricate 3D pieces that repurpose everyday items—tools, toys, and pieces of Americana—to comment on social and political themes. His creations invite us into a world where commonplace objects, often taken for granted, carry complex narratives that only become evident through his art. Imboden’s work strikes a balance between the visually intriguing and the intellectually stimulating, merging the familiar with the thought-provoking. Imboden’s early life introduced him…

Randa Hijazi, a Syrian Canadian artist now residing in Laval, Quebec, began her journey in Damascus. Her artistic roots took hold when she earned her degree in Painting from the University of Damascus in 2000. She later expanded her knowledge, graduating in 2008 from the Faculty of Mass Communication and Science of Media, which gave her an insightful, multidisciplinary view of the world around her. This fusion of visual arts and media sharpened her ability to capture life with the precision of a photojournalist while creating art that speaks to deeper emotional truths. After settling in Canada in 2017, Hijazi…

Arie Otten (1954) is a self-taught visual artist based in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. His art is a captivating journey through the realms of abstract painting, embracing a diverse range of disciplines. With unwavering passion and a spirit of artistic freedom, Otten fearlessly experiments with an array of techniques and materials, including acrylics, oils, and organic pigments. Starting with a blank canvas or panel, he embarks on a creative odyssey, allowing his ideas to take shape through experimentation. Otten’s work frequently delves into the human experience, where faces emerge as compelling subjects. Additionally, he crafts abstracted landscapes and other enigmatic impressions, evoking…