Monthly Archives: June 2020

July 1 NEW membership rate!

Welcome to CHAL and now is the time to sign up and become part of this active, presently zooming, art community for DMV artists, beginners and pros alike. We are a diverse group of all ages from Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia and feature all mediums including photography.

Our gallery is located on Capitol Hill and is closed for the summer due to you know what. Right now our exhibits and receptions are virtual and we keep creating artwork because artists naturally self-isolate to create work.

2021 New season runs: January through December for $60 and at least two volunteer hours. We used to follow the school year, Sept-August but that was too confusing! What this means is that if you join now, your membership will continue right into 2021 expiring 12/31/21. A deal!

Because we are unsure of our live exhibitions, we will have our themed/juried and unjuried art shows online with digital entry. We can say that we have our annual members’ exhibit at the Hill Center and a pop up show at Frame of Mine-if all goes well and these will be online also.

Join us! Create what you love and be a part of the Capitol Hill Art League, the only art group on the hill. Look for the BLUE membership button on the main page (like the one above) to click, enroll online, and pay with credit card safely.

June 27 Zoom Reception Meltdown

Over 32 members and many guests attended our very first virtual reception held via Zoom for the awards and juror’s remarks re: Meltdown competition. John Coppola, juror and former exhibition director for the Smithsonian, selected 29 works of art for this exhibit and out of those 29 he awarded five finalists.

Juror John Coppola’s Statement: “Edgar Degas pointedly said, Art isn’t what you see. It’s what you make others see.  In selecting works for this exhibition, I focused on submissions that made me–and I hope, those who see the exhibition online–look at our current state of affairs in all its complexity and uncertainty from differing points of view. Hats off to the CHAL artists who pushed through the pandemic and social unrest to create art.  Frankly, it was better than I did: My drafting table is cluttered with notes and sketches for work I never quite got to. Thanks both to the Capitol Hill Art League for inviting me to jury “Meltdown,” and to the participating artists who got me to re-engage with art!”

NOTE: All the artwork is for sale, framed or unframed, as noted in each image. Please contact chalartists(at)gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing one of these artworks, arrangements will be made for easy credit card payment over the phone, and easy pick up in DC.

25% of the every sale go to CHAW for their children and adult programs.

Here is an edited version of our Zoom Reception dated June 27, 2020 with our Juror, John Coppola, announcing his finalists. You will need a video app on your device to view this and it has been shortened to post on our Website. Thank you to Karen Zens, exhibit Manager, and Karen Cohen, zoom video host and Web admin. https://www.caphillartleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/MeltdownZoomreceptionJune272020shortversion.mp4

First Prize: LOST by Rindy O’Brien


First Prize:  LOST by Rindi O’Brien
photograph 10×15 $200
“This is such a wry visualization of the uncertainty and confusion we have all confronted during the Covid19. Who can overlook the lampshade-as-hat party gag, but there is no party, and no guests, and what should illuminate our surroundings becomes a blinder,”
John Coppola, juror

Second Prize: THE LONELY MAN WAS BLESSED WITH WISDOM TO
THE POINT OF DESPERATION by J Jaffery

Second Prize: THE LONELY MAN WAS BLESSED WITH WISDOM TO
THE POINT OF DESPERATION by J Jeffery

Digital Photography 18×12 $275
“Both the composition and colors project the contradictions and ambiguity of the moment: We’re drowning, but still reaching out. But to whom?” John Coppola, juror

Third Prize: TIDAL BASIN MORNING by Judy Searles

Third Prize: TIDAL BASIN MORNING by Judy Searles
Acrylic 20×15 $200
“The cherry blossoms that used to signal the advent of Spring now figuratively, and even literally, obscure the unknown, as crowds ignoring social distance to view them proved, ” John Coppola, juror.

Honorable Mention: TARQUIN AND LUCRETIA (After Tintorreto) No. 3 by Kim DiDonato-Murrell

Honorable Mention: TARQUIN AND LUCRETIA (After Tintorreto) No. 3 by KimDiDonato-Murrell 
Monotype 11×8 $350
“A subtle but welcome reminder of why we need art in these trying times,” John Coppola, juror.

Honorable Mention: QUARANTINE IS CRUMBY by Linda Norton

Linda Norton Quarantine Is Crumby
Multimedia 24×18 $300
“How would we persevere through the pandemic and protests without binging on junk food?” John Coppola, juror


Congratulations to ALL artists who entered! Here are the 29 selected artists featured in MELTDOWN (in no particular order) Enjoy the show!

Tara Hamilton “Meet the Sun” multimedia 10 x 8 $150
Kate McConnell “Staying Afloat” Oil 14×11 $450

1. Tara Hamilton Meet the Sun
2. Karen Zens ERUPTION
3. Rindy O’Brien LOST
4. Elizabeth Eby Yak, Yak, Yak
5. Nancy Arbuthnot WHITE HOUSE MELTDOWN
6. Kate McConnell STAY AFLOAT
7. Judy Searles TIDAL BASIN MORNING
8. Carolyn Rondthaler IN A MOOD
9. Kenneth Bachman KEEP ON COMING
10.Karin Edgett CAPITOL POLICE
11.Sally Canzoneri ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DEAD
12.Linda Norton QUARANTINE IS CRUMBY
13.Meera Rao REGRET
14.Hernan Murno ANTARCTICA
15.Karen Van Allen GROUNDLESSNESS
16.Karen Cohen DISTANCING
17.Marilyn Christiano MIND MELT
18.Gloria Maria Grandolini HANGING ON
19.Kim DiDonato TARQUIN AND LUCRETIA
20.Nico Gozal GAIA
21.Mary Elizabeth Gosselink HEAT WAVE
22.Julie Byrne Looking Down
23.Nan Raphael SILENT SPRING
24.Jason Jaffery THE LONELY MAN WAS BLESSED WITH
WISDOM TO THE POINT OF DESPERATION
25.Anne Albright SPLASHES
26.Ellen Yahuda LONDON PANDEMIC OUTREACH HEROES
27.Dee Ann Layton GLOBAL MELTDOWN
28.Victoria Lake PANDEMONIC
29.Vincent Iannacchione BURNING A HOLE IN THE GRIP OF THE FAMILIAR

Plaza Art in DC has donated one gift card for the First place winner $100.

July Challenge CHAIRS!

July’s theme: CHAIRS. Members: Thank you for submitting your art/images for this challenge theme while you are sitting around indoors, hopefully drawing, sketching, sculpting, photographing, writing, knitting, napping, snacking!

Meera Rao

June 27 Saturday at 5pm MELTDOWN Reception on Zoom

Art Reception Zoom Party

Members of Capitol Hill Art League, local press, artists and friends, you are invited to our art reception June 27 via Zoom. Our juror, John Copolla, will present his remarks and the finalists for First Place, Second Place, Third Place and two honorable mention awards. 29 Artists were chosen to exhibit in our online show.

Exhibiting artists:  (not in any particular order)

  1. Tara Hamilton      MEET THE SUN
  2. Karen Zens            ERUPTION
  3. Rindy O’Brien        LOST          
  4. Elizabeth Eby         Yak, Yak, Yak
  5. Nancy Arbuthnot   WHITE HOUSE MELTDOWN 
  6. Kate McConnell     STAY AFLOAT
  7. Judy Searles         TIDAL BASIN MORNING  
  8. Carolyn Ronthaler      IN A MOOD
  9. Ken Bachman   KEEP ON COMING
  10. Karin Edgett           CAPITOL POLICE
  11. Sally Canzoneri      ONE HUNDED THOUSAND DEAD
  12. Linda Norton          QUARANTINE IS CRUMBY 
  13. Meera Rao               REGRET
  14. Hernan Munro       ANTARTICA
  15. Karen Van Allen     GROUNDLESSNESS
  16. Karen Cohen           DISTANCING 
  17. Marilyn Christiano      MIND MELT
  18. Gloria Maria Grandolini     HANGING ON
  19. Kin DiDonato         TARQUIN AND LUCRETIA 
  20. Nico Gozal             GAIA 
  21. Mary Elizabeth Gosselink     HEAT WAVE
  22. Julie Byrne            LOOKING DOWN
  23. Nan Raphael        SILENT SPRING 
  24. J Jaffery         THE LONELY MAN WAS BLESSED WITH WISDOM TO THE POINT OF DESPERATION  
  25. Anne Albright       SPLASHES
  26. Ellen Yahuda       LONDON PANDEMIC OUTREACH HEROES
  27. Dee Ann Lawton   GLOBAL MELTDOWN
  28. Victoria Lakes      PANDEMONIC
  29. Vincent Iannacchione   BURNING A HOLE IN THE GRIP OF THE FAMILIAR 

Plaza Art in DC has donated one gift card for the First place winner $100. All finalists will be announced on our Zoom reception June 27 and their images will be “screen shared”.

If you haven’t received an invite to our zoom reception and would like one, please contact: chalartists via our email. Hope you can attend! BYOB.

July 7 Tuesday Art Critique Group Meets

Tuesday’s art critique peer group meets to discuss your new projects and artwork via zoom at 10:00 am- 12:00pm. Carolyn R. is our moderator, please email her to reserve your space and receive an invite to this zoom meeting.  One artwork per attendee to show. Positive comments and everyone takes turns showing and telling! Email: carolynrondthaler@gmail.com.

Next dates: July 7, Aug 4, 2020