Artist Spotlight: Rex Miller and Christina Allen

The Maryland, My Maryland Exhibit at North End Gallery will be a special opportunity to see the beauty of St. Mary's County through the eyes of our local artists! Stop by the North End Gallery between February 3 and March 29 and enjoy the peaceful vistas, colorful nautical scenes, and artwork that captures the beauty in everyday life here in St. Mary's County.

Artists Rex Miller and Christina Allen are two of the artists that will be displaying their artwork in the Maryland, My Maryland Exhibit.

Rex Miller

Rex Miller's artwork shows the heritage of St. Mary's County via his paintings of many of the county's historical sites and attractions. Miller's work also conveys his love of the Chesapeake Bay, and its small towns, islands and countryside. He paints in oils and exhibits his work throughout Southern Maryland, including at North End Gallery in Leonardtown.

A notable within the art community, Miller is a recognized Southern Maryland artist who is most well known for his emotive and colorful landscapes. He has painted a variety of scenes from sites within St. Mary's County, such as his painting of a traditional tobacco barn entitled "Spring Colors" (displayed on right). His work draws inspiration from the impressionist styles of artists Stobart, Turner, and Constable and he is a member of the American Impressionist Society.

For more information about Rex Miller's artwork, please contact him via phone at 410-326-2604.

Christina Allen

A professional artist for over 26 years, Allen has participated in a variety of juried exhibitions ranging from the local level all the way to the international level. She gets her inspiration from the Chesapeake Bay and the lifestyle of the rural countryside.

Christina Allen's work explores a variety of artistic mediums including painting and handweaving. Many of her paintings are watercolors and contain elements of realism in their reflections of St. Mary's County's unique landscape. Her painting entitled "Trossbach Farmstand," (displayed on right), is one of her works that will be on display in the Maryland, My Maryland Exhibit.

For more information about Christina Allen's artwork, please contact her via phone at 301-862-3421 or visit http://home.earthlink.net/~allensarticles/index.htm.

If you would like to learn more about the Maryland, My Maryland Exhibit, please contact North End Gallery at 301-475-3130 or visit http://www.northendgallery.org/.

Local Artists Celebrate Maryland's 375th!

We're kicking off Maryland Celebrates 375 with art! The North End Gallery, in co-sponsorship with the St. Mary’s County Arts Council, is getting ready to hold the “Maryland, My Maryland” Art Exhibit, which will be the first major event centered on celebrating Maryland's 375th birthday.

Opening February 3 and running through March 29, the Maryland, My Maryland exhibit will showcase artwork that reflects the true heritage and beauty of the Southern Maryland region created by artists from the local area. The exhibit is bringing together the artistic styles and mediums of over thirty-three resident artists from Southern Maryland as well as invited artists from our area, including Bud Adams, Jim Bershon, Karen Chambers, Larry Chappelear, Sue Chappelear, Jack Epstein, Connie James, Sue Johnson, Jenny Neat, Carrie Patterson, Lee Russell, and Tim Scheirer.

The North End Gallery will hold two unique receptions for the exhibit to give us all a chance to view the art in a more personal way. On February 6, a First Friday Opening Reception will be held from 5 PM - 8 PM. The reception will allow visitors to meet some of the artists whose work will be on display. On March 6, there will be a Celebrate Maryland's 375th Anniversary First Friday Reception from 5 PM - 8 PM. Birthday cake will be served in honor of the state's birthday.

And there is something for the kids too! Historic St. Mary's City is holding a poster contest for 4th grade students and those ages 9 or 10. Also themed for the celebration of Maryland's 375th birthday, the poster contest invites kids to think about Maryland's first capital, St. Mary's City, and to explore the state's colonial history. Prizes will be offered to the winning entry in each category, so make sure to have your 4th grade student enter!

As we get closer to the opening and throughout the “Maryland, My Maryland” exhibit, I will keep you updated!

For more information on the “Maryland, My Maryland” exhibit, please call North End Gallery at 301-475-3130 or visit http://www.northendgallery.org/. To find out more about the Historic St. Mary’s City poster contest, please visit http://www.stmaryscity.org/.

This Week in St. Mary's County (Jan. 13 - Jan. 19)

Between January 13 and January 19, you won't want to miss:

• Historic St. Mary's City Poster Contest
• "The Foreigner" - Presented by The Newtowne Players
• Art Show & Wine Tasting at Blue Wind Gourmet

Poster Contest - Historic St. Mary's City
Help Historic St. Mary's City celebrate Maryland's 375th birthday by creating a poster about the early years of Lord Baltimore's colony, when St. Mary's City was the capital! The contest is open to all fourth-grade students and those ages 9 and 10. Prizes will be given to the winning entry in each category! For more details, rules, and regulations, please visit http://www.stmaryscity.org/.

"The Foreigner" - Presented by The Newtowne Players
Enjoy this hilarious comedy centered around a resort-style fishing lodge in rural Georgia. The play revolves around two guests, Charlie and Froggy. Charlie's intense shyness keeps him from being able to speak, but Froggy explains to the other guests that Charlie is just from another country and is unable to speak English. You'll laugh as you watch how the other guests then behave around Charlie. For more information, showtimes and dates, please visit http://www.newtowneplayers.org/ or call 301-737-5447.

Art Show & Wine Tasting at Blue Wind Gourmet
Take in beautiful pieces of art while sipping a variety of wines at Blue Wind Gourmet! The proceeds from this event will be used to benefit the Calvert Marine Museum. Come out and enjoy art created by local artists, gourmet hors d'ouvres, and wines from a variety of vineyards. For more information, please call 410-326-2042 ext. 16, 17, or 18.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW WORLD

View video clip.

This Week in St. Mary's County (Jan. 5 - Jan. 12)

Between January 5 and January 12, you won't want to miss:

• Opening of Maryland Geocache Trail
• Genticorum Concert - Playing January 10 at St. Mary's Ryken High School
• Leonardtown First Fridays
• Political Memorabilia Exhibit at Piney Point Lighthouse, Museum and Historic Park

Geocache Trail
January marks the opening of a geocache trail that will take cachers on a journey throughout the state of Maryland. Sponsored by the Maryland Municipal League, the trail's theme is Maryland's Cities and Towns. The trail is comprised of all participating cities and towns in the 11 Maryland Municipal League Districts, which includes a total of 78 city/town caches. One of the participating towns is Leonardtown. Stop by the St. Mary's County Welcome Center to pick up your Geocache Trail passport and embark on your journey! For more information, please visit www.geocaching.com, www.mdmunicipal.org or call 410-268-5514.

Genticorum Concert
The Celtic Society of Southern Maryland, in collaboration with St. Mary's Ryken High School, will present afternoon workshops and an evening concert with the Montreal-based Quebecois trio, Genticorum. Genticorum is known for its energetic, uplifting and even soulful music, which is all sung in the Quebecois language. Don't worry if you don't know the Quebecois language though. All of Genticorum's songs are prefaced with an English translation. For more information, please visit http://www.cssm.org/ or call 301-904-7303.

Leonardtown First Fridays
Great deals and an emphasis on local culture are at the forefront of Leonardtown First Fridays. Every month, Leonardtown businesses stay open late and offer their patrons special offers and experiences. Stroll the quaint streets of Leonardtown this Friday and discover the town's art galleries, restaurants, cafes, gift shops, antique stores and more! For more information, please visit http://www.leonardtownfirstfridays.com./

Political Memorabilia Exhibit
With the Presidential Inauguration approaching and the hope of change in the air, there's no better time to look back into America's political past! Visit the Piney Point Lighthouse, Museum and Historic Park on weekends through January 19 to see political relics ranging from Abraham Lincoln to our president elect, Barrack Obama. The exhibit includes posters, buttons, magazines, photographs, newspapers, White House Christmas cards, and more. For more information, please visit http://www.stmarysmd.com/recreate/museums/ or call 301-994-1471.