Washington, D.C., & the Mid-Atlantic states are recognized for their ties to history and culture, including a bustling fine art scene that includes art galleries, world-class museums and countless festivals and fairs for collectors to enjoy. Around every turn there is new artwork to discover, whether it be a long-standing collection at one of the Smithsonian Institutions or artwork from a local artist who is capturing the sights and sounds of the area.
King Street in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by M. Enriquez for Visit Alexandria.
In D.C. some of the biggest draws are the fine art museums, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Freer Gallery of Art, the National Gallery of Art, the National Museum of Women in the Arts and Hirshhorn Museum, to name a few. At each of these are not only the permanent holdings, but also a number of exhibitions with artwork on loan to entice visitors. Zenith Gallery has two locations in the city, one in Northwest D.C. that includes two sculpture gardens and a second location in the heart of downtown.
Alexandria, Virginia, is also recognized for its fine art scene, with King Street being home to some of the top art dealers in the country including Principle Gallery. Located just minutes away from D.C., Alexandria is also known for its annual Alexandria King Street Art Festival where more than 200 artists set up booths along King Street between Washington and Union streets. Another art-centric city in Virginia is Richmond, which will host its 49th annual Arts in the Park May 2 and 3 with more than 450 artists gathering in Byrd Park.
In Easton, Maryland, two standout events happen every year: Plein Air Easton in July and Waterfowl Festival in November. Plein Air Easton, now in its 16th year, is one of the nation’s largest plein air competitions. It will next take place July 12 to 19 with 58 artists painting throughout Talbot County before presenting their works for the competition. Waterfowl Festival is one of the country’s oldest wildlife events, that not only features artwork but also festivities dedicated to the creatures and heritage of the Eastern Shore. The milestone 50th annual event happens November 13 to 15.
Also calling the area home is Stone Sparrow NYC, which is a new gallery in the West Village in Manhattan. The metropolis is home to countless of fine art offerings, from internationally recognized art galleries to museums and events. Highlights include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art and fairs such as The Winter Show, Art on Paper New York, Art New York and Frieze Art Fair New York, to name a few.
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Stone Sparrow NYC
45 Greenwich Avenue
New York, NY 10014
(646) 449-8004
info@stonesparrownyc.com
www.stonesparrownyc.com
Stone Sparrow NYC is a new gallery in the West Village in Manhattan featuring artists working with qualities of figurative realism and surrealism. In the six months since the gallery first opened it has added more than 100 artists—emerging and established—to its roster. Among them is the 2019 Outwin Portrait award winner Luis Alvarez Roure, whose portrait of Philip Glass was added to the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
Stone Sparrow NYC, Call of the Wild, oil on linen, 50 x 54", by Alan Macdonald.
“Our immediate neighborhood, West Village, has received us very well, both by compliment and local collector response, in the short time we have been open,” says gallery owner and curator Marina Eliasi. “We are displaying artwork that showcases emotional, human connections and promotes quality, craftsmanship and concept over sensationalism.”
Stone Sparrow NYC will celebrate its one-year anniversary in June.
Stone Sparrow NYC, Pastora, oil on linen, 24 x 20", by Alejandro Pasquale.
To promote its artists the gallery has been hosting a number of solo and group exhibitions. In March the gallery looks forward to The Unseen, an exhibition featuring 30 female artists that focuses on the female perspective in art; the April exhibition Spring Surreal with Alejandro Pasquale, Alan Macdonald, Rubenimichi and Hallie Packard. June marks one of the gallery’s most anticipated exhibitions, Sinner or Saint, a group show featuring narrative pieces in two- and three-dimensional disciplines relating to the theme. Participating artists come together from all over the world to make the show a reality. While the exhibition is on view, the gallery will also host its one-year anniversary celebration on June 22.
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Zenith Gallery
1429 Iris Street Northwest, Washington, DC, 20012
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC, 20004
(202) 783-2963,, art@zenithgallery.com , www.zenithgallery.com
Zenith Gallery opened in 1978 as part of a 50,000-square-foot art center with studios for art, dance and theater. In 1986, the gallery moved to downtown D.C. in the heart of a transforming Penn Quarter. In 2009, it relocated to a property in Northwest D.C., with two sculpture gardens, two floors of gallery salon and a gallery. Zenith also exhibits in a Penn Quarter office building lobby, where its focus is sculpture. The gallery curates three distinct shows per year and founded the Zenith Community Arts Foundation in 2000, a 501(C)(3) to promote arts education, arts advocacy and creative workforce development.
The Zenith Gallery Salon and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.
Zenith Gallery, Kufa Gate-Stella, painted paper-mache and acrylic on canvas on panel, 24 x 24 x 4", by Stephen Hansen.
“We don’t follow trends here at Zenith, we create our own. Taking great care of our clients and artists, offering services they need and having a very loyal and expanding clientele base. In short it’s the fabulous art that keeps us going.”—Margery Goldberg, founder & director, Zenith Gallery
Zenith continues to be about the artists and its clients. The gallery pioneered showcasing neon art in the ’70s and ’80s, and it exhibits sculptures of all sizes—indoor, outdoor and monumental. Also shown is video art, high crafts, realism and a wide range of mixed media. African American artists are heavily represented in the gallery as well. Recent themed exhibits have included resistance, climate change and endangered species. Being in the nation’s capital puts the gallery in the center of politics. Zenith exhibits artists from around the country and looks for the extraordinary. Zenith, by definition, strives to represent the most professional, creative, talented and delightful artists.
From the end of March through April, Zenith will host an exhibition for its gallery artists and a fundraiser for the nonprofit Zenith Community Arts Foundation. 
Zenith Gallery, Eat My Dust, carved driftwood with acrylic, light varnish and wax finish, 26 x 40 x 11", by Bernie Houston.+++
Principle Gallery
208 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 739-9326
info@principlegallery.com
www.principlegallery.com
For 26 years, Principle Gallery has called charming Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, home. The gallery exhibits original contemporary realism by renowned painters who live locally and all over the world. Gallery director Clint Mansell says, “Our focus is to showcase artists who not only possess great technical skill but also stand out among their peers for their unique aesthetic.”
Principle Gallery features contemporary realist artwork from artists at all points in their careers.
Principle Gallery, Mountain Camp, oil on panel, 18 x 24", by Mark Boedges.
“Our focus is to showcase artists who not only possess great technical skill but also stand out among their peers for their unique aesthetic.”—Clint Mansell, director, Principle Gallery
At the gallery collectors will find oil paintings and bronze sculpture from emerging, midcareer and established artists “with a distinct personal approach to their work.” The gallery hosts solo exhibitions, group shows and participates in national art fairs where they exhibit the artists’ works. Principle Gallery also hosts events for national and regional art groups.
Principle Gallery, Avenue Trees III, oil on panel, 14 x 14", by Geoffrey Johnson.
On February 21 a show opens for the Washington Society of Landscape Painters. March 20 an exhibition for Kevin Fitzgerald begins, while a solo show for Lynn Boggess happens April 17 and one for Geoffrey Johnson kicking off on May 15. GC Myers returns with a show on June 5, followed by an artist talk and smaller exhibition in September. Beginning September 18 the gallery opens the two-artist show From Above for Kim VanDerHoek and Jill Basham. Rounding out the year is Gilbert Gorski’s show in October, an exhibition for Carlos Morago in November and the annual Small Works Invitational in December. —
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