Women’s Club of Potomac Art Show artists presenting their work at a club include artist Julie Smith (left); Pat Choquette (center), show curator/artist/ interior designer with painting, “Secret Refuge,” and Allen Ett (right), historical ship artist with donated painting for the benefit, “The Susan Constant” which carried colonists to Virginia in the early 1600s.
Potomac — One hundred Montgomery County artists, more than 400 original art works, 35 local businesses and the Women’s Club of Potomac are joining together to host a juried art exhibition on June 7 and June 8.
The second annual WCP Art Show and Sale will be held at the Potomac United Methodist Church and the proceeds from the artists’ show entry fees will benefit Montgomery Hospice and the WCP Benevolence Fund for local charities. The show will run from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. both days and an artists’ reception and awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, June 8 from 2-4 pm. Admission to the show is free.
The exhibit by local artists, including many from Potomac, will feature works in various painting media, photography, sculpture, jewelry, fine crafts and prints. Some of the artists who will be displaying their works are Allen Ett, Jorge Bernal, Julie Smith, Pat Bacon, Terri Cunningham, Tova Shpantzer, Sheryl Winanas and more. There will be eight categories of artwork, and prizes for each category: Landscape, still life, people, abstract, animals, photography, rendering, and miniature painting.
Montgomery County artist–interior designer Pat Choquette, curator of the exhibition, is thrilled by the variety and number of local artists who are participating in the show.
“This show is a wonderful opportunity for artists to display their work. It gives Potomac residents and their families the chance to view and purchase original works of art — and to have the opportunity to meet the artists. It really helps when one is purchasing art to have that special connection with the artist and to understand the story behind the art,” Choquette said,
She is responsible for the organization of the show and for notifying and registering the artists and their artwork. She brought new interest to the show by inviting the accomplished artist Glen Kessler to jury the art for awards and prizes. Besides being known nationally and internationally, Kessler is a renowned instructor at Washington ArtWorks and the Yellow Barn.
Jewelry designer Pat Bacon will display her natural creations at the show. “The show is a win-win for everyone — the artists, merchants, restaurants and community. It is a family event. So often, children are not exposed to art and this gives them insight into art and the multiplicity of styles and artists. It is a wonderful chance for children to meet artists and to enjoy their work in a comfortable setting. The artists also love coming together and meeting other artists as well as sharing their artwork with the community,” he said.
Mary Jane Nol, president of the Women’s Club of Potomac said, “This show has been growing by leaps and bounds. All the women of our club are pitching in and it has now become one of the biggest art shows in our area. We expect to donate more than $4,000 to our charities. One of our member’s husbands, Al Ett, is giving us a painting and 100 percent of his donation will go to our charity efforts. Another experienced artist, Jorge Bernal also donated the full sale proceeds of a painting. We will have a silent auction which will include paintings donated by the artists, gift certificates for many favorite restaurants including the Tavern at River Falls, Normandy Farm, Tower Oaks, Potomac Pizza, Gregorios Trattoria, Brooklyn Deli and many more, spa treatments, gift certificates from local merchants and much more.
“Our club is over 40 years old,” said Nol, “and we have donated a total of more than $200,000 to local charities over the 40 years. Some of the charities which have benefited are Shephard’s Table, Montgomery College Summer Dinner Theater Scholarship Fund, Fisher House Foundation, St. Martin’s Soup Kitchen, Casey House (part of Montgomery Hospice) and others. We have a room at the Casey House that is named for our club, since we donated funds to help pay for facility. Casey House is the first independent homecare/hospice organizations licensed in Maryland. Several of our members volunteer with Hospice and others have benefited from the caring services provided by Hospice. By holding this show, the 50 current members of the WCP remain true to their original vision and purpose — community service and education.”
For information about the show and artwork, contact the curator, Choquette, at Custom Interiors@ChoquetteInteriorDesign.com or call her at 301-633-6173. The show will take place on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 at the Potomac United Methodist Church Parish Hall, 9908 South Glen Road in Potomac. For information about the Women’s Club of Potomac, email Nol at marjano@comcast.net or call her at 240-558-3707.