Art

Albany 10 TH ANNUAL

Albany FilmFest 2022: Coming in October Submissions open January 15 We’re back!

Join us for the return of Albany FilmFest, a multi-platform, multicultural, multi-voiced celebration of independent short films encourages conversation, community, and connection in the real world. Local filmmakers and youth filmmakers are especially welcome to submit their best work, joining independent filmmakers from the Bay Area and around the world.

This year, in addition to our usual eclectic mix of drama, comedy, documentary, and animation, we’re looking for original storytellers and films exploring the issues we face in today’s turbulent world: climate and sustainability, communities in transition, employment, the LGBT+ community, women, and social justice, and more.

Celebrating our Year 11 return, we are inaugurating the Joseph Andre McCord Award for the short film that best represents the themes of social justice and racial equity. All categories and genres are eligible. This award is in honor of our friend the late Joe McCord, a long-time supporter of Albany FilmFest who believed in the power of film to change society. Award winners for this honor and Best Film categories are selected by a jury of film industry professionals.

art

Linda Wong Kanthas: Paper, Thread & Ink

December 10, 2021 – March 7, 2022 Opening Reception: December 12, 3-5 pm Albany Community Center Foyer

The word Kantha means “rags” in ancient Sanskrit As a meditative practice, Buddhist monks traditionally pieced together scraps of cloth to make their robes Early American quilts were made by stitching together old pieces of clothing using a variety of embroidery stitches The idea of tearing something apart and reorganizing it in a new way is the inspiration behind Linda’s paper kanthas The colors and textures of the torn paper remind her of trees and landscapes Once her printed pieces are set in place, she attaches them using various embroidery stitches These embroidered “markings” add additional texture and color to her work Creating these Kanthas has become a meditation practice for Linda They are a way for her to offer gratitude to the natural world around us She feels that given so much sadness in the world today, being able to heal through art and sewing is an extraordinary gift

Linda Wong Blue Hydrangea 2020 Mixed Media Collage, 18” x 16”

MoonJi Pickering

Sequoia Trees, Colored Pencils on Paper, 14” x 11”

MoonJi Pickering Timeless Beauty

March 19 - June 13, 2022 Opening Reception : March 20, 3-5 pm Albany Community Center Foyer

Moonji delights in common and familiar elements that are sometimes overlooked or ignored and believes that those who see the beauty in common elements around them are able to see the world as a piece of art This philosophy of hers was influenced by her degree in Architecture Design and it evolved into influencing her choice of mediums and subjects as an artist

She uses Colored Pencils as her main medium and her subjects are nature, animals, and ordinary matters Drawing upon lessons she learned from designing architecture, MoonJi realized that unique and extravagant designs and features may get attention at first, but can quickly become boring rather than timeless

The familiarity of the subject of her art becomes a conversation starter and gives the audience a chance to reminisce about their happy memories This collection of her art is focused on creating a space for everyone to take a moment to appreciate their surroundings and connect with those memories - like the places you love to visit and or feel a sense of belonging

The Albany Community Center Art Gallery is supported by the City of Albany and managed by the Albany Arts Committee The Albany Arts Committee sponsors four art shows per year and each exhibit runs for approximately three months The Gallery has played host to wonderful and talented artists from Albany and our neighboring cities The Albany Arts Committee is accepting submissions now with a deadline of April 1, 2022 for shows starting June 2022 through December 2023 The shows are displayed in the Albany Community Center Foyer Gallery Please note we do not accept group shows

For information about the application process, visit www.albanyca.org/arts. 1249 Marin Ave, Albany