Pride at OSA

The Art of Love

By Moriah Kilgore

“The world is yours for the taking, you can conquer it with your true self.”

Genocide Adarxas shared their message on July 23 at the Open Space Arts Gallery. They did this during their wonderful performances at the ‘Pride at OSA’ event. Genocide was one of two spectacular Drag performers, that had taken time to engage the crowd around them, bringing in a little girl by the name of Ajani Harper to dance with them.

When speaking with Genocide after the performance, they expressed that as a child they felt hindered growing up, now they found themselves performing and having an “Absolutely Amazing” time.

Usually, Genocide can be found performing at bars, restaurants, weddings, and fundraisers. On this day, however, they were reminding a member of the audience to put their phone down and embrace the life and love around them. Genocide made sure the audience was fully emerged in their performance as they brought a young man into the show area at the gallery on Friday night.

Unlike this young man, Ajani Harper was entranced by Genocide’s performance, walking into the stage area to get a better view of the artist. Watching Genocide dance with a little girl who walked onto their stage and encouraging her to have fun during their show, is a site that brought joy to Victor Harper. Ajani was overwhelmed with joy expressing that

“I met my two favorite Drag Queens!” Also mentioned with excitement “I would invite them to every one of my birthday parties.”

The Imperial Court of Washington DC is something that Genocide cares about deeply, a volunteer organization dedicated to helping those in the LGBTQIA community. They have found a way to use their love for performing to help bring support to her community, encouraging those around them to embrace and cherish who they are.

For more information please go to: www.imperialcourtdc.org

The art within the gallery was filled with a beauty of love. Each colorful piece had its own story behind it, an artist expressing their feelings about PRIDE. Pride in their love for each other, pride in their selves and their talents, as well as pride in their community.

Evelyn Chatters, a retired school counselor from South Carolina and Georgia has enjoyed both losing herself and finding herself in her art. After moving to Virginia to live with her son, she has been able to dedicate time to expressing herself through her art style that is on display at the Open Space Arts Gallery.

She embraced her true self as she worked on her pieces for the PRIDE aesthetic that the gallery had put together. Evelyn found a great deal of enjoyment in creating her artwork Emergence. She spoke of a feeling of understanding for herself as well as acceptance. Embracing this new time in her life where she is able to relax.

“I get to be me,” Evelyn said. Though her area is not traditional, she pours her creations onto her canvases with passion and love for what she is doing. During the event the community embraced those within it, celebrating each artist for their spectacular imagination.

Ilishea Pearson joined with her family, coming out to support her brother’s passion. Ilishea had spoke of her favorite piece of his work “Growth” a beautiful springtime design featured in the gallery the month before. With vines and flowers coming from every side of the canvas constantly twisting and turning and growing into a beautiful creation.

Vaze Haze helped choose the 3-D texture artwork displayed in the gallery for this exposition. One of his favorite pieces is done by Kyran McCann. An artwork that pops out at you with its pyramids forming the colors of the transgender flag. The love behind this unique piece was dedicated to a friend of Kyran’s, Cori.

Cori’s triangle tattoo symbolizes a meaning change, or Delta as they refer to it. It was just the inspiration needed for this moving piece.

The last performance of the night done by Evita Peroxide, was a song close to many of our hearts. ‘Thank You For Being A Friend’ by Andrew Gold, featured in Golden Girls. Evita who describes herself as accessible and a “classic 60s housewife” is an artist with many talents. She embraces her many roles in her community as a school teacher and a Drag performer. “That’s my job as a drag performer, to make everybody feel safe and comfortable.”

Another elegant performance, Evita had a very emotional meaning behind it. ‘She Thinks His Name Was John’ by Reba McEntire was the perfect setting for Evita to share her tribute and message about her dear friend Albert. HIV had taken Albert from his family and friends three years ago. Leaving his loved ones with only memories. Unfortunately, Albert was not made aware of his condition until shortly before his death. Evita has chosen to do a tribute to Albert once a year during HIV Awareness Month, hoping that sharing the story about her friend can help to save others.

For more information please go to: www.evitaperoxide.com/

When you took a moment to look around the art gallery, you could truly feel all of the love that was in each beautiful piece of art. Photos of Niagara Falls lit up at night with rainbow colors shining in the beautiful waterfall, showing the support the world can genuinely give a wonderfully diverse community.

Each artist had their own meaning of what love and pride meant to them. From beautiful Celtic knots to Tom Payne’s piece ‘Indigenous Pride’ spread along the gallery walls, this event gives the people of Prince William County a chance to come together showing love and support for one another no matter who they are. A proper display of the Art of Love.

The Grand “April Showers Bring May Flowers” Exhibit and Reception

By Herb Willaims

Flora and flowers abound as a lavish theme throughout art history. The great American modernist artist Georgia O’Keeffe, who was unabashed in her adoration of flowers once commented: “When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else.” What a beautiful thought, and the very reason I knew that a show focused on just Spring was necessary.

The Spring exhibition that opened in May 2023, “April Showers Bring May Flowers” at Open Space Arts in Potomac Town Center was a celebratory homage to Spring awakening, and the over 85 artists included in this show offered their singular “world-giving moment” through floral-themed artworks that both captivated and provoked. With artworks that expressed the various artists’ blossomed energies in some capacity, the exhibit included paintings, drawings, collages, sculptures, ceramics, and so much more.

Flowers being the curatorial focus, there was playful glee to be found at every turn. Lyrical visions of floral embodiments were represented in charming acrylic paintings, hand-embroidered photos, entrancing painted works, photography, and a mysterious set of colorful jewelry works donated by “Wearable Art By Shelby,” to help support the gallery were all present and accounted for.

This exhibition was indeed a celebration of florals and Spring in varying proportions—smaller sculptural pieces, ceramics, and quirky 3D botanical creations. There were works by Aaron Kimmel to further lighten the mood with Augmented Reality Photography images of Bees pollinating and young birds being fed. These were magical moments for those with their phones to see these photos come to life. An element of divine nature infused this exhibit like a welcomed waft of seductive incense, and one was naturally elated by the diversity of enchanted artworks in this show.

On the flip side of flowers is, of course, their brevity. Could this be the reason why we love them even more, knowing that the brutal brièveté de la vie… the truth of flowers, is the same truth and reality for all. Yet, we admire the freakish nature of flowers as seasonal muses, ever so faithful, providing timeless insight into the cyclical order of everything—they give and give fully, and then they are gone.

Interview With Otis Banks of Purple Tongue

With some advice for artists of color

Otis Banks is an established restaurant owner in NYC that originates in Norfolk VA. He got his start in the arts when he moved to New york city to be a stage performer. The Purple Tongue is an exquisite dining experience, with a very exceptional interior design that is on par with its menu Selection. I regrettably had the best fish I’ve ever had in my life there. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to find better. Here is my interview with Otis on how art shifted his view on the arts: https://youtu.be/HUBxz_CSjhI

Purple tongue: https://www.thepurpletonguenyc.com

The Original Limelight

Here is a picture of the original Limelight in NYC that inspired the Limelight Vibes Wednesday open mic at Clearbrook Center of the Arts. Started in the early 80s as a nightclub for disco and rock music. Later, it spawned other locations in Chicago, Florida, London, and Atlanta. During its time it would house many wellknown celebrities.

Interview with Jane Marx

Jane Marx is a lifelong artist who grew up in NYC. During the 80s she would give tours around the city while performing and doing her own art. In my interview with her, she describes how important the arts are to society and what the inclusivity of spaces allows for flourishing art.

Without personal expression, we are no one. https://youtu.be/7iTsJ9XNCYA Janemarx.com