Dimensions: 16 x 13 x 1 Media: Original 1/1 limited edition giclee print on archival watercolor paper; hand-embellished with graphite and gold leaf Artist Statement : Stella Alexander is an emerging Bulgarian-born artist who celebrates the quiet resilience of weathered beauty - worn textures, cobblestone streets, and sun-bleached doors. Now based in a Chesapeake Bay beach town in Maryland, she draws on childhood memories and the everyday scenery that surrounds her studio. Her process echoes natural cycles of erosion and renewal. Whether laying down thick veils of paint or the delicate graphite lines of her gilded portraits, she builds, abrades, and re-veils each surface, allowing earlier marks to re-emerge. Subtle passages of gold leaf illuminate these layers, binding past and present while inviting viewers to consider what is precious in the traces time leaves behind.
This artwork comes with a poem I wrote which inspired it:
...she wonders if the stars remember her name
if hope is something you can hold
or if it's just the shimmer of gold
that fades as soon as you reach for it...
Dimensions: 11 x 14 x 0.7 Media: oil on canvas Artist Statement : The National Arboretum in Northeast Washington, DC provides endless subjects to contemplate and to paint. The koi fish were returned to the ponds next to the Arboretum's Visitor Center in September 2020, after a nine-year absence! I am lucky to live near the Arboretum and get to paint and be inspired by this refuge in the U.S. capital city on a regular basis.
Joanne Bond Application for Summer Member Show 2025
Joanne Bond
Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 1.5 Media: Mixed media (hand-dyed tissue and magazine cut-outs) and acrylic on canvas Artist Statement : I make mixed media collages and paintings that express the mysterious senselessness of life, and to give meaning and visual language to that which cannot be easily understood.
Art is at the basis of who I am, though I was forced to give it up when I joined a cult as a teenager. Managing to stay art-adjacent in my 32-year graphic design business, instead of an artist, I somehow became a singer-songwriter and lead singer of a psychedelic tribal world music band!
Physical challenges led me back to art. I couldn’t wait to get into my studio each day, feeling as though I had lost precious time without practicing my craft. Like a madwoman furiously running toward her Self, I reclaimed said Self as I began producing art at a breakneck speed and with a passionate fervor! Now I am ready to share my art.
My story and art are featured in the spring 2025 edition of the arts and culture magazine, Upstart Annapolis, with my pieces on the front and back covers, and an 8 page spread.
Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 1.5 Media: Molding paste, oil paint, resin and imitation gold laminated transparency on panel Artist Statement : While I started this piece a few years ago, I only finished it just before the pandemic started. Oxytocin is the hormone depicted inside the heart. Oxytocin is often called the ‘cuddle’ hormone or the ‘love’ hormone because of the feel-good chemical it releases during touching another person, from a friendly hug, to kissing, to helping solidify the bond between a nursing mother and child during breastfeeding. This pandemic has made me realize more than ever how much we want and need to be touched, and how our connection with others is essential to our physical and mental well-being. I miss the casualness we used to enjoy with our touch, and I am more grateful than ever for the relationships, large and small, that have touched me and kept me grounded during this time.
Dimensions: 6 x 12 x 12 Media: Blown Glass Crab Artist Statement : The piece a part of my series on state pride. The piece is of a crab, a creature and food well loved by the people of Maryland. They put pride in this dish, and a seasoning they sprinkle on it. This pride is so strong, it could almost be compared ho a religion,. It is both inspiring and quite entertaining to witness.
Dimensions: 18 x 22 Media: Watercolor on Paper Artist Statement : Mid summer Hydrangeas heavy with color and beauty. Thats what this painting is all about.
Dimensions: 13.5 x 13.5 x 1.5 Media: Acrylic painting in floater frame Artist Statement : My paintings are in the Abstract Expressionist style. I paint with emphasis on color and mood. The works are non-representational; and each piece evolves as color and shape and assumes its own character. The viewer is then free to experience the paintings intuitively without a prescribed subject or focus. My aim is to make forms and color evocative, experiential, and capable of eliciting emotion and mood.
Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 1.5 Media: ?? Artist Statement : My mother loved flowers, had a green thumb and was a florist. This work of art is for all the mommas out there.
Dimensions: 16 x 20 x 1 Media: photography Artist Statement : The 3D quality of the duct tape is striking and speaks volumes. The concept of "good enough for now" sprang to mind when I saw this old boat with a bandaid. Colorful, characterful and funny.
Dimensions: 10 x 20 Media: Oil on Canvas Artist Statement : Clouds are an aspect of nature that are available to everyone, regardless of where they live. They offer beauty and inspiration, provide information about weather, from halcyon to terrifying, and a chance to let our imaginations flow freely...
Dimensions: 8 x 10 Media: oil on panel Artist Statement : The River Maigue in County Limerick, Ireland provided the inspiration for this piece where I painted the fading summer sunset and the rising moon, pushing the color and values to capture the beauty in the evening sky and the lush wildflowers on the river bank.
Dimensions: 14 x 11 x 1 Media: Two color block print Artist Statement : "Pedestrians" is one of the series that I have been adding to over time focusing on the movement of people. As we walk along city streets, the people that pass by are part of the urban environment that are often overlooked, ignored or avoided. This woman caught my eye because of her bright orange dress and focused stride. This print was made by using a stencil for the color and a block print for the black details.
Dimensions: 15 x 20 Media: film photography Artist Statement : I’ve found three statements made by other artists that resonate with my approach to photography:
The first is from Dylan Thomas, who said art is about telling the truth.
The second is from Georgia O’Keeffe, who said what appeals to us about mountains and rocks and trees is not that they’re mountains and rocks and trees, but rather the lines, planes and textures they present to us.
The third is from Joseph Campbell, who said it’s the task of the artist to convey the radiance behind the physical reality.
Dimensions: 13 x 16 x 1.5 Media: Mixed Acrylic and Collage Artist Statement : The artwork presents an interplay of shapes and colors, creating a sense of movement and abstraction. The use of bold reds and blacks against a muted background draws attention, while the incorporation of text elements adds an intriguing layer of complexity.
Dimensions: 16 x 20 x 1.5 Media: acrylic paint on canvas. Artist Statement : My approach to making art is like a child’s approach to play. What happens if I do this? What happens if I squeeze that? What will it look like if I mix these three colors together? Or put these shiny bits on top? I experiment with different media. And I cannot imagine a time when I will stop playing. I am currently based in northern VA and create work that is abstract, often colorful and hopefully uplifting.
Dimensions: 11 x 14 x 2 Media: acrylic on canvas framed Artist Statement : This painting is part of my coffee shop series. I painted independent coffee shops around the DMV. I love that that it's in this cute little house. I loved the colors and the bright sun and shadows. This paining was started in Plein air.
