VISIT OUR GALLERIES
Exceptional visual art exhibits in a variety of media
BlackRock presents changing exhibits in our galleries throughout the year to provide opportunities for the creative expression of artists and the active engagement of audiences of all ages.
The series of solo, group, juried and themed exhibits showcase works in a variety of media by both emerging and established contemporary visual artists from across the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.
***Please be advised that occasionally our galleries are rented for private events. Call 301-528-2260 to ensure the gallery is open to the public during your planned visit.***
CURRENT EXHIBITS
I AM SARAH MATTHEWS
May 19, 2023 - Jul 3, 2023
Kay Gallery
Artist Reception:
May 27, 2023 at 2:00 P.M.
Sarah Matthews' work reflects her commitment to exploring the complex issues of race, equality, and gender. Her layered prints and artist books document the struggles of breaking through societal barriers. As an African-American, Mrs. Matthews has experienced firsthand the impact of negative media images that portray her community as inferior. She challenges these stereotypes and empowers her audience to see all individuals' beauty, intelligence, and importance, regardless of their race.
Sarah Matthews is a highly skilled printmaker and book artist with a background in art and business. She holds an MA in Art & the Book from the Corcoran College of Arts and Design at George Washington University, an MBA with a Marketing Concentration, and a BS in Sociology from Bowie State University. Her works have been exhibited internationally and are part of prestigious collections at institutions such as Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, George Washington University’s Gelman Library, University of Puget Sound, and Samford University. Mrs. Matthews is also a dedicated educator, teaching Artist Books at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and bookbinding and printmaking classes at various art centers and platforms.
FREEDOM
The African American History & Culture Community Roundtable Project
May 19, 2023 - Jul 3, 2023
Gallery II
Artist Reception:
May 27, 2023 at 2:00 P.M.
Roundtable Discussion:
June 17, 2023 at 1:00 P.M.
Organized by Sarah Matthews and Pam Heemskerk, adapted for BlackRock by Joshua Gamma. Presented in collaboration with Riverworks in Poolesville, MD.
Featuring
Stephane Calvin
Ruth Gainer
Cathy Goucher
Pam Heemskerk
Ellen Letourneau
Ann Nelsen
Leslie B. Nesbitt
Sarah Matthews
Malinda Pierce
More programming and workshops
2022-2023 EXHIBITS
OPEN CALL
PAST EXHIBITS
ALOG SPRING SHOW
MARCH 18 - APRIL 16, 2023
The Art League of Germantown proudly celebrates its 40th anniversary with a new month-long exhibit and sale, March 18 – April 16, 2023, in the Kay Gallery at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, MD.
GAIA:
HUMAN EXPERIENCE THROUG THE LENS OF NATURE
NOVEMBER 13 - MARCH 7, 2023
Lithographic and intaglio prints convey key watershed moments from Carol Moore's life and heartfelt relationships using nature as my language. Symbols, movement, and abundant detail will assist in the storytelling to convey the symbiotic relationship that she has felt with nature all her life.
STUDIO ART QUILT ASSOCIATES' UPCYCLE!
SEPTEMBER 17 - OCTOBER 29, 2022
A co-exhibit with Strathmore. A national exhibit by Studio Art Quilt Associates that repurposed used materials as an effective solution to deal with today's environmentally devastating waste using the ancient traditions of fiber and textile arts.
ALONZO DAVIS: 20 YEARS IN MARYLAND
APRIL 30 - AUGUST 28, 2022
Guest Curated by Tomora Wright this exhibition will showcase approximately 30 artworks spanning from 2002 to 2022, an intercultural and trans-historical arrival, as Davis fuses natural material, symbols, and patterns to document the experiences and influences of place and time.
ART CONNECTS - YAM
MARCH 5 - APRIL 19, 2022
Annual Youth Art Month Exhibition featuring student artists from
HAND CRAFTED
MARCH 5 - APRIL 19, 2022
A group exhibition featuring a variety of works that explore craftsmanship in contemporary art.
STUART DIEKMEYER: CURIOSITY OF SCALE
JANUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 26, 2022
A solo exhibit of macrophotography exploring the natural micro world.
Rula Jones: CONVERSATIONS WITH MYSELF
NOVEMBER 13 - DECEMBER 20, 2021
A solo exhibit of over thirty mixed media works on paper. This series of work is highly influenced by the litany of art history in that it incorporates multiple genres within a single work.
The Power of Patience
SEPTEMBER 18- OCTOBER 30, 2021
The invitational exhibition The Power of Patience features 18 artists working in varied media who employ patience in a variety of ways in their creative process and the active practice of making works which inspire the viewer to engage in the rewarding experience of slow looking.
Mid Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition
JUNE 12- AUGUST 21, 2021
Experience the virtual exhibit online this year to view all 104 paintings selected by juror Anne Abgott, AWS, NWS, and find out who won the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and other awards. View Online Exhibit...
Shades of Spring Virtual Show & Sale
APRIL 17 – MAY 29, 2021
The Art League of Germantown's Spring Show with 175+ Works by Local Artists and Fine Craft Artisans
Youth Art Month 2021 Virtual Exhibit
MARCH 5 – 31, 2021
Inspired by the theme "Art Connects Us," Virtual Showcase Presents Art by 56 Students from Montgomery County
Handcrafted: Fiber Art + Turned Wood
NOVEMBER 14, 2020 – JANUARY 2, 2021
Virtual Presentation of Biennial Juried Exhibit Featuring Fiber Art and Turned Wood by Mid-Atlantic Artists
A Fresh Perspective Virtual Show & Sale
NOVEMBER 4 – DECEMBER 19, 2020
Art League of Germantown's Annual Show Goes Virtual with 82 Works by Local Artists and Fine Craft Artisans
Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition
JULY 1 – AUGUST 31, 2020
Annual Juried Exhibit Sponsored by the Baltimore Watercolor Society Featuring Paintings by 100 Regional Artists
Quotable Quarantine
The Online Exhibit
MAY 22 – JULY 3, 2020
Online Exhibit of 156 Artworks Created by Students in Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic, Accompanied by Quotations
Handcrafted: Fiber Art + Turned Wood
FEBRUARY 29 – APRIL 11, 2020
Biennial Juried Exhibit of Fiber Art Selected by Caroline Kipp and Turned Wood Selected by Dr. Barbara Wolanin
Cat Gunn:
Pretty Boy
JANUARY 11 – FEBRUARY 22, 2020
Solo Exhibit of Abstract Paintings Exploring Paint Alchemy and Notions of Identity within the LGBTQ Community
YOUTH ART MONTH
MARCH 18 - APRIL 16, 2023
Each year in March, BlackRock Center for the Arts is pleased to celebrate Youth Art Month by presenting exhibits featuring art created by students from local elementary, middle and high schools.
DAN DROZ: BEHIND THE FOLD
JANUARY 21 - MARCH 5, 2023
The exhibition features over 30 of Droz’s recent works and takes its name from the recently published book, Behind The Fold, which showcases Droz’s extensive body of work including large-scale pieces installed in museums, galleries and prominent private and commercial projects.
ESTAMOS AQUÍ
SEPTEMBER 17 - OCTOBER 29, 2022
The eight modern Latino artists highlighted identity, language, ceremony, legacy, lifestyle, history, and family relationships. The exhibition honored the Latino population in the region by showcasing the artwork of intersectional voices and acknowleded the Latino contribution to contemporary art.
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FREDERICK BOOK ARTS CENTER
APRIL 30 - JULY 15, 2022
An art exhibition of Book Arts and related media by artists from the FBAC Community that explore, commemorate and concern the planet earth. Presented in partnership with the Frederick Book Arts Center in Frederick, MD.
ALOG Spring Show
APRIL 19 - APRIL 24, 2022
Art League of Germantown Spring Show, featuring high craft and fine art.
TORY COWLES: JUXTAPOSITIONS
JANUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 26, 2022
In partnership with CityDance.
A solo exhibit of installation art featuring elegance and utility in unison.
Doug Moulden: TOWARD AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION
NOVEMBER 13 - DECEMBER 23, 2021
A solo exhibit of large paintings on wood exploring sylvan landscapes. Texture and surface as well as shaped “canvas” lend sculptural qualities to Moulden’s paintings.
ALOG Show & Glow Sale
NOVEMBER 3-7, 2021
Fine original works in a wide variety of mediums by more than 20 members of the Art League of Germantown will be featured in the Kay Gallery. ALOG artists present paintings, drawings, photographs, finely crafted jewelry, sculpture, fused glass, ceramics, fiber art pieces, mixed media works +.
Quotable Quarantine Student Exhibit
SEPTEMBER 18- OCTOBER 30, 2021
Featuring 156 artworks by local youth artists responding to an invitation to create a work inspired by their quarantine experience during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
William C. Wright: Landscapes
JUNE 20 - AUGUST 21, 2021
Working in both watercolor and oil, his brushwork often tells the story of rural landscapes near his home in Maryland or wild and unspoiled locations he discovers on his travels across the U.S. View Online Exhibit...
IMAGINATION: 1 x 4 SAQA Regional Exhibit
JANUARY 9 – FEBRUARY 20, 2021
50 Unique Art Quilts with a Uniform 1' x 4' Format by Artist members of Studio Artist Quilt Associates (SAQA)
Cheriss May: Beyond the Protest
OCTOBER 3 – DECEMBER 31, 2020
Solo Exhibit Exploring the Intersection of Race, Politics & Protest by Award-winning Photojournalist Cheriss May
Ellen Cornett: Into the Woods
SEPTEMBER 12 – OCTOBER 31, 2020
Solo Exhibit of Drawings Exploring Themes of Conflict, Misunderstanding and Absurdity by Maryland Artist
Gordana Gerskovic: Texturescapes
JUNE 20 – JULY 31, 2020
Solo Exhibition Featuring 35 Abstract Photographs of Textures Found in the Landscape by Local Artist
Youth Art Month:
MCPS Students
MARCH 6 – 14, 2020
Showcasing School Art Projects by K-12 Students from Montgomery County Public Schools Located in Germantown
Heloisa Escudero:
Tools for the Mind
JANUARY 11 – FEBRUARY 22, 2020
Solo Exhibit and Performative Installation Focused on Interaction, Reaction, Inclusiveness & Participation
CALL FOR EXHIBITION PROPOSALS
BlackRock Center for the Arts accepts Exhibition Proposals January through April every year through our online submission system powered by Submittable. Proposals may be for for solo, group and themed exhibitions. Visual artists, curators, and coordinators of artist collectives and organizations who are over age 18 and live or work in Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania and NYC are encouraged to submit proposals.
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Galleries
The Kay Gallery is located on the main level and has 1,500 square feet of exhibition space with 16-foot-high walls topped by clerestory windows. Gallery II is located on the upper level and has up to 140 linear feet of wall display space, a wall of windows, and varied ceiling height with some areas open to the two-story atrium.