“Street in Old Town.” Collage on paper. 9″x12″ Order a print
July 20th, 2009 – January 8th, 2010 City Hall; Alexandria, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Megan Coyle’s collages, “Street in Old Town” and “The Torpedo Factory,” were on display in Alexandria, Virginia’s City Hall.
This particular City Hall exhibition was entitled “Our Town” and focused on images of Alexandria or work about Alexandria, the diverse population that makes up the city, the varied daily activities of the city, and the historical events that define what Alexandria is today.
The exhibit was part of an ongoing bi-annual juried exhibit that City Hall holds every year, featuring the art from members of the Del Ray Artisans, the Art League, and the Torpedo Factory Artists Association.
Chris Haggerty, a Professor of Art and Art Therapy at Marymount University, was the Juror of the exhibition.
June 26th – July 19th, 2009 Nicholas Colasanto Center; Alexandria, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Megan Coyle displayed two of her mixed media pieces, “Fridge” and “Abstract Trees,” in the Del Ray Artisans’ “Mixed Media Multiplied” exhibition. These particular works of art are older pieces from her work as a painting student at Elon University. They were completed during her junior and senior year at school. Both works of art were made from acrylic paint, oil pastel, canvas, collage, and thread.
“Boy with Dog.” Collage on paper. 24″x18″ Order a print
May 22nd – June 21st, 2009 Nicholas Colasanto Center; Alexandria, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Megan Coyle’s work in progress, “Boy with Dog,” was on display in the Del Ray Artisans’ exhibition, “Bond for Life.” The exhibition was dedicated to the emotions shared by humans and their pet companions.
Curator of the exhibition, Richardson, described the exhibition theme with the following:
“Most people have some idea how rewarding the campanionship of a pet can be. Few are aware,however, of the sheer diversity of the human-pet partnerships that have existed for thousands of years and continue today. Bond for Life is designed as an all out celebration of the special connection that humans and their pet companions share.”
April 1st – June 6th, 2009 Blueberry Art Gallery; Alexandria, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Megan Coyle’s “Smirk” and “Figure Seated by the Counter” collages were on display in Blueberry Gallery. Blueberry Gallery is a new Art Gallery that recently moved next door to St. Elmo’s coffee shop in the Del Ray area of Alexandria, Virginia.
“Figure Seated by the Counter.” Collage on paper. 24″x18″ Order a print
The exhibition had a closing reception on May 7th. On the closing night of the exhibition, the gallery owner held a rock, paper, scissors tournament where an iphone was given away to a winner.
The exhibition was initially planned to end on May 7th, however the gallery owner extended the exhibition until June 6th.
“Green Coffee Cup.” Collage on paper. 16″x12″ Order a print
March 27th – April 26th, 2009 Nicholas Colasanto Center; Alexandria, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Megan Coyle’s collages, “Coffee in the Morning,” “Masonic Temple,” and “Blue Barack Obama,” were on display in the Del Ray Artisans’ exhibition, “Celebrate the Art of Making.” The exhibition was the first All Member, All Media exhibition for the Del Ray Artisans organization.
The exhibition showcased the artwork of local Alexandria artists that worked in mediums ranging from painting to photography and from collage to sculpture.
March 4th – April 5th, 2009 Art League Gallery; Alexandria, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Megan Coyle’s portrait collage, “Jean,” was on display in the Art League Gallery’s monthly juried exhibition, “Real/Unreal.” The exhibition focused on how artists interpret reality, with artwork that ranged from realism to abstraction.
The Art League described the exhibition with the following write-up:
This exhibit will explore how artists deal with reality from photorealism to abstraction. A broad interpretation of the theme will include everything from totally abstract works to realistic renderings.
Judy Jashinsky, a world-renowned artist living in the D.C. area, will jury this show. Her works are in many major collections including The National Gallery of Art, The Corcoran, The Museum of Women in the Arts and the Chicago Art Institute. She has been featured in magazine and newspaper articles, such as Art in America and The Washington Post. Her 2004 installation at the McLean Project for the Arts, “Artemisia Gentileschi: An Artist’s Life” was widely reviewed and has been exhibited through-out the country.
January 16th – February 15th, 2009 Nicholas Colasanto Center; Alexandria,Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Megan Coyle’s “Howl” collage was on display in the Del Ray Artisans’ “Nocturne – from Dusk to Dawn” exhibition. The exhibition was described as focusing on “a reviving theme that emerged in the 1860’s as a literary, musical, and artistic expression of the shimmering effects of light between dusk and dawn.”
The exhibition displayed the works of Del Ray Artisan artists and other local artists.
December 12, 2008 – January 19, 2009 Nicholas Colasanto Center; Alexandria, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Megan Coyle’s collages, “Figure Seated by the Counter,” “Pink Flower,” and “Orange Lily” were on display in the Del Ray Artisan’s Nicholas Colasanto Center. The exhibition featured the artwork of members from the Del Ray Artisans and the Guild of American Papercutters.
The gallery was filled with detailed artwork – including traditional black and white papercuttings as well as mixed media collages. The exhibition not only had two-dimensional work, but three dimensional sculptural pieces.
“The Curious Kitten.” Collage on mat board. 7″x5″ Order a print
December 12, 2008 – January 19, 2009 Art League Gallery; Alexandria, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Megan Coyle’s “The Curious Kitten” was on display in the Art League’s “Small Works” exhibition. During this monthly exhibition, two shows were going on – a large works and a small works one. Megan’s collage was awarded an Honorable Mention by the exhibitions juror, Susan Frank.
538 works of art were submitted to the exhibition, and only 198 were accepted.
The Art League provided a Juror’s Statement hand-out during the exhibition, that explained why the juror selected the pieces that were in the exhibition:
“In a small format, the composition becomes the dominant element.”
Over 500 works of art were submitted to the 2008 “small works” show at The Art League Gallery, giving juror Dr. Susan Frank, Assistant Curator at the Phillips Collection, a challenging task. She was quite pleased by the diversity and quality of the submissions. “I wanted to select a show that represented and reflected what was submitted – in terms of style, medium, and subject matter. It was very difficult to select the pieces for this show, narrow the works down, and select the award winners.”
“In a small format, the composition becomes the dominant element.” In addition to looking for an awareness of composition, Frank wanted to see an inventive use of palette, whether in color or black and white, and a strong command of materials.
“I was looking for something a little different – a fresh take on a traditional subject such as still life, figure, landscape. I have a particular fondness for still life. I am interested to see how an artist can take a traditional subject like still life and make it new and interesting.”
The pieces Frank selected as award winners are reflective of the works seen throughout the show. Frank awarded “Orange Peeled,” by Jill Banks best in show. “This is a fresh take on still life, a different perspective.” Ann Thomson’s photograph, “Arlington Brush,” was awarded an Honorable Mention for it’s wonderful composition and intriguing texture. Frank recognized “Serene Beauty” by Peter Reynolds for it’s strong composition and dramatic value contrast. Patti Vincent’s, “Fisherman” impressed her. “There is a great sense of space in this tiny piece. It is so hard to work with greens but this artist has succeeded,” Frank stated. Frank was also impressed with “Renee,” by Maria Valle-Riestra, for the beautiful handling of the ink, brushwork, and sense of freshness.
“I encourage artists to continue to educate themselves. It’s important to visit galleries and museums, and study and examine the work of other artists to train your mind and your eye.”
Dr. Frank is Assistant Curator at The Phillips Collection. She is a specialist in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century art and received her Ph.D from the University of Iowa. She has curated many exhibits including, “American Impressionism: Paintings from The Phillips Collection on tour through summer 2009 across the U.S.,” and “East Meets West: Hiroshige at The Phillips Collection.” She is also known for a number of important books including, American Impressionists: Painters of Light and the Modern Landscape.
November 17, 2008 – June 19, 2009 City Hall; Alexandria, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Megan Coyle’s collages, “The Artist from a Distance” and “Benjamin,” were on display in Alexandria, Virginia’s City Hall. Megan Coyle’s, “The Artist from a Distance” was awarded an Honorable Mention.
The exhibit was part of an ongoing bi-annual juried exhibit that City Hall holds every year, featuring the art from members of the Del Ray Artisans, the Art League, and the Torpedo Factory Artists Association. Beth Baldwin, the Art Bank Coordinator of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, was the Juror of the exhibition.
June 26th – July 19th, 2009
