SwedishScene

The renowned Italian kitchen design company Scavolini opens a showroom in Washington, D.C.

2010-07-30T17:59:07Z

Angelo Zambrano, Executive Manager of Scavolini by Living Design Center in Washington, D.C., and Francisco from Scavolini in Italy celebrates the opening of the new Scavolini showroom in the American capital.

THE OPENING of the Italian high-end kitchen design and cabinetry company Scavolini at the Living Design Center's new showroom in Washington, D.C., located at the Ritz Carlton Building in Georgetown, was celebrated with a cocktail reception on Thursday evening, July 29.

Designers show their creations at H Street Temporium

2010-07-27T02:07:27Z

Designer Virginia Arrisueño of de*nada design (www.denadadesign.com), creates intriguing, fashion-forward knitwear produced in Peru. She has been covered in The Washington Post and Express, the Today Show, Daily Candy and Teen Magazine.

DC's best designers showed their wares in the H Street, Northeast Washington, D.C. Temporium over the weekend, July 23-25 with Grand Opening Festivities. The design shop + wifi lounge will continue through August 15, 2010. Temporium is showcasing the works by Billy Colbert, Dana Greaves, Darringer Friday, Dopeville, Bill Johnson, de*nada, Kristi Love and Jon Wye.

DURING the opening festivities this weekend there were performances by DJ Obeyah on Friday evening, and on Saturday by DC groove keyboardist Will Rast, singer/songwriter and guitarist Alex Vans and DJ MikeBolo, and on Sunday BT Richardson. The Pink Line Project (www.pinklineproject.com) is the sponsor.

H STREET Temporium is located in the former R.L. Christian Library at 1300 H Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

Designer Virginia Arrisueño of de*nada design

Artist Ernest Dükü from Côte d'Ivoire shows art in Washington

2010-07-26T22:20:46Z

Artist Victor Ekpuk, Mimi Wolford of Mbari Institute for Contemporary African Art, and artist Ernest Dükü from Côte d'Ivoire, who is showing his art in Washington, D.C.

ON FRIDAY evening, July 23, the Mbari Institute for Contemporary African Art held an opening reception for Paris-based artist Ernest Dükü, a native of Côte d'Ivoire (http://ernest.duku.over-blog.com/).

Art by artist Ernest Dükü from Côte d'Ivoire, who is showing his art at the Mbari Institute for Contemporary African Art.

THE MBARI Institute for Contemporary African Art, which was founded in 1995, is a nonprofit organization, which has organized over 36 solo and group shows. It offers emerging and established African artists opportunities to showcase their work in the United States. Featured artists include Hamid Kachmar of Morocco, Sane Wadu of Kenya, Rackie Dianka and Abdoulaye Ndoye of Senegal, Isaac Ojo, Peju Layiwola, Yinka Adeyemi and Wole Lagunju of Nigeria, Sanaa Gateja of Uganda and Bethel Aniaku of Togo. Mbari also exhibits some of Africa's better known international artists such as Malangatana of Mozambique and Twins Seven Seven, Jimoh Buraimoh and Bruce Onobrakpeya of Nigeria.

Mimi Wolford, Victor Ekpuk and Ernest Dükü

DIRECTOR Mimi Wolford provides exhibition space in Washington, D.C., and organizes traveling and single-site exhibitions at museums and universities throughout the country. In January of 2007 she organized her first group exhibit in Cape Town, South Africa.

SINCE the 1960's Mbari has amassed a large collection of Contemporary African Art along with the African Toys for a Children's room. It is a hope that one day there will be a special place for a Museum of Contemporary African Art.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about the Mbari Institute for contemporary African Art, contact 202-244-6094 or MbariInst@aol.com.

Vasa Order of America's 37th Grand Lodge Convention in Washington, D.C. July 2-8, 2010

2010-07-23T19:11:08Z

Raija Nilsson, Margaret Schueman and Roland Nilsson

Roland and Raija Nilsson and Gerry Schueman

Photos: Gerry Schueman

Coprodeli USA celebrates Peruvian Independence Day on July 28

2010-07-22T16:32:25Z

COPRODELI USA, a nonprofit organization that supports humanitarian aid initiatives and holistic development work of Coprodeli in Peru, has arranged several events to celebrate the Peruvian Independence Day on Wednesday, July 28th.

THE CELEBRATION will last from 5 p.m. until midnight and presents the best of Peruvian art, cuisine and spirit in three venues in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

THE PARTY WILL begin at Toro Mata at 5 p.m., and guests can enjoy live music, complimentary beverages, and view Toro Mata's selection of hand crafted home furnishings, jewelry and art work by master artisans of Peru. Thereafter the guests can join Coprodeli USA at Las Canteras for a prix fixe dinner at 6:00 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. for $28, or pisco cocktails and complimentary tapas at the bar. The evening will end at Chi Cha Lounge with music and dancing and pisco cocktails. There will also be a preview of Evelyn Brooks Designs 2011 Collection and complimentary pisco cocktails from Macchu Pisco.

A DONOR HAS pledged to give Coprodeli a matching donation for the event, matching every dollar raised, dollar for dollar, up to $15,000. All proceeds from the event will benefit Coprodeli's One+One Campaign. Support has also been provided by Macchu Pisco, Evelyn Brooks Designs, Toro Mata, Las Canteras and Chi Cha Lounge.

TORO MATA is located at 2410 18th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., Las Canteras at 2307 18th Street, N.W., and Chi Cha Lounge at 1624 U St. NW. Suggested donation for all three venues is $20, and proceeds benefit humanitarian aid initiatives in Peru.

COPRODELI IN PERU, supported by Coprodeli USA, provides fundamental needs, promotes education and job training, and develops strong self-sustaining community programs to diminish poverty for 110,000 people every year in Peru.

For more information visit www.coprodeliusa.org, contact Alycia Ebbinghaus at aebbinghaus@coprodeliusa.org or call 860-608-6380.

"Informed Design" opens at Long View Gallery in Washington, D.C.

2010-07-09T22:55:50Z

Siobhan Gavagan, Drew Porterfield and Suzi Molak of Long View Gallery

"INFORMED DESIGN," the new exhibition at Long View Gallery in Washington, D.C., has the aim of developing and explaining how the role of art objects within the context of interior design and architecture. A sampling of the inventory of the gallery's newly launched corporate art consulting branch is featured as well as two architectural design vignettes by leading Washington, D.C., architects Ernesto Santalla and David Jameson. The exhibition demonstrates how art can influence and interact with an interior space. The show includes a variety of abstract paintings and sculptures by artists such as Patricia Burns, Victoria Cowles, Susan Finsen, Steve Griffin, Joan Konkel, Anne Marchand and Wanda Wainsten.

THE OPENING RECEPTION was held at Long View Gallery on Thursday evening, July 8, 2010. Show dates are July 8 through August 1. The gallery is located at 1234 Ninth St., N.W., Washington, D.C., 202-232-4788. Business hours are: Wednesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 12 noon-5 p.m., and by appointment. Visit www.longviewgallery.com for more information.

Artist Nia Tavlarides

Michael Deshmukh, Denna Millet, Lauren Albrecht and Michael Dozler

Pierre Rahal, Siobhan Gavagan and Evan Rahal

Tim and Ann Gavagan

The 37th Grand Lodge Convention of the Vasa Order of America held in Washington, D.C.

2010-07-09T22:37:14Z

Al Fedor, Gerry Schueman, Margaret Schueman, Raija Nilsson, Richard Overberg, Linda Smith and Darlene Nelson. Ms. Nelson is the Chair of Lodge Nobel-Monitor #130, which is also the lodge of the Grand Master, Rolf Bergman. Nobel-Monitor is a Local Lodge in District Lodge Pennsylvania #9.

THE 2010 - and 37th - Grand Lodge Convention of the Vasa Order of America (www.vasaorder.com) - A Swedish-American Fraternal Organization - was held in Washington, D.C., from July 2 through July 8, 2010, and was hosted by District Lodge Pennsylvania No. 9. The opening ceremony took place on Saturday, July 3, at the Marriott Hotel in Downtown Washington.

THE VASA ORDER of America began more than a century ago as a benefit fraternal society for Swedish immigrants to the United States. Membership at the time was limited to Swedish-born men, who through the Vasa Order met others who needed to learn the new language and ways of the new country, and also had a fund to support members in need. The Order is named after Gustav Vasa, who liberated the country in the 16th century and became the first king of modern Sweden. Over the past century, things have changed, and the Vasa Order has grown to meet the new needs of the Scandinavian American community.

Arthur Haumacher, Pam Genelli and John Hanright

Grand Master Rolf Bergman

Raija and Roland Nilsson

French kick-off restaurant week celebration at the Washington Club

2010-07-09T20:26:39Z

Patrick Orange of La Chaumière (www.lachaumieredc.com), Hugh Cossard of Food Expression (www.foodexpression.com), Yann Henrotte, who is Club Director of The Washington Club, and Christophe Poteaux of Bastille Restaurant (www.bastillerestaurant.com)

THE FRENCH Culinary Society's Red, White and Brut event - a kick-off for the French restaurant's week from July 9th to the 15th - was held last night, Thursday, July 8, at the elegant Washington Club off Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C.

Hugh Cossard of Food Expression, Patrick Orange of La Chaumière, and Chef Jean Claude Le Lan of the IMF

YANN HENROTTE is Club Director of The Washington Club, and also president of The French International Culinary Society (FICS), www.ficsevents.com, which is an exclusive membership organization dedicated to preserving the traditions of quality in the French culinary arts through education and professional development. FICS is a sponsor of the French restaurant week in Washington.

Florence Devillies of Lavandou (www.lavandoudc.com)

Indonesian top designers presented their dazzling designs during a festive gala dinner in Washington

2010-07-09T00:51:33Z

Indonesian top designers, Oscar Lawalata and Denny Wirawan presented their designs during a fashion show and gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C.

TWO OF INDONESIA'S top designers -- Oscar Lawalata (www.oscarlawalata.net) and Denny Wirawan (www.dennywirawan.com) -- presented their dazzling and intriguing designs during a festive and elegant fashion show and gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night, July 7, 2010, that drew a big crowd. The cultural night was entitled "Indonesian Integrated Investment: Remarkable Indonesia," a program initiated by the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board and supported by the Embassy of Indonesia.

Count Vladimir Tolstoy, Rhoda Septilici, and countess Suzanne Tolstoy

THE EVENT portrayed the blend of Indonesian culture culminating in tenun as one of the traditional textiles used by Indonesian top fashion designers. Cita Tenun Indonesia/Indonesian Woven Cloths Association's (CTI) mission is to preserve original Indonesian woven cloths, tenun, and to establish Indonesia as a central market for woven textiles. CTI also provides various training programs to increase production and quality and expand the market at home and abroad.

Models show designs by Denny Wirawan and Oscar Lawalata

LAST SUMMER President Obama's mother Ann Dunham's collection of Indonesian batik was shown at Mandarin Hotel in Washington, D.C. An event that also included a gala dinner, where the guest of honor was the president's sister, Indonesian born Maya Soetoro-Ng.

Designer Oscar Lawalata is being interviewed by the media.

Designer Oscar Lawalata to the right.

Pictures from the closing party for Swedish artist Anna U. Davis' show "The Dance Before the Kill" at Long View Gallery in Washington

2010-07-06T16:38:30Z

Lisa Marie Thalhammer, Henry Thaggert, Gerhard Olsen and Randa Kayyali

Erin Helfert and Ian Campbell

Gerhard Olsen and Arni Tômasson

Art by Anna U. Davis

Anna U. Davis' dramatic depiction of a Swedish Midsummer feast

Closing party for artist Anna U. Davis show "The Dance Before the Kill" at Long View Gallery in Washington

2010-07-04T19:22:28Z

Washington-based Swedish artist Anna U. Davis and husband Peter Davis

THE CLOSING party of Washington-based Swedish artist Anna U. Davis' (www.frocasians.com) show "The Dance Before the Kill" was held at Long View Gallery in the nation's capital on Friday evening, July 2.

THE EXHIBITION, which featured approximately 30 pen and ink drawings, was the first time that Davis has presented works on paper. This was the artist's first solo show and the second time that she has exhibited at Long View Gallery. Davis is a 2006 recipient of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities Young Artist Grant. Her work has been exhibited at numerous venues throughout the Washington metro area and is also in the private collections of Dorothy Lichtenstein. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in Studio Art from the University of the District of Columbia in 2002. Born in Sweden, Davis moved to the United States in 1998 and currently resides and works in Washington, D.C.

LONG VIEW GALLERY is located 1234 Ninth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. www.longviewgallery.com.

Washington artist Dana Ellyn shows art at Martin Luther King Library

2010-06-30T17:11:36Z

Washington artist Dana Ellyn at the opening of her solo exhibit "Banned" at the MLK Library in Washington, D.C.

AN EXHIBIT of paintings by Washington artist Dana Ellyn - titled "Banned" - opened on Monday evening, June 28, at Martin Luther King Library in the nation's capital. It is the artist's newest solo show, and on Thursday, July 1, Ms. Ellyn will kick off the seventh year of her "31 Days in July" project - creating one new painting every day in July - each inspired by the daily news.

THE "BANNED" paintings are inspired by notable "banned books," books that have been challenged and declared 'prohibited' from the public by one or more authoritative body. Ms. Ellyn thrives on controversy and loves to read and tell stories, stories that are told in her paintings and are very often opinionated. She doesn't stay away from myths of all kinds, when it comes to religion, politics and to what it means to be a woman.

IN APRIL next year, she will have a solo show at Galeria Artevistas in Barcelona. Another solo exhibit will be at ArtGallery in Norfolk, Va., in November 2011.

MARTIN LUTHER KING Library, 901 G Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. www.danaellyn.com.

Artist Natasha Karpinskaia shows art at Susan Calloway Fine Arts in Washington

2010-06-27T19:27:39Z

Ann Dunleavy and artist Natasha Karpinskaia

PLAYFUL COLOR and line dictate the compositions of artist Natasha Karpinskaia's monotypes while layering evokes a sense of the passage of time. Her monotypes, paintings and collages are as much a testament to their individual media as to personal easthetics, formal choices and, perhaps most importantly, humor.

The exhibition -- "Mix" -- is Karpinskaia's first solo show at the gallery and features a selection of works created in the last few years. A series of monotypes is derived from an idea that the artist continues to work with until she feels it is complete. The monotypes in "Mix" represent selections from the series Doodle, Connecticut Fences, Jaipur and Monuments. Additionally, there are 26 paintings titled "Alphabet Series" and selected small collages included in the exhibition.

The exhibition will go on until July 24, 2010. The gallery is located at 1643 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., 202-965-4601, www.callowayart.com.

Gallery owner Susan Calloway and daughter Anna

"Exquisite Corpse" opening reception in Washington, D.C.

2010-06-25T12:29:36Z

Tim Davis, International Visions Gallery, and Philippa Hughes, The Pink Line Project

CIVILIAN Art Projects in Washington, D.C., is presenting "Exquisite Corpse" - a collaborative photo project curated by Corcoran Photography alums Jessica Cebra, Dave Gustine and Marissa Long. Invented by Surrealists in 1925, the Exquisite Corpse method involves a group of collaborators assembling a collection of words or images - each collaborator adds to a composition in sequence, either by following a rule or by being allowed to see only the end of what the previous person has contributed.

THE PROJECT'S photographers are an eclectic mix in themselves, including many artists based in D.C., and others living in New York, California, and as far away as China and South Africa. The "Exquisite Corpse" photographers are Ken Ashton, Page Carr, Jessica Cebra, Jenn DePalma, Ginger Farnham, Dave Gustine, Avi Gupta, Kyoko Hamada, Whitney Hubbs, Paul Jeffreys, Marissa Long, Seth Lower, Michael Lease, Kate MacDonnell, Antonio McAfee, Andy McMillan, Ed Panar, Laurel Plak, Eric Powell, Ahndraya Pariato, Cory Riggie, Paul Schiek, Mike Terzano, Zach Storm, Sarah Small, Asha Schecter, Sarah Wilmer and Jason Zimmerman.

ON THURSDAY evening, June 24, the opening reception was held at Civilian Art Projects, 1019 Seventh St., N.W., Washington, D.C., 202-607-3804, www.civilianartprojects.com. Exhibition hours are Wednesday and Saturday 1-6 p.m., Friday 4-8 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday by appointment.

Amanda Stoltz and Katherine Carr

Richard Gould and Lena Skanby

Zahra Bayati is awarded the 2010 Agneta and Gunnar Nilsson scholarship for studies in intercultural relations

2010-06-22T16:59:39Z

Zahra Bayati

DURING SWEA's (Swedish Women's Educational Association) annual Sweden dinner in Malmö, August 12, Zahra Bayati will receive the 2010 Agneta and Gunnar Nilsson scholarship for studies in intercultural relations.

MS. BAYATI is a Ph.D. student at Gothenburg University and is working on her dissertation "Construction and reconstruction of ethnicity in the teaching education from a intercultural perspective and its consequences for a lasting societal development." She was born in Tehran, Iran, but came to Sweden with her son in 1987.