Since 2019 I’ve participated in the Paint The Town Art Show which takes place annually on Labor Day Weekend in Kensington, Montgomery County, Maryland. In the past decades it became one of the area’s largest art shows showcasing about 500 original art of nearly 200 local artists. It’s a juried art show and the juror awards every category with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize and Honorable Mentions. The Best in Show award is called the Bertha Clum award.

Paint The Town Art Show 2023, Kensington Town Hall/Armory, MD

Bertha Clum (1900-1987) was an artist and a lifelong Kensington resident. She had the idea of an art show that became known as Paint The Town. It is an annual tradition and is organized by the Montgomery Art Association (MAA). The exhibition takes place in the Kensington Town Hall, also called Armory, a wonderful space for a large exhibition lent by the Town of Kensington. There are several categories of art such as Kensington, Portrait, Animals, Still Life, Landscape, Abstract, and 3D. The Kensington category used to be mandatory to enter the show. Every artist had to present a work of art depicting Kensington. Although this category isn’t mandatory any more, the show’s main prize - the Bertha Clum Award is given in the “Kensington” category. In 2022, I had the honor to receive this award from judge Lenny Campello with my trompe l’oeil painting “Historia Eat Magistra Vitae”.

Bertha Clum Award 2022 — I received the Bertha Clum Award for my painting “Historia Est Magistra Vitae” at the Paint The Town Art Show in 2022, Kensington MD. Photo by Arindam Dasgupta.

The MAA hosts one art demonstration per day for the duration of the show, which is from Saturday to Monday. This year I had the opportunity to demo my painting process. It was great to share tips and techniques with everyone who came to my demo. I really enjoyed connecting with you. If you missed it and would like to reach out or receive my newsletter, go to “Mailing List” and subscribe.