Prince Frederick: New CalvART Exhibit Explores What Freedom Means Through Art

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, the Arts Council of Calvert County (ACCC) is hosting an art show called “How Freedom Feels.” The show features pieces by local artists Nicole Ayres, Kathy Dempster, Nico Gozal, Eyrka Kahunananui and Sarita Pandey. Gallery Administrator Dale Godwin said that some of the artists were new to the CalvART Gallery, and some were putting their art on display for the very first time at this show.

Godwin has been the gallery administrator since July 2021. ACCC was transitioning from a co-op model in its CalvART Gallery to a single administrator at the time. This was primarily as a safety precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic, Godwin said, but it also streamlined operations by appointing a single source of information and responsibility instead of a cast of 25 co-op members.

“How Freedom Feels” is an artist call show, meaning artists who aren’t official ACCC members could submit their art for display and sale in partnership with ACCC. The five artists have 10 artworks between them in the show. These include silk paintings, acrylic paintings, photography and quillings. Pieces like Sarita Pandey’s “Sing Your Song” and Nicole Ayres’ “Pigment of Joy” are cheerful and celebratory, while Eyrka Kahunananui’s “State of the Art Facility” and Nico Gozal’s “Liberty Scorned” reflect more somber features of modern life in America.

“We did a show for Fourth of July in 2024,” Godwin said. “The theme was stars and stripes. We wanted more honest opinions in the art, so this theme, ‘How Freedom Feels,’ is more open to interpretation.”

Godwin said the CalvART Gallery is a stepping stone for emerging artists of any medium. The gallery hosts public juries for artists to get general information and feedback from gallery visitors. Generally, when art is sold in the CalvART Gallery, the artist and gallery will split the sales revenue 80/20 (i.e., the artist receives 80% of the revenue, the gallery receives 20%). For artist call events like “How Freedom Feels,” artists may submit up to three pieces for a fee of $5 per piece. The profits from sales of these pieces are split 70/30, he said.

“How Freedom Feels” opened last Saturday, on the Fourth of July, and will run until Friday, July 31. According to Godwin, competition with other Independence Day events might have limited attendance.

“It’s been semi-slow. We’ve had a few artists tell people about the show, and then those people come in,” he said. “The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday, and the show opened on the Fourth of July, so it’s really only been open for a few days.”

Artists and art lovers can learn more about ACCC and CalvART Gallery on its website at https://www.calvertarts.org/.

The CalvART Gallery is located at 110 Solomons Island Road North in Prince Frederick and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The “How Freedom Feels” reception will be from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 18.

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