Come join or watch artists from all over the region, draw and paint the marshes, coves, fields, nature trails, boatyards and marinas, restaurants, store fronts, and historic sites from sunrise to nightfall.
Contact: arthousekifa@gmail.com | 410-643-7424
Maureen Wheatley | 410-739-0850 | reeniart@gmail.com
or Pam Chase | Pjchase1@verizon.net
KIFA’s Ninth Winter Lecture Series 2025 with guest speaker Allison Moffatt on Abstract Art was held on March 23, 2025. Allison is the Associate Director for the Queen Anne’s County Centre for the Arts. She has a degree in Art History and her dissertation was on Western Europe Art. Pure abstraction is composition free from representation, without reference to the visual world. In a practical, nonacademic world, abstraction comes in degrees and is subject to a lot of interpretation. Today’s lecture was about the birth of pure abstraction. Abstract artists presented by slideshow and discussed were: Hilma af Klint, Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky, Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, Helen Frankenthaler, Agnes Martin, Frank Stella, Bridget Riley, and Mark Rothko. Allison ended her talk with what abstract art can be: process, materials, balance, intangible concepts, time, and freedom from meaning. We thank Allison for the interesting art history presentation. Photos by Rebecca Placek
WIN: Paul Reed Smith Guitar
Left: Cascio Clay Center Team at KIFA outside photo: Mary Ann Buckley; Rebecca Placek, Linda Jakubowski, Pat Spinella, Laura Keene, Maureen Wheatley, and Margaret Tessier. Right: Inside photo of the Cascio Clay Center Team at KIFA.
KIFA’s Winter Lecture Series with guest speaker Jonathan B. Tuckerwas held on January 12, 2025. In his interactive poetry presentation, Jonathan showcased how creative writing and spoken word poetry helps to create connections around the world and rediscover passion for storytelling and artful expression. Thank you Jonathan for an inspiring presentation! Thirty people attended this event. Photos by Rebecca Placek
Events
Gallery Shows
A Masquerade Fundraiser and Dance was held on March 29, 2025, to benefit the Kent Island Federation of Arts (KIFA). Melissa Craig, founder of Seeking Stars Art, orchestrated the event as the Master of Ceremonies. She thanked all the volunteers that made this a fun event! About 60 people grooved and danced to tunes spun by DJ’s Mike and Monique Thomas.
Seeking Stars Art Models and their escorts in creative faces led the parade. Both younger and older models enjoyed being in the spotlight. The Parade Judge was Dominique Ellingsworth-Mohen from “All American Classic Mrs”.
Jewelry vendors were: DLP Designed by Danielle Sims; Handcrafted Jewelry by Alexa Matthai; Necklace Creations by Marcia Goldstein-Nathans; and Artistic Jewelry Creations by Mimi Swigert.
Crystal Sipes of Creative Friends Face Painting added character and color to faces, arms, and toes.
Silent auction items benefited KIFA and the new Cascio Clay Center at KIFA. Also, beautifully decorated masks by the Queen Anne’s County High School National Art Honor Society Students.
Story and photos by Rebecca Placek. Also, thanks to Jason Craig and Sadie Routzahn for taking event photos.
Value $1,200
PRS SE Angelus Acoustic-Electric Guitar, including: backpacker guitar case, guitar strap, and tuner.
Raffle - $5.00 each or 5 for $20.
Benefit Kent Island Federation of Arts (KIFA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Mail your check for Raffle tickets to KIFA at:
405 Main Street, Stevensville, MD 21666
DRAWING: Sunday, November 30, 2025. Need not be present to win.
Text and photos by Rebecca Placek.
CASCIO CLAY CENTER AT KIFA
Quick Draw Only $10
Youth Quick Draw $5
KIFA’s Second Winter Lecture Series with guest speaker Stephan Parker was held on January 26, 2025. Stephan showed a short video clip from his “A Roadkill Opera”. The opera tells the story of the hour before the lights go up on opening night for a comedy improv troupe in 1988 Jackson Hole, Wyoming: the Roadkill On A Stick Frozen Foods Theatre Company”. It is built on the music of the first act of Paerb's Leonora. During his presentation, Stephan asked the audience: “What organizations do you belong to and why are they important to you?” They enthusiastically replied about the organizations that they participated in and the friendships that they made. Thank you Stephan for enlightening us about opera in a unique presentation! Twenty people attended this event.Photos by Rebecca Placek
UPDATE: The KIFA Clay Center is currently moving into Phase Two which is Preparation for Opening. This phase is a busy time making sure that safety precautions are put into place such as proper ventilation, electrical hookups, and correct plumbing fixtures, and more. At this stage, planning and training for safety monitors will take place as well as creating brochures for class descriptions and instructors. Safety signs and procedures will also be created.
The Executive Board is pleased to announce KIFA's two co-directors for the Clay Center, Stephanie Zeiler and Kristen Tull. Stephanie Zeiler has served as a KIFA board member for 5 years, has chaired the KIFA Student Showcase for 4 years, and has worked as an art teacher for 28 years with many years of clay experience both teaching and managing the clay studio at the Queen Anne's County High School. Kristen Tull is a recent Elmira college graduate (2021) who served as an KIFA intern for 18 months during COVID, and has served on the KIFA board, has completed four upper-level clay classes in college and managed the clay studio at Elmira College.
KIFA’S MASQUERADE FUNDRAISER HELD AT AMERICAN LEGION
DROP OFF ART MONDAY APRIL 21
Kent Islanders on the Water
April 24 through June 1, 2025
Reception Thur. April 24 | 5-7 pm
KIFA's Winter Lecture Series
CURRENT GALLERY SHOW
Kent Island Federation of Arts Presents:
“9th Annual Paint Stevensville”
and Kent Island Surrounds
May 28th – 31st, 2025
KIFA Gallery Show Guidelines
All work must be original, created within the last two years, not previously shown at KIFA, and must not infringe upon any copyright. No reproductions accepted.
Sculptures must include their own base or fit on a KIFA pedestal. Sculpture artists must be prepared to assist in placing their work in the gallery. Maximum size including base: 6’ high x 3’ wide and deep.
2-D works must be dry, suitably framed, wired and ready to hang. No sawtooth hangers. (Artwork not wired properly will not be accepted.) All works on paper must be under glass. No exposed glass edges. Maximum size framed varies by show. Please see appropriate prospectus for sizes.
KIFA reserves the right to reject works deemed unsuitable. All entered works must remain on display through the end of the show. Reasonable care will be taken to ensure the safety of your artwork. KIFA is not liable for loss or damage to artwork. KIFA's commission on all sales is 30%. KIFA reserves the right to use images of the winning artwork for up to eighteen months.
Please contact KIFA for more information at info@kifa.com or 410-643-7274.
KIFA’s Fourth Winter Lecture Series with guest speaker Sadie Routzahn was held on February 9, 2025. Sadie’s talk was on “Photography: Putting the Focus on Healing”. Sadie was a photojournalist for the U.S. Army for 20 years and she traveled all over the world in that job. After she retired from the Army, Sadie found healing doing photography with her daughter by taking photos in their garden and beach combing for sea glass. Sadie has won awards for her photography. Some points that Sadia wanted us to take away from her lecture: mindfulness (be aware); intentional (counting your breath before taking a photo); use the resources at our local library—MakerSpace (3-D Printing) and Gale Courses (free online photography courses); understand where your light is coming from; Rule of Thirds; and Composition. Sadie had several handouts: library 3D printing request; Rule of Thirds ruler; packets of Celosia seeds; and her beautiful photos. Thank you Sadie for sharing your experience as a photojournalist and your continued photography journey. Seventeen people attended this event. Photos by Rebecca Placek
KIFA’s Sixth Winter Lecture Series with guest speaker Fitz Turner was held on February 23, 2025. Fitz’s talk was on “Photography: Shooting Art in Italy when on a Tour”. Fitz took travel photos with his Nikon Z9 camera with several lenses. His slideshow included: Assisi (home of St. Francis); Siena (UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for the Palio, a historical horse race around the town square); Florence (Basilica of the Holy Cross); Pisa (world famous Leaning Tower); Bologna (known for its long porticoes); Venice (Rialto Bridge and Basilica of Santa Maria); Montepulciano (Renaissance hill town); Rome (Sistine Chapel, Galleries of Tapestries and Geographical Maps and Raphael’s Rooms). Thank you Fitz for an educational slideshow that covered geography, major cities, iconic landmarks, historical figures, and art. Ten people attended this event. Photos by Rebecca Placek
KIFA’s Third Winter Lecture Series with guest speaker Susan Mayberry was held on February 2, 2025. Susan’s slideshow was on the history of Botanicals, and she included her Botanical art. Botanical art started around 4,000 years ago. It is art whose goal is to depict whole plants or parts of plants in a manner that is both aesthetically pleasing and scientifically accurate. Thank you Susan for sharing your knowledge and your artistic skills. At KIFA, Susan teaches Youth Art classes and she is one of KIFA’s Summer Camp instructors. Eighteen people attended this event.Photos by Rebecca Placek
Entry Fees
Copyright © 2025 Kent Island Federation of Arts, All rights reserved.
KIFA’s Seventh Winter Lecture Series with guest speaker Vicki Cearfoss on Italian painter Caravaggio was held on March 2, 2025. Vicki divided her talk into segments. (1) Her personal development as an artist in high school and how she painted the “Jester” and “Moppet”. (2) As a young married mother her knitting of sweaters for her children. (3) Vicki’s study of Caravaggio and relating what she learned from painting it and how it influenced her artwork going forward. (4) Vicki’s copy of Caravaggio’s “Bacchus”. (5) In “The Sentry”, her latest work in the Caravaggio style.
Caravaggio is known as the Father of the Baroque period style of painting. He perfected “Chiaroscuro”—the balancing of light and dark to effect a dramatic contrast within the picture. Caravaggio wanted viewers to focus on strong contrast by directing the light source onto his subject matter’s body or face. Vicki’s artistic journey was fascinating and she stressed that “All learning is lifelong learning”. Photos by Rebecca Placek
KIFA’s Eighth Winter Lecture Series 2025 with guest speaker Sue Mayberry on Decorative Arts was held on March 16, 2025. Sue has worked as a decorative painter for most of her artistic career. She talked about painted furniture and interiors. Painted furniture began in China with lacquered finishes, and spread in various forms throughout Europe and the United States. After college, Sue worked for a company that did gilding--an art technique in which a thin layer of metal (often gold) is applied to a surface to create a decorative luxurious effect. Sue’s favorite types of decorative art are wood graining and gold leafing, and we thank Sue for enlightening us. Photos by Rebecca Placek
KIFA’s Fifth Winter Lecture Series with guest speaker Stacey Sass was held on February 16, 2025. Stacey’s talk was on “Architectural Icons: Linking the Past with Today’s Structures”. Stacey told us that more than any other art form; architecture embodies the unity between form and function. We learned that the architectural elements of iconic, historical buildings are still part of the structure and decoration in dwellings of today. Stonehenge in Southern England started 5,000 years ago. The Pyramids at Giza were constructed 4,600 years ago as tomb monuments. The Parthenon--432 BC—is the Greek temple to the goddess Athena. The Colosseum, 70-80 AD, elliptical amphitheater, is still the largest standing amphitheater. Arcades of Roman Arches. Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian Columns. Gothic Cathedral—Notre-Cathedral of Paris, construction began in 1163 and finished about 1360. Baroque Architecture—late 16th and early 17th century--Saint Paul’s Cathedral London years built 1675-1710. Thank you Stacey for giving us an education on how architectural icons of Western Art have influenced 20th century structures. Ten people attended this event. Photos by Rebecca Placek
Photos by Melissa Craig, Margaret Tessier, and Maureen Wheatley
Non-members $45
KIFA Members $40
EXHIBITS AND EVENTS
Click to download (Word document format)