“SELF PORTRAIT”: This oil on board in manila envelope piece is by Princeton resident Mic Dino Boekelmann, who will have eight of her works exhibited at the at American University’s Katzen Arts Center in Washington, D.C., September 6 through December 6.
Princeton resident Mic Dino Boekelmann will have eight works of art exhibited at American University’s Katzen Arts Center in Washington, D.C., September 6 through December 6. She is one of four artists of Filipino heritage to be selected for this honor.
The other featured artists include Pacita Abad, Jeanne F. Jalandoni, and Patricia Orpilla.
A painter, Boekelmann works in oil, and has a second focus in papercutting. In her work, she ties together the elements that hold deep significance in her life.
Regarding her papercutting work, she said that she started by cutting manila envelopes after a conversation with her mother, who shared her fond childhood memories of workers in the Philippines processing manila hemp or abaca, a native banana plant fiber originally used to make the envelopes.
Now her designs include oil paintings fused with manila envelopes, as well as an imaginative paper dress, which will be shown in the exhibit.
Boekelmann said that the artists chosen for the exhibit are intergenerational, adding a unique aspect to the event. “The fact that we are all different ages and all have varied experiences allows us to have different approaches and freedom to a theme.”
“I was thrilled to be given this honor,” she continued. “The curator of the exhibit came to interview me, and we chose the eight pieces together.
Boekelmann’s works have also been exhibited at Princeton University and other institutions in the U.S. In addition to art, she teaches a weekly class in oil painting to art lovers in her studio, The Orange Door Atelier. “I emphasize the basics of art, including color theory, values, and shape,” she said. “Enjoying the creative process and sharing my enthusiasm in a relaxing space is very important to me.”
In another way of reaching out to fellow artists, Boekelmann offers a Rest Residency program, in which invites an artist to spend time to rest and recalibrate in her home studio for a weekend.
She said, “Many of the artists live in cities, and don’t always have a chance to spend time in a more quiet setting and enjoy green space. I am happy to give them this opportunity.”
The exhibit’s opening reception is on September 6 from 6 to 9 p.m., and is open to the public. The exhibit runs through December 6.
The American University Museum of the Katzen Arts Center is at 4410 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.