Contact: M. Clark, Felicity Hogan at MOCA       202 342-6230
or           Karen Francis,  Art Promotions, Inc.     703 893-7482

Release Date: August 13,  2002   Immediate

 Old Proverb:     "When Artists Thrive, The Economy Survives;
                                           When Artists Cry, the Economy  Dives." 

(McLean, VA  August 13, 2002)   Area artist Karen Francis' (a.k.a. Rugala) original
oil paintings are included  in The Museum of Contemporary Art,  MOCA DC, August 7 through September 7 in a juried group exhibit called "Strange Days." The art loving public is invited to the Third Friday Reception on August 16 from 6 to 10 PM.

Other participating artists in the exhibit include photographer Ben M. Belghachi; painters Jess Feury, Channing Houston, Albert Charles Schweitzer, and Bertram Ulrich; collage artist Bill Miller and multi-media artists Gabriele Pohl-Tom Howell.   The gallery is open weekdays  Weds. - Sat. 1 - 6 PM.

The works in this exhibit range from the urbane to the sublime.  Some reflect an
artist's blue period, another an artist's fury.  Each show a distinct view.  Karen's
work continues to reflect the theme of harmony.  She writes,

"I rely on interpretive remembrance from my
experiences as the basis for my art and seek to imbue the work
with those resonances, fusing past and present.

Nature: earth, mountain, trees, river, flowers and sky sing,
whisper, shout and their rhythmic melody calls for consciousness
and response to the changes that time brings."

One of Karen's creations, the Peace Tee shirt, is also at MOCA, 1054 31st St NW
in Georgetown, Canal Square,  as well as at jammin' java, 231 Maple Avenue,
Vienna, VA, a live music venue and coffee shop/cafe.  The black tee shirt has "peace" translated into 27 languages and sells for $20.

In addition, many of Karen's paintings are available as prints on canvas,
on paper and may now be purchased as murals to be applied as wallpaper.

For further information, call MOCA at 202 342-6230 or
Art Promotions, Inc. 703 893-7482 or visit www.artpro.com

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Pictures available upon request.