MFA Circle Gallery

open every day 11 AM – 5 PM with monthly rotating exhibitions

What We're About

Wil Talk with Artists

Join art historian Wil Scott every on the second Wednesday of every month for a live vodcast with an MFA Member

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Art connects everyone, everywhere, every day.

MFA creates connections in the community by hosting professional avenues of exhibition for local, national, and international artists. Whether at MFA’s iconic location, Circle Gallery in Downtown Annapolis, or at alternate sites including local restaurants, public buildings, and in partnership with other nonprofits and institutions, the public is able to enjoy and learn from artists at all stages of their careers who are expanding community consciousness through their work.
We encourage artists to create, collectors to support, and art lovers to love through every program we take on.
2332
Current and Former Members
6328
Artists have exhibited work with MFA

Visit Circle Gallery to experience our exhibitions in person

Located on State Circle across from the Maryland Statehouse, Circle Gallery is an adaptive reuse of an 1820’s era warehouse. MFA opened Circle Gallery in 1968 to host 12 exhibitions a year and house our main office.
During the pandemic, we have done our best to offer a clean and socially distanced experience to viewers. Please follow the gallery manager’s directions on entering the building and maintain distance from others in the space.
Get directions to Circle Gallery

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States in the US people have submitted from
18
Countries people have submitted from

Thank you to our Sponsors

In 2013, MFA celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Watch the video to see what all the excitement was about!

50th Anniversary and History of MFA

And see what we are doing now…

FY 2022 Annual Report

MFA Arts Management Fellowship

The MFA Arts Management Fellowship program operated from 2013 to 2022, and provided ten college graduates with hands-on experience in arts management and non-profit leadership. The program expired in 2022.

We continue to provide our staff and interns with valuable experience in arts and gallery management in the non-profit environment. When positions are open, they are posted here.

Meet Us

STAFF

Patrice Drago, Acting Executive Director • ed@mdfedart.org

Patrice Drago is a visual artist and art columnist, and she served on the MFA Board of Directors as Vice President of PR & Programming for 12 years.

Patrice brings both management and leadership skills from her career in the hospitality industry. Growing up in hotels managed by her father, she put herself through school, studying journalism at the University of Maine, while working in hotels.

Hired by Marriott International, she was able to create a unique career path at the corporate level, combining her hospitality and business skills with her creative writing ability to work across disciplines to connect operations, human resources, and brand management. She then gave up her corporate career to become a full-time artist.

Since then, she has been writing the Gallery Column for the Capital Newspaper, was an Artist in Residence at Maryland Hall for six years, blogged about art for Visit Annapolis, and is now a co-lead of the Annapolis Gallery Association.

Karen Ricketts, President • krickettsmdfedart@gmail.com

Karen Ricketts is president of the Maryland Federation of Art and has served as a board member for 3 years. As a board member, Karen chaired the Resource Development committee and has supported many fundraising activities.

Karen holds an arts degree from Mary Washington University and began her career with a private multimedia studio arts business. However, her career journey would lead her to a 30-year career in information technology. During these years, Karen rose through the ranks from Programmer to Project Management and on to various leadership roles. In 2020, Karen retired as a Regional Vice President with Salesforce.com.

While the busy pace of raising young daughters and managing a corporate career interrupted Karen’s artistic pursuit – her love and appreciation of the arts has always remained at her core.

Karen resides in Annapolis with her husband. They enjoy the Annapolis boating lifestyle and spending time with their two young grandchildren.

Laura Carty, Assistant Executive Director • laura@mdfedart.org

Amani Freeman, Exhibition Manager • amani@mdfedart.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Executive Committee

Karen Ricketts, President

Craig Friedrich, Operations Vice President

Emil Petruncio, Artist, PR & Programming Vice President

Michelle FauntLeRoy, Development Vice President

Stephanie Sams, International Monetary Fund, Treasurer

Hope Stewart, Secretary

Directors

David Diaz, Artist, Exhibition Committee Chair

Joseph Dickey, (Emeritus), Artist, Johns Hopkins University

Craig Newcomb, Brightview Senior Living, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Committee Chair

Wil Scott, Artist, Exhibitions Committee

Sarah Jane Dunaway, Artist, Assoc. Dir., Develop. Communications, USNA Alumni Association & Foundation

Richard Issacman, Artist, Technology Committee

Carolyn Andros, Artist, Exhibition Committee

Erica Krieger, Artist

Martha Spencer, Global Head, International Baccalaureate Educator Network & School Delivery, Exhibitions Committee

Michele Ward, T. Rowe Price, Investment Committee chair

MFA Partners

Alternate Venue for MFA’s annual member exhibition MFA @ Gallery B. Located in Bethesda.

Alternate Venue. Hosts of Annual Collector’s Choice. The Annual Event is held in their beautiful showroom each year!

Alternate Venue for MFA members. MFA Members are welcome to hang any artwork. Exhibitions run in three month cycles.

Alternate Venue. Greek restaurant on West Street, Annapolis MD 21401.