Media
October 2023
Arlington awards new grants to help community members to take on historic preservation work
A dozen historical preservation projects across Arlington, from historically accurate home renovations to community-based projects and research, have received county funding through a new program.
The county doled out roughly $256,000 to 12 of the 19 applicants for the inaugural round of the Arlington County Historic Preservation Fund.
This is part of a new effort to give incentives to residents, property owners, developers and community organizations to take on historic preservation work — rather than leaving these efforts and advocacy to the county, the Arlington Historical Society and two citizen commissions.
ARLNow
August 2023
Barcroft Apartments developer bringing new community art space to the Pike
The real estate company renovating and redeveloping the Barcroft Apartments is helping a local art studio expand its reach.
After renovating a Western Union in the Barcroft Shopping Center on Columbia Pike, owner Jair Lynch Real Estate Partners donated the lease to Studio PAUSE. There, the Arlington-based studio will host art and writing workshops, which will be free for Barcroft residents but for a fee for other community members.
ARLNow
December 2022
Virginia Folklife: Making space for community-focused art practice
by Katy Clune with Sushmita Mazumdar
When Sushmita opened the door, inviting me into Studio PAUSE for the first time, the overwhelming first impression was: Color! Sunshine streamed in through large, paned windows, lighting blue walls covered with an ever-growing collage of art, photos, and writing from past projects. Stacks of colored paper, jars of brushes, and artwork in progress were layered on work tables and cabinets, and a kettle sat ready to make visitors tea.
The feeling inside Studio PAUSE invites creativity, and that’s exactly how Sushmita intended it. “I think what I came upon is community art,” Sushmita reflected when we spoke in September. “I wanted a community, I wanted a space where I could do what I wanted and be comfortable. And it turns out all these people needed this too.”
Virginia Humanities
December 2022
We Are Part of a CommonWEALTH of Cultures
What do people want from Virginia Folklife at the Richmond Folk Festival?
By Katy Clune
July 2022
Arts Focus: We Paused! Unbound — a community’s pandemic journey through art
Discover the newest art exhibit chronicling a year in the life of one Arlington community during the pandemic.
ARLnow.com
March 2020
Exhibition Pays Tribute to Women in Arlington
Women’s Work: Then & Now
This Arlington Library exhibition features profiles of historic and contemporary women whose contributions have influenced and are still influencing the Arlington community and beyond. Included in the exhibition are features from the Center for Local History’s “Women’s Work” project which showcases trailblazers and visionaries such as Margarite Syphax, Gertrude Crocker and Carrie Johnson.
The exhibition also features profiles of contemporary women, including Arlington Arts’ nominee: book artist, writer, and educator Sushmita Mazumdar. Photo, right: Tyrone Turner.
Arlington Public Library
Feb 2020
Photographs showcasing Columbia Pike diversity to be displayed
The exhibition, Transitions: The Columbia Pike Documentary Project, highlights the people and places of the diverse historic Columbia Pike corridor in Arlington, Virginia. It features the collaborative work of photographers Lara Ajami, Moises Gomez, Xang Ho, Dewey Tron, and Lloyd Wolf, and the work of storyteller/interviewer Sushmita Mazumdar.
The exhibition is produced by the curator of the Founders Gallery, at George Mason University’s Arlington campus, Emma Balázs.
Oct 2019
Sushmita Mazumdar of Arlington was appointed Arts Commissioner from Virginia’s 8th Congressional district.
The Virginia Commission for the Arts is guided by 13 Commissioners appointed to five-year terms by the Governor and confirmed by the General Assembly. To ensure statewide representation, at least one Commissioner — and no more than two — is appointed from each congressional district. A staff of six implements programs and policies.
Jan 2019
When Washingtonians Write Fiction
2019 began with talking about writing. On Thu Jan 3, Kojo explored the art of fiction writing by interviewing local fiction writers at all stages. Sushmita wanted to talk about what people might not know they need to create their best writing. It was great fun when the producer decided to invite her as one of the guests on the show. Listen here. (Sush starts at 12:49:20)
Guests included:
Tayla Burney, Judge, Washington City Paper Fiction Contest
Danielle Stonehirsch, Writer; Winner, Washington City Paper Fiction Contest
Zachary Clark, Executive Director, 826DC
Sushmita Mazumdar, Director; Studio Pause
June 2018
Arlington’s Women of Vision Awards 2018
Inside NOVA: Arlington taps 3 for ‘Women of Vision’ accolades
ARLnow: ‘Women of Vision’ to be Honored by Arlington Commission on the Status of Women
Arlington TV: Sushmita Mazumdar’s Women of Vision video, and Award Video
Arlington County Government
Aug 2017
Reading Rockets/WETA blog post:
Not Just for Kids: Our Journey to Turquoise Mountain
Kids benefit when their parents are active members of their community. When they feel their families are a part of the community, kids feel safer, valued, and more confident which opens up great opportunities for learning and exploration.
Ellie Canter, Managing Director at Turning the Page (opens in a new window), shares how real-life experiences and connections with books help build community in Washington, DC.
April 2017
Global Virginia - The Road from Afghanistan
Virginia Humanities “Global Virginia” page shared the story of the artists and the project Thou Art: The Beauty of Identity:
The project was conceived and directed by a local steering committee whose members included a writer and book artist from Mumbai on the western coast of India, named Sushmita Mazumdar. Sushmita is also the owner of Studio Pause, a creative arts space in Arlington where Sughra attended a workshop on Exploring Identity Through the Book Arts.
Nov 2016
Freer Sackler Blog: Art Must Bring Change: A Turquoise Mountain-Inspired Project
Story of the collaboration between Sughra Hussainy and Sushmita Mazumdar on Bento.
April 2015
Studio PAUSE Reception: Paper/Letter/Image: Artworks by Page Billin-Frye
Here is a short film about our April 2015 reception, a film by Hanan Daqqa, who visited the Studio in January and wanted to share what its about through her art. Thanks so much, Hanan!
November 2013
Studio PAUSE and AIM: Art Education
Artists Sushmita Mazumdar, Allison Platz, and Maria Burke talk about art education. All opinions are the conversationalists and not necessarily those of any organization with which they are affiliated. The Conversation on November 3, 2013 was at Studio Pause in Arlington, Virginia. Audio by Steve Cordle; cameras by Janar Stewart and Matthew Shea Sullivan; produced by Michael A. Shea through the facilities of Arlington Independent Media.
In Conversation at Arlington Independant Media
2008:
Telling Your Tale
When Sushmita Mazumdar’s son, Arijit, turned five, he stopped conversing in Bengali and refused to pack Indian food in his Spiderman lunch box, preferring his turkey sandwich with cheese rather …
India Currents
