Daily Archives: April 8, 2008

DoNArTNeWs – Paradise, Paintings, PAFA, Piffaro – continued

After the lecture DoN and artist Aida Berzins zipped over to the Philadelphia Society of Free Letts’ Celebrating Latvian Arts show.  Berzins was represented with five works but was joined by an impressive array of fine art from paintings, photography, digital design and sculpture all by Latvian artists. 

Latvia (historically Lettonia, or Lettland), officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia shares land borders with Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south – and both Russia and Belarus to the east. It is separated from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea. The capital of Latvia is Riga (LatvianRiga). Latvia has been a member state of the European Union since May 12004 and a member of NATO since March 292004.  Read the Wikipedia article to see why so many Letts emigrated to America, Aida spent many years in a German refugee camp as a child before moving to the U.S.  

Berzins’ artwork is a result of faithfully pursuing her passion and is quite prolific and well respected in the Philadelphia arts community.Aida Berzins @ Latvian Society 

Drawings and paintings by Aida Berzins and Ugis Nigals @ the Latvian Society.

Acylic painting by Ilmars Rumpeters @ the Latvian Society.

Acylic painting by Ilmars Rumpeters @ the Latvian Society.

 Digital art by Ugis Nigals @ the Latvian Society.

Digital art by Ugis Nigals @ the Latvian Society.Sunday, DoN and art enthusiast/couturier Shoshana Aron attended the opening of the Philadelphia Sketch Club’s prestigious 145th Annual Small Oil Paintings Show.  The show is an eclectic mix of landscapes, still life, abstraction, atmospheric naturalism, impressionism, portraits and more – a fine example of the work by Philadelphia’s best painters.  DoN is honored to be included in such good company. 

DoN Brewer's Odalisque and Richard Harrington's '62 Falcon @ PSC.

DoN Brewer’s Odalisque and Richard Harrington’s ’62 Falcon @ PSC. 

Artist Kyle Margiotta with his entry (top center) @ PSC's 145th Small Oil Paintings Show.

Artist Kyle Margiotta with his entry (top center) @ PSC’s 145th Small Oil Paintings Show. 

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Ostroff (Arthur's entry is upper left) @ PSC opening.

 Arthur Ostroff with Pearl Garper (Arthur’s entry is upper left) @ PSC opening. 

First Prize Winner, Allison Miller @ PSC Small Oil Paintings Show.

First Prize Winner, Allison Miller @ PSC Small Oil Paintings Show.

The First Prize winner, Allison Miller’sThe Domino Effect is a moving, expressive minimalist piece with the pentimenti of the drawing clearly visible causing an emotional reaction to the viewer especially in this modern age with so much violence in our culture.  This show is a must see art event through April 27th.

DoN and Shoshana left the party early to attend the Artek and Piffaro, the Renaissance Wind Band’s A Musical Pastiche from Early 17th Century Germany concert at the Lutheran Church, 2110 Chestnut Street.  Artek and Piffaro are both early music ensembles and the combination of voices, early instruments such as recorders, shawms, sackbuts, dulcians and even a hurdy-gurdy was exquisite and transcendent.  From dark pieces such as Alma Afflitta (a diddy about aflicted souls) to Mirtillo hat ein Schafelein ( a song about a sheep who needs a spoon of potion so she could calm down to be sheared) the afternoon concert was deeply affecting and rewarded by a standing ovation.  

Piffaro's wind instruments on display at intermission.

Piffaro’s wind instruments on display at intermission.

DoN would like to make a correction to an earlier post regarding the work of Leslie Pontz and Ruth Borgenicht recently on view at the Crane Arts Center; the collaborators are represented by Snyderman-Works Gallery, 303 Cherry Street, Philadelphia.

Ruth Borgenicht with the installation at The Crane Arts Center.

Ruth Borgenicht with the installation at The Crane Arts Center,

LoVeDoN

All photos by DoNBrewerMultimedia Photography except where noted, all rights reserved. 

 

 

 

DoNArTNeWs – Paintings, PAFA, Piffaro

Paradise City Arts Festival Founder, Linda H. Post with artist Vitek Kruta from Massachusetts.

 Quilt artist, Carol Lee Heisler, Lorac Designs of East Norriton, PA.  Paradise City Arts Festival.

Quilt artist, Carol Lee HeislerLorac Designs of East Norriton, PA.  Paradise City Arts Festival.

 

Mark Jeremy Gleberzon's acrylic paintings on canvas are real eye-grabbers; yeah, Mark's Canadian.  Paradise City Arts Festival.

Mark Jeremy Gleberzon’s acrylic paintings on canvas are real eye-grabbers; yeah, Mark’

 s Canadian. Paradise City Arts Festival. Album Cover Art recycled into handbags by Bethlehem PA's AlbumCoverHandbags.  Paradise City Arts Festival.

Album Cover Art recycled into handbags by Bethlehem PA’s AlbumCoverHandbags.  Paradise City Arts Festival

DoN thinks the handbags recycled from old album covers are divine, especially the B52sDoN reminded ACH that Frank Sinatra is dead. 

High energy art by Don & Cheryl Olney of Louise’s Daughter of Rochester, NY.  Paradise City Arts Festival.

DoN was drawn into Louise’s Daughter’s dreamy world of good karma, peace and joy; Don & Cheryl are a delightful couple, married 20 years and doing work they both enjoy – does it get better than that?

Dennis Guzenski of J.P. Design's Lightweight Paper Sculpture.  Paradise City Arts Festival.

Dennis Guzenski of J.P. Design’s Lightweight Paper Sculpture.  Paradise City Arts Festival.

Jeanne Petrosky of Pottstown, PA’s J.P. Designs creates wall art that looks like stone but is light as a feather; perfect for creating a dramatic interior design without the worry of wrecking your walls.

Natalie Blake develops tile multiples of ceramic which can be arranged and rearranged at your whim.  Paradise City Arts Festival

Natalie Blake develops tile multiples of ceramic which can be arranged and rearranged at your whim.  Paradise City Arts Festival.

Natalie Blake’s art allows the collector to mix and match to their heart’s content and Natalie Blake Studio’s website is pretty cool, too.  Natalie is from Brattleboro, VT – the town that passed an ordinance proclaiming they would arrest President Bush or Dick Cheney if they set foot in their town?  DoN LoVes Brattleboro.

 

Scott Ruesswick of Turned Wood Art from Canterbury, NH where beards are essential.  Paradise City Arts Festival.\

Scott Ruesswick of Turned Wood Art from Canterbury, NH where beards are essential.  Paradise City Arts Festival.

 

Scott E. Matyjaszek, photographer from Rochester NY @ Paradise City Arts Festival.

Scott Matyjaszek and DoN had a fascinating conversation about photography and the inherent idea of the unlimited potential of spreading art around the world.  Scott prices his work very reasonably so they are accessible but we both agreed if you want to own a limited edition photograph expect it’s going to be in the four figure and up range.  Matyjaszek creates photographic images with 3D techniques that are intriguing, inspiring and affordable.

Saturday DoN and about fifty others attended a lecture by Philadelphia’s finest artist, Paul DuSold at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art’s Cecelia Beaux exhibit.  DuSold is a favorite teacher of many local painters and brought his depth of knowledge of painting to the work by the pioneering woman artist.  Recognized by her peers as “the greatest woman painter that ever lived,” Cecilia Beaux (1855-1942) was a trailblazing artist who achieved international acclaim painting portraits of prominent figures of her day. 100 oil paintings, works on paper, decorative objects, and archival documents (PAFA website).  Paul DuSold explained how warm and cool temperature tones, dark and light color choices, ambiguous edges compared to crisp line, even brush size choices helped make Beaux one of the most successful female artists of her time and a favorite portrait artist of many aristocrats.  DuSold brought some lucidity to what may have seemed to be a conventional portrait exhibit.  Paul DuSold is represented by Gross McCleaf Gallery and teaches painting and drawing at Fleisher Art Memorial and Woodmere Art Museum.

Artist and teacher Paul DuSold @ PAFA’s Cecelia Beaux exhibit.