Monthly Archives: March 2009

Scott Noel @ Gross McCleaf & Rutgers’ Stedman Art Gallery

Scott Noel

 

Scott NoelGross McCleaf Gallery.  Facile paint and a strong eye melded with a futuristic/ancient vibe makes these large paintings timeless and relevant.  With a wink at Ingres and a nod to David, Noel paints like he really knows what he’s doing.  This painting, “Is That All There Is?” is enormous and packed with narrative information; mixing styles and metaphors as fluidly as paint itself.  A portrait of Bill Scott hangs in the Stedman Gallery on the Rutgers campus and I know Bill must be so proud because Noel really makes people look good, approachable and intelligent.DoN spent the day on the Rutger’s Camden campus attending the “To Be or Not To Be” symposium on painting moderated by art blogger Libby Rosoff.  Today’s panel was excellent – Noel will be on tomorrow’s. DoN finds the show in the Stedman Gallery to be really edgy and cool, really incorporating new media and modern mark making such as video and venticular prints right next to paintings – painting on photographs and even the lenticular prints was felt really Jetson-eque, like DoN is finally living in the future. 

Kathryn Pannepacker on the cover of American Craft Magazine

kathryn Pannepacker on the cover of American Craft Magazine

 

Congratulations Kathryn, from all the Da Vinci Art Alliance members on your upcoming cover story in American Craft magazine!!!

The article below on Kathryn will appear in the April/May issue of American Craft magazine with the cover story called Urban Fabric which details her career in murals, fiber art, social activism, painting, and making Philadelphia a better place to live.  Kathryn, who is currently on the Board of Directors and was past Director of Da Vinci, we are so proud and happy for you Kathryn.  Pick up a copy of American Craft in bookstores in April or go to their website to get a preview, with many photos of Kathryn’s many projects.

Congrats Kathryn, we love you!!!!!  

David Foss, executive director Da Vinci Art Alliance (from his e-mail to the Da Vinci Art Alliance).  

The story on American Crafts online magazine is really cool, too.  DoN LoVeS Kathryn; she’s an artist who actually affects change on our urban fabric, the murals at Broad & Lehigh will aid in the revitalization of the city.

CFEVA presents Treasures @ Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists has installed a show called Treasures at the Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP Building @ 1701 Market Street featuring works by Career Development Programs Fellows.  The spacious lobby is displaying works by some of DoN’s favorite CFEVA artists including Scott Pelnat, John Woodin, Ben Volta, Danielle Bursk, Brenna K. Murphy and many more – the works are of a smaller scale and affordably priced.  The art party was well attended and some of the works sold while the wine flowed and patrons nibbled the tasty buffet. DoN spoke with Amy Potsic about how CFEVA installs “Custom Exhibitions” in public spaces where the art and artists can be exposed to the world at large instead of the confines of a gallery.  For more than three years this important organization has placed works in offices, lobbies and corporate spaces where potential collectors can view art in their own environment, often resulting in sales for the artists.

ben volta

Ben Volta‘s “Steam Punk Kosmos 3 ” @ Treasures, 1701 Market Street. 

 

scott penat

Scott Pelnat‘s plastic sculptures at CFEVA’s Treasures exhibit. 

 

treasures

Danielle Bursk, Gregory Brellochs, & Danielle Bursk, CFEVA Fellows @ 1701 Market Street. 

 

  

Justin Duerr @ St. Asaph’s

Check it out – a wide angle shot of Justin Duerr’s incredible show at St. Asaph’s.  DoN can’t stop thinking about Justin’s story about his first job in a bakery.  The boss was mean – we’ve all had mean bosses but this jerk took the cake – but Justin learned to decorate cakes and design with frosting. Duerr decorated his own cake for the opening party with day-glo orange piping of a woman’s face. The framing by Robert Bullock of Coalition Ingenu is truly superior, some of Duerr’s drawings are five feet or more with thin plexiglass offering distortion free viewing.  Learn more about Coalition Ingenu and the fine work they do using art to improve people’s lives and our community, you’ll be inspired – Shoska & DoN LoVe this show and art space! justin Duerr: Song-Story Images in Black and White @ St. Asaph’s

Ion Zupcu “Works on Paper” and Yuichi Hibi’s “Neco” @ Gallery 339

Ion Zupcu is a conceptual photographer – first he sketches out his ideas, then constructs tiny one inch square sculptures from black paper photographing the simple forms and meticulously producing inventive gelatin silver prints which read like drawings.  Some of his photos are titled after favorite artists such as “Dear Frank” which is dedicated to Frank Stella.ion zupco

Ion Zupcu @ Gallery 339 

Yuichi Hibi’s “Neco” @ Gallery 339

Ion Zupcu‘s “Dear Frank” @ Gallery 339

Yuichi Hibi‘s Neco is a room full of pictures of cats that he photographs in NYC, Paris, Tokyo… Hibi tells DoN, “cats are way more mysterious than dogs” and that his images “don’t portray cats as cute or sweet.  I’m looking for the Hitchcock-ian moment.”   You will just have to visit the beautiful Gallery 339 @ 21st and Pine streets and spend some time absorbing the narrative of the delicate, contrasty black and white images of these wonderfully mysterious beasts. 

hibi

 Yuichi Hibi‘s cat photos @ Gallery 339.

Yuichi Hibi

Gallery 339 artists Yuichi Hibi Sarah Stolfa @ the opening night party. 

The 2nd floor of Gallery 339 is an oasis of fine art photography featuring work by Martin McNamara‘s extraordinary artists.  Last month DoN missed Tetesugo Hyakutake’s fantastic wide aspect photographs in the main gallery but fine examples of his work can be found here to study in the quiet privacy of the upper level.

hyakutake

Tetesugo Hyakutake @ Gallery 339.