Daily Archives: November 12, 2009

1,000 Percent, Xavier Schipani & Zach Osif @ Trust Gallery, F.U.E.L. in Old City

Zach Osif, Iraq III (Lindsy Lohan), oil on canvas @ F.U.E.L. Shoshanna & DoN chatted with Zach Osif regarding his inspiration for the portrait of Lindsy’s infamous mug shot and he responded that his work is a result of flirtatious dalliances on the internet. His plan was to do a series of paintings about the Iraq war but found that TV & the web are more saturated with images of pop princesses than war heroes. DoN noticed that this week TV news headlines included “wife allergic to husbands sperm” and “plastic surgery for penis enlargement” as if seeing flag-draped coffins and grieving wives are not enough to draw viewers. But there is a subtext of pin-up girls and soldiers going back to Betty Grable & Marilyn Monroe to be found in the heroically large paintings.

Zach Osif, Dalliances. Shoshanna recognized the model as Kim Kardashian in Playboy- uh, DoN did not.

Zach Osif, Made in U.S.A., oil on canvas.

DoN did not get to interview Xavier Schipani about her trans-cultural drawings incorporating tribal, ethnic, sexual, mythical, middle eastern and samurai imagery yet the impact was indelible and inscrutable. The wacko poodle cut-outs around the perimeter of the room are super-kawaii!

Treacy Ziegler, Before An Ocean @ F.A.N. Gallery

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Treacy Ziegler @ F.A.N. Gallery in Old City.

When DoN introduced himself to Treacy Ziegler he immediately put foot in mouth by gushing, “I love your frames“. Ack! But Ziegler actually begins her process by outlining the canvas with black tape in anticipation of placing the finished work in an appropriately unobtrusive frame which highlights the painting yet is an interesting construction, simultaneously decorative, efficient and subdued. Treacy trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts as a print-maker but changed direction to painting which explains the careful composition of each work of art. The sense of light and space is reminiscent of Edward Hopper (a DoN fave) and Zeigler admits he’s an influence since his style is recognizably American. Treacy actually produces her own paints combining pigments and oils to develop just the right consistency, not fond of brush strokes she thinks of the brushwork as color, turning texture into design, stretching the stokes like fluid creating subtle transparent reflective light.

Treacy Ziegler @ F.A.N Gallery.

Treacy Ziegler @ F.A.N. Gallery. DoN thinks this is a great idea to steal with small round canvases inserted into cutouts in simple squares of black wood. Good artists copy, great artists steal!

Veronica Schmude @ Rocco Agrippa @ Mirror Image

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Veronica Schmude @ Mirror Image in Old City.

The First Friday vibe in Old City can be frantic, there is so much to see, people to meet and ideas to think about that it can all become a blur. Not only are there galleries, shops and restaurants, the alternative venues are numerous and varied from street vendors selling paintings, prints, crafts and photos to businesses like Mirror Image, a graphic/web design firm on Market Street with lots of wall space to share exhibiting art work. Photographic Society of Philadelphia photographers Veronica Schmude and Rocco Agrippa, appropriated the long wall to display their photographs, brought in friends to play music and transformed the office into an art happening. Veronica’s signature photographs of peeling paint in old buildings and Agrippa’s landscapes brought energy and style to the desk filled space – there were plenty of spots for Shoshka (in her gorgeously inappropriate gallery-hopping boots) to rest while DoN chatted with Veronica. Recently, Schmude organized a field trip to Eastern State Penitentiary so photographers could shoot in usually off limit spaces and she’s organizing another trip to Pennsylvania Hospital to photograph the historic healing center. The PsoP (the second oldest photography club in the world) holds monthly meetings with presentations & lectures by member artists @ The Plastic Club on Camac Street.