December 22, 2009 | DoNArTNeWs

Crocheted abstractions from Rachel Udell @ The Various & Sundry Group Exhibit in the Skybox Gallery, 2424 York Street.

Hana Cho, photography @ The Skybox.

The group show at the Skybox had a carnival air as 50 artists and their friends mingled in the huge space called the Skybox Gallery, part of a new artist studio complex at 2424 York Street. Some of the work was a bit on the creepy/grotesque side with nods to horror flicks, HR Giger and Manga but a lot of the work by the young artists was thoughtful and hopeful.

As the 2424 website states, “Located in Fishtown at the corner of York and Gaul streets, right off of I-95, and convenient to public transportation, 2424 Studios consists of over 100 work studios and/or office suites that range from 350 to over 6,000 square feet. The rents start at $399 per month and units are now available! Also located within 2424 Studios is the Skybox, an unparalleled and climate controlled event space of over 6,200 feet that is for tenants use, for community use and for rent to the public. 2424 Studios is now open to the public so please feel free to come by any time to take a look. If you are interested in leasing options, please contact Jessica at 215-284-8804.

It’s interesting how the arts community moves into neighborhoods, transforming them into desirable destinations to visit and live; it’s almost become cliche to take a downtrodden district like Fishtown and restore the area to a creative, affordable, vibrant place to live and work. 2424 York Street is anchoring new development, drawing a younger crowd and offering affordable studio/office space for artists as they get pushed out of neighborhoods they helped to revive – think Manyunk, Old City, South Street, Northern Liberties even Walnut Street used to be lined with galleries. The neighborhood where 2424 York Street is situated also has other art galleries such as High Wireand Proximity, it’s definitely worth the trip to Fishtown to check out the fringe of the Philadelphia art scene.

Bob Makoid @ Nouns: people places things

In November, the Da Vinci Art Alliance hosted a group show called NOUNS: people places things, including the work of 6 artists – black and white photography by Carolyn Harper Cohen, watercolors by Diane Lachman, acrylics by Sandi Neiman Lovitz, pastels by Bob Makoid, photography by Ligia Richter and pastels by Liora Seltzer. The exhibit, curated by Bobbie Adams, member of Da Vinci Art Alliance, is organized by Linda Dubin Garfield, president of smART business consulting and member of Da Vinci Art Alliance.

DoN only saw the show on the closing day – time flies! – but the show is memorable still for the variety and quality of art which Bobbie Adams gathered together, creating groupings of each artist so that the art work really shined. DoN could tell Bob (who was gallery sitting) was happy with the show even though artists (like DoN) were delivering work for the next/current show.

Bob Makoid, pastel @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

DoN recognized Bob from the evening drawing workshops at the Plastic Club, it was a nice surprise to get to spend some face time with him in the gallery @ Da Vinci Art Alliance where he exhibited several pastels in a group show. Makoid’s loose style captures the vacation vibe of a lakeside cabin, the sunny aura of a palm tree or the scale of a high mountain cliff in clear color, simple shapes and spare composition – less is more and more color is better.