Monthly Archives: September 2010

handmade by the homeless – Kathryn Pannepacker & Leslie Sudock Art Street Textile Studio, Art on South Street

Shag Tapestries, $100,00 @ Arts Street Textile Studio: handmade by the homeless, Art on South Street initiative master-minded by visionary artist Isaiah Zagar of the Magic Garden. Fantastic galleries have opened up along South Street including the Art Street Textile Studio, an ongoing weaving project begun in a homeless shelter where people were taught to weave on a loom as well as crochet, knit, sew and embroider; the administrators found the activity therapeutic and many of the weavers have followed the program even after the shelter project was complete. Now on South Street the team has a beautiful storefront where people can come in and see the looms and the fabulous results.

Arts Street Textile Studio: handmade by the homeless, 6th & South Streets, Philly. Hours of operation are Wednesday through Sunday from 3:00 to 8:00PM. For more information please contact: Kathryn Pannepacker via email: kpannepacker@gmail.com or phone 215.769.1016. Leslie Sudock via email: la.sudock@verizon.net or phone 215.735.3978.

This guy isn’t homeless but he was being instructed by Robert,”the only homeless guy left in the group.” Sparkles, one of the artists, was out front encouraging people into the packed gallery on the hot Autumn night to see the cool looms and good folks. When DoN got home from the event, the beautiful hand-loomed scarf he bought for only $20.00 is signed,”Robert.”

Even when the project was homeless itself, for a while they were a living installation in the Free Library, this simple loom was placed near food distribution points for homeless people and weavers would continue making the fabric, the device was never damaged by vandals, simply chained to a bike rack.

Hand loomed winter scarves @ Arts Street Textile Studio: handmade by the homeless. Hours of operation are Wednesday through Sunday from 3:00 to 8:00PM. For more information please contact: Kathryn Pannepacker via email: kpannepacker@gmail.com or phone 215.769.1016. Leslie Sudock via email: la.sudock@verizon.net or phone 215.735.3978.

The Lightroom – Photographs by Amie Potsic, Jill Katz, Julia Blaukopf and Genevieve Coutroubis & John Karpinski

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Amie Potsic’s photo series – Made in China: Poor Working Conditions, Poverty, Tainted Exports & Made in China @ Lightroom Salon in the Fairmount neighborhood. Potsic’s Asian motif pairs exquisitely with Julia Blaukopf‘s print of a collage made from her own photographic source material. The photography takes the visitor on a trip to the Far East with a finely honed American gaze, like the Impressionists, DoN is still attracted to the shapes and color of the East.

Julia Blaukopf, digital print on fabric @ Lightroom Salon. Julia is a fellow of the Center of Emerging Visual Artists, it it so cool to see how the relationship building and social networking of the artist development team at CFEVA creates a great merger of styles, personalities and techniques; the synergy of the exhibit feels so personal and memorable with the vibe real friendship and cooperation.

Genevieve Coutroubis & John Karpinski, photograph with drawing and Julia Blaukopf prints lined along the mantle. The gallery on Wallace Street is elegant and welcoming, it’s really fun to get to see the old world architecture.

Genevieve Coutroubis & John Karpinski – the turtle is a symbol of long life, the dream of all artists if not for themselves then their art. The art team involves trust, understanding and strength in creating powerful narrative and clear composition; viewing a successful collaboration makes DoN remember working in teams is still possible.

Jill Katz, Yamdrok Yso Lake en route to Gyantse, Tibet and Everest Base Camp (elevation 17,060 ft.), archyval pigment print. The colorful scarves emanate prayers into the wind, a transcendent thought to merge with the images.

Julia Blaukopf is experimenting with photography and tile – cool-hunting tip!

Photos by DoN.

Philadelphia Art Season, Fall 2010

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Charles Cushing @ Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Festival, mid September 2010.

The Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Festival attracts artists and collectors to the famous park in Center City, the perimeter lined with white tents each artist displaying their collection in the late Summer heat. DoN talked with Philly favorite, fine artist Charles Cushing about the large scale painting attracting crowds to his booth – he worked on the oil painting over several months creating a nose-bleed view of the ball park all the way down town.

The Philly Fall art scene explodes this weekend with Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, Photography 2010 @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia Images @ The Plastic Club and DoN Brewer‘s one-person show, Dark Matter, @ Bonte’s Cafe, 17th & Sansom Sts., a Photographic Society of Philadelphia event- this is the weekend to plan your art crawl carefully to experience the unique, open, accessible art world embedded in Philadelphia culture. And the Phillies clinch fourth straight playoff berth – Go Phillies!

Photo by DoN, 2010.

Kodak Digital Cameras

Through My Window @ Perkins Center for the Arts

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Lilliana Didovic, Boat House Row, mixed media with crystals @ The Perkins Center for the Arts presents Through My Window, a Da Vinci Art Alliance Event. Lilliana is one of the artists who painted the Philly Phanatics which were waving to us from all over the city last summer – Lilliana Didovic & writer Ronnie Norpel‘s piece sold at a charity auction for a bundle, Congratulations!

Lilliana’s painting with crystals representing the iconic lights outlining the architecture of the houses glitters in the huge, open gallery at the The Perkins Center for the Arts in Collingswood, NJ. Didovic’s window on the world finds glamor and glitz among the darkness of the night and the intimidating rushing river; the crystals as LEDs is genius, both forms will send us light far longer than the old incandescent bulbs stretched across the boat houses. DoN misses the old lights, though, with the hidden narrative of guys climbing high ladders and walking along rooftops to replace light bulbs but the new lights are totally groovy.

Through My Window @ Perkins Center for the Arts. DoN is honored to have his drawing featured in the catalog for this exciting art venture, the adjunct to the more famous Moorestown art center, is riding the renaissance wave of artistic and cultured lifestyle that is washing down Haddon Avenue with plush restaurants and historic architecture.

Executive Director, Alan Willoughby told DoN that the town has been very supportive offering the building to be renovated into an art space with workshops, galleries and vitality. As the center goes through it’s first round of renovation, Willoughby sees a positive potential for growth in a small town with a lot of character. Watch for a review in this week’s Philadelphia Inquirer, Da Vinci Art Alliance board members Dave Foss & Alden Cole were interviewed about their perspective on this unique exhibition.

Perkins Center for the Arts, Collingswood, NJ.

Michael DiPrinzio, mixed media @ Perkins Center for the Arts, Through My Window, A Da Vinci Art Alliance traveling exhibition through November 11th, 2010 with a special event today called Creating the Poem- 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Hurry up, get over there!

Photos by DoN.