Monthly Archives: June 2015

Monochrome

monochrome8Monochrome Visions

By Laura Storck

The Monochrome Visions photography exhibition of silver emulsion prints is nothing short of a visual feast.  This show features handcrafted black and white prints made by the students of Fleisher Art Memorial‘s ‘Art of the Fine Print’ class taught by the venerable Rick Wright. As a former member of Rick’s darkroom, I’m always amazed at the quality and nuances of the beautiful images produced by the talented individuals in this class.  Fascinating and thought-provoking are the slices of life that are captured from each photographer’s perspective, and subsequently coaxed into physical manifestation through the combined magic of light, chemicals, and paper.

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and TeaMonochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea, Paula Brumbelow Burns, Fire, 2014

This exhibit contains approximately 40 photographs which adorn the walls of Red Hook Coffee and Tea arranged salon style on rustic brick.  Each black and white image has an amaranthine quality and evoke simple yet powerful feelings of connection with the photographer. What was he or she thinking at this exact moment of capture? What message is being conveyed? Every piece – each moment – seems to have a special meaning to each photographer as he or she spent the time to enlarge, transfer, and develop each image to perfection on photographic paper. Simply put, the photograph contains an emotional investment of time and artistry.

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and TeaMonochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea, Ed Keer, Philadelphia Walk #1

Developing a picture in a darkroom for the first time is a timeless experience that everyone should experience at least once in their life. The cathartic feeling that you get when you first see an image appear on a once blank sheet of paper is simply magical and spellbinding.  Nothing can compare.

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and TeaMonochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea, Amanda Abramson, Shadfest, Lambertville

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and TeaMonochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and TeaCarlos Chan, Azulejos

Stop into Red Hook to see the Monochrome Visions exhibit between now and June 18th and experience it for yourself.  Sit on a comfy chair in this charming cafe, enjoy a deliciously crafted Iced Honey Mint Latte or a tasty bowl of corn chowder, and allow the colorful panorama of Monochrome Visions to wash over your soul.

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and TeaMonochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and TeaAndrew Siegel, Capri, Italy

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and TeaMonochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and TeaGene Renzi, Heavenly

Red Hook Coffee and Tea, 765 S. 4th St. Philadelphia, PA, 215-923-0178

Participating artists:

  • Amanda Abramson
  • Paula Brumbelow Burn
  • Carlos Chan
  • Chrissie DiAngelus
  • Edoarda Frangi
  • Rachel Glidden
  • Eddie Goldstein
  • Ed Keer
  • Katie Marcucci
  • Scott McClellan
  • Alexandra Orgera
  • Gene Renzi
  • Andrew Siegel
  • Rick Wright

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and TeaMonochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea

Written by Laura Storck

Instagramhttp://instagram.com/laurastorck/

Facebook:  https://facebook.com/laura.h.storck

Twitter: @Laura_Storck

Like Red Hook Coffee and Tea on facebook

Like DoNArTNeWs Philadelphia Art News Blog on facebook

Follow the new DoNArTNeWs.com

Follow DoN on Twitter @DoNNieBeat58

DoNArTNeWs on Tumblr

DoN Brewer on Pinterest

@donniebeat on Instagram

Affiliate Marketing [disclosure page] Shop on-line and help support DoNArTNeWs

Donate via safe and secure PayPal in the sidebar.

ADA

City Hall Art Exhibit Celebrates the ADA at 25James Sanders, Odyssey (detail), part of Cultural Arts Center from SpArc Services.

City Hall Art Exhibit Celebrates the ADA at 25

Philadelphia, PA In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Art In City Hall presents Creative Voices – the ADA at 25, featuring the artistic achievements of Philadelphia area artists and local organizations serving people with disabilities.  The exhibit will be located on the 1st, 2nd and 4th floors of City Hall, NE corner.

An artist reception is scheduled for Thursday, June 18th, from 5-7 pm in the Council Caucus Room, City Hall, 4th floor.

Creative Voices is presented in collaboration with the following partners: Arc of Philadelphia, Art-Reach, Form in Art-Philadelphia Museum of Art, HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy, Main Line Art Center, Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities, Mid-Atlantic ADA Center, Moss Rehab-Einstein Hospital Network, Office of Councilman Dennis O’Brien, Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance, Pennsylvania History Coalition Honoring People with Disability, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, and 10 professional artists from the Philadelphia region:

Nancy Alter, DoN Brewer, Elizabeth Core, Gerard di Falco, Eiko Fan, Terri Fridkin, Beth Ann Johnson, David Neisser, Tecu’Mish Munha’Ke and Carol Saylor.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) came into effect in 1990 as a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.

Creative Voices will include the story of Pennhurst, an early twentieth century asylum created at a time when people with disabilities were considered a “threat” to society.  This historical narrative, presented by Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance and the Pennsylvania History Coalition Honoring People with Disability, will serve as a reminder to how far society has come, and features the important work of the Arc of Philadelphia – part of SpArc Philadelphia – one of the organizations responsible for the closure of Pennhurst.

James Wilson, a board member of the Arc of Philadelphia, reflects on his involvement with the ADA and ending Pennhurst: “These were tumultuous times leading to huge advances in opening the schools, establishing community services and ultimately ADA. The Pennhurst case spurred changes to the Social Security Act and in the establishment of community services across the country, ultimately leading to the Americans with Disabilities Act.  All this started with Pennhurst.”

SpArc Philadelphia’s Cultural Arts Center will celebrate the work of its artists beside the Pennhurst display on the fourth floor near City Council Chambers.  Their participating artists are:

Yolanda Hilliard, Richard Johnston, James Sanders and Jennifer Williams.

The Art Gallery at City Hall, located on the first floor within the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, will feature works by professional artists, including artists from Main Line Art Center and Moss Rehab’s permanent collection.  The gallery will also partner with Art-Reach to host a workshop for the visually impaired led by ceramic artist Beth McGuigan on Monday, June 8th.  The finished clay sculptures will be on display on June 18th for the opening reception.  Visitors who are visually impaired or legally blind will be encouraged to touch these works on exhibit.

“Having City Hall as a venue to celebrate the ADA’s 25th anniversary shows how the power of art can be a platform to celebrate one of the most important pieces of legislation in current history,” said City of Philadelphia’s Chief Cultural Officer, Helen E. Haynes. “Creative Voices connects art to civil rights.”

Near the Offices of the Mayor on the second floor, Creative Voices will present works by student artists from Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, the HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy, and works by Romaine Samworth and Michael Gieschen from the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Form in Art program.

Philadelphia will take part in the national celebration of the 25th anniversary of the ADA on July 25th at City Hall and the National Constitution Center.  The ADA Legacy Tour Bus will promote its theme: Disability Rights are Civil Rights at both locations before heading to Washington D.C. on July 26th, the official birthdate of the ADA.  For more information, visit: http://www.adaanniversary.org/

Instrumental in bringing this celebration to Philadelphia is Charles Horton from the Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities, and Councilman Dennis O’Brien, a tireless advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disability.

“Our community has accomplished many great things over the years and the ADA has been the catalyst for change,” said Charles Horton. “Legislatively, economically and socially we as a community have begun to reach a level of empowerment and inclusion and therefore we must continue our fight for independence.”

Councilman Dennis O’Brien also recognized the impact of the ADA: “While we still have a long way to go, the ADA has opened so many doors for individuals with disabilities and this artwork is a celebration of that.”

Creative Voices – the ADA at 25 runs from June 8th to July 31st.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

For more information, visit: http://adata.org

The Arc of Philadelphia and SpArcPhiladelphia

For more information, visit: www.sparcphilly.org and www.arcphiladelphia.org

Art-Reach

For more information, visit: http://www.art-reach.org

Form in Art – Philadelphia Museum of Art

For more information, visit: http://www.creativeaging.org/creative-aging-program/6372

HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy

For more information, visit: http://hmsschool.org

Main Line Art Center

For more information, visit: https://www.mainlineart.org

The Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities

For more information, visit: http://www.phila.gov/mcpd

The Mid-Atlantic ADA Center

For more information, visit: http://www.adainfo.org

MossRehab

For more information, visit: http://www.mossrehab.com

Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance

For more information, visit: http://www.preservepennhurst.org

The Pennsylvania History Coalition Honoring People with Disability 

For more information, visit: http://disabilityhistorypa.com

Pennsylvania School for the Deaf

For more information, visit: http://www.psd.org

Tu Huynh, City Hall Exhibitions Manager, Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, 116 City Hall, Philadelphia PA 19107, 215.686.8446 (Office) | 215.686.9912 (Direct) www.creativephl.org  www.facebook.com/artincityhall

Read DoN‘s review of Creative Voices on DoNArTNeWs.com

Like Art in City Hall on facebook

Like DoNArTNeWs Philadelphia Art News Blog on facebook

Follow the new DoNArTNeWs.com

Follow DoN on Twitter @DoNNieBeat58

DoNArTNeWs on Tumblr

DoN Brewer on Pinterest

@donniebeat on Instagram

Affiliate Marketing [disclosure page] Shop on-line and help support DoNArTNeWs

Donate via safe and secure PayPal in the sidebar.

Submerging

Nile Livingston, Submerging, Urban Art Gallery

Submerging, Nile Livingston at Urban Art Gallery, 7/5/15

“I remember going to the beach with my family when I was little. My father was holding my baby sister as he walked through the ocean toward the horizon. I asked my uncle to pick me up and take me out to them. The water reached my uncle’s waist by the time my father turned around and noticed our approach. He yelled to his brother to take me back to the shore. I began to fuss in protest when my uncle dropped me. Under the salt water my eyes were wide open, fixated as I sank toward the deep pit beneath me. I felt calm as I slowly, peacefully drifted downward. I passed a starfish resting on a rock, perfectly lit by the sun’s rays under water. Still sinking, I reached out to touch it. My fingertips were less than a hair away from the creature when my body was ripped out of the water and I gasped for air as I’m back in my uncle’s arms. Back on the shore I spent the rest of the day playing in the sand.

There is so much to discover in this world. Consequently, my passions are extremely charged and my art is the by-product of human consciousness. Biographic interpretations of growing up in a home filled with rolls of drafting papers, collections of teapots, and acoustic instruments have inspired me to explore endless aesthetic propositions. I produce artworks in various mediums that include painting, drawing and sculpture. Themes present in my art range from genealogical dementia, loss, character encounters, decadence, and poverty. Similar to a public diary entry, each installation reveals pieces of an evolving story of who we are as people.

As I journey beyond the communities I’m most familiar with, into a more global existence I’d like to share my lessons from everyday masters, produce artworks that examine sources of anxiety, document interactions, shared memories, and provide evidence for narrative works that address social change, environmental deprivation, and technological advances.” – Nile Livingston

My mission is to promote self expression and fulfillment. There is so much to see and learn about, and for that my passions are extremely charged and my artworks are the by-product of human consciousness. Similar to a public diary entry, each installation reveals pieces of an evolving story of who we are as people. – Nile Livingston artist statement

Founded in an effort to bridge art and the urban community, Urban Art Gallery‘s goal is to create an exciting venue where emerging artists can exhibit and sell their work. Through this, Urban Art Gallery looks to stimulate appreciation and participation in the arts, by showcasing unique and inspirational creations, which include but are not limited to, poetry showcases; live performances; youth workshops; and private events. – About Urban Art Gallery

UrbanArtGallery
262 s. 52nd St.
Philadelphia PA 19139

OPENING RECEPTIONSunday, July 5th 2015, 4:00 – 7:00PM

Curator: Kalphonse Morris
KM@urban-artgallery.com
www.urban-artgallery.com

Thank you to Nile Livingston for providing the content of this post.

Like Nile Livingston on facebook

Follow @nilelivingston on Twitter

Like UrbanArtGallery on facebook

Like DoNArTNeWs Philadelphia Art News Blog on facebook

Follow the new DoNArTNeWs.com

Follow DoN on Twitter @DoNNieBeat58

DoNArTNeWs on Tumblr

DoN Brewer on Pinterest

@donniebeat on Instagram

Affiliate Marketing [disclosure page] Shop on-line and help support DoNArTNeWs

Donate via safe and secure PayPal in the sidebar.