Monthly Archives: November 2015

Phillustration 7

Phillustration 7, The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Tom LeonardPhillustration 7The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Tom Leonard, Sea Mammal Alphabet Book Cover, acrylic on illustration board

Phillustration 7, Illustration Exhibition at The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Phillustration 7 is an exhilarating exhibition dedicated to illustration in the historic art studio at The Philadelphia Sketch Club. The room is filled with information packed works, pulsing with memes, telling tales and making artistic insinuations to stir the imagination. The top prize went to Tom Leonard for Sea Mammal Alphabet Book, it’s cool to see a Philadelphia artist and educator win since the show has entries juried in from around the country. The panel he created is exquisite in it’s magical realism and information design.

“In the past seven years Tom Leonard has focused his work on children’s books usually with a view toward nature. His recent work combines a folk-art sophistication with a scientifically realistic interpretation. He has illustrated five books for Hyperion and Golden.

Tom Leonard now lives in Philadelphia and teaches illustration at the University of the Arts, in Philadelphia. He regularly goes to schools to discuss his work. His work has appeared in the Graphis Annual and several times in the Society of Illustrators.” – University of the Arts in Philadelphia

Illustrators are interesting people because they communicate visually using the languages of color, character and composition. Making metaphors and messaging with mark making, they possess a skill that is so rarified and refined their influence is felt throughout contemporary culture. For a unique opportunity to experience an exhibition of fine art illustration and an historic Pennsylvania landmark, go see Phillustration 7.

Phillustration 7, Philadelphia Sketch ClubPiya Wannachaiwong, Ymgarl Genestealer, digital and pencil, Phillustration 7, The Philadelphia Sketch Club

In researching this post I visited the websites of the artists, each one is as exciting and entertaining as any magazine. The breadth of media employed to achieve an artwork that stands on it’s own and promotes an idea, product or position is truly astonishing. The Philadelphia Sketch Club has a long history of presenting fine art exhibitions, providing illustration it’s own venue to share the art and adventure of creating effective commercial art is important.

Piya Wannachaiwong (that’s P-ya Wanna-chai-wong) was born in Yonkers, New York. He misspent his childhood drawing dinosaurs on paper, kitchen tables, windows, school books and living room walls. He earned his B A in Studio Arts from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA in 2001. Looking for a more thorough art education, he suddenly found himself at the Admissions office of the Academy of Art University in the City by the Bay (San Francisco). Three years later, someone gave him a piece of paper with the letters MFA 2005 on it, tossed him out the door and told him to be useful and get a job.” – Piya Wannachaiwong

Phillustration 7, Zachary Manbeck, Philadelphia Sketch ClubPhillustration 7, Zachary Manbeck, Something Wicked, digital, The Philadelphia Sketch Club

“I am currently studying Illustration at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts and will be receiving my BFA in Illustration in 2018.  I enjoy creating art that tells a story while being both playful and imaginative. Often in my images I ask myself “What is the narrative within the narrative?”, opening the door for multiple colliding stories packed into one fun image.  It is this thought process that keeps my illustrations unique and amusing, allowing their viewers to jump in and get lost in my imagery.” – Zachary Manbeck

Phillustration 7, Jacqueline Hines, The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Phillustration 7, Jacqueline Hines, Ichabod the Autumn Spirit, graphite and Photoshop CS6, The Philadelphia Sketch Club

“Earning their nickname due to their physique, choice of clothing, and a life goal to achieve green skin, Jacqueline a.k.a The Gothic Stringbean is a highly caffeinated, award-winning illustrator currently working on their BFA in Illustration at Moore College of Art and Design. Upon graduation, they plan to travel, listen to some good tunes and be content with a simple life of making good art.

Outside of illustration, some may notice them silently stalking around Philadelphia, PA in colorful polyester and yellow aviators. Otherwise, they like to drink tea, listen to their ever-growing record collection and learn about the wonderful world of the spooky paranormal.” – Jacqueline Hines

Phillustration 7, Pat Achilles, The Philadelphia Sketch ClubPhillustration 7, Pat Achilles, Ghost Tour from ‘Let’s Visit New Hope’, acrylic paint on illustration board, The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Pat Achilles captures that magic moment you always experience when you visit New Hope, the arts community along the Delaware River north of Philly. The atmospheric limited palette and shifty shapes immediately draws the viewer into a story, a ghost story. Sparking the imagination and telling tales is the goal of illustrators, to take us on a trip through a different realm.

Pat Achilles is an award-winning illustrator with over 20 years of experience in corporate, advertising, book and editorial illustration. Her styles range from highly realistic to humorous cartoons to children’s literature. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, where she was taught by the delightful Beth and Joe Krush and Bob Byrd. Pat is a co-founder of the Bucks County Illustrators Society and gives presentations on ‘What Authors Should Know about Book Illustration,’ geared especially for children’s book writers, and ‘Marketing for Illustrators.’ She is an adjunct professor in the illustration department at Moore.” – Pat Achilles

Phillustration 7, The Philadelphia Sketch ClubThis kid, Phillustration 7 through November 27th, 2015, The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Robert Bohne told me a story about when he was a kid an uncle took him to the Sketch Club and he knew right away he would be a member one day. Now Bob monitors a popular costumed life model workshop on Thursday afternoons, guiding and advising some of Philly’s finest artists that come to the club to draw and paint. I was drawing at Bob’s workshop last week and the energy and excellence of the artwork around me pushed me to really see what I was looking at and make marks that mean something. The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s President Rich Harrington chaired the exhibit and achieved a level of excellence that, for me, is transformative in it’s exploration of fine illustration.

The Philadelphia Sketch Club Gallery hours: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, 235 South Camac Street, Philadelphia PA, 19107

Phillustration 7 through November 27th, 2015.

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Written and photographed by DoN Brewer except where noted.

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PETS

PETS, Off the Wall at Dirty Franks

PETS, 11th Annual Juried Exhibition, Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Franks

Written by Togo Travalia

“We celebrate our best non-human friends in so many ways: from giving them toys and treats, positive affirmation and unconditional love, to sharing their personalities, devotion, affectionate natures and playfulness with the world.

Our 11th Annual Juried Exhibition finds a new way to celebrate our pets, even as it creatively interweaves all of these ways. You know what we’re talking about…ART!

We cordially invite you to join us to welcome PETS at our OPENING RECEPTION, which takes place THIS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 7-10 PM. As always, we will serve light hors d’oeuvres, pour your favorite drinks, convene the company of fellow art lovers and offer the chance to meet most of the 42 artists whose AWWW-inspiring pet projects line our Wall and 3D space.

Plus, PETS has something brand-new in store: the chance to give back. Every time we sell artwork from PETS, 20% of the proceeds go to the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and Street Tails Animal Rescue.

Our modest philanthropy is inspired in part by the generosity of spirit that is so easy to find among the 76 works in PETS, across a wide array of media:

* You have to know that PHOTOGRAPHY — what all of us use to document our pets’ lives — has a big role. Our artists elevate the form. Exquisite silver gelatin darkroom prints from AMANDA ABRAMSON on the B&W section of our Wall (a curatorial choice by JODY SWEITZER, which is stunning), take us from Lambertville to Brooklyn to the city we have close to our hearts right now, Paris. ALEXANDRA ORGERA‘s medium-format digital print is a story waiting to be told; use your imagination! Meanwhile, TRI NGUYEN‘s housebound images show us what we should be doing with our smartphones: distilling the everyday into simple, heartfelt, magical moments.

* PAINTING encompasses a range of media: BOB GORCHOV‘s irresistible, fan-favorite acrylics; MINA SMITH‘s enchanting watercolor of dog walkers at work; ALBERT ALDINGER‘s sweet kitty portrait contrasted with BILL GROVE‘s tough alley cat; JOCELYNN TICE‘s breathtakingly photorealistic pastel of owner and pet; and CYNTHIA HARVEY‘s rendering of a cat-ism: the hours of joy that can be found in crumbled paper from a delivery box.

* We could not have custom-ordered a more skillful range of PRINTMAKING. Three different techniques are rendered with precision and heart. ELIZABETH STRICKER‘s impeccable woodblock print fills a physical yin-yang space with one curled up cat conveying Zen-like tranquility. ALYSE C. BERNSTEIN shows how printing a lithograph from marble stone can inject subtle beauty into her dog Frank taking a nap. And MARLISE M. TKACZUK, well into her second decade as one of the most popular OFF THE WALL artists, brings down the house with her adoptive feline kids and their demanding ways.

These are the major categories but it’s hardly all here. PETS has amazing range. Outliers include ELIZABETH H. MACDONALD‘s bobbin lace goldfish, joined by NOA TRAVALIA‘s abstract assembled-paper koi; CARLA LIGUORI‘s new terracotta sculpture, suggesting pet-like relationships can be forged with wild creatures; SARAH BRETT‘s stunning debut, which puts front and center a ceramic from her “hiney” body of work (we kid you not!); and the always kidding work of BOB JACKSON, whose 23 mixed media assemblages establish a record that will NEVER be broken. (Yes, all 23 were juried into this show!) Read the titles before you take in the work and you appreciate Bob’s ribald sense of humor.

That’s only 17 artists, leaving 25 I haven’t mentioned. 25! And four of these artists — Sarah, Alyse, Liz and Albert — are new to OFF THE WALL; they are joined by 10 more colleagues showing in our space for the very first time. And NINE ARTISTS will win CASH PRIZES TOTALING $550. Who? We’ll find out at the Opening Reception.

If all this doesn’t tickle your fancy, go and scratch behind the ears of your kitty or dog and think again. We can’t wait to see you. Oh, and remember to change the water bowl, maybe get in that walk and put out some fresh dry food before you come over. OR bring your dog to the opening. DIRTY FRANK’S is Philly’s ORIGINAL dog-friendly bar!

Don’t have any of these tasks on your agenda? We also offer a 20% discount on any PETS artwork if you adopt a cat or dog in November or December (a discount that can be applied retroactively, too!).

Open your arms for PETS. Open your heart to your pet.

See you Thursday evening!”

Togo

Togo Travalia
Manager OFF THE WALL GALLERY at Dirty Frank’s, NE Corner, 13th & Pine Streets, Philadelphia,, PA  19107

offthewallgallery@gmail.com

facebook.com/OTWDirtyFranks

@OTWDirtyFranks

(215) 732-5010 (bar)

(484) 357-6440 (cell)

Philly’s pioneering alternative art space, since 1978.

Read DoN‘s review of Alyese C. Bernstein‘s, Frank, lithograph on DoNArTNeWs.com

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Paths

Deirdre Murphy, URBNDeirdre Murphy – Migratory Paths at URBN at the Navy Yard

Deirdre Murphy – Migratory Paths at URBN

Written and photographed by Laura Storck

The concept of the symbiotic relationship between art and science is nothing new – many would affirm that it has been in existence since the dawn of time. Many artists and scientists (perhaps one in the same?) have studied the relationships and potential intersections of these phenomena (DaVinci, Seurat, and Hershel, to name a few).

Deirdre Murphy, URBNDeirdre Murphy – Migratory Paths at URBN at the Navy Yard

The brain ambidexterity that informs the esoteric outlook of those fortunate enough to possess those qualities still pervades. Deirdre Murphy is a contemporary artist whose work is influenced by the connections between art and science, as can be seen by one of her current exhibitions, “Migratory Paths”, is currently on view  at URBN at the Navy Yard.  This series explores the migratory flight patterns of birds and how they may be affected by climate change.  Her abstract works are extremely eye-catching, attractive, and thought-provoking her with use of bright colors, geometric shapes, and repetition.

Deirdre Murphy, URBN, Migratory Paths

Deirdre MurphyThe Boundless (2012)_silkscreen and mixed media on paper, at URBN at the Navy Yard

Deirdre Murphy, URBN, Laura StorckDeirdre Murphy,  Synchronized Formation (2012), silkscreen and mixed media on paper, at URBN at the Navy Yard

According to a recent interview with PennDesign about a summer residency a Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Ms. Murphy explained that:

“The collective intelligence of flocking birds and the unpredictable patters have been a source of inspiration to me.  I wanted to work directly with the Hawk Mountain Scientists and ask the how global warming has changed the raptors migratory flight patterns and then to see how I might translate that information into paintings.”

Deirdre Murphy, URBN, Migratory Paths
Deirdre MurphySentinel II (2008), oil on canvas, at URBN at the Navy Yard

Deirdre Murphy, URBN, Migratory PathsDeirdre Murphy, Flamingo, 2008, oil on canvas, at URBN at the Navy Yard

In case you weren’t aware,  I should mention that I’m an artist and scientist myself. I have a great fondness for the use of bold pigments, as well as a natural affinity towards the cleanliness and mechanics of simple lines and angular structures.  This sensibility applies not only in my personal design preferences and photographic compositions, but in life itself.

Deirdre Murphy, URBN, Migratory Paths
Nocturnal Migration (2010), silkscreen on paper, Deirdre Murphyat URBN at the Navy Yard

Deirdre Murphy, URBN, Migratory PathsDeirdre MurphyLibra (2015), gouache on paper

Deirdre Murphy, URBN, Migratory PathsPigeon Flight (2009), oil on canvas, Deirdre Murphy at URBN at the Navy Yard

I engaged with this beautifully celestial and otherworldly exhibit on it’s opening day, and after some pondering, I concluded that “Migratory Paths” not only applies to migratory patterns of birds, but to all lifeforms. To my chagrin, I had received a polite yet disappointing email that day that I did not land a coveted job that I desperately wanted, also located at the Navy Yard, and was feeling quite crestfallen.  On that bright and warm afternoon, Ms. Murphy’s art spoke to my resilient self in URBN’s sleek headquarters, and expressed to me that nature endures, perseveres, and maneuvers along it’s own migratory path,  and we must follow our instincts to find our way.

Deirdre Murphy, URBN, Migratory PathsDeirdre Murphy at URBN at the Navy Yard

I highly recommend everyone to take a flight of fancy to URBN to see this exhibit in this amazing and ethereal space. Enjoy a light lunch at Shop 543 or a warm cup of java at Jharoka while taking a gander at the Ms. Murphy’s artwork with the zen feeling of the nearby koi pond just a few steps away. “Migratory Paths” are works on paper that span from 2010-2015 and will be on display at URBN until December 7, 2015.

Deirdre Murphy, URBN, Migratory PathsDeirdre MurphyDome of the Sky (2010), silkscreen on paper, at URBN at the Navy Yard

Written and photographed by Laura Storck

Laura Storck Photography ARTIST. SCIENTIST. PHOTOGRAPHER. ROCK STAR.: https://laurastorck.wordpress.com/

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Ruined

Ellen Hallie Schiff, Pii Gallery
Ellen Hallie Schiff, Ruined 8, oil, enamel, wire, tape, charred wood on charred canvas, 20″ x 16″, PII Gallery

Ellen Hallie Schiff, Ruined – Recent Constructions

Ellen Hallie Schiff, Ruined – Recent Constructions, November 6 – 26 at PII Gallery242 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 215.592.1022, info@piigallery.com

“The new work is called ‘RUINED’. Although I am a painter, these works are really constructions. I burn my old canvases and add bits of wood, tape, wire, screening and metal to create a seemingly random composition that actually works. A number of these pieces have a work on either side of the canvas. As I work on one exposed side off the  canvas, inevitably the other side begins to take on its own life as well.It has been said of these works:

These works are so solid even though they are full of holes. By deconstructing the canvas itself, Schiff explores her vulnerability, which underlies the process of creation/ human endeavor and personal connection.” – Ellen Hallie Schiff

“When my work is going well it exudes an off-hand yet exciting quality. My paintings have been described as powerful, very emotional and strong.

Swaths of paint wiped away to reveal a ghost image beneath; more paint pushed around to create layers of history. The search for the elegant random shape all work in concert to form a new entity entirely.” – excerpt artist statement, Ellen Hallie Schiff

About Pii Gallery

“The PII Gallery features work from around the world, focusing primarily on Eastern European and American contemporary art. On the first Friday of every month a new exhibition premieres, and the Gallery’s doors open to a crowd of international and local art lovers, as well as the casual passer-by. PII Gallery has developed a reputation for providing something otherwise unavailable in Philadelphias gallery district — a consistently strong selection of international artists working in textile design, printmaking, painting, sculpture and photography. PII Gallery has recently expanded to include an annex, devoted to showcasing local and international emerging artists. Located in a centuries’ old building in historic Old City the gallery is perfectly situated to serve people from a wide array of cultures.” – PII Gallery

PII Gallery242 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 215.592.1022, info@piigallery.com

Thank you to Ellen Hallie Schiff for the content of this post.

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