DoNArTNeWs

2010 Philadelphia Open Studio Tours -  pdf

Register @ http://www.philaopenstudios.com/Opportunities.aspx

Dog by Karen McDonnell & Anthony Cortosi perfectly encapsulates the theme of this groundbreaking, historic art show curated by Jody Schweitzer of Off the Wall Gallery @ Dirty Franks Bar on the corner of 13th & Pine Streets, bringing together artists from the dual art clubs, The Plastic Club & The Philadelphia Sketch Club on the historic Avenue of the Artists - a painting of a three-legged dog created in collaboration by an opposite sex couple.  The formally all female Plastic Club and the formally all male Philadelphia Sketch Club have been co-existing on the same block for decades - the Sketch Club is celebrating it’s 150th anniversary this year with a stunning array of historic art shows & the Plastic Club is nearly 100 - both clubs integrated sexes in 1991, since then Camac Street has become a fantastic haven for artists to work and learn side by side, the competition raising the bar for quality, prestige and creativity for everyone.  Alan Klawans, the exhibitions chair @ The Plastic Club, told DoN participation in art shows is up 300%; the current Small Oils Show @ PSC has 170 paintings, you couldn’t squeeze another piece in if you wanted to.

Karen & Anthony, create all of their art together: drawing, cutting, spraying, dumpster-diving, brain-storming…resulting in iconic imagery resonating with vibrant contemporary urban life.  Their work is proof men & women can work together in partnership, even if the result is like walking on three legs to get there.

The showcase @ Off the Wall Gallery with Dorothy Roschen, Cara Kendric and more, many of the artists are members of both clubs.

Mina Smith-Segal @ An Offering on Camac.  Mina won an award Saturday for a painting she created for the Lantern Theater Company’s Henry IV, Part 1 production, another art collaboration between the Da Vinci Art Alliance of South Philly and the St. Steven’s Theater in Center City - it’s art synergy, baby!

Sibylle-Maria Pfaffenbichler is getting terrific buzz for her jazzy paintings of couples dancing; every show they’re in is instantly energized by the bold color and confidant brushwork, capturing the attention of the viewer like watching a really good-looking couple dancing deep in the groove of the music in a smokey dive with a great juke-box.

An Offering on Camac @ Dirty Franks is the perfect third leg for an art crawl; after trying to absorb over 300 fantastic new art works on view between the two clubs current shows, a stiff drink is in order.  What do you call a one-eyed, three-legged dog?  Lucky.

Monday @ noon, a ceremony was held in the fabulous Please Touch Museum in the glorious Memorial Hall to introduce a new public art program called Phanatic Around Town, a project assigning artists a life size sculpture of the famous Phillies mascot, The Phanatic.  The anticipation was high as each artist was introduced and stood next to their covered art work - but then one of the sculptures came to life and the new RED Phanatic was introduced and with a flourish all the artists revealed their secret projects including Lillian Didovic and Ronnie Norpel of Da Vinci Art Alliance, the famous art club in South Philly.

Ronnie Norpel, the new Red Phanatic and Lilliana Didovic with their fantastic Phanatic collabo of images and phrases referring to Philly fan favorites from cheese steaks to the Art Museum to the Walt.  The duo’s work will be on display at The Convention Center on Independence Mall!  Lilliana is probably Philly’s biggest fan; the Phanatic Around Town project is the perfect way for Philly to LoVe Lilliana back!

Lilliana Didovic painted her iconic glamorous scenes of Philly paired with Ronnie Norpel’s poems - Norpel has just released her new novel, Baseball Karma & The Constitution Blues on Three Rooms Press.  Ronnie’s book release party is @ PATOU, 4/16, 9:00 PM.

Lilliana’s hubby has been hinting to DoN for months about her progress on the immense project as she worked in a neighbor’s garage; he and their son, Gordon - in full Phillie’s Fan gear - were present for Lilliana’s new pinnacle of success in the Philadelphia art world.

No! it’s not zombies - it’s all the Phanatics with open arms, perfect for embracing all the fans of the Phillies and the City That LoVeS You Back - thanks to the artists for bringing such joy, it really warms the heart to see a giggling little kid get hugged by the big hairy beast -  With LoVe Philadelphia XOXO!!!

The Phillie Phanatic Around Town as the Mad Hatter by Lorna Kent.

Phanatico Latino by Marta Sanchez.

Photography by DoNBrewerMultimedia Photography.

Envisioning Henry IV, Part 1

4th Generation, Janelle Adamska, acrylic scrim/screenprint and burn-out.  Janelle told DoN she uses a wood burning tool to burn out the negative space of the design totally time-tripping DoN back to the old Sears Dream Book with the cool wood-burning tools, remember the smell?  The artist fell in love with a borrowed tool so a friend gave her one of her own, Adamska’s scene-stealing piece sure isn’t like drawing a horse head into a piece of pine.

Tic-Tac-Toe, Beverly Godfrey, tapestry, 2009.

Text, Leslie Haas, paper.  This simple paper construct is such a great meme with little scrolls stuffed in a box like memories of futures passed crammed with lots of overlapping narratives and keepsakes.  Sweet.

Margin Notes, Pat depaula Klein, hand stitched with cotton floss.

Sorry, DoN doesn’t have the artist’s name for these super-kawaii postcards like old fashioned pot holders with stitched cliche’ greetings.

Pondering the Possibilities, Francine Strauss, quilted mixed media wall hanging.

Pop Can Patchwork, Caroline J. Maw-Dies, pop can labels, nails, wood in traditional patchwork/quilt/basket-weave pattern, 2009.  Like tramp art of old this collage of metal embodies that home-spun crazy quilt vibe of the DIY movement, instead of bottle top ropes or toothpick clocks Pop Can Patchwork is informed by invasive advertising and cultural collapse.  Maw-Dies represents the 21st Century Gleaner, recycling and re-purposing detritus into modern beauty and contemporary design.

Saturday evening Kathryn Pannepacker, curator of the TeXt/TeXtiLe, a Philagrafika event, held a pot luck dinner and movie party @ Da Vinci Art Alliance with a great turn out of artists, good food and chummy conversation.  The homey comfortable-ness of the event, lively with old and new friends, is sure to become a tradition - it’s a great way to get people to come see an art show.  The movie was about the current DIY scene across the country featuring artists working in art & crafts and “making a living” - DoN flashed back to December’s First Friday, it was freezing and wet out and 2nd Street had maybe a hundred kids trying to sell paintings, T-shirts, hats, fudge…while the movie was fast paced, very informative and offered insight into successful models for art business’, there’s still an underlying sense of a new kind of tactic to simply survive the Great Recession by one’s own means.

Today while walking KaTy the ArT DoG & Lady Doofus, the St. Bernard/Chihuahua mix, through Rittenhouse Square, DoN spotted a tree wearing a colorful crocheted legging - a secret crafter mafia tagging style with fiber instead of stickers or spray paint.  Obey!

P. J. Smalley, Girl on Toilet, oil/digital print @ The Plastic Club.

Donna P. Collins, Our Love Dissolved, photograph.

Donna P. Collins, One Way Out, photograph.

Julianna Struck, Untitled, oil @ The Plastic Club New Members Exhibition 2010.

Karen Frank, Effervesence, acrylic.

New Member Exhibition 2010 @ The Plastic Club.  Corel Topel, Baby #1, pen & ink, Armand Scavo, 101 Walnut Street #1, photograph and Karen Freeman, Modiglianni Girl, ink.

Serena Perrone, Dreaming of Flying Fish, oil/charcoal/graphite.

Welcome to the 24 new members of the Plastic Club; the current show is super-strong with technical virtuosity, broad variety of styles, big personalities and aspirational contemporary ideas from established and new members of the Philly Art Community.

This year DoN got to know Dr. Deb Miller of the Da Vinci Art Alliance; Miller is a driving force behind the production of themed art shows for the gallery at the Da Vinci Art Alliance, Smile Gallery, Bartram’s Garden Gallery, the Black Box Gallery @ The Lantern Theater and more.  This year art exhibits included Envisioning Hamlet, Darwin & Carnivorous Plants, Windows on the World, Heroines & Harlots.. collaborations with The Lantern Theater, Bartrams Garden, Smile Gallery & more.  As a result of these concept shows DoN won more awards for art this year than in all previous years of entering shows.  Dr. Deb always takes an extra moment to praise the artist when presenting awards, tells an anecdote about the work, shares tidbits about her life in Andy Warhol’s circle and makes sure all the artists even though they may not win anything, feel special, that it’s worth all the time & effort to produce art.  Twice, Dr. Deb has whispered in DoN’s ear during award ceremonies that she thought he should have won first prize instead of honorable mention - DoN bets Dr. Debbie says that to all the boys.

On the move - Dr. Miller makes sure the audience moves through the gallery and presents awards by the art work instead of from a fixed spot as many other juried shows do.  Her gregarious banter and knowledgeable comments always are educational, informative and frank.

Dr. Deb Miller @ Bartram’s Garden Gallery.

DoN in awe of Dr. Deb’s comments on his “Botanical Print” @ Bartram’s Garden Gallery.  Actually, Dr. Deb always makes sure DoN say a few words about his work and she always gets jurors to speak about their decisions.

Dr. Debra Miller, Liz Niklus, Alden Cole, David Foss & Ona Kalstein @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.  The board at the Da Vinci Art Alliance performs an essential function in the Philly art community, providing a creative outlet, a great social network and a vibrant array of shows, lectures and parties.

Dr. Deb Miller presenting DoN with an award for his digital photograph called, Denmark, for the Envisioning Hamlet Show @ The Black Box Gallery in the Lantern Theater.  DoN recently eves-dropped David Foss and heard there will be continuing collaborations with the Lantern Theater and the International Opera Theater - coolness!

Dr. Debra Miller gives a great lecture about Andy Warhol, here she’s presenting her talk @ The Fleisher Art Memorial.

Philly Art Stars @ the Windows on the World opening @ Smile Gallery.  That’s the back of Liz Niklus‘ head, Dr. Deb, Lilliana Didovic & Betsy Alexander, that was a great show, in fact the three winners are having their show at the gallery next month.

Photographer Jon Naar with Dr. Debra @ Photosynthesis 2008 @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Thanks to Dr. Debra Miller and the entire board of the Da Vinci Art Alliance for providing such an outstanding platform for artists to exercise their creative muscles.  DoN can’t wait to see what 2010 has in store at the venerable art alliance.

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.

Pastels by Bob Makoid @ Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Nouns: people places things.

Bob Makoid @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Judy Engle @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.  If Eileen Tognini says packing tape art is in - then DoN says listen to her!  If you can’t afford a Mark Khaisman before his packing tape drawings increase in value, then buy Engles layered clear tape collage @ Da Vinci Art Alliance for under $200.00 - in real life this small piece is 3D and deep, with layers and layers of tiny bits of color.  Another great steal-able idea.

Judy Engles, photograph.

DoN LoVeS how DVAA displays art - Judy Engle’s photo paired with DoN’s digital print is so elegant and thoughtful, the pieces really work together.  DoN was inspired to print “Autum Oak“, a digital photograph from a few years ago after seeing Amie Potsic’s tree photos @ Area 919 - the most expensive of DoN’s Under $200.00 entries is $129.00.

Lilliana Didovic, Alden Cole & Karl Johnson @ Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Under $200 show.  The DVAA always has such terrific, fun events, even though it was a snowy night, plenty of artists showed up to party - the board is to be commended on their careful attention to detail and making everyone comfortable and welcome.

Francine Strauss @ Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Under $200.00

Gerard Di Falco, etching @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Leon Rainbow @ DVAA - he not only produces these funky paintings, Rainbow provides web design services to the esteemed organization.  DoN is grateful for the publicity the links provide, the slide-show of member’s art on the website is cool.

Karen McDonnell & Tony Cortosi collaborate on these stencil & spray-paint images replete with peeling paint, drippy spray, coarse edges and mashed up cultural icons - the Carmen has such a skate punk sneer mixed with Hollywood glamor - Grrrl!.

 Karen McDonnell, Tony Cortosi & Ray Costello @ Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Under $200.00 opening party.

Photographer, Bill Myers @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.  Bill is also an active member of the Photographic Society of Philadelphia; Myers creates photo montage with clashing images mushed into contextual morphs - incredible.There are some really great art bargains for sale at the Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Under $200.00 show.  You can own a David Foss for $100, an Art Ostroff for a Benjamin or so…the Lee Muslin prints are gorgeous, an incredible Dexiang Qian for exactly $200.00!?!  The art show itself is amazing - all the participating members really put in memorable, desirable pieces and James Warhola signed his book Uncle Andy’s Cats;  he took a moment with each autograph to draw a kitty in the front pages and engaged everyone in a personal way - Warhola signed books for 3 hours!  He was still signing books when DoN left.