DoNArTNeWs

Alice Meyer Wallace in the Down Stairs Members Gallery @ The Plastic Club.

Alice Meyer Wallace, Mina Smith-Segal, the photo is Bonnie Schorske’s are featured artists in the Members Gallery; the next five member artists to show in the delightful space were drawn from a hat by a small boy with an unusually large head during the awards ceremony for the current Small Worlds exhibition.

Bonnie Schorske, photographs in the Down Stairs Members Gallery @ The Plastic Club on the Avenue of the Artists.

The Plastic Club hosts the monthly Photographic Society of Philadelphia meetings, art-aholic Salons hosted by the inimitable Anders Hanson (Jody Sweitzer announced a joint Plastic Club/Sketch Club/Avenue of the Artists show @ Off the Wall Gallery in Dirty Frank’s Bar), daily workshops and Bob Jackson makes dinner the last Friday of the month for the starving artists who gather at the club to draw and paint.  The next show is a black and white theme - interesting.

Sibylie Pfaffenbichler, Sailor on Leave, oil.  The artist explained to DoN her inspiration came from the forties and the famous images of sailors returning home.  The painting is so exuberant, vibrant and distinctive it really makes you wonder why we don’t dance in the street when our soldiers make it home.  Pfaffenbichler is chair of The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s Annual Flower Show.

Paul Davis Jones, Enigma, acrylic.

Gail Morison-Hall, The Burning Bush, mixed media & Elise Arnold, Untitled One, acrylic.  With 199 works of art, Small World @ The Plastic Club would have been even bigger if more artists understood that presentation is half the battle, the exhibitions committee refused several pieces (DoN spotted a few suspect entries who passed muster).

Nick Brown, Orange Juice Cup & Mug, stone ware.  Brown brings unfired pottery to life study workshops at The Plastic Club and sketches directly onto the clay, often you can hear him scratching grooves into the design to prevent the glaze from spreading when applied.  The resultant objects are like ancient vessels found at an acheological dig - future meets ancient.

Lee Mamaluy, Popping Blooms, oil, Kathryn Russo, At Ease, mixed media and Jeanne Chesterton, Dots, oil.

Robert Stauffer’s photograph, Thorazine Can Kill The Human Spirit, with broken glass in a mirror lined shadow-box frame is like a history of modern art all mushed up like DuChamp meets Warhol meets Ansel Adams.  The broken glass reads like disaster, the desert scene feels like being stranded and the infinite reflections on all sides have secret hidden images to uncover.

 Alden Cole, Now n Then #3, Mother & Child, wax/clay, 2010 & 1964.

Bob Makoid, Avian Capers,markers.  Makoid told DoN this drawing is extra special to him because his kids surprised him by having the design made into a stained glass window.

Michele Jenkins, New Glasses, oil.  DoN LoVeS this painting!  Timeless, super-fun, nostalgic, funny, happy and executed with aplomb.

Anders Hansen, Earth Goddess, ink/watercolor, Lois Schlachter, Queen of the Night, acrylic and Joseph De Fay, The Cafe’, ink-jet print.

Lois Schlachter, Balloon Release, acrylic.  DoN appreciates Lois’ combination of real & unreal, abstract & illustrative, signs & significations - cool.

Alan Clawans, Small Shed, photograph, DoN Brewer, light being (Farrah Fawcett), photograph (it’s not DoNArTNeWs without some DoN news), Sylvia Schreiber, White Flower, acrylic, Susan Wierzbicki, Saim, acrylic and Elise Arnold, Cats, acrylic.  DoN is so pleased to have his entries placed so strategically in the beginning, #3, and the end, #196 - the magic of 3.

Photos by DoNBrewerMultimedia Photography.

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.

Eileen Eckstein, Balloons, photograph, DoN Brewer, light being (Mama Cass), photograph, Laura Pritchard, Portrait, mixed media, Dorothy Roschen, Red, White and Green, relief tiles and Alan Klawans, Milan, archival pigment print @ The Plastic Club’s Red, White and Green exhibit.

DoN Brewer Photography

light being (Mama Cass) $150.00 light being (Kurt Cobain) $150.00

Michael Guinn, 12th Street Still Life, oil.

3rd Honorable Mention Lois Schlachter, My Brother’s Keeper, acrylic, Alden Cole, Good Vibrations, mixed media and Honorable Mention Morris Klein, Love Park, photograph.  Juror Rich Harrington has a great eye and excellent taste considering that the theme was ambiguous in that the three title colors had to be used but not exclusively; Harrington chose works who fully met the criteria such as Dorothy Roschen’s wall sculpture in blatant red, white and green squares for 2nd prize and Peter Petraglia’s trippy undersea fantasy in a subtle palette for First Prize to Lois Schlachter’s wildly imaginative abstraction with what seems like millions of colors.

Tracy Landman, Reflections on Stewart, oil, Patricia Wilson-Schmid, Catching the Light, and Lucy Roehm, Radish Trio, color pencil @ The Plastic Club’s Red White & Green exhibit.

The theme is Red, White & Green which one would think should conjure Holiday Cheer but @ The Plastic Club the art is edgy, sarcastic, goth, even scary like Hunter Thompson meets Charles Addams meets Salvador Dali.  Some of the work is literal and literate like Roehm’s Radish Trio and some is out and out transcendental like Jake Smith’s Merry Fish Mess.  Above: Anders Hansen, Shiva, ink, graphite & charcoal, First Prize Peter Petraglia, Tubulars, pen & ink, Marie Davis Samohod, Funerary Portrait, mixed media and Karen Frank, Totem and Taboo, Acrylic.

DoN is honored to be exhibited along with such wonderful artists as those in the Plastic Club, their shows are always challenging, pushing the envelop, breaking rules yet there’s no stress, the only expectation is making art.  And when the art is all hanging together it feels really good to be an artist rubbing shoulders with some of the best in town.  A cool thing about writing this blog is that when DoN took the photos he didn’t know that he was shooting the work of some of his best friends, the Plastic Club uses a number system for labeling, it’s kind of like doing your own blind jury-ing and then finding out you picked only your friends such as Lois, Pat, Mike, Alan, Alden, Eileen, Dorothy, Morris, Anders…

Jake Smith, Merry Fish Mess, acrylic and Theodore J. Amick, Untitled, oil.

Merry Fish Mess, everybody!

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.

Veronica Schmude @ Mirror Image in Old City.

The First Friday vibe in Old City can be frantic, there is so much to see, people to meet and ideas to think about that it can all become a blur.  Not only are there galleries, shops and restaurants, the alternative venues are numerous and varied from street vendors selling paintings, prints, crafts and photos to businesses like Mirror Image, a graphic/web design firm on Market Street with lots of wall space to share exhibiting art work.  Photographic Society of Philadelphia photographers Veronica Schmude and Rocco Agrippa, appropriated the long wall to display their photographs, brought in friends to play music and transformed the office into an art happening.  Veronica’s signature photographs of peeling paint in old buildings and Agrippa’s landscapes brought energy and style to the desk filled space - there were plenty of spots for Shoshka (in her gorgeously inappropriate gallery-hopping boots) to rest while DoN chatted with Veronica.  Recently, Schmude organized a field trip to Eastern State Penitentiary so photographers could shoot in usually off limit spaces and she’s organizing another trip to Pennsylvania Hospital to photograph the historic healing center.  The PsoP (the second oldest photography club in the world) holds monthly meetings with presentations & lectures by member artists @ The Plastic Club on Camac Street.

Rocco Agrippa @ Mirror Image.

Veronica Schmude, PSoP photographer @ alternative art venue Mirror Image.

The American Color Print Society is celebrating their 70th anniversary with their 70th member exhibition at The Plastic Club which is coincidentally 70 years old.  The exhibition includes not just color prints (the group came together because many galleries only allowed black and white prints) but many excellent examples of black and white prints.  Like many other art forms, the boundaries have expanded to include mixed media, collage, textile and more.  With works submitted by artists from all over the country this show is a mixture of styles, tastes, techniques and ideas from abstract expressionism to atmospheric naturalism to impressionism to pop incorporating every type of printmaking imaginable.

Marlene Grolnic, Ancestral Headgear, collagraph/collage.

Elaine B. Rothwell, Poker Cross. 4 plate color etching.

Ron Wyffels, Untitled, etching/drypoint/drawing.

Carole J. Meyers, Check It Out, monotype.  Meyers explained to DoN how she paints an image on thin plastic sheets with water-based inks then pulls them through a roller to produce her expressionistic prints.

American Color Print Society 70th exhibition @ The Plastic Club on the Avenue of the Artists.

Carole J. Meyers, Holding Court, monotype.

Thelma Grobes, Acrobat And Horses, etching.

Lois M. Johnson, (The Cowgirl in the City), was awarded the lifetime achievement award by The American Color Print Society.  Johnson has taught printmaking at The University of the Arts for 40 years and is preparing to retire.  A native of North Dakota she has made a great impact on the art scene in Philadelphia by helping aspiring print-makers realize their potential.  DoN asked Lois how she reacts to the popular skate-punk esthetic so prominent with today’s youth and she responds that she doesn’t judge but reacts to what is put before her, helping her students improve technique and style, the substance is up to the artist.  The American Color Print Society sponsors a printmaking scholarship for students attending UArts, DoN’s sure the school is going to miss Lois Johnson’s influence and tenacity.

Lois M. Johnson was honored with a solo exhibition in the Board Room of the Plastic Club; Johnson’s prints mix photography, drawing, scribbles and metaphorical references to her western roots and metropolitan style.

The American Color Print Society was awarded with a certificate of appreciation from Philadelphia City Council on their 70th anniversary and exhibition.  Congratulations!

“Fire Dance, Ubud Bali, Indonesia“, Daniel Reilly @ Bonte’s, 130 S. 17th, Philadelphia.

World traveler, photographer Daniel Reilly’s current one-person show @ Bonte’s Cafe, 17th & Walnut, offers unique vistas, alluring compositions, mysterious visions and one-of-a-kind perspectives that only an artist could see - all in pristine black & white and color photos.  Each photograph is a glimpse into a part of the world that many of us may never experience -  from a birds eye view of Argentine street Tango dancers to haunting groundhog views of the ancient Greek Parthenon to quirky over the shoulder shots of Tibetan monks passing a can of Coke.  A native Philadelphian, Reilly taught English in Buenos Aires for more than three years - the locals wanted to learn American slang such as, “Stop busting my balls!” - ah, pop culture’s influence, who knew?  Daniel was a witness to the 2002 riot at the Pink Palace, he actually ran towards the scene after grabbing his camera only to high-tail it away when police on horseback came rushing towards him.

In San Francisco Reilly worked for a TV station, then spent nine months in Hawaii, on to the islands of Fiji, a tour of New Zealand, Australia, Bali, Indonesia, Lombak, Gili Islands, Singapore, Bangkok Thailand, Athens Greece - Reilly spent two years in Summer!  Daniel told DoN the best time of his life was spent in Croatia.  But, Reilly always come home to family in Philly.  A recent member of the Photographic Society of Philadelphia, the show at Bonte’s is one of Daniel’s first one-person shows even though he’s been an event photographer for years with a catalog of over 30,000 images.  Maybe that’s why the selection of pictures @ Bonte’s are so choice - some of the archivally matted and framed prints have already sold; DoN suggests you start to collect Reilly now before the prices go up.

Daniel Reilly, “Untitled, Rio de la Plata, Uraguay.”

“T is for Tango, Buenos Aires, Argentina”, Daniel Reilly, PSoP photographer @ Bonte’s.

Daniel Reilly @ Bonte’s Cafe.

“Holy Dolls, Madrid, Spain”, Daniel Reilly.

Wednesday evening @ The Plastic Club, Anders Hanson hosted a lively discussion of how artists should price their art.  Many familiar faces were present in the Tea Room, all with the same concerns - how do artists price their work.  Off the Wall Gallery @ Dirty Frank’s curator Jody Sweitzer shared lots of good advice from deciding how much you should pay yourself to pricing works in a range that is reasonable yet profitable.  Ben Cohen shared a great idea from his last one person show - he priced figure studies done in workshops at really low prices with a raffle coupon attached for one of his framed paintings valued at around $300.  Ben found that people bought more than one drawing with hopes of winning one of his paintings and he earned enough to cover the “loss” of the painting and generated good will.  Other ideas included pricing by the square inch (Francis Tucker, the great painter and teacher does this - he charges $5 per square inch, you do the math), keeping track of hours and material costs, not giving away work to friends, no undercutting yourself when a client asks the price, keeping your price consistent (don’t price it one way for New York and another for Philly), think like a business person and pick up on buying cues, be present at your openings and follow up, follow up, follow up.  On a recent show on PBS called Craft in America, one of the artists said to not count on your gallery to promote your work and keep your own mailing lists (snail & e-mail).

Jody visits artist studios to learn more about the artist and their body of work, picks works she feels will sell, learns the background of the work, techniques, materials, style…so when a patron asks she’s armed with info to share.  Off the Wall has a terrific sales record and does great promotion with posters, cards and parties.  Rick Wright shared that he has a range of product priced from very low for his famous cell phone photos (phone-to-grams) to higher end large scale works.  By selling some works cheap he makes friends and collectors who return and often buy more.

Sweitzer recommended the book “How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist: Selling Yourself Without Selling Your Soul” by Caroll Michels.  DoN recommends “I’d Rather be in the Studio” by Alyson Stanfield and “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron.  As a former sales manager, DoN has a few tips: watch for buying cues (how much is it?, how did you make it?, how long did it take?…)  Use the acronym QRISP - quality, reputation, innovation, style and price.  Notice price is last not first - don’t spend your collectors money for them, after all, you don’t know how much they have to spend.  In this feverish economy, it’s important to remain thick skinned, engage your customers, pick up on cues, have a story to tell, value yourself and stick to your price.