DoNArTNeWs

More than 150 small artworks in many different media are arrayed around the historic gallery space of the Philadelphia Sketch Club on the Avenue of the Artists, Camac Street.  Miniatures represents the work of more than 60 area artists from Betsy Alexander of Ravenswing Studio, Dumpster Diver extraordinaire Alden Cole and Da Vinci Art Alliance board member Lilliana Didovic to esteemed club members such as Karen McDonnell & Tony Cortosi, Dr. Doris Peltzman and first prize winner Michael Kuncevich, one of the club’s elders.  Second prize was awarded to Susan J. Donmoyer  for an extraordinary drawing.  Even though DoN was a co-chair of the show, he has to say - the show is extraordinary with really exciting work by great Philly artists.  Thanks to everyone who helped pull it off - if you’ve ever organized a show, you know what a time suck it is.  A special thank you to Laura Guzzo, 3nd prize winner, for acting as docent & sales associate.

Laura Guzzo @ Miniatures in PSC Gallery.

Stephan Iwanczuk, silver print.  Steve is chair of Miniatures.

Clockwise - Lilliana Didovic, Deborah Horsting, Parimalasri Vairapandi & Vincent Docktor.  Vince is part of the the three-person show in the PSC Stewart Room.

Betsy Alexander’s Alaska paintings capture the expansiveness of the great wilderness in tiny squares.  Bold color choice, graphic decisions and simplicity transport the viewer to a foreign landscape at once welcoming and strange.  Betsy is also an original Dumpster Diver and was recently featured on the Today show with her famous piano playing cat, Nora.

Monique Lazard, oil @ PSC Miniatures.

Dr. Doris Peltzman, Giovanni’s Table, oil.  Doris has had several one-person show’s in Wilmington’s prestigious Carspecken Scott Gallery, has sold out shows at Artist House, consistently wins top awards and today is gallery sitting at the club - stop in and visit her and Reta Sweeney.

Alden Cole, Dancing with the Stars, drawing @ PSC Miniatures.

Clockwise - Linda Hibbs, Elizabeth Breakell, Elizabeth MacDonald, Marlene Craig, Dorothy Roschen & Lucy Roehm.

DoN entered a digital picture frame with 20 views of Paris roof tops - the prospectus said any medium!

The Art of the Flower show at the Philadelphia Sketch Club is an annual, open juried competition for 2 or 3 dimensional works of art on the theme of the flower by prominent and emerging regional artists.  This year’s juror, James P. Repenning, chose not only traditional styles of flower painting but also abstractions, photography, prints and even a neon sculpture.  Rik Viola, committee co-chair, pulled together an exceptional show with a new twist on flowers in art with an opening reception that was well attended and exciting.  The awards were kept secret until they were announced at the gala which added an aura of anticipation since even the winners didn’t know until the announcement.  The exhibition runs through March 22nd and will be followed by the annual Small Oil Paintings show.

The winners wall at The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s annual Art of the Flower Show which overlaps the famous Philadelphia Flower Show.  1st Place, Emerging Amarylis, monotype by Rona Richter, 2nd place, Roses with Reflection, pastel by Beverly Jensen, 3rd place, Dried Flowers in a Burl Vase, pastel by Ben Cohen, 4th place, White Iris, photography award by Elizabeth Bard. Honorable mentions went to Tony Anthony, Robert Bohne, Doris Peltzman, Jessie Joern, Gus Sermas and Eve Hoyt.

DoN Brewer’s inkjet print collage, “Gingko“.

3-Dimension award winner - Luminous Flora - Neon by Eve Hoyt.

Cactus Flower, ink and watercolor, Peter Petragia.

Glories, color pencil & ink, Hal Taylor.

Black Rose, etching, Thelma Grobes.

White Orchid, digital print, Valerie Hutton. 

Artist Gus Victor Sermas with his mixed media drawing, Flower 1, at The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s Art of the Flower show through March 22nd, 2009. 

DoN is delighted his inkjet print collage was selected to be included in the Art of the Flower show at The Philadelphia Sketch Club.  The annual show includes many of DoN’s favorite Philadelphia painters and photographers as selected by juror James P. Repenning; helping install the show was especially fun knowing DoN’s “Ginkgo” is included along side exquisite works by Peltzman, Eckstein, Monaghan, Barnes, Tony Anthony, Roschen, Camera…  The reception and awards is Sunday @ 2:00.  Repenning’s work on the art card is lovely but in real life is an incredible mixed media piece with dimension, depth and high style design, executed with utmost craft - really stunning.

The Plastic Club @ 247 South Camac Street is hosting a new art show – small WORLDS exhibition.  All works in the show must be less than 16” in any direction including 2D and 3D works by hundreds of artists; there are 182 artworks in the show, no small feat to install.  But, the committee performed wonders in creating groupings, tableau and mise en seine drawing the visitor into tiny spaces packed with authenticity, superior craftsmanship and creativity.  Karl Olsen’s “A” is a masterful painting of his ubiquitous hat, Alden Cole entered a wildly erotic fantasy, Doris Peltzman’s “Portrait of Amber” is haunting and masterful…

small WORLDS opens February 1^st – here’s a sneak peek. 

DoN Brewer’s “light being (Chink)“, Ellen Grenwell’s “4:12 AM, Please Kitty“, Rob Willis‘ “Ichibano” & Hugo Hsu’s “Tenguska“. 

small Worlds @ The Plastic Club. 

Alden Cole’s “Embrace No. 2“. 

The opening reception and awards is Sunday, February 1st, 2009, 2 - 5:00 PM.

November 13th Shoshana and DoN traveled to Wilmington for the opening of Doris Peltzman’s one-person show at the prestigious Carspecken Scott Gallery at 1707 Lincoln Street.  Even though the evening was drizzly many of Doris’ fans came out to celebrate her glorious floral paintings.  With more than fifty paintings on display DoN couldn’t help but have his mood brightened by the strong colorations and confident brush-work from giddy to somber to solemn flower paintings.

“Tarte du Jour“, oil on canvas by Doris Peltzman.

As artist Sue Barnes said, “They are Doris!”  Artist and teacher Stanley Beilen stated, “Doris has solidified her skills, kind of born with a painters gifts with inborn color preferences.  Doris did all the good things in life, now her painting quality and brushwork is maturing.” 

View through the window of Carspecken Scott Gallery in Wilmington, Delaware of Doris Peltzman’s art exhibit.

Painting by Doris Peltzman.

DoN spoke extensively with gallerist Fred Carspecken on how he came to know Doris.  ”Doris came in a year ago and made friends with Laurel (Fred’s assistant) and became part of a group show, when I returned some pieces to her studio in Philadelphia I expected to be there only 30 minutes but five hours later we were still talking.  Now I adore her, I love her work and that she’s created a second life for herself.  She’s done everything right.”  Since Carspecken Scott Gallery has been in business for 35 years, DoN thinks Fred knows of what he speaks.

Doris Peltzman (in red) hosting her one person opening at Carspecken Scott Gallery in Wilmington, De.

“Queen Anne’s Lace” by Doris Pelzman.  Sue Barnes told DoN Doris was visiting Sue’s shore house and instead of painting the water like all her friends she found a simple flower to study.  The restrained palette and smooth brushwork is unusual for Doris, perhaps that’s why this painting had a red dot next to it - DoN LoVeS red dots!!!

Paintings by Doris Peltzman @ Carspecken Scott Gallery.

Painting by Doris Peltzman in the window of Carspecken Scott Gallery, this is one of Doris’s latest and largest paintings to date.  Her exhibit runs through early January - try to make the trip to Wilmington, the joyous flowers will make you forget your Winter blues.