DoNArTNeWs

Karen Schechter is a relatively new member of the Photographic Society of Philadelphia but she is enjoying the society debut show at their new permanent showplace, Café Twelve, 212 S 12th St, Philadelphia 19107, in the heart of the Philly’s famous Gayborhood, with great long walls to show art and an inviting casual vibe.  DoN asked Karen how she felt about having a PSoP show? “It’s very nice because it’s the first one I’ve had and I have another one coming up that I’m hanging next week.  One falling on the heels of the other is awesome.”  DoN commented on the style of the collection of photographs in the lounge area of the café, “I work primarily in black and white but do some color, the first half of this show, which isn’t up anymore was more color pieces.  I go from muted color to extremely vibrant.” Karen showed DoN a lovely close-up photograph of a hydrangea flower with its lurid red silkiness and delicate stamen.

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter 

“I used to do everything on film and sadly had to get rid of my dark room a couple years ago as I finally made the complete switch-over to digital; it’s sad but it’s convenient.  I can go though things a lot quicker, I can process things a lot quicker.”  Schlechter is working with Photoshop, the dark room experience gave her a grounded background for using the digital tools.  The collection of gear went to a friend’s daughter studying fine art photography.  “It’s so nice to be able to sit in a coffee shop and go through my photos and go from there.”

Karen Schlechter got involved with PSoP because she was previously a member of the Delaware County Camera Club, which had a different focus towards improvement of skills via competition as to the education bent of the Philly Society.  “I was missing the camaraderie and exchanging ideas.  And it was a wonderful gift from my boyfriend.”

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter

The Photographic Society of Philadelphia meets Second Tuesdays at Café Twelve; a wide array of photographs by Philadelphia fine art photographers and a solo show by featured photographer Karen Schlechter  is on exhibit with new work being installed every other month.  The evening DoN met Karen was rainy and miserable but sipping coffee and talking about photography with friends is worth wet feet.

Photos taken with DoN’s iPhone.

HD Video - watch in full screen mode - DoN

Video by DoNBrewerMultimedia

DoN has been bustling around the studio getting ready for POST, Philadelphia Open Studio Tours 2011.  While painting walls, rearranging furniture and making new works, DoN has been absorbed in implementing suggestions made by Todd Hestand @ The Corzo Center for the Creative Economy.  DoN is improving his social networking by having DoNArTNeWs art blog synergize with the various communications options available like FaceBook (DoNArTNeWs - DoN Brewer Art Review), YouTube (DoNArTNeWs - DoNBrewerMultimedia) and Twitter (@DoNNieBeat58).  By simply consolidating the information on DoN’s homepage, DoNBrewerMultimedia, visitors now see all the options to connect with DoNArTNeWs and DoN’s art work. writing, information, promotions and videos in one place.

The DoNArTNeWs FaceBook fan page has been a particular challenge with interesting rewards.  When DoN posts a blog on DoNArTNeWs or Philly.SideArts, part of the process is “advertising” the story on Facebook, promoting the story on as many relevant art “fan pages” and “group pages” as possible.  The DoNArTNeWs fan page automatically posts a tweet on Twitter and already DoN is trending with new followers.  DoN has a major photography show at the Hopkins House Gallery of Contemporary Art, the FaceBook events feature is an easy way to contact all your “friends” and estimate how many people will actually show up at the event.  Here’s the rub, you may have to contact each page and person individually to “like” your page, or reciprocate your link, or comment on a post.  DoN asked Todd Hestand how much time he spends per day promoting Philly.SideArts on social networks, “About two hours.”

Video will be a big part of future DoNArTNeWs reports making YouTube integral to the whole.  With HD quality video built into most digital cameras and smart phones, it makes sense to take a little time to make a movie, especially now that iMovie is so easy.  DoN has a cache of unseen footage that has been languishing since last Summer when he had to disassemble his video suite due to unforeseen forces.  But with POST forcing a studio clean-up, soon some major stories will include video clips as well as photographs and reviews.

August turned out to be a busy, creative time for DoN, making new work, participating in art shows, published in two art books, Da Vinci Art Alliance Then and Now: 1931 - 2011 (available on Amazon.com) and 175 Years of Reflection, Laurel Hill Cemetery 1836 - 2011 (available in the Laurel Hill Cemetery gift shop, really, there’s a gift shop), well received articles at the Philly.SideArts blog and a record number of page views on DoNArTNeWs.  It is such an honor to be included in two books documenting art history in Philly and to be recognized as “the press” by so many galleries and artists.  Thank you so much to all the fans of DoNArTNeWs, the support and feedback inspires DoN to keep it up.  Look for new and improved DoNArTNeWs and Philly.SideArts stories and if you’re on FaceBook please “like” the fan pages of the organizations you support, these pages are good resources for what’s happening on the art scene in Philly and opportunities for you to participate in our burgeoning creative economy.

Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club - Marion Loippo, Kim Martin, Karl Olsen & Jane J. Wilkie

Kim Martin, Painting #2, oil.

Karl Olsen , Quilt, oil , Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club - Marion Loippo, Kim Martin, Karl Olsen & Jane J. Wilkie.

Marion Loippo, Swim in the Lake, silk & velvet, Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club - Marion Loippo, Kim Martin, Karl Olsen & Jane J. Wilkie.

Jane J. Wilkie , Velvet Quilt, fabric & grapevines, Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club - Marion Loippo, Kim Martin, Karl Olsen & Jane J. Wilkie

Marion Loippo, Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club - Marion Loippo, Kim Martin, Karl Olsen & Jane J. Wilkie.

The Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club exhibits members work chosen @ random from a sign up sheet, the synchronicity of the current show with Karl & Kim, Marion & JJ is fortuitous.  Painting and fabric art meld with Karl Olsen’s expressionist paintings, Kim Martin’s strident drawings, Marion Loippo’s abstractions on silk and JJ Wilkie’s bold quilts as if a gallery curator selected the art for the show.  Check out all the artist links in this blog post, they all have portfolio websites but Marion Loippo has a cool YouTube video!

Photos by DoN.

Kyle Margiotta . . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery.

Kyle Margiotta’s paintings draw you in with exquisite technique and metaphysical content; faces emerge from the mist, beautiful women wade through pools of red, metaphorical flowers like bleeding hearts creating an intensely personal experience.  DoN has watched Kyle draw in the Philadelphia Sketch Club’s workshops, his depth of knowledge, skill with tools (his pencil lines are extremely fine) and focus is an inspiration to those who share the studio with him.  Margiotta’s paintings are illustrative but decorative, even though the subject is deep, the style, color and presentation are desirable.

Kyle Margiotta . . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery.

Kyle Margiotta . . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery.

Steve Iwanczuk. . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery.

Steve Iwanczuk is the Exhibitions Chair at The Philadelphia Sketch Club, for his own show in the venerable Stewart Room (members are chosen to show @ random), he has selected a group of drawings and photographs that are sleek, shiny, mercurially metallic and sexy.  The detail is intense, the pencil marks stream of conscience-like flow are surreal and fluid, each drawing a dream of it’s own but his photos are sensual contrasts of light and dark, shiny and smooth, real and unreal, Steve’s photography is recognizable as a style all his own.

Steve Iwanczuk. . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery.

Photos by DoN.

Bonnie MacAllister, Members’ Choice Art Show @ The Plastic Club.  Bonnie MacAllister’s tiny mixed media, Revery, is subtle yet slyly glamorous with gold dust illuminating the feminine figure, the piece softy glowing in it’s own light.  Bonnie’s blog is very cool describing all the wonderful projects she’s working on; she’s a world traveler, grant winner and educator with a fine eye, thoughtful manner and socially conscious personality - a DoN must read!  Coming soon - Bonnie MacAllister, The Dressing Room, Green Light Arts, Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe @ The Plastic Club, 247 S. Camac Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.  Show runs Sept. 3*, 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, and 17, 7 p.m. *followed by artist reception
Here is the link to tickets:
http://bonnie-macallister.blogspot.com/2011/07/play-dressing-room_31.html

This is the link to the press release:http://bonnie-macallister.blogspot.com/2011/07/play-dressing-room.html

BONNIE MacALLISTER: Play: The Dressing Room

Members’ Choice Art Show @ The Plastic Club.  Patricia Wilson-Schmid, Celebration, acrylic, Laura Pritchard, The Donors, batik on silk, Karen Frank, Strongman and Ballerina, mixed media, Theodore Amick, Jibber Jabber, watercolor and Bob Jackson, Mrs. Wildfowl and Tea, junk and stuff.

Sy Hakim,  Members’ Choice Art Show @ The Plastic Club.  Sy Hakim’s large landscape painting, Formations - Daylight, describes a beautiful yet challenging world, the small figure seems huddled against the power of the landscape, the outcroppings hang high above his head, a daunting climb but a great view from the top.

Members’ Choice Art Show @ The Plastic Club: Lois Schlachter, Guarding the Kingdom, giclee and Sixty, giclee, DoN Brewer, Iris of the Storm and Amy, Amy, Amy, digital photographs, archival ink prints and Mervyn Klein, Karate, collage.  Lois and DoN have been friends for years and Mervyn & DoN had a show together in the Downstairs Gallery earlier this year; the tones of this grouping are balanced and vibrant, there are tableau’s throughout the gallery where works speak to each other through color, technique and theme.  DoN priced his work at $4.3 trillion and $3.2 trillion respectively hoping to save the economy but the guide says NFS, oh well.

Bill Myers @ The Plastic Club.

Bill Myers photography is confounding yet simple; his Photoshop collages fool the eye when the artist mashes his own photography with found images, morphing the pictures into something different yet familiar.  Scary Scenario, photo collage, looks authentic with deep blacks and dark shadows but look closer and the foreground figure becomes impossible, the girl in the phone booth has two umbrellas, huh? - Bill Myers is good at that, that “huh?” moment.

Sy Hakim, The Cave-Night, oil, Members’ Choice Art Show @ The Plastic Club.

An art patroness becomes part of the art in the Shiekman Studio upstairs at the Plastic Club, her Summer dress extending the scene magically onto her person.  The art flanking Hakim’s painting is by Gail Zelikovsky, Rock Garden, painted silk and Rock Garden with Waterfall, painted silk.

Sy Hakim, The Cave-Night, oil, Members’ Choice Art Show @ The Plastic Club.

Sibylle-Maria Pfaffenbichler @ The Plastic Club’s Member’s Choice Art Show.  Sibylle-Maria Pfaffenbichler’s action paintings are not just fast in painting style like an abstract expressionist but the quickly painted figures are always moving, dancing, prancing - Ringa-Ringa-Reia, gouache & charcoal, is a joyful work of art.

Members’ Choice Art Show @ The Plastic Club.

Ted Gutswa,  Members’ Choice Art Show @ The Plastic Club.  Ted Gutswa’s charcoal drawings, Spring Mist & Sweeping Dream, explains all about what it means to be a member of the Plastic Club, simple materials, uninhibited application and beautiful presentation, raising the combined whole to a level higher than it’s minimalist components.  The Member’s Choice show at the Plastic Club represents each artist’s best work, the sum of it’s parts is elevated even more by the quality, style and variety of the work in proximity.  Downstairs Gallery at the Plastic Club is a lovely space featuring Kim Martin. Karl Olsen, Marion Loippo and Jane Wilkie; DoN will post some images and comments soon.

Photos by DoN.

Amy, Amy, Amy, DoN Brewer @ The Plastic Club

Hello my Little DoNsters, DoN is always surprised and amazed when he is invited to participate in an art event, the excitement and preparation is engrossing and involving attempting to produce objects worthy of being called art.  The Plastic Club always strikes a creative chord for DoN, with the upcoming Member’s Choice show for August creating an opportunity to show new work in a welcoming, inclusive group show of like-minded artists.  DoN submitted two new pieces, Iris of the Storm, a shot of the remnants of the tragic Mid-West tornadoes passing over Philadelphia that gave us green sunlight and scarey scudding clouds and Amy, Amy Amy, an abstract landscape photograph of a dim light glowing against a stuccoed wall layered with attempts to cover up graffiti tags.  DoN listened to Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black back to back on his iPod for months, the music incorporating all his favorite genres mashed together into fabulous pop, her passing a sad reminder to live for today.

Heliotrope, DoN Brewer @ Hopkins House Gallery.

DoN received an awesome invitation to exhibit at the prestigious Hopkins House Gallery on the beautiful Cooper River in Camden NJ.  DoN got the message from director Bruce Garrity through a Facebook instant message, he will be showing Abstract Landscape Photographs in an upstairs room in the historic space.  One of DoN’s first art shows (many moons ago) was at Hopkins House; to be able to curate his own space in a gallery is DoN’s dream come true.  The show opens Saturday, August 13th, DoN will post reception info soon.

The same day DoN received the Hopkins House confirmation he received this email, “Dear artist, If you are receiving this email, congratulations – you have had one, or more, pieces of artwork accepted into Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s 2011 Art Ability exhibition. The decisions were extremely difficult this year as the show has grown immensely from year to year. We had more than 300 artists send over 1,330 submissions! We have narrowed that down to the best of the best, and only accepted approx. 350 submissions from nearly 200 artists.

A formal acceptance package (noting which pieces were chosen) will arriving at your home via the U.S Post Office in the next week. The package will include all required forms, dates, information that you will need in preparation for the exhibit opening Nov. 5^th.  Thank you for sharing your work with us and for participating in our exhibit. Your participation makes this exhibit the largest of its kind in the nation.

Sincerely,

Heather

—————————————————-

Heather Zoumas-Lubeski

Director, Community Outreach & Special Events

Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital - Main Line Health

414 Paoli Pike

Malvern, PA 19355

(484) 596-5607 NEW

Zoumas-LubeskiH@mlhs.org

www.brynmawrrehab.org/artability

www.brynmawrrehab.org/cnb“

Cool, huh?  Although, this year’s acceptance into the final cut of the prestigious international art event is bitter sweet since best friend Arnie Segal has recently transmogrified into a light being.  Arnie’s magical sculptures and his endearing personality will be sorely missed at this year’s party.  Arnie Segal introduced DoN into the world of art opportunities for disabled people including the fabulous Art Ability show, Very Special Artists @ Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and ArtFirst @ Princeton University Medical Center.  DoN urges you to support the tremendous effort the team at Bryn Mawr Rehab puts into this expansive exhibit of art created by people facing personal challenges finding happiness, solace and a voice through the making of art.

light being (Lorraine & Charles), DoN Brewer @ Art Ability this Fall, 2011.  This image is an update to my original post, DoN received the info today and this is the image the jury choose; DoN is very happy from an artistic standpoint and emotionally because Aunt Lorraine and Uncle Charles loved DoN unconditionally (8/11/11).

Art by DoN.

The Artist in his Garden, oil on canvas, Marilee Morris @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

On a swampy Philly Summer evening, DoN attended the opening reception for artists Marilee Morris and Kay Kanayama, the steamy walk through Center City was worth the sweat.  The venerable Stewart Room of the Philadelphia Sketch Club is reserved for member artists of the club who are chosen at random after a period of time as a member is met, the odds of getting a show are tough.  The Sketch Club calendar says Steve Iwanzcuk is scheduled, he’s the Exhibitions Chair, DoN isn’t positive but Steve must have offered the space (which is OK by club rules) to Marilee & Kay, both devoted volunteers and aspiring painters, resulting in a beautiful show of paintings by emerging artists.

Marilee Morris is an excellent example of an artist who knows they want to be an artist but doesn’t have the technical skills to paint with oils, it’s like a science with all the emulsions, chemicals and mixtures, a lot to learn, right?  Marilee starting taking workshops at the Sketch Club, working side by side with many fine artists who take advantage of the affordable studio with models and soaked up the talent around her.  Many times DoN has stopped by the club and Marilee is painting alone, off hours, in the sunny studio, focused on finding her visual voice in a challenging media.  The result is a collection of lush landscapes and evocative portraits of family and friends, loved ones and children, animals and trees, there is a real feeling of how much she loves her life.

Danielle, oil on canvas, Marilee Morris @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Le Chevalier de la Legion D’Honneur, oil on canvas, Marilee Morris @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Click the thumbnail for a good look at Marilee Morris‘ portrait of WWII hero and French Legion of Honor Medal recipient, Ben Cohen, one of the fine artists DoN alluded to, posing in a tuxedo with his award.  With subtle allusions to the French origins of this historic moment, the painting is restrained yet emotionally uplifting; Ben Cohen is very humble about his heroism but Morris captures the true dignity, character and pride of this great man, a true American hero who saved thousands of lives in the great war, in a painterly, atmospheric, yet documentary painting.  Ben is an incredible resource of information about the business of being an artist and a wonderful mentor for Marilee.  This painting will live forever.  And they were speaking French, DoN felt like he was back in Paris.

All About Cornbread, oil on paper, Kay Kanayama @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Reign Over You, Kay Kanayama @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

This painting is one of DoN’s favorites, the combination of portraiture and abstract expressionism is euphoric, joyful and dreamy.  Kanayama is another active volunteer at the oldest art club in America, deliberate in her pursuit of atmospheric naturalism mixed with expressive bold brushwork and vivid color.  She calls her part of the show Evidence and hopes her art will help bring forth evidence for you of your own perceptions and emotions.  The show is emotional on many levels resonating with joyful artistic expression and thoughtful narratives in paint.

Kay Kanayama @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Marilee Morris, One Eye Sees the Other Feels, Kay Kanayama, Evidence in The Stewart Room Gallery @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Photos by DoN.

Lois Schlachter,  @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne, 2011

Steve Iwanczuk @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne, 2011.  That’s Steve reflected in the drawing on the right.

Lois & Steve have collaborated as the co-chairs of the Philadelphia Sketch Club’s Exhibition Committee for years, lately Lois is focused on her own art career, continuing to volunteer but now making new art, showing in galleries and entering competitions. Schlachter has had the unique experience of viewing virtually thousands of artworks submitted to the venerable art club’s competitions and exhibitions and now is creating her own memorable art, fractured planes, vibrant color, dreamy narratives like a mix of Charles Dumuth and Takashi Murakami.  Steve Iwanczuk teaches graphic design but his drawings are surreal and photographs technically exact, in this show he shows three sides of his persona, each piece strange and deep.

Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne, 2011.

Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne, 2011.

Mina Smith-Segal Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne, 2011.

Deborah Ann S. Horsting @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne, 2011.

Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne - Gift Shop!  Many of the artists brought prints, cards and posters to sell, Art Space’s lay-out is multi-purpose and really fun to wander through.  Art Space is a major component in the art vibe of Lansdowne, many of the locals came out to the show, the support of the neighbors is so important if art is the force communities use to stay vibrant and relevant.

Dorothy Roschen @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne, 2011.

Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne, 2011.

 John Schmeichen @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne, 2011.

Karen McDonnell & Anthony Cortosi @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne.  Karen & Anthony are collaborative by nature, often taking on responsibilities others don’t want to do ensuring art events can jump off.  The duo work together on their art, drawing and cutting stencils, spray-painting and decorating their canvasses until layers of memes, myths and memories are mashed-up like a DJ Shadow mix.

Rich Harrington @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Volunteer Art Exhibit @ Art Space, Lansdowne, 2011.

Volunteering is a good way to make friends, learn new things, experience different ideas and stretch social skills; sometimes it feels really good, sometimes it’s hard work but in the end people working towards a common goal, solving problems, creating opportunities, being selfless and inclusive is an art form unto itself.  Thank you so much to the Philadelphia Sketch Club and Art Space, DoN LoVeS seeing his work flanking Lois Schlachter and Steve Iwanczuk’s art, to be included in their company is an honor.  Not all the volunteers are represented in this blog post many other artists are in the expansive show, take the drive out to Lansdowne to see the show, support the volunteers and the view of the city on the drive back is spectacular, a fine reward.

Photos by DoN.