DoNArTNeWs

Tetsugo Hyakutake - Ephemeral Existence @ Gallery 339.

Tetsugo Hyakutake explained to DoN how he stitches together panoramic images by combining, in the above five separate photos, into hyper-realistic renderings of industrial infrastructure scenes; the naturally black and white man-made landscape, so fluid and frail is punctuated with red signs, warning lights and smeared reflections.  Tetsugo has been studying the Japanese infrastructure for years, and uses color sparingly and symbolically.  Ephemeral Existence at 339 is a large collection of alien landscapes that kind of look like Philly out by the airport but are Japanese highways, overpasses, power stations - slightly Jetson futuristic.  Hyakutake’s photos are highly realistic but actually the landscapes are outside our actual perspective, the panoramas wider than our vision, the industrial installation images glow unblinkingly, water turned into a restrained painters palette, each image is ephemeral narrating our fragile existence on Planet Earth.

Tetsugo Hyakutake - Ephemeral Existence @ Gallery 339 through May 7, 2011.

Tetsugo Hyakutake - Ephemeral Existence @ Gallery 339.

Photos humbly taken with Tetsugo Kyakutake’s permission by DoN.

David Guinn - Mural Dedication, Garden of Delight, Locust Street, between 11th & 12th Streets, Philadelphia, Friday, April 15, 2011, 5:00 PM.

Philadelphia owes David Quinn a lot for it’s friendly reputation, as you come off the Schuylkill a beautiful mural greets you, drive down Bainbridge Street and Quinn’s Four Seasons murals offer color in the depth of Winter and accents for Spring, in West Philly he’s brought together community members to form coalitions that revitalize the neighborhood and he regularly exhibits his own paintings in galleries across the city all with apparent calm and secure leadership.  The new mural on Locust looks like a David  Guinn painting instead of a community collaboration; Guinn has more than earned the right to decide what should be painted or maybe the community taste of the Gayborhood is more refined, either way, Friday night is the perfect time to experience a unique Philly tradition - honoring a great artist, leader and taste-maker with speeches and heart felt thanks for improving the vitality of the city with art and beauty.

An early 21st Century mural by David Guinn, his style is evolving from the cubist realism to fluid naturalism.  In the new mural is a door representing the house of his parents; David Guinn opens a portal for all of us to see the world around us as home.

Photos by DoN.

Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011.

Paige Ozaroski, Closer Look, photograph, Gaby Heit, Morning, Sugar, watercolor.  246 works are included in the blockbuster event, the Plastic Club continues to draw out the best of artists as they each join the competition for the prestigious awards - imagine what went through the mind of juror Murray Desener when he learned the task ahead of him, he did a fantastic job.

Nick Brown @ Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011.  Nick sketches from life on ceramic then scratches out relief for the glaze.  Caroline Maw-Dies, Woven Stoneware Basket, woven stoneware.

Mervyn Kline @ The Wanderer, print @ Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011.  Mervyn & DoN are included in the show in the Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club; Merv’s stylish renderings are retro futuristic with an ancient lost civilization vibe.  DoN will write a separate post about the show including Burton Greenspan, Diane Podolsky & Cara Kendric - DoN feels blessed to be included with such a fabulous group of fine artists, DoN has seven photos on display at the Plastic Club, a true honor.

Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011, 246 artworks are on display at the Plastic Club, each small world unique yet when grouped cohesive in a simplistic, natural way - the above tableau of monochromatic works with touches of color is curatorial excellence considering the blockbuster size of the exhibit.

Sylvia Schreiber @ Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011.  The actual drippy painting isn’t much bigger than the image on this page but packs a bold punch of color in person.

Don McPartland, Kicker Conspiracy, mixed media @Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011; Don McPartland made a splash when he became a new member of the Plastic Club this year, 46 new artists, now capturing first prize with his soothingly complex confection, comfortably nestled in a niche in the dining room.

Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011, click the thumbnail.

Sung Ham, Joo Hooy, oil, Mervyn Kline, Picasso Blues, digital print, Jen Tsui, Post Card, mixed media @ small Worlds 2011, The Plastic Club’s annual small art extravaganza.

Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011, each nook and cranny holds a universe of small Worlds - Patricia Wilson-Schmid, Vortex, acrylic, Gail Zelikovsky, Landscape of Mars, silk painting, David DiDonato, Recycled Garden, acrylic, Lois Schlachter, Anxiety Dream, acrylic, Veronica Meekins, Nude Figure, pencil.

Phil Juska, Meatloaf at Gilleys, 2AM, construction @ Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011

Caroline Maw-Deis, Put de Lime in de Coconut, fiber, Dorothy Roschen, Smoke-Made Landscape, smoke fired clay @ Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011,  a huge art show of little works of art.

DoN is sad for Japan.  “Smile, even though your heart is breaking.”  With new eyes, look at the wonderful culture, community, vibrancy and beauty we are surrounded with every day and cherish each moment as if it could all be swept away in an instant.  “Life is still worth while, if you just smile.”

Since DoN’s last post he stopped by the Philadelphia Sketch Club to meet with executive director Barbara Murray who manages the constant whirl of activity at America’s oldest art club and catch up.  Barbara was on the phone so DoN went upstairs to preview the Art of the Flower show and Professor Rich Harrington of Moore College of Art and Design was organizing the extensive catalog and labeling system required to mount a major exhibition.  Rich was multitasking to such an extent that DoN was flabbergasted, during the take-in of art there was a numbering glitch requiring the team of volunteers to justify the entries by removing and replacing dozens of art works, he had recall of virtually every entry and where the piece was in the room, 100s of different images!  DoN can recognize some artists’ styles & work by sight but Harrington knew all the artists and he’s also going through finals at Moore with students bombarding him with presentations.  The catalog that results from all the hard work is a a collectible, many artists save in their files - to be juried into the prestigious art show is exciting, having a beautiful, informative memento is like a confirmation of acceptance in the art world.

Philadelphia Sketch Club, Art of the Flower 2011 - the reception & awards is March 6th, 2 - 4:00 PM.

DoN popped into the Plastic Club to preview the gigantic Small Worlds exhibit and his own mini-exhibition, part of a group show including Diane Podolsky, Burton Greenspan, Mervyn Kline & Cara Kendric in the Downstairs Gallery, and found all the numbering and information sheets completed and ready for the show.  The Plastic Club uses a numbering system instead of labels which is less cumbersome, the Plastic Club allows all member artists to include their work in most shows and the Philadelphia Sketch Club usually shows a selection from a mass of entries, the tradition of a name tag is expected.  Either way, there’s someone at a computer organizing Excel spreadsheets or Word docs or Photoshop files to create the information design of art show memorabilia and advertising.  It takes a village and organizing volunteers is a job unto itself, join in, helping is fun.

The Plastic Club, Small Worlds exhibition of art.

Gallery sitting can be a drag, Saturday DoN invited friends to visit the Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery to talk about Search Engine Optimization for Artists which easily made two hours pass in a flash; DoN loved the bemused information overload on the artists faces after the discussion, asking them to think about their brand, what people think of them, how they want to be recognized and then how to make it appear on page one in Google.  Creating an event, inviting friends and designing an experience really helped to bring people into the gallery; opening receptions are expected by the art crawlers, keeping people coming back to the gallery is the challenge.  Thanks to all the volunteers who make the Philly art community thrive and grow.  Visit your local art gallery today, you might make a new friend.

Yeoun Lee @ Diverse Perspective, Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery, 704 Catharine Street, South Philly.

Today there are receptions at both the Philadelphia Sketch Club and the Plastic Club on Camac Street, the Avenue of the Artists, both are free and open to the public.  The Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery is open today, too, artist Yeoun Lee will be gallery sitting for the Diverse Perspectives group show even though she’s included in the Art of the Flower show with two gorgeous paintings and the Small World’s show.  Please stop in the historic gallery in South Philly and tell her how much you like her work, Yeoun and Charles are becoming quite the art power couple around town, both volunteered to help install the massive Small Worlds show at the Plastic Club, too.  Art work isn’t just painting after all, it’s real, hard, tedious work designed to make people feel good about themselves and the world around them.  Enjoy!

light beings (Sid & Nancy), digital photograph, 2009, DoN Brewer @ The Perkins Center for the Arts in Moorestown, NJ.  The Photography 30 show is the cover story of the Weekend magazine section of the Philadelphia Inquirer!

DoN uploaded a new group of photographs from his “light being” series to DoNBrewerPhotography.com, click on the slide-show button in the top bar.

Today is a good day!

DoN

On a cold Saturday night, DoN walked over to the Fleisher Art Memorial Gallery on Christian Street for the closing party of Rick Wright’s long running exhibition, Late Petroleum Age Vessels; a unique portrait collection of ordinary household plastic containers, bottles and jugs.  The anthropomorphic effect embedded in the rich black and white photographs of plastic bottle faces actually activated the face recognition technology in DoN’s new camera - a Kodak Z981 with 14 megapixels and 26x zoom!

But, Rick dimmed DoN’s camera shine a bit by demo-ing an iPhone app that simulates a variety of SLR cameras from a Brownie to a Leica with a wide selection of “film” and developing effects; no wonder the camera was so cheap, it’s already obsolete!?! - camera’s are not only everywhere, they’re in everything.  The ubiquity of cameras and smart phones has created a nation of photographers, to be noticed in a sea of competition you have to step outside the boat and create an experience for viewers, the same way musicians now depend on creating a live experience since the bottom fell out of traditional music marketing.  Rick Wright’s photographs engage the viewer in a staring contest, some of the faces so alien and strange that an awkward exchange of glances like meeting a foreigner speaking a different language takes place.  Fortunately, Rick is a photography teacher at Fleisher Art Memorial, his grasp of the language of photography, image-making, symbolism, content, composition, light and texture not to mention his depth of knowledge of print making in all manner of media is impressive making his art understandable.  Rick is very approachable and sharing, by helping others, by teaching and lecturing he has set himself apart as a “real” photographer who is also a fine artist.

Rick Wright will be presenting a lecture at Perkins Center for the Arts, 395 Kings Highway, Moorestown NJ, February 27th, 2011, 2 - 4:00PM.  Wright is the sole juror of the Photography 30 annual photography exhibit at the august art space, DoN is honored to be included in this year’s show - the opening reception is January 30th, 2011, 1 - 4:00PM.

Rick Wright, Late Petroleum Age Vessels @ Fleisher Art Memorial

The Photographic Society of Philadelphia holds monthly meetings at The Plastic Club with lectures by expert Philadelphia photographers, last week’s lecture was presented by super-blogger and uber-cool photographer Kyle Cassidy, author of Armed America: Portraits of Gun Owners in Their Homes and Who Killed Amanda Palmer, a Collection of Photographic Evidence, his talk a sort of primer on how to get un-stuck in the creative process by involving his audience and using exquisite corpse techniques in exhibitions to involve the community and stimulate interest in his work.  By using social media Cassidy has connected with fans and followers, currently he has an exhibition of photographs traveling the world and cities across the USA, at each stop a new image, selected in a process DoN did not completely comprehend, is added to the collection.  During the Q&A, Kyle was asked how he selects his models and he replied they needed to live in a 3 block radius; Cassidy involves his friends and beautiful wife, Trillian Stars, in impromptu photo shoots, creating characters, narrative and dramatic effects with often really simple cameras and ambient light.  Like Rick Wright, Kyle Cassidy is also glued to his iPhone, tweeting his fans with pics and ideas, keeping his brand in the public eye in a friendly, inclusive, tech-savvy manner, creating a model for the new reality of self-promotion in the art world.  DoN has resisted a smart phone so far, seeing the glowing blue faces walking the streets like zombies is off-putting, but he may soon join the pod people.

The Photographic Society of Philadelphia maintains an on-going exhibit of member photographers at the Bonte’s Cafe’s in Center City.  Even though it’s coffee shop space, the vibe is insider artist with photographers working together to keep photography viable as a sale-able product in a world full of available free images and home schooled photographers.  DoN wanted to show off his new camera to PSoP VP, Morris Klein,  but he was trumped by Klein’s Photoshop app on his freakin’ smart phone - it’s 4G, whatever that means.

Obviously, photography is in a state of flux with new, faster technology putting high-end features in the hands of the masses; digital photography bumped traditional photography and is now being bumped by smart phones and social media.  DoN sees people sharing pictures on their phones with each other, clustered around the tiny glowing screens, oohing and ahhing.  Lady Gaga has introduced a new line of Polaroid cameras incorporating instant pictures, with social media upload capability and a little wireless printer you can send pictures to from your phone so you can print them out and share with friends.  Photography is inherently friendly but can be isolating and frustrating when people misunderstand the meaning of image making.

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists is very supportive of photography as art; a school of photography is growing with each new group of fellows completing their fellowships.  Leagues of photographers like Amie Potsic, Julia Blaukopf, Genevieve Coutroubis, Peter Prusinowski are working in consort, teams and individually, imprinting a new vision of how to create, produce and market photography to a generation of collectors who think photography is easy.

DoN’s photography will be included in a group show of photographers and painters, Bud Boehringer, Yeoun Lee, Bill Myers, Lorna Kent, Lee Muslin, Edna Santiago & Marcy Morris, at the Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery opening February 25th, reception 5 - 8:00 PM.

Hold your phones up!

The WINTER EXHIBITION brings together three artists of exceptional talent:

MARLISE M. TKACZUK, whose bold, imaginative and at times wickedly humorous silkscreens document her observations of the world…and have led to her being one of the top-selling artists in OFF THE WALL’s 32-history (for no little reason);

ELI VANDENBERG, who, with a brand-new collection of ink drawings, continues his riveting “Objectifying Identity” series…a body of work we first encountered over the summer as part of IDENTITY; and,

DANA MCELROY, who has created her first-ever 3-D installation for this show after setting our community on its collective ear with her large photographs of hand-constructed dioramas in IDENTITY (with an encore in the just-closed DEJA VU).

As you know, our Opening Receptions are never stuffy affairs.  They are great ways to spend a Thursday night out, have drinks with friends, sample some light fare (especially if you haven’t had dinner yet), ENJOY THE ART and MEET THE ARTISTS!

If you’re coming later than 10, don’t worry.  You may miss the artists, but we will be there and the 22 pieces in this showing will be waiting for you.  At least they will be through Friday, March 4.

Togo Travalia

Roz Bloom @ Da Vinci Art Alliance, Apocalypse Soon 2012.

Carol Wisker, Through My Window, a Da Vinci Art Alliance event at Smile Gallery, Carol won First Prize; the exhibit went on to be shown at Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts in Millville, NJ and the Perkins Center for the Arts in Collingswood, NJ.

Da Vinci Art Alliance -  Seven, a Da Vinci Art Alliance members exhibit went on tour to the Noyes Museum of Art in Hammonton, NJ.

Seven @ Da Vinci Art Alliance - Year in Review 2010.

Seven  @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Seven a Da Vinci Art Alliance event @ Noyes Museum of Art, Hammonton NJ.

The Black Light show @ Smile Gallery, a  Da Vinci Art Alliance event - DoNArTNeWs Year in Review 2010

Rachel Citrino, Picturing the Decameron, a Da Vinci Art Alliance event in collaboration with the International Opera Theater @ Smile Gallery.

Alden Cole @ Bartram’s Garden, What’s the Buzz? a Da Vinci Art Alliance event in collaboration with Bartram’s Garden Art Gallery in the oldest barn in Philadelphia. DoNArTNeWs - Year in Review 2010

DoN Brewer, Shared Passion, @ Bartram’s Garden, What’s the Buzz?  A Da Vinci Art Alliance event - DoNArTNeWs Year in Review 2010

Lilliana Didovic @ Bartram’s Garden, a Da Vinci Art Alliance event, What’s the Buzz? - DoNArTNeWs Year in Review 2010.

Ted Warchal @ Bartram’s Garden, a Da Vinci Art Alliance event - DoNArTNeWs Year in Review 2010.

Through My Window, a Da Vinci Art Alliance event @ Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts - DoNArTNeWs Year in Review 2010

Through My Window, a Da Vinci Art Alliance event @ Perkins Center for the Arts - DoNArTNeWs Year in Review 2010.

Karen McDonnell & Anthony Cortosi @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Tis the Season - Karen & Tony are such good friends and great artists, their collaborative spirit spills over into all areas of the Philly art scene, representing what is possible when people work together.

Tis the Season Da Vinci Art Alliance - DoNArTNeWs Year in Review 2010.

Thank you so much to the Da Vinci Art Alliance for offering innovative, inspirational opportunities to create art, meet fellow artists, and stretch the imagination.  Being a part of the board of directors is an honor, DoN edits the Vitruvian newsletter, the talent and determination of the team is strong.  Thank you to Dr. Debra Miller, President, Lucrezia Minniti, Recording Secretary, Lilliana Didovic, Treasurer, Alden Cole, Sharri Jerue, Ona Kalstein and Ted Warchal, being included in decision-making of such an august and revered alliance is a lifetime achievement.

Happy New Year

LoVe

DoN

Deanna McLaughlin & Jack Larimore @ Dysfunctional Furniture @ Art in City Hall, Philadelphia.

Juror, Jack Larimore told DoN he’s a furniture maker first, it’s sculptural yet it’s furniture.  Larimore liked seeing work by Philly region artists he had not seen before especially with an open ended concept like Dysfunctional Furniture - become part of the furniture, the piece above doubles as a font.  Even things we perceive as being dysfunctional may have a function we are unaware of, a great metaphor for life.

Artist Deanna McLaughlin carried a matching mini shopping cart hand-bag to match her lounge chair made from a re-cycled shopping card and thrift store leather belts, the social implications of weaving our own furniture and learning from the homeless is palpable.

Holly E. Smith, Deceased Vole Coffee Table, wood, chair parts @ Dysfunctional Furniture @ Art in City Hall.  Smith told DoN the sculpture started with the tail and gradually became an assemblage of objects, eventually an homage to dead voles.  Artist Ted Warchal commented on how the legs of the sculpture are appropriately sized, larger in the rear, smaller in the front.

Hannah Fink @ Dysfunctional Furniture @ Art in City Hall, Philadelphia.

Michelle Post @ Dysfunctional Furniture @ Art in City Hall.  Post uses salt & pepper shakers, some quite collectible, like sequins on her altar-like tissue box, a bizarre bedazzling of function, craft and stream of consciousness.

Lauren Frazer, Beauty is Only a Promise of Happiness, fabric, stuffing, plywood, synthetic human hair.  “Furniture plays an important role creating theatrical context for my sculptures”.  Dysfunctional Furniture @ Art in City Hall.

Herbert Simon, Chair Forward, welded steel, found objects. Dysfunctional Furniture @ Art in City Hall

Kay Healy, Stuffed, screen-printed fabric.  Dysfunctional Furniture @ Art in City Hall.

Burnell Yow! The Puzzling Love Life of the Superhero, mixed media.  Yow!s mirror reflects the puzzle of what we see in the mirror and the quest to get all the pieces of life fit together, even if it’s just because they touch without matching.  Dysfunctional Furniture @ Art in City Hall.

Juror Albert LeCoff said Dysfunctional Furniture re-emphasizes what a strong region Philadelphia is for sculpture with an innovative use of material, one of the real surprises was Kay Healy’s fabric sculptures and the use of materials.

Art in City Hall is a great civic program with a new art space in Philadelphia City Hall of the 1st Floor; coordinator of Art in City Hall, Tu Huynh is featured on the web site for The National Arts Program.  Thank you Tu for bringing art to the forefront of the civic consciousness in Philly and national attention to our artists.

Dysfunctional Furniture
December 16 - February 25.
Juried by Jack Larimore and Albert LeCoff and featuring artists: Gretchen Altabef, Carlos Avendano, Michael J. Brolly, Charna Eisner, Hannah Fink, Laura Frazure, Kay Healy, Lydia Hunn, Tara Inman-Bellofatto, Jack Larimore, Henry Loustau, Deanna McLaughlin, Ife Nii Owoo, Michelle Post, Matthew Alden Price, Leo Razzi, Maria Schneider, Adam Shuman, Herbert Simon, William Skrobut, Holly Smith, Chris Todd, Michael Wiley and Burnell Yow!
Art Gallery at City Hall, Room 116 and
1st and 2nd Floor display cases.

Brooke Hine, Shadow, resin, zip-ties, acrylic @ The Center for Emerging Visual Artists, 15th & Locust Streets, Philadelphia.

The Imagined show is over now, the Center for Emerging Visual Artists is on holiday break, it’s Christmas Eve, 2010,  and DoN is grateful and thankful for the excellent art memories the good people at CFEVA generate throughout the year.  If it wasn’t for the team at CFEVA, a huge gap between artists and the public would be difficult to straddle; CFEVA manages Philadelphia Open Studio Tours as well as educational seminars, fellowships, art exhibition opportunities and more.  Art girlfriend, Brooke Hine Facebook-ed DoN, last week, reminding him to stop in the gallery before her art show came down the next day; the CFEVA team was having a meeting in their underground lair, so DoN had total private access to the uber-cool, sleek, modern space arrayed with master-works by true art stars.  The Imagined is laser-focused on craft, narrative and virtuosity with drawings, sculpture and mixed media; the art resonates with each other, feeding the sense of being lost under-ground, away from it all, alone with mysterious thoughts and things.

Brooke Hine, Philly Blossom Series, wood, acrylic, resin, porcelain @ The Imagined, CFEVA Gallery.

Brooke Hine.

These are a Few of My Favorite Things, porcelain, slip, glaze, stain, cat whiskers @ The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - The Imagined: Gregory Brellochs, Danielle Bursk, Brooke Hine.

Brooke Hine’s work is paradoxical: hard & soft, internal & external, beautiful & ugly, light & dark, whimsical & creepy, preternaturally intelligent & child-like naivete, technical virtuosity & inquisitive exploration and she’s an artist that is one tough, sexy, street-smart, chick with a thick skin and soft heart.  DoN LoVeS Brooke Hine!  No cats were harmed in the production of this blog post.

Danielle Bursk @ The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - The Imagined.

Is this cool or what?  Danielle’s drawings are like no-one else’s, instantly recognizable as a Bursk, yet each heroic drawing holds it’s own mystery and unfathomable conception of consumption of time and energy.

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - The Imagined: Gregory Brellochs, Danielle Bursk, Brooke Hine.

Gregory Brellochs, Ganglions, 48″ x 48″, graphite on paper.

Gregory Brellochs, Sensafe, graphite on paper, 52″ x 217″ x 70″.

You know how sometime you see art and can’t imagine it in your home?  Brelloch’s immersive drawing is so magical, the feeling of primitive forests from dark tales of earlier times matched with the subtle surrealism is quite seductive, like everyone should have an art chamber to meditate in.

DoN looks forward to the New Year and the continued success and optimism for the future of art in the Philadelphia region The Center for Emerging Visual Artists provides to artists, collectors, enthusiasts, educators, businesses and government.  The services CFEVA offers to the community are essential, consider supporting their efforts by attending shows, spending money on art and making donations, they deserve it.