Category Archives: Philadelphia Abstract Art

Non-representational art in all media including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, prints, video, on-line, writing, etc.

Parallel Lines: Kathryn Pannepacker & David Foss @ Smile Gallery

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David Foss @ Smile Gallery

David Foss, The Grid, acrylic on wood panel, plastic, foam, 2009.

David Foss & Kathryn Pannepacker @ Smile Gallery

David Foss, Between I and Thou, acrylic on canvas & foam.  Kathryn Pannepacker, Art Trick & I Am A Magnet, embroidery coated with wax.

Kathryn Pannepacker @ Smile

Kathryn Pannepacker weaves anything within reach, including yarn, rags, thread, rope, book matches, even left over aluminum foil creating other-worldly decor as if for a Star Trek set.  Both Pannepacker and Foss have an aura of tranquility and inner peace causing DoN to wonder if maybe they have been taken up, up, up…each donates much of their time doing outreach in the community.  Foss is Executive Director of Da Vinci Art Alliance mentoring and promoting art carreers and Pannepacker has created several public murals and is currently weaving art with homeless people as part of Activities and Advocacy to End Homelessness every Thursday & Friday @ Arch Street Cafe, 740 Arch Street.

David Foss @ Smile Gallery

David Foss, Field Shift, acrylic on canvas, plastic & foam, 2009.

David Foss & Kathryn Pannepacker @ Smile Gallery

Kathryn Pannepacker & David Foss at the opening of Parallel Lines @ Smile Gallery.  Matt Lyons calls the art space “the biggest little gallery in town“; the gallery continually shows modern, edgy, sometimes difficult art by a continuum of Philly’s best artists.

Model Artists @ The Plastic Club

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Models @ The Plastic Club

Jessica Hummel, Self Portrait took first prize with her photographic trilogy.

The Plastic Club on Camac Street is hosting an outstanding show of art by artists models; who else but models have insight into the world of artists, absorbing and intuiting the complexities of visual arts.  Many of the plastic club models have been mentored by the fine artists they pose for and artists are grateful for the intricacy and nuance of posing.  Susan Stromquist is included in Off the Wall Gallery’s Summer Show of past award winners – her folded chalk and pastels are Rorschach pop melded with classic atmospheric naturalism.

Model Artists @ The Plastic Club

Karl Richard Olsen, Jeno, POR – looks like a bargain since this appears to be what’s known in the art biz as a masterpiece.  Olsen draws and paints everyday, even while walking, honing his eye and exploring new ways to express his vision.  Karl’s Flickr page is very cool and he’s currently completing one self portrait each day for 30 days.

Model Artists @ The Plastic Club

Rob Willis, Self Portrait – you know, DoN had to double check but he knew this drawing is by Willis, last year’s Model’s Show big winner, since a definite style has emerged over time – he’s really handsome, too.

Model Artists @ The Plastic Club

Jenn Warpole @ The Plastic Club’s Model Artists Exhibit.

Model Artists @ The Plastic Club

Echo Shi @ The Plastic Club

Model Artists @ The Plastic Club

Rob Willis @ The Plastic Club

Model Artists @ The Plastic Club

Rob Willis – the paint job on this chopper is Super Kawai, super flat, super cool – DuChamp for everyday life.

Models @ The Plastic Club

Jym Paris, Shooting for the Moon & The Night Has A Thousand Eyes.  DoN LoVeS Jym’s fearless style, infectious personality and spontaneous gesture.  As Antony & the Johnsons sing, “I’m a little boy now, but when I grow up I’ll be a beautiful woman.”

Model Artists @ The Plastic Club

Deborah Dias, Ratamandala.

Model Artists @ The Plastic Club through 8/22 – the club is holding special event workshops with moving model Stephanie Hyland – imagine long, slow croqui’s with the model slowly , steadily changing.  Contact the club for dates and times.

Joroko & Yow! – Intuitive Bricolage @ Smile Gallery

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Burnell Yow! Dolls of the Apocalypse

 

Burnell Yow! Dolls of the Apocalypse

Burnell Yow!, “Dolls of the Apocalypse“, Smile Gallery.

Burnell Yow! Dolls of the Apocalypse

Burnell Yow!, “Mummy Barbie“.

Exquisite Corpse

B. Yow!, L. Parkes, D. Walters, “Exquisite Corpse #33“, giclee print, 20″ x 16”

Joroko

Joroko,”March On“, mixed media.

Joroko

Joroko, “Subtext“, mixed media.

Bricolage, pronounced /ˌbriːkoʊˈlɑːʒ/, /ˌbrɪkoʊˈlɑːʒ/ is a term used in several disciplines, among them the visual arts and literature, to refer to the construction or creation of a work from a diverse range of things which happen to be available, or a work created by such a process. The term is borrowed from the French word bricolage, from the verb bricoler – the core meaning in French being, “fiddle, tinker” and, by extension, “make creative and resourceful use of whatever materials are to hand (regardless of their original purpose).”

A person who engages in bricolage is a bricoleur.

Thank you Wikipedia!

Burnell’s dolls are totemic, shamanistic, zen-like, beatific, clever, ironic, dystopian creations repurposing objet trouve and doll parts.  The digital “exquisite corpse” prints are a great stealable idea – so po-mo.

Joroko‘s goth skeletons populating bombed out surfaces, dancing and cavorting with stars, stripes, crosses and words perfectly counterpoints the odd dolls – somehow the energy of the room becomes a bad boy’s fantasy world of stealing your sister’s dolls and ripping the heads off and drawing war scenes with explosions, craters and bodies.  Dr. Deb Miller curated the show – deep.

Angela Lackey @ Fishtown Airways Gallery

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Angela Lackey @ Fishtown

Angela Lackey is a great observer, she paints contemporary landscape-like images from her memory and imagination.  Morphing the reality of what she sees into a framework of her own image language, a sense of corporeality is infused into the paintings like remembering a place you’ve been.  Applying her secret formula to small and large surfaces, each painting is evocative of a time and place.

 

The Fishtown Airways Gallery is a wonderful space to show art with high long walls painted a buttery tone and large windows facing oncoming traffic on a corner of East Girard Avenue – great exposure and really friendly people.  Maryanne took DoN on a tour of a soon to open authentic ice cream parlor down the block, authentic counter with pink & gray formica and cool pics of Philly music legends line the walls.  The neighborhood vibe is family oriented, it’s cool that an art gallery is part of the infrastructure.

 

Angela Lackey @ Fishtown Airways

 

Angela Lackey & DoN @ Fishtown Airways Gallery, June 1st Friday.  Photo by Peter Prusinowski.

97th Annual Members Medal Show @ The Plastic Club

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medal

Alden Cole‘s “Lucy in the Sky“, marker. DoN sees this drawing as the work of one of Philadelphia’s master artists; the combination of illustration, foreshortening, coloration, line quality, relevance and sensitivity to the subject, immortalizing the model. Then DoN realizes it’s marker pens on paper, the same as used in graffiti, popping energy and vibration, ancient and future knowledge, high and low art all vibrating from a single moment in space and time, into the gallery space. Absorbing the power of the messages being transmitted through Cole’s art is like time-tripping through art history in an instant. When you walk up the steps into the studio gallery, this is where the eye is drawn first.

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Lois Schlachter, “Clown Fish“, acrylic. Super flat, futuristic, meticulous trips into the swirly world of Lois’ paintings is like a glimpse into a dream of the best amusement park ride you even went on, the kind that’s so fast and so thrilling that you can’t scream because it’s so much fun.
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Marie Davis Samohod, “Ionic Table“, acylic, Naomi Rubin, “The Beauty of the Land”, watercolor.

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Alan J. Klawans, Mike Guinn & Bob Jackson @ the Plastic Club’s 97th Annual Members Medal Show. Without people like these men it just doesn’t happen; the exhibition is so strong, the display so expertly installed and the experience design so inclusive, warm and inviting that it feels natural and accessible but tremendous amounts of work go into such a huge installation, these guys deserve credit for bringing out the best and making it happen. The art movement is Philadelphia is strong and determined, DoN LoVes it when people proudly tell which Philadelphia art school they went to and how organizations like the Plastic Club fill the void of the commaraderie of attending a school of art.

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DoN Brewer, “Thanksgiving“, digital photo, Jeanne Coryell, “Mandala“, watercolor and Alice Meyer-Wallace, “Vrikis And Glads“, oil.

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The Plastic Club’s 97th Annual Members Medal Exhibition award winners: Katherine Stanek, The Plastic Club Gold Medal, Jake Smith, The Plastic Club Silver Medal, John Benigno, The Zeigler Prize, Ben Wilson, The Dorothy Invernizzi Guinn Memorial Prize.