Category Archives: Animal Art

Art featuring animals as a subject matter.

PETS

PETS, Off the Wall at Dirty Franks

PETS, 11th Annual Juried Exhibition, Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Franks

Written by Togo Travalia

“We celebrate our best non-human friends in so many ways: from giving them toys and treats, positive affirmation and unconditional love, to sharing their personalities, devotion, affectionate natures and playfulness with the world.

Our 11th Annual Juried Exhibition finds a new way to celebrate our pets, even as it creatively interweaves all of these ways. You know what we’re talking about…ART!

We cordially invite you to join us to welcome PETS at our OPENING RECEPTION, which takes place THIS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 7-10 PM. As always, we will serve light hors d’oeuvres, pour your favorite drinks, convene the company of fellow art lovers and offer the chance to meet most of the 42 artists whose AWWW-inspiring pet projects line our Wall and 3D space.

Plus, PETS has something brand-new in store: the chance to give back. Every time we sell artwork from PETS, 20% of the proceeds go to the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and Street Tails Animal Rescue.

Our modest philanthropy is inspired in part by the generosity of spirit that is so easy to find among the 76 works in PETS, across a wide array of media:

* You have to know that PHOTOGRAPHY — what all of us use to document our pets’ lives — has a big role. Our artists elevate the form. Exquisite silver gelatin darkroom prints from AMANDA ABRAMSON on the B&W section of our Wall (a curatorial choice by JODY SWEITZER, which is stunning), take us from Lambertville to Brooklyn to the city we have close to our hearts right now, Paris. ALEXANDRA ORGERA‘s medium-format digital print is a story waiting to be told; use your imagination! Meanwhile, TRI NGUYEN‘s housebound images show us what we should be doing with our smartphones: distilling the everyday into simple, heartfelt, magical moments.

* PAINTING encompasses a range of media: BOB GORCHOV‘s irresistible, fan-favorite acrylics; MINA SMITH‘s enchanting watercolor of dog walkers at work; ALBERT ALDINGER‘s sweet kitty portrait contrasted with BILL GROVE‘s tough alley cat; JOCELYNN TICE‘s breathtakingly photorealistic pastel of owner and pet; and CYNTHIA HARVEY‘s rendering of a cat-ism: the hours of joy that can be found in crumbled paper from a delivery box.

* We could not have custom-ordered a more skillful range of PRINTMAKING. Three different techniques are rendered with precision and heart. ELIZABETH STRICKER‘s impeccable woodblock print fills a physical yin-yang space with one curled up cat conveying Zen-like tranquility. ALYSE C. BERNSTEIN shows how printing a lithograph from marble stone can inject subtle beauty into her dog Frank taking a nap. And MARLISE M. TKACZUK, well into her second decade as one of the most popular OFF THE WALL artists, brings down the house with her adoptive feline kids and their demanding ways.

These are the major categories but it’s hardly all here. PETS has amazing range. Outliers include ELIZABETH H. MACDONALD‘s bobbin lace goldfish, joined by NOA TRAVALIA‘s abstract assembled-paper koi; CARLA LIGUORI‘s new terracotta sculpture, suggesting pet-like relationships can be forged with wild creatures; SARAH BRETT‘s stunning debut, which puts front and center a ceramic from her “hiney” body of work (we kid you not!); and the always kidding work of BOB JACKSON, whose 23 mixed media assemblages establish a record that will NEVER be broken. (Yes, all 23 were juried into this show!) Read the titles before you take in the work and you appreciate Bob’s ribald sense of humor.

That’s only 17 artists, leaving 25 I haven’t mentioned. 25! And four of these artists — Sarah, Alyse, Liz and Albert — are new to OFF THE WALL; they are joined by 10 more colleagues showing in our space for the very first time. And NINE ARTISTS will win CASH PRIZES TOTALING $550. Who? We’ll find out at the Opening Reception.

If all this doesn’t tickle your fancy, go and scratch behind the ears of your kitty or dog and think again. We can’t wait to see you. Oh, and remember to change the water bowl, maybe get in that walk and put out some fresh dry food before you come over. OR bring your dog to the opening. DIRTY FRANK’S is Philly’s ORIGINAL dog-friendly bar!

Don’t have any of these tasks on your agenda? We also offer a 20% discount on any PETS artwork if you adopt a cat or dog in November or December (a discount that can be applied retroactively, too!).

Open your arms for PETS. Open your heart to your pet.

See you Thursday evening!”

Togo

Togo Travalia
Manager OFF THE WALL GALLERY at Dirty Frank’s, NE Corner, 13th & Pine Streets, Philadelphia,, PA  19107

offthewallgallery@gmail.com

facebook.com/OTWDirtyFranks

@OTWDirtyFranks

(215) 732-5010 (bar)

(484) 357-6440 (cell)

Philly’s pioneering alternative art space, since 1978.

Read DoN‘s review of Alyese C. Bernstein‘s, Frank, lithograph on DoNArTNeWs.com

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Forward

David Gerbstadt and NoelDavid Gerbstadt and Noel the Tripod Dog, photo by Tony Babcock

David Gerbstadt has been in my circle of influence for many years through the Philadelphia Dumpster Divers, the disabled artists scene and Philadelphia art galleries. Often people will ask me how to sell their art and I refer them to David’s facebook page to see how he gently pokes and prods people to buy his products. David has a way of asking for the sale that would make any sales manager proud. He offers a variety of products, he will do commissions, he up-cycles found objects, he makes gifts for kids and grownups and offers a variety of payment options. David Gerbstadt is an award-winning, prolific fine artist and author of One Breath At a Time. He’s handsome, funny, friendly and highly creative. And he died.

David was riding his bike one day and was run over by a tractor trailer truck and on the way to the hospital he flat-lined. Thank dog he was revived but he is haunted by PTSD nightmares and daytime memories that stop him in his tracks as the thoughts of being dragged under the truck invade his life. These intrusive memories don’t stop him from pursuing his art career and you would never know from his kid-friendly, optimistic artwork that he suffers almost everyday from the traumatic event that changed his life forever.

Noel the tripod dog changed his life, too, when he adopted her a few years ago and became his constant companion. The metaphor of Noel’s survival is sweet and sublime and offers us all hope that we can overcome adversity. David struggles to meet his expenses as you might well imagine. Let’s face it, even able bodied artists have a hard time making a living. But David is optimistic and every once in a while he will ask for help to meet his expenses through special offers and art sales.

David sent me this message:

“Hi DoN – i heard of the Rosa Pizza on 11th Street – $1 slice – you can
buy someone a slice who is in need. they put up a post its in place.
over 8,000 slices given away so far.

i am working on a similar idea. I am asking people to mail a check for $1 to my mortgage co.
if it can work for pizza and coffee – why not for mortgages — i posted on facebook and many people think it’s a great idea.

would you like to do a story on this?
let me know.
thank you
david.”

I think it’s a great idea! C’mon send a dollar and help David and Noel own a permanent home forever.

David Gerbstadt

Pay It Forward through the gift economy. Send $1.00 to Green Tree Payment Processing, PO Box 94710, Palatine, IL 60094-4710.  Make a payment note for: David Gerbstadt, 54 Aiken Road, Berwyn, PA, 19312. Make checks payable to Green Tree.

David Gerbstadt

David Gerbstadt on Etsy

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Grid

On the Grid, Off the Wall Gallery

on the Grid

Tenth Annual Juried Exhibition at Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Frank’s

November 23 – December 27. Opening Reception: December 4th, 7:00 – 10:00pm. Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Frank’s, NE Corner, 13th & Pine, Philadelphia, PA 19107

John BaccileKyle BakerJessica BarberGlenn BengeJim Biglan, Meryl Bonderow, DoN BrewerPaula Brumbelow Burnsm, Vincent Bush, Nicole Clifford, Matt CohenJacque FerrettiLeroy ForneyJulia FoxWayne FranksRachel Glidden, Bob GorchovTed Gutswa, Robin Harrison, Robert Yong Lee, Rob LybeckStephen MillnerBill Myers, Michael Nathan, Annette Newman, Tri Nguyen, Alexandra OrgeraGene Renzi, Wendy Rush, Veronika Schmude, Chuck Schultz, Julius ScissorMina Smith-Segal, Ed SnyderLaura StorckMichael Tantaros, Jocelynn TiceNoa & Emi Travalia, Wa-oo-ba-ke, Katherine Weber, and Jaither West

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But Is It Art?

But Is It Art? OTWGalleryBut Is It Art? Ninth Annual Community Juried Art Show at Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Frank’s, NE Corner 13th and Pine Streets, Philadelphia. June 1st through August 1st, 2014. Opening Reception June 5th, 7:00 – 10:00pm.

Artists were asked to present work that did not include photography or digital media. Over forty artists submitted more than 100 images and two sentence artist statements. I had the honor to sit on a panel with and amazing group of Philly artists including photographer Veronika Schmude, director Jena Serbu, Philly Poet Laureate Frank Sherlock and artist/curator Jody Sweitzer. Togo Travalia read the artist statements while we looked at digital images several times on a big screen TV.

Narrowing down a show to meet the theme took several hours with a lot of debate about what was art and what wasn’t. The artist statements were interesting, I must say. There were a lot of ellipses, incomplete thoughts or run-on sentences. I would suggest artists write a two sentence elevator pitch and practice reading it out loud. You never know who’s going to get on the elevator with you. A poet? A director? A photographer? A curator? A blogger?

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On Flora and Fauna

Artists House Gallery, Carla LigouriArtists House Gallery, On Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart In Co-operation with Main Line Animal Rescue, Carla LigouriFrank DePietro and Doris Peltzman

Artists House Gallery57 North 2nd Street, Old City, Philadelphia is a treasure trove of Philly art talent. The current exhibition On Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart In Co-operation with Main Line Animal Rescueis a heady mix of animal art and floral paintings by many of Philadelphia’s top artists. The subject matter is ripe for interpretation and the artists have offered us a lush and beautiful world of flowers, pets and places that resonate with the heart strings.

Artists’ House Gallery features the work of more than eighty outstanding emerging and established artists, primarily from the greater Philadelphia area. Artists’ House offers art lovers and collectors the opportunity to purchase excellent affordable works of art.

“On Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart,” an exhibition benefitting Main Line Animal Rescue. Area artists offer favorably priced works that celebrate our cats and our dogs, our fish and our flowers. 10% of the gallery proceeds will go to Main Line Animal Rescue. Contributions will also be accepted. 

Artists’ House is now in its sixth month under new direction. While Artists’ House Gallery continues in the tradition of classical representational art it has also opened its doors to new visions and expressions to embrace non-objective works that explore pure color and line.” – Artists’ House Gallery

Artists House Gallery, Doris PeltzmanArtists House GalleryOn Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart In Co-operation with Main Line Animal RescueDoris Peltzman

“I am a direct painter, painting from life to capture the moment. The excitement of the moment and the immediacy are what drive me. It is that total impression that creates the completed painting. I focus on color, harmony, light, mood, texture, composition and the calligraphy of my brush strokes. I love to experiment with a variety of palettes and surfaces. It is the visual stimulation that drives and moves me forward.” – Doris Peltzman

Artists House Gallery, Doris PeltzmanArtists House GalleryOn Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart In Co-operation with Main Line Animal RescueDoris Peltzman

Artists House Gallery, Isaiah RattermanArtists House GalleryOn Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart In Co-operation with Main Line Animal Rescue, Isaiah Ratterman

“I hold a reverence for the Romantic painters of the past, however their ethos has been replaced in our age of excess, leaving a need for our relationship to the landscape to be redefined. Through the landscape, I find a narrative that questions the primacy of Necessity based upon my own travels. Experiences under these circumstances become important and fulfilling, offering a brief glimpse into a deeper meaning of Being. Thoughts are not processed within the moment, but collected and decrypted afterwards. My paintings act as a way of deciphering the felt experiences I hold so close.” – Isaiah Ratterman

Artists House Gallery, Andrew PinkhamArtists House GalleryOn Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart In Co-operation with Main Line Animal RescueAndrew Pinkham

“My animal portraits challenge what we think of as historic or authentic, whether it was yesterday of hundreds of years ago. THey blur the lines of time and engage the viewer in how we interpret the idea of history itself.” – Andrew Pinkham

Artists House Gallery, Alice DustinArtists House GalleryOn Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart In Co-operation with Main Line Animal RescueAlice Dustin

Alice Dustin is an oil painter who delights in color and the way oil paint can be put down with a brush. Leigh Gustafson of Artists’ House Gallery of Philadelphia said Dustin’s “enthusiasm comes out of her brush stroke. She has a spontaneous…juicy brush stroke.” “She’s not afraid to paint. With just a few brush strokes, a simple bowl comes alive,” says Larry Toro of Toro Gallery in Huntingdon Valley. Alice Dustin is known for her impressionistic style, a natural result of alla prima painting, done in or outdoors reacting to the subject at hand.” – Alice Dustin

Artists House Gallery, Sean CarneyArtists House GalleryOn Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart In Co-operation with Main Line Animal RescueSean Carney

“Painting and drawing have always been an extension of who I am. I find beauty in many things but portraits and landscapes will always be my home. I paint because I am driven to. The only political or social statement I am trying to make is to see the beauty in the world and appreciate it. Sometimes we forget to value what we have around us, so I hope my work can remind you. Thank you for spending some time with me.” – Sean Carney

Artists House Gallery, Carla LiguoriArtists House GalleryOn Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart In Co-operation with Main Line Animal RescueCarla LigouriWhispering Down the Lane, terracotta, wood, acrylic, $1150.

Artists House Gallery, Mat TamezskoArtists House GalleryOn Flora and Fauna: Close to the Heart In Co-operation with Main Line Animal Rescue, Mat Tamezsko, Untititled (Tree), mixed media, $499.

Mat Tamezsko is a Philadelphia based artist primarily producing paintings influenced by the social environment of the city and the urban experience. His paintings often reflect social issues and conditions, and are made up of materials and imagery drawn from everyday visual language. Tomezsko is a Tyler School of Art graduate, and has participated in exhibitions at various commercial and underground galleries. He has also made a number of temporary public art installations, an example of which, Look Long and Look Good, a series of 30 paintings, can be seen on Main Street in Manayunk, and Here is Your Mirror, a moving installation currently on view at 2nd and Germantown Ave in Northern Liberties.” – Artists House Gallery

Main Line Animal Rescue, located minutes from Valley Forge National Park in scenic Chester County, Pennsylvania, is considered by many to be the finest animal shelter in the United States. With more than four hundred active volunteers, over a thousand companion animals adopted a year, a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic, innovative training and educational programs, and almost sixty acres of fenced pastures and walking trails, MLAR is not only a sight to behold but an experience you will never forget.” – Main Line Animal Rescue

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Written and photographed by DoN Brewer except where noted.

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