Category Archives: Drawings

DoN LoVeS drawing.

It’s a small, small World @ The Plastic Club

The opening reception at the Plastic Club this past Sunday for the small Worlds exhibition was very entertaining. The membership of the club is so welcoming and warm, the food and wine so delicious and the art so extraordinary that its impossible to not have a good time. With over 180 works in the show, virtually every Philly fine artist, whether aspiring or accomplished, was present; DoN said, Hi, to Doris Petzman, Sue Barnes, Reta Sweeney, Pat Monaghan and Cyna, Karl Olsen, Jym Paris, Eileen Eckstein, Morris Klein, Art Ostroff, Mina Smith-Segal, Rob Willis, Deb Weber, Mike Guinn, Bob Jackson and many more familiar faces that it will take DoN a while to remember all the names.

The awards were dominated by younger artists which DoN finds very satisfying considering the concentration of art schools in the hood.

1st Prize David Golas, Self Portrait, A Closer Look

2^nd Prize Jill Sprague

3^rd Prize Louise LaFond

Honorable Mentions: Lucy Pistilli, Robert Bohne and Nathan Irvin

Juror: Joseph Kazimierczyk.

1st Prize winner David Golas is an intensely personal self portrait.

Photo by Rick Wright and 2 paintings by Reta Sweeney.

A superb plein air by Sue Barnes; the scudding clouds warning of an incoming storm at the Jersey shore.

Karl R. Olsen‘s “B”.

Irma Shapiro‘s “It’s Just A Story“, acrylic.

Susan DiProno‘s “Smokin’ Claudia III“, photo. Bob Jackson talked to the crowd about the importance of excellent presentation, this piece tells the story with a simple frame, unobtrusive mat and non-glare glass not to mention the stunning composition.

Karen Frank’s, “Duck, Meet Unicorn“, prismacolor. DoN LoVeS this one.

Lucy Pistilli, “Dream 2“, Pencil.

The winners circle at small Words @ The Plastic Club.

Bob Jackson cooking delectable tidbits for the party on the new stove in the Plastic Club’s basement kitchen – YuMMy!!!

It’s A small World After All

Darla Jackson vs. Anne Canfield @ CFEVA

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Darla Jackson vs. Anne Canfield @ the Center for Emerging Visual Artists is just that a bare knuckled cage-fight between two contemporary Philly artists, a grrl-fight for attention, a battle of wits and inventiveness, like a schoolyard brawl with each girl trying to rip out the others pierced earrings. In one corner is Anne Canfield throwing punches with quirky drawings and mythological paintings and in the other corner is Darla Jackson doing body slams with bold black graphic sculpture.

Anne Canfield tells DoN that her imagery is born of anxiety, the Cat is safe but could turn on you. Anne has developed her own visual language relying on memory and is not true to nature, thats not what shes going for her mark-making is assured and brushwork amusing, like reading a favorite book. The small cat is sometimes writ large in Canfields images often with a small girl (perhaps a self portrait), each staring at the other as if they were, facing God.

Darla Jackson, known for her sculptures of animals wearing the masks of other animals (say a bunny with a crow face mask), here invites familiar animals to witness the party in the apartment-like gallery. Birds, kitties, bunnies, even a life sized deer inhabit the human dwelling, decked out in festive party hats, making a mess of the place as if they were partying just a little too hard. Jackson goes for the knockout with the deer laying on the floor; life sized and appearing to be solid black metal, the scene is poignant with gallery visitors tiptoeing around the specimen, the deers simple red party hat knocked askew. By anthropomorphizing the animals, Jackson brings the creatures out of hiding making them observers of the strange creatures called humans.

Anne Canfield @ CFEVA.

Anne Canfield with her painting, “The Mermaid and the Tiger Meet Halfway“, oil on linen.

Darla Jackson @ CFEVA.

Party animals @ the CFEVA. Sculpture installation by Darla Jackson.

Darla Jackson @ CFEVA.

The battle continues through February 16th in the Felicity R. (Bebe) Benoliel Gallery.

Sarah Kolker @ The 10th Street Laundromat

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The 10^th Street Laundromat is the coolest laundromat in Philly. Owner Lisa Budnick lets artists install a show in the maze of rooms and then hosts a party. DoN showed up early since it was about 19 degrees outside and he knew if he went home after Jim Blooms show @ Vivant in Old City he wouldnt go back out. Being early at the South Philly corner of 10th & Elsworth allowed DoN to get some face time with self taught artist Sarah Kolker about the work she installed throughout the laundry. While we chatted Lisa and Sarah set up party supplies while customers washed and folded clothes and DJ Under set up the sound system.

Sarah is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, was born and raised in Philly and studied in Jamaica, Philadelphia and NYC. Sarah has worked with well-known mosaic tile artist Isaiah Zagar, the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, Groundswell Community Mural Project and completed a Create Change Artist in Residency with The Laundromat Project in New York thus the connection with 10^th Street Laundromat. She also participated in HOAST (Harlem Open Artist Studio Tours) cool, huh?

And speaking of cool the monthly art party is so much fun with food and drink, hipsters and regular folk, art on clothes-lines and spinning dryers with DJ Under spinning old school music from DoNs youth (Blondie, Devo, Bob Marley). Sarahs friends from Philly and NYC were dancing and mingling, laughing and hugging, kissing and giggling at the kids ogling the weirdos DoN insists you get on the 10^th Street Laundromat mailing list and you, too, can be cool!

Sarah Kolker @ The 10th Street Laundromat

Women’s Creative Alliance @ Zeidler Gallery

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Catherine Zeidlers eponymous gallery at 2207 South Street has become the Womens Creative Alliance featuring the art of Philadelphia area women. The current exhibit features 3D work by Dorothy Roschen, jewelry by Barb Baur as well as pastels and paintings by Patricia Woodruff. The theme throughout the show is how spirituality is filtered through the creative arts. Roschen, who taught art in high school for many years, creates mysterious sculptures of glass, clay and objet trouve suitable sitting on a table or hanging on the wall. Dorothy develops designs exploring positive and negative space, hard and soft surface and translucence vs. solidity.

Woodruffs drawings and paintings depict sprites, spirits, fairies and gods of old in fluid, sensuous lines and serious color, her high school friend Barb Bauer creates designs reminiscent of Lord of the Rings or Celtic knots in silver. Both Woodruff and Bauer enjoy spending time in Floyd, VA, and a vibrant arts community enabling them both to find expression through the sense of community and variety of artists who migrate there. Bauer has begun experimenting with hard metals such as steel and is developing a series of pennular brooches appropriate for clasping an ancient cloak or a modern scarf.

The art party Friday evening brought out a good crowd even though it was only 19 degrees outside but with warmth and friendship found inside this great art space on South Street.