Category Archives: Fine Art Philadelphia

Fine art created by Philadelphia area artists.

Objects & Things @ The Plastic Club

Curator Alan Clawens insisted all entries must be work created outside of the historic art club on Avenue of the Artists, Camac Street, the theme being still life in any media; the Plastic Club artists reached deep into creative reserves to bring work that represents they’re own style yet meet the criterion of the show.  There’s nothing like listening to an artist explain how they’re work meets the rules – it would make a great reality show but in this case everyone seems sincere in bringing their best.

Objects & Things - Marie Davis Samohod

Marie Davis Samohod, Parting of Ways, acrylic.

Objects & Things - Elizabeth H Macdonald

Elizabeth H. MacDonald, Tin Can, relief print.

Objects & Things - Michael Kuncevich

Michael Kuncevich, Facets, monotype.  Kuncevich took first prize in the Philadelphia Sketch Club’s Miniatures Show.  The delicate coloration and high concept of this print is a master class in composition, technique, style and skill.

Objects & Things @ The Plastic Club

Debra Campbell Goodyear, Lemon Aid, photograph, Veronica Schmude, Wheel, digital print and Alden Cole, …And Delicious, mixed media.  Isn’t this a beautiful tableau?  DoN LoVeS that Veronica & Alden are hanging together since they’re both DoN faves.  DoN‘s looking for Ms. Goodyear.

Objects & Things - Mina Smith-Segal

Mina Smith-Segal, Terracotta Head, watercolor.

Objects & Things - Anders Hanson

Anders Hansen, Wild Onions, ink & graphite.

Object and Things @ The Plastic Club

E.S. Holmes, Pipes, acrylic, Thelma Segal, Mexican Paper Flowers, watercolor, Paul Perez, Artist, photograph and Dom Loschiavo, Lunch at Le Magnolie, color print.

Objects & Things - DoN Brewer

DoN Brewer, light being (David Arneson), digital photo.

The Plastic Club is an oasis of creativity, friendship, camaraderie and support; not just a club, it’s a think tank, a hide-out, a studio, a gallery, a place to learn and experiment without fear.  Fear is the mind-killer.

Morris Klein @ Bonte’s 17th Steet

Photographic Society of Philadelphia VP, Morris Klein‘s one-person photo show at Bonte’s Cafe is très chic.  The space is below street level, the warm smell of waffles and coffee waft up to greet you, immediately transporting you to Belgium.  The intimate space offers the artist an opportunity to exhibit a good selection of larger scaled work – in this case Morris Klein features richly saturated landscapes with a particularly poetic palette of color and hue, DoN’s eye was fooled a few times into thinking the images were paintings, the lush view of Boathouse Row is certainly painterly.

Morris Kein @ Bonte’s Cafe

Schuylkill Boathouse Row, photograph, Morris Klein @ Bonte’s 17th St.

Morris Kein @ Bonte’s Cafe

Atlantic – Amusement Pier, photograph, Morris Klein.

Morris Kein @ Bonte’s Cafe

Morris Klein of PSoP @ Bonte’s Cafe.

PSoP has a great new friend in the Bonte Cafe’s in Center City: 922 Walnut has 8 x 10″s, 13th & Walnut is 16 x 20″s and 17th Street is solo shows.  Klein currently has a call to PSoP artists to submit show proposals – a big thank you to Morris & Eilleen Eckstein for maintaining such a high level of public visability for Philly photographers.

Mid Summer Show @ Off the Wall Gallery in Dirty Frank’s Bar

Rick Wright @ Off the Wall Gallery

DoN‘s photo does no justice to Rick Wright‘s pristine photographs of hair balls shot against a stark white background now on display at Off the Wall Gallery @ Dirty Frank’s Bar. The first time DoN saw Wright’s compositions at The Center for Emerging Visual Artists he got kind of pissed off – is this what the competition in the art world is?  WTF are a bunch of hair balls doing in an art gallery?  And then they showed up in Dirty Frank’s Mid-Summer show and over drinks Rick explained the origins of the anamorphic fibrous images – a person who used to be in Wright’s life had Trichotillomania, an impulse control disorder manifested in hair pulling, twirling and twisting their hair into knots to be left sitting on tables, dressers, the mantle…It turns out the creepy little hair balls have a poignant back-story while transmitting secret messages.

A. Celeste Hardester @ Off the Wall Gallery

The gorgeous flower photos by A. Celeste Hardester are simultaneously decorative and technical, impeccably presented and meticulously composed, botanical yet romantic.  Flowers are thought to emanate energy associated with particular stars; Hardester’s photos capture the star power of flowers.

Mid Summer Show @ Off the Wall Gallery in Dirty Franks Bar

The salon style hanging @ Off the Wall allows a good number of works to be shown in a limited space; Mid-Summer @ OTW was curated by Jody Schweitzer, hand picking pieces from the studios of former OTW award winners including Robert Bohne, Bob Jackson, Debbie Bonacci, Annette Saggiomo, Avalon Clare, Susan Stromquist, A. Celeste Hardester and Rick Wright.  Through October 2, 2009.   

Parallel Lines: Kathryn Pannepacker & David Foss @ Smile Gallery

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

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 EyesDoN 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.