Category Archives: Mural Arts Program

Diane Keller @ Dumpster Divers on South Street

Diane Keller @ The Dumpster Divers Gallery on South Street near 7th; the gallery is temporary contemporary like some pop-up shop for art. Keller’s paintings of little girl outfits is sweet yet disconcerting, looking back to a time when kids weren’t covered in logos.

Diane Keller created these pillows by combining digitally printed fabric she designed at Philadelphia University as the result of an award she won at Da Vinci Art Alliance. The artist combined vintage fabrics she’s been saving with her own painterly pattern with a lush cushion meeting the demand of the art being created with recycled materials. Diane told DoN she recently re-created her mural of The Rizz @ The Italian Market as the result of a building rehab, the muralist says with the new paint and techniques ol’ Frank looks better than ever.

Photos by DoNBrewerPhotography

Parallel Lines: Kathryn Pannepacker & David Foss @ Smile Gallery

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

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

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

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.

Murals – Philadelphia has Walls.

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Keith Haring mural on 21st Street near Washington Ave. Haring came to Philly and worked with the city kids to produce this enduring homage to childhood.

Artist working on the new mural on Spruce near Juniper. DoN will research who the muralist is but the level of design, execution and location provides a feeling of good will and community. There’s a huge new mural at 25th and Oregon that wraps around the Shoprite building with a theme of abundance and living off the land.

Through My Window @ Smile

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Through My Window at Smile Gallery @ 22^nd & Chestnut Streets is a concept show involving repurposing old window frames donated by Lantern Theater Companys Charles McMahon. Member artists of Da Vinci Art Alliance were asked to take a window and create a work of art instead of the frames ending up in a dump. Each artist presented art as diverse as drawings, paintings, photos, weaving and collage, creating a conundrum for jurors Brenda and Matt Lyons. Each piece is desirable and delightful in theyre own right: Betsy Alexander based her composition on science fiction, Burnell Yow! created an homage to Buddha, Mike Sweeny dressed his frame in gold and silver communicating a comment on Americas current economic situation, Alden Coles ethereal painting draws the viewer into the spiritual realm, Girard DiFalcos photograph of a tree is simple and serene, DoN Brewer recreated the view from the apartment he rented in Paris, Ona Kalstein based her mixed media piece on the fable of the ant and the cicada and Lilliana Didovic designed a mixed media work depicting Phillys famous Boat House Row using, of all things. Swarovski Crystals.

Other artists in the show include Bobbie Adams, Kim Alsbrook, Rachel Citrino, Carl Johnson, Ted Warchal, Nicole Koenitzer, Rikard Larma, Gail Kotel, Tim McKenna, Lee Muslin, Liz Niklus, Michelle Post, Gavid Carrow and Carol Wisker.

Karen McDonnell and Anthony Cortosi’s “Old Woman Looking Out the Window“. The duo currently have work on display at Rodger Lapelle Gallery in Old City through Feb.1, 2009.

Alden Cole @ Smile. Cole is included in a Dumpster Diver show at New Jersey’s Noyes Museum.

Mike Sweeney‘s award winner @ Smile’s “Through My Window.”

Burnell Yow!‘s award winning composition will allow him to be part of a group show @ Smile in January 2010 – get to work Burnell!!

Betsy Alexander‘s sci-fi inspired mixed media collage was a hit with the crowd creating a vibrant conversation about everyone’s fantasy favorites. Betsy’s home was recently featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Design section, you can read the story here. Betsy is also the mom of the famous Nora the Piano Playing Cat – check out Nora’s latest videos on YouTube.

Kathryn Pannepacker’s simple yet elegant mixed media piece incorporates weaving. Pannepacker recently completed an amazing mural @ Broad and Lehigh Streets depicting textile styles of the world for the Mural Arts Program.

DoN Brewer’s “Vue de la Rue Rambuteau, Paris“, colored pencil on paper at Smile Gallery.

Through My Window is on display through February 7^th, 2009 and by the by Smiles Thai food restaurant is probably the best in the city BYOB and stay a while.

Jon Laidacker Mural Dedication @ The Church of Philadelphia, 17th & Snyder Ave.

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Alden Cole and DoN attended the dedication ceremony to the new mural at 17th and Snyder in South Philly. As soon as the choir began to sing DoN‘s eyes filled with tears – the mural was eight years in the making and the joy the congregation expressed at having such a beautiful artwork depicting parishioners, clergy and symbolic members of formerly incarcerated people being re-introduced and welcomed into society was beatific. Designed by artist Jonathan Laidacker, the work was painted by a rotating team of Philadelphia prison system detainees. The Mural Arts Program works with five different prisons housing more than ten thousand prisoners; the art provides a sence of purpose and helps with reintroduction into the community. Father D was so eloquent and thankful for the final installation of the work based on Raphael’s School of Athens.

The choir of the Church of Philadelphia performing before the new mural @17th and Snyder.

Father D speaking before his own likeness in the mural by Jon Laidacker.

Mural detail (these two are in the choir, Jon truly captured them in the mural).

Jane Golden of Mural Arts Program speaking at the dedication.

Jonathan Laidacker speaking at the dedication ceremony for the mural he designed for Yhe Church of Philadelphia @ 17th and Snyder Ave in South Philly. Yo!!!