Category Archives: Muse Gallery Artists

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Save the City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy

iradiophilly started this petition to Mayor of Philadelphia Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenny and 2 others

Link to Change.org petition

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney released a revised budget for fiscal year 2021 in response to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic on May 1, 2020. Businesses have been closed and workers have been off the job for weeks, reducing the city’s tax revenue significantly. The Office of the Department of Finance projects that without any changes the city would have a $649 million deficit next year. The city cannot legally operate with a deficit. We understand that hard decisions needed to be made and that cut backs and program budget reductions were inevitable. However, to completely eliminate an office that supports a vital industry in the city of Philadelphia, especially one that has been hit very hard during this crisis, is short sighted and should be reversed.

In the new budget, the Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy was budgeted $0 dollars, down from approximately $4.4 million, effectively closing the office. Most of that budgeted money goes directly to the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, which gives grants to hundreds of non-profits in the city.

The presentation of the budget by the Mayor is only the first step. It still must be approved and voted on by City Council before July 1. 

SEE: Mayor’s Operating Budget – re: page 80
SEE: Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney Delivers New Budget by Video; Jobs/Services Cuts, Tax Hikes

According to the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the arts and cultural sector generates $4.1 billion in economic impact annually and supports 55,000 jobs. That creates $1.3 billion in household income and $224.3 million in state and local taxes.* The creative economy includes but is not limited to artists, musicians, painters, sculptors, dancers, actors, filmmakers, graphic designers, venues, theaters, museums, galleries, bartenders, waiters, chefs, box office workers, bouncers, sound engineers, tech crews, art/dance/recording studios, and all employed by those entities, as well as support industries such as accountants, lawyers, hotels, ride shares, parking, public relations, marketing, and media. On the other side there are the fans, patrons, concert goers, theater attendees, and more who support the arts and make the purchases.

Most of this industry has been shut down during this crisis and needs support now more than ever to rebound during the economic recovery.

The Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy’s mission is to close the gap in access to quality cultural experiences and creative expression through the support and promotion of arts, culture and the creative industries; connecting Philadelphians to enriching, arts-infused experiences; linking local artists and cultural organizations to resources and opportunities; and preserving the City’s public art assets. http://creativephl.org

The OACCE is also responsible for the Music Industry Task Force, the Mayor’s Cultural Advisory Council, Art in City Hall, all of Philadelphia’s public art, and funding the Philadelphia Cultural Fund which gives grants to numerous Philadelphia arts and culture non-profits.

Philadelphia is a vibrant city teeming with culture that has been driving our identity for hundreds of years. The art created in Philadelphia reaches well beyond its borders and has touched the world and helps drive our other industries through attention and attraction to our area. As we look to rebound and recover from this crisis, there are certainly sectors that are essential to our health and safety and must be prioritized. However, unless we take care to ensure our cultural health is also revived, we risk losing our spirit.

Philadelphia’s creative economy deserves proper representation in City Hall. Understandably, it is likely not possible for the OACCE to be budgeted at the same level as the original budget, however, the industry’s economic impact alone justifies that the office’s budget be more than zero. We are simply asking that the City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy not be eliminated.

*https://www.philaculture.org/why-arts-culture/prosperityStart a petition of your ownThis petition starter stood up and took action. Will you do the same?Start a petition

Updates

Over 6,200 Support the Creative Economy in Philadelphia!Thank you for all your support! Let’s keep the momentum going. Artists, musicians, actors, dancers, writers, back stage, front of house, all venue/gallery workers, recording studios, producers, photographers, video…iradiophilly5 days agoMore updates

Streets Dept signed this petition

Cherie Lucier

Cherie Lucier signed 6 minutes ago

Ted Warchal

Ted Warchal signed 10 minutes ago

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Homelessness

Homelessness, Carolyn Harper. MUSE Gallery
Lemuel, art quilt, 5.5′ x 5′, Carolyn Harper, MUSE Gallery

Look Me In The Eye: Portraits of Homelessness

Carolyn Harper, MUSE Gallery

I am a Philadelphian and an artist with an upcoming exhibition in Old City Philadelphia at MUSE Gallery,Look Me In The Eye: Portraits of Homelessness” is a show of large art quilts and oversized hand embroidered drawings that use personal stories of homeless individuals, Philadelphians, to inspire empowerment and  create visibility of those who have been left behind by our society.

My work combines art and action to produce meaningful social impact. The implementation of portraiture within quilting serves to empower the persons depicted, enabling them to see themselves through their own stories rather than qualifiers such as “jobless” or “homeless”. Through conversations and active listening, I learn about the individual stories of these overlooked and ignored community members. The large scale work forces the audience to confront images of people they would rather not see, and bear witness to the stories behind them. 

Carolyn Harper

This work is extremely relevant to the times we live in, and I am grateful to The Puffin Foundation for providing me with a grant in support of my work. The Artist Reception will take place at MUSE Gallery, 52 N. 2nd Street, Old City Philadelphia, on Friday, November 1st from 5 – 8 pm. The exhibition runs through the end of November; Gallery hours are Wednesday – Sunday from 12-5.

For more information and images please visit about Carolyn Harper: www.carolynharperart.com

About Muse Gallery:

Mission: Established late in 1977, the Muse Gallery is an artists’ cooperative dedicated to encourage and promote its members’ artistic expression through abstract, conceptual and representational forms. Reflecting an aesthetic that awakens awareness, the Muse Gallery affirms the shared experience of art between the artist and the community.  Please see the membership page to view a detailed history of Muse.
To join the Gallery: Muse Gallery is always interested in potential new members. We are often fully staffed and maintain a waiting list. Please visit our membership page.

Thank you to Carolyn Harper for the content of this post.

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Calm

Deann Mills, March 2018 at Muse GalleryHeat Rises, 48” x 48”, oil on canvas

Madness and Calm,

Deann Mills, March 2018 at Muse Gallery

March 1st through April 1st, 2018, Muse Gallery52 North Second Street, Old City, Philadelphia, 19106, 215. 627. 5310

First FridayMarch 2nd, 2018 from 5:00 – 8:00pm

Artist’s receptionSunday, March 11, 2018 from 2-5 pm

Artist Statement:

“When starting a painting, I try to be crazy and paint with whatever feels good at the moment:  old acrylic test paint, rollers, squeegees, stir sticks, wire mesh, oil sticks, and lots of smearing and dripping.  It is pure madness and lots of fun.  After a time, the painting has to calm down, be edited, have a composition and hopefully a dominant color.  My paintings are all about the tension between madness and calm, my striving to keep the energy, chaos and color while imposing an order and coherence.”

Mission: Established late in 1977, the Muse Gallery is an artists’ cooperative dedicated to encourage and promote its members’ artistic expression through abstract, conceptual and representational forms. Reflecting an aesthetic that awakens awareness, the Muse Gallery affirms the shared experience of art between the artist and the community.  Please see the membership page to view a detailed history of Muse.

To join the Gallery: Muse Gallery is always interested in potential new members. We are often fully staffed and maintain a waiting list. Please visit our membership page.

Thank you to Charlene Lutz for the content of this post.

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MUSE @40

MUSE @40. Muse GalleryMUSE @40

Muse Gallery in Old City invites you to MUSE @40, our 40th Anniversary Group Exhibition. The exhibition opens on November 29 and runs through December 31, 2017. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday 12 to 5 pm.

Muse Gallery will present small works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, print, photography, mixed media and sculpture.  Our talented members, past and present, are donating these select works to create a unique opportunity to purchase 8” x 8” artwork for $40 each.  Art lovers can support the gallery and fund new initiatives by adding to their collections.

Please join us for:

  • First Friday            December 1 from 5 – 8 pm
  • Artist Reception    December 10 from 1 – 5 pm.

At the December 10th reception, current and past members welcome the public to celebrate the gallery’s longevity and it’s value to Philadelphia’s vibrant artistic community.

In 1977, 60% of students in American art schools were women.  Only 2% of these trained artists showed their work in galleries.  That year Muse Gallery opened its doors as Philadelphia’s only professional women’s art gallery, and it was also the first women’s co-operative gallery.  It was organized by Judith Stein, Patricia Meilman and a core group of nine professional artists.  There are now 21 artist members. 

Muse Gallery has always provided support to its members.  Women artists would have freedom to create without the pressure to sell.  Although Muse Gallery continues to have a strong feminist point of view, it now accepts men as equal members.

The Muse Gallery continues to value the same ideals as it did at its inception.  Its members have an opportunity to exhibit in an open and supportive environment.  We encourage dialogue through monthly meetings, critiques, as well as group and individual shows.  It is also a place where people form lasting friendships and make important connections with other artists. Muse offered women the opportunity to shine and still does after 40 years.

Muse Gallery52 North Second Street, Old City, Philadelphia 19106, 215-627-5310

Thank you to Charlene Lutz for the content of this post.

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Dispossessed

Muse Gallery, The Dispossessed, Carolyn Harper Cohen,Homeless (Michelle), Carolyn Harper Cohen, batik and hand dyed fabric that has been pieced, appliqued and quilted by hand, 60″ x 52″

The Dispossessed by Carolyn Harper Cohen

Muse Gallery is pleased to present The Dispossessed by Carolyn Harper Cohen. The exhibition will run from November 1st – November 27th, 2017 with an opening reception First Friday, November 3rd from 5-8:00 p.m.

Carolyn Harper Cohen’s work has a strong social justice component to it as she creates images of people or groups who have been marginalized, discriminated against, or abused. Each of the works in this exhibit is of a particular Philadelphian; someone living in an area homeless shelter or on the streets. Many of these individuals are children. The works provide faces to those who are faceless, nameless and powerless, and bear witness to those who are suffering. The beauty that the artistic process brings to the images creates a tension with the inherent cruelty of the lives of the subjects; in admiring the works, the viewer becomes almost complicit in their abuse and neglect.

Muse Gallery, The Dispossessed, Carolyn Harper Cohen,Homeless (Alexus), hand pieced, hand sewn quilt, 40″ x 48″, Carolyn Harper Cohen

The works consist of either hand embroidered batiks or hand sewn large art quilts. The methods are layered, as are the colors. The work is tactile and raw rather than slick; the fabric hand dyed, each stitch obsessively sewn by hand. The engrossing surface quality slows down perception, encouraging viewers to react to the work in a very deliberate way.

This work can be seen within the context of ‘craftivism’: a term coined in 2003 by writer Betsy Greer which can be defined as “a way of looking at life where voicing opinions through creativity makes your voice stronger, your compassion deeper and your quest for justice more infinite.”

Craft has traditionally been viewed as ‘women’s work’ and as such was marginalized and undervalued, but the craft techniques in this work can be seen as subverting the traditional genre of portraiture. Piecing fabric together creates an image that is quite different, and less real, than a painting, which oftentimes seeks to imitate and/or idealize the person being portrayed. Instead, Carolyn Harper Cohen has searched to find the individual and emotional human character of each individual.

www.carolyncohenart.com

Thank you to Carolyn Harper Cohen for the content of this post.

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