Category Archives: One-Person Art Show

One person art shows. Philadelphia artists one person art shows.

Edward Marston, Infrastructure @ Twenty-Two Gallery

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Font Hill Manor, oil on panel, Edward Marston, Infrastructure @ Twenty-Two Gallery

Edward Marston, Infrastructure @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Little Boulder Creek, oil on canvas and Hedgerow, oil on panel by Edward Marston.

Edward Marston, Infrastructure @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Pretty Lady, oil on canvas and Boulder Field, oil on panel.

Edward Marston, Infrastructure @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Home Gone, plexiglass and wood.

Edward Marston, Infrastructure @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Edward Marston explained to DoN why he was so happy about the painting in the window of Gallery Twenty-Two, Schuylkill Expressway belongs in the window because it belongs in Philadelphia, its local. And it shows the freight trains and the Schuylkill Expressway in twilight and it brings home what I feel about that area. DoN asked if Marston was intentionally tapping into the market for Philadelphia art or if it was a more personal painting? Ive been coming to Philadelphia since I was a kid, I grew up in the suburbs but its been my main destination as far as urban goes. And I think its absolutely a lovely city and fascinating architecture and every time I turn around I see something new. Almost all of the paintings are plein air or draw first plein air and I use drawings as a reference. None of them are photographic renderings.

DoN inquired how Edward Marston feels about being a landscape painter in the 21^st Century? This is what I do. Theyre landscape paintings but theyre not an idyllic trip to the past. I think a lot about these paintings and they all comment on the contemporary scene, Im aware of what Im doing. When I paint something thats coming apart, its something that maybe shouldnt be coming apart or its a comment on a thing that shouldnt be. Old roads, that you wouldnt know was a road; I recognize them as ancient roads and everything resonates as far as Im concerned, its all today.

Photographs by DoN.

DoNArTNeWs Interview – Ann Koivunen, Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, Top Tips for Artists

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Ann Koivunen is the Director of Studio Tours and Exhibitions for Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, one of the top art events of its kind in the USA. Ann offers great advice on what to do and what not to do to have a successful, fun event. The clip is nine minutes, so get a cup of coffee and sit a spell, Ann has a wonderful perspective on POST. DoNBrewerMultimedia is participating in POST 2011, October 1 & 2, 12 – 6:00PM, check the awesome on-line resources for information on neighborhoods and events at the POST website.

Video by DoNBrewerMultimedia

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter

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Karen Schechter is a relatively new member of the Photographic Society of Philadelphia but she is enjoying the society debut show at their new permanent showplace, Café Twelve, 212 S 12th St, Philadelphia 19107, in the heart of the Phillys famous Gayborhood, with great long walls to show art and an inviting casual vibe. DoN asked Karen how she felt about having a PSoP show? Its very nice because its the first one Ive had and I have another one coming up that Im hanging next week. One falling on the heels of the other is awesome. DoN commented on the style of the collection of photographs in the lounge area of the café, I work primarily in black and white but do some color, the first half of this show, which isnt up anymore was more color pieces. I go from muted color to extremely vibrant. Karen showed DoN a lovely close-up photograph of a hydrangea flower with its lurid red silkiness and delicate stamen.

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter

I used to do everything on film and sadly had to get rid of my dark room a couple years ago as I finally made the complete switch-over to digital; its sad but its convenient. I can go though things a lot quicker, I can process things a lot quicker. Schlechter is working with Photoshop, the dark room experience gave her a grounded background for using the digital tools. The collection of gear went to a friends daughter studying fine art photography. Its so nice to be able to sit in a coffee shop and go through my photos and go from there.

Karen Schlechter got involved with PSoP because she was previously a member of the Delaware County Camera Club, which had a different focus towards improvement of skills via competition as to the education bent of the Philly Society. I was missing the camaraderie and exchanging ideas. And it was a wonderful gift from my boyfriend.

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter

The Photographic Society of Philadelphia meets Second Tuesdays at Café Twelve; a wide array of photographs by Philadelphia fine art photographers and a solo show by featured photographer Karen Schlechter is on exhibit with new work being installed every other month. The evening DoN met Karen was rainy and miserable but sipping coffee and talking about photography with friends is worth wet feet.

Photos taken with DoN‘s iPhone.

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed, I Fall and I Rise @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

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Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed, I Fall and I Rise @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

“Totally Exposed, I Fall and I Rise, is titled because obviously I’m exposed, I’m naked but it’s also about being exposed to the elements, the effects of time.” Sarah R. Bloom, a beautiful fresh face, says with a sigh, “I’m coming to grips with aging, thinking about cycles of aging, for me, it’s been this sort of non-linear pattern of resistance and acceptance. I came to the stages of grief, not exactly but similar to, fearful denying…” DoN interrupts her and complements her youthful beauty and questions why the artist is experiencing Erikson‘s sixth of the seven stages of life: Middle Adulthood: 35 to 55 or 65 Ego Development Outcome: Generativity vs. Self absorption or Stagnation? “People keep saying that to me but I am 42. Just knowing other women at this age and while I felt I had a lot of time left, there are a lot of hormonal changes that start happening that I’ve noticed in myself. Being interested in self portraits maybe I’m more hyper-aware of myself and changes I’m going through that other people might be. And being in recovery, maybe, I’m more self aware because I had to go through a whole set of processes to start fixing things. So all those things combined that when it just so happened I was getting into the abandoned thing when I turned forty.”

Sarah R. Bloom understands other photographers shoot in abandoned buildings, or shoot models but Bloom shoots self-portraits with a DIY attachment to her camera that allows her to set-up remotely, take the picture and the camera will delay, then take several shots; genius. The result is a gallery filled with emotionally raw, sexually charged, deeply personal representations of one woman but she represents all women who watch the world crumbling around us. “I struggle to show the similarities; I’m still vain, somewhat. Obviously. But this last year struggling to shoot, while be more raw in my poses and still create a nice image but not worry so much about, do I look pretty? Because that’s not what it’s about.” So how did you not fall into despair when the choice came to be generative? “I think recovery started that, I never really thought about that until now. I guess I started despair way early maybe, I mean my whole twenties were a wreck, pretty much, so then being in recovery, almost sixteen years sober, and also part of age is accepting things and having that self awareness of processing a lot of stuff. I recognize that this age is a time when I would have physical feelings of feeling different, the body doesn’t bounce back as quickly from things. I dunno, um, it was either it was a choice to decide, I don’t want to be in that place anymore. And part of it is I feel like I’m running out of time.”