Category Archives: Philadelphia Art Alliances

Philadelphia groups of artists working together to dreate opportunities for exhibitions, information sharing and support.

Haus of DoN, Summer 2010

Hello my little DoNsters, the Haus of DoN, DoNBrewerMultimedia, is slowly rising from the muck of the economic melt-down of 2010 like a lotus with petals opening onto a new season of art and culture.  DoN is so grateful to the Center for Emerging Visual Artists and the Coffee Bar for the extended exhibition of his photo series titled “light beings” through the end of August, 2010. 

As reiki energy would have it, the Photographic Society of Philadelphia‘s long running series of solo member exhibitions @ Bonte’s Café, 17th & Sansom Streets is hosting DoN Brewer‘s “Dark Matter” a collection of images gleaned from the on-going 16 x 20″ show @ the other PSoP venue @ 9th & Walnut Streets and photographs from the “light beings” series.  The exhibition is being installed Thursday, September 9th, 2010 @ 4:00 PM, it is so cool to continue to show DoN‘s art in the heart of Center City.  Thank You so much to PSoP for their confidence end enthusiasm.

light being (Dennis), digital photograph, 2010, DoN Brewer @ Bonte’s Cafe, 17th & Samsom Sts.

From Downtown Center City to Bartram’s Garden in West Philly, Friday, September 10th, 2010 @ 6:00 pm at the Bartram’s Garden Gallery, the Da Vinci Art Alliance is hosting, “What’s the Buzz?”, a DVAA Members Event based on bees; Bartram’s Garden is now cultivating bees and it’s the Honey Festival, too.  Mmmm.  DoN will be gallery-sitting Saturday, September 11th, 2010, 10:00 AM – 2:00PM in the delightful art space in the oldest barn in Philly, stop in for a curated tour by artists participating in the weekend-long show.

Pemberton Street Garden, digital photograph, 2010, DoN Brewer @ Bartram’s Garden Gallery, September 10th – 12th, 2010.

Later that evening DoN will be at the opening of “Through My Window“, a Da Vinci Art Alliance event at The Perkins Art Center in Collingswood, NJ.  The group show’s only caveat was include an old window, each artist visualizing their own view of reality into a work of art – the show has been exhibited at Smile Gallery in Center City Philly and the Renaissance Riverfront Center for the Arts in Millville, NJ. 

 

DoN Brewer & “Vue de la 22 Rue Rambuteau“. colored pencil drawing.

Sunday, September 12th, 2010 @ 2:00 PM DoN will join the party for the Absolutely Abstract 2010 juried exhibition at The Philadelphia Sketch Club, it is such an honor to have abstract landscape photograph from the “light beings” series included in the exclusive art collection for the third year in a row.  Read more about the exhibit @ DoNArTNeWs.

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light beings (Sid & Nancy), digital photograph, DoN Brewer @ The Philadephia Sketch Club’s Absolutely Abstract 2010.

DoN‘s blog, DoNArTNeWs, continues to grow in popularity with a DoN‘s eye view of the gallery scene in Philly.  Thank you to all the artists who share their work, their stories and their passions with DoN; creating a narrative of the warren of alleys in the Philly art world is fun and frustrating with so many exciting and inspiring events to participate in and attend. 

This Fall, DoN is included in the Art Ability art show at Bryn Mawr Rehab Center in Paoli, the huge exhibit of hundreds from artists from all over the world is a juried exhibition of art by works by people living with disabilities.  DoN is also helping to brand Vision for Equality, Inc , designing custom SEO code, resulting in the non-profit organization, which advocates for and monitors people with intellectual disabilities, a page one ranking in Google!  DoN is also writing blog posts for NUVISIONS for Disabled Artists and Diversified Art blog is featuring DoN‘s “light being (Mary)” on their gallery page.  DoN also posts stories on PhillySideArts , QBN and is the Reporting Secretary for the Vitruvian Quarterly art newsletter for the Da Vinci Art Alliance.

light being (Walt), digital photograph, DoN Brewer @ Art Ability this fall.

For now, my lovely DoNsters – the Haus of DoN has withstood the attack of the latest distortion wave in the time space continuum, with super-friends at CFEVA, Da Vinci Art Alliance, The Plastic Club, the Philadelphia Sketch Club, PANMA and The Philadelphia Council for Community Advancement helping DoN survive the money bomb of the Great Recession.  With the LoVe and support DoN feels from comrades & cohorts, making art, communicating visions, telling stories and realizing dreams is now back in fine focus.

Thank you President Obama and Mayor Nutter, without your programs and plans for the people, the Haus of DoN would have collapsed like a house of cards; DoN has been dealt an exciting second hand and has big plans for the future in Philly.

LoVe

DoN

Absolutely Abstract 2010 @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club

John Williams @ Absolutely Abstract 2010 The Philadelphia Sketch Club

John Williams, Mountain Big Top, acrylic, ink, flashe on panel, Best in Show Absolutely Abstract 2010 @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Absolutely Abstract 2010 @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Click the thumb-nail below for a closer look.

Absolutely Abstract 2010 @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club

The selection of ninety-eight art works by jurors David Foss and Michael Gallagher for The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s Absolutely Abstract 2010 exhibit is engaging, exciting and challenging.  The range of interpretations runs through almost any media you can think of – Kyle Margiotta‘s, Ribbon, pencil drawing takes basic materials and elevates them to an alternate reality, Rik Viola‘s painting is a triumph in context and Mina Smith-Segal suggests surrealism, impressionism, brutalism, naive primitive-ism…all modern and contemporary styles but stretching the envelop of the popular view of abstraction.

DoN Brewer - light being (Sid & Nancy), photograph, Absolutely Abstract 2010

DoN Brewer, light beings (Sid & Nancy), digital photograph, archival ink-jet print, 2008.  This is the third consecutive year DoN Brewer‘s photographs have been included in the Philadelphia Sketch Club‘s annual Absolutely Abstract show, this year’s piece is named after the tragic punk lovers Sid Vicious & Nancy Spungen who he once saw shopping in Fiorucci’s in NYC in the 70s.

Ring Droppings, Rodney Miller, digital print on canvas @ Absolutely Abstract 2010

Rodney Miller, Ring Droppings, digital print on canvas.  Fall under the spell of the fractal-like inter-twined rings in Miller’s ultra-trippy contemplation on color, shape and depth of field – go see the real thing at The Philadelphia Sketch Club on the Avenue of the Artists, Camac Street in Center City Philadelphia.

 

Photos by DoN.

 

Apocalypse Soon: 2012 @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

David Foss - Apocalypse Soon: 2012 @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

David Foss‘ sculpture made of found materials is like a futuristic robot/humanoid perched in the center of the gallery, the 2012 theme resonates throughout the room with visions of rapture, hell-fire, nothingness and hopefulness.  Foss’s sculpture reminds DoN of a futuristic boy transformed by a post-apocalyptic storm into a cyborg forced to find his way through the scorched land with feelers and antennas extended in all directions, the central brain stem in the middle of the body instead of stupidly plopped up on top where any fool could knock it off.  David Foss is the director of the Da Vinci Art Alliance and will be having a major show at LGTripp Gallery in Old City in September.

Photos by DoNBrewerPhotography.

Casual Show & Salon @ The Plastic Club, Summer 2010

Casual Show & Salon @ The Plastic Club, Summer 2010

Karl Olsen lights the subject of an impromptu critique of Yeoun Lee‘s paintings during the monthly Salon des Plastiques @ The Plastic Club on the Avenue of the Artists.  Lee took up the challenge from a previous meeting to bring out a few paintings on the sweltering Summer evening to stand up to the observations of Anders Hanson, Bob Jackson, Mike Quinn, Alan Klawens – the guys behind the on-going series of exhibitions at one of Philly’s premier artist clubs.  DoN couldn’t help to harken back to the days when air conditioning was a dream yet to be realized.  Yeoun explained the cosmological influence on her current work with light being represented by a subtle rainbow of color.

Yeoun Lee

Yeoun Lee @ The Plastic Club’s Salon.

Casual Show @ The Plastic Club, Summer 2010

The Casual Summer Show @ The Plastic Club showcases artist favorites.

Casual Show @ The Plastic Club, Summer 2010

Members of the Plastic Club are showing works not directed by a theme allowing for a salon like diversity of styles and medium; curators Alan Klawans and Bob Jackson filled the main galleries with a spectrum of light and color.

Marlise M. Tkaczuk, 3 Monkeys, silk screen

Marlise M. Tkaczuk, 3 Big Monkeys, silk screen in The Casual ShowThe Plastic Club has long represented printmaking with a great print room and print shows; Marlise’s confrontational funky monkeys are part clever and engaging, jumping off the wall.  Check the clubs website for info and links to events.

Diane Keller @ Dumpster Divers on South Street

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 @ Dumpster Divers on South Street

Diane Keller @ Dumpster Divers on South Street

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