Category Archives: Philadelphia Art Alliances

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

4th Generation, Janelle Adamska, acrylic scrim/screenprint and burn-out. Janelle told DoN she uses a wood burning tool to burn out the negative space of the design totally time-tripping DoN back to the old Sears Dream Book with the cool wood-burning tools, remember the smell? The artist fell in love with a borrowed tool so a friend gave her one of her own, Adamska’s scene-stealing piece sure isn’t like drawing a horse head into a piece of pine.

Tic-Tac-Toe, Beverly Godfrey, tapestry, 2009.

Text, Leslie Haas, paper. This simple paper construct is such a great meme with little scrolls stuffed in a box like memories of futures passed crammed with lots of overlapping narratives and keepsakes. Sweet.

Margin Notes, Pat depaula Klein, hand stitched with cotton floss.

Sorry, DoN doesn’t have the artist’s name for these super-kawaii postcards like old fashioned pot holders with stitched cliche’ greetings.

Pondering the Possibilities, Francine Strauss, quilted mixed media wall hanging.

Pop Can Patchwork, Caroline J. Maw-Dies, pop can labels, nails, wood in traditional patchwork/quilt/basket-weave pattern, 2009. Like tramp art of old this collage of metal embodies that home-spun crazy quilt vibe of the DIY movement, instead of bottle top ropes or toothpick clocks Pop Can Patchwork is informed by invasive advertising and cultural collapse. Maw-Dies represents the 21st Century Gleaner, recycling and re-purposing detritus into modern beauty and contemporary design.

Saturday evening Kathryn Pannepacker, curator of the TeXt/TeXtiLe, a Philagrafika event, held a pot luck dinner and movie party @ Da Vinci Art Alliance with a great turn out of artists, good food and chummy conversation. The homey comfortable-ness of the event, lively with old and new friends, is sure to become a tradition – it’s a great way to get people to come see an art show. The movie was about the current DIY scene across the country featuring artists working in art & crafts and “making a living” – DoN flashed back to December’s First Friday, it was freezing and wet out and 2nd Street had maybe a hundred kids trying to sell paintings, T-shirts, hats, fudge…while the movie was fast paced, very informative and offered insight into successful models for art business’, there’s still an underlying sense of a new kind of tactic to simply survive the Great Recession by one’s own means.

Today while walking KaTy the ArT DoG & Lady Doofus, the St. Bernard/Chihuahua mix, through Rittenhouse Square, DoN spotted a tree wearing a colorful crocheted legging – a secret crafter mafia tagging style with fiber instead of stickers or spray paint. Obey!

2010 New Members Exhibition @ The Plastic Club

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P. J. Smalley, Girl on Toilet, oil/digital print @ The Plastic Club.

Donna P. Collins, Our Love Dissolved, photograph.

Donna P. Collins, One Way Out, photograph.

Julianna Struck, Untitled, oil @ The Plastic Club New Members Exhibition 2010.

Karen Frank, Effervesence, acrylic.

Serena Perrone, Dreaming of Flying Fish, oil/charcoal/graphite.

Welcome to the 24 new members of the Plastic Club; the current show is super-strong with technical virtuosity, broad variety of styles, big personalities and aspirational contemporary ideas from established and new members of the Philly Art Community.

Dr. Debra Miller – The Art Doctor Is In @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

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This year DoN got to know Dr. Deb Miller of the Da Vinci Art Alliance; Miller is a driving force behind the production of themed art shows for the gallery at the Da Vinci Art Alliance, Smile Gallery, Bartram’s Garden Gallery, the Black Box Gallery @ The Lantern Theater and more. This year art exhibits included Envisioning Hamlet, Darwin & Carnivorous Plants, Windows on the World, Heroines & Harlots.. collaborations with The Lantern Theater, Bartrams Garden, Smile Gallery & more. As a result of these concept shows DoN won more awards for art this year than in all previous years of entering shows. Dr. Deb always takes an extra moment to praise the artist when presenting awards, tells an anecdote about the work, shares tidbits about her life in Andy Warhol’s circle and makes sure all the artists even though they may not win anything, feel special, that it’s worth all the time & effort to produce art. Twice, Dr. Deb has whispered in DoN’s ear during award ceremonies that she thought he should have won first prize instead of honorable mention – DoN bets Dr. Debbie says that to all the boys.

On the move – Dr. Miller makes sure the audience moves through the gallery and presents awards by the art work instead of from a fixed spot as many other juried shows do. Her gregarious banter and knowledgeable comments always are educational, informative and frank.

Dr. Deb Miller @ Bartram’s Garden Gallery.

DoN in awe of Dr. Deb‘s comments on his “Botanical Print” @ Bartram’s Garden Gallery. Actually, Dr. Deb always makes sure DoN say a few words about his work and she always gets jurors to speak about their decisions.

Dr. Debra Miller, Liz Niklus, Alden Cole, David Foss & Ona Kalstein @ Da Vinci Art Alliance. The board at the Da Vinci Art Alliance performs an essential function in the Philly art community, providing a creative outlet, a great social network and a vibrant array of shows, lectures and parties.

Dr. Deb Miller presenting DoN with an award for his digital photograph called, Denmark, for the Envisioning Hamlet Show @ The Black Box Gallery in the Lantern Theater. DoN recently eves-dropped David Foss and heard there will be continuing collaborations with the Lantern Theater and the International Opera Theater – coolness!

Dr. Debra Miller gives a great lecture about Andy Warhol, here she’s presenting her talk @ The Fleisher Art Memorial.

Philly Art Stars @ the Windows on the World opening @ Smile Gallery. That’s the back of Liz Niklus‘ head, Dr. Deb, Lilliana Didovic & Betsy Alexander, that was a great show, in fact the three winners are having their show at the gallery next month.

Photographer Jon Naar with Dr. Debra @ Photosynthesis 2008 @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Thanks to Dr. Debra Miller and the entire board of the Da Vinci Art Alliance for providing such an outstanding platform for artists to exercise their creative muscles. DoN can’t wait to see what 2010 has in store at the venerable art alliance.

Bob Makoid @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

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Bob Makoid @ Nouns: people places things

In November, the Da Vinci Art Alliance hosted a group show called NOUNS: people places things, including the work of 6 artists – black and white photography by Carolyn Harper Cohen, watercolors by Diane Lachman, acrylics by Sandi Neiman Lovitz, pastels by Bob Makoid, photography by Ligia Richter and pastels by Liora Seltzer. The exhibit, curated by Bobbie Adams, member of Da Vinci Art Alliance, is organized by Linda Dubin Garfield, president of smART business consulting and member of Da Vinci Art Alliance.

DoN only saw the show on the closing day – time flies! – but the show is memorable still for the variety and quality of art which Bobbie Adams gathered together, creating groupings of each artist so that the art work really shined. DoN could tell Bob (who was gallery sitting) was happy with the show even though artists (like DoN) were delivering work for the next/current show.

Bob Makoid, pastel @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

DoN recognized Bob from the evening drawing workshops at the Plastic Club, it was a nice surprise to get to spend some face time with him in the gallery @ Da Vinci Art Alliance where he exhibited several pastels in a group show. Makoid’s loose style captures the vacation vibe of a lakeside cabin, the sunny aura of a palm tree or the scale of a high mountain cliff in clear color, simple shapes and spare composition – less is more and more color is better.