Category Archives: Philadelphia Art Alliances

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

The Cafe Artists @ Galleria Deptford

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As fate would have it, the curator of Galleria Deptford saw DoN‘s work @ Alden Cole‘s gallery – light being (Larry Angel) – and loved it.  Pauline Jonas invited DoN to the Deptford Municipal Building to discuss showing art in their space; public spaces such as the lobby and wide halls with long walls are equipped with a professional hanging system and lighting which easily displaying various sized work.  The current exhibit is by The Cafe Artists. the fate part is Deptford is DoN‘s home town, graduating from Deptford High School with a Most Artistic award in 1971.

Tony Parisi

Tony Parisi @ Galleria Deptford.

Currently the gallery is showing a group show by the Cafe Artists – Grace Arden, Simone Avitello, Carol Goneau, Brielle Herquet, Kimberly Huth, Jeanne Jablonski, Karen S. Moore, Jan Narducci, Tony Parisi, Diane Paul, Kathryn Roberson, Jack Tanier, Bonnie Williams and Penny Wise.

The Cafe Artists

Diane Paul & Brielle Herquet of The Cafe Artists @ Galleria Deptford.

Art in public spaces not only reinforces the state of cultural development in a community it serves as metaphor for what the community is seeing, being and living.  Artists groups such as the Cafe Artists, who meet monthly at the Deptford Barnes & Noble, invigorate the comunity through visual art.

Jack Tanier

Jack Tanier, Four Seasons, Fall, oil.

The Cafe Artists honored one of their own recently departed member, Jack Tanier, with a show of his works; impressionistic landscapes strewn with the rubble of human encroachment on the environment or the earth reclaining it’s own.  The art in the lobby is show on easles which can be moved to accomodate Court House crowds, then moved back into place; it’s so beautiful that an artist get’s to be remembered and cherished for lifetime achievement and dedication to art.

Jack Tanier

Jack Tanier paintings outside the courtroom of the Deptford Municipal Building.

The Galleria Deptford, 1011 Cooper Street, Deptford, NJ – DoN‘s show is in December!

Envisioning Romeo & Juliet @ The Da Vinci Art Alliance

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Romeo & Juliet

 

An awards exhibition by members of Da Vinci Art Alliance, in collaboration with International Opera Theater, of art inspired by Shakespeare’s tragedy and IOT’s interpretation, a new opera Romeo e Giulietta, directed by Karen Saillant, with music by Emily Wong, libretto by Tommaso Sabbatini, costumes/sets by Mi-Kyoung Lee, world premiered in Teatro degli Avvaloranti, Citta’ della Pieve, Italy, in August 2008.

 

Da Vinci Art Alliance members interpret the Shakespearean play with paintings, collage, objet trouve and prints.  Above is Lilliana Didovic’s mixed media piece incorporating red fabric the singers use to evoke emotion; Karen Saillant gave a wonderful lecture at the alliance explaining how she selected singers based on their ability to interact expressively with the fabric.  Here a sweet love notion , like a candy heart box drenched in red.

 

Awards Judges: Karen Saillant and Mi-Kyoung Lee, International Opera Theater.  Lee designed the costumes and is a UArts alum -Holla!

 

Romeo & Juliet

 

First prize winner, Rachel Citrino‘s, expressive mixed media installation is wildly bold, intefrating new technology with a special red color.

 

Romeo & Juliet

 

June Blumberg, “Romeo and Juliet in Love“, Pitt Pen.

 

Romeo & Juliet

 

3rd place winner, Francine Strauss, expanded the blue – a visual metaphor the opera employs to convey a change in mood – by repurposing her own old prints into a new collage.

 

Romeo & Juliet

 

Ted Warchal, 2nd prize – Dr. Deb Miller explained the metaphor of the coffin/cigar box conveniently branded Romeo Y Julietta.

 

A special surprise during the awards was an acapella performance of songs from the Italian opera by Elias Hendricks – Romeo – which had everyone in tears, a great artist in blossom.  Artistic director Karen Saillant of the International Opera Theater is searching for an appropriate Philadelphia venue after the successful production world premiered in Teatro degli Avvaloranti, Citta’ della Pieve, Italy, in August 2008.

Valerie Carroll & Reta Sweeney @ TwentyTwo Gallery

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Reta Sweeney

 

Reta Sweeney @ Gallery TwentyTwo.  Part of what DoN refers to as the School of Philadelphia (Peltzman, Barns, Monaghan…), Sweeney sees light with a delightful optimism and has the ability to create welcoming atmosphere in paint.  Reta’s paintings are joyous, reveling in the liquid medium, working quickly and efficiently, applying color with skill, so as to sign the work by scratching into the wet paint with satisfaction.

 

Reta Sweeney

 

A Rose Bouquet, oil on canvas, Reta Sweeney @ TwentyTwo Gallery.

 

Reta Sweeney @ Valerie Carroll

 

Cherry Blossoms and Tulips, Reta Sweeney, oil on canvas and Valerie Carroll @ Gallery TwentyTwo – DoN was impressed and inspired by the pairing of these two paintings, it’s not just the color palette, soothing pinks enhanced with warm atmosphere,  but the balance of symbolism and visual cues that creates a broader real world narrative.  This is a lesson in how to decorate with art confidently placing expressionism with impressionism in close proximity increasing the visual energy of the art.

 

Valerie Carroll

 

Valerie Carroll @ TwentyTwo Gallery.  Paintings like this make’s DoN want to paint, reaching deep into the soul creating an image to explain the human condition, paint strokes representing the passage of time, entropy and generativity vs. despair visualized with mysterious smudges and emotional color.

97th Annual Members Medal Show @ The Plastic Club

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Alden Cole‘s “Lucy in the Sky“, marker. DoN sees this drawing as the work of one of Philadelphia’s master artists; the combination of illustration, foreshortening, coloration, line quality, relevance and sensitivity to the subject, immortalizing the model. Then DoN realizes it’s marker pens on paper, the same as used in graffiti, popping energy and vibration, ancient and future knowledge, high and low art all vibrating from a single moment in space and time, into the gallery space. Absorbing the power of the messages being transmitted through Cole’s art is like time-tripping through art history in an instant. When you walk up the steps into the studio gallery, this is where the eye is drawn first.

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Lois Schlachter, “Clown Fish“, acrylic. Super flat, futuristic, meticulous trips into the swirly world of Lois’ paintings is like a glimpse into a dream of the best amusement park ride you even went on, the kind that’s so fast and so thrilling that you can’t scream because it’s so much fun.
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Marie Davis Samohod, “Ionic Table“, acylic, Naomi Rubin, “The Beauty of the Land”, watercolor.

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Alan J. Klawans, Mike Guinn & Bob Jackson @ the Plastic Club’s 97th Annual Members Medal Show. Without people like these men it just doesn’t happen; the exhibition is so strong, the display so expertly installed and the experience design so inclusive, warm and inviting that it feels natural and accessible but tremendous amounts of work go into such a huge installation, these guys deserve credit for bringing out the best and making it happen. The art movement is Philadelphia is strong and determined, DoN LoVes it when people proudly tell which Philadelphia art school they went to and how organizations like the Plastic Club fill the void of the commaraderie of attending a school of art.

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DoN Brewer, “Thanksgiving“, digital photo, Jeanne Coryell, “Mandala“, watercolor and Alice Meyer-Wallace, “Vrikis And Glads“, oil.

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The Plastic Club’s 97th Annual Members Medal Exhibition award winners: Katherine Stanek, The Plastic Club Gold Medal, Jake Smith, The Plastic Club Silver Medal, John Benigno, The Zeigler Prize, Ben Wilson, The Dorothy Invernizzi Guinn Memorial Prize.