Category Archives: Philadelphia Art Alliances

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

Lenape Lifeways: A Lecture by Carla & Allan Messinger @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

It feels appropriate to post this story on Thanksgiving since tonight DoN ate many of the native foods these two very interesting and entertaining historians described. Sunday, October 23rd, Alden Cole and DoN attended a splendid lecture by Carla and Allan Messinger who presented fascinating information about the Lenape Tribe, “The Original People“.  The hour was packed with so much information so pertinent to our current situation in America including the notion that by Autumn the people would have stored enough food to last until June of the following year (Economist Suzy Ormond recommends one have enough funds stashed to last eight months – hmmmm), that in 1737 the Indians were perpetrated a hoax when they were promised land forever (sounds like Bush’s ownership society hoax – hmmm), 45% of modern medicine is derived from native American plants (hmmm) and that if it were not for the Indians we wouldn’t know about beans, squash, tomatoes, chocolate or corn (yummm!).

Carla & Allan Messinger @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Carla & Allan Messinger @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Indian artifacts on display @ Lenape Lifeways lecture.

Indian artifacts on display @ Lenape Lifeways lecture.  The Messingers described a full cultural life that worked with the land and respected its resources and explained lessons remembered from the people who originally occupied the banks of the Delaware.  A people who mastered the art of survival.

Carla Messinger (a Lenape descendant) displaying authentic garb.  The lecture was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, you can learn more at www.lenapeprograms.info.

Carla Messinger (a Lenape descendant) displaying authentic garb.  The lecture was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, you can learn more at www.lenapeprograms.info.

Lenape objects

Lenape oject d’art.

Carla Messinger and david Foss

Carla Messinger and David Foss @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

 

Happy Thanksgiving.

LoVe

DoN

 

Bonnie Schorske @ Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville

Fine art photographer Bonnie Schorske currently is exhibiting skillful black and white photos in the front room of Artists’ Gallery, an artist co-op in Lambertville, NJ.  Bonnie has chosen to focus on two major subjects for her show: dogs and pigeons.  DoN loves dogs so was immediately drawn into how Bonnie captured urban canines and how they patiently tolerate the conditions their masters impose.  DoN has tied up ArT DoG Katy outside of many shops and the image of a dog on a short leash really pulled on his heartstrings.

But pigeons!?! Yuk – right?  But, Schorske intersperses masterful images of the urban pests with historical factoids, shedding new light on the much maligned birds.  Did you know pigeon poop was used to invent gunpowder?  Or their important missions as information carriers before electronic communication?  Or that they live 30 years!?! 

Dog portraits by Bonnie Schorske @ Artists’ Gallery.

 Dog portraits by Bonnie Schorske @ Artists’ Gallery.

Artists’ Gallery is shared by 18 other fine artists, several of which are included in the currentAbsolutely Abstract show @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.  The group rotates exhibits in the front room with two artists sharing the space and the rest of the group displaying work in the back rooms.  DoN was surprised to see art friends Rich Harrington (who recently saved the day for the Hitoshi Nakazota lecture @ PSC).  Rich is a professor of illustration at Moore College of Art and has several masterful watercolors on display.

Artist Richard Harrington @ Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville.

Artist Richard Harrington @ Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville.

Painting by Andrew Werth @ Artists’ Gallery.  Werth won an award @ PSCs Absolutely Abstract show.

Painting by Andrew Werth @ Artists’ Gallery.  Werth won an award @ PSCs Absolutely Abstract show.

Artist Gail Bracegirdle @ Artists’ Gallery.

Artist Gail Bracegirdle @ Artists’ Gallery.  Gail also has work in the Absolutely Abstract show.  Gail teaches a class called “Watercolor Anarchy” @ The Art Colony of Ty Hodonish.

Artist Carol Sanzalone shares the front room with Bonnie Schorske @ Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville.

Artist Carol Sanzalone shares the front room with Bonnie Schorske @ Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville.  Carol’s bold, fluid watercolors are a perfect counterpoint to Bonnie’s photographic realism.  The trip to Lambertville with art buddies Shoshana, Shirleen and Alden Cole was adventurous and left us each wishing we had more time to wander around the quaint village. Artists’ Gallery is located at 32 Coryell Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530.

 

 

Da Vinci Art Alliance @ Bartram’s Garden Gallery

Over the Summer, Alden Cole and DoN made regular trips to Bartram’s Garden in West Philly to work on paintings for the Da Vinci Art Alliance’s “Art of the Tree” exhibit.  Today on a snowy cold day, I remember sitting in the humid heat painting the fantastic lotus in full bloom in the water Lilly pond, including in the composition an unusual tree with large thorns and small shiny leaves.  DoN wondered aloud what type of tree it was and a voice from behind said, “It’s a Toothache Tree  One of the many gardeners had been watching DoN paint and was very helpful in explaining the many plants in the historic garden.  The anesthetic effect of the thorns from the Toothache Tree was used by the Indians to soothe sore gums. 

Alden Cole’s DoN painting in Bartram’s Garden

Alden Cole’s “DoN Painting in Bartram’s Garden”, oil on recycled cutting board.

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Mixed media by Liz Niklus.

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Carved wood by R.J Wallner in Bartram’s Garden Gallery.

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Solid brass owl sculpture by Michelle Post.

Ken Tutjamnong @ The Enclaves.

Painting by Ken Tutjamnung

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Paintings on left by DoN Brewer, paintings on right by Victoria Necins and Alden Cole, luminary by Alden Cole.

Another day DoN painted a landscape with a Carolina Silverbell Tree with a hint of the Schuylkill River peeking through the trees; painting plein air can be intoxicating and tiring, DoN has to bring all the supplies to the location hopefully not forgetting something important.  Art friend, Aida accompanied DoN one sunny day and we both produced decent paintings.  Check out the Bartrams Garden website for the history of this amazing nature space, even better visit the garden and wander the paths along the river. 

DoN Brewer’s Carolina Silverbell

Carolina Silverbell” by DoN Brewer. oil on canvas.

DoN Brewer’s Bartram’s Garden

Bartram’s Garden” by DoN Brewer, oil on canvas.

 DoN Brewer’s Lotus and the Toothache Tree

Lotus and the Toothache Tree” by DoN Brewer, oil on rag board.

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Da Vinci Art Alliance art party @ Bartram’s Garden Gallery in America’s oldest barn.

Philadelphia Skyline

Alden and DoN each completed three paintings appropriate for the show which ran the weekend of October 23rd starting with a lovely cocktail party and awards presented by Dr. Deb Miller.  Shoshana, Shirleen and Alden sipped wine and nibbled snacks with members of the Da Vinci Art Alliance and watched the sun set over the Philadelphia skyline.

DoN can’t wait for Spring and the chance to paint the beautiful flowers and trees in this lovely, restful space hidden on the edge of Philadelphia.

Beneath the Din

A collaborative exhibit by Michael Sweeney and Danielle Thierry @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.Mike Sweeney

Mike Sweeney’s “Conscious/Subconscious” @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.  At first glance the image appears to be a sculpture but it’s actually a mixed media installation with Sweeney swathed in white sitting in a cardboard apse. Sweeney tells DoN, “The tree represents the subconscious and the figure the conscious.”  The show ran through 10/26.Mike Sweeney

Mike Sweeney @ The Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Lilliana Didovic & Shoshana Aron @ Da Vinci

Art Party @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Mike Sweeney

DoN LoVeS this piece by Mike Sweeney, “Lichen 2” an 8″ x 10″ photo.  DoN recalled the photo from Mike’s show @ Smile but did not get to write about it then or for his last DoNArTNeWsLetter; the photo of green moss is perfectly complemented by the appropriate mat color and lustrous gold frame.  Sweeney’s show @ Da Vinci was a wonderful combo of paintings, photography and mixed media, hopefully we’ll see more of this talented artist in the near future.  Stripping away the extraneous put against nature Sweeney allows us to see the stark contrast of our own minds. 

Philadelphia Open Studio Tours Opening Night Gala @ The Institute of Contemporary Art

Go to DoN‘s YouTube page, DoNNieBeat, to see a short video clip of the evening.  It was really a fun night in West Philly; Shoshana and DoN dressed up and mingled with the crowd of artists while video projectors displayed examples of many of the POST artists works, an efficient way to honor the artists in the prestigious art museum.Last weekend was the West of Broad Street Philadelphia Open Studio ToursDoN exhibited new drawings, photographs, paintings and video with a special display of NTPE 1 & 4 prints.  NTPE = Newstoday Print Exchange.  Newstoday, now QBN.com is a website dedicated to mostly multimedia and graphic designers who exchange ideas, chat and help each other.  The Friday Photoshop Battles are hysterical.  For NTPE, artists and designers send a print to people on a list and each then sends one to you. DoN participated in the first event and the most recent, fourth, exchange.  NTPE is a wonderful experiment in trust, commitment, ingenuity and style with each artist doing their best to impress even the most jaded fellow designer.