Category Archives: Philadelphia Art Classes

Art classes at locations DoN has visited or studied.

Main Line Art Center

 


746 Panmure Road
Haverford, PA  19041
610.525.0272
www.mainlineart.org


MLAC art circle_purple.jpg

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Rachel Ammon, Communications Director

610.525.0272, ext. 25    rammon@mainlineart.org

 

Reaching Out, Karen Steen, Mixed media on paper

 

19._Reaching Out_, Steen#C3B8.jpg


Professional Artists’ Exhibition Features 58 of our Community’s Most Talented Artists

February 12 – March 12, 2013

 

State of the Art Center Happy Hour: Friday, February 15, 5-5:30 pm
Opening Reception: Friday, February 15, 5:30-8 pm

HAVERFORD, PA (January 16, 2013)—Main Line Art Center is proud to present its second annual Professional Artists’ Exhibition, running February 12 to March 12, 2013. The exhibition will feature 2- and 3-D works by 58 of the region’s most talented artists.

The Art Center will host a free public reception on Friday, February 15 from 5-8 pm where the community can meet the artists and purchase unique works of art. The reception will open with the State of the Art Center Happy Hour from 5-5:30 pm, where Executive Director Amie Potsic will share exciting details about ART 75: Access. Renew. Transform, the Art Center’s campaign to raise $1.5 million to renovate its building in the summer.

The Professional Artist Program was developed two years ago to support the careers of artists by providing exhibition opportunities, visibility and advanced career development opportunities. Through a competitive process assessing each artist’s educational background, exhibition participation and gallery experience, 58 diverse artists were selected, including painters, photographers, sculptors, mixed media artists and more. Though their styles, media, and backgrounds vary, they share a commitment to their work and support for Main Line Art Center and its mission of Art for Everyone.

Each Professional Artist Member is profiled on Main Line Art Center’s website with a bio, link to their personal website and an image of their work (http://www.mainlineart.org/professional-artists.php). Throughout the year, the Art Center highlights each artist on its Facebook page, sharing images of their artwork and upcoming exhibitions with the Art Center’s nearly 3000 fans. The Art Center also keeps Professional Artist Members abreast of exhibition opportunities in the Greater Philadelphia area through special monthly emails.

The following artists have been selected into the Professional Artist Program and will be featured in the exhibition:

Deena Ball, Lori Banks, Delainey Barclay, Sarah Barr, Beverly Benson, Maureen Ciaccio, Karen Love Cooler, Susanne Pitak Davis, Joanne DeMartino, Marlene B. Dubin, Teresa McWilliams Farina, Marge Feldman, Linda Dubin Garfield, Pia De Girolamo, Barbara Glickman, Georgianna Grentzenberg, Antonio Grimaldi, Bonnie Gross, Nancy E. F. Halbert, Dwight Harris, Louise Herring, Mary Powers Holt, Dianne Koppisch Hricko, Mary Kane, Meg Kennedy, Diane Lachman, Marilyn Lavins, Monique Lazard, Deborah Leavy, Dale Levy, L. C. Lim, Elaine Lisle, Carla Lombardi, Sandi Neiman Lovitz, Wendy McClatchy, Anne Milner, Betsy Miraglia, Bernice Paul, Doris Peltzman, Jean Plough, Mary Powers-Holt, Laura Pritchard, Dorothy Roschen, Jerri Ross, Rona Satten, Maria Schneider, Antoinette Seymour, Margaret Shattuck, Tad Sperry, Karen Steen, Susan Stefanski, Christine Stoughton, Nancy Tabas, Nury Vicens, Susan Wallack, Hanni Weinstock, Ruth Wolf, Armen Yepoyan

List incomplete

The gallery at Main Line Art Center is free and open to the public Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm and Friday through Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.


For over 75 years, Main Line Art Center in Haverford has served as the creative 
home for generations of community members of all ages, levels and abilities. Its mission is to inspire and engage artistic creativity for all ages and abilities and to celebrate and strengthen the essential role of visual art in community life.  Each year, the Art Center educates nearly 5,000 people through its art classes, outreach programs, lectures, and art camp.  In keeping with its mission, Main Line Art Center pioneers a unique series of outreach programs for children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities, and grants $12,000 in need-based scholarships annually.  The Art Center has built a reputation for presenting innovative, thought-provoking exhibitions as well as exhibitions that celebrate community. We feature up to ten exhibitions annually in our beautiful, spacious gallery. These exhibitions feature the work of emerging and established artists from across the Mid-Atlantic Region and attract over 10,000 visitors each year.

Main Line Art Center is located at 746 Panmure Road in Haverford, behind the Wilkie Lexus dealership just off of Lancaster Avenue. The Art Center is easily accessible from public transportation and offers abundant free parking. For more information about this exhibition or Main Line Art Center’s other programs, please visit www.mainlineart.org or call 610.525.0272.

 

Gesshel at Jed Williams Studio, Printmaking Demonstration

Gesshel at Jed Williams Studio, Printmaking Demonstration

Gesshel at Jed Williams Studio, Printmaking Demonstration 8/22/2012

Philadelphia artist Barbara Gesshel is a printmaker who combines excellent drawing skills with multiple printmaking processes. Old planks of wood become reliefs carved with images of nature in reverse, an old headboard is repurposed and carved away to reveal a family portrait, mono-prints become statement pieces…at Jed Williams Studio, 615 Bainbridge Street, Gesshel will demonstrate several printmaking techniques tonight, August 22nd, followed by refreshments and question and answer session. You may get a chance to even make your own print plus you will get a preview of Gesshel‘s upcoming solo show at Jed Williams Studio in October. Tickets are $7.00

Read more at SideArts.com 

http://gesshelprintmakingdemo.eventbrite.com

Through SideArts.comDoN is offering online and in-person one-on-one consulting services to visual and craft artists and art businesses.  Read all about it here.

Written and Photographed by DoN Brewer

Follow DoN on Twitter @DoNNieBeat58

Affiliate Marketing [disclosure page] Shop on-line at Amazon.com and help support DoNArTNeWs.

Steve Iwanczuk & Kyle Margiotta . . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery

Kyle Margiotta . . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery

Kyle Margiotta . . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery.

Kyle Margiotta‘s paintings draw you in with exquisite technique and metaphysical content; faces emerge from the mist, beautiful women wade through pools of red, metaphorical flowers like bleeding hearts creating an intensely personal experience.  DoN has watched Kyle draw in the Philadelphia Sketch Club‘s workshops, his depth of knowledge, skill with tools (his pencil lines are extremely fine) and focus is an inspiration to those who share the studio with him.  Margiotta’s paintings are illustrative but decorative, even though the subject is deep, the style, color and presentation are desirable.

Kyle Margiotta . . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery

Kyle Margiotta . . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery.

Kyle Margiotta . . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery

Kyle Margiotta . . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery.

Steve Iwanczuk. . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery

Steve Iwanczuk. . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery.

Steve Iwanczuk is the Exhibitions Chair at The Philadelphia Sketch Club, for his own show in the venerable Stewart Room (members are chosen to show @ random), he has selected a group of drawings and photographs that are sleek, shiny, mercurially metallic and sexy.  The detail is intense, the pencil marks stream of conscience-like flow are surreal and fluid, each drawing a dream of it’s own but his photos are sensual contrasts of light and dark, shiny and smooth, real and unreal, Steve’s photography is recognizable as a style all his own.

Steve Iwanczuk. . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery

Steve Iwanczuk. . . empirical, real, metaphysical @ Philadelphia Sketch Club Stewart Room Gallery.

 

Photos by DoN.

Marilee Morris, One Eye Sees the Other Feels, Kay Kanayama, Evidence in The Stewart Room Gallery @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Marilee Morris @ The Philadephia Sketch Club

The Artist in his Garden, oil on canvas, Marilee Morris @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

On a swampy Philly Summer evening, DoN attended the opening reception for artists Marilee Morris and Kay Kanayama, the steamy walk through Center City was worth the sweat.  The venerable Stewart Room of the Philadelphia Sketch Club is reserved for member artists of the club who are chosen at random after a period of time as a member is met, the odds of getting a show are tough.  The Sketch Club calendar says Steve Iwanzcuk is scheduled, he’s the Exhibitions Chair, DoN isn’t positive but Steve must have offered the space (which is OK by club rules) to Marilee & Kay, both devoted volunteers and aspiring painters, resulting in a beautiful show of paintings by emerging artists.

Marilee Morris is an excellent example of an artist who knows they want to be an artist but doesn’t have the technical skills to paint with oils, it’s like a science with all the emulsions, chemicals and mixtures, a lot to learn, right?  Marilee starting taking workshops at the Sketch Club, working side by side with many fine artists who take advantage of the affordable studio with models and soaked up the talent around her.  Many times DoN has stopped by the club and Marilee is painting alone, off hours, in the sunny studio, focused on finding her visual voice in a challenging media.  The result is a collection of lush landscapes and evocative portraits of family and friends, loved ones and children, animals and trees, there is a real feeling of how much she loves her life.

Marilee Morris @ The Philadephia Sketch Club

Danielle, oil on canvas, Marilee Morris @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Marilee Morris @ The Philadephia Sketch Club

Le Chevalier de la Legion D’Honneur, oil on canvas, Marilee Morris @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Click the thumbnail for a good look at Marilee Morris‘ portrait of WWII hero and French Legion of Honor Medal recipient, Ben Cohen, one of the fine artists DoN alluded to, posing in a tuxedo with his award.  With subtle allusions to the French origins of this historic moment, the painting is restrained yet emotionally uplifting; Ben Cohen is very humble about his heroism but Morris captures the true dignity, character and pride of this great man, a true American hero who saved thousands of lives in the great war, in a painterly, atmospheric, yet documentary painting.  Ben is an incredible resource of information about the business of being an artist and a wonderful mentor for Marilee.  This painting will live forever.  And they were speaking French, DoN felt like he was back in Paris.

Kay Kanayama @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club

All About Cornbread, oil on paper, Kay Kanayama @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Kay Kanayama @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Reign Over You, Kay Kanayama @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

This painting is one of DoN‘s favorites, the combination of portraiture and abstract expressionism is euphoric, joyful and dreamy.  Kanayama is another active volunteer at the oldest art club in America, deliberate in her pursuit of atmospheric naturalism mixed with expressive bold brushwork and vivid color.  She calls her part of the show Evidence and hopes her art will help bring forth evidence for you of your own perceptions and emotions.  The show is emotional on many levels resonating with joyful artistic expression and thoughtful narratives in paint.

Kay Kanayama @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Kay Kanayama @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Marilee Morris, One Eye Sees the Other Feels, Kay Kanayama, Evidence in The Stewart Room Gallery @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Photos by DoN.

DoNArTNeWs – How to Overcome Creative Block? Go To The Plastic Club

DoNArTNeWs began as an e-mail newsletter to a list of Philadelphia artists as suggested in the book “I’d Rather Be In The Studio“.  The big idea is to make an art date with yourself, visit a gallery or museum, talk to people, learn new things and gradually the block will lift and the fear of a blank canvas or page will fade to tolerable levels.  The book was originally suggested by friends, a group of guys (fellow artists) interested in improving their visibility in the art work through social networking.  The newsletter is a great idea but labor intensive so DoNArTNeWs gradually evolved into this blog – a review of art dates DoN (my third party voice) makes with himself, quickly Photoshopped and posted (along with constant insertions of shameless self-promotion), even though the small art alliance has drifted apart (one guy is re-covering from a torn rotator cuff, another has a neurological problem currently under control and the third is experiencing arthritis – sheesh!).  Since 2008 DoNArTNeWs has become a source of good art news in Philly.  So, when DoN‘s voice became quieted due to the bodily invasion of an alien virus combined with long time chronic illness and the subsequent space-time morphing from a combination of OTC cold meds and biological disease modifying drugs, DoN is re-discovering the purpose of DoNArTNeWs and why the world around him has turned into a Philip K. Dick novel?  Disaster porn, fever dreams, waking up in a different universe with each dose of medicine has transmogrified into lack of productivity and a deep well of discontent to climb out of.

Tom L. Torosian @ The Plastic Club

Underground Man, Apollo, & Meditation, Tom L. Torosian @ The Plastic Club through April 2011.

DoN realizes artists have come to rely on this blog for information, links and resources and is making every effort to regain his footing in the shifting art landscape and find his voice again.  DoN has received many well wishes but a recent comment on Facebook thanking him for a mention in this blog sparked some energy to keep pushing on.  Sunday DoN visited the Plastic Club which is filled with art, enthusiasm and creative spirit; the main floor is a boldly abstract expressionist solo show by Philadelphia painter, Tom L. Torosian, the upstairs studio is a group show of moving model studies with some spectacular drawings and mixed media and the Downstairs Gallery is a group member show including Leroy Forney, Charles Kelly, Yeoun Lee, Bill Myers and Sibylle-Maria Pfaffenbichler.  Torosian’s reception wasn’t until the evening so most of us gravitated downstairs with a lovely lunch spread out by Plastic Club president Bob Jackson who obviously is in love with the club’s professional grade range.  Sitting and talking, munching ham sandwiches with a group of friends about art and culture in an historic space is a healing exercise in itself.

Tom L. Torosian @ The Plastic Club

Relationships & Reflection, Tom L TorosianArt is Happening Again @ The Plastic Club.

Tom L. Torosian @ The Plastic Club

Conjunction and Three Boats, Tom L. Torosian @ The Plastic Club.  Torosian’s bold neo-expressionist paintings ferment in his mind then explode from his hand onto the canvas, the expansive show of abstractions energizes and activates the gallery with a clear vision of how art can make one man happy with his life.

Sibylle-Maria Pfaffenbichler @ The Plastic Club

Sibylle-Maria Pfaffenbichler in the Moving Model Workshop show – a group show of drawings composed while the model slowly changes poses over time.  The practice helps Sibylle infuse action into her paintings of dancers which have earned her acclaim and awards.  Pfaffenbichler has a group of paintings in the Downstairs Gallery and won 3rd place for the Philadelphia Sketch Club‘s Small Oils exhibit; DoN saw a preview of the Small Oils show before jurying at the invitation of PSC president Bill Patterson and Sibylle-Maria Pfaffenbichler’s fancy dancers stood apart from the hundreds of excellent contenders for the show, it was no surprise to DoN she won a prize.

Moving Models @ The Plastic Club

Moving Model @ The Plastic Club.

Chick Kelly Plastic Club

Charles “Chick” Kelly @ The Plastic Club’s Downstairs Gallery.

Chick Kelly Plastic Club

Charles “Chick” Kelly with his paintings in the Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club.  What a gentleman?  Chick’s self deprecating wit and fearless paintings of himself reveal an authenticity and genuineness of character.

Yeoun Lee @ The Plastic Club Downstairs Gallery

Yeoun Lee @ The Plastic Club Downstairs Gallery.

Bill Myers Plastic Club

Bill Myers @ The Plastic Club’s Downstairs Gallery.  Myers clever surrealistic Photoshop collages are deceivingly simple, the piece on the left is a collage of a graffiti photo with the heart bear layered in and “everyone bleeds now” text extracted from a clandestine shot of someone’s T-shirt design when combined morph into a love story with bleeding hearts, memes and symbols resonating like an orchestra of tin cans in a bag.

Bill Myers, Leroy Fornat & Chick Kelly @ The Plastic Club Downstairs Gallery.

Bill Myers, Leroy Forney & Chick Kelly @ The Plastic Club Downstairs Gallery.

Photos by DoN.