Category Archives: Philadelphia Art Clubs

Art clubs are members only groups with a mission to promote the development of artists; DoN is a member of several Philadelphia area art clubs.

Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Soldenise Ramos-Gonzalez, Pink Self Portrait, acrylic, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Soldenise Ramos-Gonzalez, Pink Self Portrait, acrylic, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

The Philadelphia Sketch Club is America’s oldest artist club established in 1865, for the past twenty-eight years the historic club has honored Philadelphia High School art students with an exhibition of work selected from all of the High Schools in the city.  On February 19th, 2012 the awards ceremony and closing reception took place in the historic gallery and more than twenty awards were presented to Philadelphia High School art students or their teachers.  The generous awards included monetary awards for the top winners and the many memorial awards, wonderful gift packages of art supplies for honorable mentions made the presentation go on for almost thirty minutes, and a wonderful reception with tons of food for hungry teens.  Congratulations to all the artists from DoNArTNeWs.

Emanuel Rodriguez, Living Room, Best in Show, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Emanuel Rodriguez, Living Room, Best in Show, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

The High School Art Show at Philadelphia Sketch Club included 149 works of art for the jurors to select from.  Mina Smith-Segal, Lois Schlachter and Joseph Winter spent hours winnowing down their faves but with 22 awards almost of the schools took home prizes.  DoN was impressed by the high level of craft and presentation, even without frames many pieces were appropriately matted to best effect.

Ada Anderson, Digital Photo Award, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Ada Anderson, Self Portrait/Woman, Digital Photo Award, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Ada Anderson told DoN her teacher pushed her to take her Photoshop skills to the max, sending her back to the computer to refine the photo over and over; Ada took her original self portrait then used the star paintbrush tool to decorate her scarf, layers of rainbow gradient are subtle mimics lens flare.  Digital Photo Award well deserved.

Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Linda Lvea, Travis Balker, acrylic, Kimberly Neubauer, John Frusciante, acrylic, Catherine Cordoza, Steve Jobs, acrylic, Tara Downey, Steve Buscemi, acrylic, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012.  The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, Graphic Arts Teacher Jeff Evans

Maisum Shami, Cast Drawng, conte, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Maisum Shami, Cast Drawing, conte, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012, Dick Blick Award

Miranda Gibson, Chair/Space Study, mixed media, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Miranda Gibson, Chair/Space Study, mixed media, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Dorothy Roschen, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Dorothy Roschen, Philadelphia Sketch Club, 28th Annual High School Art 2012

Special thanks to all the donors of awards, volunteers for hanging the show, food donations, committee co-chairs Debra Cooperstein and Dorothy Roschen, Jaqueline Barnette, Jaqueline and Richard Kunin, Mina Smith Segal, Norka Shedlock, Catherine Bath, Joanne Bosack, William C. Patterson PSC President and Executive Director Richard W. Fink, III.

Dorothy and the team begins work of this project in September to present a wonderful example of the state of the arts in High School.  Expressing creativity and ideas through the arts is essential for young people to learn in order to communicate more effectively in the adult world.  The skill of being able to draw is underestimated in society.  Support the arts by helping the Philadelphia Sketch Club 29th Annual High School Art Show even bigger and better, in only takes volunteer time to make a big difference in a young artists life.

Photographs by DoN Brewer
Students, get the best service, selection and price: shop at BLICK!

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Theodore J. Amick

Theodore J. Amick, The Plastic Club, Downstairs Gallery

Theodore J. Amick, The Plastic Club, Downstairs Gallery

Theodore J. Amick, The Plastic Club, Downstairs Gallery

Theodore J. Amick, The Plastic Club, Downstairs Gallery

Theodore J. Amick, The Plastic Club, Downstairs Gallery

Theodore J. Amick, The Plastic Club, Downstairs Gallery

DoN talked with Erica Amick, artist Ted Amick‘s daughter about her Dad’s memorial art show in the Downstairs Gallery of the Plastic Club.  “The memorial show for my dad, Ted Amick, is full of his life’s work.  He was always creative.  He was always happy.  He always had a good story to tell you and loved to be around people.  And loved a good time.  So, he would enjoy the show in the gallery, filled with people drinking and laughing and talking.”  So, what’s your favorite piece?  “I don’t have a favorite, it’s all different parts of his life and you can see the progression of his scientific alien stage to a more impressionist stage to just happy picture stage.  He did a portrait of me and my sister and I think that’s one of our favorites.”

DoN mentioned Ted in a blog he wrote back in 2009, the Red, White and Green show and Ted instantly became a buddy with lots of compliments and questions about photography at every Plastic Club reception.  At the awards ceremony February 5th for the current exhibition, Urban Observations, past president Mike Guinn said it best, “He was my brother.”

Ted Amick‘s on-line Guestbook

Plastic Club on Facebook

DoNArTNeWs Philadelphia Art News Blog

Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club

Alden W. Cole, Downstairs Gallery at The Plastic Club, Down the Intervale No. 1

Alden Cole, Down the Intervale No. 1, oil, Downstairs Gallery at The Plastic Club

Alden Cole, Down the Intervale No. 3, oil, Downstairs Gallery at The Plastic Club

Alden Cole, Down the Intervale No. 3, oil, Downstairs Gallery at The Plastic Club.

Downstairs Gallery at the Plastic Club features the work of Sylvia Fine, Phyllis Weldon, Irma Shapiro, Naomi N. Rubin and Alden Cole.  Artist, Alden Cole makes sure he dedicates time in his life to be surrounded by Nature.  Born and raised in New England, Cole makes several trips a year to the Northeast, lugging his paintbox and canvas’ on the train to visit his family farm or the homes of his friends, always returning with a reminder of the beauty and tranquility of the land he came from.

Photos by DoN

Kodak

DoNArTNeWs Philadelphia Art News Blog

ps Alden Cole designed this book.

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Works on Paper 2012 at PSC

Sibylle-Maria Pfaffenbichler, Yes Indeed, at The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Sibylle-Maria Pfaffenbichler, Yes Indeed, acrylic & pastel, Works on Paper at The Philadelphia Sketch Club 1/8/2012

Sibylle-Maria Pfaffenbichler, Yes Indeed, acrylic & pastel, “The Annual Domenic DiStefano Memorial 2012 Juried Works on Paper Exhibition”, at The Philadelphia Sketch Club through 1/21/2012.

Richard Harrington, 1956 T-bird at The Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012

Richard Harrington, 1956 T-bird , gouache on paper at The Philadelphia Sketch Club  “The Annual Domenic DiStefano Memorial 2012 Juried Works on Paper Exhibition”.

Lisa Lawinski, Acacia Tress and Bleeding Hearts, The Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012

Lisa Lawinski Buchler, Acacia Tress and Bleeding Hearts, mixed media, The Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012

Lisa Lawinski, Acacia Tress and Bleeding Hearts, The Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012

Lisa Lawinski Buchler, Acacia Tress and Bleeding Hearts, The Philadelphia Sketch Club “The Annual Domenic DiStefano Memorial 2012 Juried Works on Paper Exhibition”

Judy Engle, Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012

Judy Engle, Loft Life with Ginger Cat, mixed media collage with tape at Philadelphia Sketch Club “The Annual Domenic DiStefano Memorial 2012 Juried Works on Paper Exhibition”.

Judy Engle‘s tape collage, Loft Life with Ginger Cat, has a depth and density that is confusingly 3D.  Judy told DoN that friend’s told her that tape would deteriorate but the artist has found just the opposite.  Ignoring the negative feedback, Judy Engle had both of her entries accepted into the exclusive exhibition and took home an Honarable Mention award.

Judy Engle, Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012

Judy Engle, Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012.  The reflected light is from the large window over the Winner’s Wall, you may even notice the model ship on the sill and the skylight which makes the gallery/studio so appealing for making art.

Harry S. Camarda, In Thought, The Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012

Harry S. Camarda, In Thought, charcoal, The Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012

Harry S. Camarda, In Thought, The Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012

Harry S. Camarda, In Thought, charcoal, The Philadelphia Sketch Club Works on Paper 2012

The Philadelphia Sketch Club “The Annual Domenic DiStefano Memorial 2012 Juried Works on Paper Exhibition”, through January 21st, 2012, is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the variety of media, ideas and combinations of materials that constitutes art made on and with paper.  Excluding photography, the show displays exquisite works by many of Philadelphia finest artists; the first place winner Harry S. Camarda‘s In Thought, a magnificent charcoal drawing that recalls the era of Thomas Eakins, a PSC founder, and reaffirms the mission of the Philadelphia Sketch Clubwhere artists grow.

Read about New Wave Art Fine Art Products on Side Arts blog.

DoNArTNeWs Philadelphia Art News Blog

Photographs by DoN
Kodak Digital Cameras

Blick Art Materials

New Members Plastic Club 2012

Tecu’Mish Munha’ke, Put on Your Big Girl Panties and Cowgirl Up at The Plastic Club

Tecu’Mish Munha’ke, Put on Your Big Girl Panties and Cowgirl Up, three assemblages at The Plastic Club.

Tecu’Mish Munha’ke submitted three assemblages for the New Members 2012 exhibition, Put on Your Big Girl Panties and Cowgirl Up, Out of Order (a large assemblage sculpture that grabs your attention) and Feed Me.  Take that all you Untitlers out there!

Cary Galbraith, Frog Hollow, oil, at The Plastic Club New Member 2012

Cary Galbraith, Frog Hollow, oil, at The Plastic Club New Members 2012

At first glance DoN thought this languid landscape was by Robert Daniel Bohne’ but then DoN overheard someone say that she, Cary Galbraith, painted with Bohne.  The cross influences artists have on each other is one of the best parts of being involved in an art group like the Plastic Club and is a hallmark of the Philadelphia art scene.

Leon Graff, Plastic Club New Member 2012

Leon Graff, Parkside, acrylic, at the Plastic Club New Member 2012

Leon Graff was born in South Africa and was trained in South Africa and London. He has lived and exhibited in London, Seattle, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia and New York City. His paintings hang in many private collections in New York City, Philadelphia, Canada, Florida and Europe.”  – Fine Art Liasons website

Leon Graff‘s paintings capture the vibrancy and fun of the thriving Philadelphia art scene.  Congratulations to the New Members of The Plastic Club.  Learn more about the art club in DoN‘s interview with Bob Jackson on the Philly Side Arts blog.  Member’s of the Plastic Club looking to expand their web presence and consolidate their social networking links may consider an artist portfolio page on Side Arts.

Photographs by DoN Brewer
Kodak Digital Cameras

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