Category Archives: Philadelphia Art Shows

Art shows DoN has reviewed for DoNArTNeWs.

Photographic Society of Philadelphia – Art in City Hall

city hall

As DoN entered the 5th Floor of Philadelphia City Hall for the Photographic Society of Philadelphia exhibition of member work a part of Art in City Hall he was greeted by Eilleen Eckstein with a flower for participating artists.  Shoshka pinned DoN‘s carnation and they entered the ornate halls together; the gala was jammed with estimates of 300 attendees, the walls are hung with a fantastic array of photographic styles all meeting the only rule, that the framed image not exceed 16 x 20 inches.  The crowd was jovial and high spirited.

city hall

The Photographic Society of Philadelphia opening night party for Art in City Hall on the 5th floor.

city hall

Lynn Shepsman with her photograph, “Deep in Devotion“.  DoN is fascinated with how this simple image emanates a certain time and place and when DoN talked with Lynn he learned the image is indeed of contemporary India.

city hall

Photographer Alan K. Klawans @ Art in City Hall.  Klawens recently curated the excellent small WORLDS show at the Plastic Club.

city hall

Alan K. Klawans‘ photos, “Buoy #14“, a composite image and “Nuts and Bolts“.

city hall

DoN LoVeS  Veronica Schmude’s photographs, “Untitled #1″ & “Untitled #2“.

Kudo’s to the exhibition committee for the most excellent digital catalog, Morris Klein customized the pdf files so that each artists work appears on the cover – here’s DoN‘s.  brewer pdf

city hall

A visitor studying DoN‘s entry in Art in City Hall’s, Photographic Society of Philadelphia members exhibition.  DoN‘s work was framed by Armond Scavo of Earthlight Images, simply heat mounting the prints to foam-core board with no glass heightened the visibility of the images.

Many people asked DoN how he does it – Friday the 13th, DoN will participate in a discussion about light in art, with a video slideshow of his “light being” series at The Philadelphia Sketch Club @ 8:00PM.

 city hall

light being (Walt)“, digital photo by DoN Brewer @ Photographic Society of Philadelphia, Art in City Hall show.

“PLASTIC AT THE PLASTIC” Women’s Caucus for Art, Members Exhibition

 The Women’s Caucus for the Arts is exhibiting “Plastic at the Plastic” @ The Plastic Club on Camac Street, a mixed media show of beautiful objects and images.  Diana Riukas and Pam Flynn have special exhibits.  The Women’s Caucus for Art is a National Organization of women artists, art historians, curators, collectors, art educators and museum professionals – the show runs through 3/29/09.

plastic @ plastic

plastic @ plastic

Virginia Maksymowicz, “Pane Trasparente“, installation of 30 small cast resin and photos. 

plastic @ plastic

PonderingsPam Flynn in the Tearoom @ The Plastic Club. 

plastic @ plastic

Art & artist.  Neurotica – Works by Diana Riukas in the Main room of The Plastic Club.

 

Dumpster Divers on South Street

An incredible thing has happened.  The business community of South Street offered empty store fronts to artists rent free if they pay the utilities; DoN first heard of this from David Foss, director of the Da Vinci Art Alliance.  The Dumpster Divers jumped at the chance and have installed an exciting mixed media art show of museum quality – a lot of the work has been exhibited in actual museums and are scheduled to show in upcoming museum shows.  The Grand Opening is March 15th but there’s plenty to absorb now as the huge space at 723 South Street is transformed.

DoN says when the grid goes down the artists will become the tribal leaders: storytellers, image makers, re-purposers, builders, makers, artists, musicians and those able to carry the history forward and preserve culture.

dumpster divers

Dumpster Divers on South Street.

dumpster Divers on South Street

Dumpster Diver outsider, couturier Shoshana Arons with Diver multimedia artist Alden Cole @ 723 South Street.

dumpster divers 

Burnell Yow!‘s “52 Collages in 52 Weeks” @ The Dumpster Divers installation on South Street.

dumpster divers 

Art of the Flower @ PSC

DoN is delighted his inkjet print collage was selected to be included in the Art of the Flower show at The Philadelphia Sketch Club.  The annual show includes many of DoN‘s favorite Philadelphia painters and photographers as selected by juror James P. Repenning; helping install the show was especially fun knowing DoN’s “Ginkgo” is included along side exquisite works by Peltzman, Eckstein, Monaghan, Barnes, Tony Anthony, Roschen, Camera…  The reception and awards is Sunday @ 2:00.  Repenning’s work on the art card is lovely but in real life is an incredible mixed media piece with dimension, depth and high style design, executed with utmost craft – really stunning.

flower1

Hearts @ High Wire

February is over, finally.  DoN keeps getting unsolicited e-mails from Yahoo personals that he has 0 matches. 0.  Out of the millions of Yahoo’ers absolutely zero are a match made in cyber-heaven.  Valentines Day is stupid but the show at High Wire in Fishtown was intelligently filled with hugs and kisses.  A whole lot of love.  

high wire

 Alden Cole’s “Take Another Piece of My Heart, Now Baby.” paired with the Frank Sinatra homage is sublime.  First of all, Frank Sinatra is dead, so it’s really about worship, not love. The radiant Alden self-portrait with diced hearts is enlightened to the transient nature of love, good-naturedly doled out in bits and pieces.

jim Bloom @ high wire

Jim Bloom @ High Wire.  “Men Seldom Make Passes At Girls Who Wear Glasses.”

isaiah zagar

Isaiah Zagar , “Julia Loves Folk Art“, mixed media @ High Wire Gallery.

Zagar’s installation was enormous, painterly, informed and cerebral like he was hit by a bolt of pink lightning from the sky and love is shattered into shards of broken memories.