Category Archives: Philadelphia Artists

Artists DoN has met in and around Philadelphia.

Tony Rubel @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Tony Rubel @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

The Tony Rubel exhibit @ PSC is extremely moving not only because the imagery speaks of a specific period in time when androdynous beauty and editorial content was like physical contact with the lithe nymphs portrayed in the images but that his work lives on, respectfully remembered with this wonderful retrospective of more than 40 photographs. Sexy, gorgeous girls stare into the camera, calmly, serenely calling out from the paper like mythological sirens. A memorial for the photographer is today in the Philadelphia Sketch Club gallery.

PSoP @ Bonte’s 9th & Walnut – Inaugural Installation

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The Photographic Society of Philadelphia installed their inaugural show of small scale photographs at 922 Walnut Street. The board of directors arranged for the picture hangers to be laid out in advance and then with specific framing & wiring instructions, like a flash mob, a gang of photographers swarmed the contemporary space, jovially jostling each other for prime real estate on the warm toned walls. The range of subject and style considering the parameters of inclusion is mind expanding and hanging out with fellow photography enthusiasts is artistically satisfying.

Eileen Eckstein (left) and Morris Klein are primarily responsible for developing the multiple venues Bonte Waffle Restaurants has offered to PSoP, the cafe at Walnut & Juniper even advertises the show on their sidewalk sandwich board claiming it draws customers. While Shoshka & DoN installed his latest photograph, light being (Max Ernst), they both were struck by people actually looking attentively at the art – it’s fun being a fly on the wall. The cafe at 17th & Walnut will promote one person shows soon, the Walnut & Juniper location features 16×20″ works.

Claire Alta Elliott – New Works @ The Beauty Shop Cafe

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Claire Alta Elliott‘s one person show at the Beauty Shop Cafe is like a trip to the woods with drippy, trippy oils painted thick and loose into verdant landscapes which pop beautifully off the new citrus colored walls of the popular coffee shop. The big windows really sell the art as you stroll by or drive down Fitzwater Street; The Beauty Shop just celebrated their 2nd anniversary, offering a great opportunity for many local artists to have an art show of their own.

Claire Alta Elliott is a blogger, too – the painter likes spreading her imagery over the Internet, tracking her progress in a disciplined yet cheery manner. Recently, DoN was discussing how American it is to be a multimedia artist with Dexiang Qian, former director of The Fine Arts Academy of Guangzhou – he was surprised at how many artists work in a wide spectrum of media from drawing and painting to photography and web design. Qian explained, via his translator, that in China and many other countries that art is a discipline dedicated to a particular media like painting. Claire Alta Elliott epitomizes the fresh, new, young generation of American artist, armed with a plan, a path, the savvy, attitude and talent to be recognized as a fine artist and taste-maker. Surprisingly, this is Elliott’s first show considering the sophistication and depth of the art; thanks to The Beauty Shop Cafe for continuing to promote exciting new talent.

Legacy of Leonardo @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

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Dexiang Qian, Gold Medal award winner.

The Legacy of Leonardo

Da Vinci Art Alliances Annual Members Exhibition 2009 is a multi-media exhibition open to all current Da Vinci members, featuring works inspired by the life, art, and science of Leonardo da Vinci.

July 8-29, 2009
Gallery Hours: Wed 6-8 pm, Sat-Sun noon-5 pm
The awards for the Legacy of Leonardo were as follows:

Da Vinci Gold Medal for Best in Show: Dexiang Qian, Dinner, Bread, and Tea

Silver Medal, 2nd Prize: Gerard di Falco, Camera Non-Obscura: Clarity

Copper Medal, 3rd Prize: Burnell Yow!, Mona Squared

Honorable Mention: DoN Brewer, Self-Portrait

Honorable Mention: Carol Wisker, Urban Machine I

Mina Smith-Segal with her watercolor painting, In Gratitude to Leonardo Da Vinci @ The Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Rachel Citrino‘s digital prints, Vanishing Point, for The Legacy of Leonardo exhibit.

DoN Brewer with his Self Portrait in charcoal and chalk on paper. Photo by Morris Klein.

Michael DiPrinzio, Untitled, mixed media.

David Foss, Model for Flight, mixed media and wax and Mickie Rosen, Seeds of Flight, photage.

Mona, Mona, Mona – clockwise, Mickie Rosen, My Mona Lisa, photage, Karen McDonnell & Tony Cortosi stencil & spray paint, Ona Kalstein, Mona by Ona, ink, pencil on vellum, Jed Williams, L.D.V. by J.W., acrylic & collage on paper.

The board of directors of the Da Vinci Art Alliance continues to promote exciting opportunities for alliance artists to create original works based on a theme such as Envisioning Othello, Envisioning Romeo and Juliet, Art in Bartram’s Garden, Photo Synthesis and more – upcoming programs include Heroines and Harlots: Women in History, an open juried awards exhibition at Da Vinci Art Alliance of art depicting the female personage in history, literature, and religion 9-27 September 2009, Opening Awards Reception: Saturday, September 12, 6-9 pm and Little Show of Horrors: Carnivorous Plants and the Inspiration of Darwin a multi-media exhibition open to all current Da Vinci members featuring artworks inspired by carnivorous plants and their explication by Charles Darwin, 14-23 August 2009.

The Plastic Club – Workshop Show

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Kim Martin @ The Plastic Club. Kim leads an early morning workshop on Tuesdays at the club featuring extended poses. The result is magnificent works like this portrait of Bob Jackson; Martin’s exuberant use of color and expressive gesture is fun to be around.