Category Archives: Philadelphia Artists

Artists DoN has met in and around Philadelphia.

Found Objects/New Contexts @ Davinci Art Alliance

Sho & DoN picked up Alden Cole (who has a pic in City Paper – holla!!) and arrived at the Found Objects/New Contexts show to find a constellation of art stars:

David Foss’ dust encrusted bizarro birdcage is so DuChampian, only the passage of time and benign neglect can create such a time/space distortion.

Artist Andrew Dyer – as his MySpace page @ Found Objects/New Contexts.

Renzo Oliva’s “Gladiator“, mixed media piece combines metaphors and anthropomorphism by distilling disparate elements with a similar line weight into an activated object of desire, it really has the feel of drawing. Oliva explained to DoN that Davinci Art Alliance’s Found Art show is his first art show in America, having exhibited in Europe and Asia.

Artists Karey Maurice and Burnell Yow! near their selections for the show; that’s Burnell’s on the pedestal, a mixed media piece using dog bone and doll parts, and the pair of Super Kawai, anime-ish sculptures on the table are Karey’s.

Artists Ted Warchal and award winner Regina Barthmaier; her wire horse sculpture made from rescued electronic parts is evocative of a time-traveling trip towards entropy. In the pic on the pedestal is Regina’s other entry in Found Objects/New Contexts. Writer and art critic R.B. Strauss tells DoN he’ll be writing about Barthmaier’s horse-like sculpture.

New Philadelphia artists, Ted Warchal, Alden Cole and David Foss @ Davinci Art Alliance. Alden Cole’s Divine Lorraine Awakened is pictured in this weeks City Paper with a color photo on-line, and an interview with Warchal as well. Found Objects/New Contexts is one of the best shows DoN has seen in recent memory, as one guest Jean Adelman said, “Fun, not trivial.”

Rowan University’s Dr. Deb Miller presenting awards at DaVinci Art Aliance’s Found Objects/New Contexts exhibit which is open through 7/29/08.

LoVeDoN

All photography by DoNBrewerMultimedia Photography.

Smile Gallery – Sunshine and Flowers

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Artist Lilliana Didovic, artist Karen McDonnell and Ken Tutjamnong @ Smile Gallery opening for artists Ken Tutjamnong and Mike Sweeney.

Ken Tutjamnong’s impressionist floral paintings are exuberant with a variety of mark making techniques splashed across the canvas then scraped away to reveal subtle coloration and form. Ken, a native of Thailand, is a dedicated painter and a member of the DaVinci Alliance – not only does he manage the most excellent Smile Thai Restaurant which is more than a full time job, he finds time in the morning or after to work to develop his unique painterly style. Tutjamnong’s paintings for the Sunshine and Flowers Show are absolutely happy with rich texture, color and composition; Ken obviously is working hard to realize a dream.

Painting by Ken Tutjamnong

Artist Mike Sweeney @ Smile Gallery.

Mike Sweeney mixed paintings and photographs in Smile’s Sunshine and Flowers show. he says, “Photos are an ethereal experience, a painting you have to live with, get to know, be there a long time. A photo lasts forever as that moment.” Again, time shifting and experience design create new vibrations, since DoN is a multimedia guy, it’s refreshing to see an artist freely mix the medias usually kept separate.

Painting by Mike Sweeney @ Smile Gallery.

Ken Tutjamnong and his brother Matt Lyons.

Susan Abrams @ The Enclaves Gallery (short video clip)

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Susan Abrams exhibit @ The Enclaves Gallery featuring Shoshana.

Susan Abrams makes her own paper, applies emulsion and exposes them to light in her darkroom; working with negatives she captures a wash-like effect, distorting reality, repurposing each line and shadow. Abrams is a teacher in her former life and watching her interact with the kids, explaining her process in simple terms, was a very enjoyable experience. The Enclaves Gallery looks just beautiful with Susan Abrams’ work energizing the space with nature, science and impeccable presentation.

Susan Abrams (left) @ The Enclaves Gallery.

During Susan Abrams reception, DoN met Stephanie Yuhas of Project 21, a collaborative project bringing together film makers, artists, designers, actors…to create teams and make a movie in 21 days, followed by a film festival. Stephanie and DoN dished about local viral video star, Nora the Piano Playing Cat and Angry Video Game Nerd. This is a geat opportunity for the New Media community to get to know each other better, the way the Philadelphia Sketch Club, the Plastic Club, PANMA and DaVinci Art Alliance bring together creative people. Maybe Comcast will put some videos on all those blank “public access channels”? Or on that faboo screen in the lobby?

UArts @ URBN

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UArts @ URBN

Shoshana & DoN attended a show of recent graduates of UArts photography majors at the Urban Outfitters headquarters in the Navy Yard, a wonderfully cavernous, bright space with hip, modern amenities for workers and visitors, repurposed from an industry long gone. The occasion was a first for Urban Outfitters, to include art from outside their own studios, a coup for UArts photography majors to have their work hanging in the ultimate New Philadelphia. The display wall was installed especially for this exhibition permitting the artists to exhibit large scale works or groupings in a salon style fashion. The art is superb, the level of skill is extraordinary with unique uses of tools and technology producing fine art photography from staged magic realism to documentary realism to intimate glimpses into childhood memories.

Artist Anna Tas with two examples of her Linticular Prints, the collection will appear in the Please Touch Museum. Tas taps into cultural stereotypes with the shifting shades of humanity playing out cheerfully in simple plastic shapes. The technical term for the type of linticular print used is a “flip” which is really only two images divided into strips, the lens lets the mind’s eye create multi-cultural blends.

Stephanie Ricci with photos of the carousel at Knoebels Amusement Resort; an homage to her grandfather this sampling is from a group of 26.

Photographer Dustin Ream with “Fukayama Japan 01, 2007”. The view is under a Japanese rail line with amusement sculptures, Murikami-like in their super-flatness. DoN & Dustin discussed the similarity to Zoe Strauss’ Under 95 projects, the Shin Honsen train system in Japan and traveling with a rail pass. Ream is going for an MFA @ Tyler.

Photographer Christos Loutovoulis with “In the Name of Cha Ching, the Crucifixtion“, created by applying liquid emulsion to paper then exposed to light from an enlarger, the four sheets of paper are nailed directly to the wall.