Category Archives: Philadelphia Art

Art in Philadelphia, PA.

Bob Makoid @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

Makroid @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

Bob Makoid @ Nouns: people places things

In November, the Da Vinci Art Alliance hosted a group show called  NOUNS: people places things, including the work of 6 artists – black and white photography by Carolyn Harper Cohen, watercolors by Diane Lachman, acrylics by Sandi Neiman Lovitz, pastels by Bob Makoid, photography by Ligia Richter and pastels by Liora Seltzer. The exhibit, curated by Bobbie Adams, member of Da Vinci Art Alliance, is organized by Linda Dubin Garfield, president of smART business consulting and member of Da Vinci Art Alliance.

DoN only saw the show on the closing day – time flies! – but the show is memorable still for the variety and quality of art which Bobbie Adams gathered together, creating groupings of each artist so that the art work really shined.  DoN could tell Bob (who was gallery sitting) was happy with the show even though artists (like DoN) were delivering work for the next/current show.

Makroid @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

Bob Makoid, pastel @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

DoN recognized Bob from the evening drawing workshops at the Plastic Club, it was a nice surprise to get to spend some face time with him in the gallery @ Da Vinci Art Alliance where he exhibited several pastels in a group show.  Makoid’s loose style captures the vacation vibe of a lakeside cabin, the sunny aura of a palm tree or the scale of a high mountain cliff in clear color, simple shapes and spare composition – less is more and more color is better.

Makroid @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

Pastels by Bob Makoid @ Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Nouns: people places things.

Makroid @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

Bob Makoid @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Alden Cole & Betsy Alexander @ The Magic Garden 2007

Two years ago Alden Cole presented a magical show of luminaries in the basement of Isaiah Zagar’s Magic Garden Gallery on South Street in Philly.  DoN was scheduled to go shoot video for a “rock singer”, so, Shoshka bravely took the mini-cam & a mono-pod to the closing reception and recorded this performance of, pianist/music teacher/multimedia artist/YouTube sensation/curator, Betsy Alexander singing a blessing song.  DoN edited photographs into the clip & played with transitions, started two years ago, this video collage is DoN’s homage to Alden Cole‘s clarity of vision & Betsy Alexander‘s beatific aura.

The Conscious World of Alden Cole

Alden Cole @ Galleria Deptford

Alden Cole @ Galleria Deptford – Deptford Municipal Building, 1011 Cooper Street, Woodbury NJ.

While Alden installed his fantastical display of luminaries he was constantly stopped by the flow of visitors to the lobby of the Deptford Municipal Building, everyone wants to know what they are or they have a story about one of the components or their grandmother had a lamp just like that.  Cole takes memories, shakes them up in his mind, recombining the pieces into objects with the logic of dreams; people are drawn to the glowing objects, filled with little stories, overflowing with light and love.  And people are drawn towards him to find out how he figures this out and if he wants their grandmothers old lamps or why didn’t they think of that?  Alden has a story for each luminary and a moment for each admirer.

Alden Cole - Luminary

Stars Stairway, in Alden Cole‘s gallery/studio in South Philly.

Alden Cole @ The Plastic Club

Starlings Under Glass #4, oil on glass, Alden Cole @ The Plastic Club, Red White & Green Show.

Alden Cole

Memento Mori #1, marker, Alden Cole @ Conscious World of Art.  Alden is influenced by Nicholas Roerich and Mati Klarwein – Roerich was the first artist to win a Nobel Peace Prize and Klarwein created the famous Santana album cover.  Alden Cole‘s art brings people together, his art works the room like a good conversation, creating a buzz, upping the voltage with voodoo god-heads & peaceful warriors.  Alden’s Starlings series taps into a deeply seated symbol pattern recognition with his sprightly characters playing out human emotions and exhibitionism in a playful accessible way.  James Warhola just acquired one of Alden Cole‘s pieces at the Da Vinci Art Alliance’s current show.

Alden Cole @ The Plastic Club

Starlings #2 & Delicious, shown here @ The Plastic Club, now available @ Dumpster Divers Gallery, 734 South Street.  Don’t worry, be happy.  Alden Cole currently has work available at the Deptford Municipal Building Galleria Deptford (psst…really great prices, big selection), The Plastic Club’s Red, White & Green show, the Da Vinci Art Alliance Under $200, SOTA on Pine Street, Home & Planet in Bethlehem, the Dumpster Divers Gallery on South Street and @ The Conscious World Art of Alden Cole Gallery/Museum.

Alden Cole & DoN Brewer @ Galleria Deptford

DoN LoVeS this photo with Alden Cole‘s Light Beings and DoN‘s “light being (Rick Selvin)” @ Galleria Deptford.

 

 

Da Vinci Art Alliance – Under $200.00

Judy Engle @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

Judy Engle @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.  If Eileen Tognini says packing tape art is in – then DoN says listen to her!  If you can’t afford a Mark Khaisman before his packing tape drawings increase in value, then buy Engles layered clear tape collage @ Da Vinci Art Alliance for under $200.00 – in real life this small piece is 3D and deep, with layers and layers of tiny bits of color.  Another great steal-able idea.

Judy Engle @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

Judy Engles, photograph.

Judy Engle & DoN Brewer @ Da Vinci Art Alliance

DoN LoVeS how DVAA displays art – Judy Engle’s photo paired with DoN’s digital print is so elegant and thoughtful, the pieces really work together.  DoN was inspired to print “Autum Oak“, a digital photograph from a few years ago after seeing Amie Potsic‘s tree photos @ Area 919 – the most expensive of DoN‘s Under $200.00 entries is $129.00.

Da Vinci Art Alliance - Under $200.00

Lilliana Didovic, Alden Cole & Karl Johnson @ Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Under $200 show.  The DVAA always has such terrific, fun events, even though it was a snowy night, plenty of artists showed up to party – the board is to be commended on their careful attention to detail and making everyone comfortable and welcome.

Francine Strauss

Francine Strauss @ Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Under $200.00

Gerard DiFalco

Gerard Di Falco, etching @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.

Leon Rainbow

Leon Rainbow @ DVAA – he not only produces these funky paintings, Rainbow provides web design services to the esteemed organization.  DoN is grateful for the publicity the links provide, the slide-show of member’s art on the website is cool.

Karen McDonnell & Tony Cortosi

Karen McDonnell & Tony Cortosi collaborate on these stencil & spray-paint images replete with peeling paint, drippy spray, coarse edges and mashed up cultural icons – the Carmen has such a skate punk sneer mixed with Hollywood glamor – Grrrl!.

Karen McDonnell & Tony Cortosi

 Karen McDonnell, Tony Cortosi & Ray Costello @ Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Under $200.00 opening party.

Bill Myers

Photographer, Bill Myers @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.  Bill is also an active member of the Photographic Society of Philadelphia; Myers creates photo montage with clashing images mushed into contextual morphs – incredible.There are some really great art bargains for sale at the Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Under $200.00 show.  You can own a David Foss for $100, an Art Ostroff for a Benjamin or so…the Lee Muslin prints are gorgeous, an incredible Dexiang Qian for exactly $200.00!?!  The art show itself is amazing – all the participating members really put in memorable, desirable pieces and James Warhola signed his book Uncle Andy’s Cats;  he took a moment with each autograph to draw a kitty in the front pages and engaged everyone in a personal way – Warhola signed books for 3 hours!  He was still signing books when DoN left.

Jed Williams @ 2424 York Street.

Jed Williams @ 2424 York Street

The Mysterious Distance Between Men of Means, Jed Mauger Williams @ 2424 York Street.

Jed Mauger Williams paintings are in the antechamber of 2424 York Street, the location of the immense Skybox Gallery.  Williams is showing ten works based on themes of his quest for the human figure, pop & mythological and different forms of spirituality.  Manipulating symbols, assigning them spectacular color, signifying icons with saturated layers of various media in tumultuous abandon, Jed makes extraordinary images that are extravagantly engaging.  Even his presentation was deliberately skewed, absurd and charged with a weird cultural angst like some retrofitted beat/pop/rap artist from the past, maybe Paris or Philly, quirky yet hip, kind of ugly beautiful and strange.

Jed Williams @ 2424 York Street

Jed M. Williams – semi-abstract pop images seethe with multiple personalities, modern memes & contemporary style.  Williams’ gallery & studio is @ 6th & Bainbridge but DoN loves how ballsy Jed was in working his way into the hot new art center in Fishtown.

Jed Williams @ 2424 York Street

Greeting From My Home Planet, Jed Williams.

Pop references and graffiti vibes permeate Williams’ paintings yet a darker narrative creates disturbance and tension.  One day DoN picked Jed up @ The PMA, he had a friend deliver returned art work to the gift shop for him to pick up, this way his work was inside the museum like Ray Johnson mailing art to MOMA because he knew they cataloged everything.