Category Archives: Philadelphia Photographers

Haus of DoN – Philadelphia Open Studio Tour 2011, West of Broad Street, October 1st & 2nd

 Haus of DoN - Philadelphia Open Studio Tour 2011

Super Nova, Photoshop collage, digital print, DoN Brewer, 2011

Decorating the Haus of DoN has been very gratifying, reinforcing the DoN brand with his abstract landscape photographs, including the “light being” series, original graphic prints and oil paintings, setting tableau’s and displays throughout the studio and is ready for visitors.  DoN’s body of work has grown substantially, DoN’s first creative job was Display Manager for a department store retail chain in the 1970’s, tapping into those skills has been nostalgic and liberating, marketing DoN‘s product line like he did in the garden department at J.M. Fields.  Usually DoN’s major art works are packed and ready to show when opportunities arise and the Haus is decorated with the works of DuSold, DuPree, Stango and outsider artist Danny Gayder, the work of Masters influencing the path of DoN’s interests and goals.  The DoN collection would not exist if not for the influences of artist friends and mentors as well as collectors, helping refine DoN’s eye and continue art production with confidence.  After weeks of preparation DoN is looking forward optimistically for a delightful weekend of seeing old and new friends and sharing his art.  

 

The Haus of DoN is dedicated to all the artists participating in Philadelphia Open Studio Tours 2011; DoN understands the aches and pains of finishing projects, solving problems and decision-making involved in making an art work space inviting to visitors.  Thank you to the Center for Emerging Visual Artists for undertaking the task of organizing the citywide art event that is unique to Philadelphia.  Thank you to all the readers of DoNArTNeWs and Philly.SideArts; DoN is grateful to all the artists who share their skills, talents and stories for the art enthusiasts not just in Philly but around the world who follow DoN‘s incursions into the realms of the art world throughout the city.  This weekend is also the opening of a month long exhibition by the Photographic Society of Philadelphia, the oldest photography society in America, at the Plastic Club with opening receptions each Sunday afternoon 2:00 – 5:00 PM; DoN has two favorite photographs included in the prestigious show of fine art photography.

 

A special shout-out to DoN‘s nephew Bud Irwin serving in the Army in Afghanistan; knowing Buddy’s marching across arid desert mountains loaded with gear makes DoN stronger and braver to make new work, produce more videos, write more reviews, do more crunches at the gym and plan challenging new projects for the future.  Philadelphia Open Studio Tours 2011 is an opportunity to be optimistic, to brush off the haters, ignore the art bullies, defy the critics, escape the economic reality and be free to be an artist living, working and producing art in America.  The Haus of DoN, 2028 Pemberton Street, welcomes you.

 

LoVe

 

DoN

DoNArTNeWs Interview – Ann Koivunen, Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, Top Tips for Artists

Ann Koivunen is the Director of Studio Tours and Exhibitions for Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, one of the top art events of its kind in the USA.  Ann offers great advice on what to do and what not to do to have a successful, fun event.  The clip is nine minutes, so get a cup of coffee and sit a spell, Ann has a wonderful perspective on POST.   DoNBrewerMultimedia is participating in POST 2011, October 1 & 2, 12 – 6:00PM, check the awesome on-line resources for information on neighborhoods and events at the POST website.

Download Microsoft Silverlight

Video by DoNBrewerMultimedia

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter

Karen Schechter is a relatively new member of the Photographic Society of Philadelphia but she is enjoying the society debut show at their new permanent showplace, Café Twelve, 212 S 12th St, Philadelphia 19107, in the heart of the Philly’s famous Gayborhood, with great long walls to show art and an inviting casual vibe.  DoN asked Karen how she felt about having a PSoP show? “It’s very nice because it’s the first one I’ve had and I have another one coming up that I’m hanging next week.  One falling on the heels of the other is awesome.”  DoN commented on the style of the collection of photographs in the lounge area of the café, “I work primarily in black and white but do some color, the first half of this show, which isn’t up anymore was more color pieces.  I go from muted color to extremely vibrant.” Karen showed DoN a lovely close-up photograph of a hydrangea flower with its lurid red silkiness and delicate stamen.

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter 

“I used to do everything on film and sadly had to get rid of my dark room a couple years ago as I finally made the complete switch-over to digital; it’s sad but it’s convenient.  I can go though things a lot quicker, I can process things a lot quicker.”  Schlechter is working with Photoshop, the dark room experience gave her a grounded background for using the digital tools.  The collection of gear went to a friend’s daughter studying fine art photography.  “It’s so nice to be able to sit in a coffee shop and go through my photos and go from there.”

Karen Schlechter got involved with PSoP because she was previously a member of the Delaware County Camera Club, which had a different focus towards improvement of skills via competition as to the education bent of the Philly Society.  “I was missing the camaraderie and exchanging ideas.  And it was a wonderful gift from my boyfriend.”

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter

Photographic Society of Philadelphia @ Cafe Twelve featuring Karen Schlechter

The Photographic Society of Philadelphia meets Second Tuesdays at Café Twelve; a wide array of photographs by Philadelphia fine art photographers and a solo show by featured photographer Karen Schlechter  is on exhibit with new work being installed every other month.  The evening DoN met Karen was rainy and miserable but sipping coffee and talking about photography with friends is worth wet feet.

Photos taken with DoN‘s iPhone.

Absolutely Abstract 2011 @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club, DoNArTNeWs Interview PSC President Bill Patterson

HD Video – watch in full screen mode – DoN

Video by DoNBrewerMultimedia

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed, I Fall and I Rise @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed, I Fall and I Rise @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery 

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed, I Fall and I Rise @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

Totally Exposed, I Fall and I Rise, is titled because obviously I’m exposed, I’m naked but it’s also about being exposed to the elements, the effects of time.”  Sarah R. Bloom, a beautiful fresh face, says with a sigh, “I’m coming to grips with aging, thinking about cycles of aging, for me, it’s been this sort of non-linear pattern of resistance and acceptance.  I came to the stages of grief, not exactly but similar to, fearful denying…”  DoN interrupts her and complements her youthful beauty and questions why the artist is experiencing Erikson‘s sixth of the seven stages of life: Middle Adulthood: 35 to 55 or 65 Ego Development Outcome: Generativity vs. Self absorption or Stagnation?  “People keep saying that to me but I am 42.  Just knowing other women at this age and while I felt I had a lot of time left, there are a lot of hormonal changes that start happening that I’ve noticed in myself.  Being interested in self portraits maybe I’m more hyper-aware of myself and changes I’m going through that other people might be.  And being in recovery, maybe, I’m more self aware because I had to go through a whole set of processes to start fixing things.  So all those things combined that when it just so happened I was getting into the abandoned thing when I turned forty.”

Sarah R. Bloom understands other photographers shoot in abandoned buildings, or shoot models but Bloom shoots self-portraits with a DIY attachment to her camera that allows her to set-up remotely, take the picture and the camera will delay, then take several shots; genius.  The result is a gallery filled with emotionally raw, sexually charged, deeply personal representations of one woman but she represents all women who watch the world crumbling around us.  “I struggle to show the similarities; I’m still vain, somewhat.  Obviously.  But this last year struggling to shoot, while be more raw in my poses and still create a nice image but not worry so much about, do I look pretty? Because that’s not what it’s about.”  So how did you not fall into despair when the choice came to be generative?  “I think recovery started that, I never really thought about that until now.  I guess I started despair way early maybe, I mean my whole twenties were a wreck, pretty much, so then being in recovery, almost sixteen years sober, and also part of age is accepting things and having that self awareness of processing a lot of stuff.  I recognize that this age is a time when I would have physical feelings of feeling different, the body doesn’t bounce back as quickly from things.  I dunno, um, it was either it was a choice to decide, I don’t want to be in that place anymore.  And part of it is I feel like I’m running out of time.”

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed, I Fall and I Rise  @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed, I Fall and I Rise @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery

Sarah R. Bloom, Totally Exposed, I Fall and I Rise @ Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery.

Photographic self-portraits taken in abandoned buildings

www.sadandbeautiful.com

DA VINCI ART ALLIANCE
704 Catherine Street
Philadelphia, Pa.

 

 

Photos by DoN.