Category Archives: Philadelphia

The Philly art scene is vibrant, filled with characters who create innovative, avant garde art in the 21st Century. New techniques and technologies are converging to develop a new vision of reality.

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.

Girl.Bike.Dog. @ Bainbridge & Grays Ferry

Girl.Bike.Dog @ Bainbridge & Grays Ferry

Girl.Bike.Dog. creates messenger bags, backpacks, side-bags for dogs – all with super-kawaii, urban street designs featuring trippy mushrooms, clever cosmo cowgirl symbols & iconic girl graphics.  Lindsay Duggan tells DoN she’s working hard to meet the demand for Girl.Bike.Dog.  gear.  The shop offers T-shirts by various artists, cycling hats, knit hats, uber- cool dog collars & leashes and essential bike gear.

Girl.Bike.Dog @ Bainbridge & Grays Ferry

Photography by Center City West photographer/dog walker, Jeremy Burger of The Philly Pack – the ubiquitous Center City West dog-walking service who offers high endurance exercise for dogs, social & behavioral conditioning and Pack Leader coaching.  Messenger bags by Girl.Bike.Dog.

Girl.Bike.Dog @ Bainbridge & Grays Ferry

The bike and messenger community in Philly is tight-knit and owner Lindsay Duggan is knowledgeable of the needs of the biking enthusiasts, urban dog lover and fashion design lovers.  Duggan is well informed about the current discussions around bike laws in the news, bike lanes in the city and the rise of human powered transportation, the perils of being a bike messenger, dog walking services and urban dog owner needs. And, she makes really awesome hand-made bags.  The block where the shop where Girl.Bike.Dog is located includes Betty’s Speakeasy Cupcakes (best of Philly Mag), The Balkan Restaurant with the best Serbian recipes from Radovan’s family recipes and Grace Tavern, the best fries in town.  The view of Center City is spectacular, too – DoN was surprised to see the cherry trees in bloom for Indian Summer.

Girl.Bike.Dog @ Bainbridge & Grays Ferry

Photography by Jeremy Burger @ Girl.Bike.Dog.

Girl.Bike.Dog @ Bainbridge & Grays Ferry

Lindsay Duggan mastermind behind Girl.Bike.Dog.

40,000 Feet – UpDate – Ice Box show extended through 11/29/09

40,000 Feet - UpDate - Icebox show extended through 11/29/09

40,000 Feet - UpDate - Icebox show extended through 11/29/09

40,000 Feet - UpDate - Icebox show extended through 11/29/09

Su Tomesen‘s extraordinary video installation, 40,000 Feet, in the Ice Box Gallery @ The Crane Arts Center has been extended through 11/29/09.  The multi-screen movie is a visual and sensory exploration of the sky as viewed from above, take time to visit the show which originally was to close yesterday due to the upcoming holiday.  Photos courtesy of Su Tomesen.

David Guinn / Jim Hinz – Meadowlark @ University City Arts League Gallery

Dave Guinn & Jim Hinz @ University City Arts League

David Guinn & Jim Hinz, Hairy Chinese Landscape @ University City Arts League Gallery.

Dave Guinn & Jim Hinz @ University City Arts League

David Guinn & Jim Hinz both painted on the huge paper scroll simultaneously; according to Guinn the idea was to make a mess, not worry, not think about it or make it look good.  Working with big brushes they flowed with their stream of consciousness and let each other paint through and over each others contribution, fearlessly resulting in an abstract expressionist pan-cultural tour de force spanning an entire wall of the gallery.  Jim Hinz told DoN it’s rewarding to work with David Guinn because he’s so easy, willing to mix aesthetics, brings lots of collaborative enthusiasm and let him, “do whatever I wanted to do.”

Dave Guinn & Jim Hinz @ University City Arts League

Recovery, Psychedelic Birthday @ Facing the Void, works on paper @ University City Arts League Gallery, Jim Hinz & David Guinn.

Dave Guinn & Jim Hinz @ University City Arts League

Purple Sandpiper, David Guinn.  David is famous for his bird paintings whether you know it or not; as one of the most popular muralist in Philly he almost always includes birds in his wall paintings such as the Four Seasons series, the Morris Animal Refuge Mural and the dual mural @ 34th & Baltimore Streets.

Dave Guinn & Jim Hinz @ University City Arts League

Jim Hinz, Because You Have To Say It, digital print.

Dave Guinn & Jim Hinz @ University City Arts League

Jim Hinz, The Big Man, digital print from brush & ink on paper.

Dave Guinn & Jim Hinz @ University City Arts League

Mythical Mountain Fountain by David Guinn & Jim Hinz echoes the collaborative paintings the duo created including architectural elements, blobby swirls and real liquid dribbling wetly over the ceramic bowl as if one of their paintings materialized fully formed out of their imaginations.

Dave Guinn & Jim Hinz @ University City Arts League

Jim Hinz & David Guinn @ the opening of their collaborative exhibit, Meadowlark, @ University City Arts League.  The team worked well together because they made no mistakes, felt free to experiment and fail – a lesson we can all learn from.