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.

Arthur Ostroff @ Montgomery

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Arthur Ostroff @ Montgomery 

Philadelphia artist, Arthur Ostroff escorted fellow artist Jed Williams and DoN to see his one-person installation of prints and drawings at Montgomery County College Library – which is continuing through 12/19.  The college is in Pottstown PA, the library anti-room is spacious and bare, allowing Ostroff to install what amounts to be a retrospective of a career in graphic design and fine art since the late 1950s.  There is a powerful image Ostroff painted of a fellow soldier, in uniform, ready for battle, the beautiful desire to create art lives in the painting: the artist as a young warrior battling for his life.  On board a fighting sea vessel, Ostroff would trade his drawings of boats for beers to his fellow shipmates while sailing off to war.  Other images in the show represent artistic growth and the development of expertise in method and procedure such as multi colored prints.  DoN will post more on the show soon but strongly urges all who can to visit the Library at Montgomery County College not only to experience the fine art of Arthur Ostroff but to learn something new about the art venues outside of Philly who provide the opportunity for such an expansive show – over 75 works of art by one artist, in one room.  Arthur Ostroff @ Montgomery Artist, Arthur Ostroff.Arthur Ostroff @ MontgomeryArthur Ostroff @ Montgomery Arthur Ostroff @ MontgomeryArthur is so interesting, he has truly forged his own way as an artist in a highly innovative mode.  

Under $100 @ Off the Wall @ Dirty Franks Bar

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Tonight is the opening of the Under $100 show at Off the Wall Gallery @ Dirty Franks Bar.  DoN is delighted that his photo, “Chick”, has been selected by the jury to be included in the show.  Chick was shot with a 35mm camera on black and white film, developed in the darkroom at Philadelphia University by DoN (gotta say that as much fun as Photoshop is there’s nothing like un-spooling the film in complete darkness, then developing the negatives with liquid chemicals; whoever invented this process must have been touched somehow by a higher being).  The negative was then scanned and enlarged in the computer and printed on pearlized photo paper on a digital printer.  So even though in theory the image can be endlessly reproduced, the piece in the show is one-of-a-kind since the printer no longer feeds paper properly and the printer heads are worn out.  DoN now uses Shutterfly for most of his photo printing and sometimes Kodak.  It’s so much more cost effective to produce art this way since all the hassles of paper jams and ink running out are handles by a vendor – plus they do a really good job.  DoN now uses the rather expensive Epson printer to print letters and such; maybe he shouldn’t have tried to feed through that thick watercolor paper just to see how it would turn out.

 

In a Kerouac-ian manner, DoN is posting this from warm and rainy Florida, so he won’t be at the opening tonight to hang out with the groovy art crowd Dirty Frank’s attracts but hopes that the party is fun and that Chick won’t be coming home to roost in DoN’s studio but will find a new home instead.

Under 100

 Under 100 poster

 Download full size copies of the poster by clicking here.  Chick is featured in the lower right.

Jon Laidacker Mural Dedication @ The Church of Philadelphia, 17th & Snyder Ave.

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Alden Cole and DoN attended the dedication ceremony to the new mural at 17th and Snyder in South Philly.  As soon as the choir began to sing DoN‘s eyes filled with tears – the mural was eight years in the making and the joy the congregation expressed at having such a beautiful artwork depicting parishioners, clergy and symbolic members of formerly incarcerated people being re-introduced and welcomed into society was beatific.  Designed by artist Jonathan Laidacker, the work was painted by a rotating team of Philadelphia prison system detainees.  The Mural Arts Program works with five different prisons housing more than ten thousand prisoners; the art provides a sence of purpose and helps with reintroduction into the community.  Father D was so eloquent and thankful for the final installation of the work based on Raphael’s School of Athens.The choir of the Church of Philadelphia performing before the new mural @17th and Snyder.

The choir of the Church of Philadelphia performing before the new mural @17th and Snyder.

Father D speaking before his own likeness in the mural by Jon Laidacker.

Father D speaking before his own likeness in the mural by Jon Laidacker.

Mural detail (these two are in the choir, Jon truly captured them in the mural).

Mural detail (these two are in the choir, Jon truly captured them in the mural).  

Jane Golden of Mural Arts

Jane Golden of Mural Arts Program speaking at the dedication.

Jon Laidacker Mural Dedication @ The Church of Philadelphia, 17th & Snyder Ave.

Jonathan Laidacker speaking at the dedication ceremony for the mural he designed for Yhe Church of Philadelphia @ 17th and Snyder Ave in South Philly.  Yo!!! 

Jon Laidacker Mural Dedication @ The Church of Philadelphia, 17th & Snyder Ave.

Jon included an excellent self-portrait in the mural – handsome! 

The Green Exhibit @ Art in City Hall.

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October 23rd, Alden Cole and DoN attended the opening of the Green Exhibit at Philadelphia City Hall, the 56th group exhibit for local emerging and professional artists with the exhibit focussing on concerns about our environment.  The art display cases have been updated with improved lighting and larger exhibition space allowing the 45 participating artists to show their own take on what it means to be green.  Carol Cole has always reused cast away objects to include in her striking sculptures which appear to made of metal and stone but usually turn out to be styrofoam and plastic – so clever.Sculptor Carol Cole @ The Green Exhibit

Sculptor Carol Cole @ The Green Exhibit.

Dolores Poacelli @ Art in City Hall’s Green Exhibit.

Dolores Poacelli @ Art in City Hall’s Green Exhibit.  Dolores reuses used aluminum printing plates which she dumpster dives for even though the rats scare her.  These two amazing pieces still reveal traces of the imagery that came before she sanded, rusted and glued the panels onto wood.Gregory Farrar Scott’s Mask # 40 and Mask # 41 @ The Green Exhibit.

Gregory Farrar Scott‘s Mask # 40 and Mask # 41 @ The Green Exhibit.

Junk Mail Shag by Valerie Linhart created with shredded junk mail.

Junk Mail Shag by Valerie Linhart created with shredded junk mail.  DoN LoVeS iT!!!  The Green Exhibit @ Art in City Hall runs through January 23, 2009.  Support your local artists and go buy some art since their are no commissions and the quality is so high.  DoN even got to say,”Hi!” to Mayor Nutter. Sandra Benhaim

Sandra Benheim’s “Museum Pass“, a collage of museum passes and maps.  Art in City Hall, Philadelphia.

Paula Mandel

Paula Mendel‘s “Growth Where You Least Expect it” @ Art in City Hall.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 

October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

Bonnie Schorske @ Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville

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Fine art photographer Bonnie Schorske currently is exhibiting skillful black and white photos in the front room of Artists’ Gallery, an artist co-op in Lambertville, NJ.  Bonnie has chosen to focus on two major subjects for her show: dogs and pigeons.  DoN loves dogs so was immediately drawn into how Bonnie captured urban canines and how they patiently tolerate the conditions their masters impose.  DoN has tied up ArT DoG Katy outside of many shops and the image of a dog on a short leash really pulled on his heartstrings.

But pigeons!?! Yuk – right?  But, Schorske intersperses masterful images of the urban pests with historical factoids, shedding new light on the much maligned birds.  Did you know pigeon poop was used to invent gunpowder?  Or their important missions as information carriers before electronic communication?  Or that they live 30 years!?! 

Dog portraits by Bonnie Schorske @ Artists’ Gallery.

 Dog portraits by Bonnie Schorske @ Artists’ Gallery.

Artists’ Gallery is shared by 18 other fine artists, several of which are included in the currentAbsolutely Abstract show @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.  The group rotates exhibits in the front room with two artists sharing the space and the rest of the group displaying work in the back rooms.  DoN was surprised to see art friends Rich Harrington (who recently saved the day for the Hitoshi Nakazota lecture @ PSC).  Rich is a professor of illustration at Moore College of Art and has several masterful watercolors on display.

Artist Richard Harrington @ Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville.

Artist Richard Harrington @ Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville.

Painting by Andrew Werth @ Artists’ Gallery. Werth won an award @ PSCs Absolutely Abstract show.

Painting by Andrew Werth @ Artists’ Gallery.  Werth won an award @ PSCs Absolutely Abstract show.

Artist Gail Bracegirdle @ Artists’ Gallery.

Artist Gail Bracegirdle @ Artists’ Gallery.  Gail also has work in the Absolutely Abstract show.  Gail teaches a class called “Watercolor Anarchy” @ The Art Colony of Ty Hodonish.

Artist Carol Sanzalone shares the front room with Bonnie Schorske @ Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville.

Artist Carol Sanzalone shares the front room with Bonnie Schorske @ Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville.  Carol’s bold, fluid watercolors are a perfect counterpoint to Bonnie’s photographic realism.  The trip to Lambertville with art buddies Shoshana, Shirleen and Alden Cole was adventurous and left us each wishing we had more time to wander around the quaint village. Artists’ Gallery is located at 32 Coryell Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530.