Category Archives: Paintings Philadelphia

oils, acrylics, watercolor, mixed media, ink, philadelphia

Darla Jackson vs. Anne Canfield @ the Center for Emerging Visual Artists is just that a bare knuckled cage-fight between two contemporary Philly artists, a grrl-fight for attention, a battle of wits and inventiveness, like a schoolyard brawl with each girl trying to rip out the others pierced earrings. In one corner is Anne Canfield throwing punches with quirky drawings and mythological paintings and in the other corner is Darla Jackson doing body slams with bold black graphic sculpture.

Anne Canfield tells DoN that her imagery is born of anxiety, the Cat is safe but could turn on you. Anne has developed her own visual language relying on memory and is not true to nature, thats not what shes going for her mark-making is assured and brushwork amusing, like reading a favorite book. The small cat is sometimes writ large in Canfields images often with a small girl (perhaps a self portrait), each staring at the other as if they were, facing God.

Darla Jackson, known for her sculptures of animals wearing the masks of other animals (say a bunny with a crow face mask), here invites familiar animals to witness the party in the apartment-like gallery. Birds, kitties, bunnies, even a life sized deer inhabit the human dwelling, decked out in festive party hats, making a mess of the place as if they were partying just a little too hard. Jackson goes for the knockout with the deer laying on the floor; life sized and appearing to be solid black metal, the scene is poignant with gallery visitors tiptoeing around the specimen, the deers simple red party hat knocked askew. By anthropomorphizing the animals, Jackson brings the creatures out of hiding making them observers of the strange creatures called humans.

Anne Canfield @ CFEVA.

Anne Canfield with her painting, “The Mermaid and the Tiger Meet Halfway“, oil on linen.

Darla Jackson @ CFEVA.

Party animals @ the CFEVA. Sculpture installation by Darla Jackson.

Darla Jackson @ CFEVA.

The battle continues through February 16th in the Felicity R. (Bebe) Benoliel Gallery.

17 @ Twenty-Two Gallery

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Twenty-Two Gallery @ 236 22^nd Street in Philadelphia has a long history of exhibiting (and selling) excellent paintings and since the showcase has become an artist collective the bar has been raised even higher. Owner Shawn Murray collaborated with artist Diane Podolsky to install a group show of superior quality with some of Philadelphias best artists. Plus the artistry with which the work is displayed makes viewing even more enjoyable with excellent lighting, thoughtful groupings and perfect eye level hanging; with the huge front window offering a glimpse of whats inside, the gallery is a great place to show and be seen. DoN stopped in the gallery last Sunday to meet many of the artists and was truly impressed by the variety and quality of the art.

Artists included in the show are Alison Altergott, Ed Bronstein, Valerie Carroll, Eric Fausnacht, Megan Greenholt, Nancy E. F. Halbert, Carter Leidy, Dale Levy, Ed Marston, William Middleton, Bruce Murray, Sr., Diane Podolsky, Bonnie Schorske, Jerome Schwartz, Michael Smith, Lauren Sweeney and Reta Sweeney. Ed Bronsteins plein aire paintings of Philly are true collectables, Ed Marstons painting of a ramshackle seaside hut is filled with light, Diane Podolskys pastels are mysterious and haunting, Eric Fausnachts rooster paintings are decorative and evocative with bold color and brushwork creating a surrealistic vision of the common bird and speaking of birds, Bonnie Schorskes pigeon photos are a hoot especially when you learn the history of the urban pests.

Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday noon to 6:00 PM, the Members Exhibition at Twenty-Two Gallery is open through February 11^th.

Bonnie Schorske‘s pigeon photos @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Ed Marston‘s oil painting @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Ed Bronstein @ 22 Gallery.

Michael Smith @ 22 Gallery.

Valerie Carroll @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Eric Fausnacht @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Diane Podolsky @ 22 Gallery.

Jim Bloom’s “Them” @ Vivant Art Collection

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DoN has written about other shows by artist Jim Bloom at Home & Planet in Bethlehem, PA and Outsider Folk Art in Reading PA but the current show called Them at Vivant Art Collection, 60 N. 2^nd St., Philly is a tour de force. Bloom has a knack of poking a stick in the eye of cultural prejudices from gender issues to homophobia to obesity; Jims brutalist painting style highlights how words and attitudes can be painful and ridiculous. The one-person show includes portraiture but the works using words are particularly powerful and poetic. One large canvas shows a smiling couple clicking a snapshot of them outside a concentration camp as if they were visiting Disneyland, another lampoons stereotypes of effeminacy and homophobia and another painting highlights how words are often just so much noise.

Florcy Morisset, the owner/curator of Vivant Art Collection, is thrilled with this years first show, telling DoN that she can date the century of a painting by the design of a face in a painting and that Blooms socially incorrect subject matter shows how we all are included in Them. Bloom told DoN he was discovered by Robert Bullock of Coalition Ingenu introducing him to George Veiner of Outsider Folk Art Gallery who immediately purchased his entire collection for his gallery. Since then, Bloom has been able to move forward from painting on found objects such as cardboard boxes and paper plates to canvas’ but the vibrancy and irreverence remains. Them is on exhibit through the end of January.

Jim Bloom @ Vivant Art Collection.

“Light Green Hat“, Jim Bloom @ Vivant Art Collection.

Paintings by Jim Bloom @ Vivant Art Collection in Old City.

Women’s Creative Alliance @ Zeidler Gallery

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Catherine Zeidlers eponymous gallery at 2207 South Street has become the Womens Creative Alliance featuring the art of Philadelphia area women. The current exhibit features 3D work by Dorothy Roschen, jewelry by Barb Baur as well as pastels and paintings by Patricia Woodruff. The theme throughout the show is how spirituality is filtered through the creative arts. Roschen, who taught art in high school for many years, creates mysterious sculptures of glass, clay and objet trouve suitable sitting on a table or hanging on the wall. Dorothy develops designs exploring positive and negative space, hard and soft surface and translucence vs. solidity.

Woodruffs drawings and paintings depict sprites, spirits, fairies and gods of old in fluid, sensuous lines and serious color, her high school friend Barb Bauer creates designs reminiscent of Lord of the Rings or Celtic knots in silver. Both Woodruff and Bauer enjoy spending time in Floyd, VA, and a vibrant arts community enabling them both to find expression through the sense of community and variety of artists who migrate there. Bauer has begun experimenting with hard metals such as steel and is developing a series of pennular brooches appropriate for clasping an ancient cloak or a modern scarf.

The art party Friday evening brought out a good crowd even though it was only 19 degrees outside but with warmth and friendship found inside this great art space on South Street.