Category Archives: Photographic Society of Philadelphia

DoNBrewer light beings @ The Coffee Bar

DoN Brewer @ his artist reception. All event photos by Peter Prusinowski.

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists hosted an artist reception for DoN Brewer and the Philadelphia Art-erati turned out in full force – friends & colleagues from the past, present & future converged on the Coffee Bar @ 17th & Locust to support DoN‘s explorations into photography. Amie Potsic of CFEVA (& fellow photographer) and Ann Koivunen worked with the Coffee Bar to have a POST (Philadelphia Open Studio Tours) artist show in their recently remodeled cafe – the buttery walls and excellent lighting is so satisfying and easy on the eyes the photos have never looked better – and out of 30 artists the team presented, they picked DoN. What an incredible honor & pleasure to represent Philadelphia Artists in the venerable Warwick Hotel, a landmark & planetary crossroad; DoN overheard languages from all over the world, it is so gratifying to have the work stand on it’s own, this being the largest collection of DoN‘s “light being” series to date.

Muralist David Guinn, his Dad & Plastic Club former President Mike Guinn, the back of Ted Warschal‘s head, Cynthia Arkin (manager of The Plastic Club website), UArts’ Regina Barthmeier, DoN, Ona Kalstein and Rob Stauffer (Rob mounted, matted and framed most of the show, his outstanding presentation skills enhances the work immeasurably) @ the Artist Reception for “light beings“.

Enhabitues of the Philly art scene, Regina & Lisa lounge below light being (Thelma) @ the artist reception for DoN Brewer‘s light beings show @ The Coffee Bar – these intrepid art crawlers have been extremely supportive of DoN‘s career and have been present at almost every art event important to his reputation. Having friends be there when you need them is so important to an artists ego – Merci!

Ann Koivunen of The Center for Emerging Visual Artists manages the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours submissions (going on now) and took DoN’s feeble attempt at image size accuracy and created the terrific transparent labels, a beautiful bio book and documentation – Thank you Ann for your patience!

light being (Leo Seeger), DoN Brewer @ The Coffee Bar, The Radisson Warwick Hotel through July 2010. This image has appeared in several art shows from the Philadelphia Sketch Club’s Absolutely Abstract Show to The University of Princeton Medical Center’s ArtFirst show to The Beauty Shop Cafe @ 20th & Fitzwater – DoN LoVeS it when people start seeing “light beings” in the wild.

Thanks to Shoshana Aron, Alden Cole & Les Howard for helping hang the show, Rob Stauffer for framing and the Center for Emerging Visual Artists for their tireless support of artists in Philadelphia. DoN will be announcing an artist talk date soon.

Special thanks to Peter Prusinowski for photographing the event and his support and friendship, it’s such a good feeling to be recognized as an artist by peers – Philadelphia XOXO.

light beings – DoN Brewer @ The Coffee Bar, Radisson Warwick Hotel

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light being (Diana), DoN Brewer, digital photograph.

light being (Carl Sagan), DoNBrewerMultimedia Photography @ The Radisson Warwick Hotel, The Coffee Bar.

light beings (May & Andy), DoN Brewer, digital photograph.

The Coffee Bar at The Radisson Warwick Hotel @ 17th & Locust Streets in Philly is spotlighting fourteen photographs from DoN‘s series titled “light beings“, February 26th through July 30th, 2010. Strictly landscape, the images of reflections on urban surfaces seem mysterious or manipulated, the photographs evoke thoughts of what we may become – beings of light traveling at unimaginable speeds in all directions of the universe at once.

DoN was contacted by Amy Potsic of the Center for Emerging Visual Artists inquiring if he could mount a one person show with only two weeks notice? Duh? Amy and Ann Koivunen selected 14 images out of twenty-two, Rob Stauffer helped DoN with framing, custom mats & non-glare glass, Shoshka, Aldy & Les helped install the show – art is hard work, man! You have to know math!?! The Coffee Bar space is fabu, good light, great Einstein coffee, yummy food and it’s a bar at night! How cool is that?

Artist Reception: April 7, 2010, 5-7PM.

Photos by DoNBrewerMultimedia Photography.

Photographic Society of Philadelphia 16 x 20 Show @ Bonte’s Cafe.

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Alan J. Klawans, Rope and DoN Brewer, View from Finger Span Bridge @ Philadelphia Society of Photography exhibit and sale in Bonte’s Cafe, 9th & Walnut. It’s really cool when the photographers descend on Bonte’s at 6:00 PM on a Friday night and switch out the photos in the ongoing exhibit, the vibe is so interesting since photographers come from all walks of life, photography is a very democratic art form. But, the work that the Society shows is always above par, adventurous, experimental, thoughtful and professional.

Ed Snyder, Lost at Sea. Snyder’s Angels always offer hope, inspiration and introspection, the stone icons emote messages that will take eons to expire.

Amy E. McCormick, Will the Hard Way and John Wernega, Adorned in Gold.

Eileen Eckstein, Coachem Castle Window and Mina Smith-Segal, Rollerbladers @ PSoP in Bonte’s 9th & Walnut. Eileen is the Society President and Mina leads a drawing workshop @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club.

Morris Klein is the Vice President of The Photographic Society of Philadelphia managing the ongoing exhibit of member works in bi-monthly rotation as well as overseeing the one-person shows at Bonte’s on 17th Street. Morris’ photographs are often dreamy and languid like an impressionist painting as in this view of the city from the Schuykill River.

Veronica Schmude @ Rocco Agrippa @ Mirror Image

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Veronica Schmude @ Mirror Image in Old City.

The First Friday vibe in Old City can be frantic, there is so much to see, people to meet and ideas to think about that it can all become a blur. Not only are there galleries, shops and restaurants, the alternative venues are numerous and varied from street vendors selling paintings, prints, crafts and photos to businesses like Mirror Image, a graphic/web design firm on Market Street with lots of wall space to share exhibiting art work. Photographic Society of Philadelphia photographers Veronica Schmude and Rocco Agrippa, appropriated the long wall to display their photographs, brought in friends to play music and transformed the office into an art happening. Veronica’s signature photographs of peeling paint in old buildings and Agrippa’s landscapes brought energy and style to the desk filled space – there were plenty of spots for Shoshka (in her gorgeously inappropriate gallery-hopping boots) to rest while DoN chatted with Veronica. Recently, Schmude organized a field trip to Eastern State Penitentiary so photographers could shoot in usually off limit spaces and she’s organizing another trip to Pennsylvania Hospital to photograph the historic healing center. The PsoP (the second oldest photography club in the world) holds monthly meetings with presentations & lectures by member artists @ The Plastic Club on Camac Street.

Rocco Agrippa @ Mirror Image.

Veronica Schmude, PSoP photographer @ alternative art venue Mirror Image.

Daniel Reilly – PSoP Photographer – Trippin’ Around the World

“Fire Dance, Ubud Bali, Indonesia“, Daniel Reilly @ Bonte’s, 130 S. 17th, Philadelphia.

World traveler, photographer Daniel Reilly‘s current one-person show @ Bonte’s Cafe, 17th & Walnut, offers unique vistas, alluring compositions, mysterious visions and one-of-a-kind perspectives that only an artist could see – all in pristine black & white and color photos. Each photograph is a glimpse into a part of the world that many of us may never experience – from a birds eye view of Argentine street Tango dancers to haunting groundhog views of the ancient Greek Parthenon to quirky over the shoulder shots of Tibetan monks passing a can of Coke. A native Philadelphian, Reilly taught English in Buenos Aires for more than three years – the locals wanted to learn American slang such as, “Stop busting my balls!” – ah, pop culture’s influence, who knew? Daniel was a witness to the 2002 riot at the Pink Palace, he actually ran towards the scene after grabbing his camera only to high-tail it away when police on horseback came rushing towards him.

In San Francisco Reilly worked for a TV station, then spent nine months in Hawaii, on to the islands of Fiji, a tour of New Zealand, Australia, Bali, Indonesia, Lombak, Gili Islands, Singapore, Bangkok Thailand, Athens Greece – Reilly spent two years in Summer! Daniel told DoN the best time of his life was spent in Croatia. But, Reilly always come home to family in Philly. A recent member of the Photographic Society of Philadelphia, the show at Bonte’s is one of Daniel’s first one-person shows even though he’s been an event photographer for years with a catalog of over 30,000 images. Maybe that’s why the selection of pictures @ Bonte’s are so choice – some of the archivally matted and framed prints have already sold; DoN suggests you start to collect Reilly now before the prices go up.