Category Archives: Public Art

Art events, installations and creations by Philadelphia area artists in public spaces

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

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light being (Diana) - DoN Brewer

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

light being (Carl Sagan) - DoN Brewer

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

light beings (May & Andy) - DoN Brewer

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 Klawans & DoN Brewer

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.

DoN Brewer Photography


Ed Snyder

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.

PSoP @ Bonte’s

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

Eileen Eckstein & Mina Smith-Segal

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 @ Bonte’s 9th Steet

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.

The Conscious World of Alden Cole

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Alden Cole @ Galleria Deptford

Alden Cole @ Galleria Deptford – Deptford Municipal Building, 1011 Cooper Street, Woodbury NJ.

While Alden installed his fantastical display of luminaries he was constantly stopped by the flow of visitors to the lobby of the Deptford Municipal Building, everyone wants to know what they are or they have a story about one of the components or their grandmother had a lamp just like that.  Cole takes memories, shakes them up in his mind, recombining the pieces into objects with the logic of dreams; people are drawn to the glowing objects, filled with little stories, overflowing with light and love.  And people are drawn towards him to find out how he figures this out and if he wants their grandmothers old lamps or why didn’t they think of that?  Alden has a story for each luminary and a moment for each admirer.

Alden Cole - Luminary

Stars Stairway, in Alden Cole‘s gallery/studio in South Philly.

Alden Cole @ The Plastic Club

Starlings Under Glass #4, oil on glass, Alden Cole @ The Plastic Club, Red White & Green Show.

Alden Cole

Memento Mori #1, marker, Alden Cole @ Conscious World of Art.  Alden is influenced by Nicholas Roerich and Mati Klarwein – Roerich was the first artist to win a Nobel Peace Prize and Klarwein created the famous Santana album cover.  Alden Cole‘s art brings people together, his art works the room like a good conversation, creating a buzz, upping the voltage with voodoo god-heads & peaceful warriors.  Alden’s Starlings series taps into a deeply seated symbol pattern recognition with his sprightly characters playing out human emotions and exhibitionism in a playful accessible way.  James Warhola just acquired one of Alden Cole‘s pieces at the Da Vinci Art Alliance’s current show.

Alden Cole @ The Plastic Club

Starlings #2 & Delicious, shown here @ The Plastic Club, now available @ Dumpster Divers Gallery, 734 South Street.  Don’t worry, be happy.  Alden Cole currently has work available at the Deptford Municipal Building Galleria Deptford (psst…really great prices, big selection), The Plastic Club’s Red, White & Green show, the Da Vinci Art Alliance Under $200, SOTA on Pine Street, Home & Planet in Bethlehem, the Dumpster Divers Gallery on South Street and @ The Conscious World Art of Alden Cole Gallery/Museum.

Alden Cole & DoN Brewer @ Galleria Deptford

DoN LoVeS this photo with Alden Cole‘s Light Beings and DoN‘s “light being (Rick Selvin)” @ Galleria Deptford.

 

 

Jed Williams @ 2424 York Street.

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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.

Galleria Deptford – Art in Hometown America

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Deptford Municipal Building

 Italian Market by Nevio Celestino @ Deptford Municipal Building.

 Even though Deptford, NJ is only 20 minutes from Center City by car many art enthusiasts won’t cross the bridge; DoN blames the news media for branding Killadelphia as a scary place and the Philadelphia Parking Authority will get you by hook or by crook.  But the art community builds neighborhoods by going where others fear to tread and many towns have turned to artists to bring culture and art to their citizens.  But it takes special people to take the initiative to make these things happen; in Deptford, Pauline Jonas has assumed the role of art curator for the Deptford Municipal Building @ 1011 Cooper Street with ongoing art exhibits by local artists, art trips to museums and movie viewings about art and artists.  Recently, South Jersey’s newspaper,The Courier Post, ran a story about Jonas’ efforts and the impact she has made on the community.  The current exhibit includes Nevio Celestino, John Echtermeyer, Lolly Grilli, Jerry O’Donnell, Stefani Ramberg and Lawrence A. Vassallo with pottery by Harold N. Schaeffer.

Lolly Grilli @ Deptford Municipal Building

30th Street, Lolly Grilli @ Deptford Municipal Building.

Lolly Grilli @ Deptford Municipal Building

Autumn on Berkley Road, Lolly Grilli, pastel.

Deptford Municipal Building

Lawrence A. Vassallo @ Galleria Deptford.

Deptford Municipal Building

Elfreth’s Alley, John Echtermeyer, pen & ink @ Galleria Deptford.

Pottery by Harold N. Schaeffer

Pottery by Harold N. Schaeffer @ Galleria Deptford, Deptford Municipal Building.

The current exhibit is on display for a few more days to be followed by the Annual Photography Exhibit; DoN is proud and honored to be included in the show since Deptford is his home town.  Alden Cole, an art star of the fabulous Philadelphia Dumpster Divers, is displaying his Night Lights for Adults in the cabinet outside of the court room.  Pauline saw DoN‘s art at Alden’s gallery/museum/studio – you can imagine his surprise when he was offered a place in the show and discovered the venue is where he graduated high school in 1971 with an award for “Most Artistic“!  The opening reception is Sunday, December 6th, 2 – 4:00 PM.