An Offering on Camac @ Off the Wall Gallery in Dirty Frank’s Bar
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Category Archives: Philadelphia Sculpture
Phanatic Around Town @ The Please Touch Museum
Monday @ noon, a ceremony was held in the fabulous Please Touch Museum in the glorious Memorial Hall to introduce a new public art program called Phanatic Around Town, a project assigning artists a life size sculpture of the famous Phillies mascot, The Phanatic. The anticipation was high as each artist was introduced and stood next to their covered art work – but then one of the sculptures came to life and the new RED Phanatic was introduced and with a flourish all the artists revealed their secret projects including Lillian Didovic and Ronnie Norpel of Da Vinci Art Alliance, the famous art club in South Philly.
Ronnie Norpel, the new Red Phanatic and Lilliana Didovic with their fantastic Phanatic collabo of images and phrases referring to Philly fan favorites from cheese steaks to the Art Museum to the Walt. The duo’s work will be on display at The Convention Center on Independence Mall! Lilliana is probably Philly’s biggest fan; the Phanatic Around Town project is the perfect way for Philly to LoVe Lilliana back!
Lilliana Didovic painted her iconic glamorous scenes of Philly paired with Ronnie Norpel‘s poems – Norpel has just released her new novel, Baseball Karma & The Constitution Blues on Three Rooms Press. Ronnie’s book release party is @ PATOU, 4/16, 9:00 PM.
Lilliana’s hubby has been hinting to DoN for months about her progress on the immense project as she worked in a neighbor’s garage; he and their son, Gordon – in full Phillie’s Fan gear – were present for Lilliana’s new pinnacle of success in the Philadelphia art world.
No! it’s not zombies – it’s all the Phanatics with open arms, perfect for embracing all the fans of the Phillies and the City That LoVeS You Back – thanks to the artists for bringing such joy, it really warms the heart to see a giggling little kid get hugged by the big hairy beast – With LoVe Philadelphia XOXO!!!
The Phillie Phanatic Around Town as the Mad Hatter by Lorna Kent.
Phanatico Latino by Marta Sanchez.
Photography by DoNBrewerMultimedia Photography.
Dunedin, Florida
Steven L. Spathelf created a mural sensation in Dunedin, Florida when the long-time muralist started painting oranges on garage doors late at night ala graffiti tagging or Obey stickers. Soon the artist started noticing signs on garage doors asking for an orange to be painted there; the community recognized his contribution to the reputation of the art enclave in North Tampa and commissioned the “Welcome to Dunedin” mural. Currently, Spathelf is working on undersea scene murals for a children’s hospital and managing the artist studios at 608 Vine Avenue, an art center with gallery/studio space for local artists similar to Spring Garden Studios in Philly, The Goggleworks in Reading or the Banana Factory in Bethlehem.
Mural by Steven L. Spathelf, Dunedin, Florid. The artist is working on three separate panels simultaneously to be stretched and framed for exhibition in a children’s hospital. Steven & DoN chatted about how important and calming art is for kids (and grown-ups) who are being wheeled into hospital exam rooms. Spathelf is very familiar with Philly’s Mural Arts Program since he’s done private and public murals in Florida for decades, it’s not surprising Philly has a good reputation for public art.
Steven L. Spathelf‘s studio in Dunedin, Florida housed on the second floor of an office building with many solo and shared studios throughout the large art space. The art scene in Dunedin is integrated into the community just as much as the Baseball Spring Training season with Second Friday events, lectures and art events happening though out the village.
Steven L. Spathelf of Sterling Art Studios, 668 Vine Ave., Dunedin, Florida.
The Dunedin Fine Art Center is the hub of the art scene with workshops, galleries and exhibits in a modern, thoughtful art center designed to draw the community together with art. The center has galleries for special shows, faculty exhibits and most importantly student show spaces with professional lighting and installation.
DoN regrets he doesn’t have the artist info on this piece but it reminded him so much of work by the Philadelphia Dumpster Divers with the use of old bundt pans, their memetic nostalgia vibrating with the wacko sculpture. Visiting the art center in Dunedin really made DoN homesick but a studio/gallery near the Gulf of Mexico is really attractive. The artists DoN spoke with all praised the support they’ve received from the public and their community; art is the glue that holds a town together, creating conversation, developing personalities and opening lines of communication.
Jo Schmidt, 3 Feathered Friends, acrylic @ Dunedin Fine Art Center.
Mary E. Haas, The Dream, stone @ The Dunedin Fine Art Center.
Barbara Kampe, Tu Jest Przyjemny Widok, acrylic and Carol Y. Bardes, Incan Kitchen, colored pencil in the hall of the Dunedin Fine Art Center. The art center used all viable space to exhibit art without seeming crammed.
Student gallery @ Dunedin Fine Art Center.
Carol Ann Loven, River Rock, fiber and Stephen Decaire, In The Drink, mosaic @ The Dunedin Fine Art Center.
Bill Renc of The Painted Fish Gallery paints dreamy tropical landscapes from plein air and memory as well as managing a large gallery & frame business. It’s a wonder the gregarious artist gets any work done since he’s more than willing to chat with all the customers wandering through; even though it was a Monday afternoon there was steady foot traffic through the art district.
That’s Bill Renc on the left, his colorful painting of the quirky Dunedin street signs is available as print and cards, the informative and fun sign posts point in all directions at once. The variety of interesting and colorful object, especially all the bright color which feels so alien to DoN‘s city eyes, comment on the lifestyle of the Tampa Bay area.
Bill Renc of The Painted Fish Gallery in Dunedin Florida.
Ira Burhans ceramics at Clay and Paper Gallery of Art are award-winning collectibles with avid clients, the ceramicist sells his work wholesale! Yet also manages a lovely gallery and interacts with his collectors. Burhans was familiar with the Philly art scene since he comes to trade shows here but the warmth and clear light of Dunedin is a great place to make art. The gallery represents about 25 local artists as well as Ira’s beautiful pots. If you’re ever in Tampa, DoN recommends visiting this enclave of art culture in the midst of beach life, it’s a great mix.
199 “Small Worlds” @ The Plastic Club
Sibylie Pfaffenbichler, Sailor on Leave, oil. The artist explained to DoN her inspiration came from the forties and the famous images of sailors returning home. The painting is so exuberant, vibrant and distinctive it really makes you wonder why we don’t dance in the street when our soldiers make it home. Pfaffenbichler is chair of The Philadelphia Sketch Club‘s Annual Flower Show.
Paul Davis Jones, Enigma, acrylic.
Gail Morison-Hall, The Burning Bush, mixed media & Elise Arnold, Untitled One, acrylic. With 199 works of art, Small World @ The Plastic Club would have been even bigger if more artists understood that presentation is half the battle, the exhibitions committee refused several pieces (DoN spotted a few suspect entries who passed muster).
Nick Brown, Orange Juice Cup & Mug, stone ware. Brown brings unfired pottery to life study workshops at The Plastic Club and sketches directly onto the clay, often you can hear him scratching grooves into the design to prevent the glaze from spreading when applied. The resultant objects are like ancient vessels found at an acheological dig – future meets ancient.
Lee Mamaluy, Popping Blooms, oil, Kathryn Russo, At Ease, mixed media and Jeanne Chesterton, Dots, oil.
Robert Stauffer‘s photograph, Thorazine Can Kill The Human Spirit, with broken glass in a mirror lined shadow-box frame is like a history of modern art all mushed up like DuChamp meets Warhol meets Ansel Adams. The broken glass reads like disaster, the desert scene feels like being stranded and the infinite reflections on all sides have secret hidden images to uncover.
Alden Cole, Now n Then #3, Mother & Child, wax/clay, 2010 & 1964.
Bob Makoid, Avian Capers,markers. Makoid told DoN this drawing is extra special to him because his kids surprised him by having the design made into a stained glass window.
Michele Jenkins, New Glasses, oil. DoN LoVeS this painting! Timeless, super-fun, nostalgic, funny, happy and executed with aplomb.
Anders Hansen, Earth Goddess, ink/watercolor, Lois Schlachter, Queen of the Night, acrylic and Joseph De Fay, The Cafe’, ink-jet print.
Lois Schlachter, Balloon Release, acrylic. DoN appreciates Lois’ combination of real & unreal, abstract & illustrative, signs & significations – cool.
Alan Clawans, Small Shed, photograph, DoN Brewer, light being (Farrah Fawcett), photograph (it’s not DoNArTNeWs without some DoN news), Sylvia Schreiber, White Flower, acrylic, Susan Wierzbicki, Saim, acrylic and Elise Arnold, Cats, acrylic. DoN is so pleased to have his entries placed so strategically in the beginning, #3, and the end, #196 – the magic of 3.
Photos by DoNBrewerMultimedia Photography.
DoNArTNeWs @ The Barnes Foundation
On a cold, sunny early January afternoon, Miss Shirleen surprised Shoshka & DoN with tickets to The Barnes Foundation in Merion, PA. Just a quick drive to the mansion from the plateau, the guards greeted us and pointed to a parking spot and soon we were wandering the fabulous rooms filled with French Impressionist masterworks, African sculptures and antiquities.
The main hall is the social hub with visitors absorbing and discussing in hushed tones the eccentric array of masterpieces. Quickly splitting up, the three of us gravitated to lush Monet‘s, an oddly hung Seurat or a small Cezanne and soon DoN found himself alone in a room with one of Van Gogh‘s famous Postman portraits hung clumsily in the corner. DoN moved in closer and closer, studying the brushwork, observing color-ways, admiring the pattern of the floral wallpaper in the background, the Postman’s eyes staring straight into DoN‘s. When DoN was about a foot from the painting he felt a tap on the shoulder, jumping like an armadillo, DoN was smilingly admonished by a pretty guard, he had wandered over the black electric tape line, the only barrier between DoN & Vincent.
After about ten minutes a few more visitors joined DoN so he moved on to the next gallery and again had one-on-one time with an Heironymus Bosch, it seems unreal that such an iconic object is so accessible, the phantasmagoria playing out across the canvas like a fever dream. There’s a Soutine which DoN used to think was ugly and seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room but over time the skewed, garish sailor boy has transmuted into a signification of the meaning of painting. Toulous Lautrec’s “A Montrouge” is so incredibly beautiful that everything else in the room becomes a supporting player.
DoN doesn’t understand why the Barnes is moving to the Parkway even though it will be within walking distance for many more people. The commute to the current location is simple, the wacko presentation of art & utilitarian craft in a Main Line mansion is a unique experience and, oh yeah, it breaks Barnes’ last will & testament, beside the fact that the place was practically empty on a Saturday afternoon. Is there really an audience for the quirky mix of art & industry removed from it’s original locale? DoN recommends you schedule your visit asap – it’s a trip.