Category Archives: Twenty-Two Gallery

Jessica Barber – The Industrial Complex: A Visual Interpretation @ Twenty-Two Gallery

The Commodore Barry, mixed media on panel, Jessica Barber – The Industrial Complex: A Visual Interpretation @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Flare Up at the Refinery, 4 color lithograph, Jessica Barber – The Industrial Complex: A Visual Interpretation @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Some Strings Attached, mixed media on panel, Jessica Barber – The Industrial Complex: A Visual Interpretation @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Investigating the super structure of her surroundings, Jessica Barber has discovered a hidden beauty in the ugly encroachment of the industrial complex we live in. The harsh angles and abrupt interruptions in the landscape are the leaping off points for Barber’s intense paintings and prints. There is no secret that her endeavor for this show was about industriousness whether in her complex lithographs, an artistic technology unto itself, thickly painted industrial landscapes or thoughtful, contemplative figures, the effect is serious yet hopeful insight. Seeing the beauty in the ugly is something we have to live with anyway, Jessica see’s the blight and decides to make something beautiful, deep and lasting for us, capturing the moment when the sun hits the bridge at just the right angle or the soft glow of oily asphalt at sunset. There may be no right answer to the ugliness but Jessica is willing to look hard and see the wonderful patterns, colors and textures inflicted on the industrial landscape and offer answers in the form of art.

Photos by DoN.

Bonnie Schorske 2010 @ Twenty-Two Gallery

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Abandoned Conrail Railroad Car, Bonnie Schorske, 2010 @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Bonnie Schorske travels a lot, in her current solo show she compares and contrasts two parts of the world, the Susquehanna Valley region and India. Bonnie told DoN she is inspired by the imagery she finds along the Pennsylvania river country, the solarized photograph of a Texaco gas pump is a real time trip, just as her duo-tone photo of an Indian landscape takes the viewer on a journey to a foreign place. The show hangs like a road map around the world, each photo a contemplative gaze on typography, architecture and nature specific to somewhere special. Bonnie Schorske has been in a creative frenzy producing a large stash of archival digital prints on lustrous museum quality rag paper; the photographer has found a way to produce affordable, high quality prints with DIY industriousness. Bonnie is highly skilled as a traditional wet dark room photographer but her transition to digital proves it’s not the camera equipment but the eye of the artist that makes an image work.

Bonnie Schorske, Ghost of Big Red, solarized archival pigment print on 100% rag.

This is the image Bonnie used on her art card, when DoN saw Bonnie at the recent Piffaro concert she asked if he was attending her upcoming show – DoN drew a total blank, even though he had the card propped up against his monitor, he never turned it over to see who’s card it was, the image had sold itself already.

RR Detritus and Susquehanna View, archival pigment print on 100% rag paper, Bonnie Schorske @ Twenty-Two Gallery in Center City, Philadelphia.

Bonnie Schorske, 2010 @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Photos by DoN.

Dale Levy, Perception @ Twenty-Two Gallery

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Dale Levy, Perception @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Tonight is the Center City Art Crawl but last Friday DoN attended the opening reception for Dale Levy‘s Perception one-person show at Twenty-Two Gallery. Dale told DoN that Helen Frankenthaler is an influence for her abstract expressionist paintings; the wild colors which appear so immediate actually takes a lot of time as each color dries before the next is added.

Dale Levy, On Edge, acrylic on canvas.

At the opening party a group of Dale Levy’s college girl friends were snapping pictures and hanging out with their old friend in support of her great artistic achievement. Encouragement and persistence is so essential to an artist’s ability to persevere. Dale Levy has developed her own recognizable style that looks back to the invention of abstraction but with a contemporary palette and stylish presence. Make 22nd Street part of your art crawl tonight.

Photos by DoN.

Best Art Show Ever – A Showing of Oil & Ink and Oil Pastel Paintings by Harry Boardman @ Twenty-Two Gallery

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Best Art Show Ever – A Showing of Oil & Ink & Oil Pastel Paintings by Harry Boardman @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Harry Boardman @ Twenty-Two Gallery on 22nd Street. DoN stopped in the artist co-op known as Twenty-Two Gallery to see the Best Art Show Ever, a collection of paintings and oil pastel drawings with a distinct regional impressionism of absorbing landscapes, architectural representation, animal images – it really makes you remember why you live near Philly.

Best Art Show Ever – A Showing of Oil & Ink & Oil Pastel Paintings by Harry Boardman @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Harry Boardman‘s collection of art for his one man show is not narcissistic in the least, he really has the painting skill to claim his artistic turf, desirable works of art to elevate your life-style, like a Philly MC at a rap battle – Holla Back!

Dale Levy @ Twenty-Two Gallery. Dale Levy was on duty for the artist run space, she currently has not just the bold abstracts she’s known for but beautiful representational paintings which display a different facet of her style. The group show represents the work of influential Philadelphia artists who contribute to the artistic zeitgeist of the region with exuberant enthusiasm and tenacity.

Every time DoN walks down 22nd Street, a feeling of well-being emanates from the neighborhood, it’s so pretty, so accessible and friendly with cafe’s, shops and art. Even though a couple of cool spots have closed due to this stupid recession the stroll feels very Metropolitan; DoN recently had coffee @ Good Karma to talk with a prominent Philadelphia blogger about some exciting upcoming news, even the gossip is esoteric.

Karen S. Davies, Recent Work @ Twenty-Two Gallery

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Karen S. Davies, Buddha’s Tears, mixed media, 26 x42″ @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Karen S. Davies like cities but she likes the country better, she’s obsessed with patterns of foliage, light & darkness, the movement of water like in the back bays and marshlands of the Jersey Shore. To Davies the winding paths through the deep grasses have their own personalities, she emphasizes aspects of the natural world on the surface of her mixed media pieces.

The large works incorporate unusual yet common materials to create what Paul DuSold called a “…cosmic suggestiveness that comes through as very satisfying.” Stop in Twenty-Two and ask Karen what the secret ingredients are that make the heroic pieces glow.

Karen S Davies, Recent Work @ Twenty-Two Gallery through 11/7/2010.

Photos by DoN.

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DoNArTNeWs

Philadelphia Art News Blog by DoN Brewer

Category Archives: Twenty-Two Gallery

Jessica Barber – The Industrial Complex: A Visual Interpretation @ Twenty-Two Gallery

Bonnie Schorske 2010 @ Twenty-Two Gallery

Dale Levy, Perception @ Twenty-Two Gallery

Best Art Show Ever – A Showing of Oil & Ink and Oil Pastel Paintings by Harry Boardman @ Twenty-Two Gallery

Karen S. Davies, Recent Work @ Twenty-Two Gallery