Ladies, DoN knows you will LoVe, lOvE, LoVe this show. Shoes, nothing but shoes – hundreds of them. This little number, “In Bloom“, is by Kathryn Myers Gilbert. Moore College of Art & Design is on the Parkway @ 20th Street.
Introductions 09 at The Galleries at Moore College of Art & Design, Widener Foundation Memorial Gallery, 20th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia is just so amazing lots of wild mixed metaphors, deep narrative streams of consciousness and memes within memes within memes. Brenna K Murphys Roots #3 is a prime example of an artwork weaving multiple meanings of normal images, encountered daily, into an interesting story that plays in your mind like a movie. Brennas roots are wrapped in human hair, completely encasing real tree roots, which are arranged lovingly on a large white wall. DoN asked Murphy about the origins of the work, Wrapping the roots is about home and the body. Growing up as a nomad, to Brenna the hair represents the body as home. Donald Carter, who is rooted in Philadelphia, asked Brenna how she would sell the work. Good question: the piece has already been exhibited at Eileen Togninis house but hanging from the ceiling, so the piece is growing and changing all the time. Time, growth, security, luxury and fun all swirling together like twisted dreadlocks, representing culture and sub-culture, luxury and lunacy, safety and insanity all wrapped up in hair. “Roots #3” is an adventurous idea, realized with meticulous craft, enthusiasm and industriousness – what more can we ask of art?
Brooke Hines ceramic mixed media sculpture also has slippery hidden narratives, These are a Few of My Favorite Things is composed of ceramic, slip, stains, glaze and whiskers. Real cat whiskers.
Daniel Traubs large format c-print is hyper-realism with a hypnotic story to tell about Chinese Cities Edge; the incomplete skeletons of future luxury housing is occupied by industrious people gleaning the pervasive demolition of old China and reselling to the secondary market. An amusement park is on the horizon while stacks of doors and windows, each a metaphor, lean against the concrete. Fabric and plywood fill the vacant windows like layers of pages from a book.
Diane Savona, “Sewing Bag Number One“.
Brenna K Murphy, “Roots #3“.
Brooke Hines sculpture, Danielle Bursk, drawing.
Daniel Traub, photograph.
Ben Volta @ Introductions ’09.
The Philadelphia Sketch Club in partnership with the Philadelphia School District presents the 25th Annual High School Student Art Exhibition from February 9, 2009 through February 22, 2009. A closing reception and awards will be held February 22nd, 2 5:00 PM. The invitational represents the best student artists from High Schools around the city. The 2009 exhibit was organized by Dorothy Roschen, a prominent Philadelphia sculptor and former art teacher, the jurors are Diana Larisgoitia, PH.D, Rik Viola, actor and fine artist and multimedia artist DoN Brewer.
The depth and breadth of this wonderful show demonstrates how young people can communicate through art whether through Photoshop to cut paper to traditional drawings and paintings. DoN recalls that art was his favorite class in high school, a place to escape from the difficulties of growing up during the Viet Nam War (the Vietnamese called it the American War) with the inherent fear of the draft after graduating. Today young people are dealing with multiple wars and the new-age depression yet they, too, find solace in losing themselves in paint, charcoal and pastel even if they only have brown paper to develop their ideas.
More than 20 awards are being presented but there are many students being presented with honorable mentions that will receive certificates. DoN urges you to donate funds, materials or gift certificates to the Philadelphia Sketch Clubs effort; it would be great if every kid who poured his soul into their art is able to go home with an award.
Olivia Haas mixed media piece won best in show at the 25th Annual Philadelphia High School Art Show @ PSC.
25th Annual Philadelphia High School Art Show @ PSC.
25th Annual Philadelphia High School Art Show @ PSC.
Anthony Martin’s drawing, “Good vs. Evil” won the Lois Muriel Award for Excellence in Drawing.
The William Way Gay Community Center for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Community seeks to encourage, support, and advocate for the well-being and acceptance of sexual and gender minorities through service, recreational, educational, and cultural programming. The lobby of the center at 1315 Spruce Street is an art gallery currently hosting an outstanding one-person show of drawings in pen and ink and woodcut prints by Eli VandenBerg. The art is contemporary in style with topical themes of gender identity, cultural confusion and urban isolation. The strong, expressive lines impressed DoN, the dark, sloppy drips serving to express the emotional context of the exhibit, which runs through 2/27.
The staff at the center is very friendly and helpful and provides important services not just to the gay community but also to the benefit of all who need help, guidance and support. The Barbara Gittings library is a unique source of information relating to gay history.
VandenBerg has shown in international and national exhibitions including the National Queer Arts Festival. His work has also appeared in books and magazines including the anthology Self-Organizing Men: Conscious Masculinities in Time and Space. VandenBerg will exhibit drawings from two series: Passing which explores gender transition and Place and Home which focuses on discovering and rediscovering origins. (WayGay website)
“When You’re Sitting, Spread Your Legs. Take Up Space.” Eli VandenBerg @ William Way Gallery.
“New Body, Pholio“, woodcut, Eli VandenBerg.
Eli VandenBerg @ William Way Community Center Art Gallery.
The opening reception at the Plastic Club this past Sunday for the small Worlds exhibition was very entertaining. The membership of the club is so welcoming and warm, the food and wine so delicious and the art so extraordinary that its impossible to not have a good time. With over 180 works in the show, virtually every Philly fine artist, whether aspiring or accomplished, was present; DoN said, Hi, to Doris Petzman, Sue Barnes, Reta Sweeney, Pat Monaghan and Cyna, Karl Olsen, Jym Paris, Eileen Eckstein, Morris Klein, Art Ostroff, Mina Smith-Segal, Rob Willis, Deb Weber, Mike Guinn, Bob Jackson and many more familiar faces that it will take DoN a while to remember all the names.
The awards were dominated by younger artists which DoN finds very satisfying considering the concentration of art schools in the hood.
1st Prize David Golas, Self Portrait, A Closer Look
2nd Prize Jill Sprague
3rd Prize Louise LaFond
Honorable Mentions: Lucy Pistilli, Robert Bohne and Nathan Irvin
Juror: Joseph Kazimierczyk.
1st Prize winner David Golas is an intensely personal self portrait.
Photo by Rick Wright and 2 paintings by Reta Sweeney.
A superb plein air by Sue Barnes; the scudding clouds warning of an incoming storm at the Jersey shore.
Karl R. Olsen‘s “B”.
Irma Shapiro‘s “It’s Just A Story“, acrylic.
Susan DiProno‘s “Smokin’ Claudia III“, photo. Bob Jackson talked to the crowd about the importance of excellent presentation, this piece tells the story with a simple frame, unobtrusive mat and non-glare glass not to mention the stunning composition.
Karen Frank’s, “Duck, Meet Unicorn“, prismacolor. DoN LoVeS this one.
Lucy Pistilli, “Dream 2“, Pencil.
The winners circle at small Words @ The Plastic Club.
Bob Jackson cooking delectable tidbits for the party on the new stove in the Plastic Club’s basement kitchen – YuMMy!!!