Author Archives: admin1

About admin1

DoN Brewer is a Philadelphia based multimedia designer including blogging, web design, video production, photography, drawing, painting, writing, sound design, affiliate marketing and promotion. DoN graduated from University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, 2002, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Multimedia and Communications.

25th Annual School Districts of Philadelphia High School Show @ PSC

1 Reply

The Philadelphia Sketch Club in partnership with the Philadelphia School District presents the 25^th Annual High School Student Art Exhibition from February 9, 2009 through February 22, 2009. A closing reception and awards will be held February 22^nd, 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.

Anthony Martin’s drawing, “Good vs. Evil” won the Lois Muriel Award for Excellence in Drawing.

Eli VandenBerg @ The William Way Art Gallery

Leave a reply

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.

It’s a small, small World @ The Plastic Club

Leave a reply

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

2^nd Prize Jill Sprague

3^rd 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!!!

It’s A small World After All

Leave a reply

The Plastic Club @ 247 South Camac Street is hosting a new art show small WORLDS exhibition. All works in the show must be less than 16 in any direction including 2D and 3D works by hundreds of artists; there are 182 artworks in the show, no small feat to install. But, the committee performed wonders in creating groupings, tableau and mise en seine drawing the visitor into tiny spaces packed with authenticity, superior craftsmanship and creativity. Karl Olsens A is a masterful painting of his ubiquitous hat, Alden Cole entered a wildly erotic fantasy, Doris Peltzmans “Portrait of Amber” is haunting and masterful

small WORLDS opens February 1^st heres a sneak peek.

DoN Brewer‘s “light being (Chink)“, Ellen Grenwell‘s “4:12 AM, Please Kitty“, Rob Willis‘ “Ichibano” & Hugo Hsu‘s “Tenguska“.

small Worlds @ The Plastic Club.

Alden Cole‘s “Embrace No. 2“.

The opening reception and awards is Sunday, February 1st, 2009, 2 – 5:00 PM.

Darla Jackson vs. Anne Canfield @ CFEVA

Leave a reply

Darla Jackson vs. Anne Canfield @ the Center for Emerging Visual Artists is just that a bare knuckled cage-fight between two contemporary Philly artists, a grrl-fight for attention, a battle of wits and inventiveness, like a schoolyard brawl with each girl trying to rip out the others pierced earrings. In one corner is Anne Canfield throwing punches with quirky drawings and mythological paintings and in the other corner is Darla Jackson doing body slams with bold black graphic sculpture.

Anne Canfield tells DoN that her imagery is born of anxiety, the Cat is safe but could turn on you. Anne has developed her own visual language relying on memory and is not true to nature, thats not what shes going for her mark-making is assured and brushwork amusing, like reading a favorite book. The small cat is sometimes writ large in Canfields images often with a small girl (perhaps a self portrait), each staring at the other as if they were, facing God.

Darla Jackson, known for her sculptures of animals wearing the masks of other animals (say a bunny with a crow face mask), here invites familiar animals to witness the party in the apartment-like gallery. Birds, kitties, bunnies, even a life sized deer inhabit the human dwelling, decked out in festive party hats, making a mess of the place as if they were partying just a little too hard. Jackson goes for the knockout with the deer laying on the floor; life sized and appearing to be solid black metal, the scene is poignant with gallery visitors tiptoeing around the specimen, the deers simple red party hat knocked askew. By anthropomorphizing the animals, Jackson brings the creatures out of hiding making them observers of the strange creatures called humans.