Kelly and Weber Gallery @ Crane Arts Center, Virginia Bradley & Chris Malcomson

Kelly and Weber Gallery on the second floor is showing wall sculptures by artist Mike Steifel; highly imaginative and exquisitely constructed objects reek of found art but are actually all hand crafted.  Steifel tells DoN he used to even make his own screws; each piece is tooled and constructed to evoke old machine parts melded with blurry magnifying lenses and screwy bolts and hardware.  On the south wall of the gallery Mike has panels of wood with inlaid mother of pearl representing constellations from the southern sky and vice versa on the north wall – at first glance the dots appear to be nail heads until the glint of light highlights the pearlescent glow from the shell-stars.

Southern Cross, wood and mother of pearl by Mike Steifel @ K&W.

Southern Cross, wood and mother of pearl by Mike Steifel @ K&W.

Artist, Mike Steifel and his wife at the opening party @ Crane Arts.

Artist, Mike Steifel and his wife at the opening party @ Crane Arts.

Alden Cole reflected in Mike Steifel’s amazing mirrored wall sculpture @ K&W.  Steifel tells DoN he has, ” …a fetish for materials.  Abalone is luxurious.”

 Alden Cole reflected in Mike Steifel’s amazing mirrored wall sculpture @ K&W.  Steifel tells DoN he has, ” …a fetish for materials.  Abalone is luxurious.” 

So, back to Virginia Bradley who shares a studio with her husband, Chris Malcomson, on the second floor at Crane Arts.  Bradley’s side of the room displays her paintings of icons mashed-up with modern pattern design along side Malcomson’s equally iconic geometric paintings.  DoN especially likes the big circles on wood. 

Chris Malcomson

Chris Malcomson in the studio he shares with Virginia Bradley at Crane Arts Center.

Chris Malcomson

Painting by Virginia Bradley

Painting by Virginia Bradley in the studio she shares with Chris Malcomson.  Chris told DoN he met Virginia in Chelsea where he had a studio and immediately fell in love and followed her to Philly four years ago.  Aw!  Learn more about Malcomson at his website. 

 

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