Tag Archives: Philadelphia Art Gallery

Plastic Club

RiTUAL Reading Room

My Winter Coat, Barbara Henry, NJ and A Summer Morning’s Ritual, Pia De Girolamo

RiTUAL, Reading Room, 110 Church Gallery, 110 Church Street, Philadelphia PA 19106, 267 871 9375, HOURS: Thursday 1:30 – 6:30 pm, Friday 1:30 – 6:30 pm (except First Fridays, 5 – 8 pm) Saturday Noon – 4:00 pm, other times by appointment.

ARTIST RECEPTION:  Saturday, December 14, 2013,  3:00 – 6:00 pm

110 Church Gallery invites you to retreat from the cold into our gallery, transformed into a reading room. Be surrounded by stories, engulfed by pages, dazzled by over two hundred books. Books on shelves. Books on tables. Books hanging. Walls covered with books on display. Take books down, curl up and read. Fall in love with a book, buy it, and take it home.

Each of these books has been constructed from a single-sheet surface that is no larger than 11 x 17 inches. Over one hundred artists submitted books, addressing the theme: ritual.

RiTUAL, Reading Room, 110 Church Gallery

RiTUAL Reading Room is a meme based in Social Practice. To get the idea out into the Philadelphia art scene and have participation, the message had to be simple, easy to explain and memorably fun. By adding terms and conditions the curators established a concept that artists could share with each other, all you had to do was follow simple instructions. Making books in the Age of Digital Reproduction is a challenge to artists desiring to express themselves on paper. RiTUALS let’s the artist write whatever kind of book they like and then share the wall space with other artists, their work pixelated into the matrix of the meme, each book like a nerve connecting to the central nervous system of the art show. It really makes you think.

The design is simple and elegant with each book, loaded with information, waits to be unpacked by a viewer. Action is required to view the books displayed artfully in clear bags, concise tagging and information design creates a clever design experience. At the First Friday opening people ‘reading’ the books in random order mostly said, ‘Cool!’ There’s no better word.

110 Church Gallery, RiTUAL, Reading Room

RiTUAL as a social practice experience is intellectually satisfying from the ad campaign with the sample instruction books to the on-line campaign to the virtual display, the idea is to express a concept within constraints. The books nearest the door are hung from display pins so the wind won’t blow them over, object-like books such as the tea-bag book are on pedestals and tables and the rest are displayed on slim racks with taut string keeping them in place.

The origami-like fold of the paper creates a four page book, with 8 sides and the opposite side of the paper can be a poster. There are books of prints, poems, recipes, photos, patterns, drawings, paintings, embroidery and sculpture. And there are stories told in eight pages that will make you laugh or cry. The tactility of handing the books and sharing the discoveries with others opened up communications so that people interacted instead of the anonymity of the library.

110 Church Gallery, RiTUAL, Reading Room

RiTUAL creates an environment saturated with information, ideas and design. The cable knit sweater book by Kate Flake is an expression of the information technology of sewing communicated as memetic code. A meme of cozy comfort is translated into the book in a language different from words; a thread of thought creates a story in an un-named tongue that is easily understood and re-interpretted into words.

110 Church Gallery, RiTUAL, Reading Room

Pia DeGirolamo’s books are delightfully informative and rich with style and taste. And by taste I mean food. Tomato Sauce Ritual teaches how to be resourceful and make yourself some decent Italian food; you live in Philly you should know how to make sauce. The illustrations, text and paper all add to the narrative in ways that are visually tasty.

110 Church Gallery, RiTUAL, Reading Room

Thank you to Stella and Margaret from 110 Church Gallery for taking up this idea that involves depending on a lot of artists to create something new and making the exhibition a reality. The show has hundreds of books, there is an on-line catalog with pages about the artists and their books. RiTUAL is a lot of information that required deep thought and attention to detail to make happen.

110 Church Gallery consistently presents art that is thought provoking and unique, with RiTUAL the curators have communicated with the arts community in a way that they responded to with exciting and beautiful concepts of their own. Creating a spirit of community is the essence of the art show and if you spend time reading the books in the gallery you will learn about the people of our community and their rituals.

RiTUAL online catalog

Written and photographed by DoN Brewer except where noted.

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RiTUAL

Edward Woltemate, Jr.

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Ed Woltemate, Jr., Autodidactic Ingenuism, the Coalition Ingenu Collective of Self-Taught Artists at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.”
Philip K. Dick

“Edward Woltemate, Jr. creates art that takes you to another world. His brilliant art has bright colors and out-of-this-world design. Despite being born a deaf mute, his art captures you in his fantasies and takes you on an adventure into the unknown. Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, he enjoyed spending summers at his grandparents’ home at the Jersey shore, along with his two sisters (one is also a deaf mute) and his brother.

Eddie has a keen sense of humor which has carried him through the darker places in his life and can be seen in the serendipity of his art. Eddie went to two primary schools, American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut, and The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Philadelphia. He has had a lifelong interest in the extraterrestrial and his characters and spacescapes are detailed as never before imagined.

Eddie has traveled extensively with his wife, Elaine, taking photographs and blending his inspiration and vision into his art. Although he works on his drawings every day, he finds time for three grandchildren and hobbies such as photography and gardening. He loves to shop and go to museums and is always thinking about what his next drawing will be.” – Ed Woltemate, Jr. website

Ed Woltemate, Jr., Moonspidergee, mixed media and colored pencil on paper, $500.00 Autodidactic Ingenuism, the Coalition Ingenu Collective of Self-Taught Artists at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

“Ed Woltemate, Jr. is a very organized man with a logical mind. Most of his work is accompanied by a kind of ‘legend’ on the back that describes the climate, topography, atmosphere and many other intricate details and characters of his imaginary worlds.

Ed Woltemate, Jr. has traveled extensively with his wife, Elaine, taking many photographs and blending his observation and impressions into his art. Although he draws every day, he also finds time for his three grandchildren and enjoys several hobbies including gardening, shopping, museum touring and photography.” –Ed Woltemate, Jr. artist statement at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

Ed Woltemate, Jr., Marrs, mixed media and colored pencil on paper, $800.00, Autodidactic Ingenuism, the Coalition Ingenu Collective of Self-Taught Artists at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

Ed Woltemate, Jr. creates worlds of wonder using simple materials like pencils and paper that transport the viewer to distant planets inhabited by intelligent beings who have advanced societies. The artist peoples these worlds with beings who are creative, beautiful and friendly and on the back of the finished work he provides a ‘legend’ that describes in great detail where the planet is conjunction to where we are on Earth. He even names each planet and their inhabitants. With the recent cosmological news that there are more than eight billion ‘Goldy Locks’ planets in the Milky Way alone, Woltemate won’t be running out of planets to describe any time soon.

Ed and I have been in several art shows together including Art Ability at Bryn Mawr Rehab, the Philadelphia Foundation and the Delaware Art Museum, I’ve been a long time fan. Science Fiction and alternate realities are an element of my own art with my ‘light being’ photography series but Ed is able to visualize the other-wordly without having to say a word. Whereas I have to explain to people what my art is about.

Each of his drawings is like watching a great Sci-Fi movie that allows the viewer to suspend belief and experience life on another planet for a while. It’s been said that art viewers spend about five seconds looking at art in a museum. But Ed Woltemate, Jr. art requires the viewer to take an astral trip of light years where a second expands into centuries, centuries into eons and eons into a kind of after-life and when you get back all your friends might be gone. Quantum physics works like that and he taps into that energetic time/space continuum vibe like Steven Hawking.

Ed Woltemate, Jr., Cogacy, mixed media and colored pencil on paper, $400.00, Autodidactic Ingenuism, the Coalition Ingenu Collective of Self-Taught Artists at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

I had the opportunity to interview his lovely wife, manager and translator, Elaine Woltemate, at the opening of Autodidactic Ingenism, the Coalition Ingenu Collective of Self-Taught Artists at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens:

How long have you been working with Coalition Ingenu?

“Gee whiz, we’ve been with Coalition Ingenu for about two and a half years. I have been more or less managing Ed’s art for a while and Robert Bullock has been a great help. But I’ve taken different routes also with Ed’s art and I plan to continue to do that. We’re trying to get into different places than we’ve been before, we’ve been successful in the last couple of years with Bryn Mawr Rehab Art Ability, Moss Rehab, the disabled artists venues. Bryn Mawr Rehab’s Art Ability has three of his pieces this year, the opening is November 2nd. Then on November 9th we’re at Main Line Art Center, we sold a nice piece there about two or three months ago.”

Amie Potsic is a friend of mine.

“She’s very young to have the position she holds, don’t you think? Everybody looked young there! Through a friend of ours we were introduced to an organization called Build a Bridge, it’s a volunteer organization that gets funds for the homeless and different people throughout the city that need assistance, Build a Bridge is having a gala and we offered to donate a piece of art.

My friend told me a little about what was going on, I thought Eddie’s art would fit in with that. They said that if he could create a drawing that depicts ‘Hopeful City‘ they would like to use that. So he made a beautiful drawing, something totally different than what he’s used to of Rittenhouse Square. It’s going to be auctioned off at Build a Bridge, it’s purely because we have been so fortunate in the last few years that it was time to give back, So Edward is going to be involved in that and we’re excited about it!

It doesn’t mean any money for us but I think it will be great exposure and it’s something different for him. As I said, we have been very fortunate, maybe not dollar-wise but just in the people we’ve met, you know? And the venues that we’ve been in, we’ve been very fortunate lately, so, like I said, it’s time to give back.”

But how can people buy your work besides this show?

“We have a website http://www.edwardwoltematejr.com/index.html. We’re on facebook but I’m not very technical. Robert sees me as a good manager of Eddie’s art, I’m going to have to get more technologically savvy. I’m soliciting my son already, he’s at University of Pennsylvania and teaches computer science. So I’m giving him lunch and getting lessons.

Do you sell prints?

“No, we don’t. And do you know why? I really feel like we’ve come to a point where we have to do something different, not just sell the originals all the time, maybe that’s another step we should take because originals only last for so long (in stock).

How would you describe Ed’s work?

“Unique is kind of an over-used phrase but his art doesn’t fit any category. It doesn’t fit outsider, it doesn’t fit visionary – it’s kind of his own vision of different planets, different galaxies. It’s very different than any other art out there. Maybe that’s why we have sold to gallery owners and collectors that have more of an appreciation than the general public. As far as describing his work – it’s in his own category. It’s Edward Woltemate, jr.” – Elaine Woltemate

Read more about Autodidactic Ingenuism, the Coalition Ingenu Collective of Self-Taught Artists at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens on DoNArTNeWs Philadelphia Art News Blog

Written and photographed by DoN Brewer except where noted.

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The Galleries at the Chamber

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Maggie Mills, New House, oil on linen, 44″ x 52″, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, The Galleries at the Chamber, Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia

Lori Dillard Rech, President and Chief Executive Officer of Center for Emerging Visual Artists addressed the assembled guests for the innaugeral art show at the Arts and Business Council of Philadelphia’s offices on the Avenue of the Arts. The Galleries at the Chamber is showcasing contemporary Philadelphia artists in the lobby, board rooms, meeting rooms and offices on the 7th floor of the grand Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, designed in the French Renaissance style by G.W. & W.D. Hewitt.

“I am with the Center for Emerging Visual Artists and we’re really thrilled to be invited to present this show. I want to thank the Karin Copeland and Miriam DeChant who really had the vision for being able to enhance these spaces, enliven these spaces in a way that’s so enriching. We’re very appreciative.”

Tremain Smith, Mercy, oil, wax and collage on panel, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, The Galleries at the Chamber, Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia

“Genevieve Coutroubis, Director, Regional Community Arts Program has been with CFEVA for about twelve years and she really began the program of starting to look at trying to customize exhibitions for businesses. We go into lobbies, hospitals, office spaces, all kinds of different non-profits use us and many businesses. We would hope that many of you would consider having an exhibition in your space. We would be more than happy to come out to talk to you about what that means. The way we curate the shows is we bring in a group of artists and we allow you to look at the works and help you find something appealing to you. And hopefully will be appealing to to your clients and what’s appropriate for you and your clients.

For many years we’ve been providing programs just like this, a wide variety of exhibitions in spaces throughout the Philadelphia area. And one of the most important things for us, in terms of our mission, is that this also gives us the opportunity to showcase the amazing artistic talent of this region. And we can give you that opportunity to do that as well. Thank you to the Arts and Business Council for this incredible opportunity to bring artists into these spaces so that the wider business community can look at it and appreciate it. And think about it for themselves.” – Lori Dillard Rech

Gregory Brellochs, The Hallow, Soma, Sign ink and vanish on panel, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, The Galleries at the Chamber, Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia

Gregory Brellochs, The Hallow, ink and vanish on panel, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, The Galleries at the Chamber, Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia

Genevieve Coutroubis introduced the artists in attendance but first pointed out that all of the artwork is for sale. The represented artists include photographer James B. Abbott, Gregory Brellochs, Kirsten Fischler, Tish Ingersoll, Eric Kennedy, Shalya Marsh, Maggie Mills, Tremain Smith and Michael Yoder.

Shalya Marsh, ceramic, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, The Galleries at the Chamber, Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia

“The Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia (ABC) strengthens our creative sector, including arts, culture and for-profit creative businesses, by engaging the business, legal & technology communities, providing capacity-building services, and serving as a thought leader and a convener. ABC, with the support of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, is uniquely positioned to actively connect the creative sector with the business, legal and technology communities.” – The Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia mission statement.

Shalya Marsh, ceramic (click the picture) Center for Emerging Visual Artists, The Galleries at the Chamber, Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia

DoN asked Miriam DeChant what the Philadelphia arts community should know about the Philadelphia Arts and Business Council and Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts?

“What I think I want them to know the most is we are available for them. And we prefer to be a vaccine instead of a bandage. So, I would like them to ask questions, even if they’re not sure of what the question is because if you’re a little wiser about getting things in writing, being more careful about paying their taxes, working within copyright laws. But, in the future, we want to help people determine whether this is a legal problem or not, before it gets to the point where something actually goes wrong.

I’ve been here for five years and in the last ten years our case load had indicated that with the internet people are more aware that there might be a problem. And if they take risks they’re likely to get caught. So, there’s actually a bit of a chilling effect because people are hesitant to appropriate because they’re afraid to use other people’s work in a way their personal rights might not let them allow them to use in a ‘fair use’ way because it’s such a gray area.”

Shalya Marsh, ceramic, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, The Galleries at the Chamber, Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia

“It would be useful to talk to a lawyer about these gray areas. It’s important to talk to a lawyer and ask, ‘How big of a risk is this?’ “Is it worth getting permission or is this enough of a commentary that it’s fair use?

Appropriation is an art form of it’s own, absolutely. There’s a very large case in the Appeals Court of the 2nd Circuit involving prints about photography and approbation in a very interesting way so we’re waiting to see if that goes up to the Supreme Court or not. There’s been progress but it’s a very gray area.

If an artist has a question, they need to submit to me, to us, the work that they’re worried about that’s their’s and whatever it is that they think they are using or gaining inspiration from is legal to share. And then we can talk to them about the therapy. They can call us, there’s an application on-line, We primarily help artists in a pro-bono way for artists who have a low income or modest income, collectors and non-profits, so it’s a bit of paperwork but we’ll work with you on it.

And everyone in the office is really passionate about art.” – Miriam K. DeChant, Esq.