History and New Technology Join Forces in Face Value at Main Line Art Center

Featuring Nick Cassway, Mark Khaisman & Steven Earl Weber

October 6 – November 5, 2014 

Artist Talk and Reception: Friday, October 10, 5:30-8:30 pm

Curated by Amie Potsic, Executive Director of Main Line Art Center
Presented in partnership with Pentimenti Gallery and DesignPhiladelphia 2014

From man’s first sketches on the cave wall, to the rise of the “selfie,” the portrait has been an ever-present subject matter for artists.  The power of the portrait to tell a story, illuminate social injustices, or capture a moment in time lies in the pictorial representation as well as the media and process by which it was made.  In Face Value, presented at Main Line Art Center October 6 to November 5, artists Nick Cassway, Mark Khaisman, and Steven Earl Weber uniquely approach portraiture and social commentary through the manipulation of packaging tape, computer cut stencils, and printed glass.  Referencing film noir, Khaisman will be exhibiting his signature lightboxes as well as a site specific installation on nine windows in the gallery.  Cassway will be exhibiting a new series based on a civil war drama created with his analog-to-digital-to-analog process that incorporates drawings edited together in Photoshop and output to computer cut stencils with house paint and metal leaf.  Influenced by early photographic processes and his immediate surroundings, Steven Earl Weber’s new work will be seen as shadows reflected on surfaces from mirrors and panes of glass to illicit empathy and identification with his subjects.  All three artists look to the past for inspiration and embrace new technologies in production to create compelling and surprising work that is both timely and timeless.

Face Value is curated by Amie Potsic, Executive Director of Main Line Art Center, and is presented in partnership with Pentimenti Gallery, of Old City Philadelphia, as part of the DesignPhiladelphia Festival.  The Art Center will host an artist talk on Friday, October 10 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, followed by a public reception from 6:30 to 8:30 pm featuring fare from Cricket Catering and samplings from the center’s wine sponsor, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly.  The artist talk, reception and gallery visits are free and open to the public. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, and Friday throughSunday from 10 am to 4 pm.  Additional programs for Face Value include a Screenprinting on Non-Traditional Surfaces workshop with Steven Earl Weber on Wednesday, October 8 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm; Analog to Digital to Analog Drawings workshop with Nick Cassway on Wednesday, October 22 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm; and a workshop on Painting with Packing Tape with Mark Khaisman on Wednesday, November 5 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm.  For more information about these programs and registration, visit www.mainlinert.org or call 610.525.0272.

Mark Khaisman “Lauren and Marilyn”. Packaging tape on acrylic panels with translucent resin light boxes 47.5” x 27” x 6” © Mark Khaisman 2014

Born in the Ukraine, Mark Khaisman studied art and architecture at the Moscow Architectural Institute and now lives and works in Philadelphia. Khaisman worked for several decades in architecture, animation, and stained glass design. In 2005, Khaisman began exhibiting his signature tape works.  His artwork has been exhibited and published internationally with exhibitions at Pentimenti Gallery in Philadelphia; Volta Art Fair in New York; Ampersand Foundation PF in Barcelona, Spain; Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair; The Science Museum in London, England; and Vitra Design Museum, in Weil am Rhein, Germany.  His works have been acquired by The West Collection, NBC, British Airlines, and The Delaware Art Museum. Additionally, his work has been featured in, Wired Magazine, Flush Magazine, and the Huffington Post.

Nick Cassway, Portrait of the Young General, latex and metal leaf on panel, 17.5″ x 22″,© Nick Cassway 2014

Nick Cassway received a BFA in painting from the Tyler School of Art in 1990. He has exhibited his drawings, prints, and site-specific installations both locally and nationally with recent solo exhibitions at James Oliver Gallery in Philadelphia. His work has been featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the ArtBlog, Grid Magazine, and Art News.  Cassway is deeply vested in the Philadelphia arts community and was formerly the executive director of NEXUS/foundation for today’s art. He currently teaches computer graphics, editorial design, and brand identity at Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, and is a current Fellow in CFEVA’s Visual Artist Fellowship program.Steven Earl Weber,“Untitled”, screen print on glass, spray paint, black house paint, 18 “x 18”, 2014 © Steven Earl Weber 2014

Steven Earl Weber received his BFA from Kent State University and his MFA from the University of Delaware.  A resident of Philadelphia, his sculptures and installations have been exhibited locally and internationally with exhibitions at Summerhall Arts, Edinburgh, Scotland; Roxy Art House & The Demarco European Art Foundation, Edinburgh, Scotland; Hunter College of Art, New York, NY; and The Painted Bride Art Center, Hidden City, and James Oliver Gallery in Philadelphia. Additionally, his work has been featured in The New York Times, The Scotsman Newspaper, and Art in America.  Weber has been the Gallery Director at the Philadelphia Sculpture Gym Gallery, served as adjunct faculty at the University of Delaware and Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, and is currently the Exhibition Designer at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art.

Amie Potsic, curator of the exhibition, began her tenure as Executive Director of Main Line Art Center in July of 2012.  Prior to that, she served as Director of Gallery 339 and Director of the Career Development Program at the Center for Emerging Visual Artists (CFEVA) in Philadelphia where she curated exhibitions and planned professional development programming for emerging and professional artists. Potsic has curated over 70 exhibitions at venues including The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and Moore College of Art & Design. Potsic is also an established photographic artist who has exhibited her work nationally and internationally.  In addition, she is currently Chair of the Art In City Hall Artistic Advisory Board to the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture & the Creative Economy.

DesignPhiladelphia, a signature event of the Philadelphia Center for Architecture, is the oldest and largest design event of its kind in the country and annually showcases the work of over 400 practicing architects, designers, and creative professionals. Experience design in unexpected ways through more than 120 exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations, tours, talks, and events held in venues across the city. Learn about wide-ranging topics, including architecture, urban planning, landscape, graphic, multi-media, product, furniture design, fashion, and the like. This year’s Festival kicks off on the evening of October 8 and events run from October 9-17. For more information on planning an event, sponsoring, advertising, or attending the 2014 Festival, visit: designphiladelphia.org.

Pentimenti Gallery, located in Old City Philadelphia, features content driven contemporary art which challenges traditional materials and aesthetics by a line of internationally established artists alongside young talent. Over time, the exhibition program has broadened to encompass abstract and figurative aesthetics to innovative works created from unconventional materials. Throughout two decades, Pentimenti Gallery has maintained a commitment to process based work and elaborate craftsmanship.  The gallery is regularly invited to participate at international art fairs such as VOLTA NY, PULSE NY, CONTEXT Art Miami, MIAMI PROJECT, TEXAS CONTEMPORARY.  Pentimenti Gallery is located at 145 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia.  For more information, visit www.pentimenti.com or call215.625.9990.

Main Line Art Center is a welcoming and inclusive creative home where everyone is encouraged to create, experience, and discover the value of art.  Committed to making art more accessible, the Art Center has over 75 years of experience presenting art programs for individuals of all ages and abilities, including a unique series of Accessible Art programs for children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities, at-risk youth, and low income families now celebrating their 50^th anniversary.  Throughout the year, Main Line Art Center presents innovative, contemporary art exhibitions in their award-winning gallery, as well as exhibitions that celebrate community.  Last year over 16,000 people chose Main Line Art Center as their home for creativity.

Main Line Art Center is located at 746 Panmure Road in Haverford, behind the Wilkie Lexus dealership just off of Lancaster Avenue. The Art Center is easily accessible from public transportation and offers abundant free parking. For more about Face Value, visit www.mainlineart.org or call 610.525.0272.

Face Value Artist Workshops:

Screenprinting on Non-Traditional Surfaces with Steven Earl Weber: Wed., Oct. 8, 6:30-9:30 pm

Analog to Digital to Analog Drawings with Nick Cassway: Wed., Oct. 22, 6:30-9:30 pm

Packing Tape Painting with Mark Khaisman: Wed., Nov. 5, 6:30-9:30 pm

Thank you to Amie Potsic for providing DoNArTNeWs with this report. Images used by permission of Main Line Art Center.

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