Tag Archives: Philadelphia

The Alchemist

The Alchemist, Francis Tucker Memorial Art Show at the University of the Arts

Francis Courtland Tucker, The Alchemist, Exhibition of Paintings

Monday, November 4, 2013 to Friday, December 20, 2013, President’s Office Gallery Hamilton Hall The University of the Arts, 320 S Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pa 19102

Opening Reception: Monday, November 4, 2013
5:00-7:00 pm
Presidents Office Gallery
320 S Broad Street

francistucker.blogspot.com

The Alchemist refers to Tucker’s deep knowledge of the science of making art. He taught art students how to make their own gesso with rabbit skin glue, how to grind and make their own paints, how to stretch canvas, the chemistry of mixing painting mediums like oil and turpenoid, how to clean paint brushes, how to make frames and how to be an artist.

Tucker was a special friend to me since he was one of my first art professors at the Philadelphia College of Art back in the early 70s. I was working for the phone company during the day and taking art classes at night. One of my favorite memories of that time is when I took a painting class with him in the Atlantic Building on Broad Street. I carefully, laboriously sketched out my composition with pencil on the canvas. Tucker let me finish the drawing then came to me and began erasing away my drawing. I was in shock. He then punched me in the arm, kind of hard, and said, “This is a painting class!” A lesson I’ve never forgotten and often share with others.

Tucker permitted me to visit him on his death bed, he was curled in a fetal position with oxygen tubes tangled around him, and we talked about the old days of partying at PCA. He allowed, encouraged, us to drink wine and beer in night classes. He knew we were all workers and needed a little liquid relaxation to loosen up. Until one day we forgot to get rid of the empty wine bottles and we all got in trouble. In our last moments together he said he was so frustrated that he had finally felt he had mastered his art only to have his body fail on him.

When I was a young man he told me if I wanted to be an artist I had to dedicate myself to it no matter what. But I was making good money at a boring job, so, I tried to do both. Looking back I now understand his lesson: do what you love and the money will take care of itself. I miss you Tucker and think of you everyday as I walk past your home on Fitler Square with Katy the Art Dog.

LoVe, DoN

Written by DoN Brewer. Photograph of Francis Tucker with his dog Slaughter provided by his daughter, Kathy Longwith.

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Syd Torchio

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Syd Torchio, My Big-Time Art Opening, Oil Paintings, Vintage Wine Bar

“Miss this and It’s probably because I didn’t do a painting of you.” – Syd Torchio

Syd Torchio, My Big-Time Art Opening, Oil Paintings, Vintage Wine Bar

Syd Torchio‘s portraits have a liveness, a sensual realness, that engages the viewer in a conversation with a character. The paintings are exquisitely composed, the figure always has an emotive expression, the backgrounds are reminiscent of 1950’s abstract painters but the subject is contemporary. There is a timelessness to the work and that Philadelphia realness vibe calls out other portrait painters with passion and bravado.

Syd Torchio, My Big-Time Art Opening, Oil Paintings, Vintage Wine Bar

This is a bad photograph of a great painting. You can find better pics at Syd’s facebook page and his etsy site. The dramatic composition of the artist’s wounds being licked by a beautiful woman while a nude model glares from the studio is like Syd’s previous surrealistic paintings but now the fun house mirror is gone.

Syd Torchio, My Big-Time Art Opening, Oil Paintings, Vintage Wine Bar

Syd Torchio wisely put his paintings under glass since the space is open to the street and Vintage Wine Bar is a busy and vibrant restaurant serving the hip dining crowd along the revitalized 13th Street corridor. The paintings on the exposed brick wall and the wall covered in wooden wine crate panels looks beautiful and artistic. Portraits are a tough sell, as Syd joked about in his artist statement, but in the stylish surroundings, the portraits look accessible and desirable. The painting above is of Joe Tiborino, the connection with Philadelphia history through portraits is important and meaningful.

Syd Torchio, My Big-Time Art Opening, Oil Paintings, Vintage Wine Bar

My Big-Time Art Opening by Syd Torchio exhibits contemporary portraiture with an edge, divergent style and dynamic content. The artist captures mood, action and atmospheric realism in thoughtful yet astonishing brushwork. See it for yourself, they have happy hour 4 – 6:00.

Written and photographed by DoN Brewer

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My Body/ My Story

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The Animal Within, mixed media by Linda Dubin Garfield

My Body/ My Story Opens at FringeArts September 5- 22, 2013 Benefits breastcancer.org

The Book Trader, 7 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 invites you to My Body/My Story by Linda Dubin Garfield and Susan Dipronio, a mixed media memoir installation which is part of the FringeArts Festival from September 5- 22, 2013. There will be two workshop opportunities on Sundays, September 8 and 15, 3- 5 PM, to create a mixed media portrait of a body part that tells a story about you in an ongoing workshop setting. Keep it for yourself or share it with others in a memoir installation which includes textual, mixed media & photographic art which benefits breastcancer.org. They have already collected over $2000 from pre-Fringe activities including an art show and sale and Pre-Fringe birthday party in Linda’s honor. Both Garfield and Dipronio are breast cancer survivors.

Since 2006 Garfield and Dipronio have collaborated on projects for the Fringe Festivals and other art projects including Asian Arts Initiative, The Ardmore Initiative, and Diabetes for Democracy and have raised thousands of dollars for non-profits related to their artistic themes including Locks for Love, Dafur Alert Coalition, Susan B Komens for the Cure and The Food Trust. In 2007, they received a Leeway Grant for Social Change for projects with Endow a Home.

Participants’ art from pre-fringe birthday party- photo by Linda Dubin Garfield

FringeArts presents the world’s most cutting-edge, high-quality artists, amplifying the vibrancy of Philadelphia as a renowned cultural destination and an unparalleled place to live, work, and visit. FringeArts experiences are entertaining, intellectually challenging, provocative, and moving.

For 18 days every September, the annual Festival creates a cityscape filled with theater, dance, music, visual art, and everything in-between. Audiences enjoy nonstop, creative cultural experiences, artists develop their artistic visions in total freedom without any curatorial barriers from bringing that work to avid audiences, and our community is enriched as art takes over our neighborhoods, animating the spaces of our city — from traditional theaters to corner bars and vacant storefronts.