Carly Valentine’s black and white photography looked gorgeous mounted on the historic walls of the venerable Philadelphia Sketch Club Gallery on Camac Street. Four times a year the club hosts the grads of AI to show their work in the gallery with a gala party; a great reason to dress up and have a drink. Valentine’s deeply narrative work, mostly self portraits, nod to modern art with Magritte-like compositions, beaux arts frames and costumes from another era. The rich blacks, creamy ecru and dreamy metaphors filled books, the walls over the fire place and the entire “winners wall” of the gallery. Carly was unaware of the historic significance of exhibiting in America’s oldest art club, her grandmother, DoN’s good friend Jeannette Walsh, was long time president of the Regional Art Association in Clementon, NJ (the foundation of DoN’s art career), who was a fine artist in her own right, as well as a blue grass musician and entertainer. Jean would be so proud to know Carly is excelling not just in fine art and photography but in being a really nice person, a trait no school can ever teach.
John Moore’s painterly photographs combine natural elements with ethereal industrial constructs creeping into the composition. The grad show at PSC was very gratifying with a focus on business, including business cards, book arts, web sites and unique presentation for their photography, information useful for art students emerging into a competitive market. DoN appreciated that Moore bucked the trend and “forgot” his cards, DoN wrote his name on another grad’s card. The graduates had a crash course in installing a show at The Sketch Club which concurrently has Phillustration 2010 running, they had to take down a complete show, install a new one, then re-hang the first show in the same order - welcome to the art world!
Tamara Brown’s carved books with photo emulsion images inside the books are fabulously evocative and transmogrifying, combining text and technique in a unique mash up. LoVe iT!
Carol Wisker with her award winning mixed media creation, Machine: War Games Series, when the show first opened at Smile Gallery, Carol won Best in Show. The huge gallery space at RRCA is a wonderful opportunity to see most of the original show hanging together again. 3rd Friday in Millville was really fun with live entertainment tucked into every park, alley and plaza including a glee club performance!!! The creative vibe of the monthly event with art shows, restaurants and shops welcome visitors warmly with small town ambiance and upscale art.
Ted Warchal @ Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts special exhibit, Through My Window, A Da Vinci Art Alliance Members Exhibit. Ted, Ona & DoN are members of the Board of Directors of Da Vinci, thanks to all the artists & volunteers who arranged for the art to show up on time and to Dr. Debra Miller & David Foss for the expert installation, the RRCA is a wonderful exhibition space.
David Foss & Nicole Koenitzer.
Betsy Alexander’s Sci-Fi homage drew some teenage geeks into the gallery who seemed mesmerized at the depth of knowledge in the obscure references. Burnell Yow! told DoN he was hesitant when Betsy voiced her encyclopedic idea - but beam me up!
DoN Brewer’s drawing of Paris rooftops is paired perfectly with Lilliana Didovic’s Boathouse Row painting.
The concept pf Through My Window is that more than 20 artists were offered a window to do whatever they wanted with, the result is a uniquely Philadelphian art perspective: Bobbie Adams, Betsy Alexander, Jesse Best, DoN Brewer, Rachel Citrino. Alden Cole. Lilliana Didovic, Jerry di Falco, David Foss, Carl Johnson, Ona Kalstein, Nicole Koenitzer, Gail Kotel, Rikard Larma, Lee Muslin, Liz Nicklus, Kathryn Pannepacker, Michael Shane Simmons, Mike Sweeney, Ted Warchal, Carol Wisker & Burnell Yow!
Our annual members show in July is on the theme of Seven; there is no entry fee for submissions, all work will be included, per rules on attached prospectus. The exhibition will travel to The Noyes Museum of Art in October!
CALENDAR FOR JULY MEMBERS SHOW:
Delivery of labeled art work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 27, 2010, 5-7 pm & July 7, 6-8pm
Installation of show. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 8, beginning at 11 am
Opening Reception and Awards Presentation . . . . . . . . . July 10, 6-9pm
Pick-up of unsold art work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 25, 4-6 pm & July 26, 5-7 pm
*The PPT lecture on “Depictions of the 7 Deadly Sins in Northern European Art of the 15th-17th Centuries” will be presented by Da Vinci President Deb Miller, supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.
All events are free and open to the public. Please plan to attend, and to invite guests!
The Annual Members Exhibition of the Philadelphia Sketch Club at Newman Galleries on Walnut Street is a wonderful introduction to the many fine artists who belong to America’s oldest art club. The swirly mix of styles, techniques and ideas is evocative of the Philly art community in microcosm; the mezzanine and third floor gallery holds a heady mix of contemporary art by masters, newbies, wannabes of all ages celebrating the first decade of the 21st Century.
Edna Santiago, Museum Stroll, acrylic on plexiglass.
Garth Herrick, Red Barn, 11:00 AM at Beaver Farm and Donald Meyer, Study (Structure) Hosta Series, egg tempera.
Linda Townshend, Holstein, oil on canvas.
Karen McDonnell, Wisdom, mixed media. Karen e-mails DoN phone pics of stickers of this little guy in public spaces, her contribution to the Philly art scene by introducing graffiti style into the mix of traditional media is like when photography put it’s foot in the door. The silver spray paint gives a glamorous luster to the surface of the canvas as if dressed up for the special day when all the artists show their best work.
The 2010 Members Exhibition of The Philadelphia Sketch Club @ Newman Galleries with 156 works by as many Philadelphia area fine artists runs through 6/9/2010.
Danielle Bursk, Kiss, casein & acrylic on paper. Danielle’s ginormous drawings seethe with energy and motion yet there is a zen like calm in the action drawings. The compositions of flowing plumes of marks are like phosphenes flashing and blinking, like after-images inside your eyelids after staring too long, the dramatic drawings look deep inside the mind.
Cecelia Rembert, Eulogy, oil on canvas. Now based in NYC, Rembert is a CFEVA alum currently working on a series of paintings about storytelling the human experience. Cecelia’s paintings in the show mostly feature a bird or two reminding DoN of Steven King’s psycho-pomps - the idea that birds are messengers from another realm. The bird images soar and connect with an internal yearning to be able to fly.
DoN did not meet Mr. Bullochs at the opening but the masterful drawings speak for themselves, the liquidy graphite forms cloud shapes, horizons and dream scapes then turns to large scale scientific illustration of imaginary microscopic life forms, the overall effect is introspective and alluring like the shapes that float into your mind as you drift off to sleep.
Ana B. Hernandez @ Material Motion. Ana’s swirling scarlet fabric sculptures exemplify the tone of Material Motion, @ Dalet Art Gallery on 2nd Street, the fluid shapes float above the crowd, melding into the mood of the room. The deep red speaks to the large graphite drawings in a secret language of color and shapes. Material Motions is curated and organized by the fabulous team at the Center for Emerging Visual Artists; Amie Potsic has such a dream job of pairing artists with venues and Ann Koivunen works tirelessly to promote the arts in Philly, even though the work is demanding, the level of professionalism and care for the artists is gratifying and inspiring. Works by fabulous Philly photographer James B. Abbott and Christine Elfman’s ethereal paintings complete the coherent theme the enormous space that is the Dalet Art Gallery allows, each corner is activated and inviting. Later this summer the gallery will be hosting the Princeton Photography Society.
Apologies to Danielle for posting photos sideways - oops!
Paul DuSold and DoN have been working on this video since the Winter. From a lecture series presented in artist Francis Galante’s uber-cool studio / loft in Old City, Philadelphia, the video is a glimpse into the five hour demonstration Paul presented to a class of about 25 lucky artists. DuSold explains the Sargent Method of painting and gives a superb painting demonstration while talking - a trait found in PAFA trained teachers.
The High Definition version of the Paul DuSold movie is on DoN’s YouTube channel.
Robert Bohne, Seated Nude, gouache/pencil @ The Plastic Club 2010 Worksop Show.
Paul Clement, Dryad, watercolor.
Barbara Fleming, Solitude, photograph, Syd Torchio, Untitled, acrylic & DoN Brewer, Homme Debout, charcoal & chalk.
Drawings in the Workshop Show @ The Plastic Club by Don McPartland, DoN Brewer & Mike Roberson.
DoN Brewer, La Bella Blonde, charcoal & chalk, Greg Lewis, Untitled, ballpoint, Don McPartland, Untitled, mixed media & Alden Cole, Untitled, oil.
The Workshop Show @ The Plastic Club embraces art of all kinds as long as the piece relates to work done in one of the many workshops held throughout the week in the Studio on the 2nd floor. Friday night is DoN’s favorite workshop; dedicated artists drag their tired asses up to the studio to draw, paint, etch, collage, drink wine…and the last Friday of the month, President Bob makes dinner.
Michael DiPrinzio encourages his son, Dean, age 5, to grab some art supplies and work with his Dad in the studio while he creates his abstract expressionist /naive primitivist paintings. Unlike the Philly Dad who let’s his kid swig beer at a ball game, DiPrinzio is familiarizing Dean with the arts and culture of all kinds - Dean was a cool art star at the opening, drawing and posing for pictures. DiPrinzio the Younger’s work was hung on clothes pins scattered around the gallery among DiPrinzio the Elder’s paintings. Seeing familiar household objects and surfaces incorporated into DiPrinzio’s dream-scapes plucks on childhood nerves like time traveling back to a younger day when a clothes-pin was the coolest thing ever.
Michael DiPrinzio, Give Thanks, A Heart Felt Toast @ Da Vinci Art Gallery in South Philly.
Michael DiPrinzio, Year of the Rat @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.
Dinosaur by Dean DiPrinzio, crayon on ceiling tile. Having a kid’s art perspective bouncing off the adult abstractions creates a vibration between childish mark-making and child-like abandon.
With Dali-esque coloration, Michael DiPrinzio gets down & dirty with this large scale mixed media painting, the paint battles across the canvas, mixing like a wacko fractal model.
Untitled, Michael DiPrinzio @ Da Vinci Art Alliance @ 7th & Catharine Streets. The gallery is a hidden gem in South Philly, offering artists the opportunity to have one-person or group shows along with themed members only exhibits throughout the year. Just a few blocks from The Italian Market, Da Vinci Art Alliance offers contemporary art in a lovely town-house gallery across the street from Fleisher Art Memorial.
Author and art-marketing consultant Alyson B. Stanfield, of ArtBizCoach.com, focuses on sharing the artwork directly with potential buyers through electronic and traditional communication outlets—in a manner that is comfortable, not artificial. Artists match Internet marketing strategies with sincere personal skills to take charge of their art careers.
The book includes online worksheets and downloads.
