DoNArTNeWs

Urban Jungle, DoN Brewer at The Plastic Club, Urban Observations, February 2012.

DoN shoots all his photographs for DoNArTNeWs art blog and Side Arts art blog with a Kodak Easyshare Z981 14 MP Digital Camera with Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon 26xWide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Lens and 3.0-Inch LCD Sreen, the third digital camera DoN has used since 2000.  DoN’s first digital camera was four megapixel resolution with a postage stamp sized screen, the current iteration with 14-megapixel resolution for stunning prints up to 30 x 40 inches.  In January, DoNArTNeWs changed advertising strategy to affiliate marketing through Commission Junction and Amazon in order to provide links to products and resources little DoNsters would benefit from most.  DoNArTNeWs now has improved ads on the side bar including an exciting advertising widget with DoN’s favorite Amazon picks for Philadelphia artists and authors including DoN’s new book Her Philadelphia Tales, The Art of Lilliana S. Didovic (Volume 1).

The reason DoN is promoting Kodak is because they are an American manufacturing company in Rochester, NY, USA, Planet Earth, Milky Way, they invented digital photography and they recently declared bankruptcy.  Kodak has a long history, “Kodak has made it easy to enjoy your pictures. The expression ‘You Press the Button, We do the rest’ was a common advertising slogan in the 1890s. This familiar expression was also set to music. Visit our interactive history of Kodak products to listen and see some of today’s latest digital products and our early film and cameras from the 1880s.” Kodak website.  DoN used a Kodak Brownie camera growing up and still relies on the reliable quality and customer support of Kodak for his Kodak Easyshare Z981 14 MP Digital Camera with Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon 26xWide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Lens and 3.0-Inch LCD Sreen to create images for DoNArTNeWs Philadelphia art blog and Side Arts Philadelphia art blog.  So, did DoN pick a loser in Kodak as an advertising affiliate?  Coffee did shoot out DoN’s nose as the news of Kodak’s bankruptcy crawled across the bottom of Morning Joe brought to you by Starbucks.

DoNArTNeWs is using affiliate marketing, peppering the text with hyperlinks and ads, to generate revenue to move to an improved WordPress platform; clicking links and ads may take you to website for companies like Kodak which DoN personally uses in his art or blogging or to related resources like artist’s websites.  If you buy a product as a result of clicking a link in the art blog or the DoNArTNeWs sidebar a commission is generated for DoNArTNeWs.

Help DoNArTNeWs grow and support Kodak.

DoN

Kodak

Kevin Lehman, The Need for Fundamental Change @ University of the Arts, Hamilton Hall Public Arts Initiative, Broad and Pine Streets, Philadelphia.

DoN walked past the sculpture vitrines in front of the University of the Arts and it appeared one of the sculptures had been pulled loose.  It was January 3rd and the Mummers Parade crowd can get pretty rowdy, generally Philadelphians are art friendly but you never know.  DoN felt anger and disgust that someone had damaged a public art piece, especially since some very beautiful and ephemeral pieces have graced the vitrines over the years with no vandalism.

But, this piece looks like it was moved across the plaza.  In the light of day the reality of the installation came together - the sculpture had actually pulled itself loose from it’s mooring near the grand stairs to the Temple and crawled to the garden wall leaving a trail of wire and debris behind.  In the garden, pod-like ceramic pots are birthing televisions and computer monitors, while the master motherboard hovers nearby protecting the brood.  Smaller pots have already invaded the farther reaches of the Japanese-ish stone garden connected by umbilical cords of red wire to the mother pods.  Kevin Lehman’s studio is in Lancaster PA.

Kevin Lehman, The Need for Fundamental Change @ University of the Arts Hamilton Hall Public Arts Initiative.

Kevin Lehman, The Need for Fundamental Change is the artist’s MFA Thesis Exhibition through January 15th, 2012.  For more information on the Hamilton Hall Public Arts Initiative contact jgirandola@uarts.edu

Kevin Lehman, The Need for Fundamental Change @ University of the Arts Hamilton Hall Public Arts Initiative

Kevin Lehman, The Need for Fundamental Change @ University of the Arts Hamilton Hall Public Arts Initiative

Photos by DoN Brewer

Allen Bryan, digital photograph collage

The Art Ability International Juried Exhibition of Art and Fine Crafts show at Bryn Mawr Rehab Center in Malvern is an annual event that DoN looks forward to for many reasons.  First, Art Ability is a great art show with outstanding work by hundreds of artists from 35 states and seven countries in all kinds of media from painting, drawing, collage, mixed media, sculpture and DoN’s personal interest, photography.  Secondly, this is the third year DoN has been included in the show, “light beings (Lorraine and Charles)“, an abstract landscape photo dedicated to my late Great Aunt and Uncle, was selected by the esteemed panel of jurors from hundreds of entries.  DoN is honored to be included in the annual exclusive art event, being featured in the excellent glossy catalog and to be treated to a wonderful evening of dining, meeting artists and collectors at the Patron’s Reception held November 5, 2011.

Photography is well represented in the show, when DoN delivered his piece to Bryn Mawr Rehab he got a sneak peak at the art intake and right away was taken with several large photographs by Allen Bryan.  The wide aspect ratio and densely detailed dream-scapes have all the feel of reality but with unnatural elements, transitions and oblique views, kind of like waking up from a dream.  Indeed, the photo collage Open Box Story won Best in Show, the Charles W. Hennessy Artist Award with proceeds from the Charles W. Hennessy Art Ability Endowment Fund, selected by judges Teresa Jaynes, John Ollman and Ingrid Shaffner.  DoN spoke with the artist at the reception and he confirmed the surrealist work is created with his own photographs which he expertly manipulates with Photoshop, the large format print and subtle frame are exquisitely crafted.  The photo above is not the winning piece but if you visit his website, or better yet go to the show which is free and open to the public daily through mid January 2012, you will experience a masterful artwork that will confound and intrigue the senses.

Read more about DoN’s Art Ability experiences at Philly.SideArts and watch for more reports about this expansive art exhibition.

DoN Brewer

Photograph by DoN Brewer shot with:

Super Nova, Photoshop collage, digital print, DoN Brewer, 2011

Decorating the Haus of DoN has been very gratifying, reinforcing the DoN brand with his abstract landscape photographs, including the “light being” series, original graphic prints and oil paintings, setting tableau’s and displays throughout the studio and is ready for visitors.  DoN’s body of work has grown substantially, DoN’s first creative job was Display Manager for a department store retail chain in the 1970’s, tapping into those skills has been nostalgic and liberating, marketing DoN’s product line like he did in the garden department at J.M. Fields.  Usually DoN’s major art works are packed and ready to show when opportunities arise and the Haus is decorated with the works of DuSold, DuPree, Stango and outsider artist Danny Gayder, the work of Masters influencing the path of DoN’s interests and goals.  The DoN collection would not exist if not for the influences of artist friends and mentors as well as collectors, helping refine DoN’s eye and continue art production with confidence.  After weeks of preparation DoN is looking forward optimistically for a delightful weekend of seeing old and new friends and sharing his art.  

The Haus of DoN is dedicated to all the artists participating in Philadelphia Open Studio Tours 2011; DoN understands the aches and pains of finishing projects, solving problems and decision-making involved in making an art work space inviting to visitors.  Thank you to the Center for Emerging Visual Artists for undertaking the task of organizing the citywide art event that is unique to Philadelphia.  Thank you to all the readers of DoNArTNeWs and Philly.SideArts; DoN is grateful to all the artists who share their skills, talents and stories for the art enthusiasts not just in Philly but around the world who follow DoN’s incursions into the realms of the art world throughout the city.  This weekend is also the opening of a month long exhibition by the Photographic Society of Philadelphia, the oldest photography society in America, at the Plastic Club with opening receptions each Sunday afternoon 2:00 - 5:00 PM; DoN has two favorite photographs included in the prestigious show of fine art photography.

A special shout-out to DoN’s nephew Bud Irwin serving in the Army in Afghanistan; knowing Buddy’s marching across arid desert mountains loaded with gear makes DoN stronger and braver to make new work, produce more videos, write more reviews, do more crunches at the gym and plan challenging new projects for the future.  Philadelphia Open Studio Tours 2011 is an opportunity to be optimistic, to brush off the haters, ignore the art bullies, defy the critics, escape the economic reality and be free to be an artist living, working and producing art in America.  The Haus of DoN, 2028 Pemberton Street, welcomes you.

LoVe

DoN

Abandoned Conrail Railroad Car, Bonnie Schorske, 2010 @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Bonnie Schorske travels a lot, in her current solo show she compares and contrasts two parts of the world, the Susquehanna Valley region and India.  Bonnie told DoN she is inspired by the imagery she finds along the Pennsylvania river country, the solarized photograph of a Texaco gas pump is a real time trip, just as her duo-tone photo of an Indian landscape takes the viewer on a journey to a foreign place.  The show hangs like a road map around the world, each photo a contemplative gaze on typography, architecture and nature specific to somewhere special.  Bonnie Schorske has been in a creative frenzy producing a large stash of archival digital prints on lustrous museum quality rag paper; the photographer has found a way to produce affordable, high quality prints with DIY industriousness.  Bonnie is highly skilled as a traditional wet dark room photographer but her transition to digital proves it’s not the camera equipment but the eye of the artist that makes an image work.

Bonnie Schorske, Ghost of Big Red, solarized archival pigment print on 100% rag.

This is the image Bonnie used on her art card, when DoN saw Bonnie at the recent Piffaro concert she asked if he was attending her upcoming show - DoN drew a total blank, even though he had the card propped up against his monitor, he never turned it over to see who’s card it was, the image had sold itself already.

RR Detritus and Susquehanna View, archival pigment print on 100% rag paper, Bonnie Schorske @ Twenty-Two Gallery in Center City, Philadelphia.

Bonnie Schorske, 2010 @ Twenty-Two Gallery.

Photos by DoN.

Before DoN met Todd Hestand of www.Philly.SideArts.com @ a Corzo Center for the Creative Economy event, he had already been posting blogs on the popular free artist’s website with it’s cool blog, great writing by local artists and educators, bio/portfolio pages for artists and Philly social networking.  Linking to the Philly.SideArts.com web site drives web traffic to DoNArTNeWs, posting a blurb on the site stimulates interest in all types of social, art, education, business and opportunities.  The catalog of artists who post their bios and art images on Philly.SideArts.com includes great painters like Arthur Ostroff and Karl Olsen, fine art photographers like Angelo Benedetto and digital artists like Lee Muslin, their database is superb.

Philly.SideArts.com has launched a grand new venture offering artists enhanced services such as art opportunities and expanded portfolio space at a really reasonable price, the same free site is still available and they are expanding to other cities with the same business model.  The possibilities of connecting artists, galleries, collectors, educators and business people in an easy to use, immersive design experience is really cool.   Imagine?  The Philly art scene is a model for other cities.

Art-trepreneur, Todd Hestand of Philly.SideArts.com gave away extended free memberships to artists whose business cards were pulled from a bag.  Jed, you left too early!

To celebrate the launch of the new site, Todd Hestand hosted a party at the Dark Horse Pub near Head House Square with a silent auction benefiting Philly Aids Thrift, so many artists offered donations that many had to be turned away, yet, there are still several fine art pieces available at the on-line auction including DoN’s “light being (Joey Ramone)“.   All the proceeds go to Philly Aids Thrift, please bid, there is some really cool art for a great cause.  The party drew a crowd of artists, friends and the art-erati such as Da Vinci Art Alliance’s Lilliana Didovic, artist/entrepreneur Jed Williams, the master Arthur Ostroff and Art in City Hall’s Guru, Tu Huynh - Todd did a terrific job explaining the benefits and services for the new and improved site and really mixed it up with the crowd.  Visit the Philly.SideArts site to see how vibrant, inspiring and diverse the Philly art scene really is and follow the progress of a thoughtful, intuitive idea to help artists connect in a meaningful way.

The silent auction sponsored by Philly.SideArts benefiting Philly Aids Thrift.

The Philly.SideArts.com easy to use homepage.  Join!

Through April 26, 2011 at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, in collaboration with the Da Vinci Art Alliance, presents “Envisioning Shakespeare“ an exhibition of art by 24 members artists relating to the works of William Shakespeare in the lobby of Wilson Hall which houses Rowan’s Pfleeger Theatre.

Artists in the exhibition include:  Bobbie Adams, Betsy Alexander, Rosalind Bloom, Bud Boehringer, DoN Brewer, Alden Cole, Lilliana Didovic, David Foss, Linda Dubin Garfield, Sharri Jerue, Carl Johnson, Ona Kalstein, Marie Keane, Rikard Larma, Carla Lombardi, Karen McDonnell and Anthony Cortosi, Deb Miller and Ray Costello, Liz Nicklus, Patricia O’Halloran, Francine Strauss, Ted Warchal, Carol Wisker, Burnell Yow! 

Click the thumbnails for panoramic views of Envisioning Shakespeare - a Da Vinci Art Alliance Event @ Rowan University, Glassboro NJ.

Envisioning Shakespeare @ Rowan University.  Da Vinci Art Alliance is an 80 year old art gallery cooperative located in South Philly; the expansive show of art gleaned from Shakespeare themed art shows from the past examines images, themes and ideas from Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet and Henry IV, Part 1 by artists working in all types of media.

Lilliana Didovic - Envisioning Shakespeare - a Da Vinci Art Alliance event @ Rowan University.

Carl Johnson@ Envisioning Shakespeare - a Da Vinci Art Alliance event.

DoN Brewer and Mina Smith-Segal - Envisioning Shakespeare - Da Vinci Art Alliance @ Rowan University.

Envisioning Shakespeare - a Da Vinci Art Alliance event @ Rowan University.  Thank you to the great work by the Da Vinci Art Alliance team for installing the exhibition; director Dave Foss, board members Alden Cole and Ted Warchal transported and hung the show in a coherent, flowing retrospective in the handsome lobby of the Pfleeger Theater with each artwork resonating and reinforcing the messages from the works in proximity.  But, Dr. Deb Miller, Da Vinci Art Alliance Board President is the master-mind behind the series which has brought this collection of Philadelphia artists together in a bright, welcoming setting where the art can be seen by theater-goers and students at Rowan University.  The on-going series of theme shows allows artists to interpret Shakespeare in their own styles and media, most recently interpreting A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Black Box Gallery at the Lantern Theater Company.

Lilliana Didovic has participated in each of the Da Vinci Art Alliance Envisioning Shakespeare exhibitions and won First Prize this time for her painting in the Envisioning A Midsummer Night’s Dream (the dreamy blue night scene above).  Lilliana is dedicated to Da Vinci Art Alliance, volunteering her time and creating art even as she worked at achieving her Masters Degree in Psychology from the University of Chicago this Spring.

Nadia Kuntz was thrilled to be exhibiting for the first time with Da Vinci Art Alliance for the Envisioning A Midsummer Night’s Dream art show; Nadia’s construction is a whimsical interpretation of the famous play created with found objects.

Envisioning “A Midsummer Night’s Dream“ @ The Lantern Theater’s Black Box Gallery.  DoN know’s that’s Ted Warchal’s Puck in the middle but he needs help identifying the others, if you know who’s who in any of these photos please comment so credit can be given to the artists.

Envisioning Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Black Box Gallery at Lantern Theater.  See the Da Vinci Art Alliance Facebook page for more photos. Thank you to the Lantern Theater for giving DoN exclusive access to the gallery, normally only theater-goers get to see the art show, the underground gallery has a bohemian vibe synchronizing with the eclectic artist collective’s esthetic, Da Vinci Art Alliance has been invited back for next year’s Shakespeare production.

Photos by DoN.

shot exclusively with Kodak Digital Cameras

Bohyun Yoon has created an experience design in the chic art gallery in the Barclay Building, every surface of the gallery is activated with a confounding display of intellectual design, superb craftsmanship, historical references and anthropomorphic symbolism vibrating in unison like a strum on a guitar.  Every nuance is considered as the exploded little bodies, each element hand crafted from custom molds, coalesce as shadows of babies cast by a single bright white light bulb on the walls.  But, when the light bulb begins making a circular motion, the tiny doll parts swinging with air movement, the whole room suddenly becomes a dream scape of dancing babies, inducing a startling sensation of floating.

On the right is the artist, Bohyun Yoon.  Yoon decided to create each doll part mold because he didn’t want to violate copyrights, he told DoN the process took more than 5 months.  Each carefully crafted element of the installation is suspended in a way that the sum of the parts creates a whole experience design, Yoon told DoN he wished to,”…create a dialog not a monolog.”

Yoon created these mirror masks to help him learn English by seeing all parts of the face he was listening to; the face recognition technology in DoN’s camera went wacko.   Bohyun Yoon is an art professor at Tyler, is a glass artist (the water filled glass bowl hat and accompanying video is idiosyncratic to the extreme), a video artist and photographer; Amie Potsic explained to DoN that Bohyun Yoon, “is smart and resourceful in his use of materials.”

Buhyun Yoon, Reforming, 9 channel video with sound, 4 minutes, dimensions variable @ Center for Emerging Visual Artists in the Barclay Building on Philadelphia’s beautiful Rittenhouse Square.  This Friday, 4/15/11, is the Center City District art crawl, the perfect opportunity to experience Bohyun Yoon: Embody.

Photos by DoN.

Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011.

Paige Ozaroski, Closer Look, photograph, Gaby Heit, Morning, Sugar, watercolor.  246 works are included in the blockbuster event, the Plastic Club continues to draw out the best of artists as they each join the competition for the prestigious awards - imagine what went through the mind of juror Murray Desener when he learned the task ahead of him, he did a fantastic job.

Nick Brown @ Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011.  Nick sketches from life on ceramic then scratches out relief for the glaze.  Caroline Maw-Dies, Woven Stoneware Basket, woven stoneware.

Mervyn Kline @ The Wanderer, print @ Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011.  Mervyn & DoN are included in the show in the Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club; Merv’s stylish renderings are retro futuristic with an ancient lost civilization vibe.  DoN will write a separate post about the show including Burton Greenspan, Diane Podolsky & Cara Kendric - DoN feels blessed to be included with such a fabulous group of fine artists, DoN has seven photos on display at the Plastic Club, a true honor.

Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011, 246 artworks are on display at the Plastic Club, each small world unique yet when grouped cohesive in a simplistic, natural way - the above tableau of monochromatic works with touches of color is curatorial excellence considering the blockbuster size of the exhibit.

Sylvia Schreiber @ Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011.  The actual drippy painting isn’t much bigger than the image on this page but packs a bold punch of color in person.

Don McPartland, Kicker Conspiracy, mixed media @Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011; Don McPartland made a splash when he became a new member of the Plastic Club this year, 46 new artists, now capturing first prize with his soothingly complex confection, comfortably nestled in a niche in the dining room.

Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011, click the thumbnail.

Sung Ham, Joo Hooy, oil, Mervyn Kline, Picasso Blues, digital print, Jen Tsui, Post Card, mixed media @ small Worlds 2011, The Plastic Club’s annual small art extravaganza.

Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011, each nook and cranny holds a universe of small Worlds - Patricia Wilson-Schmid, Vortex, acrylic, Gail Zelikovsky, Landscape of Mars, silk painting, David DiDonato, Recycled Garden, acrylic, Lois Schlachter, Anxiety Dream, acrylic, Veronica Meekins, Nude Figure, pencil.

Phil Juska, Meatloaf at Gilleys, 2AM, construction @ Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011

Caroline Maw-Deis, Put de Lime in de Coconut, fiber, Dorothy Roschen, Smoke-Made Landscape, smoke fired clay @ Plastic Club’s small Worlds 2011,  a huge art show of little works of art.

DoN is sad for Japan.  “Smile, even though your heart is breaking.”  With new eyes, look at the wonderful culture, community, vibrancy and beauty we are surrounded with every day and cherish each moment as if it could all be swept away in an instant.  “Life is still worth while, if you just smile.”

DoN is running this town just like a club!  Art clubs, that is - with fine art photography in open and juried art shows in five major art spaces in South Jersey & Philly.  The Art of the Flower show @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club is a juried competition with an enormous turnout of talented artists; DoN feels great relief that his decision to include an inkjet print photograph collage of Carnivourous Plants @ Bartram’s Garden has been recognized by the jurors to be included in the highly coveted show.

DoN Brewer, Carnivorous Plants @ Bartram’s Garden, digital photograph, Photoshop collage, inkjet print @ The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s annual Art of the Flower Exhibition, a blind juried competition of all types of art.

DoN helped install the Small Worlds show @ The Plastic Club; the team of volunteers hung over three hundred small images through out the old town house, each room, gallery and hall is filled with a myriad selection of art.  The tremendous trove of work is smooshed in but exhibitions chair Alan Klawans foresees a day when cuts will have to be made.  And, listen to DoN when he says - prepare your art properly for installation and rough handling, DoN had an artist’s piece literally come part in his hands and Plastic Club President Bob Jackson spent extra hours kindly adding wire to art submitted by artists, after spending two days logging art by hand in the log book and then hanging work on the walls Bob really doesn’t need to prepare your work for you.  Really, if they have to make cuts, the first to go will be poor presentation, artist Art Ostroff & DoN griped about the lost skills of presentation.  Ironically, DoN was a wire offender but took his work home to fix himself - if Bob Jackson wired your art for you to be in a huge show like Small Worlds, you owe him a big favor.  Speaking of favors, DoN doesn’t know who dropped out but he has five photographs included in the Downstairs Gallery @ The Plastic Club, a prestigious honor bestowed only on members in good standing.  DoN is presenting a group of abstract landscape photographs from his series, light beings,  several new images have been added to DoN’s on-line gallery.

DoN Brewer, Panama Street, digital photograph, Photoshop, inkjet print, 8 x 10″ @ The Plastic Club’s Small Worlds art extravaganza.

 The opening reception for Diverse Perspectives @ Da Vinci Art Alliance was super fun, DoN will write a separate review of the group show in South Philly.  The group that came together organically and easily, organized an art show that DoN is proud to be a part, truly diverse, artistic and eclectic - just like DoN!

DoN Brewer Photography @ Diverse Perspectives at Da Vinci Art Alliance Gallery, 704 Catharine Street, South Philly.  DoN will be hosting a discussion, Search Engine Optimization for Artists, Saturday, March 5th, 2011, 2 - 4:00 PM.

The Perkins Center for the Arts Photography 30 Show is almost over,  it has been such an honor to be included in the exclusive annual photography event.  The show is truly inspirational, aspirational & astounding - no kidding.  As photographer Bonnie Schorske said, “…it’s a feather in your cap!“  Thank you to Uncle Dave and Aunt Barbara, Cousin Carla & friends, Shoshka, Lola, Rob, Bonnie and all my friends & family who cheered me on and braved the snow to visit the beautiful mansion in Moorestown, NJ.  You got to tip on the tightrope!

DoN has a new piece on display @ Bonte’s, 9th & Walnut that is a departure from the abstraction he’s known for, a church lady hat store window titled South Street Chapeaux, a documentary still life composition that Shoshka will love.  The on-going show promoted by the Photographic Society of Philadelphia is a cool spot to show along with fellow photography enthusiasts; the PSoP events @ The Plastic Club are always informative, the recent talk by photographer Ed Snyder and graphic designer John Bacille about how to produce your own book was inspiring and a recent field trip to the Wistar Institute for the Nikon Small World show is exclusive and informative.

DoN Brewer, South Street Chapeaux @ Bonte’s Cafe, 9th & Walnut Streets.  Thank you so much to the good people at the Photographic Society of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Sketch Club, The Plastic Club and Da Vinci Art Alliance for providing the art opportunities, diverse creative outlets and intellectual peer support in the heart of the coolest city in the world.