DoNArTNeWs

NTPE4 means NewsToday Print Exchange 4.  Newstoday, which now is simply QBN.com , is a website where artists, designers and web coders network on-line.  For the last four years someone organizes a print exchange with the first 20 people who sign up - the idea is to send 19 prints to other artists and they each send you one resulting in a collection of twenty artworks by some truly talented artists and designers from around the country.  DoN has started receiving prints in the mail and it feels like Christmas in July; DoN will run a special edition of DoNArTNeWs featuring images of the works from NYC, Denver, Anaheim, Phoenix, OFallon, Il.,Brooklyn, Tampa, Portland, Or., Woodland Hills, Milwaukee…and of course, Philadelphia.

With all the art clubs in Philly, wouldn’t it be cool to so the same here?  Let DoN know what you think.  So far I’ve heard from Anthe - maybe we could do a drawing exchange. 

Photo Synthesis is -

A juried awards exhibition featuring photography and photographic processes

with art by:

Amy Ahearn, Tony Anthony, Keith Auerbach, DoN Brewer, Suzanne Comer, Judy Engle, Carlos Gil, Robert Grunke, Rikard Larma, Marilyn Lavins, Richard Marr, Karen McDonnell & Anthony Cortosi, Lee Muslin, Liz Nicklus, Mickie Rosen, Armand Scavo, Susan Van Selous, D.B. Stovall, Robert Waldeck, Ted Warchal, Julien Weitzenfeld, James Widerman.

Juror and Awards Judge: Internationally acclaimed photographer JON NAAR.

Mr. Naar was present at the opening reception, signing his books The Birth of Graffiti (2007) and Getting the Picture (2005).  DoN purchased Birth of Graffiti and chatted with Naar about how to present photographs most effectively.  ”Naar’s photographs have been published in many of the world’s leading magazines and exhibited at the Metropolitan  Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the International Center of Photography, New York, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the Centre Pompidou, Paris. In 2005-06 at the Jan Cunen Museum in the Netherlands, his retrospective attracted a record-breaking 15,000 visitors (Jon Naar’s website).”

DoN with his entry ”light beings (Dora & Pablo)”, photo by Rikard Larma.

Award winning photograph by Suzanne Comer.  (DoN agrees it looks like a botanical drawing - just stunning.)

Suzanne Comer with Photo Synthesis juror Jon Naar.  Comer was trained as a painter who used photography for reference but is now a primarily a photographer which explains her painterly eye.   Comer was thrilled to win an award with such terrific competition at The DaVinci Art Alliance, she positively glowed with pride.

Artist Liz Nicklus with her photo montage/collage.

Liz Nicklus’ “Witness“, mixed media.

Susan Van Selous‘ “Carley’s Daisy“, digital design. 

Photo by Rikard Larma @ Photo Synthesis.

Artist Marilyn Lavins with her entry in Photo Synthesis @ DaVinci Art Alliance.

Dr. Debra Miller, President of DaVinci Art Alliance with Armond Scavo’s first prize winning photograph.  

Miller’s T-Shirt was created by Margharita Warhola, niece of Andy Warhol, exclusively for Deb.  Andy would have been 80 years old this year and has been gone from our plane of existence for twenty years now - hard to believe.  Dr. Deb explained the meaning of photography in her opening remarks, “Phos is Greek for “light,” and graphein is Greek for “to write”–so photography means writing with light.” 

All photography by DoNBrewerMultimedia except where noted. 

Philadelphia Area New Media Association presented a primer on new web applications which was totally fascinating, fast-paced and intelligently presented, including talks by Kelani Nicholeof M, Johnnie Billota of Indy Hall and Nick Floro of Sealworks Interactive Studios.  DoN learned so much cool stuff about the web, social networking, design and working with clients - PANMA is a wonderful resource for artists, designers, coders, videographers, photographers - if you are one of the afore mentioned you should join PANMA, it’s free, fun and informative.  The presentation took place in the Buckminster Fuller room with a portrait of Bucky that seems to stare at you wherever you are in the room as well as his Dymaxion map of the world - very cool.  Do you know what “FOAF” or “OWL” means?  DoN does now.

Some of the cool websites we looked at include:

Smashing Magazine

A List Apart

Wine Library

eCost.com

Maramushi.com

37 Signals

Ning.com

Saturday, Shoshka and DoN visited the Center for Emerging Visual Artists Show House at 1634 South 13th Street, the former home and studio of artistScott Pellnat.  The townhouse is filled with art by CFEVA artists including Anne Canfield, Katie Murken, Julia Blaukopf, Kara Rennert, Caleb Nussear, Darla Jackson, Jennifer Chapman, Serena Perrone and of course Scott Pellnat’s wonderfully wacky constructions.  Pellnat is an accomplished woodworker and avid dumpster diver creating mechanical constructs out of marquetry of colored pencils, found objects and wood, there’s even a hidden room behind bookshelves which open by pulling on a book ala the Addams Family revealing robotic creatures pulling ropes and strings producing a dramatic diorama.

Looking up into the turret Pellnat built on the roof.

Looking down from the turret into the house - the walls are covered in colored pencil marquetry and the floors are spray painted through lace and stencils. 

The top floor is filled with a knitted installation with tendrils swooping through the room like some kind of giant alien brain cell.  The site specific piece was created by Katie Murken.

 Scott Pellnat in his “secret studio”.

As if the room isn’t creepy enough, there’s a gravity distortion which turns the room sideways!?! 

On the way home DoN wandered into the new Comcast building and just happened to be there as an elegant party was going on - a herd of men in suits with gray ponytails and a flock of ladies in Prada and Manolo’s munching on canapes and sipping wine - for the premier of the world’s largest high definition LCD TV screen in the sprawling lobby.  The wall looks like the paneling in the rest of the room when the show’s not on but magically transforms into hyper-realistic video causing DoN to wonder if he was witnessing real actors scrambling up the wall, dancing to The Mashed Potato or swinging from cables ala Cirque du Soliel. The color, vibrancy, choreography and special effects are truly a gift to the city.  The sculptures of people traversing beams high up in the soaring atrium are amazing as well with stereotypical workers metaphorically balancing life and commerce above the lobby floor.

Sculpture in the Comcast lobby. 

These are not real people - HD LCD Dancers doing the Mashed Potato @ Comcast.

World’s largest HD LCD monitor @ Comcast. 

Boy Wonder

Monday’s at World Cafe Live on Walnut Street is open mic night (no cover charge), art friend Henry Martin was on the bill so Shoshka and DoNarrived early to find a comfortable table with the intention of video taping Henry’s performance. The show is emceed by Boy Wonder with acts ranging from singer/songwriters to rap/hip-hop to jazz groups, folk-rockers and rock bands - the featured group was Philly’s own HEAD who totally rocked the house with a five song set. DoN videotaped two songs and hopes to get permission to share the LoVe because HEAD’s lead singerLexi Greene is HOT and sing’s like an illegal clone of Grace Slick and Alanis Morissette, backed up by keyboardist/singer Tori Ryzner, drummer Ryan Jarrell, Mark Greene on bass and Michael Zimney on guitar the tight rocking songs left DoN’s ears ringing and the crowd cheering. Boy Wonder keeps the show rolling with early acts getting to do three songs, then the HEADliner gets five, then more groups get to do three songs, then back to singers/songwriters who get to perform two, the last few performers get to sing one song. DoN will have some clips of Henry and some of the other performers ready soon.

DoN and Sho felt bad for the two guys who had to follow all the rock bands but they totally took on the challenge with an acoustic guitar and an accordian!?! Ironically, DoN bumped into Patrick Welsh in Rittenhouse Square and found out his group is called The Writers Club and the accordian player hangs out in the Beauty Shop Cafe (DoN knew he looked familiar). DoN congratulated both guys for the gumption to get up and sing while the buzzed crowd talked over their set of Americana/Ghettotech/Folk songs. Hey, this what they call,”paying dues.” Another standout performer was Elle, a sultry, sophisticated Philly girl singer who has a new album coming out - Elle totally dominated the room with her soulful pop songs.

DoN’s gonna have to get a MySpace page so he can “friend” all this great talent but there was a joke in The New Yorker a while back - “What’s worse than your Dad having a MySpace page? Your Dad’s band having a MySpace page!” Since DoN isn’t a dad or have a band but is a great-uncle of adorable Jaelynn he’s been reticent, but watch for DoN on MySpace soon.

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Spirit of the Artist

SOTA (Spirit of the Artist) on Pine Street in the heart of famous Antique Row only sells art and crafts made in America by artists owner Frank Burkhauser knows personally.  A simple concept; socially conscious business practices benefiting the community, artists and the gallery, creating a vibrant, entrancing art experience.  DoN and Shoshana joined artist Alden Cole as he replenished his stock of unique luminaries - lamp-like art objects created from new and old parts fitted with energy efficient LED bulbs which magically change color.  Burkhauser has been a long time supporter of Cole’s art including his paintings, DoN could tell their friendship is long and deep with great mutual respect. 

SOTA Gallery owner Frank Burkhauser with artist Alden Cole (that’s Alden’s latest luminaries on the shelf over his head - very cool!)

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DoN visited the  Flowers Galore show at The Church of the Holy Trinity on Rittenhouse Square which is held in conjunction with the Rittenhouse Square Flower Market for Children’s Charities.  Not only is the elaborate Norman style interior stunningly decorated, there is beautiful stained glass from English, French and American studios including five by Tiffany and one by Luc Olivier Merson.  The church is a wonderful supporter of local artists and DoN was surprised by how many of the fifty displayed he’s familiar with; the simple display of each painting on an easel with it’s own spotlight was inventive and a wonderfully modern twist to the Romanesque space.  Holy Trinity’s next show is June 6th - June 12th - DoN recommends you not miss this wonderful city landmark and the great images by local artists.

Alden Cole @ Flowers Galore.

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Thursday, DoN visited the Crane Contemporary Arts Center in Fishtown for Second Thursday; Nexus featured Rebecca Gilbert : Dirt Thirst and Virginia Batson: substance, sustenance, Kelly & Weber features Collect. Consume. Rebuild, paintings by Sean O’Neil, The Icebox has Semi, a juried exhibition of works by Tyler School of Art MFA students, Juror: Elizabeth Grady, The University of Delaware has MFA student show in The Triangle Space and Jessica Demcsak - The Crane Adjacent, presented by INLIQUID.COM.  I know it sounds like a lot but DoN explored the whole space and has some favorites to share: Rebecca Gilbert at Nexus is showing imaginative prints which are delightful and probably the most accessible and salable art DoN viewed, featuring beautifully crafted small pieces which will enhance any art lovers collection (more about Gilbert later).  Virginia Batson is showing some really DuChampian “drawings” using drips of salt water (sweat, tears?) on black paper, also lovely small papers with nubby surfaces and fine line work, again perfect art for contemporary interiors.

Work on paper by Virginia Batson @ Nexus.

Works on paper by Rebecca Gilbert @ Nexus.

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Thursday, Alden Cole and DoN drove to Bethlehem to drop off one of Alden’s fabulous luminaries at Home & Planet, an extraordinary art gallery featuring art created from recycled materials.  The gallery was getting ready for First Friday, so we got to see a preview of the featured art which includes some really creative metal constructions by artists Ben and Kate Gatski and welder Lana Garner.  Gatski’s installation includes works created for the garden as well as moo-valous steer heads, cows and giant flowers all made with found metal.  Quite a-moo-sing.

Metal cow and flowers by Gatski @ Home and Planet.

Lana Garner creates signature cityscapes from steel dumpster doors, car hoods and drum barrels - a true dumpster diver.  Gritty and bleak, the works portray the urban landscape with humor and inventiveness.  Garner was a member of a women’s welding collective called Accoutrements and now lives in South Carolina where she has an old gas station for her studio and an old church renovated to be her home.  DoN is fascinated with the scale and scope of these monumental works which are extremely heavy and required industrial strength mountings to hang in the gallery.  DoNwas also pleased to see the Philly skyline portrayed in welded metal.  Since Bethlehem used to be a steel town, the works by Gatski and Garner are particularly poingnant.

Cityscape on a car hood by Lana Garner @ Home and Planet.

Cityscape on dumpster door by Lana Garner with Alden Cole luminary (left) @ Home and Planet, Bethlehem, PA.

Detail from Lana Garner’s welded art on an old car hood.

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