DoN had the photos and the interview from a Second Thursday art crawl September 8th, 2011 at the Crane Center for the Arts in Fishtown. But, DoN could not find the artist’s name!?! By chance, Jerry KaBa’s business card surfaced and DoN can now share with you the scariest Halloween costume design - ever!
Karen M contacted DoN prior to the start of the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours East weekend to tip him off to drive by the baseball field on Wharton Street near Geno’s and Pat’s Steaks. Karen and DoN talked recently about the economic situation of artists, the unreliability of sales and income to cover the expense of making art. Art costs money, usually. Karen M and Anthony C have been tagging the city, graffiti style, with their own collectible paintings. Using the same technique as their high end paintings on canvas, the pair uses found cardboard and posters to paint their iconic portraits, like Wisdom Kid, with stencils and spray paint, then install them where people can steal the art. During the recent Philadelphia Open Studio Tours West, they stapled a beautiful portrait on glittery paper to the bedraggled knit-bombed telephone pole at the end of DoN’s block. Luckily while walking KaTy the ArT DoG and Lady Doofus, the geriatric St. Bernard / Chihuahua, DoN was able to carefully retrieve the piece, the scars torn into the paper from the staples a secret prize of provenance. Collectors across South Philly follow their messages, like the one DoN was texted, to go to a particular spot for some prime art loot. It’s all the fun of stealing without any of the guilt. Karen M and Anthony C prove that art can be free and fun, provocative and intellectual, thoughtful and carefree in a public arena with no fees, no charges, no costs, no juries, dealers or committees or money. Free Art = Free Money.
Slideshow, vials of shavings from photographic slides the artist found. Hoffman scraped off bits of each slide, saved the scrapings, then presents the slide show with the bits of image removed. Each vial is labeled with the trip, location and time period the slides were taken.
Talent Show, split screen video footage projected on the wall.
DoN saw this show two weeks ago and has thought about it often as he scooted around town seeing art over the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours 2011 festival, leaving little time to report. But Jessica Hoffman’s show is about memory and the passage of time. Forever and After incorporates three major narrative elements used in ways that look at the passage of time in abstract even obtuse angles. “Slideshow is an investigation of memory, using a collection of found slides from the 1960s and 1970s shot throughout Europe and the United States by the same person. Talent Show is a split screen video piece using footage shot at a school talent show on the left and my own version of the performances on the right. Dear Mad, I really like your hair today! Love, Johnny is an installation inspired by a box of hundreds of love letters found on the street. - HeavyBubble website” Each element of the installation recaptures moments in time that are personal, private, secret presenting them in Dada-ist style - should DoN believe that the love letters were found on the street? Did Jessica really sit and scrape off bits of image from hundreds of slides? The split screen throw back style to the Woodstock movie era of the video could have been shot over the Summer. It doesn’t matter if it’s real or not, making found objects or finding found objects, then arraying them exquisite corpse style creates a strange narrative as the mind tries to grasp the connections. At 110 Church Street Gallery, Jessica Hoffman’s installation, Forever and After, combines sweet nostalgia, contemporary oblique strategies and pure, clean, simple presentation to take the viewer on a time trip back from the future.
Paige West, Founder and Curator of West Collection of Contemporary Art, Les Stoetzel, Director of West Collection and Gary Steuer, Chief Cultural Officer, City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture & the Creative Economy answer questions about the expanded West Collects Prize after Mayor Michael Nutter’s announcement at Philadelphia City Hall. West Collects has increased their budget and is dedicating $100,000.00 to collect art from Philadelphia artists to be exhibited in the gallery and halls at Philadelphia City Hall for six months next year.
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.
Prelude Galleryuses QR codes to help patrons learn more, Gaby Heit explains how she’s using them to promote artists. HD Video, watch in full screen mode
Ann Koivunen is the Director of Studio Tours and Exhibitions for Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, one of the top art events of its kind in the USA. Ann offers great advice on what to do and what not to do to have a successful, fun event. The clip is nine minutes, so get a cup of coffee and sit a spell, Ann has a wonderful perspective on POST. DoNBrewerMultimedia is participating in POST 2011, October 1 & 2, 12 - 6:00PM, check the awesome on-line resources for information on neighborhoods and events at the POST website.
Erin Rose-Boyle, This is Not My Home - 3 Rooms 3 Views @ Hopkins House Gallery of Contemporary Art. The gallery in the park on the beautiful Cooper River provides opportunities for artists to create site specific work like Erin Rose-Boyle’s installation of 3 sculptures occupying their own room. Rose-Boyle mashes metaphors and memes into evocative constructions of simple materials like paper, foam and tape that speak of home, isolation and self awareness. DoN asked Erin about the all the feet in her installation? “They’re mine, I made a mold…they ground me.”
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.
