DoNArTNeWs

Late in October, Piffaro the Renaissance Music Band, Philadelphia’s, if not the world’s, premier early music ensemble, opened their 25th season with a transporting experience that began early in the evening at Church of the Holy Trinity on Rittenhouse Square.  The spectacular space with the Tiffany stained glass dome was the backdrop to a once in a life time collaboration between Piffaro The Renaissance Music Band, with their ethereal recorder harmonies, Blue Heron Choir’s excellent, eclectic renaissance vocals, Parthenia’s viols which sounded like an entire orchestra in the lush acoustics of the church rivaling the sound quality of the Academy of Music, built around the same time. The music was A Royal Baptism: Stuttgart 1616, 80 minutes of entrancing music based the elaborate celebration of a royal baby christening but was actually a party to honor the father, forget the baby.  The extensive information in the catalog for the show illustrates dancers emerging from giant heads while musicians played, escorting the Royals in their fancy horse drawn carriages.  But this was just the beginning, after the concert the audience broke for dinner (DoN dined at the Irish Pub with super-friends and Piffaro volunteer coordinator Dody Magaziner & Len Blumenthal) and then the audience came together again for part 2 of the evening at Trinity Center for Urban Life @ 22nd & Spruce Streets, the entire orchestra was already there plus the most excellent soprano Laura Heimes and the New York Historical Dance Company.  A stage was set up in the high vaulted chamber of the old church for the dancers in full period costume who demonstrated courtly moves, poses and jigs while the players and singers created a deeply resonate beat, music that played in DoN’s head long after the concert was over.

Piffaro’s masterminds, Joan Kimball & Bob Weimken have been creating divine musical experiences in Philadelphia for ages but The Royals Baptism & Ballet was not just an exploration of historical music but an adventure into a world of high art, enthralling architecture, acoustic perfection and unique artistic collaborations combined with a civilized dinner break to spend time with friends, old & new, in beautiful Center City, then with a short walk resume deep immersion into another time and space in a different place.  The evening of music, dance, food and drink was so civilized and refined, eclectic and amusing, big yet accessible - an experience designed to delight the senses and educate the mind.

Halloween Eve, the Salon @ The Plastic Club, hosted by Anders Hanson, ran a double bill movie and cartoon featuring The Thing From Another World, the original 1951 black & white Howard Hawkes production and Bubba-Hotep, based on the Bram Stoker Award nominee short story by acclaimed author Joe R. Lansdale, Bubba Ho-tep tells the story of what really did become of Elvis.  “We find the King (Bruce Campbell) as an elderly resident in an East Texas rest home, who switched identities with an Elvis impersonator years before his “death”, then missed his chance to switch back. Elvis teams up with Jack (Ossie Davis), a fellow nursing home resident who thinks that he is actually President John F. Kennedy, and the two valiant old codgers sally forth to battle an evil Egyptian entity who has chosen their long-term care facility as his happy hunting grounds”.
Between movies the audience talked about how The Thing influenced their childhoods, causing kids to sleep with their heads under the covers for years.  The scene when the dead dog falls out of the cabinet still draws gasps from the crowd.  And in Bubba Hotep, recommended by the inimitable Rick Wright, seeing fat Elvis played by macho heart-throb Bruce Campbell trapped in a nursing home after switching identities with an impostor is a wonderful metaphor for fame & art stardom.  Sitting in the dark with art friends, watching movies, laughing and drinking is casually convivial to conversation and friendship, especially when the comfortable backdrop is one of the most historic art clubs in the USA.

The production of Macbeth @ The Wilma Theater is like being in a live movie with an intense intimacy, dark corners, hand held lighting and high tech special effects.  The play could be set at any time in the past present or future, DoN imagined David Lynch’s Dune must have been an influence with the ancient/future vibration running through the designs.  The industrial two tiered set, designed by Mimi Lien with lighting by Tyler Micoleau, was conducive to intimate conversations by candle light to wild battle scenes accompanied by gore and gasps.  A techno squeal represents the screech of a cat screaming at night, halogen lights through the fog like a scene from Alien and abstract music by Pavel Fajt transports the audience far away to an imaginary Scotland.  When Lady Macbeth, realized by actress Jaqueline Antaramian, appears in a puplish gown amidst the stark black & white set and drab costumed men she is luminous in the darkness like a Sargent painting.  When the witches appear, their throw-away entrance is so amazingly confounding that the whole former Warner Brothers cartoon image of witches stirring a kettle from DoN’s childhood has been over-written by a dream-scape inhabited by peasant Earth mothers with spiritual powers.

The ancient and the future live in Philadelphia, as a culture vulture, DoN views the options and variations of art, theater and music to be as cosmopolitan and extravagant, elite or accessible, classic and contemporary as any place in the world, that there is literally something special happening nearby every day.  Support your local arts.

LoVe

DoN

2010 Philadelphia Open Studio Tours -  pdf

Register @ http://www.philaopenstudios.com/Opportunities.aspx

An awards exhibition by members of Da Vinci Art Alliance, in collaboration with International Opera Theater, of art inspired by Shakespeare’s tragedy and IOT’s interpretation, a new opera Romeo e Giulietta, directed by Karen Saillant, with music by Emily Wong, libretto by Tommaso Sabbatini, costumes/sets by Mi-Kyoung Lee, world premiered in Teatro degli Avvaloranti, Citta’ della Pieve, Italy, in August 2008.

Da Vinci Art Alliance members interpret the Shakespearean play with paintings, collage, objet trouve and prints.  Above is Lilliana Didovic’s mixed media piece incorporating red fabric the singers use to evoke emotion; Karen Saillant gave a wonderful lecture at the alliance explaining how she selected singers based on their ability to interact expressively with the fabric.  Here a sweet love notion , like a candy heart box drenched in red.

Awards Judges: Karen Saillant and Mi-Kyoung Lee, International Opera Theater.  Lee designed the costumes and is a UArts alum -Holla!

First prize winner, Rachel Citrino’s, expressive mixed media installation is wildly bold, intefrating new technology with a special red color.

June Blumberg, “Romeo and Juliet in Love“, Pitt Pen.

3rd place winner, Francine Strauss, expanded the blue - a visual metaphor the opera employs to convey a change in mood - by repurposing her own old prints into a new collage.

Ted Warchal, 2nd prize - Dr. Deb Miller explained the metaphor of the coffin/cigar box conveniently branded Romeo Y Julietta.

A special surprise during the awards was an acapella performance of songs from the Italian opera by Elias Hendricks - Romeo - which had everyone in tears, a great artist in blossom.  Artistic director Karen Saillant of the International Opera Theater is searching for an appropriate Philadelphia venue after the successful production world premiered in Teatro degli Avvaloranti, Citta’ della Pieve, Italy, in August 2008.

“Tiffany Wallops the Drome” by Bridgette Riversmith won an honorable mention award; DoN LoVeS the idea of whacking a monster with a frying pan, demonstrating the strength, fearlessness and determination of people living with disabilities.

ArtFirst is an artshow in it’s 7th year, developed with the intention of promoting artists living and working with disabilites; the show in the University of Princeton Medical Center was well attended by patrons resulting in sales and support for talented artists using art to express themselves whether they have to paint holding a brush with their mouth, reach out from a wheelchair or struggle with pain. The term disabled seems to be a misnomer when the quality of the art stands on it’s own - DoN is honored to be included in this outstanding cadre of talented artists.

Musician Adam Parker-Lavine entertained the crowd with beautiful, unobtrusive music -if you need a musician for an event, this artist has a wide repertoire sure to entertain your guests.

The ArtFirst team put together an outstanding party, drawing patrons to the medical center to enjoy an open bar, fabulous food and dedicated volunteers who helped to make sure that the art sells.

Philadelphia artist Clifton Anderson’s still life paintings are brilliantly colored, expertly painted and visually captivating. Clif is an art teacher in Philly, a member of the Philadelphia Sketch Club and a cello player with the Jefferson orchestra - this is one brilliant artist who doesn’t let a wheelchair keep him from doing anything. DoN was so pleased to see a friend at the show and to hear that he was explaining to patron’s that DoN’s photos are award-winners, surely helping to make some sales. Thanks, Clif!

Elayna Alexandra is a self taught artist working in digital media; her work incorporates drawings, photographs, digital manipulation and her own x-rays. Elayna won 2nd prize; DoN is inspired by her mixed media works and her willingness to expose the inner beauty of a disabling physical problem. The two of us kept high-fiving as sales, prizes and compliments came our way.

“Girl with a Mirror“, sculpture by Arnie Segal. DoN & Arnie are developing a website for Philadelphia area artists with disabilities called NUVISIONS for Disabled Artists. Arnie encouraged DoN to participate in the show; it’s difficult to “out” oneself as a disabled person but this show is such high quality, so well managed and supported by kind and understanding leaders and patrons, it’s easier to deal with the stigma and continue to create art.

Etching, “Each to it’s Own Kind” by Michael Jameson.

DoN chatted with a patron about the symbiotic relationship between crows & wolves, how they are totem animals and work together to find food. DoN advised her to buy it; at first she said she couldn’t afford it but all of a sudden she decided she couldn’t leave without this fine, expressive etching. The first rule of sales? Ask for the sale!

DoN Brewer’s “light beings (Dora & Pablo), light being (Leo Seeger) & light being (Barbara Gittings)” @ ArtFirst, University of Princeton Medical Center.

Shoshana and DoN attended “A Night of Art, Music & Film” @ Studio 34.  The yoga/healing studio/art space at 4522 Baltimore Ave hosted avant garde music, poetry, the premier of a film and an art exhibit, creating an exciting and interesting vibe in the mixed use space. 

Artist, Stefan Kietzman with his paintings in the gallery at Studio 34

Painting by Stephan Kietzman @ Studio 34.

From surrealist abstraction to impressionist landscape, Stefan Kietzman demonstrates his wide range of technique and painting facility.

Photographer/Artist, Alan Massey with his photography installation at Studio 34 (sorry for the lens flare) but DoN wanted you to see the scope and scale of Massey’s  unique display.

Detail of Alan Massey’s photos of sidewalk cracks which seemed to spill out of a broken picture frame and squiggle across the wall.  Each photo is an image of an actual crack in city concrete, Massey can tell you exactly where each one is located.

 Artist, Maryann Held with her modern pin-up illustrations.  A graduate of UArts, Held says the school, “…pushed not just what was good but what makes me happy.”  Holla!  Held is planning a career in illustration and designing books for kids.

Djo Fortunado working on a background painting for his production of “Gods vs. Men” to be performed at The Rotunda in University City.  Fortunado wrote, directed, cast, designed costumes, created sets and even wrote music for what the artist calls a Reggae, Rock, HipHopera.  During the evening Djo also served as MC, introducing the eclectic mix of artists and performers.  Cool.

Drawing by Djo Fortunado @ Studio 34.

Character studies for “Gods vs. Men” by multimedia artist Djo Fortunado.

Cait Davis, starred, directed and produced “in This Place“, a movie she wrote and designed with a little help from her friends.  The abstract narrative follows Cait’s character through trials and tribulations of being young in the city - DoN found himself wishing she wouldn’t smoke so much in the movie.  The saturated colors and quirky angles captured by cinematographer Ray Flynn takes the viewer from The Green Line Coffee Shop (a very funny scene) to the bedroom to a dreamscape with precision and technique which truly resembled the qualities usually found in film not video.  ”In This Place” will be entered in the Brooklyn Film Festival.

A unique aspect to the evening was that many of the artists are high school friends who all attended CAPA, the High School for Creative and Performing Arts (Cait and Alan have known each other since they were two) remaining close and collaborative.  So, friendship in the modern age isn’t just who has the longest friend list on FaceBook or being friended by strangers on MySpace, it’s actually showing up and supporting the people you love.  PAFA people support each other and so do members of Da Vinci Art Alliance, the Plastic Club and Philadelphia Sketch Club.  Being an artist is a competitive business, not for the thin-skinned or weak at heart, but with the appreciation of friends and family, producing art can be a rewarding intellectual experience.  Thanks to James Peniston for being such a gracious host and introducing DoN to all the artists.

Supermodel Mike invited DoN to visit Jinxed Clothing to meet artist Tim Diet and toy designer/artist  Mr. Shane Jessup.  Tim Diet is a NYC based artist who creates super-pop art featuring icons of advertising and cartoons; “Where’s the Beef?” features the Hamburgler, Wendy, Wimpy and more, “Menace to Society” stars Dennis and other trouble-makers.  Diet’s style is to paint with acrylics on stretched canvas and create a masterful mash-up of cheery icons designed to make us buy stuff that’s not really that good for us.  

Tim Diet with his paintings @ Jinxed.

Acrylic Boxes by Tim Diet @ Jinxed (that’s Leanne Biank working on her entry for The Rolling Canvas Art Collective presented by Fuji Bikes which opens Friday @ Jinxed).

Acrylic Box by Tim Diet @ Jinxed.

Tim Diet and Jinxed owner Supermodel Mike.

“Words that Hurt” paintings by Mr. Shane Jessup @ Jinxed.

Mr. Shane Jessup is a toy designer for Kid Robot,  planet Earth’s premier creator & retailer of limited edition toys, clothing, mini-figures, artwork & books.  Jessup designs three-D toys in Illustrator, the vinyl toys are manufactured overseas, refined back here in the states and then sold to kids and collectors alike and are currently a big hit at ComicCon in San Diego.  The toys are Super-Kawai bunnies, robots, punks and monsters - DoN LoVes them all!  You can buy a box of 24 figurines some of which are rare and collectable - then you have to network with other collectors to find the special ones you need to complete your collection.  Start by shopping at Jinxed, you’re sure to find something deliciously wacky to start your collection.

Painting and vinyl figurines by Mr. Shane Jessup @ Jinxed Phildelphia.

Jinxed Philadelphia on 4th Street, South of South Street.

Next, DoN stopped in Digital Ferret CDs because of the crowd of punks outside; it’s so cool that punk is not dead, super-high platform boots, black leather and pink Mohawks will never go out of style. Digital Ferret CDs is one of America’s leading music retailers and mail order houses for 80s, Ambient/Techno, Industrial, Electronica, Gothic, Metal, Trip-Hop, World Fusion and Experimental Music.  Inside the shop was rocking to the sounds of Philadelphia’s own Society Hill, kind of a mash-up of punk, funk and grunge - really fresh and clean - lead singer Dwight was totally unintelligible - fabulous!  Check out Society Hill’s MySpace Page to learn more about the band.

4th Friday on 4th Street is really fun with jewelry vendors, stained glass, art and clothes for sale on the sidewalk - and parties everywhere.  Let’s ROCK!

All photographs by DoNBrewerMultimedia Photography. 

DoN posted a 30 second video on YouTube of the Super Mario Brothers music which is enchanting and magical; using the score from the video game soundtrack and sound effects from character/avatar interaction with puzzle elements in the game, the music is post-post-post modern.  The video is just part of the Golden Calf exhibit in the fabulously dark installation of paintings, photography and sculpture about decay, destruction, nausea and mysticism.  DoN found the art to be emotionally raw and psychologically dismal with elements of claustrophobia, isolation and estrangement; Hagit Barkai’s ”Vomitous” is awesomely powerful, the paintings are Bacon-like in their facility, the subject charged with feelings of fear, powerlessness and despair, the paint application is expert.  The artists of Golden Calf are establishing New Philadelphia as the art center of the region, unafraid to tackle the more difficult apects of modern life.

Brian Billingsley’s ”Homage to Me” video and “Untitled (Saturn Devours His Son)” oil on canvas in the Golden Calf Show at Crane Art Center.

Weird little blobby things were all over the place.

Super Mario Music!!! 

DoNArTNeWs - 7/6/8

Wednesday evening, Sho and DoN wandered over to the Sunoco Welcome America event on the Avenue of the Arts.  Broad Street was closed off from the Academy of Music down to Dorrance Hall (the University of the Arts temple on Pine Street) with stages set up in each block featuring performances by Philadelphia International Records performing artists MFSB, Soul Survivors, Bunny Sigler and more.  DoN totally flashed back to clubbing in Philly at theSecond Story, Harlow’s and the Catacombs - OMG!  The Catacombs! - DoN would emerge from the underground as the sun came up after an entire night of disco dancing.  But for Sho and DoN the draw was the artist’s booths set up along the avenue including Mark Campana, Charles Cushing, Lilliana Didovic and more.

Artist Mark Campana paints iconic scenes of Philadelphia; DoN spots him regularly in Rittenhouse Square, Fitler Square, Washington Square…in fact, Campana is probably the only painter DoN observes working plein air with such dedication.  Mark’s work is wonderfully evocative of the cosmopolitan nature of the city, finding warm light, stealthy shadows and fine textures of buildings, trees and monuments with his oils and canvas.

Painting of Rittenhouse Square by Mark Campana @ Welcome America Celebration. 

Campana is friends with Charles Cushing who had his tent set up along side his on Broad Street; Cushing was working on a painting of the Divine Lorraine Hotel on his French easel and drawing quite a crowd of admirers while he developed the theme of jazz musicians and dancers on the roof of the gothic manse.  Charles also paints scenes of Philadelphia for which he has become quite well known - if you look around the city you’ll find Cushing images in the Kimmel Center, the Italian Market, and art stores, Charles sells excellent quality prints of city scenes including a new cityscape including the Comcast tower which seemed to be moving briskly. DoN is sure you’ve seen the images of the Victorian Lady entering the Bellevue Stratford or snowy scenes of Rittenhouse Square; Charles informs me he’ll be doing some painting in Finland this Summer - cool!

Charles Cushing painting The Divine Lorraine Hotel on the Avenue of the Arts. 

Artist Jessica Barber helped with the booth for Charles Cushing @ Welcome America. 

Charles is a good friend to many artists in town, he told DoN he speaks with Mark Campana almost everyday, he helped Jed Williams get a terrific gig at One Penn Center and was in the audience for Henry Martin’s concert on Forbidden Drive.  Cushing is a real class act and a truly inspiring artist.

Lilliana Didovic, a board member of the DaVinci Art Alliance, had a tent with a wonderful display of her vivid paintings for the holiday event.  Didovic is a dedicated artist and with a singular style and drive;  looking like a rock star, Lilliana warmly greeted visitors and friends in the summer heat.  Joseph, Lilliana’s devoted husband was on hand as usual - DoN really appreciates the support he offers his lovely wife as she works to develop her ouvre.

 Lilliana Didovic, Rowan University’s Deb Miller and Ray Costello on the Avenue of the Arts. 

Landscape painting postcards by Lilliana Didovic.

Steve Martin of CHARGESKATE.com

Charles Cushing recommended DoN check out Steve Martin’s booth to discover original screen printed skate punk T-shirts with striking designs, unusual artistic quality and great prices. Martin is planning to move to the Deep South - Atlanta and such to pursue his graphic design skills as a tattoo apprentice.  Meanwhile, check out his website, CHARGESKATE, for interesting skateboard and apparel designs; DoN bought the funky black one with the green scaley design (Steve wrote to DoN and advised him the pattern is a chevron).

T-Shirts from CHARGE on the Avenue of the Arts, Welcome America Festival.

Barbara Whiteman of the Philadelphia Doll Museum at the Welcome America Festival.

DoN tried to interview Barbara Whiteman about the Philadelphia Doll Museum located at 2253 North Broad Street but she was so busy helping eager customers with questions about the unusual Raggetty Ann’s, African beaded baby dolls and accessories that he agreed to stop by the museum one day to chat.  The Philadelphia Doll Museum is one of America’s few museums dedicated to black dolls and their historic importance.

Photographer Jon Hagen of Wonderful Machine selling photographs on Broad Street.

DoN wanted to learn more about his business but the disco music was too loud - is that an oxymoron?  Loud Disco Music?  Check out Hagen’s stylish photography at  WonderfulMachine.com.  DoN did advise Jon to get out from behind his table; with Jon Hagen’s model good looks he should have no problem drawing in the ladies to buy some photos ; )

July Fourth, Shoshana and DoN traveled to NYC to have dinner with good friend and art collector, Dee Brodzik and partner John Renck.  DoN delivered the photo Dee bought from his “light beings” exhibit at The Beauty Shop Cafe and was surprised to be part of an unveiling ceremony for his oil painting, “Three Bridges”, which Dee purchased during last year’s Philadelphia Open Studio Tours - what an honor to have a patron and friend to offer pride of place in such a wonderful art collection.  Thank you, Dee - you are the best!.

Unveiling “Three Bridges” at Dee’s July 4th party. 

“Three Bridges“, oil painting by DoN Brewer in the Brodzik/Renck collection, NYC.LoVeDoN

All photographs by DoNBrewerMultimedia Photography. 

Sunday afternoon was the opening of Philadelphia Sketch Club’s Artists and Poets: Image and Word show. The concept of the show is to get painters to create a painting based on a poem and have poets create poems based on paintings and vice versa.  The opening, organized by Richard Beldyk, featured many of the poets reading poems which are displayed along side the paintings.  There are many outstanding paintings and poems by Laura Jean Zito, Don Meyers, Doris Peltzman, Pete Quarracino and many more. Reading the poems while viewing the paintings is a rare experience but hearing the poets and other readers perform the works aloud is soul stirring.  DoN’s painting is based on Henry Martin’s anti-war rock song “Column of Light” which Henry sang accompanied by his guitar. 

Henry Martin on Forbidden Drive

After Artists and Poets, Shoshka and DoN moseyed on over to Chestnut Hill to videotape a performance in the park by the afore mentioned singer/songwriter Henry Martin.  Without any amplification, Henry rocked out his original compostions which filled the Wissahickon Creek valley with songs of love, unity, peace and a strange little ditty called “Stranded in Albequerque with a Corvair“, with a group of enthusiastic fans cheering him on including artist Charles Cushing, artist Jed Williams, ceramics artist Alyson Bartle (Henry’s wife) and many of Henry’s painting students, Henry sang more than an hours worth of original songs.  The music played until the sun went down and the fire-flys came out, a truly magical time celebrating the Summer Solstice. Watch for announcements of videos on YouTube and MySpace. 

Enter Digital @ Off the Wall Gallery @ Dirty Frank’s Bar

DoN reminds you that the Enter Digital Show is continuing at Dirty Frank’s @ 13th & Pine Streets.  Rick Wright won an award for most avant garde for his cell phone photos.  The gallery is taking orders for prints of varying sizes for all the artists pieces including DoN’s “light beings (Dora & Pablo)” which previously won first prize in Philadelphia Sketch Club’s Absolutely Abstract 2007 show, view a video of juror Bill Scott’s comments on abstract art and DoN’s winning  piece on YouTube and DoNShOp.

Bill Scott @ Philadelphia Sketch Club’s Absolutely Abstract 2007 

LoVeDoN

All photographs and video by DoNBrewerMultimedia