Art for a Good Cause
I have been busy organizing a plein air day to benefit my son Henry's wonderful special needs school, Camphill Special School. Specifically I am aiming to raise funds and awareness of their program for the 18 to 21 year olds who require special skills and training as they make the transition from school to adult programs. This what is called the Transition Program, and the school recently bought a neighboring property to house it, Beaver Farm, which is wonderful and beautiful but needs some renovation and construction to enlarge and expand.
On August 8th, 34 artists converged on Beaver Farm in Phoenixville PA for a wonderful day of painting, delicious food and camaraderie. The weather gods cooperated and so did everyone else. Joyful reunions were happening all over the place as old friends saw one another again, and many new friends met for the first time, too.
Of course the main attraction was art-making. This working biodynamic farm is a place of such quiet but intense beauty many of the artists felt almost overwhelmed by choices. However this is a nice problem to have, and everyone got right to work (usually after a brief period of helpless gaping in all directions!) I invited all kinds of artists, from realists to abstractionists, photographers and printmakers, oil painters, digital artists, encaustic artists: all people whose work I admire and whom I respect as artists and human beings:
Rachel Constantine in the kitchen garden
John Sevcik tackled the big old farmhouse
Stuart Shils at work under the tall trees
Eliza Auth worked both in pastels and in oils
Nancy Bea Miller by the wildflower bed
Marianne Mitchell stops to take a look at her piece in progress
Jeffrey Reed contemplating his next piece
Al Gury and Nancy Bea Miller
Rebecca Thornburgh, Jo-Ann Osnoe, Dianne Morrow, David Lee, Mary Walsh, Elizabeth Wilson, Alex Tyng et. al.
Aina Roman breaking in a new french easel and experimenting like crazy!
Ellen Cooper painting through the roses
Paul DuSold faces the paparazzi with good grace
Giovanni Casedei was so absorbed in his work he didn't notice
Suzy Schireson tackled the silo
Elaine Lisle got some canine companionship
Alex Tyng painting by the laundry line
Ellen Cooper, Laura Kaderabeck Eyring and Frances Galante, hard at it
Fred Danziger and one of his miniatures, with Stuart Shils
Sarah Barr and her
Garth Herrick out sitting in the field
Betsey Batchelor and "her" tree
The stragglers pose for one more shot at the end of an utterly amazing day! Participating artists not previously mentioned include Michael Bartmann, Joe Sweeney, Lynne Campbell, Dale Roberts, Fay Stanford, John Ennis, Valerie Craig, Carla Tudor, Elana Hagler, Jon Redmond, Mark Bockrath and Mary Hiltbrandt. Thank you so much everyone!
A one day exhibit and sale of the work to benefit Camphill Special School, will be held November 3, reception 5:30-8 pm at Rosenfeld Gallery, 113 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
All are welcome!
For more information on the event, just click Plein Air at Beaver Farm!
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