Desert Island Books

My friends know I was very consumed with this writing project a short while ago. I'd gotten the idea to poll artists on what their favorite art books were, and what an enormous outpouring of ideas I received! I ended up limiting the field to thirty people, and even then, it was a huge effort to be brief despite the fact that my editor gave me four pages! This turned out to be a topic that really started people thinking. The piece is just out, in the most current issue of Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, April 2011. Thanks to all the artists who participated! If you're interested in reading the piece, here it is (click on images to enlarge:)

Friend Friday

Opening Reception for this one is tonight!

After the Meal, oil on canvas, 11 x 14

There's Always Room For Dessert
Date: Feb 4, 2011 - Feb 24, 2011
Opening Reception: Friday, Feb. 4, 6-9 pm
Main Line Art Center
746 Panmure Road Haverford, PA 19041

Myself and numerous friends are participating in this fun and delectable fund-raiser. Feast your eyes on delicious artwork of all mediums inspired by desserts. Join us for the opening reception on First Friday, Feb. 4 to see all of the eye candy and indulge in some sweets! 10% of sales made from exhibition will go to support MANNA.
For more information on this delectable exhibition click here.

Anne Tyng, 1/13/11, Institute of Contemporary Art, photo: Garth Herrick

Sorry for the delay on this one! Anne Tyng is having an amazing exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, PA. I went to the opening reception on January 13 where Anne held court to a packed crowd of admirers. Congratulations to all involved in this exhibition!
Anne Tyng: Inhabiting Geometry
January 13-March 27, 2011
ICA at the University of Pennsylvania
118 S. 36th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Fay Stanford on her way to NYC, 2/3/11

Friend and neighbor Fay Stanford's one person show Love and Dementia opened last night in NYC.
February 1-26, 2011
SoHo20  Chelsea Gallery
547 West 27th Street
NYC, NY 10001

I was unable to attend the opening night but have a date on the calendar to go see the show. For previews, click here.

Friend Friday!

Hey, that's a lot of Friends!
(photo: Dainis Roman)
An enormous crowd of Philadelphia's red-hot talented artists showed up at Camphill Special School on Saturday August 7. What was going on? Plein Air for Camphill. The artists gathered to do their art thing, but of course the day included socializing and feasting (people were treated to three gourmet meals featuring school-grown and otherwise locally raised food:yum!) I am the creator of this fun and unique plein air event which raises money for my son Henry's wonderful school. In particular its program for 18-21 year olds (an under-served segment of the special needs population.)

The actual money-raising part of the event comes later...when we hold an exhibition of the work at Rosenfeld Gallery in Old City, Philadelphia. Save the date: Tuesday, October 5, 5:30-8:30 pm. Food, drinks, live music and live artists too! ;-) Last year the event was a succès fou (here is a video that shows the huge, happy, crowd!)


This is the second year of what looks to be an annual event. Last year it was called Plein Air at Beaver Farm, but as Beaver Farm (part of Camphill Special School) is undergoing construction this year (expanding so that more 18-21 year olds can be served) we couldn't hold the big art day there! Stymied by our own success in fund-raising! So, as the event was moved temporarily to Camphill Special School's main campus, we decided to change the name to the more all-purpose Plein Air for Camphill. This will enable us to hold the event at any number of different locations in future, but clearly explains the beneficiary of the effort, wherever it is located! I hope this is clear (and not as mud!)

So, why is this plein air event unique? Because I invite all manner of different excellent artists, not just traditional plein air artists (outdoor landscape painters.) This year I believe PAC was absolutely groundbreaking in having Dale Roberts doing en plein air encaustic painting (complete with hot plate and hair dryer and lots of heavy duty extension cords) and Amy Kann and Stephen Layne doing plein air clay sculpture! Now THAT is some seriously heavy lifting! It was also a thrill to have cartoonist Tony Auth and book artist David Wiesner joing in the fun this year. Back again this year was Fay Stanford drawing directly onto the wooden boards which she will carve into woodcut blocks, and Aina Roman taking photos which she will turn into video collages. This kind of eclecticism would have a regular plein air event organizer scratching their head, but this exciting, innovative mix is exactly what I love and want.

I am so grateful for all the time, energy and enthusiasm shown by the 57 artists participating this year. I'm also thankful for the gallery directors, the Camphill community and all the other friends who are helping and supporting me (you know who you are!) Too numerous to name everyone here, but their names are written on my heart.

Some random shots of the day:

Plein Air at Beaver Farm!

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 big ass big old large format camera


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!