Preview of Auction Items for the Wetherill Ball!

Here are a few of the items available for purchase at our annual fundraiser:

Molly Hatch, Blue Toile Vase, Porcelain, 2011

Retail: $1,400, bidding starts at $700

Sam Taylor, White Bird Bowl, 2008. Wood-fired stoneware,

Retails: $385 each, bidding starts at $200

Nancy Blum, Untitled, Limited edition print, 2012

Retail: $250, bidding starts at $150

Jill Bonovitz Porcelain Vessel

Handbuilt porcelain platter, matte glaze and underglaze, 2011
Retail:  $800, bidding starts at $500

In addition, we are auctioning three wonderful vacations:

African Game Preserve Vacation of a Lifetime for up to 4 people!

Spend an unforgettable five days/ four nights on a safari in the exclusive Ongava Game Reserve in Namibia located next to the Elosha National Park.  The package allows the winners to choose between staying at Ongava Tented Camp or Ongava Lodge. A combination of both properties is also possible.

Both tented and lodge accommodations include the “creature” comforts of private baths, luxury suites, and a cooling unit- all with fabulous views looking out at the preserve and waterholes.  Meals are served in the main dining room under thatch with a view, or in the dining deck under the stars.

Namibia has become a most sought-after safari destination. Activities include game drives in open jeeps, guided hikes and walks giving you the unique opportunity to see resident elephants, cheetahs, lions, and the unique resident white and black rhinos. A stay at Ongava can be the keystone of a previously unimaginable vacation.

Ongava has been listed on the Conde Naste Traveler Gold Reserve List. Donated by Lisa Kabnick and John H. McFadden

Retail: $5,000

Under the Tuscan Moon: A week in an Italian Villa

Welcome to the Villa Sassella in Compignano, Lucca, Italy.  Enjoy a one-week stay for up to ten people in this restored house that dates back to the 14th century.  The villa sits in a hamlet high on the wooded slopes of Monte Quiesa midway between the ancient walled town of Lucca and the modern seaside city of Viareggio.  There are five bedrooms and five full baths. The pool, tennis court and game room entertain in American fashion while the terraces, garden and patios with views over the coastal plains overlooking the Mediterranean give you the full breadth and beauty of Tuscany.  Venture out and visit the wineries or take a short trip to Florence or a slightly longer trip to the charming ancient city of Siena.  Outstanding cook and cleaning service available. Easy access from Florence and Pisa airports.

Villa Sassella was restored in the early 1970s having been derelict since the 1940s.  Originally it was part of the neighboring church’s estate. Creation of the gardens and restoration of the surrounding land began in the Spring of 1995. There are wonderful views of the Mediterranean and the Lago di Massaciucoli. In the Fall, there are great storms to be watched, and you get the most amazing glow fly displays during early Summer.

Available in Spring 2013: April, May or June. Donated by Lisa Kabnick and John H. McFadden

Retail:  $7,500

A Visit to Glen Mhor Cottage, Glenelg, Highlands, Scotland

Enjoy a week in the spectacular scenery of the Scottish Highlands.  Glen Mhor Cottage is a lovely highland hideaway suitable for 4/5 guests in the small coastal village of Glenelg. The area is one of outstanding natural beauty with breathtaking views. The cottage overlooks the Sound of Sleat and the Isle of Skye. There are three bedrooms and one full bathroom. Outside, you will find a small garden and the water’s edge is about 100 yards from the door. The Glenelg shop is conveniently located across from the cottage and the village is just a short walk up the hill.

Glenelg is a place of beautiful sunsets, exciting wildlife and warm and welcoming locals. Activities include golfing, pony trekking, climbing, walking, fishing, mountain biking, sailing, kayaking, seal trips and photography. Explore the Eilean Donan Castle, visit the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre or take a walk through the Attadale Gardens. You will also be close to some of the most famous whiskey distilleries in the world, many of which are open to the public. Just a ferry ride away, on the Isle of Sky, you will find the Talisker Malt Whisky Distillery. Begin your tour with a complimentary sample and get an inside look at how distilleries operate.

Retail: $3,000

If you would like to inquire about one of these items, please contact us: 

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PAA Announces new grant from Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative!

Philadelphia, PA: The Philadelphia Art Alliance is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, in support of a site-specific installation by Beijing-based artist Song Dong and Yin Xiuzhen in 2013. Husband and wife Song Don and Yin Xiuzhen occasionally collaborate on artistic projects, creating sculptural installations using or referencing common materials and ordinary household objects. They are represented in New York City by Chambers Fine Art.

Song Dong Installing Waste Not at MoMA Photo by Scott Rudd

Song Dong is best known in the US for his work Waste Not, which was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in 2009. Waste Not was comprised of the contents of his mother’s house accumulated over the course of fifty years during a period of state-mandated austerity, and featured collections of objects such as plastic slippers, empty toothpaste tubes, plastic shopping bags, and other ephemera, all lovingly arranged with the care one might expect in the handling of rare and precious objects.

Yin Xiuzhen imbues her sculptures with a feminist point of view by using materials such as recycled clothing, fabric, and thread to create installations that address domesticity, women’s labor, and transience in contemporary China. Song and Yin came of age in the rapidly changing China of the 1980s and were deeply influenced by the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. Both Song and Yin began as painters, and over the course of their careers, have investigated ways to make work that references domestic and cultural environments more literally: found objects, humble materials, and videos that capture moments from daily life.

Yin Xiuzhen Projects 92 at MoMA 2010

Since 2001, the artists have collaborated on pairs of chopstick sculptures which are created according to certain agreed-upon parameters, but completed in isolation. Neither artist knows what the other will do until the final sculptures are revealed. Chopsticks reference food and domesticity, and neither “stick” can function alone, thus (unlike a fork or spoon) they are an ideal metaphor for family. This thematic connection with home, family, and the passing of generations has inspired Song and Yin to respond to the PAA’s site, a former mansion, by creating six new pairs of chopstick sculptures, each with different variables they will determine during site visits. The installation will include a ten-channel video produced by Song Dong on the theme of childhood in contemporary China. The artists also plan to work with their daughter Song Er Rui, who will be eleven years old during the summer of 2013. Because the Chopsticks series began with Song’s recognition that the number “one” appeared twice in various important milestones-the death of his father, the birth of his daughter and the death of his mother-Song Er Rui’s age during this summer has symbolic resonance.

Above all, from Waste Not to The Way of Chopsticks, while Song and Yin’s work concerns materiality, it also addresses family and the marking of time through generations with physical objects. There is no richer metaphor for the passing of one generation to the next than the heirloom. The field of contemporary craft-both at its avant garde fringe and within its traditional heart-is powerfully connected to the home and the body. Studio jewelry, textiles and clothing, furniture and lighting all speak to daily existence and family life, and a particular consciousness of maintaining tradition while planning to pass on special and unique objects to one’s  children. Responding to the PAA’s domestic setting built in 1906, Song and Yin wish to create an array of works in response to the milestones in their own lives, and their impression of what the future holds for their daughter, in China and abroad.

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The Philadelphia Art Alliance is dedicated to the advancement and appreciation of innovative contempoary art with a focus on craft and design, and to inspiring dynamic interaction between audiences and artists in a setting of historic and aestheitc significance.

The creative process through Instagram

So one thing that has been keeping me entertained and inspired, during the otherwise hectic Spring fundraising season, has been following the Instagram account of one of our upcoming artists, Adam Wallacavage.  For those not in the loop, Instagram is basically Facebook with a camera, where every post or “Status Update” must be accompanied by a photo.  After launching just over 18 months ago, the company recently was sold to Facebook for $1 Billion, showing the explosive growth potential of photo sharing.

Adam Wallacavage (@AWallacavage) was an early adopter of Instagram, and subsequently has over 3000 loyal followers to his account.  He posts just about anything; photos of his amazing South Philly home, friends, concerts, skateboarding, art, life in general.  But my greatest pleasure has been watching his work in progress unfold as he prepares for his solo show here at the Art Alliance.  Watching this piece, tentatively entitled “Sea Serpent” come to life has been an amazing lesson in social media promotion.  Adam not only shares photos of his unfinished work, but gives insight into how he feels about a particular piece or what inspired him to make it.  Without further ado, here is the photo stream with Adam’s captions for each pic:

“Better ask momma how to make a monster”

 

“I’m going to be perfectly honest. I’m making these only to please some specific and somewhat harsh art critics. I mean, I’m showing in a prestigious design and craft museum and I need take this seriously. I can’t disappoint my nieces and nephews!!”

 

“Done for the day!! I’m getting really happy about this one. I pulled off something monstrously eloquent. It’s funny because somehow I forgot about the fact that I was making similar monsters like these in art school some 16 -17 (yikes) years ago.”

 

“Sculpting more Sea Serpents.”

 

“Hanna applying scales to the Sea Serpent chandelier.”

 

“I can’t wait to finish this!!!!”

 

“Applying the secret sauce to the Sea Serpents.”

 

“Big Glitter Ball.”

 

“Sea Serpent is wired up!”

I love his brutal honesty and the way in which he interacts with his followers, making them feel like they are a part of his world even though many do not personally know him.  I myself have felt a profound personal connection to the man even though we only met face-to-face for the first time the other day.  This kind of online social interaction is redefining the way in which artists, celebrities, athletes and just about anyone with a business or skill connect with potential audiences and, ultimately, conduct commerce.

Shameless plug time: To see this amazing piece, and many other new/old creations by Adam, come to the Gallery Opening Reception for this and our two other new exhibitions on Thursday, May 17, 2012.  Information on the exhibition can be found by clicking here.

And follow Adam Wallacavage on Twitter (@adamwallacavage) and Instagram (@AWallacavage) for more updates as we move towards the opening!  Thanks for listening!

-Alex

Battle of the Bowls, Artist Spotlight: Patricia Ingersoll and Beth Ireland

Patricia Ingersoll’s paintings have been exhibited in Pennsylvania, New York and throughout the U.S. She is represented in Pennsylvania museum collections, as well as in many private and corporate collections. In addition, Patricia has been a commissioned artist for the City of Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program. Her 8 outdoor murals can be seen throughout various neighborhoods of the city. She is also a featured artist in the book, Philadelphia Murals and the Stories they tell. She has been a guest lecturer, has been featured in several publications and has appeared on television. She was the recipient of an Independence Foundation Fellowship in 2000 and created a large scale installation exhibition 3 locations from 2001-2002.

Beth Ireland is a 1979 graduate of State University College at Buffalo, where she received a Bachelors degree in Art Education. She has run Beth Ireland Woodworking since 1982. The company specializes in architectural woodturning, furniture and cabinetry. Beth has lectured, taught and demonstrated throughout New England, including a stint as Director of the Wood Program at Worcester Center for Crafts. Her artistic woodturnings have been seen in galleries throughout the United States and in publications such as Bead and Button, andDesign Book 7 by Taunton Press. She currently resides and works in Roslindale, MA.

Battle of the Bowls, Artist Spotlight, Heeseung Lee and Jim Loewer

Heeseung Lee uses the functional aspects of her vessels to create an entry point for viewers to go beyond the threshold of a utilitarian object and into the world of art. Lee plays with patterns from the stylized linear landscapes of Korean screen paintings, colors from Japanese lacquer-ware, and compositional arrangements from various Asian textiles to embellish her ceramic vessels. Lee is infatuated with the layering of pattern and textures, creating visual rhythm and energy, defining space, and alluding to the evidence of the passage of time. Ms. Lee received her B.F.A from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

 

Jim Loewer holds an undergraduate degree in painting from the University of California and a teaching degree from the University of South Carolina. He taught at various different schools for four years before devoting himself full-time to glass. He is self-taught through trial and error, focusing primarily on contemporary organic forms influenced by Japanese craft and the American studio glass movement.

Battle of the Bowls, Artist Spotlight: Giselle Hicks and Ayumi Horie

Giselle Hicks received her B.F.A in ceramics in 2001 from Syracuse University and her M.F.A in ceramics in 2010 from New York State College. She says of her work “My work is an abstraction of how I translate the expansive and complex experiences that take place within the home. What is retained from these experiences is reflected back in a series of memory traces that inform our behavior in the context of the next experience. As a result, a pattern emerges which shapes our identity.” Giselle has participated in various solo, two person, and group exhibitions including “Hello/Goodbye” at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia, and “Encore” at Baltimore Clayworks.

Ayumi Horie received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College in 1991, her B.F.A. in ceramics from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 1996, and her M.F.A. in ceramics from the University of Washington in 2000. Ayumi works as a studio potter in the Hudson Valley of New York, about 2 hours north of New York City. She has taught workshops and given lectures at many universities, art centers and residencies in the U.S. and abroad, including the Archie Bray Foundation, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Greenwich House Pottery, Penland School of Crafts, Peter’s Valley, Arrowmont School of the Arts and Crafts,  the Northern Clay Center, and the International Ceramic Research Center in Denmark. Since 2004, she has been on the board of directors at the Archie Bray Foundation, where she was a resident for two years between 1996 and 1998. Her work is in various collections throughout the US.

 

Battle of the Bowls, Artist Spotlight: Carlo Fiammenghi and Michael Biello

Carlo Fiammenghi and Michael Biello: 

Carlo Fiammenghi, and Michael Biello are co-creators of Biello Martin Studio, a creative sanctuary of interdisciplinary arts. Michael Biello, a interdisciplinary artist, and Carlo Fiammenghi, an architectural interior designer both show work at their Philadelphia based studio.

Michael Biello is an interdisciplinary artist whose work has been exhibited nationally and internationally including the American Crafts Museum in New York and the World Crafts Council in Vienna. Biello’s diverse body of visual work ranges from operatic neo-classic chandeliers to stainless steel light columns creating sensual moving patterns, black and white vases that spin, hand-tinted erotic collages on paper and clay, ceramic headlights that glow from within and buddhas in theatrical dream-like environments. Biello graduated from the Philadelphia College of Art in 1973 with a BFA in Ceramics.

Carlo Fiammenghi studied and practiced architecture in Rome, came to Philadelphia to visit, and found himself in 2006 studying for another master’s degree at Temple University, this one in urban planning. While working for the firm Wallace, Roberts & Todd, he had second thoughts about this new career path. He says of that time, “I worked on large projects, but over time I really began to miss the details – picking out furniture, materials, shapes, and colors.”