Screen print at the Free Library, West Philadelphia Quilt show, James Oliver Gallery Moves, Soso at Rush Arts and ‘Skull Sessions’ at Hicks Art Center Gallery

NOTEWORTHY EVENTS

Third Annual West Philadelphia Quilt Show at the Kingsessing Tennis Courts
4901 Kingsessing Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19143
Dec. 2, 1 – 4 PM
More information
Read my enthusiastic report from last year’s quilt show.

Some of what I said:
…I swung by my old West Philly neighborhood to see the Quilt Show – outside — with the 53 quilts from more than 30 artists spring-clamped to the tall cyclone fence surrounding the tennis courts. I was disbelieving at first that this kind of presentation would work for quilts but after viewing them clamped and floating in front of the urban landscape, I am convinced that this is a perfect way to show quilts, which embody the human quest to make beautiful things and share them with the community. How colorful, public and celebratory! This was a great open-air event, with mulled wine and live music, and people came with dogs and babies and looked excitedly at the quilts and talked amongst themselves of what they loved and why. Congratulations to all who participated and I look forward to next year’s exhibit!

Free Screen Printing Workshop at the Free Library
Dec. 6, 2023, 5 PM
Art Department, Parkway Central Library
Free, Register here

Come screen print with rod jones ii of @dox.thrash on Wednesday, December 6th! We’re thrilled to host this free workshop with the amazing people of the Dox Thrash House Project. Sign up here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C0DCdpQJ0do/

NEWS

J.O.G. – When moving down in the world is a move up

James Oliver Gallery (J.O.G.) recently relocated to the 2nd floor of 723 Chestnut Street, the building they’ve graced for 18 years. Until now, the eager art lover would have climbed the stairs to J.O.G.’s previous location on the 4th floor, a kind of eagles’ nest airy, a large, high-ceilinged space with glorious windows facing Chestnut Street. It was a pleasure to be there once you made it. My knees are happy for this move. The move also means, however, that the previous occupant of the 2nd floor, Hot Bed Gallery, has moved on. We wish them well. The 2nd floor of 723 Chestnut St. has been an art space for a long time. I visited many times starting in 2004 when the space was Basekamp. Read about one 2004 exhibit here.

Be sure to check out the new space, now hosting Don Bell and John Y. Wind, “Cool Under Pressure,” until Jan. 27, 2024, with a closing reception Jan. 27, from 6-9 PM.

More information from the gallery:
Don Bell is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and visual artist who uses portraiture as a vehicle to create narrative experiences that arrive at the intersection of defiance, vulnerability and unapologetic truth. Much of his work focuses on amplifying the richness and complexities within communities of color, displaying intrigue in humanity and the range of emotions that exist under the protective armor we create to navigate life’s ups and downs. When not shooting, Bell steps in front of the camera as the Sports Director and lead Sports Anchor at CBS News Philadelphia.

John Y. Wind was born in Israel, raised in Philadelphia, and studied at the Slade School of Art in London. His work explores the intersection of art, commerce, and portraiture, and is layered with ephemera and objects from his past, his travels, his family, his obsessions, and his day job–as the co-founder and chief designer of John Wind Jewelry, a well-known fashion jewelry and gift brand. Wind has exhibited throughout Philadelphia (including a solo show at James Oliver Gallery in 2013 and group show in 2016), at the Camden Arts Center, London, and in art fairs in New York and Miami. His work is in the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In 2022 he won Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly® for Best Artist. Wind focuses here on two series: Monuments to Everyone and Whiskey Rebellion.

NOTABLE EXHIBITS

“V&A’s Birthday Celebration”
Art by Soso
Rush Arts
to Dec. 16, 2023
4954 Old York Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19141
@rushartsphilly

Rush Arts Gallery is delighted to present “V&A’s Birthday Celebration,” a captivating exhibition by the talented artist SoSo, on view until December 16th. SoSo’s work is a profound journey into the realms of childhood bliss, self-reparenting, and the creation of safe spaces through an engaging and whimsical lens. SoSo, a 27-year-old artist with an MFA in ceramics from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture and a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Penn State University, skillfully navigates the delicate terrain of safety, substance abuse, and mental health in their work. As a biracial, queer artist, SoSo employs any medium they can lay their hands on, creating a diverse and immersive artistic experience. The heart of the exhibit lies in SoSo’s exploration of the irretrievable energy of childhood. Their work is not merely a nostalgic nod but a gentle narrative of reparenting oneself and the quest for self-knowledge. Through therapy, boundaries, and the whimsical creatures inhabiting their creations, SoSo embarks on a transformative
journey.

Skull Sessions
Hicks Art Center Gallery, Bucks County Community College
275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA 18940
Nov. 20, 2023 – Jan. 6, 2024
Reception Dec. 6, 4 – 7:30 PM

With 20 alternative spaces represented, the exhibit offers a snapshot of the vibrant alternative art scene in the Philadelphia region. Who’s included:
African American Museum of Bucks County, Past Present Projects, Artists of Yardley, Peep Projects, Art at Kings Oaks, Pink Noise Projects, Arts and Cultural Council of Bucks County, Rush Arts Philadelphia, ARTWRKD, Space 1026, Automat, Termite TV Collective, fiord, TillArts Project, Grizzly Grizzly, The Upstairs Gallery of Bucks County, Newtown Historical Alliance, Vox Populi, Partners and Son, Zach’s Crab Shack. More information here.