Join Center City Restoration in the premier First Friday opening of their new studio space at 142 N. 2nd St. They are excited to present the works of local artists, Vasil Anastasav and Lauren Rinaldi. Their doors will be open to the public for the first time on Friday, February 3rd from 6-9pm.

Committed to preserving the historical beauty of Downtown Philadelphia, Center City Restoration specializes in Historic property restoration and remodeling in the Center City district of Philadelphia. Their strengths lie in project management, meeting a deadline and a seamless project that highlights your homes existing properties. Center City Restoration’s top priority is customer satisfaction and their business plan relies on satisfied customer referrals.

For more information visit their website:
http://www.centercityrestoration.com/ | Facebook | Twitter

A little background on the artists:

Vasil Anastasav was born in Europe in family of artists. Graduated from the College of Fine Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria with a Bachelor of Art and Majored in Mural Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria. He has 25 years of experience in fresco and seco mural painting, mosaic, stained glass, icons, logos, architectural restoration, decorative painting, trompe l’oeil, interior finishes and Fine Art. He currently lives and works in Philadelphia.

For more information visit his website:
http://www.vaart.xbuild.com/#

Lauren Rinaldi is a Brooklyn born artist who has lived in Lancaster County, PA, has a BFA in painting from Tyler School of Art, and also studied at Temple University, Rome. The works on display, once described as seductively repugnant, tell intricate and personal stories exploring the meanings of encountering the unexpected through her engaging and vibrant paintings. She uses her own body and experiences to talk about issues of identity, self-exploration, gender, and very literally, the form and function of the human body. A Philadelphia resident, she lives in the Fishtown section of the city with her husband and son.

For more information visit her website:
http://laurenrinaldi.tumblr.com/paintings | Facebook | Twitter

If you would like to schedule a time to see the show please call Center City Restoration at 215.313.9301 or send an email to info@centercityrestoration.com

For the month of December Sean Martorana will have brand new ink drawings on display at Cafe Estelle. Above is a film of Sean painting the windows for the opening reception this Friday 6:00 – 9:00.

4 November 2011, 8pm till 10pm

Cups & Chairs Tea Cafe

701-705 South 5th Street (at Monroe Street)

www.cupsandchairs.com • (215) 238-8832

Join us on 4 November 2011 for opening night, Accademico E Bella!, at Cups & Chairs Tea Cafe. Meet two of Fleisher Art Memorial’s representational artists John Sasnett and Daniel Chow who will be showcasing their Accademico e Bella works; meet designer and artist Jen-rung Lai who will be showcasing her beautifully crafted jewelry that spans from simply classy, vivid whimsy, vintage revival, to oriental grace. Both Sasnett and Jen-rung are Rhode Island School of Design alumni.

Jen-rung’s inspirations come from nature, her travels, and interior spaces and architecture designs. She earned her Interior Design Certificate from Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education, and has completed several residential and commercial interior projects which include the beautiful Cups and Chairs Tea Cafe in Philadelphia.

What is an artist’s opening night without live music? Adam Rivera and other musicians will be performing. Born in Central New York, Adam started playing the guitar in elementary school when he was given one of  his brother’s “too many guitars”  by their father. His brother and father played guitar and bass. By the time Adam was in high school he started composing his own songs and lyrics. 

Painters John Sasnett and Daniel Chow, and jewelry artist Jen-rung Lai are showing some of their works at a local tea cafe, Cups & Chairs, in the Queen Village district of Philadelphia. The owner of the cafe has invited a musician, Adam Rivera, to perform. Fingers crossed for opening night on 4 November 2011.

While hanging the paintings for the show, a lady whispered to her partner, “they’re so academic.” I guess she pretended to be whispering, and indeed I heard her quite clearly. I always have a come-back in response to most comments, but, alas, not without some lag time which by the time the lady would be gone beyond earshot.

No offense was taken, because her observation was correct. Nevertheless, in response to her observation I say, “no my fair lady, not just academic, they’re academic and beautiful.” Hence I’m titling this show in Italian, “Accademico e Bella!”

I think when some laypersons use the term, academic, they most probably mean amateurs, beginners, or “within-the-box”. It’s sometimes used in the context of putting down something or someone.

In the fine arts, when art works are described as academic, it means that the artist is demonstrating in his (or her) works the accumulated knowledge and technical skills he has acquired through schooling, or through his own experiences. As with writing, you also must be able to demonstrate the mastery of your language—the knowledge of your language and the techniques for proper usage. This also applies to music, cooking, or baking.

When I worked for Alan Kelly, CEO of Applied Communications, a technology public relations firm in San Francisco, he said to me that if you don’t have a passion for what you do, it will show through your work. My friend’s mother said something similar: make all the cookies you want, but if you don’t put the love in them, they won’t taste as good as when made with love.

Have you followed a recipe to the letter, and you and everyone else seem to feel that something was still missing in the final product? that something that was still missing was Love or Passion.

It’s too bad that some people use the term academic as a put-down, but there is nothing lowly about academic works. If your work was done with dedication and passion for the vocation of your choice, they will show through in your work no matter how academic—your work will intrinsically be beautiful.

If you don’t have the love or passion for it, an academic work, or any other work, is just that, just another academic work.

Please join us on opening night of Accademico e Bella! for music and art by John Sasnett, Daniel Chow, Jen-rung Lai, and Adam Rivera at Cups & Chairs Tea Cafe on 4 Novermber 2011, 8pm through 10pm!

(Daniel majored in Anthropology at San Francisco State University, and then took a detour to try a career in internet technology. He worked as an internet technology administrator for a public relations firm in San Francisco for three years, and later discovered his passion for painting and photography in Asheville, North Carolina. You can view some of his work at www.danielwkchow.com, or follow his blog at studio13.tumblr.com.)

THIS FRIDAY, October 7th, Drink Philly is yet again supporting local artistic talent, local brewers and local restaurants for First Friday! Come enjoy food and beer tastings and check out some great local art and music.

Featured Artists:
Heather Marley
Sean Martorana
Richard Tenaglia

This month, The Farmers’ Cabinet will be serving mini Bavarian pretzel bites with a pear mustard, accompanied by their very own home brew, Grisette.
ABSOLUTELY NO COVER CHARGE. (Valid ID is required, only 21+ will be admitted.)
The event goes from 5-9 PM on Friday, October 7, and you may come and go as you please.

Our address is:
239 Chestnut Street (3rd & Chestnut)
Second Floor, Unit B
Philadelphia, PA 19106

The short film is described as a “reflective hybrid documentary” on the various anomalies and curiosities from the medical collections of the Mütter Museum and the College’s Historical Medical Library, and the first made in the United States by the internationally recognized duo. Through the Weeping Glass has been supported by a 2010 grant from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, and will be paired with an exhibition at the Mütter Museum about the making of the film, guest-curated by Barbara London, Associate Curator in the Department of Media and Performance Art at the Museum of Modern Art, New York City. The exhibition will include a behind-the-scenes film by Ed Waisnis about the Quay Brothers’ venture.

Get the whole story here:

http://www.pcah.us/exhibitions/newsroom/world-premiere-screening-of-the-quay-brothers-through-the-weeping-glass/

City Paper Story: How the Mütter museum’s main man sold the Brothers Quay on curated creepiness.

http://www.citypaper.net/cover_story/2011-09-15-mutter-museum-quay-brothers-through-the-weeping-glass.html

"Artemis"

August 2 – September 30, 2011 | Solo art exhibition at The High Point Cafe, 602 W. Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA; 215.849.5153.

September 2-17, 2011 |  Wawapalooza 5: Fringe Festival production at the Society Hill Playhouse, 507 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA. Features an on-screen art show of local artists, including work by Lynnette Shelley, inbetween theatrical performances.

September 10-11, 2011 | Brandywine Festival of the Arts, Brandywine Park,  1001 North Park Dr., Wilmington, DE 19802. Lynnette’s tent will be located at Booth Space #37. Link to festival map.

October 1-8, 2011 | Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST) Group Art Show atCrossroads Coffeehouse, 6156 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, PA.

October 1-31 , 2011 | Solo show at Schang-Hai Gallerie, 4136 Creamery Road, Creamery, PA 19430; (610) 454-0504. Reception is on October 7th.

October 1, 2011 | 20th Annual Oktoberfest, on Butler Pike between Main Street and Lindenwold Ave., Ambler PA. 10 AM to 5 PM. Rain date is Oct. 2, 2011.

October 9, 2011 | Chestnut Hill Fall for the Arts Festival, Germantown Avenue, between Willow Grove and Rex Avenues. 11 AM to 5 PM. Rain date is Oct. 16, 2011.

"Totem I"

November 4, 2011 through January 6, 2012 | “Animalia” Solo Art Show at the Painted Bride Art Center, Cafe Gallery, 230 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. First Friday Art Receptions: November 4 and December 2, 2011 from 5 to 7 pm. This is an Inliquid-sponsored art show.

Please visit www.lynnetteshelley.com to view more of Lynnette’s upcoming art shows as well as view her artwork gallery and available works for purchase.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Having a great love animals, fairytales, and world mythology, Pennsylvania artist Lynnette Shelley fuses these influences into her strikingly unique illustrations. Her artwork strikes a primal chord in many viewers, with almost Jungian associations to the colors and shapes. Her animal art and creature illustrations are both primitive and sophisticated, and have been likened to images from an undiscovered ancient civilization or culture.

“One of my primary interests has always been exploring legends and stories from around the world. Why are certain motifs ubiquitous across cultures and continents? These archetypal stories are told repeatedly in different guises throughout myth and folklore, and animals are often used to convey these mysteries. Whether painted on cave walls, portrayed as omens or worshiped as personifications of the gods, animals were a favorite theme for our ancestors. My artwork takes a closer look at this archetypal animal kingdom. Reinterpreted through abstraction, decorative element and contemporary vision, these creatures speak to our collective unconscious.”

"The White Buffalo (and the Red)"

10-hour, outdoor, live visual art competition with a backdrop of musical performances and DJs!!

AUGUST 27th from 12pm-10pm

Back for the 2nd round!! The Battle of the Canvas is a live painting competition that encourages the involvement of emerging and professional visual artists to paint under a theme that will promote social change through artistic images. In addition to fusing diverse artists with different skill levels together, appreciating visual arts out of galleries and museums is our goal since this free event will allow the public to connect with and interact with artists as they paint.

Where is it?? – The Artists Piazza | 2nd and Germantown Ave. 12pm-10pm | Free |Kids Corner

A clip of Sean Martorana writing on the windows inside IndyHall, a coworking space and community in Philadelphia.

Music by: The Muggs
Song: Motown Blues
Album: On With the Show

seanmartorana.com
@seanmartorana
facebook.com/​inthestudio