My favorite piece at Storm King

City On A Hign Mountain

Paint brush

down by JFK

Moravian Pottery & Tile Works

I visited the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works in Doylestown, PA. Henry Chapman Mercer designed the building, as well as the tile and mosaic designs. The tile designs are reissues of the originals. The facility still makes tiles the same Arts & Crafts tradition since Chapman directed the pottery works from 1889 to 1930. Apprenticeships, workshops and classes are still offered year round.



From the website:
The Tile Works is an adaptation of the California Mission Church, partly chosen because Mercer believed good art came from religious faith; in construction it reflects the early use of reinforced concrete for industrial purposes. The Moravian Tile Works is his second building, constructed after the first was destroyed by fire. The name Moravian is derived from his collection of old Moravian stove plates. Mercer's factory produced tiles depicting Pennsylvania flora and fauna.


Moravian Pottery & Tile Works Archive Photo...

Moravian Pottery & Tile Works Present...

Courtyard showing reinforced concrete arches...

 

Tiles are still created in the traditional manner...

California Mission Style Architecture...

Behind the Gates

Fabric Workshop Museum (Many keypads of emails)

Fabric Workshop

Down by JFK

A group of blind people touched the elephant. This work was created by what each person described in what they were feeling and hearing.

I found my second home

FWM

Vine Street Mural

Vine Street

Fonthill Castle

I visited Fontill Castle in Doylestown, PA designed and built by Henry Chapman. The interior walls and vaulted ceilings were covered with tile ornamentation in "Gaudi-esque" style embellishment. It was a feast for the eyes. The tiles and building were designed by Chapman. His Arts and Crafts style is evident everywhere in the building, but his influence also evident in Bucks County. I have been in several homes in Bucks County that had Chapman tiles especially built in over the fireplace. It must have been lovely to live in that castle as a residence. I felt as if I was in a different country walking around the building and grounds. They didn't allow photographs inside. The 1st and last photos are from the website, the 2nd - 4th photos are mine. Nick (husband) distracted the guide while I snapped a few pics (photos 3 & 4 below) without a flash....(i hope she doesn't read this blog!)

From the Museum info:
Built between 1908-1912, Fonthill was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930). Archaeologist, anthropologist, ceramist, scholar and antiquarian, Mercer built Fonthill both as his home and as a showplace for his collection of tiles and prints. 

The website has information about how to research the collections. Here are the links:
Fonthill Castle
Fonthill Castle Collections and Research

I feel like I'm in Europe!

close up of the tiled wall with an engraving...

tiled walls everywhere...

One of the ornate tiled bedrooms...

This is Real- Susan Hagen

This is a piece by Susan Hagen, titled This is real. I think its a very interesting piece because she is documenting a real person she has seen around Philadelphia. She is like the sculptural equivalent to Norman Rockwell. She wants to document people as they are. Not necessarily pretty or dressed in fine clothes but for the characters that they are. I think it is really brave of an artist to create something so ordinary. I don't know who would buy these, ( not me personally)  but it feels like if one rich person would, they could suddenly become collectors items, and could take off for being a means to document our time and place in this world. They are very beautiful in their own way. This face is sculpted so that each wrinkle and line in the mans face is apparent and his clear shiny eyes are smiling in a way. I think it is a very cool idea to scuplt society as it is, without all the bells and whistles.

Kurt Schwitters

I really like this piece by Kurt Schwitters, especially because I have been working with found object art lately and working with the idea of layers and stacking actual 3D objects in ways that make the viewer think of them differently. I love the variety in objects that he included, the round objects as well as the rectangle pieces. I love the weathered look the piece has to it. Its aged...Its been through a lot. the piece speaks for itself in that all of the objects seem to have a story to tell. I like the addition of the screen material, it breaks up the wood pieces and adds pattern and a new texture. I think the muted color pallete is great. I dont think it would work as well if this piece was saturated color. I even like how the viewer can see the nails. It has a rough quality to it, like a weathered cowboy that is really interesting to view. 

Eleanor Miller- Noctural Shine

I really enjoyed this work by Eleanor Miller. I really like the way she is able to sucessfully combine the abstract background with the realistic imagery of the bird in the foreground. The painting has many translucent areas and layers that she builds up to create the finished work. The background is suggestive of a swamp or a wetland of some sort, and even reminds me of mold. She did a great job of causing the viewer to think about the birds environment, suggesting water in the drips and spaltters.  When looking at it, I realized that her white splatter really ties the piece together as well as the tiny spot of orange in the foreground. These tiny details really make the painting successful. I really like this piece in particular because it reminds me of my own work and its cool to see a professional artist doing things like this.

First Friday

On Friday, my husband and I visited several galleries.  I decided to blog about a comparison of our favorite paintings in one gallery.  Regrettably,  I did not get a chance to write down the name of the gallery and the artists (sorry!). My husband's favorite painting was the painting on the top.  When I asked to explain why he stated, "I like the bright colors." The painting was oil on canvas and had expressive, unorganized brush marks.  The paint was not thick, but rather washes of bright colors.  My favorite painting was the blue work with a red box on the left hand side in the bottom picture.  The oil paint was thick and textured with the exemption of the red boxes.  I enjoyed the relationship of the colors and the structured simplicity of the painting.

Our choices of favored paintings were very different.  My husband preferred the unorganized, chaotic, expressive work while I preferred the structured, organized, and simple piece.  If I may psychoanalyze for a moment....my husband preferred a painting that is exactly the opposite of his personality - he is very structured, organized, and simple. I chose a painting that is exactly the opposite of my personality- I am very unorganized, chaotic, and expressive.  Could what we find beautiful in a painting be similar to what we look for in a mate?

Cake Smash

Come enjoy the festivities this Monday at Anderson Hall!

Buried Treasures at PAFA

I recently took a drawing workshop class at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. On the 2nd day the class was allowed to visit the archives that are housed deep below the cast hall. Everyone was advised not to touch anything but our eyes could certainly touch the amazing treasure of paintings! In the cold basement vault there is a priceless collection of paintings. Our tour guide gently pulled out some of the paintings to view up close. Photos were permitted so I'm sharing some of the photos of the paintings of early American painters below.

The Spirit of Enterprise

The Spirit of Enterprise

by 

Jacques Lipchitz

Every Saturday this summer that I have been in Philly I’ve gone on a long run along Kelly Drive.  Every morning I run it is still dark outside so it is hard to see a lot of the artwork that is along the river but one statue that has always caught my eye is The Spirit of Enterprise by Jacques Lipchitz.  It is this massive muscular pioneer that is representing constrictive enterprise.  What caught my eye was the way the light was creating these gorgeous shadows on the statue.  It took me a few passes to fully see the whole sculpture because I couldn’t just stop running and look at it. 
I was always interested in the gigantic back foot and leg, which was the easiest part to see in the darkness.  I always thought about how much power it is representing and how I am in fact using my legs to power myself along the trail.  I finally had to look up what the sculpture is titled and see who created it.  I was taken by surprise to read the quote by Theodore Roosevelt that is inscribed on the pedestal,

"Our nation, glorious in youth and strength, looks into the future with fearless and eager eyes, as vigorous as a young man to run a race."

  I thought it fits perfectly to the fact that I run past it at least once a week. 

If you have a chance to venture up the trail take a moment to view this bronze statue.