In Front of Strangers, I Sing Exhibition at Woodmere

“In Front of Strangers, I Sing” exhibition catalogue. Courtesy of Professor Dona Nelson.

The Woodmere Art Museum is hosting the works of 52 artists in the show “In Front of Strangers, I Sing.”

Painters and Tyler School of Art professors Dona Nelson and Rubens Ghenov were among the jurors that helped select the art that would be in the show.

“It’s a juried show rather than a curated show,” Nelson said. “We  received almost 600 applications.”

The contemporary art featured in this show was selected to illustrate the strains of artists in Philadelphia.

“We tried to develop themes like how art appears in photography these days, and also the whole nature of photography because one doesn’t usually question the  actual nature of a photograph,” Nelson said.

Nelson and Ghenov both had their own work included the show, but Nelson believes there are other, more important pieces to see.

“I have one painting and the other artist who juried [Ghenov] has several other paintings, however there is a big wall piece Frank Bramblett did,” Nelson said. “It is really Frank’s piece that dominates the room, not mine or Ruben’s.”

Nelson also points out work like Andre Ponticello’s “Widowmaker Purple #1 (Sal’s ’69 GTO)” which reflects a car paint job that his uncle did in the 60′s and was described to Ponticello by his father, and Jamie Felton’s (MFA ’13) painting “The Towel That We Sank On” that really shows how art flows out of an idea or feeling.

“It is an expressive show,” Nelson said. “It’s a difficult show for some people because of how emotional it is in nature.”

The “In Front of Strangers, I Sing” exhibition can be found at the Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Avenue, through September 1.

Tyler Alumni Connect Through Sculpture

In October at a sculpture class for the legally blind and visually impaired, two Tyler School of Art alumni met for the first time.

The class, located at Allens Lane Art Center in Mount Airy, has been offered for 57 years.

Armand Mednick, 80, is the class’s co-instructor. He graduated from Tyler in 1958 with a degree in graphics and ceramics. Carol Saylor, 75, graduated in 1976 with a degree in painting.

Saylor was a watercolorist before she started to lose her sight and hearing in her mid-40′s. She is now a sculptor.

When Saylor showed up to Mednick’s class, they immediately connected over Tyler and their love for art.

To read more about their story, visit
http://articles.philly.com/2013-05-09/news/39117941_1_art-studio-art-class-carol-saylor

Top International Street Artist is Tyler Alum

Chalk artist Tracy Lee Stum has kept busy since her time at Tyler. She is one of the top 3D interactive street painters, and her work is widely recognized.

She was recently commissioned by 20th Century Fox to create an interactive 3D street painting for the March 12 home entertainment release of Life of Pi.

“I was approached by Fox,” Stum said. “Usually the client first researches street artists. If they find several they like they contact us. Based on proposals, experience and quotes, they then select the artist they wish to work with. After the work is contracted I discuss the project with the client and start designing the project art.”

Her drawing for the promotion of the film featured a key scene where a giant whale appears and jumps over Pi and Richard Parker. For Stum, a lot goes into creating the final 3D design.

“The creative process involves planning an appropriate image for a given location. Anamorphic projection techniques and my grids are used to create the proper perspective needed for any image. I use photography to establish the proper viewing angle and sometimes use animation programs to create viewing grids that help layout the design,” Stum said. “Establishing a believable image in the correct place, from the proper angle, is the biggest challenge. You’ve got to assess your location to understand what sort of image would be optimal.”

Originally from Chambersburg, Stum studied at Tyler School of Art and then continued her education at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy.

“My studies at Tyler provided a very strong foundation in critical thinking and process approaches to art making. While many artists in my genre may be strong in technique, however, strong conceptualization skills may be lacking. Tyler’s program really helped shape my way of approaching how I work, and that has proven to be extremely valuable to my own growth and development as a visual artist,” Stum said.

Stum began street painting in 1998, she uses mostly chalk and sometimes paint in her designs.

“My strongest creative asset is my imagination,” Stum said. “I ‘download’ all sorts of data from the world and my experiences here, which runs through my bran and eventually comes out as intuitive impulses. I listen to those flashes of insight and go with an idea that fits best with my project. It’s a very free organic process that I never question.”

It is also notable that in 2006 Stum set a Guinness World Record for the largest street painting by an individual.

“It’s not something I think about too much! It’s cool to know that work was recognized and I am grateful for that,” Stum said. “Guinness has a specific procedure in recognizing records so it does require applications, verification, etc. I’m working on setting a new record in another category later this year with a larger team of artists. That should be exciting!”

Work Exchange at Clay Studio Helps Recent Graduates

Photo from Duc Tang’s BFA thesis show “My Fair Potter,” Winter 2011. Photo Credit: Sam Fritch.

Duc Tang graduated from Tyler last May. He is currently working with the Clay Studio in Old City as part of a Work Exchange program.

“I met Jennifer Martin, who is the vice president of the Clay Studio, when she visited Tyler to give a lecture and demo,” Tang said. “She talked about the Clay Studio, its missions and different programs. One of the things she talked about was the Work Exchange program, designed for newly college graduates and others who demonstrated a keen interest in ceramics. I applied for the program in my last semester of college and have been with the studio up until now.”

In the Work Exchange Program, Tang is given studio space to work in, as well as materials, firings, critiques, and development opportunities to aid him in his goals as an artist. In exchange for all of this, Work Exchange individuals provide 40 hours a month of support and is responsible for tasks needed to maintain the ceramics studio.

Some of these tasks include studio maintenance, customer service, assisting special events, glaze preparations, kiln operation, teaching, community outreach, gallery experience, and sales.

“We do everything that will keep the studio up and running. Usually there are two of us working together on our work day, if we’re lucky we’ll get an intern or two to help,” Tang said. “It’s pretty much everything we would do if we had our own studio but probably with less cleaning and people running around.”

With the help of the Clay Studio, Tang is able to produce work that he sells locally at the Art Star craft shows.

“I have a place to make work and access to equipment that I would not be able to afford anytime soon,” Tang said. “With so many artists gathered in one place it is really easy to get feedback about your work. Something that I heard was very hard to come by once you’re out of art school.”

Having this opportunity has really helped Tang get started as a ceramic artist.

“I am very much a romantic, ” Tang said. “In a world where many are content with using throw aways and mass-produced tableware, I want to sit down and make them. I hope to someday open my own pottery. People say that it’s not going to be easy and I do believe it to be true. But whenever I hear how much someone enjoys using my pots it fuels my dream and I believe a little more that it is possible. Besides, there is nothing else that I would rather be doing.”

For more about the Work Exchange at the Clay Studio visit
http://www.theclaystudio.org/apply/workexchange.php

The St. Claire Opens New Avenues for Art Communication

A group of recent college graduates, including Tyler’s Matt Kalasky (Sculpture MFA ’11), have joined together to create The St. Claire, a Philadelphia-based arts organization that works to create new avenues of art communication in order to analyze the interactions of a community.

In their press release, The St. Claire states, “Our primary goal is to get our art community excited to read and write about art. Artists use creativity everyday to communicate in their work. We want to harness that same creative communication and apply it to journalistic inquiry within Philadelphia. Our long-term goal is to foster an environment where art journalism and art production exchange freely and productively grow in tandem.”

To promote this communication, The St. Claire has been working on projects in the Philadelphia area.

Their project Local Instruction allows visitors to become a part of the art. They are encouraged to perform and record a lesson to teach other viewers, or they can just watch the collection of tutorials others have recorded. In doing so, the visitors become both teachers and pupils in the community.

The group is also hosting the Show and Share Lecture Series, where Philadelphia artists, curators, writers, and other cultural producers share their knowledge of the practice of art with the community.

Having a strong sense community is important to Kalasky. The time he spent as a part of Tyler’s community has greatly benefited him in the development of The St. Claire.

“My time at Tyler taught me a lot about initiative and self-reliance. As a grad student I developed the skills needed to complete projects from start to finish, independent of infrastructure or availability of resources,” Kalasky said. “As an alumni, I have relied heavily on my Tyler peers and friends in order to make a ground-up enterprise such as The St. Claire a reality.”

Local Instruction is open every Wednesday through Saturday from 2-5 p.m. in The Moore Galleries’ Window on Race Project Space. The Show and Share Lecture Series takes place every Thursday at 6p.m. in The Moore Galleries’ Hub Space.

To learn more about The St. Claire and to view some of their tutorials, visit
http://the-st-claire.com/

Greenfield Prize Awarded to Tyler Alum

Trenton Doyle Hancock, “The Former and the Ladder or Ascension and a Cinchin’.” 2012. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas. Photographed by Jason Mandella.

Trenton Doyle Hancock (MFA ’00) has received the Greenfield Prize in association with the Hermitage Artist Retreat in Sarasota, FL.

The Philadelphia-based Greenfield Foundation and the Hermitage Artist Retreat partner together “to bring into the world works of art that will have a significant impact on the broader or artistic culture.”

“Lately, I’ve been wanting to explore some new and exciting avenues in my art. The Greenfield Prize will allow me the time, space, and means to see these new ideas to fruition,” Hancock said.

The prize is awarded to an individual who has shown that they can achieve this through their past and future work. As a painter, Hancock was awarded in the Visual Art category.

“The Hermitage has established a reputation for supporting innovators in the arts. It feels great to be counted in that number,” Hancock said.

After earning his BFA from Texas A&M University, Hancock went on to receive his MFA from Tyler in 2000.

“Tyler was an environment geared towards not only developing a strong and long-standing studio practice, but it also emphasized finding a voice through making,” Hancock said. “I was introduced to a choir of strong, intelligent, and critical voices, and those voices still ring clearly in my head today.”

On April 21, Hancock will be presented with the $30,000 prize at the annual Greenfield Prize Dinner. After the presentation of the award, Hancock will begin creating a body of work that will be shared with art enthusiasts around the world.

“My proposal was to make a short film/video piece, allowing me to deal with some of my painting issues in 4-D. I have been given two years to come up with something solid, so we’ll see where it all ends up,” Hancock said.

The Land of Nod Features Danielle Kroll’s Designs

As a designer and illustrator, Danielle Kroll (BFA/GAID) has kept busy. Currently, Kroll is a featured designer on the home goods website The Land of Nod.

“I’m so excited to be featured among so many talented illustrators and designers,” Kroll said.

Kroll’s new line of bedding has recently been released for sale on the site.

“The Land of Nod approached me about turning some of my work on my website into quilts,” Kroll said. “The process was not much different than making a really large illustration. I’ve always been interested in patterns and textile design so this was really fun for me.”

In addition to The Land of Nod, Kroll has also designed and illustrated for Anthropologie, Gallison, Philadelphia Magazine, and Selvedge Magazine.  When coming up with designs, Kroll is inspired by her childhood.

“The ideas I get from thinking about my life as a kid are always the most unique and whimsical ones. I’m mostly trying to weed out all of the junk that’s been shoved into my head since,” Kroll said.

As a Tyler graduate, Kroll feels that her classes helped her grow as an illustrator.

“Although I didn’t really concentrate on illustration while in school I feel like I was learning about it without even realizing,” Kroll said. “The Graphic Design program encourages the students to make their own imagery as opposed to just using found photos. This really makes each project more personal. I like that I learned technical design skills, but still felt like an artist too.”

Danielle’s designs for The Land of Nod can be found at
http://www.landofnod.com/danielle-kroll/our-stories/1
 and to learn more about Danielle and her work visit
http://www.hellodaniellekroll.com/#main

Tyler Alum Participates In Holiday Shopping Fete

Tyler alum Gina Johnson will be a part of the Holiday Shopping Fete this year in Oldwick.

The event will be held at Elaine Anderocci Interior on Saturday, December 1 from noon to 5 p.m. There will also be a raffle to raise funds for the Red Cross Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Fund.

“For the past year, I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Le Fash horse show shirt designer, Arianna Anderocci Vastino. My jewelry has appeared in her photo shoots and we have traveled to horse shows up and down the East Coast. We wanted to offer an enjoyable and relaxing holiday-shopping experience where our customers can speak directly with us, the designers,” Johnson said.

Gina Johnson Designs features original, handcrafted jewelry with an equestrian touch.

“After selling my jewelry at a local horse show and receiving a great response, I decided to pursue my dream of having my own business,” Johnson said. “I have come a long way since then, having been surrounded by people who have encouraged or challenged me along the way.”

When Johnson began making jewelry, she wanted to find a way to connect her love for horses with her interest in art.

“Over the past nineteen years, I have developed a strong friendship with my horse, Cody. As Cody and I grow older, I find myself trying to hold on to the time we have shared,” Johnson said. “While at Tyler, I started to develop a very unique line of jewelry by incorporating horsehair into my designs.”

Johnson’s pieces are crafted with sterling silver and 14K gold jewelry to showcase her client’s horse hair.

“The overall appearance of my work embraces an equestrian fashion that is timeless. I draw inspiration from riding equipment and shapes found in the local environment as well as the way my jewelry moves and fits on its wearer. Most of my ideas come from those things around me, which then grow and transform into something else,” Johnson said.

Each designer will contribute one of their original designs to the raffle.

“I will be raffling off a pair of Leg Up earrings, simple, yet elegant, sterling silver stirrup earrings from my Ardfuar Farm Collection,” Johnson said. “I think it is important to give back to those who were less fortunate in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Every little bit helps. Sometimes we can’t be completely prepared for these kinds of occurrences, but it is nice to know people are out there to help.”

The event will be held at 44 Main St. in Oldwick.

For more about Gina Johnson Designs, visit
http://ginajohnsondesigns.com/

BAX Space Grant Showcase Features Kim Brandt

Photo by Ian Douglas. Pictured: Kim Brandt and Jen Rosenblit performing in Brandt’s “Staircase Crop-Dust.”

From November 30 until December 1, the Space Grant Showcase will feature work created by residents of the Brooklyn Art Exchange, including Tyler alum Kim Brandt.

“During my time at BAX I’m creating a dance with Maggie Cloud, Caitlin Marz, Gillian Walsh and Emily Wexler. Emily and I have danced in each other’s work and together for other artists for the past seven years; Maggie and Gillian performed in other works I made earlier this year, and this is the first time Caitlin and I have worked together. We started the residency in September, and are currently deeply immersed in the process,” Brandt said.

As part of the Space Grant Program, Brandt was given free rehearsal space to perfect her technique.

“Having a space grant at BAX has been a gift. We have 85 hours of free rehearsal space in their studios this fall, and then there is a showing at the end of the residency. We experiment, we talk, I try a lot of things and then let them go, we have time to refine what’s interesting, and I don’t feel rushed. We’ve had time to get to know each other and work together in ways I have trouble articulating with words, but I will say it has been extremely special,” Brandt said.

For inspiration, Brandt looks for choreography in everything.

“In nature, in pedestrian movement, in moving objects, in paintings, in films, in dances,” Brandt said, “Organizing movement in time and space happens in front of me and with me. Sometimes I am the organizer, sometimes I am the organized. Often I’m unsure of my role and this is the most interesting place to be.”

Brandt received her MFA from Tyler in 2008.

“My time at Tyler was also a gift,” Brandt said, “I spent a lot of time experimenting there, and it completely opened up how I look, what I make and how I make. I received observations, feedback, and critiques on my work from artists of all other media, which has continued since leaving Tyler and is integral to everything I do.”

Tickets for the event are $15 for general admission.

For more about the Space Grant Showcase, visit
http://bax.org/artist-services/space-grant/
 and to learn more and Kim’s work visit her website
http://www.kimbrandt.net/

Emily Cobb Uses Fantasy To Create Art

The Philadelphia Art Alliance is currently featuring a collection of sculptural jewelry designed by Tyler Graduate Emily Cobb.

“I began making jewelry my sophomore year at Tyler when I took a jewelry class as an elective. Before that course, I had no experience making jewelry,” Cobb said.

After receiving her MFA from Tyler, Cobb began focusing on designing jewelry with a story behind each piece.

“I am really inspired by fairy tales and fables. Especially those with a dark undertone or moral to the story, like the original versions of Grimm’s Fairy Tales or Aesop’s fables. Overall, stories are an important part of my creative process,” Cobb said.

These stories inspire Cobb to come up with her own imaginations for her designs.

“I imagine plots and characters that inspire the jewelry’s composition and form, ” Cobb said, “Then I think about material choice, how the work will interact with the body, etc. At this point, the story and the piece are not definitive. The appearance of the characters, or the direction of the plot, may change as the jewelry piece is designed and made.”

Cobb’s jewelry is cast in colored nylon and photopolymers from molds generated by three-dimensional, computer-ailed design (CAD).

“I first design the jewelry pieces on the computer using a 3D modeling program called Rhinoceros, which I learned as an undergraduate at Tyler. When I finish building the digital 3D model, I send the file to a 3D printer,” Cobb said, “Finally, once I receive my 3D printed parts, I dye and assemble the pieces.”

Cobb credits Tyler with allowing her to be creative with her designs.

“My time at Tyler continues to help me immensely when designing and creating my work. The ability to work closely with 3D printers in the Metal/Jewelry/CAD-CAM really helped me understand the process. In addition, the professors teach and encourage innovative approaches to making jewelry, which continues to push me to explore new mechanisms, forms, and materials when designing my work, ” Cobb said.

Her designs will be on display until December 10. Viewers of her show can also write their own stories and captions for her pieces in books at stations in the exhibition.

“The pieces in my show are all narrative-based, and a book accompanies each piece with a descriptive title and caption on the cover. Within the book are black pages where the viewers are encouraged to write their own interpretations of stories behind each piece, ” Cobb said.

Every week, Cobb will photograph and upload the viewer’s submissions to her Tumblr website.

To view these submissions visit
http://legendsjewelryexhibition.tumblr.com/
 and to learn more about Emily Cobb’s work visit
http://www.emily-cobb.com/