Upcoming Show: Space Planning

I'm currently showing work at Wellpoint Oriental Medicine in Fairmount in Philadelphia (2014 Fairmount Ave.) in an evolving show over the month. I had to move some work in to keep the walls from being empty as another artist moved out, but I only had the work sitting around my house to put up on short notice.

Starting next month, date TBA, I'll hang work in the waiting area, hallway and a second room that doors treatment doors open up to face. The space appealed to me because the eastern medicine, acupuncture and massage connects well with my nature photography and environmental conservation interest. It led me to start thinking about Feng Shui when I was hanging the nine pieces currently in the waiting room (the flowing water photo should flow into the building, not send energy out).

I wish I had more training in wall placement and creative show hanging. It's always a struggle to hang shows myself and feel like I did something to make the work more dynamic and not just static dots on the wall. Anyone teach a class in show hanging?

Come check out the results as they change from what I already hung in the space to the new pieces that go up in early November!

More Pictures from Swap O Rama Rama

Dana Henry's design for a Franken-pin. Her designs were fantastically simple and amazing.

My finished felt interpretation of her design.

The line for screen printing was long at times. This is the chickadee line (I got that print last year on a tee I love).

The Handmade Philly table was popular with the 8 and under crowd as well as adults.

A finished creation.

Almost Live from Swap O Rama Rama

Here we are walking into the Urban Outfitters storage building for the Swap O Rama Rama!

What an amazing space: ferns, fish, native plant garden outside, giant crochet vases, fun.

Setting up supplies for the Handmade Philly table Monster Pins wokshop.

The fabric table. Wow.

The cafe!

Come join us from 12-5 pm today at the Navy Yard. Drive down Broad street till you see the Navy Yard sign past the last Broad Street Line stop. Keep driving straight until the river is straight ahaead and take a right! Minutes from downtown. Nice bike ride too.

Trouble the Water the Movie

Wow, what a powerful movie. I watched this last night and I was so amazed, not just by the fact that it's a true story, with actual first person video of the entire storm (Hurricane Katrina), but what really struck me was that it was from the point of view of a poor couple from the 9th ward who were struggling to survive before the storm but had the foresight to document the event and to seek out documentarians to get their story out there, never victims, but always strong and caring.

If I taught high school in the city, I would show this to my students in a heartbeat because it really gives voice to the voiceless and shows their experience is a shared experience and a valid experience, wherever you come from, you can be in charge of your choices and your future, no matter what life throws at you. The woman filmmaker, Kimberly Rivers Roberts decides to record her neighborhood and the storm, keeping her caring, sunny disposition throughout, later revealing a powerful rap persona, Black Kold Medina and we learn she has had a life no one would envy but has not let this keep her down.

Moving! (Not Far)

Yay sunlight!

Art Cards Artist Finds

Bushkill and Dingman's Falls

Bushkill Falls in the Pocono region of Pennsylvania is about a 2 hour drive north of Philadelphia and has some beautiful hiking trails and waterways to explore, including more waterfalls than you can count. Bushkill trails include many, many stairs and the red and blue routes are fairly challenging, like a hour on the stairmaster. You'll feel the burn. These pictures are from both Bushkill Falls (a series of falls along a 4 mile trail) and Dingman's Falls (two falls) only about a 20 minute ride apart from each other on route 209. If you keep traveling north on 209 you'll pass many other falls and lakes as you drive along the Delaware river. Bushkill is a tourist magnet, so get there early to avoid the crowds. They also have animal talks where you can see and learn about rescued animals from the region including owls, skunks, frogs, turtles, possums and more.

Visit to the Magic Gardens on South Street

Last Saturday I crossed into another world in Philadelphia at 1020 South Street. I've passed by the gates many times but never ventured inside. What I found was as transporting at the Penitentiary, a place where you can wander and forget you are in Philly at all. After passing my suggested donation fee to the very sleepy door monitor who gave me the robot spiel about the size of the building, I was able to venture up and down, inside and out of the house without interference and enjoy every minute detail and enormous mosaic.

I suggest going on a Sunday morning as you also get to enjoy the gospel singing from the church next door. It was the perfect background music for exploring the grotto paths in the outdoor courtyard, which the streetview only gives a glimmer of. The scale of the whole thing is hard to grasp and the artist, Isaiah Zagar is still at work on the art he began creating in 1994. He walked through the home while I was wandering around. You can also take a walking tour of his many other area mosaic facades including his former business the Eyes Gallery further up South St.

There are great details to enjoy like the ancient ratty laminated binder page of Frequently Asked Questions including "Can I take pictures? Yes. Can you take a picture of me? Yes."

As I left I realized it was a destination much like I would travel across the country to see (or across the ocean to Spain), but it was in my own city and I had never gone before.

Check out more at www.phillymagicgarders.org

New Mural In My Neighborhood

I love this new mural on Fairmount at 19th street:

New Painting Finished!

New Painting In Progress, Second Shot

New Painting In Progress, Second Shot, originally uploaded by freeduh2.

New Painting In Progress, Third Shot

New Painting In Progress, Third Shot, originally uploaded by freeduh2.

New Painting In Progress, First Shot

New Painting In Progress, First Shot, originally uploaded by freeduh2.

Etsy For My Fantasy Home

Someday when I own a home I can decorate it anyway I like and if I had a limitless amount of money or alot of time to build it myself, it might look somethig like this: