Lorrie Paynes RAw Sugar: Raw Materials Sweet Results

Artist: Lorri Payne (center)

We went to see an exhibit by Lorrie Payne on a balmy night in downtown Philadelphia. A few years ago Lorrie was known as a doll maker; today Lorrie is part sculptor and part mix media artist. Like a true creative being, her work has evolved over the years. Her detailed oriented pieces capture the mood of each individual figurative sculpture of which she names or adds captions. Lorrie blends old and new materials and uses an eclectic mixture of paper, sheet music, metal, glass, beads and mixed textile patterns to create exquisite works of art. It was well worth the trip into center city on a night that was crowded with people out and about because finally the weather was good.

Lorrie’s work will be on exhibit at the Cosmopolitan Club 1616 Latimer Street Philadelphia PA 19103 until April 4th ,2014.
www.lorriepaynesrawsugar.com

Photos of Dolls/Sculptures: Crawford Wilson

Andrea Mahalik of WildChairy Creates Kenya Chairs

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Weaving Connections http://vimeo.com/facebookstories/wea... About this video "Andrea Mihalik, of New Jersey, creates unique and artistic chairs by adding new materials to vintage furniture for her business Wild Chairy. On a trip to Kenya last year, Andrea met the people of Kiltamany, a small village four hours outside Nairobi. Almost immediately, Andrea knew that she wanted to collaborate with the village’s craftswomen, using some of their incredible woven beadwork for one of her designs. Through Facebook Messages, Andrea was able to stay in contact with them and commission the women to make panels for two of her chairs. The proceeds from one of the chairs will be donated to a school in the village to advance women's education in the region. This is one of 10 stories celebrating Facebook's 10th anniversary and a decade of connections made possible through the platform. See the rest at http://facebookstories.com/10 Credits Presented by Facebook Stories Director - Matt Harnack Director of Photography - Jared Levy Assistant Camera and Edit - Alejandro Alvarado Audio Specialist - Emett Casey U.S. Producer - Craig Ormiston Kenya Producer - Mercy Murugi Production Assistant - Rachel Tierney"

Artist, Yinka Shonibare MBE (RA): Magic Ladders at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia

Yinka Shonibare MBE (RA) was born in London and moved to Lagos, Nigeria at the age of three. He holds an MFA in fines arts and currently resides in London. In 2004 Shonibare was awarded the decoration of Member of the “Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” (MBE), and in 2013 he was elected Royal Academician by the Royal Academy of Arts (RA). He uses these distinctive honors in his name. Shonibare is the first commissioned artist at the Barnes since Matisse.

We had the privilege of hearing “YINKA SHONIBARE IN CONVERSATION” as he discussed his work with Princeton’s Laurance S. Rockefeller University Professor of Philosophy, Kwame Anthony Appiah, at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. The audience listened intently as they casually discussed his works which explores “colonialism and post-colonialism within the contemporary context of globalization.” as well as a variety of artistic perspectives. Later we had a chance to meet the artist and mix and mingle with friends and patrons of the Barnes. It was an exciting evening.

For more information about the exhibit at the Barnes which runs from January 24,-April 21, 2014 visit http://www.barnesfoundation.org. Yinka Shonibare http://www.yinkashonibarembe.co/biography

Sarah Hewitt, 2005

Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). Sarah Hewitt, 2005. Fiberglass, Dutch wax-printed cotton, leather, wood, and steel, 150 × 45 1/2 × 48 in. (381 × 115.6 × 121.9 cm). Detroit Institute of Arts, Museum Purchase, W. Hawkins Ferry Fund, Friends of Modern Art Acquisition Fund, Janis and William Wetsman Foundation Fund, and funds from Lila and Gilbert B. Silverman, and Andrew L. and Gayle Shaw Camden Contemporary and Decorative Arts Fund, 2006.147.A—.E. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London.

Magic Ladders, 2013

Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). Magic Ladders, 2013. Mannequins, Dutch wax-printed cotton, leather, fiberglass, wooden ladders, paper-covered wooden books, globe heads, and steel, each 118 1/8 x (300 x 100 cm). Commissioned by the Barnes Foundation, supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Photo: Stephen White

Magic Ladders, 2013

Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). Magic Ladders, 2013. Mannequins, Dutch wax-printed cotton, leather, fiberglass, wooden ladders, paper-covered wooden books, globe heads, and steel, each 118 1/8 x (300 x 100 cm). Commissioned by the Barnes Foundation, supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Photo: Stephen White

Scramble for Africa, 2003

Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). Scramble for Africa, 2003. 14 life-size mannequins, 14 chairs, table, and Dutch wax-printed cotton, 51 15/16 x 192 1/8 x 110 1/4 in. (132 x 488 x 280 cm). Commissioned by the Museum for African Art, New York. Private Collection. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London.

Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (Europe), 2008. C-print mounted on aluminum, 81 1/2 × 58 × 2 1/2 in. (207 × 147.3 × 6.3 cm). Edition of 5, AP 2/2. Courtesy of the artist and James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai, JCG3742.AP2. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London

The Age of Enlightenment—Immanuel Kant, 2008

Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). The Age of Enlightenment—Immanuel Kant, 2008. Life-size fiberglass mannequin, Dutch wax-printed cotton, and mixed media, 59 1/2 × 43 1/2 × 26 in. (151.13 × 110.49 × 66.04 cm). Milwaukee Art Museum, Purchase, with funds from the Contemporary Art Society, M2012.500. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Photo: Jason Mandella

Planets in My Head, Physics, 2010

Yinka Shonibare MBE (British, b. 1962). Planets in My Head, Physics, 2010. Mannequin, Dutch wax-printed cotton, leather, and fiberglass, 50 × 26 3/8 × 19 5/8 in. (127 × 67 × 49.8 cm). Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri (purchase: acquired through the generosity of G. Kenneth Baum in honor of Ann Baum on the occasion of her birthday), 2011.23.A–E. © Yinka Shonibare MBE. All rights reserved, DACS 2014. Courtesy James Cohan Gallery, New York/Shanghai and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Photo: Stephen White

All Photographs© 2012 The Barnes Foundation Do not duplicate or copy without permission

Mural Arts in Philadelphia @ 30

We can’t believe that the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is 30 years old. We remember when it was in its infancy. What began as an anti-graffiti network has over the course of many years changed the face of some Philadelphia neighborhoods into beautiful public art spaces.    The city boasts more than 3,500 murals; the most in the world. We attended a reception at their headquarters for the launch of a new exhibit and the new book Mural Arts @ 30, which is being published by Temple University. For more information about the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program check out their website www.muralarts.org. 

A portion of the a wall in the Mural Arts Main Offices

Denys and Monna at the celebration

Artists and others enjoying the evening

Mural: We Rise, Children, Trauma and Violence. Artist Josh Sarantitis, Photography, Steve Weinik

Mural: Bridging The Gap: Artist Willis Humphrey, Photography, Jack Ramsdale

Mural: Common Threads. Artist, Meg Saligman, Photographer, Jack Ramsdale

Journey to Global Style and Design

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