2011 Midsummer Invitational Program - August 8-September 30

Mid SINVITATIONAL ummer 8.08 9.30.11

Opens 7-10 pm Thurs 8.11.11 Bernadette Cladek Matthew Green Kat Johnston Riikka Salo Bonnie J. Schorske Brittany Sundheim

Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Frank’s

NE Corner, 13th & Pine, Philadelphia, PA 19107 offthewallgallery@gmail.com

our calendar October 2 – December 2

2010 Fall Show: Stay Thirsty Featuring the work of artists Opens Thursday, October 6, 7 – 10 pm

Thursday, November 10 Submission Deadline for the Seventh Annual Juried Exhibition 11:59 pm

December 4 – December 28

Seventh Annual Juried Exhibition Opens Thursday, December 8, 7 – 10 pm

January 8 – March 2, 2012

2012 Winter Exhibition Opens Thursday, January 12, 7 – 10 pm

March 4 – April 20

Mary Liz Memorial Masters Exhibition 8 Opens Thursday, March 8, 7 – 10 pm Celebrating the work of Phil Sumpter, Marlise M. Tkaczuk and Rick Wright

our Gallery

became one of Philadelphia’s first alternative art spaces when we organized Off the Wall in December 1978, building on a Dirty Frank’s tradition of hosting informal art shows since the 1950s. From day one, we’ve prided ourselves on providing a venue for emerging artists with limited opportunities to exhibit elsewhere and connecting diverse audiences to compelling artwork that can be found in few other places.

Your short list Each year at OFF THE WALL, we welcome new artists into our community — most often through our biannualjuried exhibitions.

Although these opportunities usually afford no more than a glimpse of their talents, some artists garner special attention right away. Their ascendancy might reflect jury citations and sales, but just as often it’s our audiences who alert us to a breakthrough, telling us that a particular piece strikes a chord or captures their imagination.

In that anecdotal evidence lies the sheer power of a public art space like OFF THE WALL. Indirectly, you help shape shows by taking the time to share reactions and opinions, offer insights and ask questions.

To further this process, each August we invite a handful of the most popular new atists back for our MIDSUMMER INVITATIONAL. And make no mistake about it: you have had a hand in drawing up the invitation list.

You clearly wanted to see more of the work of these six artists, who made their OFF THE WALL debuts over the past two years. The resulting show, on display through Friday, September 30, defines “more” in different ways and results in three purely unintentional yet unmistakably dynamic pairings.

We begin in the 3-D space with two sculptors who are as deft at imbuing their ceramics with conceptual vitality, invention at the molecular level and connections to the world around them as they are at glazing and firing: BERNADETTE CLADEK and BRITTANY SUNDHEIM. Next, we harken back to the show just ended, B&W, with two photographers whose sharp eyes and sheer mastery of black-andwhite composition and printing fully engage us in new perspectives and, indeed, new worlds: RIIKKA SALO and BONNIE J. SCHORSKE. Not least, we have two amazing painters/mixed-media artists in MATTHEW GREEN and KAT JOHNSTON (though we see only Matt’s prowess in oils), who, respectively, use urban decay as a platform for exploring the timeless struggle of humankind vs. nature and who delve into our emotions and subliminal messaging’s grip on society.

Heady stuff and compelling art: our stock and trade. We hope and trust you will enjoy our show — just as much YOUR show — and thank you for your ongoing support of this unique arts community.

Jody Sweitzer Curator

Togo Travalia Manager

Bernadette Cladek Through the use of material and process, I render forms that each convey a specific memory. These memories may focus on anything — a smell, image or object — but all have a potency that makes them stand out in my mind . I begin with drawings that organize and map out the memory I seek to communicate.

The drawings mostly describe visual qualities of the specific [ My ceramics ] place and time. Then I possess a constant translate the drawn images fluidity that evokes into ceramic objects.

“

the properties of memory .”

Clay supports the theme of my work because of its tactile and visual qualities, history and familiarity. After being fired, it becomes permanent and welcomes the viewer to also hold and touch the object. I use thick and heavy glazes that encourage this interaction . We also commonly encounter clay in domestic environments as functional object (a mug) or structure (brick), automatically triggering a connection for many viewers . The directness and solidity of the forms ground the pieces; yet they possess a constant fluidity that evokes the properties of memory. Through my work, the viewer may see , touch and relate to the past.

(above) detail from “ The Bridge from Morehead City to Beaufort ”; (left) “ Put Away ”

1-C “The Massachusetts Border on Route 91 North”

porcelain and glaze 70. for both

2-C “The Bridge from

Morehead City to Beaufort” porcelain and glaze 70. for both 3-C “Chesapeake Bay Bridge”

stained porcelain and glaze 20.

4-C “Couldn’t Find the River

detail from “ The Massachusetts Border on Route 91 North ”

12-C “The Mango Monkey” porcelain, stoneware, glaze

and gold leaf 160. for both

but I Met a Turtle Along the Way” stained porcelain and glaze 50. for both

13-C “Spinglet”

5-C “Salt Container” stained porcelain, glaze and ash 30.

14-C “Squirrel in Washington Square”

6-C “Bundle” porcelain and glaze 25.

15-C “Sam” terra cotta and glaze 70.

7-C “Prospect Hill Cemetery” porcelain and glaze 20.

16-C “Joy and Harry” porcelain, glaze and Egyptian paste 180. for both

8-C “That Plane Is Going Somewhere Far Away”

17-C “Proof of

9-C “White Picket Fence” stoneware, porcelain and Egyptian paste 40.

18-C “Down Wind”

porcelain and glaze 30.

10-C “Portion Property (Land)” porcelain, stoneware, glaze

and wood ash 50.

11-C “Put Away” porcelain, wood ash and glaze 40.

porcelain and glaze 100. porcelain and glaze 65.

Transcendence” porcelain and glaze 60. porcelain and glaze 40.

19-C “Cape Lookout” porcelain, glaze and gold leaf 35.

Drawings in the 3-D case: “Translation I-V” vellum, pencil, pen and gold leaf prices available on request

Matthew Green I began as a printmaker and mixed-media artist and eventually moved into realist painting, with decaying, neglected buildings as my trademark subject matter.

The works in this show are several years old and reflect a theme I began exploring about the beauty of decay and how it represents Nature’s struggle to reclaim what had been taken away by civilization.

While my focus is still on this struggle, I am now beginning to explore the question of which side is winning, Man or Nature?

“The Factory”

oil on canvas 750.

side “ iswhich winning ...

“Hamilton Street”

,

Man or Nature? ”

oil on canvas 750.

The Artist Online mgreenartist.com

Kat Johnston I am intrigued with graphically conceptualizing emotions and mood.

I explore the use of a variety of media and surfaces in order to create texture and emotive atmosphere. As an art therapist, I encourage others to tap into their unconscious in order to express those experiences and deeper states of existing that are I would love to difficult to put into words. live in a world

“

where we are just

This collection of work deals with unique individuals, human experiences as we search without all the for our place and role in society labeling .” and attempt to relate to others.

Societal expectations can often feel restrictive and contrived. Also, as a woman artist, I often explore gender roles (e.g., “Model Wife” and “Prim and Proper”). Women are not alone in the struggle against social norms and dominant-culture thinking. Pop culture has been poisoning our minds for decades.

I would love to live in a world where we are just unique individuals, without all the labeling.

(clockwise from top) “ Model Wife ”; “ Foreseen ”; “ Contentment ”

(clockwise from top) “ Pick Me ”; “ Clouded ”; detail from “ Lost at Sea ”

“Clouded ”

“Lost at Sea ”

“Contentment” mixed media collage and oils on fabric 150.

“Model Wife”

“Demons Within” mixed media collage on metal tray 150.

“Pick Me”

“Detached ” mixed media collage on metal tray 150.

“Prim & Proper ”

“Foreseen ” mixed media collage and acrylics on fabric 150.

“Possibilities ”

mixed media collage on metal tray 150.

“Into the Light” mixed media, oils and photo transfer on canvas 250.

mixed media collage on metal tray 200 . mixed media collage on wood 80. mixed media collage, acrylics and buttons on bookboard 100 . mixed media collage on wood 80. mixed media collage on masonite 100 .

The Artist Online

creationsbykat.carbonmade.com bluecanvas.com/katjohnston katjohnston.yolasite.com

Riikka Salo Although heavy and beat-up, my 40 year old Nikkormat has been a great travel companion. It’s helped me capture memories from Mexico to Paris, New York to New Hope, but has also made it around the block, back to the streets of Philadelphia.

My eye is attracted to hidden geometric shapes, the stillness of a moment in time — and the decay created by the passage of it.

eye is “ My attracted to

“ Fire Escape ”

hidden geometric shapes , the stillness of a moment in time — and the decay created by the passage of it .”

“Poplar Porch”

“ Roca

Blanca Fish ”

“Caballeros”

“Prada”

35mm photograph selenium-toned silver gelatin print 120. framed 80. unframed

35mm photograph silver gelatin print 100. framed 80. unframed “Roca Blanca Fish”

“Fire Escape”

35mm photograph silver gelatin print 100. framed 80. unframed

35mm photograph silver gelatin print 120. framed 80. unframed “Window to New Hope”

“Mr. Petanque”

35mm photograph silver gelatin print 100. framed 80. unframed “Poplar Porch”

35mm photograph silver gelatin print 100. framed 80. unframed

“ Prada ”

35mm photograph silver gelatin print 120. framed 80. unframed

Bonnie J. Schorske The images chosen for this show celebrate my return to using a basic rangefinder camera and freedom from what I consider the obfuscating technological complexity of DSLR cameras. Tied to the photo-realism tradition, my prints are black and white, warm-toned or duotoned images that are intimate in scale and demonstrate photographic development and printing techniques reminiscent of historic processes that are now possible digitally.

Selections include photographs from my current series on the Susquehanna River, as well as from India and the Galapagos Islands. I do my own digital printing using papers and inks of the highest archival quality.

“ Ghost of Big Red ”

All prints are archival quality and on 100% rag.

Prices for editions #1 and 2 are listed; prices for editions #3 and 4 increase by $50.

“Abandoned Conrail RR Car”

35mm photograph duotone pigment print limited edition, AP 150.

“Abandoned RR Station, Route 11”

35mm photograph duotone pigment print limited edition, 1/10 275.

(right) “ Nine Parrots in an Acacia Tree ”; (below) “ House on PA Route 441 ”

this show “ celebrate s my ...

[ ]

return to using a basic rangefinder camera and freedom from what I consider the obfuscating technological complexity of DSLR cameras .”

“House on PA Route 441”

“Seal Pup at Rest”

35mm photograph pigment print limited edition, 1/10 275.

35mm photograph pigment print limited edition, 1/10 165.

“Nine Parrots in an Acacia Tree“

35mm photograph pigment print limited edition, 2/10 425.

The Artist Online web.mac.com/schorske

Brittany Sundheim Clay allows me to create a bond with nature and a deeper understanding of it. For example, a study of plants has allowed me to observe the intricacy of their different forms and how they relate to each other. I discovered a unity within nature: everything in this world is connected in one way or another. By studying microscopic organisms and creating similar ones in clay, I began to understand the My work now importance of those interactions.

“ represents a

form of evolution My work now represents a form of that could exist evolution that could exist only in theory. Starting with simple only in theory .” structures, much like the single-celled organisms found in plankton, they progressively become more complex, developing lifelike features. They also create an uneasy feeling, causing people to be drawn to the forms but take caution in approaching them — the same way people react towards an Unknown Entity.

(above) “ Single Celled 1 ”; (left) “ Five of 5 ”

1-S “Single Celled 1” porcelain, multiple fired 400.

2-S “Single Celled 5” porcelain, multiple fired 600.

3-S “Flask” porcelain, multiple fired 200.

4-S “One of 4” porcelain, multiple fired 100.

5-S “Two of 4” porcelain, multiple fired 200.

6-S “Three of 4” porcelain, multiple fired 300.

7-S “Four of 4” porcelain, multiple fired 300.

8-S “One of 5” porcelain, multiple fired 400.

9-S “Two of 5” porcelain, multiple fired 500.

10-S “Three of 5” porcelain, multiple fired 500.

11-S “Four of 5” porcelain, multiple fired 600.

(top) “ Four of 5 ”; (above) “ Two of 5 ”; “ Flask ”

12-S “Five of 5” porcelain, multiple fired 600.

october 2 december 2 Alonzo Troy Humphrey

Stay Thirsty Olin Johnson

Queen Nancy Bell

2011 fall show

Kevin Galloway

opening reception thursday, october 6 7-10 pm the artists of

come to

Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Frank’s

NE Corner, 13th & Pine, Philadelphia, PA offthewallgallery@gmail.com oasisartcenter.org