January 20, 2015 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Art Watch: The 24/7 Project comes home

A fabulously innovative and fresh take on plein air in a day comes to West Chester. Ceramic artist Rhoda Kahler and photographer Darcie Goldberg have collaborated on a 24 hour, 7 city artistic exploration of their travel impressions. Over the past few months, this intrepid duo has traveled to Boston, Atlantic City, Washington DC, Baltimore, New York City, Philadelphia and Providence. They carried with them pounds of clay, ceramic tools, and camera equipment, and explored each city for 24 hours of adrenaline filled creativity.

The New Gallery in West Chester University will exhibit the results of this marathon of labor, and we can look forward to seeing these major cities in ways that have never been seen before.

Many of you may be familiar with the photographic essays of major cities in one day where thousands of photographers set out for one day to chronicle the city in one image. This is an exciting way to see a place through hundreds of different artistic viewpoints, and brings us a better appreciation of both a sense of place and of the artist. Similar to “city in a day” plein air contest, Darcie and Rhoda launched their own “24/7 Project”.

Rhoda and Darcie have been friends for a long time, and have even shown together before at the Chester County Studio Tour at Rhoda’s studio location. Darcie Goldberg is a professional photographer with over 30 years of experience. Her extensive travels and strong award winning B & W photographs have been featured in solo exhibitions, as well as in public and private collections. Until recently, Darcie Goldberg was Executive Director, and then Capital Campaign Director for Chester County Art Association. Now that Darcie has stepped down from her administrative role, she is plunging ahead with her life’s passion for photography.

Rhoda Kahler is both a ceramics teacher and accomplished exhibiting artist. Her tile work has been featured in magazines, newspapers and on television, including on the Home and Garden Television network (HGTV). Rhoda created the centennial tiles for the Delaware Art Museum in her Alphabet City motif. Most recently, she finished a Guest Artist Residency at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for their Form and Art Program. Drawing from nature, much of her art bends toward the organic, making use of abstraction and collage. If you have ever driven by the EO Bull Center for the Arts at West Chester University, you will have seen one of Rhoda’s absolutely stunning ceramic mosaic wall murals. You should park your car and see it up close!

For more details and even a blog on “The 24/7 Project”, check out http://www.24-7 project.com. The opening reception is January 29th from 5-8 pm, and the Gallery Talk is Saturday February 7th 2-4pm. I am really looking forward to that! The show runs through February 28th.

The “Contemplating the Tree” show at Chester County Art Association opens this Thursday January 22nd 5-8 pm. I’m in it along with a lot of other local artists, and there will be food and refreshments served. Also on the 22nd, in the 22.28 Gallery is a very special exhibit memorial to Chester County Art’s wonderfully inspiring teacher Mary Beaumont. Mary was my first teacher at CCAA, and she was the one to encourage me to show in my first very art show, and paint my first tree painting. In her thirty years of teaching, I wonder how many other students that she inspired and encouraged? This exhibit is a loving tribute to her memory, and a testament to the important ongoing work of the Chester County Art Association.

http://www.24-7project.com

http://www.chestercountyarts.org

About Lele Galer

Lele Galer is an artist who has chaired numerous art shows, taught art history and studio art, public art and has chaired, written and taught the Art in Action Art Appreciation series for the UCFD schools for the past 12 years. She worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and wrote for the Associated Press in Rome. She has been dedicated to Art History and art education for most of her adult life. Lele and her husband Brad own Galer Estate Winery in Kennett Square.

Art Watch: The 24/7 Project comes home Read More »

Police: Alleged child-pornographer in custody

Police

In September, after authorities seized evidence that an East Marlborough Township resident was sharing images of child pornography online, the 45-year-old man fled, abandoning his home, wife and children, state police said.

Jeffrey M. Ball of East Marlborough Township is awaiting extradition from South Carolina. — Jeffrey M. Ball, 45, of East Marlborough Township, is awaiting extradition from South Carolina.

Acting on an anonymous tip that Jeffrey M. Ball was hiding in South Carolina, troopers said they contacted the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and provided information on Ball’s status as a fugitive and his probable whereabouts in Pendleton, S.C.

After a four-day intelligence and surveillance mission, SLED took Ball into custody on Friday, Jan. 16, police said, adding that he had been renting a bedroom from a Pendleton woman.

Police said the case, which was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Central Computer Crime Task Force, dates back to March 3, when detectives from Delaware County determined that Ball was sharing images of child pornography online from his residence.

In September, troopers executed a search warrant at Ball’s home, confiscating several computers, which were examined and found to contain the illicit images, police said. Magisterial District Judge Daniel J. Maisano issued an arrest warrant on Oct. 2; however, Ball had already left the area, police said.

The criminal complaint charges 503 felony counts, including the possession and dissemination of child pornography and possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, court records said. Ball is currently being held at the Anderson Detention Center, awaiting extradition, which the Chester County District Attorneys Office had previously approved, police said.

An online business profile identifies Ball as having worked at a variety of companies in the greater Philadelphia area, including Deloitte, MetaMeme LLC, LPW Training Services, and the Judge Group in training and information technology.

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Police: Alleged child-pornographer in custody Read More »

Woodlawn/Vineyard Commons postponed

Local News

People waiting to hear what might happen with the proposed plan to develop 230 acres of Woodlawn Trustees property in Concord Township will have to wait a while longer.

The township issued a notice saying it received an extension from the applicant. April 20 is the rescheduled date for when the Planning Commission will consider whether or not to recommend supervisors’ approval. The earliest the Board of Supervisors would hear the matter is now May 5.

John Jaros, attorney for the applicant, said the reason for the extension was based on a request from the Planning Commission.

“It’s to give us time to explore the possibility of preserving six historic structures.”

During a meeting in October, commissioners told Jaros they wanted to see, in writing, what would be done regarding six historic structures in various states of destruction. Jaros said at the time that one of the structures would be kept but that anyone who wanted the remains of the other five structures could have them free of charge.

Eastern States Development Co. and the McKee Group are the equity owners of the Woodlawn property and want to build 160 homes, down from 171. The 230 acres are part of 325 acres Woodlawn owns between the Delaware State line and Smithbridge Road, and between Route 202 and the border with Chadds Ford Township.

Jaros said in August the plan could be done “by right,” meaning it needs no zoning variances for approval.

However, Sherri Evans-Stanton, the executive director of the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art, disputed that by-right claim. She told the commission in that same August meeting that one of the waivers being sought — to pay a fee in lieu of reserving 25 percent of the acreage for active recreation — meant the plan was not by right because such a waiver would require a zoning variance.

Evans-Stanton did not return phone calls for comment on the extension, but the group Beaver valley Preservation Alliance issued a e-mail in which they said, “The developers are taking plays right from their trusted handbook: Delay. Delay. Then delay some more. Wait a bit longer for people to lose interest and then slip the plans past the public. Except this time we’re not going anywhere.”

The group also refers to development plans as “the Beaver Valley ruination plans.”

Woodlawn withdrew a previous plan in May of 2013. That plan, which was introduced in 2011, would have involved all 325 acres and included 330 traditional neighborhood homes, 120 active adult units and 20,000 square feet of retail businesses. Rezoning would have been needed for that plan.

A revised plan was introduced in June 2014 and the Planning Commission was to have voted on whether or not to recommend in October. That decision was postponed until November. However, the developer granted the township a three-month extension before the November meeting. The current extension was granted last week.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

Woodlawn/Vineyard Commons postponed Read More »