June 6, 2017 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Art Watch: For the insatiable eye and ear

flower by Serge Krupnov Church Street Gallery — Flower by Serge Krupnov, Church Street Gallery

Hand Reliquary, Flame by Mary Cloonan, The Art Trust

This weekend, “The Insatiable Eye” opens at Church Street Gallery and also check out “Operation” which is on view through July 28th at the Art Trust at the Meridian Bank. The first ever Montgomery County Studio tour is also this weekend, Saturday and Sunday. Next week David Katz opens in Coatesville, and Galer Estate Winery hosts the big art/jazz event for The Oxford Arts Alliance.

John Suplee and Serge Krupnov at Church Street GalleryThe opening reception for artist Serge Krupnov’s “Insatiable Eye” is this Friday June 9th from 5 to 9 p.m. at Church Street Gallery, 12 South Church Street in West Chester. The gallery is full of 30 to 40 oil paintings on cradled wood board, ranging in subject matter from floral, to landscapes, nudes and details from nature. Essentially there is no theme, except the artist’s “insatiable eye” in painting whatever moves and inspires him.

Serge says that his paintings all focus on one thing, he explains, “like Don Giovanni who loves many, many women for a short amount of time (and does not return to them!).. but the feeling is very genuine at the time.” Now picture that being said by a very good looking artist with a European accent, and suddenly the fruit, flowers and shells are slightly sexier looking.

My favorite painting is a large canvas with two Magnolia leaves. Serge said that every Sunday he takes a long walk through his neighboring Philadelphia park and in the Fall these enormous Magnolia leaves tumble to the ground in an extraordinary event; so he decided to take two leaves home and paint them. Arriving in Philadelphia from Lithuania 25 years ago, Serge started painting only 5 years ago and has been showing in galleries ever since. He is self taught and was suddenly drawn to painting, “Something swished in my brain, and I cannot stop!” he explained. His paintings are all reasonably priced with smaller works starting around $350. Come to the opening of “Insatiable Eye” this Friday and meet the talented artist and enjoy a feast for the senses in this enjoyable new show at Church Street Gallery.

Inside/Outside by Lorraine Glessner, Montgomery County Studio Tour

The first ever Montgomery County Studio Tour is here this weekend. Get ready for another whirlwind art adventure from Pottstown to Bala Cynwyd, with 51 artists showing and selling their work at 20 studios peppered throughout Montgomery County. As with the Chester County Studio Tour, you can download the map of the studios or get a map within the catalogue, with which to plan your trip.

Chester County Studio Tour Founder and organizer, Jeff Schaller says that he bought his first house in Montgomery County, and “It feels great to be able to bring something so successful in Chester County to Montgomery County” adding “there is a lot of art going on in Montgomery County!” Signs will be posted everywhere to indicate the nearest studios, and you can always go to the website www.countystudiotour.com to find your favorite artists and start your weekend art journey.

Montgomery County is quite large, and also has a strong artistic presence, with 4 major arts associations and many galleries. In Pottstown, for example, you will find assemblage sculptor Bob Hakun and visual storyteller Lisa Muller, at their studios. In Rockledge you can visit the Lorraine Glessner art studio and also see the works of Karen Freedman and Brenda Howell. Lorraine Glessner is well known for her beautiful encaustics that are like scrapbooks of lovely images with colors, lines and texture. If art can be described as delicious, Lorraine’s encaustics are exactly that. What fun to travel from one studio to another! Be inspired, buy art, and enjoy a beautiful weekend getting to know Montgomery County!

Lindsay Brinton, Executive Director of Art Partners Studio in Coatesville, just sent me an announcement of their opening this weekend at the Coatesville Savings Bank for Chester County artist David Katz. The opening reception for “Sky Painter” is Tuesday, June 14th from 5 to 7 p.m. where there will be food and refreshments and a chance to chat with the funny, delightful and charismatic artist. The show continues through the end of August.

David’s work is well known in this area, and has, for the past few years, concentrated on views of the sky from a higher ground. Generally his canvases only show a glimpse of a rooftop; David says, “In Chester County, all you have to do is look up, and there’s your inspiration right there.” Art Partners Studio is dedicated to embracing and cultivating the arts throughout Coatesville, with community art partnerships, art activities and events that make art a buzz from one end of town to the other. For more information go to www.artpartnersstudio.org.

Another interesting art event which we will have more about next week, is The Oxford Arts Alliance Garden Party, to be held at Galer Estate Winery Friday June 16th. This year it is called “Jazz in the Vineyard” as fabulous singer Wendi Grantham and her jazz accompanists will play music, while artists show and sell their artworks throughout the winery, with a portion of the sales going to support the great work of the Oxford Arts Alliance. Following the “Jazz” theme, there will also be many interpretations of Matisse’s famous “Jazz Series” cut outs, in both painting and metal. There will be more information next week in Art Watch, but meanwhile you can get your tickets online at http://www.oxfordart.org/garden-party-tickets.

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.

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E. Marlborough joins anti-gerrymandering effort

Along the Ford

East Marlborough Township supervisors have joined the fight to end gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. The board voted 4-0 Monday to sign a resolution endorsing two pieces of legislation that would change how congressional districts are drawn in the state.

The bills, HB 722 and SB 22, would require an amendment to the state Constitution to create an 11-member redistricting commission made up of four members of the majority political party, four members of the second most populace party and three independent or third party members.

Currently, redistricting when needed, is done by a five-member commission consisting of the majority and minority leaders of the state House and Senate — or people appointed by them — and a fifth member who they agree upon or if they don’t agree, someone appointed by the state Supreme Court.

“Both parties have taken advantage of this,” said Supervisors’ Vice Chairman John Sarro before the vote.

Voting with Sarro were chairman Richard Hannum and Supervisors Eddie Caudill and Robert Weer. Supervisor Christine Kimmel was absent.

Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District, shown in green, includes a small portion of Southern Chester County, a larger portion of Lancaster County a the city of Reading in Berks County.

The board had previously heard from members of Fair Districts PA, the group spearheading public awareness of gerrymandering, and heard a brief recap from several them during the June 5 meeting.

Ed Blanchard told supervisors that the United States in the “only western democracy that allows politicians to create the voting districts. All the other western democracies have independent commissions.” He went on to say four states, including California, have already created independent commissions.

“We the people value our vote. We want our vote to count. We would like to see this reform movement move as a wave through local government to Harrisburg,” Blanchard said.

He noted that several local governments, including Kennett Square and Pocopson Township, have already voted for the movement and asked East Marlborough to join. FairDistrictsPa.com, the group’s website, lists 36 municipalities and counties have already passed similar resolutions.

Basil Moss said it’s really “common sense.” He noted that the 16th Congressional District — represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Lloyd Smucker — consists mostly of Lancaster County agriculture and Chester County horse farm country, but there’s also a Reading, a small, blue-collar city in Berks County where residents have nothing in common with the rest of the district, leaving Reading residents misrepresented.

“[Smucker’s] mission is to manage the expectations of high-income suburban residents…He’s serving his prime constituency in Lancaster County,” Moss said adding “I don’t think there’s any way he can look at himself in the mirror every morning and say he’s going to do justice to that diversity.”

Ending politicized redistricting is “a no-brainer,” he said.

Another person, Ron Whitaker, cited an unnamed study that indicated Pennsylvania was one of the three worst states for gerrymandering along with Michigan and North Carolina. But he also said an article in last month’s Fortune Magazine ranked Pennsylvania as the number one most gerrymandered state in the country.

The purpose of gerrymandering, he said, is to keep politicians in office. “The aim of is to create safe districts and safe seats. A politician in a safe seat can produce legislation to favor his own personal views or just go along with the platform of their party.”

That has a negative impact on voters and those who want to challenge incumbents.

“What happens then is that voters realize that their votes don’t count. They can vote all they want, but it doesn’t make any difference, so they stop voting,” Whitaker said. “People who might run against those seats have to consider it’s going to be very expensive and they’ll probably lose, so they step aside. So you have a populace that doesn’t vote and a politician that doesn’t care and candidates who can’t afford to run. That’s not democracy.”

Whitaker had previously presented the board with petitions signed by more than 400 East Marlborough residents with another 197 online petitions asking the supervisors to pass a resolution supporting the change.

Specifically, that change would first come in the form of the state legislature passing HB 722 and SB 22. It remains an uphill battle for Fair Districts, however. Since the bills require a change to the state Constitution, they would have to pass both houses during two consecutive legislative sessions.

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.

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Shirley Ann Wyatt Wilson of West Grove

Obituaries

Shirley Ann Wyatt Wilson, 67, of West Grove, died Monday, June 5, at her residence.

Born in Kennett Square, she was the daughter of the late Rev. Orren Wyatt and the late Elizabeth Dilley Wyatt.

She was a homemaker. Before that, she was a former owner of the Chatham Diner in Chatham, and was a secretary for Brandywine Cylinder Heads in West Chester, and for the Hampton Body Shop in Avondale.

Shirley was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Kennett Square VFW. She enjoyed going to Delaware Park, Las Vegas, shopping, and being with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren.

She is survived by one son, Christopher Michael Wilson and his wife Rachael of Lincoln University; one daughter, Michelle Griffith and her husband Rob of West Grove; one sister, Carolyn Walsh of Newark; four grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Shirley was predeceased by two brothers, Albert Wyatt and Jack Wyatt.

You are invited to visit with her family and friends from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 10, at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home, 250 West State Street, Kennett Square.

Her Memorial service will follow at 10:30. Burial will be in the Longwood Cemetery, Kennett Square.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to Willow Tree Hospice, 616 E. Cypress Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348 or to the Kennett Square Missionary Baptist Church, 408 Bayard Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348.

Online condolences may be made by visiting www.grieoccares.com

About CFLive Staff

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

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Cheers to balloon animals at the Creamery

Arts & Entertainment

1Jackson3 — Left to right Suzanne Schurr of Kennett Square and Mary Hutchins, executive director, Historic Kennett Square chat with the artist while he works.

Are those balloon animals in that wall or have I had one too many beers? Owners of the Creamery in Kennett Square, Dot and Mike Bontrager, are true visionaries who always wanted to include work by local artists in their pop-up beer garden and community gathering space. Every Thursday evening in June, from 5 to 7 p.m., trompe l’oeil (“fool the eye”) artist Robert Jackson will work on a mural while the Creamery patrons observe the provocative painting unfold. Jackson has chosen to add another “chink” in one of the plaster-covered brick walls. Into this faux wall chink, he will insert some of his signature balloon animals enjoying a beer and burger.

Jackson usually paints in oil, but since the piece will not be indoors, he explained, “I wanted a paint that would be more suitable to the elements of the Creamery, which is certainly not a climate controlled environment! I checked into suggested outdoor mural paints and found a suitable acrylic paint. This is definitely a different approach for me as the drying time for acrylics is so much faster than oils and there is much less opportunity for blending.”

Robert C. Jackson was born in Kinston, NC, the oldest of five brothers who were each born in different Southeastern states. This early transient lifestyle has echoed in Jackson’s career path traveled from electrical engineering, veered into the ministry and then, finally, in 1996, to his current, full-time and most fulfilling career as a contemporary still life artist. He credits all of his past life experiences as important influences on his present creativity.

Jackson enjoys a solid reputation in the art world, and his engaging paintings are on exhibit

Jackson’s daughter Daughter Tessa chats with admirers of his work

in galleries and museums coast to coast. Director Emeritus of the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science (Indiana), John W. Steetman, III, observed, “The assured, accomplished hand of Robert Jackson easily places him among our most important mid-career American Realist painters. Although grounded in a technique that is near classical in its complex, meticulously rendered imagery, it is the subject matter itself, rife with giddy innuendo, that delights us with its irony, while still attending to the precarious possibilities that greet—or threaten—us at the dawn of each new day.” Fellow artist Mark Dance says about his friend, “Bob’s work is understandable. The subject matter may be nostalgic for older people, but younger people can grasp what is going on. Who can’t relate to food, fireworks and animal balloons?”

Jackson says, “Working at the Creamery is a fun challenge. I am already finding that because of my intense focus, I block out the sounds around me once I get working. He adds, “I am really looking forward to the challenge of making this a convincing illusion. Right now, it is still just a painting on the wall. I want to pull it to the point where people have to go over and look at it to decide for themselves if it is a painting or real.”

The Creamery’s unique history as a once successful milk canning company founded in 1902 is apparent throughout the building. The original iron steps are still in place. Signs on the walls remind visitors of the building’s previous life. The Bontragers, who have lived in the Borough for 14 years, are committed to preserving the future and honoring the past of this historic Kennett Square landmark.

Located in the heart of Kennett Square, the Creamery opened to the public last summer. Reminiscent of the line from the movie Field of Dreams (1989)—“if you build it they will come”—swarms of patrons have passed through the garden gates since then. The Bontragers have succeeded in providing the vibe they intended for the space—“a backyard neighborhood BBQ.” Young singles, couples and groups of friends, babies in strollers and senior citizens—all comingle with ease. The kids enjoy the children’s garden and adults enjoy craft beer, good wine, play games, hear live music and dine from a revolving selection of food trucks.

The Creamery is located at 401 Birch Street. They are open during the summer, Thursday through Sunday–Thursdays, 5 – 10 p.m.; Fridays, 4 p.m. to midnight; Saturdays, 1 p.m. – midnight and Sundays, 12 – 9 p.m. Onsite parking is free.

About Lora B. Englehart

Lora has a passion for art, gardening, yoga, music and dancing. She continues to research the life of locally born abolitionist and 1998 National Women's Hall of Fame inductee Mary Ann Shadd Cary. She is a dedicated community volunteer, working with the American Association of University Women, Wilmington, DE branch (programs chair), Chadds Ford Historical Society (former board member) and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art. Lora lives in Birmingham Township with her husband Bill and son Brad. Daughter Erika lives in Pittsburgh with husband Bob and baby Wilhelmina. She is a former French, Spanish and ESL teacher, bilingual life insurance underwriter and public relations coordinator for Delaware Art Museum and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.

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