Philadelphia, PA – The Alumni Sales Gallery at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) presents Environmental Perspectives, A Landscape Show on view July 29 – October 23, 2011. This group exhibition features works by Alton Bowman, Philip Cohn, Mary Beth Clark, Kevin Broad, Paul Metrinko, John Pacer, Andrea Packard, Ben Pines, Sunny Ra, Judith Thomas, Elizabeth Wilson, and Julie Zahn.
The PAFA Alumni Sales Gallery celebrates the summer with this exhibition of work by 12 artists who studied at the Academy from 1946-2011. The Academy has a long history of artists who were inspired and influenced by landscape including representation in its permanent collection by alumni Louis Sloan, Thomas Dougherty, and T. Alexander Harrison.
This exhibition focuses on work of varying perspectives and subjects from around the country. On view will be Alton Bowman’s Wildflower Desk, reflecting his involvement in restoring and building marquetry furniture and his passion for preservation of the native prairies in his hometown of Flower Mound, Texas. Andrea Packard builds her piece, Dreaming of Redon, from collected papers and fabrics using memory and her reference for nature.
Paul Metrinko, Philip Cohn, and Elizabeth Wilson employ a romantic and sensual approach to their subjects. Metrinko, who is the recipient of the PAFA Purchase Prize for 2011, uses his paint to transform a dumpster into a beautiful, colorful form. Cohn romanticizes the Philadelphia Waterworks with idyllic figures basking on the grass. Wilson uses light, color, and form to create atmosphere of calm and solitary reflection.
Sunny Ra, Judith Thomas, and Mary Beth Clark use memory and their medium to make unique landscapes that transcend place and delve into the psychological and emotional. Passion for color is evident in most of these artists’ works; however, Julie Zahn’s print and Ben Pines’s oil paintings exude a mysterious quality as well. And, John Pacer’s Falling Sky, is playful and somber at the same time. Kevin Broad explores the balance between color and shape to create a beautiful new reality.
Environmental Perspectives, A Landscape Show was juried by Bill Scott, a painter and printmaker who lives in Philadelphia. Mr. Scott studied at PAFA in the 1970s and has been teaching there since 2006. He is represented by the Hollis Gallery, New York, where he will have a solo exhibition in fall 2011. Pat Stewart is Adjunct Associate Professor in Liberal Arts at University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Ms. Stewart teaches courses on 20th century and contemporary art and has published several articles.
”This new show is clearly an example of the diverse styles and concerns that graduates from PAFA possess,” says Tish Ingersoll, Alumni Sales Gallery Manager. “It echoes the PAFA community’s love of nature as a motif.”
An Opening Reception will be held on Friday, August 5 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the Alumni Sales Gallery located in the Historic Landmark Building at 118 N. Broad Street. To RSVP for the reception, please call Sarah Budin at: 215-391-4184.
For more information about the Alumni Sales Gallery, please contact Tish Ingersoll at 215-391-4187 or www.pafa.org/alumnigallery.
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About the Alumni Sales Gallery
Showcasing the work by PAFA’s accomplished alumni, the 700-square-foot gallery is located in the Historic Landmark Building, located at 118 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia. Visitors have an opportunity to view and purchase art objects from a changing selection of juried works, including paintings, prints, sculpture, works on paper, and high quality crafts. The gallery is open during museum operating hours and hosts openings and events to provide additional exposure.
About the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is America's first school of fine arts and museum. A recipient of the 2005 National Medal of Arts presented by the President of the United States, PAFA is a recognized leader in fine arts education. Nearly every major American artist has taught, studied, or exhibited at the Academy. The institution's world-class collection of American art continues to grow and provides what only a few other art institutions in the world offer: the rare combination of an outstanding museum and an extraordinary faculty known for its commitment to students and for the stature and quality of its artistic work.
Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Academy is located at 118-128 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia. Admission to the Permanent Collection is Adults $10, Seniors (60+) & Students with I.D. $8, Youth ages 13-18, $8. Admission to Special Exhibitions (includes Permanent Collection) is Adults $15, Seniors (60+) & Students with I.D. $12, Youth Ages 13-18, $12. Admission is free for members and children under age of 12. Admission to Morris Gallery exhibitions is free.