Welcome

Welcome to the Springfield Township High School Art Blog. The purpose of this forum is to inspire discourse surrounding your artistic experiences while building writing skills, exercising your art vocabulary, and refining descriptive language relating to art. In your writing, you may choose to discuss museum and gallery exhibitions, publications, articles, professional works, student works, or responses to each other’s ideas and investigations. Additionally, participants may want to pose questions or react to artistic predicaments, sharing the trials, frustrations, solutions, or the general excitement we feel when we make or look at art.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Festival of the Arts 2017

     How many years has the Festival of the Arts been going on?  I think it started in 1972 though I don't have that documented (we'll update this post).  You can do the math. But here are some scenes from this years show held May 17th and 18th at 7:30 pm, as usual.







Teachers:  Jennifer Silvius, Kristin Greenawalt, Mark Kobasz
  

These pictures may bring back some memories of your own art show.  Things don't change all that much; Just the faces and work.  In fact, some of those plywood boards may still have layers beneath painted by you!


Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Missed Post



Too many social media sites cause me to miss a step now and then.  I posted this link originally on Facebook, then realized I have a another important audience. So here is an article on Paul Carpenter, another SHS graduate, whose work is fairly well known in the Philadelphia area.  Maybe you've already seen his work and had no idea: artist-paul carpenter link

Friday, February 17, 2017

Jewelers Hub

SHS graduate, Leslie Boyd, was featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer's Home and Design section on Friday Feb. 17, 2017.  The article by Staff Writer, Samantha Melamed, categorizes Boyd's work as "sweet-and-simple to overstatement."  Remembering Leslie's work in school, I would expect something edgy regarding materials or concept.  One of the photographs features her and four other jewelers with which she shares a studio in the Bok Building.  Another shows a chain necklace of hers threaded through two silver wisdom teeth.  You can see the full article and read more about Leslie on her website.  The link is on your right:    http://www.lesliedboyd.com/news

Friday, February 10, 2017

Tie Your Shoes

I choose to direct you to a 2004 video clip by Diana Kingsley (former SHS grad).  While you're on her web page check out her statement and some of her photographs.  The statement represents a high level of skill as do the photographs - her intent is sometimes very subtle.  What I especially like...-the tongue-in-cheek humor delivers.  https://www.dianakingsley.com/

Thursday, January 12, 2017

RAW natural born artists


I went to the RAW natural born artists presentation last night at the Trocadero; supporting one of our own (former Springfield) artists, whose work was clearly outstanding. Simply described,  RAW is a showcase for young emerging artists, and touts itself as a link to "industry players" as they call them.  It is a good idea that has greater possibilities if developed properly.

 I was attracted by the line on their website,"we dig the underground," and I was anxious to see what the artists were showing.   It was a large crowd in a small venue which was barely suitable for showing art, but the promoters were showcasing much more than visual art.  Artistic hair styling, fashion, and accessories were also included, and the stage at the Trocadero was available for bands, performance art, and independent films.  It was really a big party for the arts.  Doesn't that sound like a lot of fun?  You could feel the excitement and anticipation as the audience lined up down the block for admission.

Although I could not stay to see all the performances, I found the visual art fairly conservative and traditional, for example, well composed color photos of flowers and trees. I guess I was expecting something more groundbreaking like graffiti tattooed farm animals or something.  Don't get me wrong- the work was professionally presented but my expectations were just more wild. Also missing were the "industry players"  as I would recognize some of them. 

Overall, I think the RAW exhibition gives some public exposure, and they do offer web exposure as well.  Which is especially good for local outsider talent which may not have the benefit of an art education.  It was clear though, that the artist's friends and relatives were the greatest supporters there.  It's a small demographic.  I believe that if the promoters did a little more homework- advertising in the local media rather than through social media, inviting local art professionals as guests, play up the "party" idea more (a big first Friday in one venue), and limited the number of arts they address at one time, they could achieve better results with a more diverse audience.  It is the beginning of a good idea.

Click me for more detailed info on the RAW site.