Projects Gallery announces a call to artists for its February 2009 Juried Art Exhibition entitled “Guilty Pleasures”. Icy February is often considered the month of love; but with the advent of Valentine’s Day a wealth of conflicting emotions often emerge. Named for a pious saint, originally a sensuous pagan celebration, now thought of as a purely commercial entity, this holiday is a mass of cultural contradictions. Guilty Pleasures can be that which is desired, that which we love to hate, or that which elicits passion in any direction. Projects Gallery encourages entrants to expand upon the literal and present work that is in the spirit of personal interpretation of the theme. The show will be displayed February 6-28, 2009 at Projects Gallery in Philadelphia.

Eligibility:
Open to all artists 18 years and over. Work must be original and completed within the past 2 years. Works for consideration may be of any media but must be no wider than 24” and in accordance with the theme “Guilty Pleasures.” All work must be available for sale. An artist statement and resume will be required from all accepted artists. Artist is responsible for transportation of work to and from gallery. Accepted video artists must supply viewing equipment.

To Enter:
There is a non-refundable entry fee of $20.00 (U.S.) per artist for up to five image entries. Resumes, artist statements, or bios may be included with entries. All entries must be received no later than December 10, 2008. Make checks payable to: Projects Gallery. Submissions must be digital 300 dpi at least 8” jpg or tiff format on a CD/DVD. Do not send original artwork. Please include a list of entries with the following information: artist name, titles of images, media, date, and dimensions of work submitted.
Mail entries, list of entries, entry fee, a SASE if you desire CD returned, to:
Projects Gallery
629 N 2nd St.
Philadelphia, PA 19123, U.S.A.

Calendar
• December 10, 2008 deadline for entries
• January 5, 2009 entrants notified
• January 24, 2009 accepted works due to gallery
• February 6, 2009 opening reception
• February 28, 2009 exhibition closes
• March 1-3, 2009 pick-up work or prepaid shipping returned

Projects Gallery exhibits contemporary figurative expressionistic works. Announcement cards will be produced, press releases will be sent out, and exhibition will be highlighted on website.

Work will be juried by Gallery Director Helen Meyrick.

Questions? Contact at info@projectsgallery.com.

Projects Gallery proudly announces “Bloom”, the inaugural solo exhibition of mixed-media artist Margery Amdur. Well known for her impressive, layered, three-dimensional acrylic resin assemblages, “Bloom” debuts a new series of works that play upon her familiar cut paper and paint-by-numbers motif while utilizing a variety of materials. Rather than the trapped-in-amber solidity of the resin series, these new works are liberated and appear to float freely. Layers and layers of petal-delicate Mylar and acetate conceal and reveal paint-by-number floral imagery. The labor-intensive process is as important to the work as is the final product, and it is the tension between the materials and the decidedly feminine imagery that captivates the eye. Although wall-oriented, Amdur constructs the pieces in “Bloom” in a manner similar to her renowned installation process. According to Amdur she “ . . . never wanted to be a flower painter. I always associated it with Sunday painters. I must now reconcile this with how often floral imagery is central in my work.” “Bloom” is truly the blossoming fruition of a sophisticated body of work.

Wisp 1 detail, 50" H x 42" W, mixed media

Drawing from the perceived separation of art and craft, Amdur explores her interest in multi-dimensional structure. She draws upon a wealth of materials, including frosted Mylar, clear acetate, acrylic paint, transfer images, paint-by-number canvas boards, bees wax and resin. Through her skillful hands, the materials are recontextualized, as the artist enlarges and abstracts her deceptively familiar templates. Playing with transparent and translucent, the pre-existing image and the vision of the artist, Amdur takes the traditional form of painting and expands its definition to embrace greater issues within the contemporary dialogue. Through the veiling of layers, a tension is created between the abstract and representational; and the artist’s meditative working process emanates throughout. The resulting images are visually seductive moments frozen in time.

Wisp 2, 40" H x 30" W, mixed media

This is the first completely new body of work created since the artist’s relocation to Philadelphia four years ago. Margery Amdur received her B.F.A. from Carnegie-Mellon University and her M.F.A. from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She has exhibited in over 50 solo and two-person exhibitions and has appeared in numerous group shows. Her international exhibitions include venues in Turkey, Hungary and England. The artist is the recipient of more than a dozen awards and grants and has been reviewed in several national and international publications, including Sculpture Magazine and New Art Examiner.

Wisp 3, 40" H x 30" W, mixed media

Bloom will open First Friday October 3rd. There will be an artist’s reception First Friday November 7th 2008 from 6-9 p.m. The show will continue through November 15th, 2008. The opening and reception are free and open to the public. Projects Gallery is located at 629 N. 2nd St. in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties section. Gallery hours are Wednesday & Thursday 4 -7 p.m. and Friday & Saturday noon to 7 p.m. A preview of works may be viewed on the gallery’s website at www.projectsgallery.com. For more information and images, please contact Projects Gallery at 267-303-9652 or info@projectsgallery.com

Philadelphians will have an opportunity to explore the city’s coastline by land and by sea on Saturday, September 20, in what will be a full day of festivities during Southeastern Pennsylvania Coast Day, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Walnut Plaza at Penn’s Landing.

Visitors on this last unofficial Saturday of summer will be welcomed at 20 or more tents offering free water-themed activities along with face painting, make-and-take crafts, music and more. They will also have an opportunity to get a “duck’s-eye” view of the Delaware River aboard a Ride the Ducks amphibious vehicle. It is all part of a free festival sponsored by the Philadelphia Water Department, Pennsylvania Coastal Zone Management Program, DuPont Clear into the Future, and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.

“The Partnership is especially proud of the way this festival has taken off in recent years,” said Lisa Wool, program director at the PDE. “Not only do families have a great time, they also gain a new appreciation for Pennsylvania’s coastal waterways, including the tidal Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers.”

In the spirit of Coast Day, three neighboring institutions will be offering free or discounted programs to the public. The closest of these is the Independence Seaport Museum, which is offering reduced admission of just $5 per person on Saturday. A free shuttle bus will also be available to carry festival goers roundtrip from Walnut Plaza to two other riverside attractions.

The shuttle’s first stop is at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, an interactive museum that tells the story of the Schuylkill River and America’s first water utility. Incidentally, anglers are welcome to board the shuttle bus once they have finished competing in the PWD’s Philly Fun Fishing Fest from 7 a.m. to noon along the banks of the Schuylkill River.

The shuttle will also make stops at the American Philosophical Society Museum, where visitors can pick up a map before departing on a self-guided walking tour of Dock Creek. At one time, this tidal stream flowed right through the heart of Independence Mall, but it has since been forced underground by two centuries of development. For a limited time, however, Philadelphians can walk its original course thanks to sculptures and knowledgeable interpreters stationed at six locations, each of which features a different hands-on activity.

To learn more about Southeastern Pennsylvania Coast Day and the work of the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, please visit www.DelawareEstuary.org or call (800) 445-4935, extension 106.

Are you a filmmaker who knows someone using digital technology in their home in an amazing way? Want to tell the world about it – in your native language? Cisco and Filmaka want you to make a film about a "Digital Crib" - a home that uses digital technology - and send it to us. 10 winners will receive $7500 USD and another 10 will win $5000. Winning Digital Crib clips will be placed on over 200 sites across the internet, for the whole planet to see! Submissions should be 3 minutes each, and in your native language and are due October 13 - go to www.filmaka.com/ciscodigitalcribs for more information!

The Feature Film contest's theme for September is "The First Day". Submissions must be 1 to 3 minutes long and must be uploaded by October 5, 24:00 PST. For more info visit www.filmaka.com/firstday

East Passyunk Crossing Civic Association and Town Watch EPX presents EPX Stories Film Festival 2008, featuring East Passyunk Crossing Neighborhood, in collaboration with Big Bang Film Festival.

Do you have a good story you want to tell about East Passyunk Crossing? The East Passyunk Crossing Civic Association is inviting residents to tell their stories about living in the East Passyunk Crossing area of South Philadelphia as part of its new Film Festival Project.

Residents can participate in a film project that will record and preserve their stories and life experiences. The Film Festival will take place on November 14 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. with a screening at the Neumann-Goretti High School. For information on submitting entries or to volunteer to be filmed see information and forms below, email epxstories@epcrossing.org, or call 215-462-0221.

Tell us about your neighborhood, East Passyunk Crossing. We want to hear it and see it in action…we are looking to hear from YOU, professional or novice, or just someone with a camera on their cell phone. Tell us your story!

A call to action for independent filmmakers and wanna-be filmmakers starts on September 1 to produce finished short movies in 60 days. Submissions must be received by October 30. A Film Festival entrance fee of $25 is required for filmmakers.

The short films should highlight the East Passyunk Crossing neighborhood, history and history-in-the-making, landmarks, new hot spots, people or happenings. The goal is to gather stories that spotlight what’s wonderful about the people and the neighborhood – past, present and future.

Submitted projects must be all ages appropriate and will be screened for a discerning audience. Selected films will be featured on the EPX website. All entries will be judged and cash and other prizes will be awarded to the winning filmmakers.

For more info:
http://www.epcrossing.com/

We are pleased to announce the second edition of the Fox Chase Review is now live and on line at Fox Chase Review . This edition contains the work of the featured poets for 2009 at the Mad Poets Society Fox Chase Reading Series held at 3 Sisters Corner Café in the Fox Chase section of Philadelphia.
Featured in this edition are:
Mike Cohen, Thomas Devaney, Diane Sahms-Guarnieri, J.C. Todd,
Justin Vitiello, Ellen Peckham, Chad Parenteau, Ray Greenblatt,
Amy King, Amy Ouzoonian, Vincent Quatroche, Timothy Gager,
Frank Sherlock, CA Conrad, Louis McKee, Beth Phillips Brown
Mel Brake, and Adam Meora
We hope you enjoy the work of these poets and explore the literary links and our 2009
schedule for the MPS Fox Chase Reading Series at Fox Chase Review .

www.foxchasereview.org

MPS Fox Chase Reading Series
Saturday, Sept. 27th @2pm
Poets
MacGregor Rucker
Autumn Konopka
3 Sister Corner Café
7950 Oxford Ave.
(corner of Barnes and Loney)
Philadelphia, Pa. 19111
www.foxchasereview.org
www.madpoetssociety.com

Autumn Konopka is the Mad Poets web czar and host of the monthly poetry series at Milk Boys in Bryn Mawr. Autumn’s poems have been published, or are forthcoming, in Crab Orchard Review, Mad Poets Review, Up & Under: The QND Review, Re)Verb, Ekphrasis, Birmingham Poetry Review, and Hinge Online, among others. Her manuscript, What the Postwoman Left, was a semifinalist in the 2007 Crab Orchard Series in Poetry Open Competition. You can learn more about Autumn on her personal website and her personal blog

MacGregor Rucker was born at the dawn of the Great Society and prays to this day that he didn't turn out to be as big a disappointment. He came of age somewhere in between Woodstock and Punk Rock, shortly after Lou Reed had descended from the mountains of Upstate New York, having just invented poetry, performance art, rap music, Delmore Schwartz and leather trousers. He is a survivor of Watergate, Bellbottom Pants, Disco, Reagonomics, Neo-Conservativism, The War on Drugs, Brit-Pop, Giuliani-Time, The War on Terror, Skinny Jeans, and the NYC Smoking Ban and lives in Brooklyn with two knuckleheads that look suspiciously like smaller version of him and claim paternity. You can read his blog at http://glossophagia.blogspot.com/

Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe 2008

Music & Motion Dance Productions
CONTINENTS
A Global Voyage

Saturday, September 6th, 2008
Two performances at 2:00 & 7:30 PM

Hall of Flags at Houston Hall
University of Pennsylvania
3417 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA

VIDEO PREVIEW ON YouTube: CLICK HERE

Tickets: $10 online at www.music-and-motion.com
or through the Fringe Box Office

Casey Custom Sneakers based out of Philadelphia but known worldwide. It's not just sneakers that are represented it is our city we are from as well.

www.caseycustomsneakers.com

Philadelphia Skyline Sneaker

Raucous, raunchy, and utterly hilarious sketch comedy show at the Adrienne brought to you by Comic Energy!

"A Night To Remember" Takes place in a dysfunctional Philadelphia fraternity with a bunch of guys who just want to have fun. They soon discover a concoction made by Frisbee (the dumb nerd) and the lead drunk Fish drinks this concoction causing a burnign sensation down his stomach, a brief period of blindess, but a smooth feeling once all the pain subsides. He hands this beverage of the other guys who literally 'fall' in love with it.

It is soon revealed that this 'concoction' is not alchohol but actually a homemade hemmorroid ointment. After each member of the frat passes out they wake up to and see someone robbing their frat house, due to the implications of the drink they automatically assume this man is Jesus.

'Jesus' robs the men blindly and leaves them a message to party. The guys end up at a club to party that happens to be one that serves lesbian cliente. The poor guys do not know what a lesbian is. After they finally get in they are forced to leave at gun point, which leads to a chase scene that ends up at the Philly Zoo. It is there where they get their revenge on the lesbians for ruining theyre night. Chaos ensues and at the very end the police are knocking.

This is a night these guys would rather forget.

James Daly, Mike Ford, Frank Fral, Sergio Santana, Rick Worrall, and AZ

Tickets are only $10 for this show, $8 for college students.

3 Shows, each Saturday at 11pm: August 30th, September 6th, and September 13th

You can reserve tickets now to this outrageous show at www. comicenergy. com or by calling 215-397-3040!

Raucous, raunchy, and utterly hilarious sketch comedy show at the Adrienne brought to you by Comic Energy!

"A Night To Remember" Takes place in a dysfunctional Philadelphia fraternity with a bunch of guys who just want to have fun. They soon discover a concoction made by Frisbee (the dumb nerd) and the lead drunk Fish drinks this concoction causing a burnign sensation down his stomach, a brief period of blindess, but a smooth feeling once all the pain subsides. He hands this beverage of the other guys who literally 'fall' in love with it.

It is soon revealed that this 'concotion' is not alchohol but actually a homemade hemmorroid ointment. After each member of the frat passes out they wake up to and see someone robbing their frat house, due to the implications of the drink they automatically assume this man is Jesus.

'Jesus' robs the men blindly and leaves them a message to party. The guys end up at a club to party that happens to be one that serves lesbian cliente. The poor guys do not know what a lesbian is. After they finally get in they are forced to leave at gun point, which leads to a chase scene that ends up at the Philly Zoo. It is there where they get their revenge on the lesbians for ruining theyre night. Chaos ensues and at the very end the police are knocking.

This is a night these guys would rather forget.

James Daly, Mike Ford, Frank Fral, Sergio Santana, Rick Worrall, and AZ

Tickets are only $10 for this show, $8 for college students.

3 Shows, each Saturday at 11pm: August 30th, September 6th, and September 13th

You can reserve tickets now to this outrageous show at www. comicenergy. com or by calling 215-397-3040!

Hey there old friends at Philly Future! How the heck are you? Listen we have something coming up during Friday, September 5th, 2008's First Friday Main Line!Check out our YouTube Public Service Announcement!

In a nutshell, come out to support our Veteran’s and Active Duty Troops on September 5th, 2008 during a very special “First Friday ” event at the Ardmore V.F.W Post 843 in Ardmore, PA from 5-9 P.M. during First Friday Main Line.

We are proud to introduce the Main Line to American Troop Support Team (ATST) !

ATST has been working for over four years to send letters and boxes of donated goods to help our soldiers. This group was formed to provide tangible support to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces-- particularly those currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Contributed donations and products will be used to package and ship goods to our troops. Packages have and will include, but are not limited to, snack foods, personal hygiene items, reading materials and other items which are consistent with American, as well as Military law. The names of soldiers are submitted and selected in a non-discriminatory manner.

In addition, the VFW is opening their doors to new social membership**. A contribution of $20.00 will give you a year-long membership to this 75 year old post. Half of the proceeds will go to restoring and keeping the V.F.W. post active for our local soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as our veterans of previous wars. The other half of the proceeds collected will be donated to the “American Troop Support Team” (ATST).

We hope to see you and that you can help us in this worthy cause! Support those who protect our freedoms!

(**Please note to become a social member of the VFW you must show LEGAL proof of age)

...And as a postscript, we will note that First Friday Main Line has many other fabulous events planned for Friday September 5th, as First Friday jazzes it up with a Main Line Blues Stroll,Miles of Art, and also hosts a special book signing at Past*Present*Future in Ardmore for the up and coming novelist who published "Creamy Nougat" a few months ago - Mr. Erec Smith

Click here to check out First Friday Main Line events

Click here to check out what Save Ardmore Coalition is talking about these days

Krista Rothwell, One and One is One, diptych 36 x 96, oil on canvas

Projects Gallery opens its 2008-09 season with Fresh! 2008. Inspired by Philadelphia’s rich and multi-faceted artistic talent, this invitational exhibition highlights this city’s emerging artists. The palpable energy of the current art scene has been garnering increasing attention and critical respect. Fresh! is an unique opportunity to bring together disparate artists united not by imposed thematic or material concerns but as a chorus of individual voices heralding the vibrant, varied directions of contemporary art. Selected by gallery Director Helen Meyrick because of her immediate visceral response to their work, these artists diversely employ sculpture, photography, painting and drawing. Regardless of chosen style, material, or subject, these artists are a breath of fresh air.

Carl Main, Pooh Deer, 25 x 10 x 18, mixed media

A sampling of the contrasts in style illustrates the range of the artists, while placing them in the larger context of contemporary movements. Krista Rothwell paints neo-realistic images of herself and her sister on flat, spaceless color fields, demonstrating that the art of painting is far from dead. Carl Marin portrays the confrontation between nature and urban encroachment, echoing current design and kitsch aesthetics. Brooke Holloway’s works on paper require careful viewing, revealing biting commentary on feminist issues through the contradictory tangles of popular culture. Previously a graphic designer, Gregory Farrar Scott’s sculptural work is imbued with humor, cheekily riffing on found objects used to create pseudo-portraits.

Gregory Farrar Scott, Mask 10, 14.75 x 8 x 6, mixed media

Fresh! provides these artists a blank canvas on which to make their mark in the Philadelphia arts arena. Participants include: Cat Badger, Rosanne D'Andrea, Talia Greene, Brooke Holloway, Carl Marin, Itsuki Ogihara, Marilyn Rodriguez-Behrle, Lynn Rosenthal, Mia Rosenthal, Krista Rothwell, Gregory Farrar Scott, Heather Sundquist, and others. Many of these artists are recent graduates from several of Philadelphia’s finest art schools, including Moore College of Art and Design, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and Temple University’s Tyler School of Art.

Brooke Holloway, Dumb Bitch, 60 x 48, acrylic on canvas

Fresh! runs from Friday August 29 through September 27, 2008 with a First Friday artist reception September 5th, from 6-9 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Wednesday & Thursday 4-7 and Friday & Saturday noon to 7 p.m. For more information or digital images, please contact Projects Gallery at 267-303-9652 or info@projectsgallery.com.

Studio 34 presents a night of Art, Music & Film! Come enjoy an art extravaganza celebrating the premiere of the short film, "IN THIS PLACE," by Cait Davis. In her first film since graduating from college last year, Cait explores personal growth and development. See artwork by local artists: installation, short stories, paintings, pottery & more! Bands throughout the night. Support your local artist, yay!

August 23, 2008 8pm $5 suggested donation.
4522 Baltimore Ave West Philly!
www.studio34yoga.com
www.caitdavis.com

Please join The Clay Studio for First Friday!
Opening Reception
October 3, from 5- 9 pm

Exhibitions run October 3 - October 26, 2008.

This Month's Featured Exhibitions:

Cast: Tableware
In the Harrison Gallery

Cast: Sculpture
Reed Smith Gallery

Sandi Pierantozzi: New Work
In the Bonovitz Space

---------
The Clay Studio/Shaping the Future of Ceramics

137 - 139 North Second Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

www.theclaystudio.org
215.925.3453
info - at - theclaystudio.org