The B

oard

Sh

ow

: The P

lastic Clu

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January 11 – Feb

ruary 27, 2015

The Board Show

{THE PLASTIC CLUB

AMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETY

2015 WINTER SHOW

OFF THE WALL GALLERYAT DIRTY FRANK’S@OTWDirtyFranks facebook.com/OTWDirtyFranks

WHAT’S NEXT?January 11 — 2015 Winter Exhibition

February 27 Opens Thursday, January 15, 7–10 pm

March 1 — April 17 Mary Liz Memorial Masters Exhibition 11

Opens Thursday, March 5, 7–10 pm

April 19 — May 29 2015 Spring Show

Opens Thursday, April 23, 7–10 pm

Thursday, May 7 Submission Deadline for

11:59 pm Tenth Annual Community Juried Show

May 31 — July 31 Tenth Annual Community Juried Show

Opens Thursday, June 4, 7–10 pm

August 2 — 2015 Midsummer Show

September 18 Opens Thursday, August 6, 7–10 pm

September 20 — 2015 Autumn Invitational

November 20 Opens Thursday, September 20, 7–10 pm

Thursday, October 29 Submission Deadline for

11:59 pm 11th Annual Community Juried Show

November 22 — 11th Annual Community Juried Show

December 26 Opens Thursday, December 3, 7–10 pm

ON COVER: Elizabeth MacDonald’s “Starry Night à la van Gogh,” Carole J. Meyers’ ‘Fancy House,” Sy

Hakim’s “Graces and Destiny,” Alan J. Klawans’ “Clockworks,” Bonnie J. Schorske’s “Morning Hoops”

STAY CONNECTEDSTAY CONNECTEDWITH SOCIAL MEDIAWITH SOCIAL MEDIA

FB: facebook.com/OTWDirtyFranksfacebook.com/OTWDirtyFranks

Twitter & Insta: @OTWDirtyFranks@OTWDirtyFranks

We kick off 2015 with a simple

idea—at least on its surface. The Board Show, which runs through

February 27, brings together 17

exceptional artists across a diverse

array of media. Ten are Off the Wall veterans; seven are new—by no

means indicative of the tremendous talent and accomplishments that

precede their debuts in our space.

The organizing concept is this: all of our artists are Board members of

The Plastic Club and/or the American Color Print Society.

These two amazing organizations, which date to 1897 and 1939,

respectively, are emblematic of our city’s ongoing, 155-year love affair

with membership organizations devoted to art and art-making. To offer

historical perspective, before the fi rst shot of the Civil War was fi red,

two other such organizations, the Philadelphia Sketch Club and the

Photographic Society of Philadelphia (of which some of these artists are

members, too), had already held their fi rst meetings!

The two organizations of The Board Show broke down important barriers.

The Plastic Club, founded by women, brought gender equality to art clubs.

The American Color Print Society. also founded by women — as was Off

the Wall, incidentally—was instrumental in helping color printing gain

acceptance as an art form.

The collegial spirit and camaraderie have stood the test of time. Each club

supports its members in every way possible—through group workshops

and opportunities for one-on-one mentorship, through regular exhibitions

and demonstrations of new media and techniques—and, in doing so,

inspires and actively promotes personal and professional growth.

But no nonprofi t organization, however great its impact, can survive

without volunteers — always dedicated, sometimes visionary — at its

center. And here is where our 17 artists, current volunteer leaders of their

clubs, re-enter the picture. Their commitment and contributions sustain,

and add, momentum and resources. They ensure these organizations

fulfi ll their missions. They raise awareness and open doors for the next

generation of members.

You can say then that The Board Show is about much more than the art

you see. It’s also about passion and energy that don’t always make it onto

the canvas or the press because, like the art, they need to be shared.

Jody Sweitzer Togo Travalia

Curator Manager

ARTISTS&LEADERS

Marlene D’Orazio AdlerBOARD MEMBERAMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETY

I have been a member of

the American Color Print

Society for many years and

about two years ago,

I joined the Board. Prior to

that, I just participated in

the annual group shows.

Since I started serving on

the Board, I have been

able to embrace my membership on a more personal level.

My responsibilities include acting as the liaison for helping

members posting information on our website. I also have a

volunteer role with the Guild of Papermakers, where I’ve been

assistant to the director since the beginning of the organization

some 25 years ago.

When you are involved with a group of fellow artists who lead

an organization, you get a sense of pride that you are doing

something that helps keep the organization strong. There

are many ways you can get involved: helping to hang shows,

planning events, teaching member workshops. I have always

made a point to participate by serving on a committee or

taking leadership in seeing a project through. The best thing is

that you get to know people in a more personal way.

“DusK” “Sunrise”

handmade paper handmade paper

with inclusions with inclusion

125. 125.

“Knowledge beyond Our Gate” “Tikkun Olam” (above)

monoprint and collage monoprint and pen and ink

200. 300.

See more of Marlene’s work:printmakersguild.com/index.php?page=artists/adler

Art BrenerBOARD MEMBERAMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETY

As an ACPS board member,

as well as exhibition

chairman, I am guided by

our mission statement. I

believe it is important to keep

in constant contact with our

members and to encourage

them to participate in each

of our shows. I also work

to bring new printmakers

and younger artists into the

organization, not only as a

way of showcasing new printmaking techniques and uses of

media, but also to bring them eventually into leadership roles,

as a way of extending the life and purpose of the organization.

Part of my role as exhibition chairman is to seek venues for

shows. We generally show in Philadelphia. However, I’ve

instituted a program to find different exhibition opportunities

by suggesting that our members recommend galleries in their

home area. Later this year, we’ll be exhibiting at a large gallery

in Scranton, PA.

Like most nonprofit and volunteer organizations, a handful of

people do most of the work. I do not find that discouraging at

all. In fact, I see it as an opportunity to work cooperatively in a

group. And I also see it as a chance to reach out to members

across the country, involve them in what we are doing and

create a volunteer group that will help us achieve our mission.

“City Music” “Orange Juice” (above)

screenprint screenprint

300. 300.

See more of Art’s work:printmakersguild.com/index.php?page=artists/brener

Thelma GrobesBOARD MEMBERAMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETY

“Lounging” (above)

etching

450.

“Russian Toque and Babars Hat”

etching

450.

Michael GuinnVICE PRESIDENT THE PLASTIC CLUB

Serving on the Board of

Directors of The Plastic

Club enables me to support

decisions that I think will

further improve and sustain

the Club. I also welcome

the opportunity to provide

feedback to the Board about

suggestions and concerns of

members through my contact

with them at workshops and

openings. Besides that, the

Board members are just good people.

“Space Junk”

oil on canvas

650.

See more of Thelma’s work:artistshouse.com/artist/thelma-grobes

See more of Mike’s work:plasticclub.org/guinn.html

Visit Sy online: syhakim.com

See more of Anders’ work:plasticclub.org/Hansen.htm

Sy HakimBOARD MEMBERAMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETY

In addition to having its own print shows, which

are educational as well as aesthetically valuable,

the American Color Print Society contacts art

departments of universities and colleges to inform

and invite students to show their art. The ACPS

also offers honorary student memberships

through higher-education art and print

departments, thus enabling direct contact with the

workings of the art world.

(left)

“Crossing the Bridge” “Graces and Destiny”

mutli-woodblock multi-woodblock

color print color print

400. 350.

Anders HansenBOARD MEMBER THE PLASTIC CLUB

The Plastic Club is a place for artists and those who love art. The

Club is first a community—ranging from experienced masters to

dewy-eyed novices, and including our models and associates.

It is collegial and supportive, and run completely by volunteers,

who do the work out of love. Speaking personally,

I like to encourage others there as I have

been encouraged. Moreover, I’ve met

wonderful people and made priceless

friends. I’m happy to be involved with our

Salons, musical events, film screenings

and poetry readings—promoting lively

discussion, education and delight in the

non-plastic arts. As The Firesign Theatre

put it, “We’re all bozos on this bus!”

“Autumn Storm”

mixed media

225.

THE PLASTIC CLUBplasticclub.org

After 118 years, the heart and soul of

The Plastic Club is still the workshops.

By the late 1990s they had been reduced

to two, on Wednesday and Thursday

mornings, and the participants were

mostly old women who sometimes had

difficulty climbing the stairs. Lunch was

prepared for them by Betty MacDonald for

quite a while, but even that ended, and

the women then brought their own. They shared companionship,

friendship and warmth for much longer than they cared to admit.

Emily and Harriet Sartain, Violet Oakley, Cecilia Beaux, Jessie

Wilcox Smith, Elizabeth Shippen Green and Wuanita Smith were

the founders and distinguished members who brought life to this

institution at the turn of the century. Later members included most

of the noted professional women artists in the Philadelphia region;

however, by the last decade of the 20th century, membership had

dwindled.

Our living historian, Elizabeth (Betty) MacDonald, was brought

to the Club against her will by her artist mother, who thought her

artist daughter would flourish in this environment. Betty learned

to love this place. And as President, Betty held this club together

when membership diminished to less than 30. How she did it, we

do not know.

In 2015, Betty is still on the Board of a much revived Club that

now has 200 members and 10 weekly workshops. We wouldn’t be

here if Betty had locked the door and given up. We thank her.

AMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETYamericancolorprintsociety.org

When you look at the art of printmaking today,

it’s hard to believe that the work would not have

been acceptable in a respectable fine art

exhibition 75 years ago. At that time, a fine art

print was one color—usually black.

But a courageous act of defiance by a small group of women

in 1939 changed all that. They formed the American Color Print

Society and had their own exhibition in what’s now the Print Center.

Today, ACPS is a strong national association of artists, with

members locally and throughout the country. Our mission

is to promote and foster the original graphic arts, and to

encourage and promote exhibitions of original color prints.

We are dedicated to creating, exhibiting and developing the

techniques and media that enhance the art of printmaking.

Noted artists who have been ACPS members include Benton

Spruance, Jerome Kaplan, Stella Drabkin, Jacob Landau,

Dorothy Hutton, June Wayne, Eugene Feldman, Ethel Ashton,

Bernard Kohn, Jeannette Kohn, Mildred Dillon, Abe Hankins,

John Taylor Arms and Françoise Gillot.

This past November ACPS celebrated its 75th Anniversary

with an open show at The Plastic Club, our home base. This

July, we will be exhibiting in the AFA Gallery in Scranton, PA,

following recent shows at Villanova University, the Free Library

and in the international print festival Philagrafika.

Photo courtesy of DoN Brewer, donartnews.com

Bob JacksonVICE PRESIDENT THE PLASTIC CLUBBOARD MEMBERAMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETY

We open doors and leave people alone—to create. Artists who

join The Plastic Club don’t need instruction. They are art school-

trained or self-taught. They just didn’t have a corner of their

home in which to put an easel or worktable. They want space

and models and colleagues

around them.

“Atlantic City”

mixed media

225.

“Don’t Even Think of

Parking Here”

mixed media

50.

“Taxi” (above) “Peeing in the Bath”

mixed media mixed media

100. 50.

Alan J. KlawansBOARD MEMBER THE PLASTIC CLUB + AMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETY

The Plastic Club is an organization

that encourages artists to show their

work. It has workshops so artists

may hone their skills.

“City Manhole Cover”

digital photograph

350.

“Clockworks” (right)

limited edition digital print

395.Visit Alan online: alanjklawans.com

Patricia Shaw LimaBOARD MEMBERAMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETY

As newsletter editor for the

American Color Print Society,

I’m proud of this organization’s

educational component, offering

workshops and free exhibits

open to the public. We support

young printmakers by offering a

monetary award and several free

ACPS memberships to recent

printmaking graduates.

“Dimenticare” (above) “Look at Me”

intaglio collagraph intaglio collagraph

with chine-collé with chine-collé

425. 425.

Elizabeth MacDonaldBOARD MEMBER THE PLASTIC CLUB+ AMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETY

(right)

“Starry Night à la van Gogh”

bobbin and needle lace

800.

“Under the Sea Wind”

monotype

200.

“Women’s Work Series: “Women’s Work Series:

The Singer” The Prostitute”

woodcut woodcut

300. 300.

Visit Pat online: patriciashawlima.com

See more of Betty’s work: plasticclub.org/macdonald.html

See more of Carole’s work:705westprintshop.com/carole-j-meyers.html

Carole J. MeyersPRESIDENTAMERICAN COLOR PRINT SOCIETY

The American Color Print Society provides many opportunities

for printmakers. For the past four years, we have granted free

one-year memberships to all Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine

Arts printmaking seniors. Several of these recent graduates

have won prizes in our juried shows. By volunteering their

services, new members gain behind-the-scenes knowledge

and experience the camaraderie of our dedicated members.

“Fancy House” (left) “Fluff”

monotype monotype

350. 200.

“Orange U Blue?”

monotype on homemade paper

150.

Janice R. MooreBOARD MEMBER THE PLASTIC CLUB

Here’s an example of how

The Plastic Club welcomes

people into the world of

creating art. Bob A. was

very shy and didn’t interact

much with other people,

but when I asked to see

the sketchbook that he

drew in during services at

the Ethical Society, I was excited by what I saw. I invited him

to come to a Plastic Club workshop, which he now attends

regularly, where he now greets people and invites them to look

at his work. He has been in shows at the Club and Off the Wall

Gallery. Last year, he had his first solo exhibit at the Ethical

Society, where he gave a talk about his artwork. The whole

audience stood and applauded. (continued on the next page)

Janice R. Moore(continued) I am proud to be on the Board of The Plastic Club.

It’s a welcoming place that fosters an egoless, safe, creative

environment and that allows Bob and many others to connect

with artists at various levels of work—and grow.

“Edge of New Stars” (previous page)

pastel

200.

“Molten” “Poire à deux avec l’accessoires”

mixed media digital photograph

150. 150.

Arthur B. OstroffBOARD MEMBER THE PLASTIC CLUB

The Plastic Club is a welcoming place not only for artists, but

those simply interested in the visual arts and related activities

There are workshops, Salons, movie nights, concerts and dinners.

Anyone can enter the open shows, which are juried only for prizes,

giving newcomers a chance to let others see their work, and the

possibility of a rewarding career. Our club is a real Philly treasure.

I recently started a new activity, as

Artist in Residence at two library branches.

The program is a combination of literacy

—a read aloud, noting and defining

key words in the story—and making

art based on the story. Participants

range from pre-school to middle school,

stimulating their brains and creative

skills. I find it as rewarding as they do.

“Terraces”

mixed media

225.

Visit Arthur online: aostroff.com

See more of Janice’s work: plasticclub.org/Moore.htm

Bonnie J. SchorskeBOARD MEMBER THE PLASTIC CLUB

According to its Constitution, the Board of The Plastic Club

seeks to promote a wider knowledge of art and to advance

its interests by means of social intercourse among artists.

The Board also creates a pleasant environment for artists to

gather together to refine their craft, network, support each

other, exchange ideas, display artwork, socialize and have

fun. One of my particular interests has been to establish

an endowment to protect the Club’s future. The single most

important thing an aspiring artist can take away from being

part of such an organization, is to take his or her art seriously

and enjoy the ride.

“Morning Hoops” (right)

digital photograph

archival pigment print

165.

“Wanamaker Organ I”

digital photograph

archival pigment print

245.

Susan StromquistBOARD MEMBER THE PLASTIC CLUBIt is rewarding to plan and direct the

Plastic Club exhibitions, in which all

who enter—life-long professionals

alongside beginners—are given an

opportunity to show. They bring a

wide variety of media and approaches.

Installing a 100+ piece show is very

satisfying—like solving a giant puzzle. I find relationships in

subject, content, feel, form, color and composition, so the

works contrast and complement each other. I aim to best

showcase each for its individual qualities as well as honor

connections throughout the group as a whole.

“Hunted Line 1, 5 (above) and 6”

oil transfer drawings

300. each

Visit Bonnie online: schorske.com

See Susan’s video work:vimeo.com/susanstromquist

Jane J. WilkieTREASURER THE PLASTIC CLUB

The Plastic Club Board and many of its members volunteer

their time and expertise to allow the Club to function.

Upcoming artists need only show up at workshops, exhibition

openings, movies, Salons or dinners

to learn and grow as artists. From

standing side-by-side with fellow

artists sketching, painting or

printmaking, to showing their work

at the open exhibitions and enjoying

fellowship at dinners and salons, they

will learn that the life of an artist is a life

of continual learning as well as giving back. It is life itself.

Jane’s nests are made from grape vines and fabric:

“Nest of Mud Cloth” (above) “Robin’s Nest” “White on Whte Nest”

85. 225. 85.

Rick WrightBOARD MEMBER THE PLASTIC CLUB

There’s no end to my pleasure at seeing more and more of

my students showcasing their own strong photographs on the

walls of Off the Wall Gallery and The Plastic Club. As an artist

and instructor (often a mentor), it was a great pleasure to take

a “seat” on the Plastic Club Board in 2014.

The Board duties are simply an extension

of my steady involvement with the rich

local art world here in Philly. I lecture

for the Philadelphia Photo Society,

give Salons on photo technique and

philosophy at The Plastic Club,

and endeavor to expand member

awareness of Photography-as-an-Art.

This life in art is an easy chore.

“Lady of the Lake”

large-format photography

archival pigment print

275.

Visit Jane: jjwilkie.com Visit Rick: wrightartstudio.com

From the artists & volunteers of Off the Wall Gallery,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!HAPPY NEW YEAR!& THANK YOU for helping make 2014 so very special...

7 shows98 artists359 works

countless new fans& 101 sales

We’re excited to start filling 2015 with great new art, inspiration, discovery and

our growing community!