February 3- 9, 2005

first friday focus

first friday focus

Judith Schaechter, Dream of the Fisherman's Wife (2005), approximately 36 inches by 24 inches, digital print.

by Lori Hill

Nexus Gallery

"Going "incarnate' is a word someone used," says Mike Walsh, curator for the arts, literature and humor Web site www.missioncreep.com. He's talking about the site's venture into a physical exhibition space. MC, which for a decade has provided cyberspace for local writers and artists, takes over Nexus Gallery with an exhibition and a slew of related events.

Walsh says that while many of the contributors to the site are well-known locally, "the site itself isn't well-known in the brick and mortar world. We've actually had millions of hits. So after doing that the idea is to take it to our home community, our hometown."

A writer himself, Walsh has been the caretaker of the site since 1996, when he says he saw many stories, comics and artwork he loved becoming yesterday's news soon after their publication or exhibition. He wanted them to have a permanent, always-accessible home.

Boy, he didn't know what he was getting himself into. MC quickly became known for exposing the work of writers and artists like New York Press staffer Jim Knipfel and stained-glass virtuoso Judith Schaechter.

Slowly, but ever so surely, MC attracted thousands of readers, and its carrier basically begged them to move the site because it was crashing their service. Walsh established MC's own domain name and got a new home (it got a "site of the year" pick from Yahoo). It now receives about 40,000 hits a day.

This month, Nexus' front gallery will be filled with MC regulars like Tina Newberry, Mitch Gillette, Carol Nowak and Sarah McEneaney (who will present a work not yet seen in Philly).

Even more enticing are the special events. Denver-based humorist and artist Bill Amundsen gives a slide show and lecture called "Art, Humor, and the American Way of Life: A Biographical Travelogue." (Sat., Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m.) Amundsen considers himself a "suburban regionalist," concerning himself with the "culture" of chain restaurants, subdivisions and SUVs and he derives his humor and skilled artwork — with hilarious titles like Bucolic Landscape With Starbucks and Reclining Nude With Zima — from this world. (Amundsen has a coinciding solo show at Pii Gallery, 242 Race St.)

One event will be a reunion of sorts. In late '80s and early '90s, Walsh published the now-defunct Expresso Tilt, a tiny lit zine with 10 issues to its credit, and he hopes to gather contributors and fans on Sunday afternoon for a reading and party. (Sun., Feb. 6, 2 p.m.)

Carnival-act enthusiast James G. Mundie, whose detailed drawings depict performers big and small and weird and wonderful (The Marriage of Emmitt the Alligator-Skinned Man and Percilla the Monkey-Girl), discusses the history of sideshows and gives a show-and-tell of his own memorabilia. (Sat., Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m.)

City Paper contributor Susan Hagen,who will be showing her trademark wood carvings, will give a half-hour tour of the show before Judith Schaechter's presentation "Surviving Your Creativity" (Sat., Feb. 19, 3 p.m.). Schaechter's three works in the exhibit, including one never-before-shown stained glass piece, aims to help artists overcome — or learn to love — the "artist's block" and self-doubt that can cramp their style.

Finally, the inimitable Jim Knipfel ("Slackjaw" columnist) will read from his new memoir, Ruining It for Everybody, joined by Dave Grill and Mike Walsh.

Shamefully indisposed throughout the month of February? Wanna take this once-in-a-lifetime event home? Pick up a catalog, which also features the writing of Molly Russakoff and Rosalind Warren.

Missioncreep.com LIVE!, opening reception Fri., Feb. 4, 5-9 p.m., exhibit through Feb. 27, 137 N. Second St., 215-629-1103.

And Then There's…

If you're at least five years of age and in love, the Philadelphia Print Collaborative wants you to show it at their fifth annual Print Love-In. Five bucks will get you a crash course in silkscreening, lithography, letterpress and other printmaking techniques; put what you've learned to good use by making a valentine with the help of local artists. Sun., Feb. 13, 2-5 p.m., Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial, 705 Christian St., 215-922-3456, ext. 330 (reservations recommended). … Philadelphia artist Sam Maitin, who passed away late last year, is remembered with "A Life in Art," a show of his vibrant abstract work.

Reception Wed., Feb. 9, 4:30-7 p.m., Arthur Ross Gallery, 220 S. 34th St., and 7-8:30 p.m., Steinhardt Gallery, 215 S. 39th St., 215-898-2083.