First Friday Focus

Lori Hill's First Friday Hit List

by Lori Hill

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Published: Dec 4, 2007

Locks Gallery

TOP: Chefettes by Mary Mazziotti, oil and glitter BOTTOM: Too Long at the Fair by Susanna Raab, c-print (CLICK IMAGES FOR LARGER VERSIONS)

Known for richly hued, gauzy abstractions, Elizabeth Osborne was a different painter during the 1960s. Smartly dressed men and women pass through brightly furnished rooms in quiet moments that reflect relationships and inner lives amid the trappings of the everyday. Faces, like everything in these paintings, are not well defined, but expressions reveal just enough to convey emotion. This is the period, Osborne's "Figurative '60s," that Locks Gallery has chosen as the subject of its current exhibition. The artist experiments with color, composition and geometry in ways that hint at her future work, but that are beautiful in their own right. Also on view will be the work of Jane Irish, whose decadent interiors reveal upon closer inspection a deeper intent. Layered on top of these extravagantly decorated rooms is white text recounting the experiences of Vietnam veterans. The show, "Paintings for Winning Hearts and Minds," continues Irish's exploration of the complicated political nature of war and its lasting implications.

Opening reception Fri., Dec. 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m., exhibition runs through Jan. 12, 600 Washington Square South, 215-629-1000.

Nexus Foundation for Today's Art

We as a nation have always been obsessed with food, but with everyone and their grandmother professing to be foodies, a cooking reality show for every TV time slot, and a rocketing obesity rate, our love affair has reached epic proportions. Nexus' new exhibition, "Yummy," takes a hard look at the phenomenon through the eyes of a couple dozen doughnuts, er, artists. Subtitled "A Celebration of Craving, Compulsion and Culture," the show addresses the psychological, emotional and, of course, physical attachments we have to the things we eat. Seasonal foods, holiday foods, special-occasion foods — it's all covered here. Can't wait for Judith Trager's Five-Alarm Chili quilt to warm me up, and Naomi Leibowitz's Tasting Rachael Ray, a video work that compiles clips of the ubiquitous cook saying "mmmmm," to crack me up. And what would a show about food be without the decadent creations of Amy Stevens? There will be some edible food on hand at the HotDish Philadelphia potluck dinner (Jan. 17), but if you really want to take it with you, pick up the exhibition's cookbook, complete with images and artist statements. To keep us grounded, Nexus will also host a food drive throughout the run of the exhibition as well as the Jan. 24 première screening of a documentary from the Hunger Coalition called Nourishing Their Neighbors: The Work of Philadelphia's Community Feeding Programs. Visit the gallery's Web site, nexusphiladelphia.org, for the full slate of events.

Opening reception, Thu., Dec. 13, 6-9 p.m., through Feb. 1, 1400 N. American St., 215-684-1946.

The Clay Studio

"Gifted, Too!" continues the Clay Studio's holiday exhibition and sale with the work of more than 100 artists. Gretchen Kramp's diverse stoneware tiles are whimsical, like illustrations from a children's book, while Alyssa Wood's tiles wittily memorialize a telephone, a French press and a mixer. Tableware ranges from the rough, natural, earth-toned work of Joseph Pintz to sleek, modern, white pieces from Munemitsu Taguchi. The exhibition meets most holiday shopping requirements, whether your special someone wants the functional, like Julie Johnson's delicately painted porcelain dishes and Bryan Hopkins' finely crafted salt and pepper shakers, or the decorative, like Grace Sheese's intricate covered jars and vases and Andy Brayman's double-necked porcelain vases painted with skulls or camouflage.

Reception Fri., Dec. 7, 5-9 p.m., exhibition runs through Dec. 30, 139 N. Second St., 215-925-3453.

And Then There's ...

Arcadia University's under-appreciated gallery is currently home to "The Grove" by L.A.-based artist Sean Duffy, who has crafted a playground for real and wannabe DJs with 18 turntables, 200 LPs and 360 speakers. Giving Phil Spector a run for his money, Duffy envisioned a participatory wall of sound created by visitors to the show and projected through a hanging garden of speakers. A reason to go right now: Tonight DJ hi-res (aka WPRB's Jesse Pires) kicks off the gallery's corresponding This is Nowhere performance series. DJ hi-res, Thu., Dec. 6, 7 p.m., exhibit runs through Dec. 20, 450 S. Easton Road, Glenside, 215-572-2131. ... Cerulean Arts' holiday party gives visitors the chance to meet the artist Binod Shrestha, who's responsible for the gallery's haunting current show, "Reflections of a Forgotten Sunset." Sun., Dec. 9, 1-6 p.m., 1355 Ridge Ave., 267-514-8647. ... Do a little cash-and-carry art shopping in Bella Vista at Da Vinci Art Alliance's holiday show. Pick up T-shirts, jewelry, note cards and such, and drop off pet toys, food, litter and more as a gift to the animal shelter program PAWS. Through Dec. 30, 704 Catharine St., 215-829-0466.

(l_hill@citypaper.net)

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