Zoe Strauss: Ten Years

January 14 - April 22, 2012

Philadelphia Museum of Art

26th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway

I remember DJ Cosmo Baker mentioning about six months ago that his sister would be exhibiting at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I thought that was really cool considering it’s not every day that artists you know exhibit at a place like the Philadelphia Museum of Art. But, this isn’t just any artist either. Photographer Zoe Strauss, who is the founder of Philadelphia Public Art Project, Whitney Biennial participant and published photographer, will be exhibiting 150 of her compelling pieces of photography that have been taken over the past decade. The exhibit will also include slideshows showinging more of her imagery.

Zoe says that her ambition is “to create an epic narrative that reflects the beauty and struggle of everyday life.” And that she does. From 2001-2010, she would host exhibits under the abandoned urban zone under I-95. She sold and signed her work for $5.  Her portraits are gritty and real, and they depict the struggles of everyday people and places in our city.

To accompany the exhibit, she is also displaying her work on billboards across the city to further tell her story and to extend the exhibit beyond the Museum. She says, “The billboards will exhibit photos without text, branding or logos. They effectively eliminate 53 spaces available for commercial advertising.”

I’m personally excited to see the progress and journey of another fellow artist who has had great success with her craft. I can’t wait to see the exhibit and experience our city through her eyes. Hopefully you’ll find some time to check it out too!

Insider Tip: Don’t forget to look out for her work on billboards across the city. You can find the originals and the accompanying billboard here - Billboards.

I caught up with fellow Philly 360° Creative Ambassador and visual artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh. If you’re unfamiliar with Tatyana, she is an incredibly talented visual artist who transforms the canvas into realistic renditions of people covering everything—from music artists like Erykah Badu to telling stories of the struggles and issues in our country and the world.

I posed 20 questions to her for us to find out what she is currently working on and to also dig a little deeper to get to know her more. Find out her guilty pleasure, her current projects, where she shops for paint and more. 

Insider tip: If you get a chance, check out her time-lapsed videos of her painting.

Q+A

Flygirrl: What are you currently working on?

Tatyana: I recently finished a painting series called Get Angry. It's about the protest movements that have happened around the world in 2011. You can check it out here. Now, I'm working on putting together an exhibition for Get Angry, while also working on a new series of portraits. 

Flygirrl: What’s your favorite kind of paint?

Tatyana: I work with oil paint. The brand doesn't matter as long as the paint is rich and oily. Lately, I've been on a gold acrylic kick. Inspired by Gustav Klimt, the background for a lot of my recent paintings has been a flat gold. 

Flygirrl: If you didn't paint, what other career would you like to pursue?

Tatyana: If I weren't a painter, I probably would have picked up some other artistic activity like acting or dance. I think there's a performer somewhere inside of me, and I would explore that more if I weren't a painter.

Flygirrl: Who is your favorite Philadelphia visual artist?

Tatyana: One of my favorite Philly artist is Joshua Mays. He's a really fantastic painter. 

Flygirrl: What art store do you frequent most?

Tatyana:

I go to Dick Blick. It's a huge store so they usually have whatever I need.

Flygirrl: What is your last completed piece of art?

Tatyana: I just finished a portrait of Questlove. I sometimes make videos of myself creating a painting from beginning to end. Chris Conway and I just made a video of me doing this Quest piece.

Flygirrl: Who is your favorite DJs?

Tatyana: Jazzy Jeff and Rich Medina, definitely.

Flygirrl: What is the last party that you went to?

Tatyana: The last party I went to was The Bounce. It's by far my favorite party in Philly.

Flygirrl: What are the last 3 songs played on your iPod?

Tatyana: Bjork "Amphibian", Big K.R.I.T. "Made Alot", Jose James "Love Conversation".

Flygirrl: What is the last album that you bought?

Tatyana: I still buy CDs. The last album I bought was Prince's Around The World In A Day. As for new music, I've been listening to a lot of stuff lately just by streaming it online while I work. 

Flygirrl: Where are you from?

Tatyana: I'm originally from Oklahoma City, OK. I'm half Iranian. My dad was from Tehran, Iran - that's where the last name comes from.

Flygirrl: What is your favorite part of town in Philly?

Tatyana: I like my neighborhood a lot. I'm in South Philly, around Passyunk. 

Flygirrl: What restaurant did you last eat at?

Tatyana: I had brunch at Green Eggs Cafe around the corner from my house. They have red velvet pancakes. Red velvet pancakes! 

Flygirrl: What’s your guilty pleasure?

Tatyana: Basketball Wives.

Flygirrl: What is your favorite website to visit?

Tatyana: Visit Netflix and TED a lot. 

Flygirrl: What is your proudest accomplishment?

Tatyana: I've had some really cool moments. It's great to have people who's work you admire and respect feel the same way about your work. I feel like some of my favorite "accomplishments" have simply been recognition from some of my favorite musical and visual artists. A nice accomplishment in 2011 though, was a commission from the Oklahoma State Supreme Court. It was a huge painting, and I'm from Oklahoma, so it's pretty dope to have a painting that will be on display in such a distinguished space for years to come.

Flygirrl: Where can we find your work?

Tatyana: You can find my work on my site tlynnfaz.com. You can find me on Twitter and Tumblr.

Serena Saunders is a visual artist and clothing designer. We first crossed paths a few years back through a vending opportunity at one of my events, and I have been a fan ever since.

Her work is big, bold, beautiful, abstract and colorful. She uses a lot of words in her pieces, telling stories within stories within layers of paint. She also does incredible leatherwork. She makes the most amazing clutches, suspenders, waist pouches and everything in between.

And, she’s also socially conscious, giving her time to AIDS foundations, community projects and working with the youth. Check out this awesome artist.

Insider Tip: If you like what you see, you should catch her work in person. Seeing her pieces first hand—especially her fashion designs—are a totally different experience than seeing them online.

Q + A With Serena

Stacey: Please tell the folks what you do and why you do it.

Serena: I am a painter, teacher, poet and entrepreneur. In the past year, I've added fashion designer to my portfolio. After launching a handbag line, "The HoldMe Collection" in 2009, I realized that fashion is another avenue of artistic expression that I am very drawn to. The reason why I create—the cheesy answer is, I was born to. In reality, it is when I am at my best. And, I have learned through experience of working within the community, that my art is not only a luxury item but a necessity. 

Stacey: What are you artistically best known for?

Serena: As an artist I am best known for my bold use of color. The relationship of colors and how they impact one another keeps my impression fresh and strong. Color play has since grown into the layering of prints (that I create from scratch) and text. I believe the ability to push my work as far as it goes through color and composition—without making a mess—makes my work successful. 

Stacey: What you're biggest artistic accomplishment?

Serena: Working for myself for the past 7 years. Not many artists can say that. Starving or full, this is what I do everyday, all day.

Stacey: Where can people find you?

Serena: At the moment, the best way people can find me is at www.serenasart.com and my etsy.com shop. However, I want nothing more than to be able to establish a pop-up shop, retail or trunk show style opportunity, including but not limited to in-home art trunk shows. (Hint-hint to those of you reading). 

Most people know her as a dope photographer, but she's really a Jane of all trades. She was a dancer in the Philadelphia female dance group Montazh (created by Michele Byrd McPhee). They were everywhere and killing every show.

The first time I saw Jonene taking photos was at a BBoy BBQ.  Now, you can catch her on stage at shows like Rock The Bells--or gathering every DJ in the city for a historical moment on film. As a photographer, she’s known for her beautifully contrasted black and white photography.

Below she tells you a bit about herself, but she definitely left out her most current accomplishment–having her work sold in stores and online at Urban Outfitters. Check her out.

Stacey: Please tell the folks what you do and why you do it.

Jonene: I take photos of anything that catches my eye. Things mostly that center around the culture of hip hop--MCs, bboys/bgirls, graffiti and DJs. I really love shooting anything that helps to make up those elements as well--sneakers, records, a marker, a microphone, a beat machine, spray cans, keyboards, a record needle, etc. I don't even have a flat out answer as to why I shoot what I do. It's just what I see. I guess it's because I love the culture. I hate sounding cliche. I think that the entire culture has a passion behind it, and I like to not only capture the culture, but the intricate things that make up those elements that make up the entire culture. I like to capture moments that no one else would think of capturing. I never have an intention when I shoot things. I just shoot.

Stacey: What are you artistically best known for?

Jonene: No clue. Some would say Philly DJ Day. Some would say the graffiti. Some might say the MCs or famous people. Some would say I'm one of the only girls in Philly that shoot what and how I do so by default I'm 'known.' There's also the element of my personality. Someone told me the other day that I have a 'prickly personality.' I think it comes out in my photos.

Stacey: What you're biggest artistic accomplishment?

Jonene: Definitely Philly DJ Day. My only intention was to take a picture. I ended up making history within the Philly DJ community. I made them happy and will always be extremely grateful for that. 

Stacey: Where can people find you?

Jonene:  On Flickr. On Tumblr. On Urban Outfitters.

Philly is full of fly art events happening all the time. I thought that I'd make it a little bit easier to sort through all of the art happenings with a few of my top picks for fall.

DesignPhiladelphia

Thursday, October 23 - Sunday, October 23

Various locations throughout Philadelphia

Design Philadelphia takes over Philly for 10 days of exhibits, lectures, round tables, public installations--from graphic designers to fashion to product design and multi-media. There are so many avenues of design, and this festival is jam packed with over 150 cool events. Below are my top 5 picks.

Insider tip: Make sure to check the website for the full list of events. Also make sure to check for entry fees, as they vary.

Jewelry-Making Workshop

Saturday, October 15

Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Anthropologie

1801 Walnut Street

Create a one-of-a-kind jewelry piece with accessories designer Lenora Dame. This event is free. RSVP to anthroevents@anthropologie.com.

Custom Book Workshop

Saturday, October 15

10:00 -11:00 a.m.

Anthropologie

1801 Walnut Street

Create your very own custom book with designer and founder of roughdrAftbooks, E bond. E Bond is also a fellow designer with myself (Flygirrl) for Jill Scott’s Blues Babe Foundation’s Merchandise line. Free and open to the public. RSVP at anthroevents@anthropologie.com.


Createadelphia

Monday, October 17

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

The Market + Shops at the Comcast Center

1701 John F. Kennedy Boulevard

Createadelphia is a job fair and professional development event for Philadelphia college students and recent graduates interested in all fields of design.

Old City Windows

Ongoing during DesignPhiladelphia

Through out Philadelphia

This is one of my favorite parts of DesignPhiladelphia each year. The public is invited to Old City Windows, a neighborhood art exhibition and competition. Old City becomes a visual art gallery, hosting over 50 storefront windows designed by students, recent grads, professionals and artists in various fields of design. Public voting takes place October 1-23, 2011 via text and online votes.

Campbell’s: 142 Years of Design Women, Soup, and Warhol

This exhibit ends December 2011

The Art Institute of Philadelphia

1622 & 1610 Chestnut Street

An exploration of the many roles of women in the history, advertising, and design of this iconic American company. Featuring never-before-displayed objects from the Campbell’s archives, vintage advertisements, photographs, dresses, and a tomato soup can sculpture. This exhibit is free.

Mural Arts Program

African American Iconic Images Tour

April 30 - November 26

The Mural Arts Program take you on a tour of the African American Iconic Images Collection. The murals honor significant figures including W.E.B. DuBois, the women of jazz, Jackie Robinson and Malcolm X, to name a few. The tour price includes a 2 hour guided tour as well as admission to the African American Museum in Philadelphia (up to a $37 dollar value)! The tour also includes audio narrated by fellow Philly 360° Creative Ambassador Questlove of the Grammy Award-winning group The Roots. Make sure to check it out before it ends in November!

Here and Now

Here and Now Exhibition

Through Sunday, December 4

Philadelphia Museum of Art

26th Street and Ben Franklin Parkway

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is doing something different. They are displaying the work of 10 Philadelphia artists, ages 25 to 50, who create works on paper. Six of the 10 have never been exhibited at the museum. That’s kind of major for the museum. This definitely deserves the attention of people that support up and coming artists. Check them out so you can say that you knew them when. This is free with admission ($12-$16).

Insider tip:

Make a night of it and check out the exhibit and hand at Art After 5 on Fridays. It’s a great way to wind down from your week.

Museum Without Wall Audio Tour

Sculpture Saturdays

Through Saturday, October 22

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Live music at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.)

Kelly Drive

This is an event that’s fun for the whole family. You can join the Fairmount Park Art Association in October for free family-friendly sculpture workshops, iPod tours and live music along Philadelphia’s Kelly Drive.

Philly is full of creative pockets. I'm going to be highlighting some of my favorite neighborhood art galleries and creative spaces. First up, the trendy neighborhood and hipster haven--Northern Liberties. It’s a cool part of town packed with galleries, cafes, restaurants, bowling, bars and more. 

Insider tip: Head out early. Most galleries will close around 9 p.m. But you can always head to North Bowl for some fun competition between you and your friends. Or stop by El Camino for some Mexican Corn. (My favorite!)

Here are some of my gallery picks in Northern Liberties:

Bahdee Bahdu

1522 N. American Street

In addition to in-house studio events, Bahdee Bahdu has hosted arts organizations, the design trade, community groups, commercial vendors and private individuals as well. Always a hub for Philadelphia’s creative community, their really cool 4,000 square foot space is available to rent for special events. They have some really amazing pieces. I was happy to discover this gallery space!

SlingStuff Gallery

11 N. Girard Avenue 

This cool little gallery features contemporary artwork from around the world. And, they won Best New Gallery on PHL17 HotList! They have a diverse showing of artists from month to month. Make sure to check them out! And, while you're in the area, take a look around. There are cool little shops to check out near by.

Indigo Arts Gallery

The Crane Building

1400 N. American Street, Suite #104 

Indigo Arts Gallery has an international bazaar of art and artifacts collected from Asia, Africa and the Americas. Antiques and one-of-a-kind artifacts of traditional cultures as well as the finest examples of living folk arts and crafts is what you can find when you’re stopping by the space. They truly have an amazing and eclectic collection of work.

Projects Gallery

629 N. 2nd Street

This gallery is a cool little spot right on 2nd Street. I usually pop in there and then go across the street to check out one of my other favorite spots--The Soy Cafe! Projects Gallery focuses on artists who practice a personal form of art making, especially with techniques utilizing unusual materials. This bi-level gallery also has a second location in Miami!

Art Star

623 N. 2nd Street

Art Star is one of my favorite places. They carry handmade items and  products by artists throughout the country, as well as a handful of international artists--from one of a kind pieces, to houseware, prints, jewelry, clothing and more. They also are the proud creators of Philadelphia’s largest outdoor craft fair – the Art Star Craft Bazaar. If you’re looking for an artistic yet different type of art - come here!

Insider tip: If you're looking for some artistic, one of a kind pieces, you will want to stop here. And, it's the perfect place for gifts too!

The Battle of The Canvas is creeping up on us, so I wanted to take a minute to catch up with the brains behind the project, Simone Banks. I’ve known Simone for a bit now as a colleague, a fellow event planner and promoter.  I’ve had the pleasure of working with her on a number of projects over the years, and she’s a powerhouse that you’ll definitely want to watch out for.

Insider tip: Battle of The Canvas is on August 27 at The Piazza in Northern Liberties. There will be vendors (including me), live art, performances and more! Save the date and spend the day with us—It’s FREE!

Flygirrl: Tell the people who you are and what you do.

Simone: My name is Simone J. Banks, aka Moni Mone. I am a writer, curator, art administrator, art enthusiast, manager and a tangible dreamer. I do most of my artistic work under the collective, Authentic. I also manage a visual artist, Frances Bradley, and DJ shErOck out of New York. Under my collective, I work closely with visual artists, poets and musicians/DJs to produce events that are innovative, but better yet, creatively invading. And, when I say invading, I like to produce avant-garde events that bring a new sense of experiencing 'the arts.’  What is often not seen or heard is where I like to reside and plan my invasion. Most recently, I graduated with my Masters in Art Administration from Drexel University where my passion grew in areas dealing with accessibility of the arts and bringing art to the people, primarily underrepresented groups of people.  My degree has given me access to a lot of information, both positive and not so positive, regarding these topics, yet with my findings derived the Battle of the Canvas. This project is my baby, as it combines all that I love and my new-found passions. I am presenting an artistic experience, from beginning to end to the public for free. It is all about the opportunity to get personal with visual artists competing and musicians who will be setting the backdrop to the competition. This is where I feel art belongs and is for us.  

Flygirrl: What made you decide to create Battle of The Canvas?

Simone: The Battle of the Canvas is a project that I always had jotted down in my diary, just no title attached to it yet. I have written many papers on the concept of engagement and inclusiveness within the arts and culture scene in Philadelphia and felt like this would be a great start to implementing my frustrations. The scene here is layered and if you are not represented by an agent, gallery, exhibiting your work or booking gigs...you are often overlooked. It was my desire to create a platform for visual artists and musicians to be seen and heard. Their talents are documented first-hand by viewers themselves. The intimacy is intense when engaging with an artist about their work and the Battle of the Canvas allows that to happen freely. The experience is open and encouraged for all who attend. This is a project that has a public purpose and the artists involved understand the concept of extending themselves to audiences they wouldn't have considered or had access to otherwise.

Flygirrl: What do you hope people take away from Battle of The Canvas?

Simone: My desire for all who will attend the Battle of the Canvas is that they take away the unique experience itself. It's outside in August, lots of artistic stimulation in the air, food, drink and people to network and vibe with. It's perfect, really, if you are encouraged by creativity and witnessing a process from beginning to end. 

Flygirrl: This year seems much bigger than last year. What are the upgrades and why?

Simone: After the event last year, the response and suggestions given to me on how the event could involve more than simply a painting atmosphere encouraged me to go after The Piazza, where the space available would allow for all that I wanted the BOC to be. More importantly, The Piazza allows me to reach an incredibly large amount of people at one time while exposing the artists who are a part of the event. The Piazza has allowed me to plan for creative vendors, a Kids Corner for their own mini arts festival, lots of space for the artists to paint, musicians to perform on stage in front of a large and diverse audience and sponsors to be greatly visible. In addition to that, I've had a great response from the businesses within The Piazza. PYT and Gunner's Run will provide a beer garden and supply discounts on food and drinks for everyone coming to the Battle of the Canvas. This event has been welcomed from so many and the support has been endless. The upgrades came naturally, honestly. People have been waiting for an event like this and to attach themselves to a project they see longevity in and believe in. 

Flygirrl: What does the future of Battle of the Canvas look like?

Simone: It looks quite bright! I have already been in conversations with other city entities to bring the project there. However, it is important to me that it is always in Philadelphia. This is where the project has come alive and I want to always host one in Philly. I'd love to have a traveling Battle of the Canvas--artists, musicians, photographers, and the BOC team on the road exposing talent in other cities on a fun, competitive basis. But, for right now I really want to continue hosting the event, building on the concept and brand and perfecting the execution and getting more corporate support behind the project. 

Flygirrl: You do a lot of things and wear many hats. What is your truest passion?

Simone: Res said it best, "to get inside this head of mine would take a monkey wrench and a lot of wine." {laughs} I do wear a lot of hats. But, I can honestly say that I know every fit and color. I'm a perfectionist, so I take my time with the things that I put my name on. I also require a lot, so I give more than expected. My passion lies within art and the presentation of that artwork being accessible to the public or whomever wants to experience it without a feeling of intimidation or barriers of cost being an issue. Art is freedom and there is freedom in art. My passion is to expose that and allow it to be felt by everyone. 

Flygirrl: Where can people find you and everything you're doing?

Simone: You can discover all that I create via http://monimonecreates.tumblr.com.

You can "like" the Battle of the Canvas on Facebook.

You can follow all the updates on Twitter (@theBOCphilly or @be_authentic). 

And, to be a vendor or volunteer, click here.