Second Annual Philly Family Pride Picnic & Arts Festival

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In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall, the Mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs, Philadelphia Family Pride, and the Mt. Airy Art Garage have partnered for the second year of the Philly Family Pride Picnic & Arts Festival. This event will be held at Lovett Library Park located at 6945 Germantown Avenue on Saturday June 22 with a rain date of Sunday, June 23, 2019. The event runs from 11 am–5 pm. Admission will be free and open to all ages, families, and community members.

This event will have family-specific entertainment, fine art and handcraft, music, food, and resource tables from a variety of organizations and nonprofits that provide services and support to LGBTQ families and youth.

Here’s the lineup for this year:
11am – Kids and Family Yoga
11:30am – Drag Story Time and Performance by Icon Ebony Fierce
12:30pm – Visit by the Mayor and other elected officials
1:00pm – Jan Jeffries “Music Over Matter”
3:00pm – Chana Rothman

Artists include:
Denise & Angelique Benrahou
Roz Dutton
Itzik Lorant
Arleen Olshan
Pat Smith
Larry West

 

 

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS! Second Annual Philly Family Pride Picnic & Arts Festival

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Saturday, June 22 Festival, Lovett Library Park, 11 am – 5 pm

Early bird application for MAAG member artists — Wednesday, May 8, 2018

Deadline for all applications — Saturday, June 22.

This is the Second Annual Philly Family Pride event in Mt. Airy that celebrates the diverse, beautiful, and extraordinary LGBTQ families and artists here in Philadelphia.

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall, the Mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs, Philadelphia Family Pride, and the Mt. Airy Art Garage have partnered again for the second Philly Family Pride Picnic & Arts Festival. This event will be held at Lovett Library Park located at 6945 Germantown Avenue on Saturday June 22 with a rain date of Sunday, June 23, 2019. The event runs from 11 am–5 pm. Admission will be free and open to all ages, families, and community members.

This event will have family-specific entertainment, fine art and handcraft, music, food, and resource tables from a variety of organizations and nonprofits that provide services and support to LGBTQ families and youth.

Download the Open Call for Artists here. All artists, both emerging and professional, are invited to apply. Looking for more details on the Art Festival? FAQ: Find answers to important questions here. 

To apply, send the following to images.maag@gmail.com:

  • MAAG’s Submission Form
  • Up to 2 JPGs image (300 dpi) of the artwork you plan to submit
  • Entry Fee ($75 for members and $100 for nonmembers)
  • Jurying Fee ($15)
  • Artist Bio/Statement

NOTE: The above items may also be delivered by snail mail.

Looking to submit your table fee online?

$75 for MAAG members + $15 Jury Fee (plus $3 service charge per transaction)

$93.00 Add to cart

$100 for non-members + $15 Jury Fee (plus $3 service charge per transaction). 

$118.00 Add to cart

Community table slots will include LGBTQ organizations providing resources to the community and will be by invitation only. Questions may be sent to Stephanie Haynes at stephanie@phillyfamilypride.org

Mt. Airy Art Garage Salon Artist Talk with Pat Smith

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Saturday, May 11th from 4pm to 6pm, Pat Smith will be giving her Salon Artist Talk at the Mt. Airy Art Garage Gift Shop located at 6622 Germantown Ave.

Pat Smith is a landscape and nature photographer who has been photographing since the 1970s. A biology major in college, she has always been greatly interested in the natural world and its beauty. “Nature is a wonderful thing to commune with,” she says. Pat often photographs with a focused, direct vision, and her photos reflect it: each contains a singular, clear subject and a strong sense of balance.

Join Pat to hear her discuss her work, process, influences, and inspiration. Learn valuable insights, view her work, and merchandise will be available.

Pat’s artwork can be seen online at stores.patsmithphoto.com.

Stop by every First Saturday to hear from one guest artist and interact / network with other members of the MAAG Community.

The event is open to the public with a suggested donation of $5. Light refreshments will be served.

Mt. Airy Art Garage Salon Artist Talk with Larry West

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Saturday, April 6th from 4pm to 6pm, Larry West will be giving his Salon Artist Talk at the Mt. Airy Art Garage Gift Shop located at 6622 Germantown Ave.

Larry West is a Philadelphia Artist who specializes in classic pen and ink drawings, digital designing, photography, and more. His inspirations comes from exploring the occult, the macabre, and examining the taboos in contemporary society by portraying them in a different light. Larry’s credits include illustrations for the band Wednesday 13, Mikimoto jewelry, and the Admiral Theatre. His photography was published in Rolling Stone Magazine and Philadelphia Weekly.

Join Larry to hear him discuss his work, process, influences, and inspiration. Learn valuable insights, view his work, and merchandise will be available.

Larry’s artwork can be seen online at larrywestproductions.com.

Stop by every First Saturday to hear from one guest artist and interact / network with other members of the MAAG Community.

The event is free and open to the public with a suggested donation of $5. Light refreshments will be served.

Open Call For Artists – Makers and Lovers

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Deadline for Submissions: March 8th, 2019

The Philadelphia Theatre Company, at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, in partnership with the Mt. Airy Art Garage Gallery, is now accepting applications to exhibit your work.

The Mt. Airy Art Garage (MAAG) is holding an open call for artists to submit images for “Makers and Lovers;” a gallery opportunity happening this coming March at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (480 S. Broad Street). We encourage artists to submit up to two pieces of work to be on display and for sale in this upcoming exhibit. In honor of Women’s History Month, some of the themes we are looking for are race, feminism, diversity, sexuality, and a look at being black and queer and female in America.

Makers and Lovers is the final of three exhibits MAAG will mount at The Philadelphia Theatre Company. The conclusion of the season will feature the world premiere of How to Catch Creation, an inspirational story running March 22 – April 14, 2019. In the mid-1960s, a black, queer, feminist writer’s life is changed when her girlfriend tells her some unexpected news. Fifty years later, the reverberations of that moment still echo in the lives of four individuals in the rapidly changing city of San Francisco. Christina Anderson’s stunning and complex examination of the universal act of creation—creation of life, of family, of art—spans space and time to inspire a new generation of makers and lovers. So it only makes sense that our final MAAG exhibition for the season is Makers and Lovers.

To apply, send the following to images.maag@gmail.com:

  • MAAG’s Submission Form
  • Up to 2 JPGs image (300 dpi) of the artwork you plan to submit for the MAAG wall
  • Jurying Fee ($20/members, $25/non-members per image)
  • Artist Bio/Statement

NOTE: The above items may also be delivered by snail mail.

Due Dates:

  • February 18th: Accepting Submissions
  • March 11th: Submission Deadline
  • March 12th: Submissions will be juried and artists will be notified if work has been accepted.
  • March 13-16th: Delivery of all accepted artwork.
  • March 22nd: Artists’ Preview Night at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre
  • March 27th: Opening performance
  • April 17th-19th: Pick up of all unsold work at The MAAG Gallery

MAAG assumes no liability for any damage that may occur during the exhibit and is not responsible for any artwork left past the pickup date

You can download your information and forms HERE.

MAAG Members – $20 PER PIECE

$20.00 Add to cart

Non-MAAG Members – $25 PER PIECE

$25.00 Add to cart

Illustration by Arleen Olshan

 

March MAAG Salon Artist Talks Featuring Mary Ann Domanska

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As part of MAAG’s  monthly series of artist talks on the first Saturday of every month, this March we will be featuring Mary Ann Domanska.

Mary Ann Domanska is a 2nd grade teacher at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy in Philadelphia, Pa., where she has taught for the past sixteen years. Mary Ann earned a B.F.A. in Performing Arts with a minor in creative writing from Emerson College in Boston, MA, and a masters degree in Elementary Education from Chestnut Hill College in 2001. There, she studied with the notable Latino poet, Martín Espada, and with Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice. She spent her early career in Los Angeles where she held various positions in the entertainment industry including as a script reader for MGM Studios and as an assistant at the International Documentary Association (IDA) in Hollywood. She attended The Creative Writing Institute (graduate level) at Arcadia University where she completed her middle grade novel, EmicRizzle, Tinkerer, which was published in December, 2016, through Mnemosyne Books. Her current work in progress is a sequel entitled Emic Rizzle Commits Random Acts of Art. She published an article in the SCBWI Bulletin (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) entitled, Writing a Middle Grade Novel? Talk to an Expert. Talk to a ‘Tween! She has published several poems in the Philly Poetry Anthology with WRAGS Ink, Publishing (2012) and a recent collection entitled Unraveled through Moonstone Arts Center (Philadelphia).

She performs locally at the Stagecrafters Theatre in Chestnut Hill. She is on the board of MAAG (Mt. Airy Art Garage) and founded/hosted The Swerve, a monthly open mic poetry event that ran from 2014-2015.

Learn more about Mary Ann Domanska’s work at here website, http://maryanndomanska.com

Stop by 6622 Germantown Ave every month to hear one of our artists speak about their work, process, influences, and inspirations– and get to know more members of the Art Garage community as well! 

Join us this Saturday, March 2nd, 2019, from 4 PM to 6 PM.  Refreshments will be provided!

First Saturdays: MAAG Salon Artist Talks

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Countdown To The First Ever Family Pride Picnic and Arts Festival In Mt Airy

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The event is ON! Saturday, June 23, 11 am – 5 pm, Lovett Library Park, 6945 Germantown Ave., 19119. Admission is free. The festival is alcohol and smoke-free.

In celebration of Philadelphia’s 30th Anniversary of Pride, the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, Philadelphia Family Pride, and the Mt. Airy Art Garage are partnering to hold the first ever Philly Family Pride Picnic & Arts Festival.

The event will be held at the newly renovated Lovett Library Park in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia on Sat. June 23 with a rain date of Sat. June 30, 2018. The event will run from 11 am – 5 pm at 6945 Germantown Avenue.  Admission is free and open to all ages, families, and community members.

Photography by Bob Bruhin

Slated to attend the picnic are Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, Director of the Office of LGBT Affairs Amber Hikes, members of Philadelphia City Council, and a host of well-known personalities to join us in the festivities.

There will be family-friendly entertainment including jugglers, face painters and craft tables. Music brought to you by Anna Crusis Choir. Drumming brought to you (bring your drums!) by Jan Jeffries and Music Over Matter (MOM). There will be resource tables from a variety of organizations and nonprofits that provide services and support to LGBTQ parents and youth including William Way Center, The Mayor’s Office, ACLU of PA, PFLAG, FSP Against Bullying, HRC, Sisterspace, Action Wellness, LGBT Elder Initiative, and of course Philly Family Pride and the Mt. Airy Art Garage.

Soaps by Alana

Art by Jennifer Lynn

The Arts Festival portion will feature unique, one-of-a-kind work by local artists including handmade leather goods and buckles, fine art, photography, handmade soaps, handblown glass, delightful bird houses for your garden, woodwork, and more. Artists include:

Angelique Benrahou, Denise Benrahou, Bob Bruhin, Karen Bruhin, Katherine Cheetham, Gretel DeRuiter, Roz Dutton, Tina Grello, Itzik Lorant, Jennifer Lynne, Arleen Olshan, Patricia Smith, Soaps by Alana, and Nicki Toizer.

And, of course, what would the day be without entertainment by Anna Crusis Women’s Choir and the drums of Jan Jeffries and Music Over Movement (MOM)! Plus Island Spot and 2StreetSammies will have their food trucks there to make the day perfect!

Photography by Nicki Toizer

“Bring your questions, talk to your peers, support local artists, and just come on out for an incredible day,” said event organizer Linda Slodki from Mt. Airy Art Garage.

“You won’t want to miss this Family Pride event in Mt. Airy celebrating the diverse, beautiful, and extraordinary LGBTQ families and artists here in Philadelphia. This will be a day for celebration, for arts and creativity, for information gathering, and just plain fun. Hope to see you there!” added Philadelphia Family Pride Executive Director Stephanie Haynes.

Katherine Cheetham glass

Mt. Airy Art Garage (MAAG) connects and supports multidisciplined artists and art lovers in Northwest Philadelphia by using creativity to build a thriving, safer community. As a force for change, MAAG continues to build local and city-wide partnerships to bring art and creativity to people who currently have little or no access to them.

Philadelphia Family Pride’s (PFP) mission is to build community for LGBTQ+ parents, prospective parents, grandparents and our kids of all ages – including adults, youth, kids, toddlers and infants. We support our families in the greater Philadelphia region through advocacy, education and family-centered events.

Handcrafted leather by Arleen Olshan

The Office of LGBT Affairs works to foster equal working and living conditions for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people and to advocate for LGBTQ issues in all areas of City government. Created in 2008 by mayoral executive order, the Office of LGBT Affairs became a permanent part of the City’s charter in 2015. The office aims to:

· Develop City policy regarding civil rights issues affecting LGBTQ people.

· Help enact policies and programs to meet the City’s diversity and equality goals.

· Coordinate among City departments, agencies, and offices to improve LGBTQ access to services, and to promote equality and safety for LGBTQ people.

· Support the growth and development of the City’s LGBTQ communities and serve as liaison between the area’s LGBTQ communities and the City.

· Provide education about the needs of the LGBTQ community.

COP Mural Is Complete! Now Let’s Celebrate Our Young Artists At Lovett Library

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Lovett Library, Saturday, June 9, Noon till 2 pm, 6945 Germantown Ave., Phila., PA 19119

The Community of Pride (COP) Mural and Literacy Project continues to unfold at Eleanor C. Emlen public school. Children’s minds open up to interests and skills they did not know they had—opening doors to their hearts, souls, and precious creativity. Now it’s time to celebrate this year’s young Emlen artists.

We invite you to join us at their first ever reception and exhibition at Lovett Library, Saturday, June 9th at Noon. This project is about enriching children’s lives, offering inclusive opportunities and sharing the positive rewards of making and studying art together. We sincerely hope you can join us a we honor these amazing kids. All artwork will be for sale with proceeds going to the young artists. Plus tasty treats are being provided by High Point Cafe, Frosted Fox, and Night Kitchen. Admission is free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help Paint The COP Mural At Emlen!

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There is a story to be told, and it’s unfolding at East Mt. Airy’s Eleanor C. Emlen School, a public school with lack of access to art education. A public school where the children are guaranteed one meal a day, where many kids walk to school. But dreams are happening and endless possibilities are being introduced as the children immerse themselves in the creativity of the visual arts and related language arts.

Once a week, during the last two periods on Fridays, a 4th to 5th grade classroom gathers to work diligently on art and literacy. Focused energy abounds, as excitement about their projects grows each week. These students, with their teachers from the Mt. Airy Art Garage (MAAG), work together building artistic skills and a working arts-related vocabulary. Building vocabulary is a great way to build comprehension and expressive language.

The ultimate outcome is a mural that will become a legacy of their work, permanently affixed to an interior school wall. The process includes learning to observe, think, draw and speak with depth, meaning and expression.  Each child has his or her own “quilt block” on this large mural, filled with imagery they have developed over the course of this year’s lessons. The pictures are about their community and themselves. Some are literal; some are metaphorical (and they know the meanings of such words). They know how to explain the foreground, background, focal points, proportions and perspectives of their images, and much more. Using their own work as references, as well as literary sources, they learn in context, the language of art and artists.

Using author and artist Faith Ringgold’s classic illustrated family story, Tar Beach, students are engaged in learning to interpret the book’s meaning. Teacher-guided discussion and subsequent drawing assignments tie into the main visual and verbal content of the book. The students at Emlen Elementary are all African American. Faith Ringgold is a highly successful African American artist — a valuable role model for these students.

Students engage in their creative work through a structured experiential, collaborative process that incorporates making art, critical thinking, vocabulary development, story telling, and interaction with teaching artists and visiting artists. They are thrilled when Mikel Elam, artist and manager of the Artist and Craftsman Supply, in Chestnut Hill, comes to visit. He brings his wealth of experience as an African American artist, his own art to share with students; and he always brings wonderful supplies to stimulate imaginations and enrich imagery.

The Community of Pride Mural and Literacy Project has opened these children’s minds to interests and skills many did not know they had. It has opened doors for them, doors to their hearts and souls; doors to their precious creativity.

Be part of the magic at Emlen and help us paint the mural. You can contact the Mt. Airy Art Garage at info@mtairyartgarage.org or call 267.240.3302. Even better, come visit us at our gallery at 6622 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19119. 

                — Ruth Joray, Curriculum Designer/Artist 

 

 

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