CLOSE UP by Brian Rudnick

Something for everyone at Chestnut Hill Garden Fest

Arnie Shiffrin, a wine consultant from Bala Cynwyd, entertains garden fest goers and himself, dancing to the sounds of Melissa Martin and the Mighty Rhythm Kings.  Watch video here.

---------------------------------------------------------

Pharmacist Carl Dean of Chestnut Hill Pharmacy who overcame some trouble last year says things are looking up and getting better every day for his personal service oriented shop. Watch video here.

--------------------------------------------------------

Certified Zentangle art teacher Terry Greenberg demonstrates Zentangle's meditative technique of making intricate patterns. Watch video here.

Soil Kitchen tilts at windmills

Dan and his father, Chilean born Francisco Allende, read alternatingly in English and Spanish from Miguel Cervantes' "Don Quixote" in front of the legendary knight errant's statute at 2nd and Girard. Quixote was the inspiration for the "Soilkitchen" public art project coinciding with the Environmental Protection Agency's national brownfields conference in Philadelphia in April. At the street level gathering and exhibition space on the south side of Girard, Soil Kitchen lab assistants test samples of soil collected from around the city to assess the health of the soil for farming while volunteers dish out free soup. In the photo foreground, project artist Amy Franceschini takes a pause from taking photos to listen to the reading. Watch video here and visit http://soilkitchen.org

Pink flamingos a wedding tradition for Flemings

Robert Fleming and his wife returned from vacation 15 years ago to find a flock of pink flamingos planted in their front yard by, as it turned out, good friends who had been watering plants in their absence. The flamingos have become a tradition at their daughters' weddings. In the winter, they migrate south to Hialeah Park, Fleming jokes. In the background, Amanda Shoulson paints an adirondack chair in preparation for an engagement party for the Flemings' third daughter Annie; the flamingos will fly in for wedding next January. Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. Watch video here.

Personalizing grave monuments

Gallagher Memorials has been at the corner of Ivy Hill Road and Cheltenham Avenue, across from Holy Sepulcher Cemetery for more than 100 years. In that time, the use of marble has given way to using granite, imported from as far away as India or China or quarried as close as French Creek, Pennsylvania. Granite lasts much longer, “forever,” according to Manager Larry Conroy. Computer assisted technology now allows personalized engraving of scenes or depiction of hobbies dear to the deceased or even a carving of the departed’s own visage.

Watch video interview here.

 

From township manager to candle king

Bill Binder’s father loved the milk box, candle-making project his son was doing some 40 years ago with his cub scout pack so much so that what began as a family hobby grew into a substantial family owned business, Candlewic in Doylestown.  After college and many years as a professional township manager in New Jersey, Bill joined the business which caters to the wholesale candle trade but turns no small, individual customer away either. More recently, the company has branched out into soap products.

Zoe Joy Einbinder makes real fresh fruit jewelry

Philly Center City Artists West open studios (POST)

 

Video interviews here

 

Video interviews here

Light from sun powers gong

Aviva: These things are solar powered so that when the-

Zachary: The stronger the light is, the faster you hear the chime.

Aviva: Then, when the mallet goes all the way up, it bangs against the thing so it’s a solar powered gong.

NEAT. DID YOU HEAR IT GONG?

Aviva: We didn’t hear the one of the ones out here.

Zachary: Oh the one over there gongs!

Aviva: The ones inside gong much faster because

Zachary: there are lights shining.

Zachary and Aviva Schuh of Merion at the Schuylkill Center’s indoor/outdoor exhibit, “Elemental Energy: Art Powered by Nature” talking about "Solar Thumpers" by Jason Krugman and Christian Cerrito.

Watch video interview here.

Video of opening reception inside and outside artworks

West Philly artists open their studios: BBC video entry

SO THESE PHOTOS HERE.. are all mine. I did them during the course of my last year at the Antonelli Institute. THEY SEEM TO BE FROM ALL OVER? Yeah, Coney Island, central New York, Baltimore, rural Pennsylvania like out in the middle of nowhere. A lot of them are taken from inside abandoned buildings like the old mental institution called Pennhurst, an old church… AND WHAT DO YOU DO TO THEM TO GET THIS BLUISH? I use a cross processing technique it’s taking film and developing it through the wrong process so if like you have color slide film that’s E6 you take it and develop it through C41 or vice versa C41 through E6 and it causes all the colors to shift. Gair Wissenbach, Chestnut Hill Coffee Shop. Watch video here.