From the Director:

If you paint in your mind a picture of bright and happy expectations, you put yourself into a condition conducive to your goal. –Norman Vincent Peale

This summer has been phenomenal for PMG’s community efforts! Our annual summer festival, ART/GAGE: Celebrate Philly Creativity, brought thousands of people together to enjoy local arts and culture, both within our space and throughout South Street's 1000 block. Thank you to all that participated to make this event happen. But don’t take my word for it – these fabulous photos will give you a taste of how wonderful our neighborhood can be when we all work together!

In community,

Ellen M. Owens, Executive Director
Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
 
        

        

      

Photographs by Johanna Austin

Galavant at PMG's Magic Beyond the Gardens Gala
Magic Beyond the Gardens 2011- Reserve your tickets now!
Gala: Saturday, September 17 from 6:00PM to 10:00PM



Magic Beyond the Gardens will feature live music by the Divine Hand Ensemble, dance performances by the Indonesian Cultural Club, beats by DJ Ginkgo, and special fiery sideshow performers roaming the crowd. Special guest Joe Rishel, curator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, will say a few words about his relationship with the Zagars throughout the past 40 years.

Enjoy drinks from Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (maker of ROOT, SNAP, and RHUBY), signature margaritas from Cantina Dos Segundos, Milagros tequila, Sailor Jerry rum, Narragansett beer, Barefoot wine, and Jacquins Vodka.  Just watch your step on our tiles after sampling all of that!

Food will be provided by local restaurants Beau Monde, Jim's Steaks, Whole Foods, La Fourno, Qdoba, and more. A fabulous silent auction of more than 50 items will feature an overnight stay at Hotel Palomar, brunch for two at the Four Seasons, a porcelain bowl from the Snyderman-Works gallery, passes to the American Visionary Art Museum, and even belly dancing lessons!

Purchase your tickets for $75/single or $125/pair. PMG Member Prices are $50/single or $100/pair. Order tickets now through the PMG website.

Rave Reviews for The Visionnaires!
Friday, August 12 - Sunday, September 4

   

PMG and Coalition Ingenu have organized an exciting summer exhibition, The Visionnaires, that features a wide variety of interesting visionary art forms from seven different artists.  The opening reception on Friday, August 12, had over 250 attendees and received accolades from Don Brewer, writer for Philly Side Arts.

Coalition Ingenu Self-Taught Artists’ Collective is a non-profit organization helping to promote the work of self-taught artists marginalized by a wide range of circumstances including poverty, mental illness, physical limitations, social isolation and struggles with addiction. Exploring a variety of media, The Visionnaires features works inspired by dreams, visions, or unconventional perceptions. The exhibition showcases artists new to Coalition Ingenu, as well as recent works by some of the group's most popular "Outsider" artists.

Music & Mosaics Concert Series: Iconic Echoes
Saturday, August 27, 7:00PM - 10:00PM

Don't say goodbye to summer without experiencing one of PMG's signature concerts in our mosaiced labyrinth!

 

August's epic event features rock and jazz cover band The Division performing the entirety of Pink Floyd’s immortal album, Dark Side of the Moon.

Start the evening off with Whitewater Pass, Philly rockers with a folk twist. After their set, jam out to contemporary and classic tunes from Bowie, Springsteen, Radiohead, and Muse as performed by The Division. All Music & Mosaics Concerts are BYOB, so grab a friend, share a beverage, and enjoy the show!

The Music & Mosaics Concert Series is Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens’ BYOB concert series held every fourth Saturday of the month. Concerts feature local artists of every style, from bossa nova to bluegrass.
Admission is $10/Adults and $7/Members and Students.

PMG Hosts Playful Dance & Musical Event for Fringe Festival
Thursday, September 8, 6:00PM and 8:00PM
Friday, September 9, 6:00PM and 8:00PM

The mosaiced corridors of PMG will come to life through a series of exquisite, evocative vignettes on September 8 and 9. In Poetic Passageways, choreographer/dancer Olive Prince (Olive Prince Dance and Drexel University), composer/musician Christopher Farrell (Rit Mo Collective and Temple University), and other performers will marry movement, music, and language into a site-specific performance.

Interpreting the poetry, philosophy, and art of Dadaists and Surrealists such as Apollinaire, Maillarme, Breton, and Duchamp, dancers and musicians will engage guests with playful and explorative works that relate these works to the massive art installation that serves as their stage. 

Audiences will wander through various performance stations, interacting within both the space itself and the wondrous movements and sounds.  Adult tickets are $20, and tickets are students and PMG members are $12. Visitors can buy tickets by calling 215.733.0390, or purchasing onilne from the Fringe box office at www.livearts-fringe.org/box-office-ticket-info.cfm .

“Poetic Passageways is a stimulating, darkly playful piece that was influenced by Surrealist parlor games and automatic writing. The music and choreography are structured in some instances and improvised in others, allowing the performance to transform itself organically each time it is performed. This imaginative work may be the most magical interpretation of our space to date.”   -Ellen Owens, Executive Director

Family Jams: Memory Tiles
Sunday, September 11, NOON - 4:00PM

Join us every second Sunday for a variety of PMG-themed, hands-on workshops and kid-friendly tours. Family Jams workshops begin at NOON and end at 4:00PM. Kid-friendly tours are about a half hour and begin at 2:00PM. Past Family Jams have included book arts projects, poetry workshops, paper mosaics, and tile pin-making. All Family Jams workshops and activities are FREE with admission. Tours are $3 per person plus admission. Family memberships are available for free admission and ongoing discounts.

The Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art exhibits a spectacular site-specific mosaic installation called "Building My Spiritual Journey,” made by South Street’s iconic artist, Isaiah Zagar!

Enjoy the installation and the opening reception on Thursday, September 8, from 6:00PM to 8:00PM. See the artist himself and hear details about the piece during the Artist Talk at 7:00PM on September 8. For more information, visit The Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art.

SAVE THE DATE: Back to School Ball for Educators
Friday, September 23, 6:00PM-9:00PM

This September, join us for the return of the Back to School Ball!  This exclusive event invites local and regional educators to learn more about PMG and the mosaic environments of Isaiah Zagar. Participants will also create projects directly applicable to the classroom in a variety of subject areas including art, history, and social studies.

At PMG’s FREE Back to School Ball celebration, participate in these fun activities:

• Refreshments and light fare from local restaurants
• Free tours of PMG led by trained Garden Guides
• PMG-themed hands-on activity tables
• DJ Captain Ridiculous spinning music all night long
• Over $800 in raffle prizes
• Mosaic Mural Teacher’s Scholarship information
• Take-away PMG lesson plans aligned to State Curriculum Standards
• Screening of Monumental Mosaics: The Isaiah Zagar Method
• Gifts from Dick Blick art supply

Space is limited. To reserve your spot, RSVP to khealy@phillymagicgardens.org with your name and organization’s address and phone number.  Special thanks to Dick Blick and David Wetzel for sponsoring the event.

PMG Awarded Funds from Douty Foundation

GREAT NEWS! PMG recently received funding from the Douty Foundation for our Visionary Visits program!

Visionary Visits provides free guided tours of PMG with hands-on projects for 200 at-risk and economically-disadvantaged youth, spanning July 2011 through June 2012. Targeting underserved and underfunded school and afterschool services, the program educates youth about civic engagement and the transformative and therapeutic powers of art.  Tours highlight Isaiah Zagar and the "South Street Renaissance," promoting the idea that people can work together for the good of all residents, as well as the effect that individuals can have on their community.

PMG actively seeks program participation from eligible organizations and solicits groups that have requested services in the past. Ideal program candidates are minority youth from neighborhoods with high crime rates, low education levels, and schools that have poor academic performance. PMG previously awarded services to many institutions, including Norris Square Neighborhood Project, Casa Monarca, Tree House Books, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Congreso.

Arts on South News
Fourth Friday receptions coming August 26!

Arts on South is the innovative program that loans unrented retail stores to local groups to showcase their artwork and invigorate the community. All galleries are open from Wednesday - Sunday from 3:00PM - 8:00PM and offer professional exhibitions and public receptions on the Fourth Friday of each month.

On August 26, be sure to visit these galleries:

Arts Street Textile Studio (706 South Street) is featuring Mary Johnson's Where I Find Home, a series of photographs of hidden and little-known locales in Philadelphia.  During their reception, help construct a building for the gallery's cardboard city!

MIGHTYVISION (641 South Street) is hosting a Mighty Mix-Up/Back to School event, featuring

• Original comic art from this summer's 9- to 12-year old Mighty Writers
• Illustrations and photographs from Bianca Crespo, founder of Raphaela Studio who specializes in the "intense, eclectic, and strange"
• Illustrations from local comic illustrator David Proch
• Impromptu comic illustrations generated by all-ages visitors in our Mighty Guest Book
• Postcard-size vintage sci-fi and Pez photo art for sale
• Back-to-school sale on vintage and current Marvel and comic art posters!

Visit our Arts on South Facebook page for more details about the rest of August's gallery offerings!