Northern Liberties Business Improvement District Announces Artists at Work

Northern Liberties Business Improvement District has announced the return of Artists at Work on Saturday, November 13th, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, as part of 2nd Saturdays Northern Liberties. The final Artists at Work of 2021 is the biggest yet. Twelve businesses throughout Northern Liberties will host live artist demonstrations in their space. Creativity will flow in many forms, including live music, drawing, painting, mixed media collage and calligraphy. Art lovers and shoppers can use QR code at each location to follow a Google map showing each location and artist details. Artists at Work is free and open to the public. Please respect health and safety protocols of each retail location and requests of the artists. Artists at Work is presented by Northern Liberties Business Improvement District. For more information, visit www.explorenorthernliberties.org.

"We developed this program in the early days of COVID lockdowns as a way to bring people outdoors safely. We're really proud of the way it's grown and come into its own," says Northern Liberties Business Improvement Executive Director Kristine Kennedy. "Artists at Work reminds people of the great small businesses that make up the fabric of Northern Liberties and encourages visitors and residents alike to make a day of it in our neighborhood. There will be live demonstrations by the artists in the storefronts, so you can watch them work."

Artists at Work exhibition ends the year on Second Saturday, November 13th, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. This free event combines the ideas of an art reception, an art studio, a scavenger hunt and a walking tour. Participating stores and artists include the following:

* Casa Papel (804 N 2nd St) featuring Meghan Gaffney Wells
* Figo Italian (1033 N 2nd St) featuring Kathleen Cantanese
* Heritage (914 N 2nd St) featuring Keshida Layone
* Jerry's Bar (129 W Laurel St) featuring Ray Benner
* Just Cravings (946 N 2nd St) featuring Jessica Fleming
* Maleek Jackson Fitness Boxing Gym (926 N 2nd St) featuring MCCLØZKEY
* Penn Herb Company (601 N 2nd St) featuring Mikaela Collyer and Christina Rissell
* SET NoLibs (1030 N 2nd St) featuring Kierston Marie
* The 700 (700 N 2nd St) featuring Jeff Campbell
* The Random Tea Room & Curiosity Shop (713 N 4th St) featuring Dawn Reid
* Trunc (929 N 2nd St) featuring Originally Distinct
* Tuck Barre & Yoga (1101 N Front St) featuring Kimmy Juhas

Below please find a list of the artists and what they will be making during this unique event.

Ray Benner (at Jerry's Bar)

Ray Benner is a Philadelphia based musician, fine artist and teacher practicing drawing, painting and sculpture. Benner will be translating the sounds of nature and industry into music.

Jeff Campbell (at 700 Club)
https://jeffcampbell.bandcamp.com/

Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter Jeff Campbell's onstage experiences have taken him coast-to-coast countless times and found him sharing stages with John Mayer, members of Counting Crows, The Grateful Dead, and opening for Train. His 2013 EP Release, "In Spite of Everything", produced by 6x Grammy Winner John Shanks, premiered at #1 on the iTunes rock EPs and singles charts, following a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Campbell creates music that helps him understand and process life.

Kathleen Cantanese (at Figo Italian)
https://www.instagram.com/catanese4art

Kathleen Catanese is a Philadelphia-based artist who uses printmaking materials, paint, and collage to express her interest in architecture and the urban environment. After graduating from Trenton State College (The College of New Jersey), she taught art for 32 years in the public schools of NJ. Kathleen studied at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Kean University, The New School and The Art Students League. She is a member of The National Association of Women Artists, The Plastic Club and The Philadelphia Sketch Club. Her work is in private and public collections. Catanese is an experienced workshop presenter, who loves sharing her process and artwork with others.

Mikaela Collyer and Christina Rissell (at Penn Herb)

Mikaela is originally from New Jersey, living now in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She is self taught, works in a variety of mediums and experiments with many different styles and techniques. Her inspiration comes from nature, she loves the outdoors, and stargazing at night. Looking up helps her clear away everyday distractions, enabling her to visualize and imagine what can be possible. She uses that imagination to create her fantasies into reality on paper, bringing her inner color to life. This spontaneous, messy and mixed process allows her to be free and limitless in her approach. Her father is her biggest influence, he always taught her to express herself through art.

For November's Artists at Work, Mikaela along with fellow artist, Christina Rissell, will be creating art of the same live subject matter from complementary perspectives, simultaneously, and side-by-side. This is an experiment of intergenerational collaborative commentary, with Rissell (34 years old) working solely in black and white medium, and Collyer (16 years old) approaching the same subject in color.

Kimmy Juhas (at Tuck Barre & Yoga)
https://www.kimmyjuhas.com/

Kimmy Juhas is an artist, printmaker, and educator based in Philadelphia. She uses her art to manipulate the spaces and shapes she sees around her. The process and research is the most important part of her pieces because it brings her ideas alive. Juhas shares her skills working at both an elementary school teaching students and also at a community studio, Second State Press. She draws her inspiration from a mix of her interests which include 50/60s interior design, organic shapes and plants, and also, of course, her own students' work. Her most loved processes include experimental lithography, monoprint techniques, and painting.

Her time at Artists at Work will be dedicated to getting the community involved and making art. She will have live screen printing demos for tote bags and also painting demos. Juhas welcomes the community to get together and create.

Keshida Layone (at Heritage)
http://breatheart.gallery

Born and raised in New York currently living and creating in Philadelphia. Visual Artist Keshida Layone's mediums range from watercolor, and acrylics to mixed media. His obsession with all living things finding a way to live and stretch towards the Sun for relief and safety is what fuels his soul. Layone's visual communication shines a light on threats to the planet like endangered animals, climate change, and mental health struggles.

He tries to convey in his work a sense of serenity, creativity, and visual healing. His artwork will significantly improve creativity, workflow, and happiness. His pieces are euphoric and will ignite a conversation with art lovers and art buyers. His career focus is to have work hanging in homes and offices around the world.

Jessica Fleming (at Just Cravings)
https://instagram.com/artfullyupcycledfishtown

Jessica is an upcycle artist who uses items found in thrift stores, trash and on the ground in her local city of fishtown to create works of art. She has a creative eye for detail and loves to use bright colors. Fleming will be creating a mix media collage from items, menus and trash she has gathered from local restaurants and eateries.

Kierston Marie (at SET NoLibs)
https://www.instagram.com/opheliaophelos

Kierston Marie is a screenwriter, writer, artist, and creator. At the heart of her work- in all its forms- are themes of identity, sensuality, fantasy, communication, and play. Her new collection is a body of sculptures that respond to: "Said where are you goin'? Can I come too?" For November's Artists at Work, Marie will be completing her sculptures with genuine gold leaf.

MCCLØZKEY (at Maleek Jackson Fitness Boxing Gym)
https://mcclozkey.com/

Joseph Daniel "MCCLØZKEY", a native of the Greater Philadelphia Area, began skateboarding at the age of 5. Introduced to photography at 9 years old, he was able to express his love for street art and skate culture by capturing it on camera. Daniel entered the fine art world as a hobby, merely a means to help him find his voice. As demand increased and his art became more noticed, Daniel chose to dedicate his time to sharing his vision with his community. Inspired by modern design aesthetics and the vibrant colors of street art, he developed painting styles which allowed him to translate messages of raw emotion that pertain to his life. His signature Roman numeral encrypted language concept emerged soon thereafter.

Daniel's works can often include colorful and dark abstractions which are inspired by music, famous abstract expressionist's styles with his own twist and the genuine emotion felt at the time of painting. In his mixed media works, he implements photographs of celebrities and cultural icons to relate the emotion of the painting to the photo of the person. Joseph pulls inspiration from all aspects of his life and continues to use fine art to grow and communicate with his audience.

Originally Distinct (at Trunc)

https://www.instagram.com/originallydistinct/

Originally Distinct (Duane Gordon Jr.) is an independent artist that creates visual art, home, lifestyle and designer products. Specializing in lifestyle and design, Originally Distinct has a homegrown following/core audience that supports and grows organically. Originally Distinct is most proud of being self-sufficient as an artist, and distinctive where real lovers of design and lifestyle value the art/products like collectors.

Dawn Reid (at The Random Tea Room & Curiosity Shop)

https://www.instagram.com/bumblebbliss/

Dawn Reid has played with a variety of mediums over the years as a maker + mover, including clay, glass, watercolor, and photography. While wandering vacant lots, manicured gardens and woodlands, she's inspired by the shapes, colors, and textures that abound in nature. She can usually be found close to the ground - herding cats, practicing yin yoga, or watching a bumblebee dance on a dandelion. Reid has been teaching in the Body Pathways program at the University of the Arts for 15 years.

Meghan Gaffney Wells (at Casa Papel)

https://www.lettersandgoods.com/

Meghan Gaffney Wells is an artist and calligrapher. She founded Little G's Letters and Goods in 2017 and is a small creative source for everything from custom watercolors to invitations and event signage. When she's not creating, she's raising two beautiful littles with her equally talented husband, Jake.

Whether during the live demonstration or general exhibition, patrons are encouraged to make an evening of their visit to Northern Liberties. Enjoy a cocktail along Northern Liberties Restaurant Row before strolling through the exhibition, stop in at one of our independent retailers, and afterward dine at one of the many beautiful outdoor streeteries in the neighborhood. For more about Artists at Work and other events and happenings in Northern Liberties, visit explorenorthernliberties.org.

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