Take Five by Anne Heimann at Judy's on Cherry

“Take Five,” a large sculpture by the late artist Anne Heimann was on view at Judy’s on Cherry Restaurant in Reading PA through the course of the Berks Arts Council Jazz Fest and remains there on semi-permanent loan from Jim Hubbard, Heimann’s husband.  The piece is displayed eight foot high in the restaurant’s front foyer.

The 1970's artwork is a ten-foot-wide assemblage of three musicians taking a break from their rehearsal.  Constructed of real wooden chairs, hooked wool, a music stand, life-size painted plywood cut-outs of the figures, and an actual tarnished trombone, Heimann had created a mise-en-scène where the musicians gaze expectantly at their visitor for a musical request.

The woman on the left is Heimann’s self portrait.  Both her as well as the drummer, are masked in Mardi Gras frivolity.  “Take Five,” is also the name of a famous jazz tune by the Dave Brubeck Quartet.  The work is also for sale through the restaurant.

Heimann and her husband lived in New Orleans for a time and traveled the world photo-documenting the cultures and lifestyles of the Middle East, moving later to the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City, where she plied her artistry for over thirty years, then moving to Pennsylvania ten years ago.  She passed away two years ago in Reading.

Paintings by Dolores Kirschner at the New Arts Program

 At the New Arts Program (173 West Main Street Kutztown PA) the "Paintings" of Dolores Kirschner are on view for the months of May and June 2012.  Regardless that these are ceramic tiles, the artist refers to them as paintings since they approach her goals of surface, subdued color and coarse texture. That they bear a basically rectangular shape and hang on the wall also adds to that premise.  About twenty untitled pieces are on view and vary in size from an approximate six to ten inches square.  Kirschner is proprietor and director of Clay on Main Gallery in Oley Pa where they teach ceramic process, pottery and host both workshops and exhibits.    

Reading Public Museum adds Barret Sculpture to Arboretum

Reading Public Museum unveiled its latest temporary addition to The Museum grounds. The fabricated bronze sculpture LEXEME IX (aka 9/11), was created by sculptor Bill Barrett in 2006, and stands 9’6” H x 6’6” W x 5’ D.  During its two-year loan from the artist’s collection, the sculpture is located on the banks of the Wyomissing Creek in front of The Museum, along the path that winds through the Arboretum. The sculpture, as well as others in the LEXEME series, was created as a means to commemorate the tragic events of 9/11, and was previously on display in Finn Park Square in Tribeca, New York City. In addition, a cast bronze maquette of the sculpture will be on display in the Cohen Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art.

Frank Wysochansky (Wyso) at Yocum Institute for Art Education and the GoggleWorks Art Center

Frank Wyso;  Monk Series

Wyso (1915-1994) lived in the coal mining area of Lackawanna Township Pennsylvania and documented their lifestyle. Basically an outsider artist with minimal training, he created many of his pieces by melting crayons onto paper and scraping away the image in a scratchboard technique. His sculptures were made of found detritus and shaped with resin. Inspired by his brother, who led a monastic life, he also made a series of works on monks.  These were shown at the GoggleWorks in Reading PA with a separate series of miners shown at the Yocum Institute in Wyomissing Pa.

22 foot Mosaic installed at Wison Schools

Artist/Ceramicist Beverly Leviner in front of "The Learning Tree"


With the help of 30 youths in the Wilson School District, Leviner installed this huge mosaic in the school's foyer.