Earlier this month, we told you about our upbeat new South Philadelphia window exhibit – a non-partisan response to the soul-draining divisiveness and election angst in the news right now.

Show me a sign:  28 local artists share positive messages from our windows at the corner of E. Passyunk Avenue and Tasker Street.

After all,  if we can’t come together to make things better here,  then who in the world can?

PASS  IT  ON…

Starting today, and continuing through Election Day,  we’ll introduce you to the artists who generously agreed to help us “flip the script”.

We’ll also share dozens more photos of good-hearted Philadelphians who grabbed a sign and added their optimism to our campaign.   (And,  yes,  read on to learn how you can join them on our blog between now and Election Day.)

Artists Miguel Antonio Horn and Karen Benson help light up our lives – and the corner across from South Philadelphia’s “singing fountain”.

 MEET  THE  ARTISTS  (PART 1)

So meet the first dozen artists whose images appear in our windows – many of whom volunteered even though they’d never met us before….

 1. ALFIE  POLLITT

  Alfie Pollitt is a celebrated jazz and R&B pianist,  composer and music teacher who has played with everyone from Sister Sledge and the Four Tops,  to Teddy Pendergrass and numerous jazz greats.

2. JULIA  LOPEZ

  Julia Lopez,  who introduced us to Alfie,  is the program manager for the Philadelphia Jazz Project.  A social activist,  poet and performer,  she is a member of Las Gallas,  the visual and performance art collective that also includes Michelle Angela Ortiz, another artist in our windows.

 3. PRINCESS FATU GAYFLOR

Princess Fatu Gayflor,  known as the “Golden Voice of Liberia”, is the artistic director of the Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change.  She has performed at music venues worldwide and recorded her third album while living in a refugee camp during the Liberian Civil War.   Now a U.S. resident,  she works with the Philadelphia Folklore Project.

4. HEATHER  GARDEN

Heather Garden is a punk rock bass player from Seattle and is the owner of South Philadelphia’s new Halo hair salon at 1728 E. Passyunk Avenue (215-463-2200).   And, yes, she still creates the best turquoise,  magenta and purple highlights in the city.  (Just ask Kate!)

5. MIGUEL  ANTONIO  HORN

Miguel Antonio Horn is a painter,  sculptor and PAFA alumnus who studied with Mexican sculpture master Javier Marin.  A member of the Traction Company art collective,  his large-scale biodegradable commissions have been exhibited in  the United States and Mexico,  and he is the creator of permanent public sculptures in both countries.

6. KAREN  BENSON

  Karen Benson is a graphic artist and witty street photographer with an eye for quirky details.   Click here if you haven’t seen our May blog post about her work!

 7. MARK  PALMER

  Mark Palmer is a percussionist and dancer who has performed at the Clef Club of Jazz,  the Settlement Music School,  and Grover Washington Middle School.   He has also danced with the Canaan Christian Arts Ministry.  He is a senior at the Science Leadership Academy at Beeber.

 8. ARIELLE  PINA

Arielle Pina is a director,  dancer,  actor and choreographer whose performance piece,  “Unarmed” was a highlight of the 2015 Philadelphia Fringe Festival.  “My artwork deconstructs my body,”  she writes,  “an American,  woman’s, patriotic, black body.”

 9. TOM  TOROSIAN

  Tom Torosian is a poet,  painter, and ordained Presbyterian minister who spent 40 years serving inner city residents.  His book, “Someday Yonkers: An Armenian-American Odyssey”,  tells the story of his parents’ escape from the Armenian genocide and his life as the child of immigrants.

 10. LYNN  DENTON

  Lynn Denton is a filmmaker,  painter,  mosaic artist,  sculptor,  writer  and enthusiastic voter.  Her community mosaic and sculpture projects can be seen everywhere from the Edward Heston School at 54th Street and Lancaster Avenue to the Susquehanna-Dauphin subway station.

11. DOLIO  DURANT

Dolio Durant (aka Dolio the Sleuth) is a new media artist,  engineer,  and member of Gangstagrass, the genre-breaking,  nationally acclaimed band that improbably and successfully combines hip hop urbanism with bluegrass banjos and dobros.

12. PHYLANDRA  McFADDIN

  Phylandra McFaddin is a Temple University journalism major,  documenter,  story-teller  and videographer.  Click here to see her video of Philadelphia Dumpster Divers Burnell Yow! and Betsy Alexander, who we’ll profile next week.

JOIN  US  HERE  ON  OCT. 29!

Between now and Election Day,  we plan to photograph dozens more smiling Philadelphians holding our signs and post their images on our blog.

Would you like us to photograph you or your (non-partisan) group?

Join us here at the corner of East Passyunk Avenue and Tasker Street on Saturday,  Oct. 29 from 2-7 pm for a free VOTE exhibit by the Philadelphia Dumpster Divers art group.  And, yes, we’ll happily photograph you and your friends that day.

You can also contact us here by email.

It’s time to flip the script!

Kate & Dave  (Click here for Part 3!)