Over the past several posts,  we’ve told you about many of the 28 artists,  writers,  musicians and performers who appear in our South Philadelphia window display.   (And,  yes,  if you’re not familiar with our pre-election,  anti-angst campaign,  you can read about it here.)

Today,  we’ll tell you about the remaining 8 artists overlooking South Philadelphia’s popular “singing fountain”….

The view on our second and third floors at East Passyunk Avenue and Tasker Street….

….and the bottom line on our first floor.

MEET  THE  ARTISTS  (PART  3)

Many thanks to all the Philadelphia artists who took a chance on our project – including a well-known city journalist who met Kate only once before – 45 (gulp) years ago…..

 1. BOBBY RYDELL

Bobby Rydell is South Philadelphia’s own international singing idol,  performing solo and as a member of the Golden Boys with Frankie Avalon and Fabian.   (And,  yes,  you can see all three of them on the star-studded new music mural at Broad and Tasker Streets,  only three blocks from our house.)   Be sure to check out his compelling new autobiography,   “Bobby Rydell: Teen Idol on the Rocks – A Tale of Second Chances”  and book-signing schedule here.

 2. JENNIFER CHILDS

Jennifer Childs is the co-founder and artistic director of the 1812 Productions comedy theatre company and the alter ego of Patsy,  the South Philadelphia stoop sage.  She is the director,  co-author and a performer in “This Is The Week That Is”,  the fun pre-election satire now running at Philadelphia’s Plays & Players Theatre through Nov. 7.

 3. SANDY SPARROW WILKINSON

  Sandy Sparrow Wilkinson is an indigo dyer and fiber artist whose work honors her ancestors and her cultural history.   A fearless experimenter with techniques ranging from watercolor to collage,  she is the retired principal of the Swarthmore-Rutledge Elementary School.

4. MICHELLE ANGELA ORTIZ

Michelle Angela Ortiz is a South Philadelphia-born artist,  muralist,  community arts educator,  and member of “Las Gallas”,  the arts and performance collective.   Among her public murals,  she was the lead artist on “Aqui y Alla”  at 1515 South 6th Street,  part of her project exploring the impact of immigration on Mexican youth.

5. CLAUDE LEWIS

Claude Lewis,  a founder of  the National Association of Black Journalists,  is a longtime Philadelphia Bulletin and Inquirer columnist and Inquirer editorial board member.  His heart-filled social commentary columns served as a touchstone for many of us Baby Boomers — including Kate,  who was thrilled to interview him for her high school newspaper in 1971.

6. BURNELL YOW!

  Burnell Yow!,  a member of the Philadelphia Dumpster Divers,  is an intuitive  creator of paintings,  collages,  assemblages,  sculpture,  digital art and photography.   He is the video chronicler of Nora the Piano Cat (who also appears in our windows) and is a song-writing ukeleleist.  His art-filled home and studio is among those profiled on our  Unexpected Philadelphia  website.

7&8. ASA SCHNEEBERG & MAISIE QUINN

Asa Schneeberg is a musician,  gamer,  DJ, and citizen of the world – a description that bodes well for the future.   Maisie Quinn,  aged 9,  is a writer,  reader,  student musician and mother of Felix the cat.   Asa and Maisie study piano with Betsy Alexander (another of our window artists),  sharing their lessons with the irrepressible Nora the Piano Cat.

COMING  THIS WEEK……

Trying to survive this final nail-biting week before the election?   Check here in coming days,  where we’ll post scores more photos of smiling Philadelphians reminding us of the goodness and power we still hold here in our hands.

And,  yes,  you can click here to see Part 7 or  click here  to scroll through all our pre-election posts.

    Keep flipping that script….!

Kate & Dave