Over the past several posts, we’ve told you about our new South Philadelphia window display, a do-it-yourself remedy for the pre-election blues….
Twenty-eight smiling artists light up our windows at E. Passyunk & Tasker to remind you that the apocalypse isn’t quite here yet.
And, yes, regular readers of our Unexpected Philadelphia blog and website might recognize a few familiar faces…..
Say, haven’t I wandered through your living room?
This year, we struggled with finding a new topic for our annual holiday window display.
We’d already displayed photos of our South Philadelphia neighbors and of local celebrities from the 1960s….
What was left? South Philadelphia restaurant owners? Current local celebrities? Favorite Philly athletes? (Way too controversial!)
But one topic kept intruding in our heads.
ELECTION STRESS DISORDER
Like many people, we’ve been beaten down by the soul-draining divisiveness in the country this year.
Violence. Name-calling. Corruption. Terrorism. Racial and religious divides. Following the news – particularly the election news – you’d think that the country and the entire human race were sliding down that greased pole to hell.
“Uhm, Dave, do you have the comics?”
And, yes, it even has a name: Election Stress Disorder, and everyone we knew had symptoms.
A major perk of belonging to the Philadelphia Dumpster Divers – that merry band of artists who have played, exhibited and produced witty, found-object art together since 1992 – is that we get to hang out in the area’s most creative homes.
Today our Unexpected Philadelphia website takes you on another Dumpster Diver photo tour – this time to the inspiring home, studio, and garden of Susan and Patrick Moloney.
Patrick and Susan Moloney with one of their ever-ready coffee makers
Linda Lou Horn always dreamed of becoming an artist.
So when the long-time nurse, elder care activist, and gestalt psychotherapist decided to radically change up her life at age 50, she marked the occasion with a two-mile free fall from an airplane.
Linda Lou with “Going Nowhere Fast” in her polka-dotted dining room.
Now the much-exhibited, found-object artist – whose art-and-imagination-filled home we profiled last summer – has landed in a one-woman show at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens through August 28. Continue reading
It’s been five years since we left the Jersey shore for South Philadelphia, and we have only one regret. And, no, it isn’t the loss of parking or even the beach, which is always there waiting for us.
It’s our beloved garden, complete with luscious Kwanzan cherry and Hinoki cypress trees, bamboo, river rocks, dragonflies and those cheeky, incorrigible weeds.
Fortunately, we know people – and our blog gives us the perfect excuse to invade their Philadelphia retreats.
Michael Martin Mills and Randy Dalton in their summer garden, 2015.
Last fall, we introduced you to the magical, art-filled home and garden of Philadelphia Dumpster Diver Randy Dalton and his partner Michael Martin Mills. Continue reading
Ready for another great artist’s house tour? Today we’ll meet Philadelphian Len Davidson, owner of Davidson Neon, and his wife Judy.
Len is a neon artist and restorer, writer, collector, 20th-century cultural observer, and co-founder of the Philadelphia Dumpster Divers, that merry band of artists who have played, exhibited and produced witty, found-object art together since 1992.
(Always up for fun: Judy and Len Davidson)
Judy Davidson, his partner in adventure for 50 years, is a retired counselor familiar to 35 years of students at the Community College of Philadelphia. Continue reading
It’s spring house tour time!
If you follow our Unexpected Philadelphia blog and website, you know we’ve visited nine inspiring, art-filled homes belonging to members of the Philadelphia Dumpster Divers – that warm and wacky band of artists and collectors who exhibit, socialize and produce witty, up-cycled art together.
Today we’re heading to South Street to visit the home, gallery and visionary art environment of the couple who initiated us into the Divers’ magic circle: famed mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar and his wife Julia Zagar, owner of South Street’s iconic Eye’s Gallery.
(And, yes, if you guessed that Isaiah and Julia have a few mosaic walls in their home then, well, you guessed right….)
Last summer, Unexpected Philadelphia toured the home and studio of architect, artist, author and community activist Joel Spivak and his artist wife Diane Keller.
(Joel and Diane in their art-and-imagination-filled South Philadelphia home.)
Joel, a co-founder of that merry band of found-object artists known as the Philadelphia Dumpster Divers, is also the inspired originator of Philadelphia’s National Hot Dog Month celebration, leading tours to classic hot dog stands and giving away hundreds of hot dogs each July to confused-but-happy pedestrians around the city.
INTRODUCING THE TROLLEY LAMA
But Joel has another avocation: Known among the Dumpster Divers as the “Trolley Lama”, Joel is the co-author of two photo-packed books on Philadelphia trolleys and trains:
(“Philadelphia Trolleys” and “Philadelphia Railroads” by Allen Meyers and Joel Spivak for Arcadia Publishing)
Last fall we introduced you to the art-filled home and fabulous gardens of Philadelphia Dumpster Diver Randy Dalton and his longtime partner Michael Martin Mills.
(Michael Martin Mills, left, and Randy Dalton in their always summery dining room.)
And, yes, you can still tour their house and garden on our website, and read the blog post about them here.
RANDY’S BLUE GROTTO
But Randy had a magical surprise up his always blue sleeve – one we planned to interview him about later this year: His Blue Grotto art environment.
(Randy’s Blue Grotto contains hundreds of blue lights, sculptures, found objects,
photos and more, in support of his “Do Blue!” campaign for the arts)
It’s tour time again!
Over the past 8 months, Unexpected Philadelphia has taken you to 8 inspiring, art-filled homes belonging to the Philadelphia Dumpster Divers – that warm and wacky band of artists and collectors who exhibit, socialize and produce witty, up-cycled art together.
Today we’re heading to the home and studio of Ellen Benson, sister of Divers’ co-founder Neil Benson, whose house we’ve already visited.
(Ellen in her living room with what she modestly calls “The Wall”.
About a third of the work is hers; the rest hails from around the globe.)
Unexpected Philadelphia 