Walk among art

The Haddonfield Outdoor Sculpture Trust (HOST) last year completed its mission of creating an outdoor gallery by hanging art along a fence on Mechanic Street. Since then, there have been four art gallery installations, the most recent on Labor Day weekend.

While prior exhibits have included art from Markeim Arts Center and work curated by HOST, the most recent exhibit has been put together by the Fellowship of Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA) and features 20 works by 15 professional artists who are PAFA alumni from around the country.

“This street does not get much foot traffic, so one of the challenges is how do we get more foot traffic on the street?” noted HOST chairman Stuart Harting.

The display street was designed to mimic the artists of Jackson Square in New Orleans by placing art outdoors that has to be reprinted on material that can endure harsh weather. Barbara Sosson, president of the PAFA fellowship, took on the role of organizing the reprinting process.

It was no easy undertaking. To recreate the photos, Sosson explained, high-resolution pictures of the original art needed to be taken, a task that can be challenging and costly without a professional photographer. So, the exhibit art was reproduced on aluminum coated with vinyl.

The effort marked the first time the reprinted material has been used for the outdoor exhibit; it is sturdier than the materials used in the past.

“It took quite a while to put together, and I added captions to let people know if it was the right scale,” Sosson explained.

Sosson has been president of the fellowship for three years and has been in the art business for more than 50, she is one of the 15 artists that are featured on the walk.

“They are all professional artists who have been showing for very, very many years, and their prices are not cheap because they have a reputation and they have a history of how much (it costs),” Sosson pointed out. “My work is there, and I’ve been showing for 50-some years, and I get that amount of money easily for paintings,” she added, “so therefore, somebody might say ‘$5,000 is a lot for a 24-inch painting,’ but that’s who I am.

“This is a group of very professional artists who have a record, she added. “It’s a high-end show for (an outdoor exhibit).”

Each of the paintings – and two sculptures – featured is available for purchase, with prices that range from $650 to $14,400. The majority of the artwork has been reprinted in the same size as the original with some exceptions, such as the images of the sculptures.

The show features the art by the following artists:

·       “Neon Glow,” by Sandra Benhaim (oil and pigment stick on canvas, 30”x40”).

·       “Sunshine on my Left Shoulder,” by Rachel Citrino (mixed media on Arches, 42” x 93”).

·       “Planting a Wish,” by Mostafa Darwish (gouache and mixed media on mylar, 9.5”x11.5”).

·       “Travelers,” by Varvara Fern (resin and acrylic paint sculpture, 23”x 22.5” x 18”).

·       “Evening Breakfast with Dog,” by John Formicola (unique sublimation on aluminum, 38” x 32”).

·       “Xochitl,” by Peter Frantz (cast bronze and glass on sandstone plinth, 64” x 6” x 4”).

·       “Nested 2 (raft),” by Michael Gallagher (oil on panel, 15.5”x 15.25”).

·       “Daffodils and Red Cup,” by Christine LaFuente (oil on linen, 14” x24”).

·       “Field with White Flowers,” by Douglas Martenson (oil on wood, 15”x11.5”).

·       “The Manayunk Canal, 2022,” by Nina Martino (oil on plexi, 15”x24”).

·       “Jan’s Cherry Pie 1,” by Scott Noel (oil on linen, 24” x 30”).

·       “Give me a Place to Be,” by Nicole Parker (oil on mounted linen, 12” x 12”).

·       “Twilight Reflections,” by Barbara Sosson  (oil on canvas, 24”x24”).

·       “Table 23,” by James Stewart (oil on canvas, 30”x 24”).

·       “Still There,” by Ted Walsh (oil on panel, 11”x18”).

There is no specific theme to the exhibit this year, and the display features a mixture of landscapes and abstract art. On Saturday, Sept. 21, HOST will present an artist reception with wine and cheese at Sparrow’s, adjacent to the art walk on 10 Mechanic Street. The event runs from 4 to 7 p.m., rain or shine. A fully tax-deducible donation of at least $30 per person is requested.

The art will remain on display for the rest of the year. To view the display or purchase any of the pieces online, visit the live exhibition page on www.fellowshippafa.org or email fellowshippafa@gmail.com.

To learn more about the Haddonfield Outdoor Sculpture Trust, which is celebrating its 10th year, visit https://haddonfieldsculpture.org/.

This article was updated on Sept. 7, 2024.