It can be hard for new and unfamiliar artists to find ways to get their work out into the world for people to see. Haddonfield’s Gwynn Walker Di Pilla, an artist and teacher, has seen her work go from being displayed at many shops and galleries to very little exposure.
To counteract this, as well as to give her students at the Haddonfield Adult School an opportunity to display their artwork, a Pop-up Art Show will be held in Haddonfield on Friday, June 10 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Jax Boutique, 105 Kings Highway East, on the second floor. The show and 10 businesses in downtown Haddonfield will also be donating toward Water is Basic, an organization that digs wells for villages in South Sudan.
“There is a pretty vibrant art community in this town. (Each artists has) something special they all really like, and this is an opportunity for them to share it,” Haddonfield Adult School director Trever Miller said.
“Pop-up art shows are popular ideas in towns with vacant stores. I think this is a great way to bring people into Haddonfield … (I hope people come) to support the arts, support the fundraiser and our local businesses,” Di Pilla said.
Di Pilla has been teaching about 80 individuals a semester at the Haddonfield Adult School for 22 years. In the past 10 years, Di Pilla has seen a lot of the smaller local stores and galleries that used to display art close, including some in Haddonfield. She feels it is important to support the arts as well as local businesses, so Di Pilla decided to look to Haddonfield as a place to display her and her students’ work.
Di Pilla teamed with the school as well as Jax Boutique to display the artwork. The Pop-up Art Show is free to attend and will feature work from Di Pilla and almost 30 of her students, including Dr. Robert Powell, a 13-year student of Di Pilla’s who passed away in May of last year.
The art on display will feature paintings and drawings, using mediums such as watercolor, oil, pencils and pastels. Thirty of Di Pilla’s original art pieces will be on display. All art pieces will be available for purchase at the show at greatly reduced prices.
“I hope those who come have an appreciation for the hard work that everyone puts in to these pieces. Some of my students spend almost a year on one piece. When they are selling this item, they are earning less than minimum wage for all of the hours they put into the work,” Di Pilla said.
A unique part of the show is it is also a fundraiser for Water is Basic, a non-profit group that digs and repairs wells for villages in South Sudan. Twenty percent of sales from artwork for this show will go directly to this group. There will be a donation jar, too.
Ten businesses in town will donate 5 percent of sales that day to Water is Basic. People who visit the show will receive a flyer with participating businesses and restaurants. All they have to do is bring it with them to that business and they will receive a 5 percent discount, and another 5 percent of purchases will be donated to Water is Basic. Those stores are Casa Bella Trattoria, Sanook Thai Cuisine, Aaffron Mediterranean Cuisine, Baby Chic, Duffy’s Fine Chocolates, Fun in the Sun, Inkwood Books, Running Co. of Haddonfield, Jax Boutique and Pearl Clutch.
“I’m hoping to help our town by bringing business in, as I know how difficult it is for small businesses, and to raise money for Water is Basic is a great cause,” Di Pilla said.
To learn more about the Pop-up Art Show, see sample artwork and view a video on Water is Basic, visit www.downtownhaddonfield.com.
