Earth Bread + Brewery, Philadelphia, PA, (Mt. Airy)

A Graduate of SUNY Purchase with a BFA and of Hannahman Medical School with a MPT exhibits between seeing patients in local venues in Philadelphia and beyond. Recent exhibits include: Gone Fishing at Highwire Gallery, View Through the Window, at Smile Gallery, Lookin’ For Love… at Highwire Gallery in Philadelphia, Musings on Nature at the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia, POST 2008, Envisioning Othello& Found Object show at Da Vinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, a solo show Looking Into Glass at Sedgwick Gallery, as well as a group show at Fleisher Art Center in Philadelphia, PA where she received a merit award. Gail Kotel is a member of the Da Vinci Art Alliance, NorthWest Artists Collective and Philadelphia Artists Equity Association. Her work was recently shown in the NY Times (Jan 2009) as part of an article featuring Breweries of Philadelphia. In addition there are private collections of Gail Kotel’s work in NY, Philadelphia and as far as Helsinki, FI. Currently you can see her work in Salon Des Refuses at Mainline Unitarian Church through Oct 2009, Earth-Bread+Brewery and One Salon and Gallery in Mt Airy Through November 2009. Upcoming exhibits: Holiday Art at Earth-Bread+Brewery, Dec/Jan 2010, and at Campbell’s Place in Chestnut Hill PA, Feb 2010. Gail can be contacted at gailartpt@aol.com.

JENNIFER MONAHAN Bio

Jennifer Monahan’s paper sculptures reveal the interplay between her exacting eye for detail and her whimsical nature…not to mention her considerable patience! Her imagination and meticulous craftsmanship transform ordinary colored paper into extraordinary and one-of-a-kind pieces of art. Regardless of the subject matter, her unique style and technique create vibrant pieces that are as simple as they are complex. Jennifer is a self-taught artist from Portland, Oregon. Her original hand-cut, 3-dimensional works are composed of 100% acid-free archival paper and are created using an X-Acto knife, needle, and glue. The materials are intricately cut and assembled on different levels to create the varying shadows which produce the unique 3-D effect. Although she has worked in other media, Jennifer prefers using paper for the depth and texture it allows. Jennifer has shown her work in many private, group, and juried shows on both the East and West coast. Her work can be found in numerous corporate and private collections.

Artist Statement

Often the inspiration for my work comes from people I know or places I’ve been. My pieces are not serious in nature and do not encompass any rigid “meanings,” but I hope that they evoke a deep feeling of joy when viewed. My goal is to initially draw you to my work with vivid colors and whimsical designs, then, upon closer inspection, to cause you to see the intricate details and hours of work and craftsmanship that go into each piece. I think of my paper sculptures as contemporary folk art: simple and clever in design, adding a bit of color and whimsy to the life of a home. My hope is that each piece brings you as much joy as they did me in creating them.