Academy of Natural Sciences Opens Art Gallery

A newly renovated gallery at the Academy of Natural
Sciences will feature changing displays of contemporary and historic
artworks that explore the inherent-but often overlooked-beauty of
science.

The Art of Science Gallery, located on the first floor, will
showcase rarely seen treasures from the Academy’s own world-renowned
collections, works by contemporary artists, and imagery generated by
Academy scientists, past and present.

The current exhibit, which opened Feb. 27 and runs through May
2, is First Impressions: Thomas Horsfield’s printed plants of Java.
Horsfield (1773-1859) was a Bethlehem, Pa., native and Academy member
who became the first American scientist to explore Southeast Asia. The
exhibit features 22 detailed prints made by applying ink to plants he
collected on the Indonesian island of Java. The images are both an
accurate record of the plant life on Java 200 years ago and also are
visually striking artistic compositions. And that’s the point of the
gallery.

“The line between art and science is often a blurry one,”
said Barbara Ceiga, vice president for public operations. “This
gallery gives us the opportunity to introduce our visitors to the idea
that science can be beautiful.”

Upcoming shows will feature a wide range of subjects, from
dramatic X-ray images of fish skeletons (May 15 through August 1) to
colorful illustrations of grasshoppers. Some shows will feature works by
contemporary artists and others will showcase imagery created by Academy
scientists in the course of their own research. Founded in 1812, the
Academy is the oldest natural history museum in the Americas and has a
long history of research, exploration and discovery, and important
collections to show for it.

For exhibit updates, visit www.ansp.org.

Register Now!

Resources for Artists

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

Presenter: Rory Golden, NewYork Foundation for the Arts

NYFA, one of the country’s largest support organizations for artists, has many fundraising and support programs that are available to artists regardless of where they live. On March 18th learn about the two primary programs that NYFA makes available to artists nationally, NYFA Source and the Fiscal Sponsorship Program.

1521 Locust Street, Lower Level, Philadelphia, 19102

http://www.cfeva.org/

Group Motion in City Dances / Parkway at the Rodin Museum

Group Motion will next be performing on Saturday, December 12th (with a reception following the performance) and Sunday, December 13th; performances start at 8pm at the CEC Meetinghouse Theater at 3500 Lancaster Ave in West Philadelphia / University City.

For more information please visit www.groupmotion.org or ask me! (Rachel@philaculturati.com, subject line: “Group Motion”)

FALL 2009 SCIENCE COURSES OFFERED BY WAGNER FREE INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE

The Wagner Free Institute of Science announces its free science courses for Fall 2009. Courses run from five to nine weeks, and each lecture lasts approximately one and a half hours. The courses are taught on an introductory college level and are appropriate for adults wishing to enrich their knowledge of the sciences, as well as for motivated junior and senior high school students.

The courses are offered free of charge, unless otherwise indicated

BOTANY SERIES~
“Trees of Center City Philadelphia”
Professor Alfred E. Schuyler
Field trip course; 5 sessions beginning September 24, 2009
Academy of Natural Sciences, 19^th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia – 1^st class, 6:30 PM
4 outdoor locations on Saturdays – 10:30 AM to 1 PM
Course is limited to 20 students per trip.
Pre-registration required. Please note there is a pre-registration fee for this class only. To pre-register, call 215-763-6529 x23 beginning Monday, September 14, 2009. Students may sign up for one, two, or three trips at $5 per trip or four trips at $15. Pre-registration will be confirmed by phone or email. To complete the registration process, please bring cash or check to the first class (or check must be received at the Wagner Institute by that date).

PHYSICAL SCIENCE SERIES~
“Physics and the World Wars: How Technology Shaped the Path of History”
Professor Paul J. Angiolillo
Course held at the Wynnefield Branch of the Free Library, 5325 Overbrook Avenue, Philadelphia;
8 weeks on Wednesday evenings at 6:15 PM beginning September 30, 2009

HISTORY OF SCIENCE SERIES~
“On Heavens and Humans: A Brief History of Astronomy and its Influence on Our Lives”
Professor Sylwester Ratowt
Course held at the Independence Branch of the Free Library, west side of 7^th Street, below Market Street, Philadelphia
9 weeks on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 PM beginning October 6, 2009.

ANTHROPOLOGY SERIES~
“Death, Aging, and Mortality: Cultural and Biosocial Perspectives”
Professor Janet Monge
Course held at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 33^rd and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia

6 weeks on Monday evenings at 7:00 PM beginning October 19, 2009.

For full course information and syllabuses or for more information, please call 215-763-6529, ext. 21 or visit www.wagnerfreeinstitute.org<http://www.wagnerfreeinstitute.org>. Please note that the schedule for the Free Library may change when the city budget is passed. Because this may force us to change the times or locations of courses scheduled at our branch library partners, check with the Wagner Institute prior to the first class.

Founded in 1855, the Wagner Free Institute of Science is a museum and educational institution that is nearly unchanged from the nineteenth century.  The museum building, a National Historic Landmark completed in 1865, houses a natural history collection begun by William Wagner in the early nineteenth century and expanded by biologist Joseph Leidy in the 1880’s.  The collection includes skeletons, fossils, shells, minerals and mounted animals.  The Museum is open to the public Tuesday-Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM.

The Institute’s free public education courses in science are in their 154^th year, making them the oldest program devoted to free adult education in the United States. The Institute also has a strong commitment to children’s education.  It offers a range of programs for visiting school groups, and cultivates special partnerships with neighboring elementary schools.

Tuesday, Aug. 11th,  ”Meet the artist” FREE reception at JimmyStyle from 6pm until 8pm.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

So when TV anchor John Atwater travels the globe, he always takes his camera with him.

On Tuesday, Aug. 11, Atwater will unveil an exhibit of his favorite photos at JimmyStyle boutique, 1820 E. Passyunk Avenue in Philadelphia. It’s a retrospective of more than two decades worth of travels to faraway places such as Costa Rica and The Philippines. And many of the images will be installed in handmade frames the Fox29 newsman made himself, using salvaged antique building materials – window frames and doors, for example.

This is the first such exhibit by the artist/anchor, so it’s a perfect way to launch the new “Artist of the Month” series at JimmyStyle, a home, gift and baby boutique that opened in late-May. The exhibit kicks off on Tuesday,Aug. 11 with a free “meet the artist” reception for the public from 6 pm until 8 pm. The “Artist of the Month” event will return in September with feature the abstract work of Philly-born painter/illustrator Vincent McLoughlin.

WHERE?

JimmyStyle is located in South Philadelphia at 1820 E Passyunk Ave just south of Moore St near 13 St. Its easy to get to via Broad St or the Broad Street Line’s Tasker/Morris stop. If you’re in the mood for Italian food, you can take your pick of many excellent restaurants close by. Also nearby is the 12th St Cantina and the South Philly Tap Room.