The Allentown Chen Arts Group’s Inaugural Art Show this past weekend was a rousing and invigorating success that signals the lift-off of an exciting new art scene in Allentown.
A dynamic 2-day crowd estimated at 1,000 people was surprised, engaged, delighted, entertained, challenged, and nourished by the Chen Arts Group’s 1st show.
True to its agenda, “16 and a Movie” was a thoughtful and meaningful art happening led by the artists, with Chen artists conceiving, curating, hosting, installing, promoting, and catering the event.
Three pieces created by Chen Arts Group artists were acquired, via purchase, during the show.
A huge canvass of a thank you goes out to Chenster Extraordinaire PETE LEWNES who had the brilliant idea of presenting Chen 1 in conjunction with the 32nd annual Old Allentown Preservation Association House Tour and providing the gallery space in his tour home at 445-447 North 7th Street in Allentown.
And a Special Thanks to our anonymous underwriter (and we all know who you are, Paul ;) who generously provided matching funds to help cover the cost of attendee snacks and beverages and that hipster DJ.
Stay tuned for more Allentown Art Scene Happenings brought to you by the Chen Arts Group (CHARGE).
A dynamic 2-day crowd estimated at 1,000 people was surprised, engaged, delighted, entertained, challenged, and nourished by the Chen Arts Group’s 1st show.
True to its agenda, “16 and a Movie” was a thoughtful and meaningful art happening led by the artists, with Chen artists conceiving, curating, hosting, installing, promoting, and catering the event.
Three pieces created by Chen Arts Group artists were acquired, via purchase, during the show.
A huge canvass of a thank you goes out to Chenster Extraordinaire PETE LEWNES who had the brilliant idea of presenting Chen 1 in conjunction with the 32nd annual Old Allentown Preservation Association House Tour and providing the gallery space in his tour home at 445-447 North 7th Street in Allentown.
And a Special Thanks to our anonymous underwriter (and we all know who you are, Paul ;) who generously provided matching funds to help cover the cost of attendee snacks and beverages and that hipster DJ.
Stay tuned for more Allentown Art Scene Happenings brought to you by the Chen Arts Group (CHARGE).
Photos by Bill, Angie, and Gianni Villa
This post was written by Mr. Dottie (Bill Villa)
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13 comments:
Looks like a great time! I wish I could have gone!!
Hi Katie,
There will be future events, perhaps a holiday spectacular!
This was an incredible weekend. I could NOT believe the turnout! I think the home tour, word of mouth and the slick posters slapped up all over the city really helped get this thing off the ground, (plus the tireless volunteers!) making for a really memorable show. I think CHARGE may have attracted some Groupies, or Chennies. :)
I know it was the talk of the house tour. Everybody that came to Pete's was confused b/c it wasn't a house. I had to reassure them as they were going up stairs that there were surprises to be found.
As they left, everybody seemed impressed. I heard comments about it feeling like a speakeasy or like something they would find in NY.
I call it part of my neighborhood. Thank you so much to everybody who made center city a little bit more special on Saturday.
A thousand visitors to 7th & Liberty and, as far as I know, everyone not only lived to tell the tale but had a unique tale of urban fun downtown to tell. Let's not be afraid to do this again, and whenever we want to.
I'm proud to call myself a Chenling, and I'm grateful to everyone who pitched in to make our first event a roaring success.
I was giving Mr. Imagination a tour of Allentown on Saturday, so I couldn't stay long, but it was incredibly important to have such a scene to show him in A-town on a Saturday afternoon. Mr. I immediately responded to the quality of the art, the energy in the air, and the friendliness of the group. I think we made a deep, positive impression on him and he is seriously considering establishing his Imagination Foundation in Allentown. Thank you, all. This is just the beginning of what we're going to accomplish together!
well well well fellow chensters...it feels like we needed to keep the show up longer in my opinion but saturday was just the beginning. I woke up from a long nap on Sunday afternoon and found my first thoughts being...what next! now that's scary. I have only heard such great things and it just shows how starved we are for a space to show art and build a scene. I love reading and hearing the comments that this is not the 7th street they think about which is really what the 7th street initiative is partly about...changing perception by providing opportunities like this...arts and our group are working on the same things i believe. One of the most important people who was impressed was a little lady named Gale Lewnes...my mom...she loved all the people, seeing the changes in my place and the general great feeling of the day. I'd like to thank the Old Allentown group for allowing us to share their tour day as well. Our next meeting should be alot of fun discussion...I cannot wait!
hey Geoff,
Sorry I did not get to meet you on Sat, although I thought that was you at the door when we left. Thanks for coming to the show.
Joe S,
It was a pleasure to meet Mr. I, and I think he would be great for Allentown and our group! I love his folk-arty recycled work. Here is a link to some info on him:
http://www.post-gazette.
com/ae/20021114imaginationp2.
asp
Pete,
Too bad no MC coverage, but I don't think we really need em. I think the blogs are covering it pretty well. It was definitely a news worthy event for Allentown.
Great to meet your mom, and so many really nice people! It was a real group effort, and a meaningful event.
Pete, couldn't agree more with you on the Perception vs Reality thing.
Quick Story. After the Chen show ended on Sunday, we took your advice and strolled down the block to Hollywood barber shop to get Gianni Villa a haircut but the place was packed (on a Sunday afternoon) with people working like crazy cutting hair. When we exited Hollywood, a woman sitting in a car out front picked up on our disappointment and directed our attention to another barber shop across the street and down the block a little ... and as she's telling us this a guy on foot and apparently from the neighborhood joins in and yells over to the two barbers across the street taking a break out front, "HEY TAKE CARE OF THESE PEOPLE, I'M SENDING THEM OVER!" ... so we crossed the street and Gianni got himself a very skillful and stylish haircut for $2 less than we usually pay. And the neighbors in the neighborhood couldn't have been nicer or more helpful. Yep. That was our Reality on 7th Street in Allentown PA last Sunday afternoon. Nice people. Excellent service. Great prices.
"Too bad no MC coverage"
The litany of local media who were notified of this unique event, but didn't show up to cover it, is rather long, I understand. And this is a shame because it's such a terrific story on so many levels. Oh well, their (and their readers/viewers/listeners) loss ... hopefully they won't get caught flat-footed and asleep at the wheel and missing in action and "L7" (i.e., in squaresville) next Chen Happening ;)
Chensters, Chenlings, Cheneronies:
My hat is off to you all. I brought a couple of couples from the suburbs and they were incredibly impressed with the house tour, the show and Allentown. This is the power of what is possible in a community when people work together. With you all in Allentown, ANYTHING is possible.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your creativity, your inspiration and your hard work.
One of the best comments I heard about the event was not only that it brought Allentown artists together to show their work, but it also attracted even more artists who want to be a part of future events and the emerging arts scene in Allentown. I ran into Joe Skrapits and Mr. Imagination on the sidewalk, arriving as we were leaving. How's that for celebrity sightings?
Chensters, you are creating what we imagined over a year ago in that big lively discussion about the arts: a dynamic arts COMMUNITY. Good for you! Good for us!
Thanks Joyce, good to see you and Paul last Sat. Our Chen member list keeps growing. This is great for Allentown, and even though there was no press coverage, the word is spreading and positive things are happening.
Just catching up on my blog reading this morning and I am glad things went well for the event. No press coverage ? Been there, done that, gotta get used to it. MCall and other TV vehicles NEVER truly cover community events unless it is a SUBSTANTIAL event. I believe all events are worthy of coverage, but that's just me. The DJ is DJ Sweetlife. Great guy and he is doing great things in the Valley. Watch for him in the future. And I am glad to see people are seeing what i have been saying ALL along, A-town has good people and businesses. They may not LOOK or act like what the status quo desires, but they are good people just as well. Glad to see you all were able to experience a normal Sunday on 7th Street. Ya'll come back now, ya hear ? (smile)
Alfonso
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