September 30, 2011

Through its faculty members and alumni, the Westphal College will be playing a major role in a Drexel-Community project funded in part by a $30,000 Philadelphia "Restore Corridors through Art" grant. Art & Art History professor Blaise Tobia, who is a long-time Powelton Village resident, organized the project's initial meeting and has been acting as a liaison between Drexel's Office of University and Community Partnerships, and the artists and neighborhood institutions. Included among these are the University City District and the Peoples Emergency Center, each of which oversees Lancaster Avenue redevelopment projects, and the Community Education Center, whose director, Terri Shockley, will be coordinating the performance elements of the project. Professor Tobia is also coordinating the project's Gallery Committee and will be showing work in one of the seven planned exhibitions.

Another professor in the Art & Art History Department, Orlando (Dino) Pellicia, has taken on the role of managing the project; a job that will become increasingly critical as the exhibitions come to fruition this fall. Dino brings five years of experience as the director of the College's Pearlstein Gallery to the task. Two Drexel alums are also closely involved: Diane Pizzuto (Graphic Design) is working as the project's graphic designer and Branding Committee coordinator. Ryan Hinkel (Digital Media) is working as the project's webmaster and also is part of its Windows Committee. Professor Paul Schultz of the Architecture and Interiors Department has been selected as one of the artists to carry out a window-based project. His work, "Celebrate the Uncelebrated," will be installed in the windows of 385-3852 Lancaster Avenue.

The project, named Look on Lancaster Avenue, will have a grand reception on Friday evening, September 30th, stretching over more than five blocks of the avenue. Its gallery exhibitions will also be part of Philadelphia Open Studio Tours on October 1st-2nd, and will have additional hours through the month. The twelve window-based artist projects will be visible to the public 24/7, for at least two months. Click here for further info, calendars, maps, etc.