A Holiday Message from the Mill
The Phillips' Mill Board of Directors wishes you all a joyous holiday season and thanks you for your continued support.
Year after year, we are honored to represent such an engaged community of artists, art enthusiasts, volunteers and supporters. This past year, still navigating our way through the changes and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were especially thankful to be part of this supportive community. We came together to create, to dream and to inspire.
Phillips' Mill Photo presented a beautiful members show. Drama had a live reading of its winning plays for the Emerging Playwright Competition. Art had record sales in its first combined on-site and online show. And the Youth Art Exhibit (YAE) went online for the first time.
Of course, it takes more than positive energy to preserve our historic mill and keep our programs running. Please support the Mill by making a year-end donation here.
Give the Gift of Membership
If you still aren’t sure what to get the art lover on your list for the holidays, why not express your shared passion for the arts with the gift of membership to Phillips’ Mill? It is not only a unique and thoughtful gift, but also a great way to support the arts in Bucks County and welcome more people into our own community. Click on the link below to access our membership form, and be sure to check"gift membership" when making your purchase.
The Return of Live Theater at the Mill
Each of the six winning plays from the 2021 Emerging Playwright Competition (EPC) was read LIVE at the Mill on November 20, 2021. The evening was a tremendous success—meticulously planned, well attended and much appreciated by all.
In case you missed it, we have posted a video of the entire event! You can also enjoy a gallery of photos, along with reflections about the evening from the winning playwrights, by clicking on the link below:
Save the Date - Youth Art Exhibition
January 29—February 20, 2022
The Youth Art Exhibition will be a virtual event again this year. It promises to be another outstanding show.
“We anticipate having a record number of 23 schools participating this year,” says Susan Brussock, Co-Chair of the Youth Art Exhibition at Phillips’ Mill. “The program was launched in 2014 to support the artistic community of the future, and to offer aspiring artists in our region the chance to gain exposure and experience what it’s like to exhibit through aprestigious arts organization," adds Kathy Schoroeher, Co-Chair of the event.
We invite you to support the wonderful talent exhibited by our local high school kids.
Phillips’ Mill is excited to announce that its 2022 Photo Exhibition will be in the gallery at the Mill! Even more exciting? Bob Krist will be our juror. Bob is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker who has worked extensively on assignments for magazines such as National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, Smithsonian, and Islands. We will be spotlighting Bob in a future edition of the Grist.
The 2022 exhibition will be an important opportunity for us to show the strength and breadth of our photographic community. It’s been three years since the show has hung on the walls at the Mill.
Interested in getting involved? There are many opportunities, big and small, to be a part of our innovative programming. Send us an email with your interest and inquiries by clicking here.
For the past 10 years, John Stritzinger has focused on photography as his artistic expression. He has had his work in 60+ group shows.
“I got involved (with Phillips’ Mill Photo) as a volunteer E in 2011, handling the digital submissions for several years, and I put together the online exhibition for last year's print-less pandemic show. I have also been a show juror, and assisted with print intake, jury day, and hanging the show,” he notes.
John was named our "Volunteer of the Year" and is a recipient of a "Best in Show" award. His body of work called “Light Escapes Gravity" can be viewed here.
ArtTalk – The Year in Review
Due to the popularity of these lively discussions, hosted two Sundays a month on Zoom, we decided to continue our virtual programming into the New Year! As we take a short break during the holidays, we invite you to catch up on any shows you may have missed. They are uploaded to our website, typically within a few days to a week after they air, for you to enjoy. In our archives you will find interviews and behind-the-scenes looks into the lives and studios of the artists, writers, curators and others who helped shape the past year at Phillips' Mill.
Save the Dates
- January 23 - Bill Jersey
- February 13 – Focus on the Phillips' Mill Youth Art Exhibition
- February 27 – Pending
- March 13 – Janine Dunn Wade
- March 27 – Joe Gyursek
- April 10 – Focus on the Phillips' Mill Photo Exhibition
- April 24 – Paul Gratz: Stories from a Gallery Owner
A New Way to Showcase Your Art
We are inviting artists to submit a 30- to 60-second video showcasing their work as part of a new virtual exhibition called "Beyond the Frame. The show is being curated by artists Haley Manchon, Amanda Penecale and Martha Wirkijowski.
"We are giving artists a chance to express their work in a fresh new way," says Martha. "In this digital age, there are many way to express your work other than a (static) image. I am grateful to the Phillips' Mill community for giving us this opportunity to try something new. This project has been a change to collaborate and learn and share something new."
The deadline for submissions has been extended to January 30, 2022.
“Beyond the Frame offers a really cool way to display and experience art,” says Kelly Sullivan, the Lambertvile, N.J., renowned fine artist, known for her collaborative art projects, workshops and traditional oil paintings. “They are asking artists to share their favorite pieces in a short, moving retrospective.”
Sullivan will be judging the submissions from January 31 through February 2, 2022. Winners will be announced on February 7th. You can be a part of this juried virtual exhibition by making a 30- to 60-second video showcasing your art and submitting it via Smarter Entry.
Follow Phillips' Mill on Instagram and Facebook for more information, and watch the show come to life!
Create a Short Video or Animation
If you are interested in submitting your work to the "Beyond the Frame" exhibition, but don't know where to start, here are some tips compiled by the show's curators and creators. "Think of each video as a unique and animated expression of your artistic self!" says Martha Wirkijowski.
ROBERT PAPP
... and the Christmas Tree Farmer
Just in time for the holidays, we are spotlighting Robert Papp, whose painting, “The Christmas Tree Farmer,” was featured in this year’s Phillips’ Mill Juried Art Show. "When I asked hime (the owner of the nursery) if he would pose for me, he was very gracious and natural, just the kind of qualities I like to bring to life in portraits,” says Robert. “He is just this genuine, hardworking, humble, honest person, with a real proudness about him.”
Robert priced the painting high, planning to submit it to multiple shows. He never got the chance. It sold almost immediately to a gallery in Charleston, South Carolina. “The owner of the gallery said there was this one woman who would just stare at the red dot (indicating the painting was SOLD) trying to will it to change.”
See more of Papp’s work and read about journey as an artist in this month’s Artist Spotlight.
