Diorama exhibit - "First Friday" reception.....

[Ken Hamilton]

Last night (9/7/12) was the first reception for my show at the LaPelle Gallery
in Philadelphia.  As mentioned before, I'm exhibiting 5 pieces during a show of
paintings by my old friend Fred Danziger.  Here are a few pics.......

An overview of "my" area before the crowds starting passing through.
Four pieces on pedestals; one on the wall:


Here's the Rainbow Motel with Fred's 4'x 8' "Four Seasons" in the background:


In one corner, "Storefronts" and the monochromatic mine, both 1/87th scale:


That's Fred on the left looking at "Home Sweet Home"


The Gallery was consistently crowded all night and
the dioramas got quite a bit of attention.


It was a great time.  There's another reception tomorrow afternoon
(Sunday 9/9/12).  Come on down!

[W.P. Rayner]

Very nice Ken... looks like a great show. Glad to hear you had a good turn-out for the opening. One concern though... your dioramas are out in the open. I would have thought they'd have a clear case over them. Aren't you concerned about finger-poking damage and pilfering? Out here they'd be destroyed or stolen within minutes regardless of how many people were watching over them.

Paul

[Ray Dunakin]

Very cool!

I too wonder about the lack of protective covering.

[Ken Hamilton]

One concern though... your dioramas are out in the open

I chose not to enclose them because cases restrict the viewer's vision (reflections,
etc.) and, to me, separate them from the work.  I'd rather viewers be pulled in for a closer,
unencumbered look than encouraged to "keep out" by locking the work in a case.  
...Time will tell if my faith in gallery goers is justified.......

[Mike Engler]

Congratulations Ken. Fine art works. I think they will be safer than if they were displayed at a model railroad convention.

[finescalerr]

Once again I want to express my satisfaction that dioramas are in an ART show and therefore, at least among one group of aficionados, considered art.

At the same time, I hope the phony nonsense of the art world never will affect the attitudes or approach of dioramists. I have friends who work as artists and their horror stories about shows and patrons are chilling; enough to make me wonder why they want to be part of such a pretentious bunch of tasteless nincompoops. The same condemnation applies to the music world. (Ask me how I know.)

But the important thing is that some people now see the modeler for what he is: a creative talent, not merely a childish construction worker who builds in miniature.

Way to go, Ken.

Russ

[SandiaPaul]

Had a great time seeing the models, oops I mean "ART" and chatting with Ken.
The stuff looked great and it was great to see it in that setting.

Paul

[TRAINS1941]

Diane and I went into the city on Sunday.  What a great time we had the show was just excellent.  An seeing Ken's "Art" in a gallery setting is just so much better than seeing it on a computer screen.

And meeting his long time friend Fred. As Ken pointed out in some of Fred's work there work is very similar.  As both are into details.

So once again congratulations to Ken for a fine show.

Diane and Jerry

[Ken Hamilton]

Diane, Jerry & Paul:
Thanks so much for coming to the reception.  It was great to see you.
Glad you all had a good time..!!

[Geoff Ringle]

Ken, 

Congratulations, it was fantastic to see your work featured in the gallery setting.   The gallery did a nice job of arranging the exhibit.

The highlight for me was the arcade.  I may need to go back... this time with a camera.  Being able to appreciate the motel and home-sweet-home "in the round" was super... something about the formality of great work on a pedestal adds to the experience.

The monochromatic mine was quite successful as a wall piece.  I do think the smaller store front / cityscape should be on a higher pedestal.

Also, great to meet and chat with Paul & family and Jerry & Diane.   

Geoff

[kathymillatt]

Ken

I wish I could come and see them in person as they look so impressive.

Well done,

Kathy

[nk]

I flew down from Boston to see Ken's show over the weekend. It was well worth the visit. It was great to see his dioramas in a gallery setting and to see how well they (to quote The Dude) tied the room together. They actually were a very strong preence in the centre of the room, and the rainbow motel held the centre of the main gallery.  My crystal ball says that this is not the last time we will see Ken's dios in a gallery.

[michael mott]

Ken, I am really happy that your work is being shown in an Art Gallery. Art Galleries are a great venue for showing the members of the community that there are many more ways to art than the traditional view of pictures on a wall whatever the medium or 3 dimensional traditional compilations of clay metal and stone.

Your excellent work demonstrates a particular vehicle for illustrating our modern world, and after all isn't that what art is all about. Artist creating their own interpretations of their worlds.

Congratulation on your exhibition.

Michael

[Ken Hamilton]

Just got back from a week's vacation, interrupted by a trip to Philly on Wednesday to take down the show. 
While I was away, Narayan ("NK" on the Forum) sent a message he had come down from Cambridge to see
the show.  He even attached photographic proof......



The show went great - no sales, but a lot of positive response, particularly from the gallery owner, who
invited me into a Group Show that will hang in the gallery during November & December. This could actually
lead to something!

Thanks for all the nice comments........

[Ray Dunakin]

That's great, Ken! It's nice to see finescale modeling getting some serious respect.