US Artists in Philadelphia Present 55 of the Nation's Leading Art Galleries
55 Galleries Exhibit 5,500 Paintings at USArtists: American Fine Art Show,
the Nation’s Leading American Art Show and Sale, October 19-21, 2007,
benefiting the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
PHILADELPHIA (August 2007) – Fifty-five of the nation’s leading art galleries from across the country will display more than 5,000 works by established and emerging artists at USArtists: American Fine Art Show, the premier American art exposition in the country. The three-day show and sale, produced by the Women’s Board of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, offers an extraordinary collection of American art for sale, spanning the 18th to 21st centuries. The 16th annual event, which runs Friday, October 19, through Sunday, October 21, 2007, at the 33rd Street Armory in Philadelphia, is presented by Pitcairn and benefits the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
“Imagine shopping a single street filled with the finest galleries in the United States, one door after the other. For three days in October, USArtists is that street,” said USArtists Co-chair Sandra Marshall. She continued, “People who come simply to enjoy the collections stroll the aisles alongside art professionals and serious collectors of American art. It’s a fascinating experience for all of them.”
Featured fine art dealers for the 2007 show figure among the most prominent in the nation and include Mark Borghi Fine Art, Inc. (N.Y., Calif.); Forum Gallery (N.Y., Calif.); Aaron Payne Fine Art (N.Y., New Mexico); Spanierman Gallery, LLC (N.Y.); and Meredith Ward Fine Art (N.Y.). Among the artists represented are Romare Bearden, Bo Bartlett, Cecilia Beaux, James Buttersworth, Alexander Calder, Mary Cassat, Linda Christensen, Stuart Davis, Sam Gilliam, David Hockney, John Marin, George McNeil, Stephen Pace, Theodore Robinson, Dox Thrash, Tom Wesselmann, Andrew Wyeth, Jaimie Wyeth, and Marguerite Zorach. Offerings include paintings, sculpture, and works on paper.
“USArtists is the largest show and sale of American fine art,” said USArtists Co-chair Susan Muller. She added, “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see important works that will likely go to private collections. Many of our visitors also like to take advantage of the USArtists free pass to the Pennsylvania Academy. It makes a wonderful weekend.”
USArtists offers a number of events within the event that broaden the visitor’s experience. Free 15-minute lectures by the art dealers in their booths cover topics from the background and impact of specific artists to tips on displaying and protecting your collection. Studio art classes give onlookers a glimpse of artists in the making, as students from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts sketch models at the show. For a real insider’s glimpse, Academy-trained docents offer personalized tours of the show each day before USArtists opens to the public. There is also a touch tour for the visually impaired. New Collectors Night, on Saturday, October 20, gives those starting their collections a chance to meet and greet each other, as well as the dealers, over cocktails and to benefit from informal dealer tips.
This year marks the fourth year that Pitcairn has been Presenting Sponsor and Preview Gala Host. “Pitcairn is honored to continue its long-term support of USArtists and join the endeavors set forth by the Women’s Board to educate the next generation of art enthusiasts,” said Dirk Jungé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pitcairn Financial Group.
USArtists is the Women's Board's major annual fundraising project. Last year, the Women’s Board made a gift of $275,000 to the Academy to support scholarships and programs.
General admission to USArtists is $15 and includes a bound, full-color show catalogue. Seniors and students with ID pay $12; groups of six or more, $12. Pennsylvania Academy members with member tickets and children 12 and under are admitted free. Discounted tickets are available on www.usartists.org. Show times are 11:00 am - 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 11:00 am - 5:00 pm on Sunday. A Preview Gala on Thursday, October 18, is also open to the public, with tickets ranging from $175 to $550. New Collectors Night tickets are $65. For Preview Gala tickets, New Collectors Night, daily tickets or more information, call 215-972-7639; discounted tickets are available at www.usartists.org. The 33rd Street Armory is located on 33rd Street, between Market and Arch Streets, three blocks west of 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.
Admission to USArtists also includes free admission to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Founded in 1805 by artist, scientist and civic leader Charles Willson Peale, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the oldest museum and school of fine arts in the nation. Visitors can view a collection that spans more than 200 years, including a new exhibit, “Space Is the Place,” opening Friday, October 19, 2007. Curated by Alex Baker, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Toby Kamps, Senior Curator at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, the exhibition features installations, paintings, works on paper, audio, and video created over the past 10 years that focus on the theme of space exploration. The museum is located at 128 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, less than two miles from the show site.
USArtists: American Fine Art Show is the first of three prestigious shows grouped under the banner, “Philadelphia Falls for the Arts.” All three are presented by Women’s Committees to benefit world-renowned Philadelphia museums. Following USArtists, Treasures: From the Silk Road to the Santa Fe Trail runs October 26-28, 2007. Contact www.museum.upenn.edu or treasures@museum.upenn.edu. The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show takes place November 8-11, 2007. Contact www.pmacraftshow.org or twcpma@philamuseum.org.
About the Women’s Board of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
The Women’s Board of the Pennsylvania Academy is committed to furthering the Academy’s mission. Established 57 years ago, the Women’s Board has a long and distinguished history of successfully developing and producing events that raise critical funds for the Pennsylvania Academy. These events include a Private Preview of the major Winter exhibition at the Museum, the Annual Student Exhibition and Preview Party and USArtists: American Fine Art Show. Each year, the Women’s Board’s annual gift to the Academy works to strengthen the institution and enhance the quality of student life. For more information on the Women’s Board or its’ programming, please visit http://www.pafa.org/womensBoard.jsp and www.usartists.org.
About the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is America's oldest continually operating school of fine arts and museum. A recipient of the 2005 National Medal of Arts presented by the President of the United States of America, the Academy is a recognized leader in fine arts education. The institution's world-class collection of American art continues to grow and includes major works by the Academy's faculty and alumni, both current and historic.
Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Academy is located at 118-128 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia, two blocks north of City Hall, and is accessible by numerous SEPTA lines, including Regional Rail, the Market-Frankford Line, the Broad Street Line and bus routes.
About Pitcairn
Pitcairn is a privately held multi-family office dedicated to helping clients grow and protect their financial assets and enrich their family’s legacy. One of the original family offices, Pitcairn has been managing family wealth across multiple generations and has been instrumental in defining the family office experience for some of the world’s most successful families. Still a groundbreaking firm after eight decades, Pitcairn is recognized for its innovation, leadership and pioneering wealth transfer strategies.
The company was established as a single family office in 1923 to preserve the wealth and resources of the descendants of John Pitcairn, co-founder of Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company (currently PPG industries). Today, the firm leverages the intimate knowledge and expertise gained from serving the Pitcairn family, as well as other individuals and multi-generational families, to help clients ensure their wealth for future generations.
Pitcairn serves its clientele and their advisors from the national office in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania and two regional offices in St. Davids, Pennsylvania and Vienna, Virginia. For more information on Pitcairn, call 800.211.1745 or visit www.pitcairn.com.
Release Date: Wednesday, August 22nd 2007
