USArtists American Fine Art Show & Sale Comes Home to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, October 1-3

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USArtists American Fine Art Show & Sale Comes Home to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, October 1-3

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania
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September 28, 2010

Edward H. Potthast (1857 – 1927) The Swimming Lesson, circa 1915 . Oil on panel, 12 x 16 inches. Courtesy of Gerold Wunderlich & Co

Thousands of art lovers and collectors will visit Philadelphia from October 1 – 3 for the USArtists American Fine Art Show & Sale, the nation’s largest show and sale of 18th- through 21st- century American art. For the first time in its 18-year history USArtists will move from its longtime venue at the 33rd Street Armory to its home at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, America’s first museum and school of fine arts. The move to PAFA’s Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building (128 North Broad Street, Philadelphia) makes USArtists the only show and sale of its kind to be entirely devoted to American art and presented in a museum setting. Tickets and information are now available online at www.usartists.org or by calling (215) 972-0550.

This year’s event features 36 of the country’s leading art galleries and dealers. Louis M. Salerno, owner of the New York City-based Questroyal Fine Art, LLC and longtime USArtists participant says, “USArtists has always been the premier venue for 18th- through 20th-century American art. The concept of having many of the Nation’s finest American dealers showing together is inspirational.”

Debra Force of Debra Force Fine Art, Inc. of Manhattan, NY says, “I’m excited to see that USArtists is being revitalized in its new location. It's a rewarding experience to be among other dealers and experience the camaraderie that USArtists offers.”

Joseph Stella (1877-1946) Tropical No. 1, c. 1937-38. Pastel on paper, 25 x 18 3/4 inches. Courtesy of Menconi & Schoelkopf Fine Art, LLC

Presented by the Women’s Board of PAFA as their major fundraiser, this annual three-day event showcases some of the nation’s finest original works — from colonial to contemporary — and celebrates the vitality, history, and uniqueness of American art. All proceeds from the event directly benefit student scholarships at PAFA.

“Philadelphia is a city in which support and appreciation of the arts have flourished. Some of the best museums can be found in this city, and it was the cradle of so much early American history,” says Jennifer Krieger, Managing Partner of Hawthorne Fine Art, LLC based in Manhattan, NY.

USArtists speaks to the purpose and mission of the Academy — to nurture American art and artists. As a recipient of the 2005 National Medal of Arts, which was presented by President George W. Bush, PAFA is a recognized leader in fine arts education as nearly every major American artist — a number of whom will be on display at USArtists — has taught, studied, or exhibited at the Academy.

Paul S. Gratz of Gratz Gallery and Conservation Studio in New Hope, PA says, “There is a wealth of 19th- and 20th-century painters here in our area. There are Hicks, Moran, and Peale families, and of course the Wyeth family. We have Thomas Eakins and Arthur Carles, Leon Kelly and Earl Horter. There is Martin Johnson Heade, Thomas Sully and Hermann Herzog, just to name a few.”

Artists whose works are currently set to be featured in this year’s show include: Andrew and Jamie Wyeth, Stuart Davis, George Cochran Lambdin, George Inness, Bo Bartlett, Joshua Shaw, Thomas Hart Benton, John Henry Twachtman, Rockwell Kent, Thomas Eakins, Maxfield Parrish, Marsden Hartley, and Harry Leith-Ross, among many others.

“Aside from their inherent beauty, American paintings from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries are representative of our culture, of where we were—or are—as a country at that particular point in time. Just like poetry, music and written history, paintings tell a story about our nation’s history,” says Jim Puzinas, participating dealer and owner of Blue Heron Fine Art of Cohasset, Massachusetts.

Questroyal - Benton- Swing your Partner.jpg Artist: Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975) Swing Your Partner, 1945. Watercolor and gouache on paper, 22 5/8 x 31 ½ inches. Courtesy of Questroyal Fine Art, LLC

Women’s Board

Founded in 1950 and named the Women’s Committee until 2001, the Women’s Board is aligned with the values of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and works to support PAFA in accordance with its mission statement. It assists the Board of Trustees and the President of PAFA in the implementation of programs, supports the Museum and the School through fundraising and volunteerism, and promotes awareness and appreciation of American art and American artists. The Board produces several major fundraising events each year, including several Private Previews of PAFA exhibitions and the USArtists American Fine Art Show. Proceeds support student scholarships, various museum and school programs, the Annual Student Exhibition, the commencement luncheon, and other special projects throughout the year. In the 60-year history of the Women’s Board, its members and events have contributed more than 10 million dollars in net proceeds to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA).

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is America's first school of fine arts and museum. The institution's world-class collection of American art continues to grow and provides what only a few other art institutions in the world offer: the rare combination of a world-class museum and an extraordinary faculty known for its commitment to students and for the stature and quality of its artistic work.

Museum 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. Admission to the Permanent Collection is Adults $10, Seniors & Students with I.D. $8, Youth ages 5-18, $6. Admission to Special Exhibitions (includes Permanent Collection) is Adults $15, Seniors & Students with I.D. $12, Youth ages 5-18, $8. Admission is free for members and children under the age of 5. Admission to Morris Gallery exhibitions is free.

FACT SHEET

USArtists American Fine Art Show & Sale

Dates: Friday, October 1 through Sunday October 3, 2010

Preview Gala: Thursday, September 30; 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Open to the Public beginning: Friday, October 1; 11 a.m.
New Collectors Night: Friday, October 1; 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Location: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building

128 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Tickets and information are available online at www.usartists.org or by calling (215) 972-0550.

Admission: General admission, $15
Seniors, students with ID, and groups of six or more, $12
Admission includes a full-color show catalogue and one free admission to PAFA.
Preview Gala tickets, $125 – $550
New Collectors Night, $75

Hours: USArtists is open to the public Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Group Tours: An insiders tour of USArtists with a PAFA-trained docent for groups of 6 or more. Advance reservations required. Call (215) 972-0550 for information and reservations.

USArtists Special Needs program: the first such program at any national arts fair, provides touch tours for the visually impaired with a PAFA-trained docent. Advance reservations required. Call (215) 972-0550 for information and reservations.

Featured Dealers (listed alphabetically)

Adelson Galleries, New York, NY

Alexandre Gallery, New York, NY

Arcadia Gallery, New York, NY

Avery Galleries, Bryn Mawr, PA

Babcock Galleries, New York, NY

Blue Heron Fine Art, Cohasset, MA

Jonathan Boos, Bloomfield Village, MI

HL Chalfant: American Fine Art & Antiques,

West Chester, PA

Clarke Gallery, Newburyport, MA

Thomas Colville Fine Art, LLC, Guilford, CT