Who doesn't like free? Throw in some art and history, and you got me. After a day of walking…read morearound and standing in lines to see other sites, I just walked right in here and went about the exhibits at my own pace. I realize that as I am writing this, this may not be open to the public because of the uptick in the new wave. The main exhibit in here is the 'People of Independence.' Which gives you a glimpse of how things were back in those times. The description states something along the lines of "those that prized order and reason" while living in a world or disease, slavery, and the unknown. Oh, if they only knew. The building itself was an amazing piece of art itself. High ceilings, original fixtures, and your typical looking bank building. They have made a few upgrades to the building, but overall it looks like how it was intended to look. Like I said, I went at my own pace here to take in what I wanted, when I wanted. Be aware of the other people in here, some of them will attempt to push you along. Just stand your ground and you will discover a bit of history that you were unaware of.

Hidden Gem in Old City…read more If you are planning a trip to Philadelphia, I highly recommend adding this stop on your spots to visit. It is free and has many portraits of prominent figures that worked on building what we call America today. This location only recently reopened possibly due to government funding being low on certain venues. We were running a few minutes late for the 1pm tour and asked one of the workers there if we missed the deadline and he replied, " you guys are the tour as you are the only ones who showed up for it"! Hey, works for us lol. After stopping here, you have many spots in the immediate surrounding area you can head to. I recommend if you are coming from out of town to spend at least a week in the city and don't forget to try a Philly cheesesteak, a Philly soft pretzel, and a water ice! As always people SYOY!!!

Toiling away in his castle, one of the few remaining classically trained sculptors, Christopher…read moreCollins, painstakingly produces timeless fine art and the occasional cool gorilla sculpture. Need a gift for the oligarch who has everything? How about a museum quality bronze bust or oil-painted portrait?

I have personally visited and acquired art from this gallery…read more But, don't let the gallery name, Works on Paper, deceive you in to thinking that this venue offers only drawings and prints. The gallery also has a diverse inventory of original paintings and sculptural objects. And, there is no reason to travel to Chelsea, NY as the gallery specializes in emerging and contemporary art in a spectrum of both media and artistic styles. The space is conveniently located in the heart of Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square amid the bustle of Walnut Street, directly above American Apparel. The gallery space is large and open with natural light and a constantly changing exhibition of contemporary masters (Andy Warhol, Richard Serra, Chuck Close, Richard Diebenkorn, James Rosenquist, Jasper Johns, Sean Scully and Sol Lewitt, et al) and contemporary artists whose name and history should be more household but is more broadly museum-based (e.g., Toby Kahn). According to the the gallery owner, Works on Paper publishes, distributes and trades important Print editions and is also vested in developing the next generation of important artists ranging from abstract to street-based to post modern landscapes to architectural interiors, all in a variety of media. The gallerist, Evan Slepian, is ideally suited for his profession - he is immediately likeable, recognizably passionate, intellectually knowledgeable and connected to the American and European art community. Mr. Slepian is conversant on the subject of his art and artists without being condescending and his pricing is comparatively reasonable with fine and collectible art ranging from offerings of a few hundred dollars to a million plus. This top floor gallery is a top notch space with inventory worth exploring like any great public, private or museum collection. Keep your eyes open when visiting, it's easy to be overwhelmed and miss an exotic desktop object or small canvas casually placed as if in your private home. Highest of recommendations.

This is such a great gallery!…read more It's in a prime location in Rittenhouse Square, right next to the Apple Store and above American Apparel. It's easy to miss it as it's on the top floor, but once you find it, you'll be happy you did. Lots of interesting artwork there, and displayed very well. Even the restrooms are adorned with some gems - including a few Shepard Fairey pieces you can't help but love.

We just celebrated our one year anniversary and one if my favorite parts was going back through our…read morepictures! After stalking Drew's pictures of other people's weddings for years, I knew nobody else would be good enough for ours. The pictures are absolutely incredible, everyone who sees them can't believe how beautiful they are, and the day itself was so much fun!! We also rented the photobooth which was GREAT! You can fit more people than many other booths and switch between black and white or color. Can't say enough good things about Drew Noel photography!!!!

When I shaved off my long hair Drew did the "before and after" photos. I had recently moved so all…read morethe photographers I'd modeled for in the past were too far away to do two shoots in a week. I looked through many local photographers, saw his edgy work as a good sign and contacted him via Facebook to tell him about my idea. He was excited and gave me pricing and availability. His rates are very reasonable and we ended up shooting far longer than quoted - so I got extra bang for my bucks! When we met in person he was professional and easy going. The studio was cozy. I was definitely at ease. He listened to my ideas and added some of his own- we did many takes on lighting -each more beautiful than the last. He emailed me selected photos immediately and all the photos a few weeks later (all 2,000!). They are absolutely gorgeous. Really, his great work has brought my vanity up a notch. When I tell people I shaved my head I always show them the first photo he sent me with both versions of me edited into the same frame. They always exclaim how good I look with a shaved head. Then they realize the girl with the long hair in the picture is also me and they freak out over how cool the photo is. Long story short: Drew does great work. I'd hire him again in a heartbeat and it'd be my absolute pleasure and good fortune to be in his photographs.

Visited the gallery and she was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. One of the best informative…read moregalleries in town.

This gallery is a must-visit when spending time in Lambertville. The director is a real pro. She…read moregave me an overview of Kelly's work and unique technique, as well as some cool history about the celebrity collaborations. There was also an interactive element that I haven't seen in a gallery before - I was able to scan codes on my phone for more info about the art. Stylistically I loved that there are some really bold, unique pieces as well as more subdued traditional ones, so the experience definitely evokes a range of positive emotions!

The Rooster display sure was different. This gallery can usually be hit or miss (as is the case…read morewith all of them). But I'm generally intrigued by it's selection. It always has artists who manage to add an interesting theme into their work. Aside from the roosters, some of the other displays I have seen here have included one that incorporated wrenches and other tools into it's artwork, and another that placed nature scenes into locations that were very un-nature like.

Small, bare-bones gallery that's run by a cooperative, so you never know what you might see on the…read morewalls here. I stopped in recently to see Steve Messenger's show, and was quite impressed by the detail and personality in his portraits, especially since his subjects express themselves through the smallest shift of the eye or flick of the ear. The coop members who "gallery sit" are welcoming and helpful, and beyond that, there's not a whole lot to say - this is a simple space that lets the art speak for itself.

Milton Perry is quite simply an excellent photographer.He is a well established photographer with…read morean incredible reputation as a fashion,portrait photographer.He also has an amazing eye for capturing the beautiful moments with children. His lighting is so beautiful everyone walks away shocked at how great they look. Through the years he has given me some great images which I used to get different commercial and fine arts jobs. I highly recommend him!

Thank goodness! I could not remember Perry's full name but I've needed new pictures for 2 years…read moreand out of the 6 six photographers Ive used he has been the best. So glad I finally found him on yelp.

Even though I came across this place as a result of a fabulous YEE (thanks Michelle!) I feel I can…read morepretty well review it on it's merits. The Promise Studios are a collective of working artists working in converted industrial spaces - everything from sculpture to painting to mixed-media to furniture/wood art. It's a rambling, hidden (very little signage), stripped down space that contains some very super cool art and the artists who create. It's really different seeing the work in the context of the artists studio as opposed to seeing it curated in a gallery. Plus, it's super cool seeing the artists themselves, talking with them, getting to understand them and their work. Oh, and the Rev. Dr. Steak, generally a very reserved guy who is not into art or anything that is not sports thought it was a very interesting experience. That is saying something, my friends. Very cool place, hoping for more events this summer that will take this Main Line gal north of Girard again soon!