October 4, 2007 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Local Life

Hill area artists’ collective ready for huge October
by MARIE FOWLER

“Autumn Fire,” a photo taken in the Wissahickon Valley, is by John F. Hollis of Germantown, a member of the Northwest Artists’ Collective.

“It sounds like such a cliché,” remarks Chestnut Hill painted Barbara Rosin, just back from a European trip, “but the arts are so apparent there and such an integral part of the community.”

New owner brings new concept to offbeat Jean-Jacques Gallery
by JENNIFER KATZ

New York native Sherman Oberson has taken over Jean-Jacques Gallery, 7118 Germantown Ave., which will now be featuring the work of many local artists. (Photo by Erin Vertreace)

One the very first things that impressed the new owner of Jean-Jacques Gallery, New York native Sherman Oberson, about Mt. Airy was the successful integration of its community. Oberson moved here four years ago after September 11, 2001, to be with his partner, Peter Foley, a Philadelphia native.

To settle in, the couple bought a house just off Germantown Avenue on a bustling street. “People told us, ‘You’re not going to get to know your neighbors’,” said Oberson of his friends’ concern that his street was too much of a thoroughfare. “But that couldn’t be further from the truth. We know all of our neighbors. We all have parties and invite everyone on the block.”

Writes ‘spiritual self-help book’
Wyndmoor author is proving that you can go home again
by PAULA M. RILEY

Betsy Otter Thompson, who was born in Wyndmoor 71 years ago, now lives just one block away from her childhood home. Her recently published book is called The Mirror Theory — The Way to Inner Peace, Resolution and Transformation. (Photo by Paula M. Riley)

Betsy Otter Thompson, 71, has come home. After 25 years in Los Angeles, the Wyndmoor native and author is living just a block away from her childhood home. She returns with a lifetime of experiences and her newest book, The Mirror Theory — The Way to Inner Peace, Resolution and Transformation.

When she first arrived in L.A. to pursue an acting career, Thompson was experiencing a very difficult time in her life. She had been through two rough divorces, was extremely poor and struggling to survive both emotionally and financially. Hurt and blaming others for her situation, she was full of anger and pain. Thompson prayed for guidance. She clearly describes exactly what happened to her shortly thereafter: “An energy came into my life. It was the presence of light, and I knew it was the light of reason.”

Borders’ browsing leads to fabulous handbag designs
by PAT STOKES

Nakia Henry finished college with a degree in psychology and a minor in art history, but today she designs and handcrafts beautiful, sturdy handbags. (Photo by Pat Stokes)

It’s always fascinating to hear the career stories of multi-talented people whose quest for artistic or intellectual expression so often takes them on paths they may not have planned for.

The star of this week’s column, Nakia Henry, finished college with a degree in psychology, a minor in art history and an inner urge to do something creative, even though she didn’t draw or paint, yet here she is today a designer in the field of fashion.

Nakia’s a South Philly native whose college of choice was Temple. She started out using her psych training to enter the world of social work. She liked it and continues it at present, mainly with mental health cases, through a local organization. The creative drive, however, continued to speak to the current Roxborough resident, and she enrolled in a mail order course from the  New York School of Photography, which led to a successful, if short-lived, adventure with her own wedding photography business. One day, while browsing through Borders, looking  for ideas, something that would truly command her interest, she saw a Kate Spade display, not of handbags but of china. (Kate Spade does china? Where have I been?) The wheels started turning with questions about how you make such things and how you market them.

Poets’/artists’ collaboration at Hill gallery

This is “Hazel and Stella,” an 18” by 24” oil on canvas by Mt. Airy artist Eleanor Day, one of the artists whose work will be on display at the Chestnut Hill Gallery.

It began when painter Debby Souders and poet Kathleen Sheeder met at an art reception at the Chestnut Hill Gallery. Wouldn’t it be exciting, they wondered, to work together on a poetry and painting project?

Now, almost two years after that conversation, they have been joined by eight other poets and artists to create SideWays: A Poets’ and Artists’ Collaboration, which will run from Oct. 13 – 20 at the Chestnut Hill Gallery, 8117 Germantown Ave., which was recently voted “Best Art Gallery” in Philadelphia on Fox Philly’s Hot List.