Exhibition Description: Relic is an exhibition of photographs by Rachel Zimmerman. These photos present a record of her investigations of two very different sites, the Monument to the Negev Brigade in the Negev desert in Israel and the town of Yazoo City in Mississippi.
For the Yazoo series she says: "I have always been interested in spaces without people. At that moment there is a timelessness that does not become dated by the conventions of style. The death of a small city where industry has died mirrors so many small cities across the country. A closed Yazoo City bank reinforces the monopolization of our financial institutions. The graffiti of a Star of David: is it anti Semitism or even pro Jewish/Israel? Yazoo at one point had a strong Jewish presence. My grandmother, the youngest of 13, was sent to Mississippi to be raised by her eldest sister who was married to Harry Applebaum, mayor of Yazoo from 1954-60. Even the markings on the houses are now reminiscent of Katrina and the chaos that occurred only five years earlier. Having spent time in both the South and in many small cities outside of Philadelphia, these images are examples of how so many small cities, unlike the more wealthy larger cities of the East and West coasts, are frozen in a time of stagnation."
Artist's Biography: Zimmerman graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Photography. She established Rachel Zimmerman Photography in 1994 with a concentration on black and white printing and medical photography. In 2000 Zimmerman formed Studio Z which offers both print and web design, diversifying the services offered to clients and creating a team driven work environment.
In 1999 Zimmerman founded InLiquid to increase community and visibility for independent artists; the site now has approximately 316 members, which includes artists from across the country. In her role as Executive Director of InLiquid, she has created opportunities for independent artists and arts organizations, not only through the web site but through a series of curated gallery exhibitions in various locations (including the Crane Arts Building, International House, Painted Bride Art Center, the Nexus Community Gallery, the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, west elm, URBN, and the corporate offices of the Sundance Channel) and through events such as “Art For the Cash Poor," the annual Silent Auction, and CAF (Community Arts Festival). She has served on numerous committees, including Philagrafika, MANNA’s “A Show of Hands” auction, and The Print Center auction. Currently, she serves on the Fractured Atlas Council, The Night Market Advisory Council, and advisory committees for Design Philadelphia, Fiber Philadelphia, and the art advisory committee of CFEVA. She is a member of Arttable and is also on the executive board of the Old City Arts Association, the board of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, and is an alumna of Leadership Philadelphia. In 2008 Zimmerman was named one of the region’s “Top 101 Emerging Connectors” and in 2011 was named one of the "76 Creative Connectors" through studies conducted by Leadership Philadelphia.
Zimmerman’s photography is held in a number of permanent collections, including the George Eastman House Museum in Rochester, NY. She has had exhibits at the LG Trip gallery and the Wallingford Community Arts Center.
"How can we use the language of art to explore our feelings and beliefs? What do I care about and how can I bring that idea to life? What do I want to communicate?" These are just a few of the questions that Shipley’s Studio Art 3 Honors students grappled with as they completed their protest art assignments. Learn more about this project and how students discover their voice as artists to speak about something they care about.
The Shipley Honors Combo won first place in the Small Ensemble Division 2 category at the National Jazz Festival, held April 22 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Trumpeter Aidan Peterson ‘24 won an Outstanding Musician Award and also earned the Judge’s Choice Award.
Shipley’s Lower School music program offers a one-of-a-kind musical education to its young learners, culminating in an authentic music ensemble experience. In fourth grade, students can learn to play three different instruments. The long-term benefits and goals of the program are many, extending beyond the classroom and into the lives of students and their families.
This year’s Upper School Spring Musical is Mean Girls, a modern adaptation of the classic movie from 2004. Shipley theater star and Beacon writer Colin Harkins ’23 tells us why audiences should be excited to see the show March 2-4, 2023 in Riely Theatre.
Shipley’s theater program is excited to announce that it will partner with Broadway Green Alliance, a corporation that tries to bring more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices into theaters all around the country. Read more in this article originally published in the Beacon student newspaper.
After rigorous auditions, five Shipley musicians have been accepted into auditioned choral and band ensembles including the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 11 Chorus, the American Choral Directors Association National Honors Choir, and the Philadelphia Youth Symphonic Band.
View a performance of the Lunar New Year Overture by Shipley's Chamber Orchestra, in an arrangement by Richard Liu ’25 and Bambi Tang ’23, and conducted by Mr. Jhonnatan Mata. The performance was organized by the Asian Student Alliance and the Chamber Orchestra in celebration of Lantern Festival, or the end of Lunar New Year.
You can see Lower School Art Teacher Bonnie Goldstein's new work in "Beyond Boundaries" an exhibit on display at 705 West Printshop + Gallery in Jenkintown. An opening reception is being held on Sunday, December 4 from 2:00 - 5:00 pm.
Catch Theater Director Phillip Brown as he stars in the Lantern Theater Company’s Philadelphia premiere production of The Royale by Marco Ramirez, onstage through December 11, 2022, at St. Stephen’s Theater.
When Upper School Art Teacher Tania O’Donnell’s design was selected as the next traffic calming mural in Media, she knew she had to involve her art students in the process.
Congratulations to Director of Choirs, Carlos Casilla, for receiving The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Outstanding Young Conductor Award, which recognizes the efforts of a new or aspiring choral director who, in their first 3 to 5 years of experience has already demonstrated outstanding leadership or musicianship in the field of choral music.
In April 2022, artist Peter Makela ’04 will travel to Nepal as a Fulbright Scholar. He’ll spend 10 months in the Kathmandu Valley pursuing his project, “The Radiant Emptiness of Space: Madhyamaka and Contemplative Perception,” while studying Madhyamaka philosophy at Rangjung Yeshe University, the world’s preeminent English-speaking Buddhist university. Learn more about Makela and his work.
Students in Chris Oatts’ Advanced Music Composition and Production class don’t just learn about the theory and building blocks of writing music. Starting early in the year, the advanced music students compose songs that actually get played by Shipley’s music ensembles. Oatts, an experienced professional musician, knows that “The most fun part of being a composer is actually hearing your music playing.”
“I’m not teaching drawing, painting, or printmaking. I’m teaching creative problem-solving,” says Upper School art teacher Meredith Turner. “My students may never draw, paint, or make a print again, but they’ll have to represent themselves both visually and verbally in the workplace. They’ll have to be willing to take risks, try new things, and make mistakes along the way in order to solve problems.”
Shipley senior Emma Lo has been recognized as a 2021 National YoungArts Foundation Winner in Classical Music (Piano). Through a rigorous audition process, she joins over 600of the most accomplished young visual, literary, and performing artists from across the country.
West Collection: Recent Acquisitions of Diverse Voices This exhibition focuses on nine visual artists who through their work are commenting on world issues ranging from the climate crisis, immigration and migration, and exposing human rights violations.
The Shipley School Performing Arts Department will present Beautiful Trouble to audiences everywhere on Friday, November 20 at 7:30 pm via the School's YouTube channel. The production replaces the traditional Fall Play and is a performance protest piece comprised of scenes, monologues, poetry, short films, and more. Beautiful Trouble hopes to raise awareness for issues that matter to students.
The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.