
03/21/2023
Two Week Panel Mosaic Workshop - Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
Our May Mosaic Panel Workshop is now sold out! We plan to offer more in the future, so stay tuned! 🎨
Thursdays, May 18 & 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $125/participant$100/PMG member
Created by artist Isaiah Zagar, PMG is a nonprofit art museum that inspires creativity and community
Covering half a city block of indoor and outdoor space, Philadelphia's Magic Gardens (PMG) glistens with creativity. Artist Isaiah Zagar began tiling South Street in the 1960s and never stopped, eventually building a mosaic garden out of ceramic shards, broken mirrors, bicycle spokes, and vivid splashes of dyed cement. The tiled passages of PMG weave over and under ground, and perhaps more than anything through the mind of a dedicated and obsessed artist.
Operating as usual
Our May Mosaic Panel Workshop is now sold out! We plan to offer more in the future, so stay tuned! 🎨
Thursdays, May 18 & 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $125/participant$100/PMG member
Great article about Rosa Leff and her current exhibition "All the Right Places" in Al DÍA News Media! Read about the show below, then come check it out in our galleries!
The artist will close her exhibit at Philadelphia's Magic Gardens on Tuesday, May 14. Don't miss it!
There are art environments (permanent large-scale artworks that encompass an entire space and surround the viewer) all around the world. Many of these places are referenced on the walls of Philadelphia's Magic Gardens. Visit our website to learn a little more about these unique spaces!
PMG Creator Isaiah Zagar makes many references to other artists and the art environments throughout Philadelphia's Magic Gardens.
Have you been in to see "All the Right Places: Works by Rosa Leff" yet? These hand-cut paper works will blow your socks off! View this exhibition in our galleries through May 14!
Using only a single sheet of paper and a knife artist Rosa Leff creates intricate cityscapes based on photos she’s taken both at home and around the world.
We're excited to participate in South Street Headhouse District's Egg Hunt again this year! Seek out over 50 expertly decorated eggs throughout the district and win fabulous prizes! The more eggs you find, the better chance you have to win! See more details below!
Join the Egg Hunt! Over fifty eggs will be hidden in storefronts on and around South Street, and every egg you find is a chance to win!
It's been a little bit chilly out lately, so keep your noggin cozy with one of our new beanies! They're a nice bright yellow color, perfect for cool spring weather. Find them online or in-person!
Durable wool fiber beanie in golden yellow with embroidered PMG logo
Philadelphia's Magic Gardens isn't the only property fully covered in mosaics - not by a long shot! We recently found out about this incredible mosaicked home in Durham, North Carolina, created by Gene Dillard. Watch this video to discover more!
Discover the story behind the Mosaic House in Durham.
If you missed out on this month's panel mosaic workshop signups are now open for May! In this two week workshop PMG’s Preservation Team will lead you in creating your own 20” x 20” mosaic panel using the Zagar Method of mosaicking. Learn to break tile and cut mirror, plan your design, place tiles, and grout! Find more details and register on our website:
Thursdays, May 18 & 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $125/participant$100/PMG member
Get on out and make a mosaic medallion with us today! PECO Family Jams is our monthly event where we make art and provide family-friendly tours. Bring the fam and enjoy this program from Noon - 4:00, free with admission!
PECO Family Jams are PMG’s one-of-a-kind, family-oriented programs, featured every second Sunday of the month between NOON and 4:00 PM
Did you know there's way more to see at the Philadelphia Flower Show beyond flowers? For example, you can view these incredible floral-themed murals created by four local artists! Read more below, then head on over to the show, which is going on through this weekend!
For the last three years, Streets Dept Walls has been excited to curate projects for the Philadelphia Flower Show. And this year, we created a project with Mural Arts Philadelphia to celebrate the …
"To experience Pasaquan is to be completely enveloped. You are covered, swarmed, swallowed, by St. EOM’s irrepressible vision. We wanted to capture such a feeling. We wanted to use that sensibility as a pathway for making our own portal connecting our lives in Wisconsin with this incredible site one thousand miles away in Georgia." We love that the crew at SPACES Archives created a really cool site-specific installation at Pasaquan! Take a peek!
https://spacesarchives.org/resources/blog/portal-to-pasaquan/
Our friends Craft NOW Philadelphia and Nextfab Studio have partnered to present the second annual Tools of the Trades conference, a first-of-its-kind conference that aims to connect artisans to business resources, experts, and peers in the craft community. Attendees will have access to:
🛠 20+ expert presenters drawing from their lived experience as makers and artists to break intimidating topics down into practical steps.
🛠 14 interactive webinars and digital panel discussions with dedicated time and space to engage with presenters and audience members.
🛠 Virtual and in-person networking with a community of like-minded makers and crafters actively working in the field.
🛠 An invitation to promote your products, practice, or small business in our Post-Event Directory shared among registrants and in CraftNOW and NextFab media.
🛠 Our Digital Tool Kit with discounts at suppliers and organizations, recommended
resources from speakers, and registration links for one-on-one office hours.
🛠 All recordings of the sessions are made available only for ticket holders in the days that follow the conference.
🛠 Opportunities to engage at in-person workshops and Happy Hour on the Saturday following the digital programming.
Learn more and register at: https://www.toolsofthetrades.org/
This Sunday, March 12, we're making mosaic medallions at PECO Family Jams! Come and get creative from Noon - 4:00 p.m. and also enjoy some family-friendly tours, all free with admission!
PECO Family Jams are PMG’s one-of-a-kind, family-oriented programs, featured every second Sunday of the month between NOON and 4:00 PM
Curious to know more about our exhibiting artist Rosa Leff? Listen to this 2018 interview with her from philly artblog to hear more about her practice!
https://www.theartblog.org/2018/11/rosa-leff-talks-about-contemporary-cut-paper/
Did you know there's over 200 mosaic murals created by Isaiah Zagar around the city? Use our interactive mosaic mural map to discover them and learn more about them!
This interactive map is part of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens’ preservation initiative. This map is a work in progress,...
Great news about Ron's Place, the art environment that was in danger of being destroyed in the UK: it was saved by a last minute loan! Ron Gittins secretly covered his flat in art over a 30 year span, but after he passed away the fate of his creation was uncertain. Now, thanks to the loan from a benefactor named Tamsin Wimhurst, the space can be saved to become a community resource promoting art and mental health awareness.
Benefactor’s offer allays fears sale of building could strip Birkenhead flat of works built up over 30 years
TONIGHT! Join us for the public opening reception for "All the Right Places: Works by Rosa Leff" from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.! Be one of the first to see these amazing cut paper artworks, enjoy some light refreshments, and chat with the artist!
Using only a single sheet of paper and a knife artist Rosa Leff creates intricate cityscapes based on photos she’s taken both at home and around the world.
Rosa Leff uses a single sheet of paper and an exacto knife to create highly detailed and complex works of art. Watch this short video to learn more about her process and inspirations, and then come see her work in person in our galleries! "All the Right Places" opens tomorrow, March 3!
Video by EYELUM
If you're not able to experience Philadelphia's Magic Gardens in person, our virtual tour is the next best thing! Click around and explore!
http://bit.ly/3ICTUkp
This Friday "All the Right Places: Works by Rosa Leff" opens in our galleries! Created using a single sheet of paper and an exacto knife, Leff's cityscapes are incredibly detailed and impressive. Join us for the public opening reception from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. on Friday, March 3!
Using only a single sheet of paper and a knife artist Rosa Leff creates intricate cityscapes based on photos she’s taken both at home and around the world.
Mexican papier-mâché art can take many forms: from masks, to alebrijes, to piñatas. We wish we lived closer to the Museum of International Folk Art to check out this show of vibrant papier-mâché works, but we'll settle for drooling over the photos!
La Cartonería Mexicana is drawn from traditional masks, sculptures, toys, and piñatas.
We're pleased to share this short video we recently created that provides an introduction to Philadelphia's Magic Gardens and founding artist Isaiah Zagar. Give it a watch to learn some of the fascinating history of our space!
Learn about the stories and history behind Philadelphia's Magic Gardens.
Last call to see "In Between and All at Once: Works by Chloe Luisa Piñero" in our galleries! The show's up through Sunday, so plan your visit to see Piñero's bewitching mixed media works!
Chloe Luisa Piñero examines her identity in relation to sexuality, social class, and cultural norms around femininity and gender.
Painted Bride preservation battle: Philadelphia zoning fight update
The Old City art center with the Isaiah Zagar mural is now slated to be demolished, after neighbors blocked a unique apartment building.
Have we mentioned lately how much we love Bisa Butler's quilts? They're like incredible fabric mosaics! Butler's works center on recognizing individuals' "accomplishments throughout history, often those of regular people who were extraordinarily courageous in the face of immense adversity." They're truly amazing to behold!
At the core of Bisa Butler's practice is a recognition of individuals' accomplishments throughout history.
We're looking for a few more Teaching Artists for our Twilight in the Gardens program this summer! Each Twilight event features a different artist who leads a hands-on art activity with our guests. It can be anything from printmaking, to collage, to mini-weavings, and everything in between! Email [email protected] for more information!
Fourth Fridays, May – October 7:00 – 10:00 PM $25/ Adults $20/ Students & Seniors $16/ PMG Members Join Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) for our Twilight in the Gardens series! On these special evenings experience PMG after hours with a live musical performance, guided art workshop, and casu...
We are open today for our usual hours of 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.! We're also offering extra guided tours at 10:00 a.m. and Noon. Visit our website to purchase your general admission or tour tickets, and we'll see you soon!
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) is a mosaicked visionary art environment, gallery, and community arts center that preserves, interprets, and provides access to Isaiah Zagar’s unique mosaic art environment and his public murals.
We're getting really excited for our next exhibition, "All the Right Places: Works by Rosa Leff!" Using only a single sheet of paper and a knife artist Rosa Leff creates intricate cityscapes. While studying papel picado (cut paper) in Puebla, Mexico, Leff contemplated the complexity of Mexican and American cultures. In this exhibition she takes a deep look into these cultures and the misconceptions that can often arise from stereotypes, and transforms these observations into highly-detailed cut paper artworks.
Come out for the opening reception on Friday, March 3, from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.!
Using only a single sheet of paper and a knife artist Rosa Leff creates intricate cityscapes based on photos she’s taken both at home and around the world.
It's hard to believe, but there's only about a week left to see "In Between and All at Once: Works by Chloe Luisa Piñero" in our galleries! We absolutely love this dynamic collection of mixed media works, and we know you will too! Come out and view the show before it comes down on February 26!
Chloe Luisa Piñero examines her identity in relation to sexuality, social class, and cultural norms around femininity and gender.
Once you get past its unfortunate name, "Tramp Art" is actually pretty cool. Popular in the early 1900s, this craft was created largely by untrained artists who used pocket knives to intricately carve cigar boxes. Learn more below!
What shall we keep a keen eye out for at our next expedition to the flea market? Tramp Art! No I haven't just insulted you, I'm talking about the little-known and often misunderstood branch of outsider art; curiously whittled wood works intricately carved from discarded cigar boxes – that's right,...
Our Education Team needs tiles! They've got a lot of programming coming up and are in need of tiles to use in art activities. Colorful and/or patterned tiles are preferred, but we'll accept anything! Please email [email protected] if you have some to donate. Thank you!
There are many many artists from whom PMG Founder Isaiah Zagar draws inspiration. One of these artists is Jasper Johns (b. 1930) who is an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker.
“I prefer work that appears to come out of a changing focus.” Zagar includes this quote from Johns at PMG, which continues, “not just one relationship or even a number of them but constantly changing and shifting relationships to things in terms of focus.”
Learn more about Jasper Johns below!
Jasper Johns was an artist that came onto the scene in the 1950s. Much of the work that he created led the American public away from the expressionism form, and towards an art movement or form known as the concrete. He would depict many flags and maps, and this created a more distinct style with the...
The battle for the Bride is reaching an end and is resulting in a loss. As our Executive Director, Emily Smith, put it, "the planned destruction of the Painted Bride mosaic is a case of NIMBY-ism at its most tragic. No one wins here.” Read on to learn more.
In June, a Philadelphia judge rejected the developer's plans for apartments that would have preserved the Painted Bride Art Center's signature mosaic by artist Isaiah Zagar in Old City.
Our Valentine's Day Tours are officially sold out! We look forward to seeing those of you who signed up! ❤🥰💗
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 6:30 & 8:00 PM- SOLD OUT! $25/ Person $16/ Member Fall in love all over again this year at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens. Join us for an intimate tour focusing on the many romantic aspects of our glittering galleries and labyrinth. Learn about the love story of PMG creato...
Before you hunker down to cheer on the Birds come on out and craft with us! We'll be making found-object robots today from Noon - 4:00 p.m.. We've got everything you need to make your own fun creation, and it's free with admission!
PECO Family Jams are PMG’s one-of-a-kind, family-oriented programs, featured every second Sunday of the month between NOON and 4:00 PM
Need a unique gift for your Valentine? We've got you! We have a great selection of fun Philadelphia's Magic Gardens items, colorful folk art, and eclectic locally-made jewelry. Some items are available in-store only, so stop by!
http://phillymagicgardens.bigcartel.com/
South Street Headhouse District has put together a self-guided tour highlight Black History on South Street! Use their interactive map to discover the stories behind 11 different locations:
Black History and South Street History are inseperable: from the all-Black Engine #11 fire station, to the Seventh Ward and sociological studies of W.E.B. DuBois; from Black community members like educator and civil rights activist Octavius V. Catto, artist Conrad Booker, and skateboarder Roger Brow...
Today our management team is taking a trip down to Baltimore to visit the American Visionary Art Museum! While there we're going to check out their current exhibition, "Abundance," which "is a wildly joyful, community-building contemplation of just what constitutes real wealth by exploring what lies at the heart of deep satisfaction, productive happiness, and gratefulness, both individual and collective." It features the work of some of our favorite artists, like Nek Chand Saini and Rosa Leff! Follow us on Instagram to see some photos from our visit!
AVAM’s 27th original thematic mega-exhibition is a wildly joyful, community-building contemplation of just what constitutes real wealth by exploring what lies at the heart of deep satisfaction, productive happiness, and gratefulness, both individual and collective. Nowhere is the quest for persona...
Make a funky found-object robot at this weekend's Family Jams! We'll give you all the supplies you need to decorate your own little robotic friend, including buttons, beads, tiles and more. Noon - 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 12, free with admission!
PECO Family Jams are PMG’s one-of-a-kind, family-oriented programs, featured every second Sunday of the month between NOON and 4:00 PM
Another art environment needs your support! Ron's Place, located near Liverpool, England, is a unique and internationally acclaimed ‘visionary art environment' created by Ron Gittins (1939 - 2019). Volunteers have been paying the rent since Ron's passing, but now the landlord has put the building up for sale and the site is at risk of demolition. Visit the GoFundMe below for more information and to donate!
Ron’s Place is a unique and internationally acclaimed ‘visionary art environment' crea… Jan Williams needs your support for Saving Ron's Place for the nation
1020 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
19147
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Next weekend is our PECO Family Jams event with Ricky Boscarino! Known for his amazing art environment, called Luna Parc, in New Jersey, Boscarino will be showing us how to make fun garden ornaments with bottle caps. Join us from 12:00 - 4:00 PM on August 14! https://bit.ly/3zbYov3
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens was created using a wide assortment of materials salvaged and donated by members of the surrounding community. Materials such as broken mirrors, leftover tiles, cracked dishes, used bottles, and bent bicycle wheels would have been added to landfill. Instead, Isaiah Zagar used them to create PMG and over 200 mosaicked murals throughout Philadelphia, as well as the 10,000-square foot warehouse he is currently transforming. This month’s program was born from a large donation of square white tiles which we will turn into prized keepsakes through an image-transfer technique. PECO Family Jams are PMG’s one-of-a-kind, family-oriented programs, featured every second Sunday of the month between NOON and 4:00 PM.
The names of many art environments and their creators are lovingly woven through the mosaics of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens. One of these is Tom Every, creator of the Forevertron in Wisconsin. During his career as an industrial scrapper Every saw elegance, whimsy, and even personality in the objects he dismantled and later turned into large-scale sculptures. This month’s craft is inspired by Every’s work. PECO Family Jams are PMG’s one-of-a-kind, family-oriented programs, featured every second Sunday of the month between NOON and 4:00 PM. Visitors will receive a FREE Craft Kit with admission while supplies last. No reservations are required for PECO Family Jams, but admission tickets should be purchased in advance.
Isaiah Zagar, creator of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, started “upcycling” long before the term existed. Using salvaged materials which would have ended up in landfill – broken dishes, leftover tiles, old mirror, empty bottles, bent bicycle wheels – Isaiah created our art environment as well as more than 200 mosaicked murals throughout the city. This month, we invite you to “upcycle” PMG booklets which feature glossy photographs of Isaiah’s artworks. By turning these into collaging pages, we will create custom greeting cards and lavish boxes worthy of being gifts in themselves.
The average lifespan of a butterfly is less than a month so employees at the Philadelphia Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion routinely collect butterfly wings from the grounds of their 7000 square-foot Butterfly Pavilion. This month, the Insectarium helps us transform these naturally occurring masterpieces into small, exquisite pieces of art. Meet some of the Insectarium’s favorite critters face to face or use a scavenger hunt to discover the many animals found in Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens’ mosaics. PECO Family Jams are PMG’s one-of-a-kind, family-oriented programs, featured every second Sunday of the month between NOON and 4:00 PM.
The current art exhibition at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, "Hecho en México/ Made in Mexico," highlights the work of Mexican folk artists with whom PMG creator Isaiah Zagar has been collaborating for many years. This PECO Family Jams program is inspired by the Lorenzo family, three generations of artists from Guerrero, Mexico who create paintings on Masonite hardboard using bold lines and colors in playful depictions of everything from saints and village landscapes to luchadores and jaguar dancers. Visitors will receive hardboard, paint, transfer paper, and a selection of simple patterns to get you started, or you can find your own materials to use at home! PECO Family Jams are PMG’s one-of-a-kind, family-oriented programs, featured every second Sunday of the month between NOON and 4:00 PM. Visitors will receive a FREE Craft Kit with admission while supplies last.
Visiting Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens is a full sensory experience. While walking through our art environment, catch the scent of flowers and backyard barbecues, listen to the sounds of the city and the birds that flit through the artworks, feel the uneven textures of tiles and grout underfoot, and watch the light change in dazzling reflections from fragments of mirror embedded in the mosaics. This month, Katie Parry and Ash Limés Castellana from the Fabric Workshop and Museum lead us through a printmaking adventure that actively engages all of our senses and encourages us to deeply explore our surroundings. Whether you're able to join us in person and pick up a kit, or you're using materials from home, watch this instructional video to guide you through the activity! PECO Family Jams are PMG’s one-of-a-kind, family-oriented programs, featured every second Sunday of the month between NOON and 4:00 PM. Visitors will receive a FREE Craft Kit with admission while supplies last. No reservations are required for PECO Family Jams, but admission tickets should be purchased in advance.
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