You can’t spell yammer without “me.”

To say that I’m terribly proud of my students is a terrible understatement. Consider helping me celebrate their artistic accomplishments over juice and Vienna Fingers.

Opening Reception: Saturday, January 21st, 1:00-4:00PM
Main Line Art Center
746 Panmure Rd. Haverford, PA

Peek-sneakers, behold two colossal canvases slated for an October 6th unveiling.

Welsh Valley Middle School art teacher Todd Marrone quotes Leonardo da Vinci, “Poor is the pupil who does not surpass his master,” and typically refuses to draw or paint on a student’s project. Of course all teachers are honored when former students acknowledge their work and ask for advice so he was thrilled when his former eighth-grade pupil, graduating Lower Merion High School senior Hanna Williams of Narberth, asked him to collaborate with her on her independent community-learning project, Senior Project, which in the case of Hanna (pronounced hah-na), a talented traditional oil painter, was an art project.

The age difference or the former student/teacher tie aren’t what makes this artistic partnership unusual. Rather it’s the two artists’ very different styles. Hanna’s work is realistic and extremely detailed, the sort of thing portrait painters tried to master before the advent of photography and still awe-inspiring. Todd’s work is much more modern and abstract, taking its cue partly from the shapes of primitive painting, cartoons or even graffiti: faces, alien-like creatures or worms painted with bold lines.

“She’s evolved and I’ve de-evolved” in their styles, he likes to joke.

The resulting set of paintings, “The Colabyrinth,” debuted at Bryn Mawr’s MilkBoy café June 1 and will be on display through the end of June. There was a reception the evening of June 4 complete with live guitar music at which family, Hanna’s friends and MilkBoy patrons got to enjoy the work. The paintings are for sale. MilkBoy is in the Bryn Mawr Film Institute building at 824 E. Lancaster Ave.

Hanna learned a few things with this project: for one thing she now enjoys using paint markers as well as brushes.

Arguably she inherited some of her talent: her father, long in film production, is also an artist and used to create the puzzle page for every issue of “Highlights for Children.”

This fall Hanna is headed to Laguna College of Art and Design in California.

Of course each artist has a Web site: toddmarrone.com and hannawilliams.com.

Many moons ago, I created this logo for my professional home, Welsh Valley Middle School. In recent moons, it’s been reappreciated, resurrected and reused by the powers that be. Look for it on a mug near you.

David Robinson • Main Line Times • November, 2008

The phrase “passing the torch” may bring to mind the vision of our ancestors moving through darkened caves, with tiring elders handing the flame of leadership to the next generation. In the art world, “passing the torch” might be thought of as the moment when ancient hands drawing beasts and visions on cave walls pause to take the torch from eager apprentices and hand them charcoal and umber to begin their artistic journey.

MilkBoy Coffee in heart of Ardmore, will be the site of such an exchange First Friday, Dec. 5 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Welsh Valley Middle School’s charismatic art teacher, Todd Marrone, will be passing the torch to the young artist, Lower Merion senior Emmett DeMuzio.

“I went to the Lower Merion High School Art Showcase to see the student work,” Marrone explained. “I go to see what the high school’s are teaching, so I know how to prepare my middle school students for the high school art programs. I also go to catch up on the high school work of my former students… and it’s always a treat to see the art. The shows showcase senior art, but also include the lower grades, and I was really impressed with Emmett’s work and drawn to his style. It’s rare to see such stylistic strength at such a young age. He has a surrealistic flavor. His work is character driven, very graphic and shows a great deal of imagination. I guess it also comes down to what I like and seek in other artists.”

Marrone e-mailed DeMuzio’s art teacher to arrange a meeting, but year end school activities got in the way of meeting, and then DeMuzio went off to a summer painting course at the Rhode Island School of Design. DeMuzio has been serious about his art since middle school and has taken previous summer courses at Moore and the Philadelphia Academy.

“This fall, we finally connected and I saw his sketchbook and thought it would be interesting to do something together,” Marrone explained. Marrone’s work includes drawing and graphic design ranging from skateboards to T-shirts, and performance art. “I’ve done a few shows at MilkBoy for the past three years, and when I was asked back this year, I immediately thought of collaborating with Emmett, because he will bring a new energy and audience,” he said.

The MilkBoy performance art program will feature Marrone and DeMuzio working on stage along with the music of D.J. Lightborn and the four piece band, The Levelheads.

“We will have easels on both sides of the stage and work during the music,” Marrone explained. “We may do as many as 40 improvisational pieces, and we’ll have some hanging art for sale.

“Passing the Torch,” at MilkBoy Coffee (across from Radio Shack on Lancaster Avenue), is free and for all ages, as part of First Friday on the Main Line.