artsy forager

Category: Figurative

  • Color Harvest: The Deep Blue Sea

    Color Harvest: The Deep Blue Sea

    Maybe it’s finally living in a place surrounded by water after living in the desert last year, but I have been finding such inspiration in the various hues of blue to be found in the waters around Seattle!  So many gorgeous shades from the deepest, darkest blue to green aquas, I just want to plunge right in and see what mysteries await!

    IMG_1114It’s only natural that this blue obsession is trickling over into the artwork I’m foraging on my Pinterest boards.. here’s a little deep blue sea inspiration to get your own seas churning!

    Color Harvest_Deep Blue Sea

     

    [ clockwise, from top left: Elena Kalis |  John Armleder | Miranda Lake | Emily Ferretti studio | Michal Fargo | Jennifer JL Jones

    What colors are inspiring you this summer?

    All image credits linked above.

     

     

  • In Public: Scott Duce

    In Public: Scott Duce

    One of my favorite things about Seattle, or any big city for that matter, is the people watching. Anywhere we go, there is always such an intriguing array of humanity to be observed! New York artist Scott Duce must agree, because his latest series, In Public, focuses on observations of urban individuals.

    Pink Stripes by Scott Duce
    Pink Stripes, oil on panel, 12×12
    Woman With Flowers by Scott Duce
    Woman With Flowers, oil on panel, 12×12

    Walking in a big city, you definitely get a sense of being on display, but then there is also a strange contradictory feeling of the ability to melt into the crowd. Duce’s choice to isolate each figure against a monochromatic background serves to call attention to the specialness of each individual and the uniqueness of each moment.

    Skinny Man by Scott Duce
    Skinny Man, oil on panel, 12×12
    Summer Stop by Scott Duce
    Summer Stop, oil on panel, 12×12

    As we each move through life, we do not do so in a bubble. We are one of many, each individual an important part of the the entire sum.

    Fashion Runner 4 by Scott Duce
    Fashion Runner 4, oil on panel, 12×12

    Want to see more of Scott Duce’s work? Please check out his website.

    All images via the artist’s website. Artist found via Hidell Brooks Gallery.

  • Relaxed Vision: Teil Duncan

    Relaxed Vision: Teil Duncan

    The weatherman is saying it is going to the H-O-T in Seattle this weekend– like high 80s, low 90s hot.  That’s like Florida hot!  With the coming onslaught of warmth and sunshine, I couldn’t resist sharing the work of Charleston artist Teil Duncan.

    Beach Talk by Teil Duncan
    Beach Talk, gouache and acrylic on panel, 30×24
    Lean In by Teil Duncan
    Lean In, gouache and acrylic on panel, 18×81

    Duncan’s work perfectly captures the bustle to be found at the beach on a summer’s day.  Scenes of bikini clad gals gabbing on the sand and striped umbrellas tilted jauntily signal a good time being had by all.

    Coastal Color by Teil Duncan
    Coastal Color, gouache and acrylic on panel, 36×63
    Memorial Day Way by Teil Duncan
    Memorial Day Way, gouache and acrylic on panel, 36×36

    Just as we squint our eyes upon waking from an oceanside nap, Duncan’s abstract style mixes well with the relaxed vision a day at the beach ( or pool as below! ) can bring.

    Pool Corner by Tiel Duncan
    Pool Corner, gouache and acrylic on panel, 28×22

    I’m sure many in Seattle ( and beyond! ) will be hitting the beach this weekend.  I think Mr. F and I will be seeking out cooler temps in higher elevations.. 😉  Want to see more work from Teil Duncan?  Check out her website and shop on BigCartel.  This beauties are not just lovely but affordable, too!

    All images are via the artist’s BigCartel shop.

  • All About Attitude: Patricia Derks

    All About Attitude: Patricia Derks

    First off, thank you so much for all of your words of encouragement on my “comeback” post yesterday!  I don’t know what the future will bring, but I truly appreciate the kind and encouraging words from each of you.  You guys are the wind beneath my wings.. sorry, cheesy Bette Middler moment.. we now continue with our regularly scheduled artsiness!

    Our faces have forty-three muscles, making it possible for our faces to express an amazing wide range of emotion.  Sometimes, we know another person so well that we can tell what they’re thinking just be the expression of their countenance.  Capturing such emotion as expressed in human faces is one of the strong suits of the work of Dutch artist Patricia Derks.

    Derks_Diver 100x100
    Diver, oil, 100×100 cm

    Derks does extensive research before each painting, yet her work has an amazingly fresh and unstudied air about it.  But what amazes me most is the way in which we get such a clear sense of emotion and attitude from each face in such deft and limited strokes.

    Derks_Summer Girl 120x120
    Summer Girl, oil, 120×120 cm
    Derks_Yellow Cap Girl 100x100
    Yellow Cap Girl, oil, 100×100 cm

    In the set of the jaw, the cut of the eyes, we are given a glimpse into the figure’s personality.  We all like to think we can hide our emotions, but it only takes careful observance to read each expression.

    Derks_Blue Lips 120x120
    Blue Lips, oil, 120×120 cm

    Want to see more of Patricia Derks’ work?  Check out her website.

    All images via the artist’s website.

  • Out of the Mystic: Spencer Herr

    Out of the Mystic: Spencer Herr

    When we were in San Francisco, the famous San Fran fog had taken the day off in exchange for record setting heat.  But that didn’t stop us from experiencing it thanks to artist Fujiko Nakaya’s Fog Bridge.  There was something mysterious and magical about walking through the fog, then emerging into the bright sunlight.  In his work, self-taught artist Spencer Herr embraces the power of the emerging figure.

    Roman Trip
    Roman Trip

    Herr’s figures, starkly enshrouded within their backgrounds seem to be just breaking through the surface.  Or perhaps the opposite is happening.  Are they being enveloped by their surroundings?

    Herr_Tally Mark_acrylic on birch panel_48x36
    Tally Mark, acrylic on birch panel, 48×36
    Herr_Slow Draw_acrylic on birch panel_36x48
    Slow Draw, acrylic on birch panel, 36×48
    Herr_Beloved_acrylic on birch panel_48x36
    Beloved, acrylic on birch panel, 48×36

    Keeping the compositions simple allows the viewer to compose his own story.  Like stills from a movie whose story we do not know, we are left to ponder who these figures might be and from what place they are emerging.

    Herr_Trip_acrylic on birch panel
    Trip, acrylic on birch panel

    To see more of Spencer Herr’s work, please visit his website.

    All images via the artist’s website.

  • Mundane Beauty: Emil Robinson

    Mundane Beauty: Emil Robinson

    Many of us have a love/hate relationship with Instagram.  Maybe we love that voyeuristic glimpse into other people’s lives.  Perhaps we hate that their lives might seem more glamorous than our own.  What I personally love is the way it allows us to communicate the beauty in simple moments.  The work of Cincinnati artist Emil Robinson carries with it the same celebration of the magic to be found in every day.

    Catherine in Orange, oil on panel, 18x24
    Catherine in Orange, oil on panel, 18×24

    As I type this, I’m sitting at my desk and am struck by the loveliness of the orange candle sitting quietly on the deep white windowsill.  Robinson’s work reminds us of that we don’t always have to seek out what is interesting and delightful.  It is all around us, just waiting to be noticed.

    Ikea Lamp, oil on panel, 30x36
    Ikea Lamp, oil on panel, 30×36
    Storage, oil on panel, 12x15
    Storage, oil on panel, 12×15
    Pink Book, oil on panel, 24x24
    Pink Book, oil on panel, 24×24

    It might seem strange to want to document such routine aspects of our lives, but it is these common moments that truly make up our lives– that fill the space between the extraordinary.

    Man With Storage 2, oil on panel, 24x24
    Man With Storage 2, oil on panel, 24×24

    What ordinary moments did you see the beauty in today?  To see more of Emil Robinson’s work, please visit his website.

    Artist found via Erin McIntosh.  All images are via the artist’s website.

     

     

  • Inner Archetypes: Haley Hasler

    Inner Archetypes: Haley Hasler

    We all struggle against that ideal we have in our head of the person we feel we are supposed to be.  Whether it be the strong head of household, the June Cleaverish mom or the anti-establishment free thinker.  Artist Haley Hasler conveys the inner archetypes caught in the complexity of the exterior world in her self portrait series.

    Portrait as Sunday Brunch by Haley Hasler
    Portrait as Sunday Brunch, oil on canvas, 46×56
    Portrait as Lady Bearing Snacks by Haley Hasler
    Portrait as Lady Bearing Snacks, oil on canvas

    I am continually in awe of any working mom’s as when I glimpse into the insanity of their daily lives, I wonder how in the world they do it.  My friend V and I talked about it once, that inert striving that seems to always be present to live up to some sort of ideal.

    Portrait as St. Caslide by Haley Hasler
    Portrait as St. Caslide, oil on canvas, 32×46
    Portrait of Allegory of Fidelity by Haley Hasler
    Portrait of Allegory of Fidelity, oil on canvas

    But when we let go of that ideal, as my very wise friend told me, that’s when we can really dwell in each moment.  The dishes may be dirty, the laundry may be piled up, but our loved ones will remember the time we gave them.  There will always be the inner struggle for the “perfect” life– whatever that may look like.  But even if the life we cultivate isn’t perfect, it can still be filled with moments of magic.

    Portrait as Tooth Fairy by Haley Hasler
    Portrait as Tooth Fairy, oil on canvas, 38×56

    To see more of Haley Hasler’s work, please visit her website.

  • Artsy on Escape Into Life: Sara K. Byrne

    Artsy on Escape Into Life: Sara K. Byrne

    A perfect blend of the beauty of nature and portraiture!  I’m featuring the gorgeous photography of Sara K. Byrne in my Artist Watch on Escape Into Life today.  Head on over to check it out!

    Sara K. Byrne on Escape Into Life

    Artist found via The Artful Desperado.  Image via the artist’s blog.

  • Deceptive Beauty: Olaf Hajek

    Deceptive Beauty: Olaf Hajek

    There has been a poignant video being posted all over social media this week.  By now, you’ve probably seen the Dove Real Beauty Sketches on YouTube.  In it, we are confronted with the disparity between the way others see us and how we perceive ourselves.  As I was watching it this week, it brought to mind these portraits by German artist Olaf Hajek.

    In these portraits, we see women of African descent adorned in the extravagant style of Marie Antoinette, the standard of beauty and opulence in her day.  These women look every bit as refined and elegant as Antoinette ever did, yet there is a discomfort and sadness about them.

    To put on the trappings of another person’s beauty is to not embrace what is truly beautiful about ourselves.  We all buy into the lies being told that we need to look a certain way to be considered attractive.  Do the birds in all their glory worry about the way their feathers are arranged?

    We are constantly in search of the next fashion trend, face cream or make-up that will transform us into the beauty we hope to be.  But instead, why don’t we embrace our beauty for what it is?  We are each uniquely lovely in a way that no other person in the world could be.

    To see more of Olaf Hajek’s work, please visit his website.  For a laugh, check out this parody of the Dove Real Beauty Sketches.  😉

    Images via the artist’s website.

  • Twisted Takes: Russ Noto

    Twisted Takes: Russ Noto

    What does an artist do when he is gifted with classical skills yet wants his work to be modern and exciting and relevant?  For painter Russ Noto, it means creating figures who strike traditional poses, but adding elements of the absurd.

    Figure with Painted Horse by Russ Noto
    Figure with Painted Horse, oil on canvas, 33×43
    Push/Pull by Russ Noto
    Push/Pull, oil on panel

    Classically posed figures in contemporary clothing are placed in incongruous situations.  Kind of leaving us to wonder.. where does  traditional work and style fit in?  Is it still pertinent to the conversation?

    New Quixote by Ross Noto
    New Quixote, oil on canvas, 33×43
    Venus in Exile by Ross Noto
    Venus in Exile, oil on canvas, 33×43

    There is an inherent sadness to Noto’s work.  It’s as if his archetypal characters have been set down in unfamiliar territory and now find themselves isolated and despondent.

    Beauty and Violence No. 2 by Ross Noto
    Beauty and Violence No.2, oil on canvas, 33×43

    But is the future of classical work and traditional themes so bleak?  Is there truly room for all in contemporary art?  Deep thoughts for a Monday.  If you’d like to see more of Russ Noto’s work, and I highly recommend you do, please visit his website.