artsy forager

Life in Balance: Ben Fiess

Lesley — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:47:40 +0000

Mr. Forager & I both marvel at the way architects here in the Northwest deal with the terrain. Houses and other structures are built to hug the earth or conform to it, often leaving us wondering what a feat of design and engineering it took to solve that problem! The ceramic compositions of Philadelphia artist Ben Fiess remind me of those precariously perched buildings.. seemingly random or off-kilter, yet as a whole making perfect sense.

BC: DD: DB:: YW, porcelain, stoneware, fabric, tape, wood, 23x10x7 cm

BL:: DD:: DO:: FS, porcelain, fabric, 23x10x7 cm

Fiess, whose more practical design I featured in last week’s Design Foraging, puts together these compositions with great care and concern for the elements of texture, materials and space. Indeed, each piece seems like a perfectly balanced still life in three dimensions.

GP: FS: SD:: PB, porcelain, stoneware, lizella, felt, rubberband, 23x13x7 cm

In addition to line, form, and texture, color plays a key part in Fiess’s compositions. He works within a tight palette, each cool tone balanced by the natural warmth of wood and textile elements.

IW: WP: DD:: LB, porcelain, izella, wood, felt, tape

IC: SB: PS:: GD, porcelain, stoneware, felt, tape

Want to see more of Ben Fiess’s work? Be sure to check out his website here.

All images are via the artist’s website.

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Artsy on Escape Into Life: Anna Pogossova

Lesley — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:00:40 +0000

When I first saw the work of photographer Anna Pogossova on The Artful Desperado blog, I was completely enchanted by her use of color. So I couldn’t resist featuring her in my Artist Watch on Escape Into Life! Check out more of her work over on EIL here.

Anna Pogossova

Anna Pogossova on Escape Into Life

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The Pleasure of the Journey: Charlotte Foust

Lesley — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:36:03 +0000

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Do you think the same is true of a piece of artwork? We place so much value in the end result, the “finished” painting, sculpture, or photograph, that sometimes we spend little time thinking about the pilgrimage the artist undertakes to get there. Abstract painter Charlotte Foust finds delight in each mark making expedition upon which she embarks, each painting becoming a travel journal of her creative adventure.

Untitled

Summer’s Day

Our vagabondish life has afforded us some pretty incredible adventures. We’ve lived in the mountains, the desert, and in the city. Every voyage to the next destination has brought us new discoveries and places to remember. Foust uses the strokes she makes with paint, graphite and collage to mark a part of the journey of her creative process. In finding her way through the work, she is discovering the painting that longs to be found.

Untitled

As she explores, she invites us along for the ride. We can the breadcrumbs of her expedition in each brushstroke and are happily taken to our final destination.

To see more of Charlotte Foust’s work, please visit her website.

All images are via the artist’s website.

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This Artsy Life: Weekend 20 [ Discovering and Settling In ]

Lesley — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:56:10 +0000

This was the first weekend that felt like we actually lived here. We weren’t running around and unpacking all weekend ( although there was a little of that ). We had the luxury of sleeping in, exploring and discovering. A bike trail just around the corner from our apartment happily leads almost directly to Pike Place Market where we explored the seafood and produce stands and Mr. Forager bought me a bouquet of poppies. Which we quickly realized don’t last very long… We explored our neighborhood and searched out what are already becoming a few favorite spots.

[ calder sculpture and space needle ]

[ pike place poppies ]

[ publicly artsy ]

[ my favorite steps in magnolia ]

How about you, Artsies? Did you get out and explore this weekend? Any exciting discoveries? Want to see more from This Artsy Life? Follow me on Instagram!

All images by Artsy Forager.

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Mundane Beauty: Emil Robinson

Lesley — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:30:10 +0000

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, 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, 30×36

Storage, oil on panel, 12×15

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, 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.

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Design Foraging: Artsy Nesting

Lesley — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:30:32 +0000

So if you read yesterday’s late afternoon post, you’ve heard the news– Mr. Forager and I have officially moved to Seattle! That’s right, no more traveling around, no more putting up with someone else’s decor taste or grody furnishings. We’ve rented a sweet little mid-century apartment in a beautiful Seattle neighborhood and I’ve been completely obsessed with furnishing it. Since I’m not working yet ( Did I mention I now have to get a real J-O-B? ), we’ve been furnishing on a “for now” budget until we have two incomes coming in. And then there’s all my lovely home goodies in storage back in Florida. I can’t wait to see them again, but am having serious issues remembering what I kept! So I’ve been doing a bit of day dreaming today.. looking at lovelies that would be perfect for our first real home together. My favorite colors, a little artsy for me, a bit rustic for Mr. F.

Large Jar in Summer Moss by Ben Fiess

find it here

Teak Measuring Spoons

find them here

Hawaiian Salt Cellar

find it here

Forest Found Hook

find it here

Rose Ombre Velvet Pillow

find it here

Anyone else doing some artsy nesting in a new home? Any Seattle area artsies know of a job opportunity for a hard working Artsy?

All images linked above.

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This Artsy Life: We’re Home

Lesley — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:40:39 +0000

So I’ve hardly made a secret out of how very excited we were for Mr. F to take a work assignment here in Seattle. We seriously have to pinch ourselves even after being here for almost two weeks!

Finally getting to be in this place that we love so much, where we fell in love, got us thinking. Why not stop here? We adore this city, the food, the mountains, the water, the music, the ART(!) so very much.

It’s something we’ve been talking about off and on for a few months. Circumstances seemed to be leading us in this direction. We’ve loved traveling and have enjoyed ( almost ) every minute of the last two years of adventure together. But we couldn’t ignore the timing and the way in which it seemed a hand was guiding us here.

So we signed a twelve month lease on our apartment and have begun furnishing it. After being married for over two years, we’re finally truly making a home together. And it feels good.

As we’ll be staying put here in Seattle for a good long while, perhaps forever we hope, it’s time for me to re-enter the work force. I’ve done a few freelance projects since we started traveling but we’ve always agreed that once we stopped traveling I would go back to work full time. And you know something? I’m kind of excited about it.

So any Seattle area artsies– if you know of any job openings in the arts ( galleries, art consultants, museums, etc ), let me know! I have several prospects in the works already. We’re feeling really positive about the choice we’ve made. This is our city. This is our home.

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Painting Confidences: Dorothy Goode

Lesley — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:57:54 +0000

I’ve been told I’m a good listener. So people tend to tell me things. Secret stuff that maybe no one else knows. We all have that friend, the one everyone confides in and is completely confident their secrets will be taken to the grave. In her Other People’s Secrets series, Portland artist Dorothy Goode has found a way to get those piled up secrets out, without ever truly spilling a single one.

No. 3, Egg tempera and sumi ink on panel, 32×48

No. 16, egg tempura and sumi ink on panel, 32 x48

The artist began each panel by dipping her fingers into sumi ink, then sprawling secrets over the surface of each panel, first her own and then the confidences of others came leaking out. The letters and forms are mostly illegible, making sure that each secret is still safely hidden.

No. 1, egg tempura and sumi ink on panel, 32×48

Once the secrets are spilled, the artist then covers them with colorful, scrawling abstract gestures in paint. In that final step, I see an analogy to the way we live with our own well kept mysteries– we hide them in plain sight, often burying them just beneath the brightly colored surface.

No. 8, egg tempura and sumi ink on panel, 32×48

No. 13, egg tempura and sumi ink on panel, 32×48

To see more of Dorothy Goode’s work, please visit her website.

All images are via the artist’s website.

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Win Artsy Stuff! May’s Art Association Contest

Lesley — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:12:58 +0000

May just seems to be slippin’ right through my fingers! I can’t believe it’s time again for another Art Association Pinterest contest! Each month, Erin of artsocial and I team up with an artist to inspire you AND give you a chance to win an awesome piece of artwork!

If you’re new to Art Association, here’s the way it works– You create a Pinterest board around one work of art ( which we provide ), filled with anything and everything that pops into your mind while gazing at the catalyst piece.

Our catalyst piece for this month is Lily by Kuzana Ogg ( below )! Gorgeous, right?!

Lily by Kuzana Ogg

Here’s how Art Association works–

Step 1| We give you a piece of artwork, this month’s work is Lily by Kuzana Ogg ( above ).

Step 2 | You create a Pinterest board titled Art Association, like mine here, where you pin any and all images you associate with the featured artwork ( like word associations, only visual

Step 3 | Leave a link to your Art Association pinboard in the Comments section of this post

Step 4 | Follow both art social and Artsy Forager on Pinterest ( if you already are, you’re ahead of the game! )

Here’s what you can win–

Isn’t that a sweet little piece of artwork?!

The winning pinner ( *NEW– we are now choosing a winner at random instead of judging the boards ) will be chosen on Wednesday, May 22nd at 5pm (mountain standard time). Hope your fingers are set to pin!

**So sorry but the contest is open to US residents only. Stupid laws.

Would you like your artwork to be featured as an Art Association subject? Shoot me an email atartsyforager@att.net or Erin an email at artsocialonline@gmail.com for more info.

Art images via Kuzana Ogg.

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Artsy on Escape Into Life: Nicolas Kuligowski

Lesley — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:00:36 +0000

It feels like things are sort of finally getting back to normal.. almost. After being gone for what seemed like an eternity, I’m back on Escape Into Life today sharing the work of Nicolas Kuligowski in my Artist Watch. Head on over to EIL to see more!

Untitled by Nicolas Kuligowski

Nicolas Kuligowski on Escape Into Life

Image via the artist’s website.

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