OK, who is willing to confess to watching the Red Carpet shows for the Oscars on Sunday? Some of those celebs just know how to make an entrance! ( Um.. Angeline Jolie’s leg, anyone?! ) Using eye-catching artwork in your home’s entry can create a welcoming impact, giving guests an instant idea of your style.
So let’s see.. are you..
Earthy Mod?
via House Beautiful, designer Thom Filicia
Modern Femme?
via Coastal Living ( photo by Annie Schlechter )
Contemporary Glam?
Interior by Suzanne Kasler
Spirited Minimalist?
via Elle Decor, designed by Richard Found, photographed by Simon Upton
Elegantly Graphic?
via FlourishDesignandStyle.blogspot.com, design by Jennifer Worts Design
Provocative Funk?
via Remodelista.com, designed by Jamie Bush & Co.
Is your entrance making a true “you” statement?
Featured image via Elle Decor, designed by Rafael de Cardenas, photographed by William Waldron. All image sources can be found by clicking on each image.
Like attracts like. So it’s no surprise that many times, I find great artists by way of other great artists! Today’s Escape Into Life artist, Elly MacKay is just such a case– thanks to Dolan Geiman for introducing me to such lovely work!
The world today is so loud and pushy. We are visually bombarded at all times with color, typography, imagery, you name it. It begins to weigh us down unknowingly. Atlanta artist Erin McIntosh’s recent work has a quiet, delicate quality, the perfect antidote for a noisy world.
Watercolor 30, watercolor on paper, 9x9 image on 11x14 paper
In her work, Erin is seeking to explore the silence to be discovered among the cacophony. Her intuitive process and use of water-based media give her works on paper a soft, gossamer-like quality.
Watercolor 32, watercolor on paper, 9x9 image on 11x14 paper
Diaphanous shapes and translucent forms float freely, randomly just as our thoughts as we lie in the grass and daydream. We’re wafted away through the chaos and into the quiet stillness.
Watercolor 31, watercolor on paper, 9x9 image on 11x14 paper
Untitled, watercolor on paper ( via Gregg Irby Fine Art )
Ah.. I feel so peaceful now! To see more of Erin McIntosh’s work and enjoy a bit of her own brand of artsy stillness, please visit her website. I also highly recommend a visit to the website of her representing gallery, Gregg Irby Fine Art. If you happen to be in Atlanta, drop by and see these lovelies in person!
And, as a wonderful little treat, here’s a video of the artist herself, telling you a bit about her work–
I’ve heard that some people only dream in black and white. My dreams are always in color, but muted, like faded photographs or old home movies. It seems that German born artist Catrin Welz-Stein has been somehow seeing into my dreams. Her digital collages are strikingly similar to the palette and imagery of my dreams..
Her Secret, digital collage
So perhaps the imagery isn’t exactly like the images of my own slumber, but the atmosphere is the same. And there are always animals. And lots of flying. And sometimes flying animals.
Whale Watching, digital collage
The artist,while working as a graphic designer, experimented with mixed media and collage, eventually moving to digital imagery and her current surreal style. Using license-free, non-copyrighted images, photos and illustrations, Catrin breaks apart the original images and transforms them into her own creations.
Precious Flight, digital collage
The images she creates are at times ethereal, melancholy, disturbing, reassuring and sweet. They truly run a gamut of emotions. Just as our dreams do.
After The Hunt, digital collage
The View, digital collage
To see more of Catrin Welz-Stein’s work, please visit her page on ImageKind. She has three fabulous galleries of imagery, prints available of all– I’m certain you find one 0r ten to love!
Featured image is Sisters, digital collage. All images are via the artist’s ImageKind site.
I have a long, ongoing love affair. With books. I blame my grandparents, who were avid readers and every night spent with them was ended curled up in my grandmother’s lap listening to her read. Growing up, books were a favorite escape, summers were often spent with my nose buried in story after story. I came very close to pursuing a degree in literature rather than art history ( I was obviously never destined to be rich! ). But one of the best things about studying art history was all the stories. The best of both worlds. Here are some artists who seem as obsessed with books as I am!
It's Story Time IV by Christopher Stott
Come With Me by Na Zhao ( via ArtLink )
Blonde But Not Forgotten by Harland Miller
Unicorn by Gala Bent
Books by Holly Farrell
Be sure to check out these artist’s websites below. So I just finished a Frida Kahlo biography. Any artsy reads you would recommend?
While digging through my Pinterest inspiration boards, planning my features for next week, I noticed a color trend in a few of my pins. It’s funny how our minds gravitate toward certain palettes some days, isn’t it? Apparently, my eyes are loving the combination of orange and indigo these days! I thought you might enjoy a few examples from my boards..
Christina Otero ( via My Modern Metropolis )
Michael Rice
Neil Wax ( via Skidmore Contemporary )
Frances Seward
Henry Domke
Christopher St. Leger
Any color combos you’re enamored with these days? Guess this native Florida girl can’t escape the Orange & Blue!
Featured image by Stephanie Paige. Sources can be found by clicking on each image.
When I was taking studio classes in college, I had a thing for geometric shapes. Collage project involving painted pieces of paper? Mine were scenes made out of painted paper squares. Once I mastered drawing the figure realistically, I had a complete blast simplifying my figures into geometric shapes and planes. It seems that Los Angeles artist Kymm Swank has the same fondness for bright color and simple shapes, putting them together in a way that is downright intoxicating.
Structure2, oil on canvas, 36x36
I am in love with the way Swank is using common linear shapes to create complex compositions full of light and movement.
City Structure VI, oil on canvas, 72x60
There are any number of scenes these works may represent.. a cityscape at sunset, sunspots reflecting off a waterfall, looking down on busy city traffic, boats crowded together in a busy port, waves crashing upon a shore..
Juke VIII, oil & resin on canvas, 18x18
How about we change things up a little? Instead of me telling you what I see, I’d love to hear what you see!
City Structure VII, oil on canvas, 72x60
Be sure to head over to Kymm Swank’s website to check out the rest of her portfolio. Share your thoughts on what you see in her work in the comments below. No Rorschach-like psycho analyzing of your vision, I promise! 😉
Featured image is Structure 14, oil on canvas, 72×36. All images are via the artist’s website.
In the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter, housed in a 200+ year old classic Creole building lives Gallery Orange, a contemporary fine art gallery whose vibe and vision match the freshness of its signature color.
Gallery Orange, New Orleans, exterior
If you’re a regular Artsy Forager reader, you’ve heard of Gallery Orange before. I first found GO when I discovered the work of Sarah Ashley Longshore, which then led me to Gallery Orange, her exclusive representation in New Orleans. I found gallery owner Tracy Geilbert’s aesthetic and taste to be quite similar to my own and have been happily watching her list of artists grow and work by those artists flying off the walls! Tracy’s love of art and enthusiasm for original work is infectious, I’ve never seen a gallery promote their artists harder than she does!
Gallery Orange, New Orleans, interior with works by Sarah Ashley Longshore
Owner Tracy Geilbert was already selling art at a young age, making sketches of Duran Duran, photocopying them and selling the “prints” to her classmates. ( Ah, a fellow 80’s girl! ) Part Dutch and part British, Geilbert studied art and eventually graduated from the Royal Academy of the Arts at The Hague. Life would eventually take her to post-Katrina New Orleans and, after working for another high-end New Orleans gallery, heeded the call of her heart to open a space of her own.
Gallery Orange, interior, works by Guus Kemp
Gallery Orange, New Orleans, interior, works by Gigi Mills, Carlos Lopez and Jill Ricci
Starting in a tiny 600 square foot space, with only two artists on her roster, Tracy’s hard work and eye for unique talent led to the gallery’s current space on Royal Street where boutique galleries are springing up and blazing new trails on the New Orleans art scene. Tracy brings her Dutch artistic sensibilities to the gallery, offering only exceptional original work ( no giclees here! ), creative energy galore and a bit of good humor thrown in. Gallery Orange is all about serious art that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Gallery Orange, New Orleans, exterior
If you are in New Orleans or planning a visit, do not miss a trip to Gallery Orange! Delightful, deliciousness awaits you! You can see a list of upcoming shows at GO on their website— which is newly redesigned, make sure you check it out!
There are certain artists who create worlds so beautiful, I find myself wishing I could live inside one of their paintings, even if just for a little while. Today’s Escape Into Life artist, Brad Kunkle is such an artist. He creates stunning images of visual fairy tales.
Bird of Paradise, oil, gold and silver leaf on linen, 40x30
Be sure to check out my feature on Brad’s work on Escape Into Life ( linked above ) and to read more of my thoughts on his work, check out his Artsy Forager feature here.
New Orleans is one of those places that is unlike any other. It is unique in it’s history, traditions and way of life. Artists of all kinds, writers, musicians, painters, are attracted to its vibrancy and joie de vivre. In this most European of American cities, the arts are not just a weekend hobby of the 1%. Creativity is an ingrained part of daily life. Each day is touched by artists in some way. And today, as the town celebrates the most New Orleansish day of Mardi Gras, I thought we’d explore NOLA through the eyes of its artists.
As I was thinking about what makes New Orleans such an extraordinary place, six characteristics kept coming to mind..
SUSTENANCE
No doubt New Orleans is famous for its cuisine.. a bit French, a bit Southern.. totally deliciously unique. Jambalaya, po’ boys, beignets, shrimp creole.. I would be perfectly happy to eat my way through the city! Artist Carlos Lopez celebrates the simplicity and purity of New Orleans cuisine in his still lifes of oysters found in the city’s gulf waters.
Southern Trio With Lemon, oil on canvas, 36x24 ( via Gallery Orange )
SWINGIN’
New Orleans Jazz is the soundtrack for the Delta. The horns, the banjo, the bass.. you can’t help but tap your feet. NOLA artists George Schmidt and Frank Kelley, jr., capture the energy that flows from the melodious sounds of Dixieland jazz. Though currently living in Florida, artist Yvonne Lozano’s Delta roots still show through.
NOLA by Yvonne Lozano, mixed media on canvas, 24x36
Buddy Bolden's Nervous Breakdown from A History of New Orleans Jazz series by George Schmidt, oil on canvas
A Jazz Extravaganza by Frank Kelley, jr., limited edition lithography, 18x15
STRUCTURE
The city’s architecture reflects the diversity of its history and inhabitants.. from grand antebellum mansions to the European-influenced ironwork of the French Quarter to humble shotgun houses, each illustrates a facet of the city’s rich culture and history. And, of course, each has been a source of inspiration for artists such as Grant Schexnider, whose Shotgun Series celebrates the spiritual wealth found in these humble abodes.
Skinny Shotgun 1 by Grant Schexnider, oil on canvas, 18x36
STYLE
New Orleanians have a style all their own. Unfailingly friendly and hospitable, but direct and unafraid to tell it like it is. But always with charm and high style. The stylishly cheeky work of NOLA artist Sarah Ashley Longshore fits the city like beads on Mardi Gras.
Audrey in Orange by Sarah Ashley Longshore, acrylic on canvas with high gloss resing, 30x30 ( via Gallery Orange )
SPIRIT
Joyful. Exuberant. Even in the face of darkness and destruction, every day in New Orleans is a celebration of life. Ally Burguieres’ work shines brightly with the fire of the people of New Orleans.
Moonrise on Bourbon by Ally Burguieres, oil and acrylic on wood, 36x18
STRENGTH
The final and most enduring characteristic of New Orleans is the strength of its community and culture. Poverty, disease, disaster, destruction. The city has seen it all, yet through each trial, comes out on the other end that much stronger. Cory Willingham’s work explores the inner strength found when a community is called upon to rebuild.
Almost Home ( diptych ) by Cory Willingham, acrylic and wallpaper on canvas, 24x30 each
New Orleans isn’t just party central at Mardi Gras. It is a community filled with artists who are serious about preserving the city’s history and not just persevering, but thriving into the city’s future. It is a city that loves its artists and they return that devotion a hundredfold. We’ll continue the NOLA love tomorrow, when Artsy Forager features a NOLA gallery bringing a fresh and contemporary, yet uniquely New Orleans style to the French Quarter!
All images are via the artist’s websites linked above, unless otherwise indicated. Images by Carlos Lopez and Sarah Ashley Longshore are via Gallery Orange.
