Daily Artsy Installations Sculpture

And One, No Make That a Bunch, to Grow On

OK, maybe we’re not taking a total break from color today.  Spotted this installation by Marilee Salvato and just had to share it with you!

Growth Patterns, etching, digital prints mounted on wood, this installation 7'x34'

Be sure to check out her website for more images of the incredible installation!

Design Foraging Sculpture

Friday Faves: The White Album

Once upon a time, I was bored by white.  The more color the better.  And around age 13, the more purple the better! 😉  But as my eye has grown and matured, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for the purity and peace of white.  It calms us, brings shadows and textures to life and provides a place of rest in a saturated world.  Would you like to join me on a little mini-vacay from color today?

Untitled 11.6 ( detail ) by Natalie Abrams, wax on panel

Empathy by Lauren Browning, italian ice alabaster on black granite

Flutter by Sana Krusoe, porcelain, 30x4x5 ( via Davis & Cline Gallery )

Burqa by Shayna Lieb, glass, 6x30x5

Magnolia by Heather Knight of Element Clay Studio, ceramic, 9x9x3

Ahh.. don’t we all feel calm & relaxed now?  Have a wonderful, peaceful weekend, Artsies!  Be sure to check out the artists’ websites for more loveliness.

Natalie AbramsLauren Browning | Sana Krusoe at Davis & Cline 

 Shayna Lieb | Heather Knight 

Featured image is Remnant VII by Shayna Lieb.  All images are via the artist’s websites and shops, unless otherwise noted.

Daily Artsy Mixed Media

Little Happy Somethings: Trish Grantham

Some days my happy mood gets kicked in the gut first thing in the morning.  This usually results from something I’ve read online that a) infuriates me, b) disgusts me, c) leaves me sick to my stomach and shaking my head in dismay, or d) all of the above, as was the case this morning.  So it is only fitting that the work of today’s artist, Portland’s Trish Grantham, is the perfect antidote for what ails me!

The Creators, mixed media, 54x24

Unapologetically sweet, Trish’s work is filled with joy-inducing imagery.  Masked-bandit-like birds, happily wise woodland creatures, smiling toast (!).. they all speak to me, saying “Hello! We’re here to remind you that the world is really a happy place filled with kind beings!”  Many of the world’s inhabitants have simply forgotten how to be truly grateful, gracious and happy.

The Creators Gather, mixed media, 24x12

Just as it is impossible to look into the face of a smiling child and not smile back, as I was looking through Trish’s portfolio, my pursed mouth and heavy heart where replaced by a light-hearted grin.

The Flight Instructor, mixed media, 30x36

This world can be an ugly place and for some reason, it seems, many of the people in it are striving to make it even more hostile, all for the sake of their fear of someone taking away something that never truly belonged to them.  We don’t own this world.  It owes us nothing.  Oh what a happier place it would be if the world were ruled by the creatures in Grantham’s work!  Instead of devouring the innocent, the wolf instead sets the baby birds free to live as they please.  Sure his belly may not be as full, but his heart will be bursting.

Free to Fly, mixed media

Sympathetic Sea, mixed media, 72x60

Trish’s work spoke to my weary heart this morning. I hope it speaks to yours and perhaps, instead of choosing bitterness and hate, you will instead choose joy.  I have.

To see more of Trish Grantham’s work, please check out her website.  If you happen to be in Portland, OR ( And if you are, how about sharing a little housing advice?  What areas are affordable but still nice & safe?  Hubby and I are looking to the future.. ), sorry for the sidetrack– you can see Trish’s work in Portland at Augen Gallery, a delightful contemporary gallery downtown.

Featured image is The Futurist, mixed media, 24×12. All images are via the artist’s website.

Abstract Art Daily Artsy Guest Forager Paintings

Guest Forager, Kaitlyn of isavirtue: Sara McIntosh-Robichaud

Happy Wednesday, Artsies!  I have a little treat for you today.. Kaitlyn Patience, curator of the wonderful blog, isavirtue, is doing a little guest post for me today.  I think you’ll find her to be a kindred-artsy-spirit!

Hi! My name is Kaitlyn Patience and I blog at isavirtue. When I first discovered Lesley’s blog, Artsy Forager, I was beyond delighted because art blogs are few and far between. One literally has to forage for art amidst the endless supply of lifestyle, fashion and food blogs! Like Lesley, I share a penchant for contemporary art – which in this sense simply means art that is happening now.

In order to inject the world wide web with just a little more art, I created an internet gallery. This online space, in which users can scroll sideways through the images, is entitled “lowercase gallery” (link: www.sunnyoasis.com/Kate) because I believe “art” can be friendly, accessible and inspiring. I use the space to practice my real life curating skills.

Currently being featured in the lowercase gallery is Sara McIntosh-Robichaud. I worked with Sara in the spring of 2009 and curated a presentation of her MFA artwork in a group exhibition. She was inspired by the height of one wall and decided to bring in one of her largest pieces – “Sluggard.” When she finally brought the 95”x 48” painting into the gallery – I was shocked. There appeared to be a man in a halo…and also a penis.

Sluggard, acrylic on canvas, 48x95

Being a young curatotrial intern at the time, I didn’t feel equipped to make the decision on whether this piece could be hung in a public, school gallery. Despite the fact that the painting was clearly “abstract,” I had heard the gallery director expunge on the impossibility of exhibiting nudes in the space because it was a public gallery and children’s groups often visited. So I called the director and said “There is a phallic image within this painting we are planning to hang, is that ok with you?” He responded with “Pardon? What do you mean?” And so I stuttered “You know, like…a penis.”

Nuclear Family, acrylic on canvas, 72x72

The director came to the gallery to see for himself and said “Oh that? that’s fine.” And that was it. I was surpremely embarassed at having mentioned it at all since it was clearly a non issue. To this day I blush when I think about that painting but I remind myself that should the situation have been reversed (I.e. I didn’t say anything and he did care), it could have gone exponentially worse!

Occular, acrylic on canvas, 33.5x37

That incident doesn’t keep me from loving Sara’s work however. Just as some of her works are titled “A Moment 1” and “A Moment 2,” she has managed to capture all of my emotions ranging from pure joy to sullen despair. She makes unique choices that I admire, particularily in colour, shape and texture. Perhaps the reason I am most drawn to her body of work is because of the clean lines and the perfect finishing. Should I ever become a painter I suspect my obsessive compulsivity to be ‘neat’ would result in something similar. I hope you enjoy her work as much as I do!

Polly's Fiddle, acrylic on canvas, 33x37

P.s. Five months later the gallery director was assigned to be my thesis supervisor.

All Images via: http://saramcintosh.ca/work/index.html

Artsy on Escape Into Life Figurative

Artsy on Escape Into Life: Matt Wisniewski

It’s Tuesday.. you know what that means!  Head over to Escape Into Life to check out the artist I’m featuring there today, Matt Wisniewski.  If you liked Pakayla Biehn’s work yesterday, I think you’ll love Matt’s digital collages.

Matt Wisniewski

Matt Wisniewski on Escape Into Life

3/7– Please note that Escape Into Life has been undergoing some website changes, resulting in delayed postings, so this feature wasn’t live when I scheduled this post ( it normally would be ).  It’s up now!

Daily Artsy Paintings

Bringing Spring Flowers: The Latest From Lily Stockman

As much as I LOVE winter and though we still have snow on the ground here in Coeur d’Alene, I find my heart longing for spring.  Maybe it is because, since moving from Florida and experiencing my first real winter, it’s March and I feel ready to trade my fur-lined boots for sandals. Or perhaps it is because since visiting George in Seattle two years ago, I know how utterly beautiful a Northwest spring can be!  And we’ve heard that as gorgeous as these snow-covered mountains are, Coeur d’Alene is the place to be in the warmer months.

My anticipation for spring is likely pretty obvious in this week’s posts.. The latest series from Brooklyn artist, Lily Stockman have me longing to grab a few pencils and a sketch book and take off into the woods to see what wildflowers I can find.

Garden Club, acrylic on unstretched canvas, 156x96

Following in the footsteps of her plant-loving family and Victorian-era amateur botanists, Stockman examines her own existence in the natural world. The works are, at times, modern interpretations of botanical illustrations whose style has been made familiar by naturalist artists such as Ernst Haeckel.  Others, much more loose and abstracted, remind us more of the feeling of being connected to the natural world– its brightness and simplicity.

Brooklandia, oil on panel, 24x18

She is examining the natural Renaissance we seem to find ourselves in– the reaction perhaps to the pervasiveness of technology.  We are planting gardens in our backyards, enjoying farm-to-table dinners and find ourselves yearning for engagement with nature like never before.

The Way We Remember It, oil on canvas, 60x72

Advances in technology have led us far, far away from living our daily lives entwined with the natural world.  Instead of being essential to survival, our relationship with nature has changed to one of pleasure and preservation.  When we spend time cultivating that relationship, it is not just helping preserve the earth, but to preserve our own natural souls.

Concord Silhouette, oil on canvas, 60x72

Clover for Ajay ( Jaipur at Night ), oil on canvas, 72x60

To see more of Lily Stockman’s work, please visit her website.  Her work can be seen in the NYU 1st Year MFA Show at The Commons Gallery in New York, opening tomorrow March 7, 2012.

All images are via the artist’s website.

Daily Artsy Figurative Paintings

Delicate Double-takes: Pakayla Biehn

Have you ever been so enraptured by the natural beauty surrounding you that you feel as if the wonder of it actually becomes a part of you?  I have suspect Pakayla Biehn has encountered this feeling.  Her dreamlike works tell me she is one who also has visions of laying in a field of flowers and floating down sparkling streams.

Ten Thousand Times, oil and acrylic, 28x18

Biehn’s work has such a quiet, poetic beauty.  To look upon them seems as if we are encountering a hidden, magical place, filled with fairies and wood nymphs.

All the Time I Was Making This I Was Thinking of You, oil and acrylic on canvas, 36x24

They remind me of the enchantment of the most beautiful places I’ve seen and of places from my dreams I have yet to visit.

People in Love, oil and acrylic on canvas, 22x14

Hope There's Someone, oil and acrylic on canvas, 28x19

To see more of Pakayla Biehn’s work, please visit her website.  If you’re in Cali, you can see her work at Gallery Hijinks in San Francisco or at Thinkspace Gallery in LA.

Spring is almost upon us, artsies!  Did you lose yourself in a lovely place over the weekend?

Featured image is The Study of the Structure of Subversive Existence, oil & acrylic on canvas, 28×20.  All images are via the artist’s website.

Where the Artsy Folk Live

Where the Artsy Folk Live: Mario Testino in Vogue

Photographer Mario Testino’s art collection is to die for.. his home looks like the coolest gallery ever.  The work is beautifully displayed and the furnishings compliment rather than compete.   A feast for the eyes.

Mario Testino's LA Home, artwork: Moonlight Bamboo I by Rob Pruitt

Click here for the complete Vogue tour!

Design Foraging Mixed Media

Friday Faves: Taste the Rainbow

Mmmm.. Skittles.  Now that I have you craving some multi-colored chewy candies, let’s talk rainbows.  The ubiquitous symbol of hope seems to be everywhere these days.  Artists are embracing prismatic colors and shapes like mad!  Check out a few examples I found..

Sarah Applebaum

Lisa Congdon

Christopher Derek Bruno

Marco Puccini ( via Design Milk )

Mark Warren Jacques

Be sure to check out the artists’ websites to see more rainbow-hued wonders!

Sarah Applebaum 

Lisa Congdon

Christopher Derek Bruno  

Marco Puccini

Mark Warren Jacques 

All images are via the artist’s websites, unless otherwise noted.

Daily Artsy Figurative Mixed Media

Balancing Act: Candice Smith Corby

Many of you know that my hubby & I are living a bit of a vagabond life.  My other half is working as a medical traveler, so since May 2011, we’ve moved across the good ol’ USofA from Florida to the Northwest, living in a new town every 13 weeks.  So these days, we’re traveling light.  Everything live with fits into the back of our mid-size SUV and a 4’x8′ UHaul trailer.  All our other belonging are stored in a 10’x10′ storage unit in Jacksonville.  The rest is gone.  In preparation for this move and change in lifestyle, we sold or gave away all of our furniture except for a few sentimental pieces of mine.  When I first saw these works on paper by Massachusetts artist Candice Smith Corby, they resonated with this slightly displaced soul.

Madge's Fox Den, gouache & watercolor on paper ( via Lost at E Minor )

I am no stranger to the competing feelings of freedom and loss that come from purging your life of unnecessary stuff.  In our society, our possessions define us in so many ways.  They demonstrate to the world, our tastes, our values, our experiences.  The things that we live with become a part of our memories, so to be separated from them may result in a disconnect with our past.  Of course, that could be viewed as positive or negative..

You'll Be A..., I'll Be a Bear, gouache on wallpaper

While I do often dearly miss some of my lovely things ( especially when living in some furnished rentals! ), there is also an incredible sense of liberty that comes with knowing that we can live ( almost ) anywhere.  We no longer have the mortgage and maintenance of owning a home filled with rooms and stuff we rarely use.

My Worries Are Behind Me, acrylic, watercolor & gouache on paper, 36x80

Smith Corby’s works speak to that overwhelming sense of being possessed by our possessions.  How many of us have gone into large amounts of debt just to have the homes of our dreams?  Oh, how difficult it can be when we insist on holding on, when what we really need is to just let go.

Brooding Mood, screenprint, 22x30

Repossessed, gouache & watercolor on paper ( via Lost at E Minor )

So have I made you want to give away all your worldly goods? 😉  Maybe just a spring cleaning is in the cards.. To see more of Candice Smith Corby’s work, please visit her website.

This artist found via Lost at E Minor.

Featured image is Bunny Love by Candice Smith Corby.  All images are via the artist’s website unless otherwise noted.