artsy forager

Author: Lesley

  • Masterworks Monday: Vermeer

    Masterworks Monday: Vermeer

    I love modern & contemporary art.   Artists who find a new way of translating our reality fascinate me.  But the Art History geek in me also loves to look back at what was groundbreaking eons ago.  We have so much to learn from those who came before us, so each Monday will be dedicated to a work by one of the “Masters”.

    First up, one of my favorite artists whose work I’ve seen in person when visiting the Frick Collection in New York.

    Officer and Laughing Girl  by Johannes Vermeer, Dutch painter 1632-1675.

    Most of us are familiar with what may be Vermeer’s best known work, Girl With a Pearl Earring, but for me, he is at his best in his “slice of life” compositions such as Officer and Laughing Girl.  In this captured moment, Vermeer gives us a glimpse into a private, shared conversation.  Is this a young girl being courted by a gallant officer?  What is their relationship?  Vermeer leaves us in wonder.

    Vermeer’s paintings are usually much cooler in tone than those of his contemporaries and this one is no exception.  The light coming in through the leaded glass windows is clear, but feels frostly, especially in contrast to the warm tones of the officer and girl’s clothing and the looks being exchanged.

    For more information on Vermeer, here are a few sources:

    The Essential Vermeer

    The Frick Collection, which houses several Vermeers, including the one above

  • Seedling Saturdays: Samantha Hamilton

    Seedling Saturdays: Samantha Hamilton

    One of my passions is encouraging anyone who has even the slightest interest in the arts.. but especially young children.  Their minds are still so open and fertile, they still believe they can be the next Picasso.  Wouldn’t it be lovely if they were able to hang onto that belief?

    So Saturdays here at Artsy Forager are dedicated to kids.   It is my hope that the excitement brought by seeing their artwork on the internet will continue to foster confidence in their abilities.  Even if they don’t grow up to be professional artists, they will know that someone thought their efforts were valuable.

    We kick off our “Seedling Saturdays” with one of my brother Jason’s own, ahem, seedlings.. my niece, Samantha Hamilton, age 10.  Samantha showed an affinity for art early on and has taken a few art classes, in addition to studying piano.  Her favorite artist is Georgia O’Keeffe ( a girl after my own heart! ).

    After Monet by Samantha Hamilton, age 6

    Circles by Samantha Hamilton, age 7

    SHH.. Samantha Holly Hamilton by Samantha Hamilton, age 7

     

    Portrait by Samantha Hamilton, age 8

  • Friday Forager Faves

    Friday Forager Faves

    A few of my favorite things this week.. in honor of the beginning of spring, a little light, some flowers and birdsong.

    1. Dogwood Branch by Pamela Viola

    2. Get Lucky by Christina Baker

    3.  Fading Boundaries by Maribel Angel

    4.  Everyone Loves a Parade by Casey Matthews

  • Wearing Picasso

    Wearing Picasso

    One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.  ~Oscar Wilde

    Image via The Sartorialist

    preview

    Image of Guernica by Pablo Picasso, via Museo Reina Sofia

  • Pick of the Crop: Eng’s Eye

    Pick of the Crop: Eng’s Eye

    One week into being an official blogger and I’ve already found that though I may plan to write about a specific artist on a specific day, sometimes the universe seems to be telling me to write something different.  All signs today pointed first to photography, then to Jacksonville photographer, Doug Eng.

    Double Reflection - Modis

    I first saw Doug’s nature photography and definitely knew he had something.  While working for a gallery & art consulting firm, I saw A LOT of mediocre photography.  But Doug’s images were different– not only were they many notches above most others in terms of the quality of the image itself, but the compositions were unique and unusual.  His way of seeing, especially in capturing architectural structures, is extraordinary.

    Old and New - SunTrust, BOA, Modis

    Unlike many photographers today, Doug doesn’t rely on heavily manipulating his images– he mostly composes his images in the camera, taking hundreds of different shots to get to that one “magic” piece.

    Last Light on County Dock, Mandarin FL

    Capturing moments in time is Doug’s specialty– whether the moment is filled with humor, sentiment or a changing cityscape.

    Pizza Guys - Florence, Italy

    Each image tells a story, some more obvious than others, but all equally interesting and relevant.

    Fallen - Pisgah NF - SR 1206

    Doug’s work can be seen in person at Southlight Gallery in Downtown Jacksonville or online here at Artsy Forager or on Doug’s own website.   When not out shooting fabulous imagery, he can usually be found working at Studio 121, a co-operative studio of artists in Downtown Jacksonville.

  • Seeing Much, Much More

    Seeing Much, Much More

    SHAWN MEHARG: SEEING LITTLE MORE is the latest exhibition of work at the Williams-Cornelius Gallery located inside Daryl Bunn Studios in Riverside.  If, like me, all you’ve ever seen are Shawn’s more representational works, you’ll be as pleasantly surprised as I was to discover this new series of abstracts.

    I am a huge sucker for lots of texture, so this show had me at hello.   These abstracts are LOUSY with texture ( and I mean that in the best possible sense! ), color and depth.   Layer upon layer of paint, charcoal, etc., give way to artwork in which the viewer can get lost.  There are a few pieces that are lighter in tone, but for the most part the color is heavily saturated, but somehow still remaining translucent, giving the feeling of looking through wet stained glass.

    Lots of edgy endings in color and straight lines add to the stained-glass effect.  There also seems to be a reflectory vibe happening, especially in the darker pieces– they could be reflections of city lights in pools of water on asphalt streets.

    The visual depth is especially evident in the pieces in which the canvas seems to be opening up into a world beyond– as in “City Mouth” below.

    I don’t want to give too much away.  If you’re in Jacksonville, go see this show for yourself and find out what “more” you can see.

    Williams-Cornelius Gallery is located inside Daryl Bunn Studios, 643 Edison Ave in Jacksonville.

    The gallery is open Monday- Friday, 9am-5pm.

  • Art by.. Google?

    Google has become a dominant source for the information we seek.  “Google it” is our answer for everything.  It provides us with a way to gain knowledge and now has introduced a means for visiting some of the world’s most renowned museums and viewing their collections.

    Art Project, powered by Google ( http://www.googleartproject.com/ ) is a Google-run website in which Google has collaborated with some of the world’s best known museums and collections in order to bring us all up close and personal with these masterworks.

    Using Google’s Street View technology, you can actually explore the halls & rooms of the museums themselves, which allows the viewer a helpful sense of scale & context when viewing the artwork.   You can “walk” the corridors of Versailles without ever leaving your living room!

    To see the collections up close & personally, Art Project also provides high resolution imagery of select pieces from the collections.   You can zoom in with such incredible detail, even cracks in the paint will be visible!! ( Excuse me while the Art History geek in me goes a little crazy ).  In addition to the visual fun to be had, also included for each piece of artwork is comprehensive information regarding the artist, subject matter, time period, provenance, etc.  You can even create your own collection of favorite works– become your own curator!

    So while I gather my notes from the two galleries I visited today and prepare to share those goodies, I’ll leave you with this fun little piece of the internet.   Enjoy!

  • First ( Art ) Love

    First ( Art ) Love

    We all remember our first love, the intensity, the drama, it stays with us forever.   How a certain song or place will always remind you of those precious feelings.  But what about your first ART love?   That one painting or sculpture or photograph that drew you in and made you long for more?

    My hubby George & I took advantage of the Free Family Day at the Cummer Museum of Art in Jacksonville on Saturday and walking through its beautiful rooms & gardens reminded me  that the Cummer is where my real appreciation for art first blossomed.

     

    Image of the Cummer Gardens via Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens

    The stately, elegant rooms and gardens seemed alive with history and mystery.  To me, there is something so lovely and enchanting about old stone, brick and iron in a garden.   The Cummer Garden paths lead me down a lane of memories that aren’t my own.. memories of others who have walked these gardens before, of Ninah Cummer lovingly attending her flowers, of characters in novels who walked similar garden paths, of lovers declaring themselves forever.

    Inside the Cummer, the beauty of the architecture draws me in but it is the artwork that keeps me coming back again and again.   As a young girl, my first memory of visiting the Cummer is the enchantment I discovered there, focused upon one particular piece of artwork, “Before Her Appearance” by Frederick Carl Frieseke.

    Image via Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens

    I’m sure it is no surprise that this Impressionistic painting would be the early favorite of a young girl who loved the romance of dancing and all things girly.   I wanted to BE her, to be the talented beauty preparing to take center stage.  When I look back at this piece as an adult, I still love the feminine glory of it all.  The pink toe-shoes, ruffled dressing gown, floral vanity skirt and draperies.. In an age where showing this kind of feminitity seems sometimes verboten,  it is lovely to think back to a time when it was truly celebrated.  ( Not that I would want to go back to other aspects of being a woman in that age! )

    Each time I revisit the Cummer, I am drawn back in time to my younger days, of sitting and gazing upon this lovely piece, waiting for her to stand up from her stool and begin pirouetting around the room.   As with any first love, there are others who have come behind, touched me in different ways, but that first passion will stay with me always.

    Do you remember your first ( ART ) love?  Please share in the comments, I adore a good ( ART ) love story!

  • What’s an Artsy Forager?

    Welcome to Artsy Forager!   Now that you’re here, I’m sure you are wondering what exactly is this place?   Well..

    Artsy Forager is a daily blog created by me, Lesley Frenz, as a means of showcasing the amazing artists & artwork that I find exceptional.  On Artsy Forager, you’ll see–

    • Featured posts on artwork & artists, including my “Pick of the Crop” artists– a group of artists whose work I especially love & find extraordinary
    • Artist Diggs–studio tours, a look inside the places where the magic happens
    • Exhibition Reviews– my thoughts on art openings & shows I attend
    • Gallery Reviews– how each gallery is unique and what they have to offer
    • Art First, Then Sofa– advice for incorporating fine art into your home’s interior
    • DoGooders– artists making a difference
    • Discussions of current art trends
    • Interesting art happenings from all over the world
    • and much, much more!!

    Please come back on Monday, March 21st for the first “real” post!   Until then.. look around your city and engage  in something artsy!

  • Coming soon to a cultured computer near you..

    Soft launch of the blog happening soon.. stay tuned!