Isn’t it amazing to think that there are worlds all around us that we can’t see? Worlds invisible to our eyes, buried beneath the sea or simply found deep in our imaginations. Portland artist Yellena James fashions her own worlds filled with shapes and organisms both familiar and alien.
Allusion, pen & ink on paper, 8×10
Growing up in the south, the land of kudzu, I’ve always been fascinated by vines and roots. The source of nourishment and strength, they also entangle and envelope all around them. The worlds James creates share these same contradictory characteristics. Bright colors and seemingly whimsical shapes float about yet become entangled by tentacle-like forms.
Flutter, pen & ink on paper, 7.5×7.5
Bold patterns and forms catch our eyes, drawing us into a delicate, intricate world. A darkly mystical universe, a playground for elves and fairies.
Twine, pen & ink on paper, 7.5×7.5
Wouldn’t you like to go inside these worlds to explore? If I could, I would miniaturize myself to float and flit among these microcosmic terrains!
Spring, pen & ink on paper, 7.5×7.5Origin, pen & ink on paper, 7.5×7.5
To see more of Yellena James’ work, please visit her website. Her Etsy shop is full of gorgeous, affordable prints and be sure to check out these amazing bracelets she’s collaborated on with Morphik! I’m personally coveting the Dulcet piece, which looks fantastic with the Taupe cuff! ( Just in case anyone is taking notes.. I do have a birthday coming up! ;-))
Featured image is Mothership, pen & ink on paper, 21×16. All images are via the artist’s website.
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, 48×95
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, 72×72
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, 33.5×37
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, 33×37
P.s. Five months later the gallery director was assigned to be my thesis supervisor.
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, 9×9 image on 11×14 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, 9×9 image on 11×14 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, 9×9 image on 11×14 paperUntitled, 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–
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, 36×36
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, 72×60
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, 18×18
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, 72×60
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.
I’ve always been interested in the interplay between color and pattern, how each effects the other and the visual impact both can have, even in small doses. Australian artist Kirra Jamison’s works are a beautiful, modern mastery of both.
Love Me Two Times IV, gouache, ink, pen and vinyl on paper 76×56 cm
Her warm and pure palette allow her compositions to pop against neutral backgrounds. Saturated, cut-out like shapes call to mind the collages of Henri Matisse, though Jamison’s compositions tend to be a bit more complex and detailed. But anyone whose work reminds me of Matisse is an automatic fave!
Willow Weep, gouache and vinyl on paper, 160×114 cm
Some of her pieces, such as Willow Weep ( above ) are a delightfully dizzying kaleidoscope of color and detail. I am drawn in by the playful patterns of color, then enchanted by the surprises that await.
Belong to me (after Deluany,) acrylic, gouache, pen on canvas 220×183 cm
Patterned backgrounds in works like Belong To Me ( above ) appear, upon first glance to be a symmetrical repeat, but each element is revealed to be unique. It is amazing how our eyes fool us into thinking that all are the same.. there is something poetic in that, isn’t there?
Love Me Two Times V, gouache, ink, pen and vinyl on paper 76×56 cmCherry Blossom, acrylic, gouache, pen and vinyl on canvas 152.5×132 cm
To see more of Kirra Jamison’s work, please visit her website. Thank you to Tamara Lynn Photography for introducing Artsy Forager to this artist!
Featured image is Cut Out V, vinyl on paper, 57×38 cm. All images are via the artist’s website.
Life just gets so complicated, doesn’t it? We are constantly bombarded with imagery and information, it’s a wonder our brains can keep up! What I love most about the work of New York artist, Peri Schwartz is her way of seeming to keep things simple in such a complicated world.
Studio XXVIII, 2010, 38×52
Using simple swathes of bold color, she distills objects and spaces into their purest planes and forms. We are no longer caught up in minute, mind-numbing detail, but instead, can enjoy her worlds for the lively, colorful spaces they are.
Studio XXXI, 2011, 38×50
She uses perspective to great advantage, as it is directs us and gives our too often over-saturated brains a bit of a rest.. sort of just gently pulling us along so that we know just what we are seeing before we even realize we are seeing it. 😉
Bottles and Jars XVI, 2011, 36×22
The peek-a-boo quality of the lines and grids give a hint that there is much more going on beneath the surface than our eyes may notice upon first glance.
Studio XXIX, 2010, 38×52
Doesn’t that always seem to be the case, though? We make simplistic conclusions about complicated processes. Each of these works are a complex juxtaposition of color, light and space, fooling our eye into seeing form and shape in a primitively intricate way.
Studio XXXII, 2011, 40×44
To see more of Peri Schwartz’s work, please visit her website.
I absolutely love watching the evolution of an artist’s work. And the latest round of paintings from abstract painter, Casey Matthews blew me away. They are unmistakably hers, but she continues to grow in her use of color, elegance of form and sophistication. So it thrills me to feature her today on Escape Into Life!
Thank Goodness You Said It First, mixed media on canvas
Over the weekend, following a walk in the brisk January air, I was consumed with a desire to paint. Although I’d recently cranked out seven (!) paintings as Christmas gifts for my nieces, I really haven’t painted consistently since college. As I set out to create a little study of an Idaho Locust seed pod found on our walk, my underpainting, nothing but brushstrokes and color was so much more interesting than anything I would create out of it. Artist Kerry Irvine understands the potent power of color to invoke emotion, mood and form.
Letting Go, acrylic, gouache and oil stick on canvas, 24×36
Kerry’s use of color creates an ambience and sense of place, be it a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual destination.
Oil Pond, acrylic, gouache and oil stick on linen, 40×60
They are places we’ve been before, moments of joy, times of reflection, memories of days past, dreams real or imagined. But all having made us who we are.
Tree of Life, acrylic and oil stick on canvas, 36×48
Kerry’s work takes us on a journey. A sojourn through color with sidestepping adventures in texture, line and form.
Cherry Blossom Freeze, acrylic, gouache and oil stick on linen, 36×48
To see more of Kerry Irvine’s work, please visit her website and Facebook page.
Featured image is Midnight in the Garden, acrylic, gouache and oil stick on linen, 63×48. All images are via the artist’s website.
Perhaps it began with too many pre-teen viewings of Funny Face or Gigi. Or maybe it was even earlier with The Aristocats. For whatever reason, France in general and Paris in particular, have always been a source of fascination and inspiration to me, as it has to countless artists through the ages. Recently, it seems as if Paris is just in the air. So, today, mon chere Artsies, I bring to you a few of my recent Frenchy favorites. Vive la France!
April In Paris by Liz Lind, limited edition, 16×16, 24×24 or 32×32Green Chairs by Lisa Abelson/Dasken DesignsParis by George ButlerPretty Maps ( Paris ) by Aaron Straup Cope
Be sure to check out the websites of my fellow Francophiles below. Have a beautiful weekend, Artsies!
The work of Canadian artist Takashi Iwasaki creates a bright and candy colored world, full of shapes that may seem incongruous, but are creating tableaus representing, for the artist, either completely imaginary worlds or the world he sees every day, as he sees it in shape and color.
Midoriyaamehatzga, embroidery floss and fabric (hand embroidered), 51cm x 51cm
Though the composition may have meaning to the artist, he purposefully keeps the titles vague ( they are a combination of fragments several languages and sounds based on themes or elements in each work ), so that the viewer may drawn his own conclusion as to what is being seen.
Kamidaredentou, embroidery floss and fabric (hand embroidered,) 41cm x 41cm
Although the bright tones are decidedly cheery and the shapes often whimsical, it could be easy to interpret these with a dark sensibility. They are at times alien-like and the Sputnik-ish motifs along with the clean aesthetic lead me to often see a kind of mid-century extraterrestrial sort of world. One that I would happily be abducted to.
Taretentokaku, embroidery floss and fabric (hand embroidered), 30.5cm x 30.5cmMinotogetenti, embroidery floss and fabric (hand embroidered), 35.5cm x 35.5cm
In addition to the embroidered ( ! ) works above, Iwasaki you can also see wonderful paintings and drawings on his website. They will take you to another world!
Featured image is Nijiawapaip, embroidery floss and fabric (hand embroidered), 41cm x 41cm. All images are via the artist’s website.
