artsy forager

Category: Daily Artsy

Artists featured in a solo spot on Artsy Forager

  • In the Nitty Gritty: Todd Jannausch

    In the Nitty Gritty: Todd Jannausch

    Seattle, Seattle, Seattle ( Marcia Brady voice ).. we arrived on Saturday and are completely in love with the city but overwhelmed by apartment hunting.  So this week, I’m re-running posts featuring some favorite Seattle artists.  Sorry for the repeats, hope to be back to normal artsy blogging next week!

    I grew up in a family of motorheads.  My grandfather owned a neighborhood service station from 1961 to 1979, the kind where you didn’t pump your own gas and a fluid check and windshield wash was complimentary.  I was only seven when he retired but can still remember the sights and smells of the station.  Seattle photographer Todd Jannausch’s series Garage Evidence captures the decline and decay of these iconic landmarks.

    Garage, 2009

    Through Jannausch’s photos,  I can practically smell the familiar faint odor of oil mixed with orange cleaner ( my grandfather kept his place immaculate! ) and hear the ring of the station bell as a car drives over it, signaling Granddaddy to service.

    Tune-Up, 2009
    Little Boxes, 2009

    I can remember playing on the lifts in the garage, drinking Coca-Cola in glass bottles and following my grandfather around like a puppy.

    Old Pumps, 2009

    Just like my grandfather’s station, these old relics have been replaced by more bigger, more efficient yet less friendly models.  Thank you, Todd, for capturing their last breaths and for taking me back to the time I spent in such a place. Be sure to check out Todd’s website for more from the Garage Evidence series, as well as his other work.

    PS– Scroll down for a peek at my granddaddy, Lester ( aka L.V. ) Hamilton on the day of his retirement, April 14, 1979, the day before my 7th birthday.

    Lester Hamilton, April 14, 1979

    All Todd Jannausch images are via his website.

  • These Bucks Are BUCK: Rachel Denny

    These Bucks Are BUCK: Rachel Denny

    Seattle, Seattle, Seattle ( Marcia Brady voice ).. we arrived on Saturday and are completely in love with the city but overwhelmed by apartment hunting.  So this week, I’m re-running posts featuring some favorite Seattle artists.  Sorry for the repeats, hope to be back to normal artsy blogging next week!

    Is the adjective buck actually used in the common vernacular?  Or do only So You Think You Can Dance geeks like myself know what it means, thanks to Lil’ C?  He uses it as slang for something that is crazy good and cool.  Which is exactly how I would describe the sculptures of Portland artist, Rachel Denny.

    Red Buck, polyurethane foam, wool and wood

    On my morning walk with George today, we came upon a deer munching on flowers in a neighbor’s yard ( one of the things we love about the Northwest ).  So when I came across Rachel’s work this morning, I connected with it instantly.  Her work explores that surprise of the unexpected wildness of nature in urban settings and every day life.

    Young Buck, merino wool, polyurethane foam, thread and wood

    Young Buck and Red Buck, both above, are part of her Domestic Trophies series, which while appearing at first to be whimsical and playful, actually seem to be making a commentary on how we try to justify our own violence or antipathy against nature.  The head of an animal that was once a living, breathing creature, killed for sport and mounted as a trophy gets “domesticated” and rendered impotent by blanketing it in a warm and colorful wrap of fuzzy wool.  It is now rendered to be merely a decorative object instead of a wild beast.

    The Lion and The Lamb, polyurethane foam, wood and wool

    Or perhaps the artist is comforting these poor creatures.  Covering their eyes and shielding them from a future of staring down at the same scene day after day.  Or maybe she’s just having a little fun by creating something beautiful out of something so symbolically grotesque.

    Teal Doe, polyurethane foam, wood, wool, paint and thread

    Whatever Rachel Denny is doing, I am on the bandwagon.  These pieces are fanciful and fun and if there is a deeper message behind them, so much the better.

    Go to Rachel Denny’s website for more of her sculptural work– the ceramics are great, make sure you check them out!

    All images via www.racheldenny.com.

  • Happy Trees: Liz Tran

    Happy Trees: Liz Tran

    Seattle, Seattle, Seattle ( Marcia Brady voice ).. we arrived on Saturday and are completely in love with the city but overwhelmed by apartment hunting.  So this week, I’m re-running posts featuring some favorite Seattle artists.  Sorry for the repeats, hope to be back to normal artsy blogging next week!

    Yes, I just quoted Bob Ross.  But the whimsical trees of Seattle artist Liz Tran are miles beyond Ross’s prosaic “happy trees”.  Tran’s trees practically shout with joy.

    Encircle, mixed media on panel, 36×36

    With her use of bright colors and whimsical patterns, these trunks and limbs capture the fun spirit of yarn-bombing in paint!

    Winter Drop, mixed media on panel, 48×48
    August Bloom, mixed media on panel, 36×24

    These transporting works take me back to the feeling of being a kid, lying on my back in the grass and looking up into a canopy of trees with sunlight bursting through.  There is no other feeling more peaceful and happy.

    Summer Stripes, mixed media on panel, 36×36

    In a lesser hand, these candied conifers could turn a bit too sweet, but Liz gives them just the right modernity to keep up the fresh and contemporary feel.  To see more of Liz Tran’s creations, please visit her website.

    Featured image is Traveling Two, mixed media on panel, 36×24.  All images are courtesy of the artist’s website.

  • Guest Forager: Sarah Brooks of Artsyo

    Guest Forager: Sarah Brooks of Artsyo

    While Mr. Forager & I wind our way up the Pacific Coast Highway to Seattle, I’ve asked a few of my fellow art bloggers to step in and share some of their own artsy finds.

    Mr. F and I are exploring San Francisco today ( so excited! ) but once we’ve made our way to Seattle, you can bet that I’ll be using the website of today’s Guest Forager to find lots of amazing Seattle artists for you!  Please welcome Sarah Brooks of Artsyo!

    This is Sarah coming to you from Artsyo, a local-art-finder for Seattleites. As your Guest Forager today, I’m excited to introduce you to Seattle artist Susanna Bluhm!

    Susanna’s lush abstracted landscapes caught my eye at an art auction last fall, and I’ve been taken with them ever since. She works from photographs of places she’s been, sometimes combining two dissimilar landscapes into one – Croatian islands with traffic islands, for example.

    They Call It Way Too Rowdy, We Call It Finally Free, oil and acrylic on canvas, 95x72
    They Call It Way Too Rowdy, We Call It Finally Free, oil and acrylic on canvas, 95×72

    Even though the paintings are based on photographs, you can’t always tell what you’re looking at. Abstract marks play off of recognizable shapes to create the story. “I love what you can’t articulate,” says Susanna.

    tell me, you whom my soul loves
    Tell Me, You Whom My Soul Loves, Where You Pasture Your Flock, Where You Make It Lie Down at Noon, oil and acrylic on canvas, 71×119

    Susanna’s most recent series of paintings is inspired by the Bible’s controversial book Song of Songs, reimagined in the form of a love song to her wife and son.

     

    Who Is This That Looks Forth Like the Dawn, oil and acrylic on canvas, 63x102
    Who Is This That Looks Forth Like the Dawn, oil and acrylic on canvas, 63×102

    Susanna says that Song of Songs can be read as a relationship narrative: it begins with a frenzied crush and giddy romance, later giving way to more difficult periods of anxiety and loss.

     

    Your Name is Perfume Poured Out, oil and acrylic on canvas, 40x40
    Your Name is Perfume Poured Out, oil and acrylic on canvas, 40×40

    Not everyone considers Song of Songs to be a story of two people in love: “Some Biblical scholars believe it is about God’s relationship to the Holy Land,” says Susanna. “In that case, God and the Holy Land should probably get a room.”

     

    Your Cheeks Are Like Halves of a Pomegranate, Hidden Behind Your Veil, oil and acrylic on canvas, 83x77
    Your Cheeks Are Like Halves of a Pomegranate, Hidden Behind Your Veil, oil and acrylic on canvas, 83×77

    I hope you enjoyed Susanna’s work, Artsy readers!

    Yours truly,

    Sarah & the Artsyo team

    See more paintings from Susanna Bluhm on Artsyo.

    All images via Artsyo.

     

  • May-days Are Here! And a New Featured Artist!

    May-days Are Here! And a New Featured Artist!

    May always feels like the month when we truly transition out of winter and into the glory of the warmer months!  Mr. Forager and I are now in Seattle, though, so I’m not sure how warm we’ll be this May. 😉  But we have the work of this month’s Featured Artist, Pamela Viola to keep us glowing!

    Whizz 2 by Pamela Viola
    Whizz 2 by Pamela Viola

    Be sure to head over to the Artsy Forager Facebook page, where Pamela’s work will be gracing our cover AND check out the Facebook album full of my favorite Violas!  Want to see even more?  Peruse Pamela’s website and blog.

    Image via the artist’s website.

  • Guest Forager: Erin of artsocial

    Guest Forager: Erin of artsocial

    While Mr. Forager & I wind our way up the Pacific Coast Highway to Seattle, I’ve asked a few of my fellow art bloggers to step in and share some of their own artsy finds.  

    You’re already familiar with Erin of artsocial as my partner in artsy pinning for the Art Association contest we hold every month.  But did you also know she has her own fabulous art blog?  It’s like a party every day.  With art!  Without further ado, take it away, Erin!

    Abstract is IN this season in a big awesome way. Everywhere I turn, I’m seeing amazing paintings, rugs, pants – you name it – all decorated with incredible abstract designs… and I love it.

    Mini Interior 9
    Mini Interior 9, mixed media collage on paper, 6×4

    A newfound favorite of mine is abstract artist, Pamela Staker.  Her intense color combinations, bold patterns, and expressive brushstrokes infuse her work with an undeniable and irresistible energy.

    Mini Interior 10
    Mini Interior 10, mixed media collage on paper, 6×4

    Starting with simple shapes and vibrant colors, Pamela builds up her playful abstractions with mixed media and unconventional materials like duct tape, rope, and vinyl wall covering. Isn’t contemporary art the best?

    Mini Interior 11
    Mini Interior 11, mixed media collage on paper, 6×4

    Her work beautifully expresses a balance between energetic spontaneity and carefully structured compositions. Which one is your favorite?

    Mini Interior 12
    Mini Interior 12, mixed media collage on paper, 6×4

    This is only a small sampling of Pamela’s amazing work. Her shop is FULL of incredible pieces.

    P.S. there’s a whole section of abstract cats! Not to sound too much like a cat lady, but it’s pretty awesome. You can also find larger works on Cureeo.

    See more from Pamela Staker on Etsy and her website.

     

  • Inner Archetypes: Haley Hasler

    Inner Archetypes: Haley Hasler

    We all struggle against that ideal we have in our head of the person we feel we are supposed to be.  Whether it be the strong head of household, the June Cleaverish mom or the anti-establishment free thinker.  Artist Haley Hasler conveys the inner archetypes caught in the complexity of the exterior world in her self portrait series.

    Portrait as Sunday Brunch by Haley Hasler
    Portrait as Sunday Brunch, oil on canvas, 46×56
    Portrait as Lady Bearing Snacks by Haley Hasler
    Portrait as Lady Bearing Snacks, oil on canvas

    I am continually in awe of any working mom’s as when I glimpse into the insanity of their daily lives, I wonder how in the world they do it.  My friend V and I talked about it once, that inert striving that seems to always be present to live up to some sort of ideal.

    Portrait as St. Caslide by Haley Hasler
    Portrait as St. Caslide, oil on canvas, 32×46
    Portrait of Allegory of Fidelity by Haley Hasler
    Portrait of Allegory of Fidelity, oil on canvas

    But when we let go of that ideal, as my very wise friend told me, that’s when we can really dwell in each moment.  The dishes may be dirty, the laundry may be piled up, but our loved ones will remember the time we gave them.  There will always be the inner struggle for the “perfect” life– whatever that may look like.  But even if the life we cultivate isn’t perfect, it can still be filled with moments of magic.

    Portrait as Tooth Fairy by Haley Hasler
    Portrait as Tooth Fairy, oil on canvas, 38×56

    To see more of Haley Hasler’s work, please visit her website.

  • Electrified Flora: Thrush Holmes

    Electrified Flora: Thrush Holmes

    Forget those boring old still lifes from your grandma’s era.  Artists like Thrush Holmes are taking that classic subject and reinterpreting it through modern eyes.  The result is anything but boring.

    Untitled by Thrush Holmes
    Untitled 2011, oil on canvas, 84×84
    Untitled 2012 by Thrush Holmes
    Untitled 2012, oil on panel, 16×20

    Neon-hued petals in flattened, simplified shapes let you know these aren’t just any old floral paintings.  With color blocking reminiscent of Matisse, these blossoms fairly jump off the canvas.

    Untitled 2011 by Thrush Holmes
    Untitled 2011, oil on canvas, 60×84
    Untitled by Thrush Holmes
    Untitled, oil on panel, 16×20

    Graffit-like lines incorporated give these paintings a freewheelin’ freedom their classical predecessors never dreamed of.

    Untitled 2012 by Thrush Holmes
    Untitled, oil panel, 52×62

    To see more of Thrush Holmes’ work, please visit his website.

    All images via the artist’s website.

  • Artsy on Escape Into Life: Sara K. Byrne

    Artsy on Escape Into Life: Sara K. Byrne

    A perfect blend of the beauty of nature and portraiture!  I’m featuring the gorgeous photography of Sara K. Byrne in my Artist Watch on Escape Into Life today.  Head on over to check it out!

    Sara K. Byrne on Escape Into Life

    Artist found via The Artful Desperado.  Image via the artist’s blog.

  • Missing Pieces: Lisa Hochstein

    Missing Pieces: Lisa Hochstein

    During our time in Joshua Tree, every time we’ve driven to San Diego or made the trek “down the hill” into Palm Springs, we’ve experienced the wind tunnel that exists in the San Gorgonio Mountain Pass, where over 4000 windmills provide energy to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.  When I saw the latest collage series by Lisa Hochstein, Missing Pieces, the shapes seem to echo the turbines and the torn papers reminded me of wind’s inherent power.

    Missing Pieces by Lisa Hochstein
    Missing Pieces 2012-5, salvaged paper, 12×16
    Missing Pieces 2012-3 by Lisa Hochstein
    Missing Pieces 2012-3, salvaged paper, 12×16

    Whether wind and its harnessing machines were an influence to the artist, I do not know.  But I can’t help but see in the grid lines an aerial view looking down onto the giant arms of these energy producers as they spin, some barely moving others cycling at a steady pace.

    Missing Pieces 2012-6 by Lisa Hochstein
    Missing Pieces 2012-6, salvaged paper, 12×16
    Missing Pieces 2012-1 by Lisa Hochstein
    Missing Pieces 2012-1, salvaged paper, 12×16

    In the shredded pages that make up these collages, I see the destructive nature of the desert’s blasts of air.  All over, we’ve seen evidence of wind wreaking havoc across the landscape, even in our own backyard here in Joshua Tree.

    Missing Pieces 2012-2 by Lisa Hochstein
    Missing Pieces 2012-2, salvaged paper, 12×16

    That’s what I see in Lisa Hochstein’s work.  What do your eyes see?  If you’d like to check out more of this artist’s work, please visit her website.

    All images are via the artist’s website.