Category: Paintings

  • What Lies Beneath: Antonio Santin

    What Lies Beneath: Antonio Santin

    So here’s the thing.  When I first saw these paintings by Antionio Santin in my Pinterest feed courtesy of designboom, I loved the palette and hyperealism and unusual subject matter.  I immediately repinned them for featuring later on the blog.  Then, before I had a chance to write about these paintings, I started seeing other people post about there being bodies under the carpets!

    Santin_Nubes O Nieblas Santin_Missing Edna santin-marearojaHR Santin_Agatha Santin_Spiel

     

    Santin began his artistic journey as a sculptor and has since focused much of his work on the figure, namely women who seem to have met their fate, with pattern often playing a large role in his compositions.  A natural progression then, to place the body instead of on top of the carpet, under it?  Much more subversively sinister, to be sure.  But nonetheless, beautifully rendered work!

    If you would like to see work by Antonio Santin, please visit his website.  You can also read an interview with the artist and get a peek into his Berlin studio here.

    Antonio Santin, Painter in his studio in Berlin Wedding

     

    All art images are via the artist’s website.  Studio image via Freunde von Freunden.

  • Artsy Lately: Anna Kincaide

    Artsy Lately: Anna Kincaide

    How long has it been since I’ve done an Artsy Lately feature?  Way too long, if you ask me! Especially since sooo many of the artists whose work has been featured on AF are continually amazing me!  This young artist has been working hard and when I saw what she’s been up to, I just had to let you see.  Tallahassee artist Anna Kincaide knows that the way to grow as an artist is to continually practice your craft and experiment.  She’s playing with color and pattern these days and I’m loving this direction!

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    Catwalk is part of a series the artist completed for the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority at Florida State University.  Perfect!  If you’d like to see more of Anna Kincaide‘s work, please visit her website and Facebook page.  Want to see more of what AF featured artists are up to?  Follow the Artsy Lately Pinterest board!  If you’re an artist whose work I’ve featured and you haven’t received an invite to participate in the board, shoot me an email at lesley(at)artsyforager.com!

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Distorted Perceptions: Stephen Thorpe

    Distorted Perceptions: Stephen Thorpe

    Have you ever gone back to places you visited as a kid and found that they were nothing like what you’d been remembering all this time?  Perception can be muddled by age, memory, and association.  The work of UK artist Stephen Thorpe speaks to our distorted perceptions of place and reality.

    Void by Stephen Thorpe
    Void, oil on canvas, 59.8×71.7
    Lepton by Stephen Thorpe
    Lepton, oil on canvas, 17.7×23.6

    We might associate a place with a certain feeling, due to the memories created there, sometimes good, sometimes bad. In our travels, I’ve definitely found that distance and time softens my memories of some places.  The town I couldn’t wait to leave, I can now look back on fondly.  Well, sort of.

    Boson by Stephen Thorpe
    Boson, oil on canvas, 17.7×23.6

    Sometimes, we might remember a place altogether differently than the reality of that spot.  Thorpe’s paintings jumble reality with transparent planes and skewed perspectives.  What looks vaguely familiar seems just a bit abstracted and absurd.

    Deviant Boson by Stephen Thorpe
    Deviant Boson, oil on canvas, 23.6×29.9
    Event Horizon by Stephen Thorpe
    Event Horizon, oil on canvas, 35.8×29.5

    If you’d like to see more work by Stephen Thorpe, please visit his website.  Love his work enough to make it your own?  Selected works are available at Saatchi Online, including some works as prints.  Accessible, affordable art.  It’s a good thing.

    All images via the artist’s website.  Artist found via Saatchi Online.

  • Feeling of Place: Michael J. Abrams

    Feeling of Place: Michael J. Abrams

    As we travel, Mr. F and I get to know the places we live in an intimate way.  Each place has its own distinct atmosphere, sense of rhythm and character.  In these paintings, Vermont artist Michael J. Abrams distills his landscapes down to their own sense of atmospheric beauty.

    Lucent Blue by Michael Abrams
    Lucent Blue, oil on canvas, 51×38

    The differences in each canvas are subtle, yet so often, are the differences in place.  We’re currently living in the same general area where we were two years ago.  And while many things are familiar and recognizable, this town and the immediate area surrounding it still feel new and unexplored.

    Bourn Jetty by Michael Abrams
    Bourn Jetty, oil on panel, 8×8
    Scattered Yellow by Michael Abrams
    Scattered Yellow, oil on canvas, 74×68
    Bulrush by Michael Abrams
    Bulrush, oil on panel, 8×8

    Abrams’ paintings carry that same sense of mystery, the anticipation of what could be just beyond the haze, right around the next corner.

    Windham Light #9 by Michael Abrams
    Windham Light #9, oil on panel, 18×18

    To see more of the work of Michael J. Abrams, please visit his Facebook page and the Sears Peyton Gallery website.

    All images are via the Sears Peyton Gallery website.

  • Fragile Souls: Olivia Pendergast

    Fragile Souls: Olivia Pendergast

    Back in my gallery days, the gallery owner I worked for had a way of describing work that I’ve held onto ever since– it either has soul or it doesn’t.  Work either grips you by the heart and spirit or leaves you cold.  These figurative paintings by Seattle artist Olivia Pendergrast are filled with raw, honest emotion.

    Pendergast_Yellow Jumper Untitled by Olivia Pendergast

    The artist has traveled through Africa and Haiti, immersing herself in the people and culture of each place.  Indeed, each portrait captures the mingled innocence and heartache of the people she encountered.

    Untitled by Olivia Pendergast Untitled by Olivia Pendergast

    The muted palettes and sketchy lines bring to mind the sadness that permeates each country, and elongated limbs and fingers bely the fragility of life.

    Side of the Road by Olivia Pendergast

     Want to see more of Olivia Pendergast‘s work?  Please visit her website.

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Temporal Tableaus: Andy Denzler

    Temporal Tableaus: Andy Denzler

    Do you ever have days when it feels like you wake up one minute and it’s time to go back to bed the next?  Days when the time just passes, too busily or hastily, and all too quickly it’s gone.  And we hardly remember it.  The paintings of Zurich artist Andy Denzler draw us into a world where time seems to stand still.

    Couple Sharing Bed by Andy Denzler
    Couple Sharing Bed, oil on canvas, 140×120 cm
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    Bedroom Portrait Face Down, oil on canvas, 120×140 cm

    Denzler’s work is based in classical representation of the figure but the artist incorporates gestural twists through each canvas, leaving us with the impression of a paused moment.

    Denzler_Across the Shallow Stream_oil on canvas_140x120cm
    Across the Shallow Stream, oil on canvas, 120×140 cm
    Something Waits For You to Breathe Again by Andy Denzler
    Something Waits For You to Breathe Again, oil on canvas, 120×140 cm

    Captured forever is the loveliness of each instant, the simple moments of the mundane, the stillness of a stretch of quiet and calm.

    Touch by Andy Denzler
    Touch, oil on canvas, 140×120 cm

    If you’d like to see more of Andy Denzler‘s work, please visit his website.

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Vintage Visions: Jay Zerbe

    Vintage Visions: Jay Zerbe

    Mr. Forager tends to roll his eyes and snicker when I settle in to watch an old Doris Day or Cary Grant flick.  Yes, I’ll admit, sometimes the story lines are implausible and the acting a bit affected, but something about entering those make-believe worlds touches the part of me that longs for beauty and elegance and grace.  The paintings of artist Jay Zerbe seem cloaked in the palette of those longed for days.

    Shadows and Signs by Jay Zerbe
    Shadows and Signs, acrylic and crayon on canvas, 36×48

    There is something in his chalky palettes that remind me of the energy of the mid-twentieth century.  The colors seem to be telling the story of young love, white gloves and big Cadillac tail fins.

    Celery Soup by Jay Zerbe
    Celery Soup, acrylic and crayon on canvas, 36×36
    Ascension by Jay Zerbe
    Ascension, acrylic and crayon on canvas, 36×36

    But there is something underlying the nostalgic palettes.  A subtle darkness and shadow, reminding us not everything bright and shiny is without its demons.

    57 Bonneville by Jay Zerbe
    57 Bonneville, acrylic and crayon on canvas, 24×24
    Paper Lantern by Jaz Zerbe
    Paper Lantern, acrylic and crayon on canvas, 30×48

    If you would like to check out more of Jay Zerbe‘s work, please visit his website.

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Take to the Waters: Anne Neely

    Take to the Waters: Anne Neely

    Water is one of those resources we tend to take for granted until we find ourselves without it.  During the six months we spent in the California desert, Mr. F and I discovered just how essential its presence was to our psyches and overall happiness.  Not only does it nourish us physically, but something about this liquid nurtures our souls.  Boston artist Anne Neely explores the importance of waters seen and unseen in her Mopang series.

    Turlach-Turlough by Anne Neely
    Turlach-Turlough, oil on linen, 72×60
    Pond Park by Anne Neely
    Pond Park, oil on linen, 36×44

    The series is named after the Mopang Aquifer in Maine which was saved after an attempt to establish an ash dump near it.  The artist plunges depths, showing off water’s sparkles and light in her use of color, shape and line.

    Riverside by Anne Neely
    Riverside, oil on linen, 32×24

    We are lucky enough to have a beautiful little man-made stream and waterfall running through the backyard of our current rental.  Just a few minutes gazing into the clear waters and listening to the splashing instantly calms me.  The mere presence of water reminds us of our most basic needs and we relax in its cool calming being.

    Off Island by Anne Neely
    Off Island, oil on linen, 32×24
    Waterlines by Anne Neely
    Waterlines, oil on linen, 14×11

    If you would like to see more of Anne Neely‘s work, please visit her website.

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • September Featured Artist: Susan Hall

    September Featured Artist: Susan Hall

    I know today is a holiday for most folks here in the US, so you’ve probably out picnicking, enjoying your last bit of summer beach time or barbecuing with the fam.  But I just couldn’t wait to share with you our new Featured Artist for September!  I am an enormous fan of this artist’s work.  Seriously, I fall more in love with the work of Susan Hall every time I see it.

    Wing by Susan Hall
    Wing, oil on panel, 35×40

    Every painting transports me to such a calm and peaceful place– it’s like a visual dip into a cool spring on a hot day.  Each figure, whether human or animal, seems lit from within and the canvases radiate with serenity.

    Devotion by Susan Hall
    Devotion, oil on panel, 43×51
    Morning Light by Susan Hall
    Morning Light, oil on panel, 35×40

    And I’m sure you’ve noticed her use of texture– each piece has subtle textural patterns overlaying the composition, lending to the ethereal, gossamer-like quality.

    Listen by Susan Hall
    Listen, oil on panel, 43×48
    Harmony by Susan Hall
    Harmony, oil on panel, 43×51

    Owning one of Susan’s pieces would be like having your own personal serenity portal.  Just a few moments’ gazing and my stress levels plummet!

    Want to see more of Susan Hall‘s work?  Please visit her website and be sure to check out the Facebook album full of my favorite works by Susan.  For you Texas Artsies, Susan will be showing at the Houston Fine Art Fair this month and for my Seattle Artsies, you can see Susan’s work at the Affordable Art Fair in November!  A list of galleries who carry her work can be found on her website here.

    All images via the artist’s website.

     

  • Exploratory Escapes: Jaime Derringer

    Exploratory Escapes: Jaime Derringer

    One of my favorite things about social media is being able to watch an artist blossom and discover their voice.  Maybe you recognize the name of today’s artist, perhaps better known as the founder and editor of the amazing design blog, DesignMilk, artist-blogger-poet(!), Jaime Derringer.

    Composition #5 by Jaime Derringer
    Composition #5, acrylic and pencil on heavy canvas paper, 12×16
    Why Can't I Be You? by Jaime Derringer
    Why Can’t I Be You?, mixed media on wood panel, 8×8

    I wasn’t aware of the scope of Jaime’s artistic talent until she began posting her A Shape A Day project on Instagram.  Immediately, I was like, “Hold the phone!  She’s an artist, too??”  The short answer? Yes.

    Untitled by Jaime Derringer
    Untitled, ink, marker and watercolor on watercolor paper, 9×12
    Smoke Monster by Jaime Derringer
    Smoke Monster, ink, marker and acrylic on heavy canvas paper, 16×12

    For Jaime, her work is an exploration and escape.  Perusing her work, you can see the progression, the playing with style, medium and composition that marks each creative expedition.

    Jellyfish by Jaime Derringer
    Jellyfish, ink on paper, 25×19

    With each journey, the artist is discovering her own uncharted territory and finding new paths.  Personally, I’m enjoying being along for the ride.

    Want to see more of Jaime Derringer‘s work?  Be sure to check out her website here.  Oh and bonus– originals and prints of her work are available at super affordable prices!

    All images are via the artist’s website.