Have you ever had a moment so special, so perfect that you want to freeze yourself there, so that you can go back and revisit it again and again? London based artist Dan McDermott‘s paintings ( yes, paintings! ) freeze in time moments from our collective past, preserving not just the actuality of that occasion but the feeling of being in that moment.
Beauty Queens, oil on canvas, 130×100 cmGood Times I, oil on canvas, 80×60 cm
Working from an extensive archive of vintage imagery, McDermott captures what seems like frozen film frames in paint. It’s like watching those old home movies on projector ( showing my age! ). Everything is a bit distorted, but we recognize the familiar.
Yellow Dress II, oil on canvas, 80×50 cmRoller Skates, oil on canvas, 80×50 cm
The corralling of these “frozen” moments doesn’t just happen in the frenetic, blurry application of paint. It is found in the palettes, as well, we can sense the warmth of the sun, along with the faded cloth of memory.
Cocktail, oil on linen, 127×67 cm
What moment would you like to freeze in time? I can think of several! Want to see more of Dan McDermott’s work? Please visit his website.
You’ve more than likely seen this artist’s work. His painted church in DC was all over the interwebs last year. But artist Alex Brewer aka Hense, does more than just create amazing ecclesiastical transformations. Brewer takes elements of the style he honed as a graffiti artist and applies it to canvas and paper, resulting in abstractions that are sophisticated with a bit of swag.
Mural, acrylic, ink, aerosol, graphite and oil bar on canvas, 58×58
Brewer takes those quick gestures and gritty scribbles from his street art background and translates them into layered, slightly rowdy compositions. Full of riotous color and the spontaneity of street painting, these pieces seem like screen captures of fleeting moments in paint.
Day Two, acrylic, house paint, ink and spray paint on wood, 42×48Rearrange, acrylic, aerosol and latex house paint on wood, 72×72Red Painting, acrylic, spray paint, ink and house paint on wood, 42×48
The layers of paint interlace with each other, so that we aren’t sure where one layer begins and the next one ends, like one artist’s graffiti slightly covered by the next to come along.
Untitled Blue
Want to see more work by Alex Brewer? Check out his website.
Sometimes I have a love /hate relationship with certain blogs. While I love the pretty pictures and aspirational lifestyle, I hate how unrealistic it can seem. None of our lives are perfect and I don’t think that anyone is trying to say they are, but who wants to show the boring stuff? The embarrassing stuff? Admit your vices? These hyperrealistic, somewhat goofy paintings by Korean artist Kang Kang Hoon reinforce that when we are in our truth, not denying how silly or mundane we really are, there is magic to be found.
So in that spirit, I’ll let you in on a few of my own little secrets I might prefer to keep under that rug over there..
I bastardize my coffee. I embarrass Mr. Forager every time I order coffee at any Seattle coffeehouse and ask for “lots of room for cream”. He’s just lucky I don’t order what I really want, a Salted Caramel Mocha Frappacino.
I always wear at least a little makeup when we’re hiking. I know, totally against the outdoorsy girl code. But I look half dead without at least a little flavored Chapstick ( Cherry ) and a bit of mascara. A girl needs to look her best, even in the woods!
I frequently fall asleep during movies. These days, when we snuggle in to watch a movie, it has to be either really good and interesting or I guarantee I will doze off about mid-way. If there are a lot of dark scenes and mumbled dialogue, I don’t stand a chance.
I don’t paint much, but not for the reasons you might think. It’s not because I’m too busy ( see reality tv addiction above ), don’t have the time, space or resources. It’s that I get terrified of disappointing myself. Since no one else really sees what I work on, I’m the only one judging and I am my own harshest critic. It’s something I need to work on. After I finish this season of MasterChef.
I’ve told you my secrets. Now you tell me yours! Let’s really revel in our collective goofiness. Want to see more of these fabulous paintings by Kang Kang Hoon? Check out his website.
Maybe it’s finally living in a place surrounded by water after living in the desert last year, but I have been finding such inspiration in the various hues of blue to be found in the waters around Seattle! So many gorgeous shades from the deepest, darkest blue to green aquas, I just want to plunge right in and see what mysteries await!
It’s only natural that this blue obsession is trickling over into the artwork I’m foraging on my Pinterest boards.. here’s a little deep blue sea inspiration to get your own seas churning!
When you think of a breeding ground for creativity, Tulsa, OK is probably not the first place that comes to mind.. but let me tell you there are some artsy folks in OK! Mr. F lived in Tulsa for a few years, so we definitely know some cool and creative folks there ( and a few that have moved Northwesterly! ). Tulsa is home to an awesome contemporary gallery, Exhibit by Aberson, which is showing an impressive round up of young Oklahoman artists, including Tulsa painter ( and musician, Tulsa is a hotbed for the musically inclined ), Jason Lockhart.
Bita-PitaAlite
I fell instantly in love with this Lockhart’s work as soon as I saw it in Exhibit’s newsletter. The architectural elements juxtaposed with typography and painterly abstractions, then add in that color palette and BAM! This is an artist to watch, folks.
E4ET
It’s not just the elements being used, but the way in which he is fitting them together. That slightly hidden “A” in Bita-Pita, the suggestive aviation shapes in E4.. It all just works. Sometimes I get tongue tied, ok, keyboard tied when I try to describe why I love an artist’s work. It’s just good. Trust me.
Ding-On
Want to see more of Jason Lockhart’s work? If you’re anywhere near Tulsa, don’t miss the show at Exhibit by Aberson, opening Thursday, July 18th. You can also check out Lockhart’s blog.
Summer always feels like the perfect time to bring out the graphic ethnic prints, comfy sandals, and color, color, color! Living an artsy life means showing your artsy spirit in everything you do– including how you present yourself to the world through the clothes you wear. Wanna channel your inner kokopelli? This ensemble, inspired by this month’s Featured Artist Ally Burguires‘ Kokopelli painting is perfectly comfy and colorful– perfect for an afternoon of gallery hopping in Santa Fe!
Doesn’t a skirt like that just make you want to sashay when you walk?! Or maybe do a wee little kokopelli dance. 😉 This pairing just makes my little artsy heart sing!
For Mr. Forager and I, the natural world plays a big role in who we are, what strengthens and calms us. Getting out among the trees and streams renews our energy and every time we go, we are reminded how precious it is. The work of Berkeley artist Myong Stebbins captures that transportive feeling of our cherished natural world.
Yeonkkoch II, mixed media on paper, 29.5×24.5New Morning, mixed media on paper, 22.75×17
Stebbins’ soft, translucent layers mimic the filtered light to be found deep in the forest. The isolated flora could be seen as a reinterpretation of scientific specimen drawings. Like dried and pressed petals, the flowers have a sense of papery fragility.
Morning Calm II, mixed media on paper, 14×18
Whenever we are out in the woods or beside the water, I try to capture the magic with my camera, but somehow, the lens never seems to do justice to the mystical beauty of the landscape. In paint, Myong Stebbins has captured that essence that is so fleeting.
Kibun II, oil on canvas, 24×32Echo, acrylic on paper, 31×38.5
Want to see more of Myong Stebbins’ gorgeous work? Please visit the artist’s website and the websites of her representing galleries, Pryor Fine Art and Bryant Street Gallery.
Please forgive the wonkiness of the site today. Spent most of the morning fixing a bug and will be reinstalling all widgets, etc. this afternoon. Sometimes being a blogger isn’t so artsy. 😉
It is July, ya’ll and you know what that means?? Summer has officially arrived, there’s no doubt now. In the spirit of the relaxed, fun loving feeling of summer, I’d like to introduce our July Featured Artist, New Orleans’ Ally Burguieres!
Fox in the Strawberry Fields, oil on canvas, 20×24
Being a NOLA gal, it will come as no surprise that Ally’s work is full of color, humor, and joie de vivre! From work that puts in a little dash of this and that, like the best Creole cuisine, in bold, vibrant colors reminiscent of the stained glass windows of New Orleans’ cathedrals, to fun and sketchy homages to pop culture.
Ugly Friends, oil on canvas, 36×48Sock Monkey on Notebook Paper, oil on canvasGrumpy Cat, oil on canvas
Ally is a young artist whose work celebrates life and the things she loves best. Gay-ron-TEEED to make you smile!
Vegan Smorgasboard, oil on canvas, 20×24
Want to see more of Ally Burguieres’ work? Take a gander at her website and if you find yourself in New Orleans, don’t miss the chance to stop by her gallery on Royal Street! And of course, head over to the Artsy Forager Facebook page to see Ally’s July cover and more of my faves in her album!
The weatherman is saying it is going to the H-O-T in Seattle this weekend– like high 80s, low 90s hot. That’s like Florida hot! With the coming onslaught of warmth and sunshine, I couldn’t resist sharing the work of Charleston artist Teil Duncan.
Beach Talk, gouache and acrylic on panel, 30×24Lean In, gouache and acrylic on panel, 18×81
Duncan’s work perfectly captures the bustle to be found at the beach on a summer’s day. Scenes of bikini clad gals gabbing on the sand and striped umbrellas tilted jauntily signal a good time being had by all.
Coastal Color, gouache and acrylic on panel, 36×63Memorial Day Way, gouache and acrylic on panel, 36×36
Just as we squint our eyes upon waking from an oceanside nap, Duncan’s abstract style mixes well with the relaxed vision a day at the beach ( or pool as below! ) can bring.
Pool Corner, gouache and acrylic on panel, 28×22
I’m sure many in Seattle ( and beyond! ) will be hitting the beach this weekend. I think Mr. F and I will be seeking out cooler temps in higher elevations.. 😉 Want to see more work from Teil Duncan? Check out her website and shop on BigCartel. This beauties are not just lovely but affordable, too!
You guys know I love crazy, messy, expressionist paintings. I mean who doesn’t respond piles of texture and frenetic brushstrokes? But then sometimes I surprise myself and fall head over heels for work that is full of clean,simple, straight-lined shapes. Australian artist Esther Stewart masterfully intersects simple forms, a warm palette, and interesting compositions to create softly beautiful geometric paintings.
Backwards Barbie, 60×90 cm
Stewart’s use of intersecting lines lend a landscape-ish air to her compositions, while the palette keeps the overall feel of each work dreamy and supple. It’s almost as if we are gazing at vistas made of ice cream..
Made of Stone, 60×90 cmJust the Way I Am, 60×90 cm
The way Stewart seems to break down her compositions into such elemental shapes inspires me to see the world in a much more simple manner. Every space is made up of the same repeating shapes, we just have to figure out how those forms fit together. There’s a bit of a life lesson in there, to be sure. All of our lives are made up of essentially the same components– it’s how we fit those pieces together that make our existence our own.
Nickels and Dimes, 60×90 cm
Esther Stewart has more amazing work on her website, be sure to check it out. Thank you to The Design Files for the introduction to this artist– so many talented Aussies!
