artsy forager

Category: Paintings

  • Sweet Dreams Captured: Vincent Giarrano

    Sweet Dreams Captured: Vincent Giarrano

    Hope everyone had a fantastic holiday with family and friends!  This was our first Christmas as Mr. and Mrs. Frenz, as well as our first Christmas living far from family.  George and I enjoyed such a lovely quiet Christmas just for two.  Though it was just us here in Coeur d’Alene, there was still the same running around, decorating, cooking and planning that goes with this time of year.  As I was looking through my inspiration folders, the minute I saw the work of Vincent Giarrano, I knew these would be perfect for the day after Christmas..

    Oasis, oil on panel, 20×16 ( via Gallery Henoch )

    Isn’t this how we all feel after all the merriment and overeating?  Wouldn’t we all just like to curl up and nap all day long?  Perhaps some of you will!

    City Girl, oil on panel, 24×18 ( via Gallery Henoch )

    The textures and colors Giarrano uses convey such a sense of peace and coziness.  I just want to curl up here, too!

    Midday, oil on panel, 18×14 ( via The Grenning Gallery )
    Sleeping In, oil on panel, 12×9 ( via The Grenning Gallery )

    Here’s to wishing you lots and lots of post-holiday rest and relaxation!  To see more of Vincent Giarrono’s work, please visit his website.

    Featured image is Unmade Bed, oil, 20×16.  Images are via the artist’s representing galleries, Gallery Henoch and the Grenning Gallery.

  • Friday Faves: Angels Among Us

    We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.
    Lucretius

    Tree Angel by Nicholas Wilton, oil and mixed media on panel, 36×40 ( via Selby Fleetwood Gallery )
    Sentinel by Steven DaLuz, oil and mixed media on panel, 36×36
    The Source by Brad Kunkle, oil, gold and silver on linen, 18×26
    Se Escapo by Maribel Angel, mixed media and acrylic

    At this time of year, angels are everywhere.  Both in ornamentation and figuratively.  Hope you’ll be an angel to someone this holiday!

    Be sure to be an artsy angel and check out these artists’ websites:

    1.  Nicholas Wilton 

    2.  Steven DaLuz 

    3.  Brad Kunkle 

    4.  Maribel Angel 

    All images are via the artists’ websites.

  • Fantastically Fanciful Fauna: Corine Perier

    Fantastically Fanciful Fauna: Corine Perier

    ‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a bird-mouse..?  The work of today’s artist captures the whimsy and fantasy that defines this time of year.  French artist Corine Perier creates hybrid creatures that, despite the works’ surrealist quality seem completely real, not to mention irresistibly charming.

    Le Trophee de la Chance, oil on wood panel, 46x38cm

    Though whimsical in feel, these contemporary portraits remind us of the very real problem of species extinction on our ever changing planet.

    Le Petit Prince, oil on wood panel, 27x22cm

    Her amalgamated creatures stare out at us with wide, vulnerable eyes.  They appear kind and wise, resembling characters from fantastical lands like Narnia and Middle Earth, here to guide witless humans on their journey.

    Renaissance, oil on wood panel

    But in the eyes of some, there is an additional element.. perhaps fear, perhaps resignation to their fate at the hands of the very humans they wish to help?

    Boule de Neige, oil on wood panel, 65x54cm
    Camouflage, oil on wood panel, 27x22cm

    To see more of Corine Perier’s gentle enchanters, please visit her website.  A big thank you to Myra Wexler aka YO MOMMA for introducing me to Corine’s work.  Be sure to check out Myra’s blog, too.  It’s full of awesome sauce.

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Loneliness and Loveliness: Holly Farrell

    Loneliness and Loveliness: Holly Farrell

    I have a weakness for objects with a past.  Everyday pieces from days gone by hold the  untold stories of a person, a family , a home.  Toronto artist Holly Farrell’s paintings of vintage objects explore this sense of nostalgia for days gone by, while also having a strong, strikingly melancholy visual impact.

    Bowl ( stripe ) by Holly Farrell
    Bowl ( stripe ), acrylic and oil on masonite, 14×18

    The self-taught artist isolates her subjects, often with a muted, neutral background, taking a bit out of their normal context, emphasizing their design and calling our attention to their forsaken state.

    Couch, acrylic and oil on masonite, 28×18

    These are works that are wryly reverent.  Remember that hideous sofa in Grandma’s living room?  It is now immortalized on canvas, forlornly longing for the days when grandchildren used to bounce and play on it’s floral-covered cushions.

    Colorful Fire King mugs, which once warmed young hands and tummies with hot cocoa are now another kind of “mug shot”… snapshot compositions feel like they could be the sales photos for an eBay or Craigslist ad.  Going once, going twice.. sold.

    Fire King Mugs by Holly Farrell
    Fire King Mugs, acrylic and oil on board, 12 @ 7×8 each

    Ken and Barbie dolls, once beloved playtime companions now seem vacant and distant.

    Scuba Ken & Barbie, acrylic and oil on board
    Scuba Ken & Barbie, acrylic and oil on board

    Though there can be a definite sadness surrounding some of Holly Farrell’s work, it is tempered with charm and joy.  Just as our memories should be.  To see more of Holly’s work, please visit her website. On her website, not only will you find more deliciously intriguing work, but also a list of galleries in the US and Canada where you can see them live and in person.

    ** Thank you to The Jealous Curator for the introduction to Holly Farrell’s work via her post on SF Girl By Bay!

    Featured image is Books, acrylic and oil on masonite.  All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Friday Faves: Face-off

    Friday Faves: Face-off

    Christopher Marlowe wrote about “the face that launched a thousand ships“.  Faces, full of expression and personality are often the most difficult subject for an artist to render.  I know, I went through three semesters of figure drawing purposefully not showing the model’s face, because as adept as I was at the figure, I just couldn’t get the hang of drawing faces.  Perhaps that’s why I am so drawn to the work of artists whose faces are so beautifully rendered and expressive.  Today’s round-up includes a few of my current faves:

    Buck by Aaron Smith, oil on panel, 28×24
    Tart by Greg Hart, charcoal, gouache, gesso, collage and acrylic on paper, 22×30
    Marley Shelton by Keinyo White, oil on canvas, 48×48
    Matutinal by Nick Lepard, oil on canvas, 54×66

    Get in some face time with these extraordinary artists by visiting their websites, linked below.

    1.  Aaron Smith 

    2.  Greg Hart 

    3.  Keinyo White 

    4.  Nick Lepard 

    Featured image is Effie by Greg Hart, charcoal, gouache, gesso and acrylic on paper, 26×22.  All images are via the artists’ websites.

  • Caution: This Art May Induce Happiness: Ally Burguieres

    Caution: This Art May Induce Happiness: Ally Burguieres

    There seems to be a pervasive thought in the art world that in order for work to be “serious”, it must be dark, introspective, moody.  And while I do enjoy some deep cynicism and social commentary as much as the next art lover, there is some work that I love simply for its joyfulness and frivolity.  Enter New Orleans artist Ally Burguieres.

    Elephant With Blue Banklet, oil and acrylic on canvas, 24×18

    Ally’s work is filled with the characteristic joie de vivre of the famous city she calls home.  Full of festive color, riotous movement and fanciful motifs, these are paintings that dance and sing.

    Bamboo Pond, acrylic on canvas, 60×48

    Each work is brimming with energy, like little canvas hummingbirds.  Your eye flits from one delight to another.  What can I say, they make me smile.  And while I love work that makes me think deep thoughts, sometimes, I just want to grin with joy.  Any designers or art consultants reading, her work would be fantastic in healthcare settings ( pediatrics, especially! ), restaurants or homes with a whimsical flair.  *hint hint*

    Fishbowl, oil and acrylic on canvas, 24×18
    Cats in a Boat, acrylic on canvas 24×18

    Did Ally’s work make you smile, too?  If it did, mosey on over to her website and have a grand ol’ time.  If you’re in NOLA, be sure to stop by her gallery  at 736 Royal Street.  She’ll also be showing at C’est La Vie, a new French bistro on Magazine Street all through December.  AND you’ll be able to see her work in a National Geographic IMAX feature, “Hidden Worlds” coming to an IMAX theater near you in 2012!

    Oh and Ally is also having a print sale for the holidays!  Her paper prints are BUY TWO GET ONE FREE for the holiday season.  You could knock out three gifts, lickety-split!

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Artsy on Escape Into Life: Steve Williams

    Artsy on Escape Into Life: Steve Williams

    Today’s Artsy Forager post on Escape Into Life features one of my favorite artists, Steve Williams.  Check out his feature and peruse around the EIL site, lots of fabulous goodies to be had!

    Steve Williams on Escape Into Life

    Steve Williams’ Website

  • Friday Faves: Turn the Tables

    It’s the holiday season and that means lots of table time.  With family, with friends or even alone, rejuvenating from time with family and friends.. haha!  Today’s round-up features a few artists who show us that the capturing of those seemingly mundane moments can lead to the creation of magical images.

    An Apple a Day by Liana Bennett, oil, 6×6
    Lio de Faldas by Ann Chamberlin, oil on canvas, 24×24
    My Father at Katz's by Max Ferguson, oil on canvas, 20×16 ( via Gallery Henoch )
    Chelsea Square by Burton Silverman, oil on linen, 56×40 ( via Gallery Henoch )

    1.  Liana Bennett 

    2.  Ann Chamberlin 

    3.  Max Ferguson 

    4.  Burton Silverman

  • Harnessed Energy: Guus Kemp

    Harnessed Energy: Guus Kemp

    This Fall, the leaves in Oregon have been full of riotous color, bursting forth in celebration of the last days of sunshine and warmth.  But to find happy energy in the long, grey days of winter, one only need look as far as Dutch painter Guus Kemp’s work.

    Just Beautiful, oil on canvas, 36×48

    Thick bursts of glossy paint almost leap of the canvas, like fireworks in the sky.  This is an artist using the properties of paint– its colors, texture and sheen to bring joy to the viewer.  The works elicit emotion, excitement and energy.

    Red Man, oil on canvas, 48×60

    A Dutch-born artist, now a resident of Houston, Kemp began working with oils in 2008, opening up a whole new means of expression.  According to the artist, “My paintings are a reflection of who I am . . . an extrovert who takes life by the horns!”

    Female Tornado, oil on canvas, 48×60

    Indeed, these large scale, intensely hued works are no shrinking violets.  These are pieces that demand your attention.  And once they get it, you can’t help but be happy and energized.

    Riot of Parrots, oil on canvas, 48×60

    To be enlivened by more of Guus’s work, please take a peek at his website.  Thank you to Gallery Orange for introducing me to this artist, if you’re in New Orleans, be sure to check them out!

    Featured image is Carpe Diem, oil on canvas, 48×48.  All images are via the artist’s website.

  • The Singularly Sensational Erin Cone

    The Singularly Sensational Erin Cone

    To take a simple, singular subject and explore all its possibilities can be a challenge for any artist.  But it is an exercise in observation, composition and creativity that results in heightened awareness and the elevation of a simple idea into sophisticated conceptualism.  Santa Fe artist Erin Cone takes a simple female figure in a red dress and using a keen eye for design and composition, transforms it over and over into visually striking and emotionally compelling work.

    Discourse 1, acrylic, 21×21

    Her use of negative space and positioning of the figure so that the face is obstructed allows the viewer to wonder who this woman is, what is her story?  She seems to be searching or waiting.. but for what or whom?

    Etiquette, acrylic, 48×60

    The artist’s use of hard edged squares in her compositions creates an almost jarring, interesting tension between the linear quality of the squares vs. the soft, supple shapes of the female form and dress.

    Assemblage, acrylic, 60×60
    Adieu, acrylic, 56×44

    Erin’s work seems to be a study in quiet contemplation.  The stillness of form, tranquility of space and design, the reposed manner, all lead the viewer into a sense of calm, but the use of the red dress leads us to believe that perhaps there is a storm brewing just below the surface..

    Repartee 1, acrylic, 21×21

    To see more of Erin Cone’s work, please visit her website. Be sure to check it out and see her other series, just as wonderful as the red dresses!  I found Erin through the amazing Lanoue Fine Art in Boston.

    Featured image is Debutante, acrylic, 72×48.  All images are via the artist’s website.