Mr. F and I are settled into our temporary Bay Area home and you guys, we are beyond excited!! Not only are we surrounded by incredible natural beauty ( which, thankfully, we’ve been lucky to have nearly everywhere we’ve traveled ), but we are just a short drive/bus ride/ferry ride away from one of our favorite cities, San Francisco. Although I feel most at home in a less hectic environment, every once in a while, I need to be in a city– to feel that urban energy. The paintings of San Fran photo realist artist Jessica Hess celebrates the graffiti that transforms derelict spaces into urban canvases.
Every city has spaces that aren’t gleaming and new, that’s a big part of their charm. While I don’t condone vandalization of someone else’s property, I do sometimes love a glimpse of bright paint among the rack and ruin. These colorful caches of creativity remind us that there is still life among the neglected.
For the last century or so, signage has become a ubiquitous part of the American landscape. In the mid twentieth century especially, neon signage became not just advertising but an art form unto itself. These letters in light have been slowly fading from view and Seattle artist Kellie Talbot captures their spirit in her work.
In her oil paintings, Talbot crops closely into the neon letters, where we can see not only the bright paint, but the signs of age and wear. In daylight, we see not bright colored lines of light, but milky white tubes and bulbs. What I love most about Talbot’s work is the way the pieces are composed, slight glimpses of shapes that we can just make out as letters.
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.
You may have noticed that moving over the website didn’t happen yesterday.. things didn’t quite go as planned. Working on it again today!
In just a few days, I’ll be seeing my beautiful nieces for the first time in over a year. They’ve gotten older and taller and I can tell from photos that they are on the brink of leaving childhood behind. The work of Houston artist Kevin Peterson looks at that the journey out of childhood and into a fractured world.
Oil on panel, 27×34Acrylic, metallic paint on panel, 36×36
As children, we’re so quick to want to grow up, we can’t wait to go on our first date, get our driver’s license, go off to college, be able to sit at the “grown-up table”. But isn’t it amazing how swiftly we would go back to swing sets and school holidays, once we get a glimpse of the cynicism and cruelty of life among the full grown.
Bubbles, oil on panel, 27.5×31Lovely, oil on panel with corrugated metal, 40×57
While entering adulthood has its carefree qualities ( hello, ice cream for dinner! ), there is a delicious freedom when you’re a kid that only grown-up children can recognize.
To see more of Kevin Peterson’s work, please visit his website.
There are certain galleries that I’ve found are treasure troves of artists whose work appeals to me. Skidmore Contemporary in Los Angeles is one of my go-to galleries for fantastic contemporary realism. So far, I’ve featuredthreeoftheirartists and more to come. Today’s Artist Watch feature on Escape Into Life is the latest Skidmore artist whose work captured me, Dennis Ziemienski. So retro, so fresh, so California.
Today’s artist is a painter whose collection of candied still lifes are so sweet, you’ll get a cavity just looking at them! New Mexico artist K. Henderson creates fabulously graphic paintings of the sweetest treats.
Gumballs and Crystal, oil, 6×6 Liquorice All Sorts, oil, 24×18
Part of the appeal of these candy coated canvases is not just the subject matter ( who doesn’t love candy?! ), but the way the artist has juxtaposed the brightly colored sweets against a rich black background or graphic-pop black and white stripes. Old fashioned candies appear fresh and modern.
Liquorice All Sorts, oil, 24×18
Any artist who can make licorice look delicious has my vote. I mean doesn’t that look scrumptious? And I normally hate licorice, but I think I might be persuaded by the pretty colors and textures.
Red Tootsie, oil, 8×10Peanuts and Gumballs, oil, 24×18
To see drool over more of K. Henderson’s work, please visit her website.
The featured image is A Kiss. All images are courtesy of the artist’s website.
So there’s really nothing average about photo-realistic painting. Being a lover of abstract work, I usually find photo-realistic work to be, well, a little boring. Yes, it takes tremendous skill and talent ( I certainly can’t do it ), yet something about it typically leaves me cold. BUT not so when I saw the work of Leslie Parke! Not only does she possess a spectacular name ( if spelled incorrectly *grin* ), she also has a fantastic way of presenting realistic work in a unique and interesting way.
China In The River, oil on linen, 20×28
For instance, China In The River ( above ) takes everyday objects and places them in an unusual circumstance. China is floating in the river– how did it get there? Shipwreck? Flood? The light glistens on the surface of the water and on the floating cups and saucers as they are carried downstream.
Janet's Shelf, oil on linen, 40×60
A collection of glassware becomes a box of sparkling jewels. She finds the beauty in the thrown away and disgarded.
Not From Concentrate, oil on linen, 60×42
Please visit Leslie Parke’s website and Facebook page to see more of her work. Her work will be on display at Gremillion and Co. Fine Arts in Houston, TX, November 10- December 10, 2011. If you are in the area, check it out!
