I am constantly inspired by how people live with art in their own homes. I love the way folks are thinking outside the box in terms of the art they collect, where and how they display it. I’m hoping these short little visual features, Artsy Dwelling, will help inspire you!
We spend so much time in the kitchen these days– let’s face it, this room is the hub of any home. It is where people inevitably gather during any party! So why not display some of your favorite art in the spot where you spend so much time? The only guideline? Keep valuable original art away from cooking & prep areas to prevent damage. Otherwise, feel free to think outside the icebox!
How about you, Artsies? Do you have art in your kitchen? Or have images of how you live with art in your home that you’d like to share? We would love to see! Feel free to email digital images to artsyforager@att.net and we might just feature your home on the blog!
Image sources can be found by clicking on the image.
From the New American Paintings blog, the fantastic home of LA gallery owner and blogger Heather Taylor. Simple, humble furnishings mixed with amazing artwork give her home personal, inviting style.
What separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize!
— Clairee Belcher, Steel Magnolias
Just as accessories are the icing on an outfit’s cake, so this round up will be the icing on the cake of artsyF A S H I O NWeek! Some wearable, some not, all fun!
Shell, mosaic shoe by Candace BahouthBroach by Tatiana WarenichovaRaspberry by Ana HagopianMy Laundrette by Sharla Valeski
Many artists see their wardrobe as an extension of their creative personalities. So for artsyF A S H I O NWeek, I thought it would be fun to feature a few of my favorite stylish artists side-by-side with their work. You’ll see that often their style carries over from canvas to clothes.
THE URBAN GENTLEMAN: STEVE WILLIAMS
Passion Of The World ( cropped ) with Pioneer Chaser with artist Steve Williams
THE HIP RUSTIC: DOLAN GEIMAN
Artist Dolan Geiman with Made In The Shade Guitar Collection ( Large )
THE ECLECTIC ECCENTRIC: SHARLA VALESKI
Liberated with artist, Sharla Valeski
There are hints about who we are in what we choose to wear. What are your clothes saying about you?
To see more of these artists’ work, please visit their websites, listed below.
Jacksonville artist Christina Foard has been developing a series of paintings, “Dresses”, which explore the connection between what we wear, our personality, our past, present and future. Here, Christina talks candidly about this series and what she sees as the psychology behind our fashion choices.
AF: Hi Christina! Thank you so much for taking the time for this little interview. You know how much I love your work. I am completely enamored with your dress series and am so excited you have been creating some new pieces! How did this series begin and how has it evolved?
C: I’ve been working on dresses since 2008. It began with self-portraits where I am wearing gowns painted with mapped areas or terrain I’ve covered. Mapped gowns was a personification and extension of aerial landscapes that I had begun a year prior. (Ballerina Dance, The Written Legacy, Fluid Gown ( below ), The Courtesan, A Life-changing Conversation, A Single Mom’s Playground, Picnic of Adulthood are some of these.) Since it was more about the journey, decisions and influences, I eventually removed the figure altogether. I began to place myself in and amongst other women, each of us represented symbolically as a dress. In these, I paint the way someone feels to me. It’s more about vitality and energy than their physical presence…a little like painting a pattern of the music they emanate and comparing those rhythmic differences in a series. ( “Pajama Party” ( below ), “Three Sisters”, “Five Friends” ). For example, a 90 year old woman with a saucy, adventuresome personality might end up with the most flamboyant and lively dress, which looks more suitable for a 20 year old.
Recently, in “Polka Dot Party” ( below ) and a few others, my focus area shifted from observing others to a discussion of how I choose to present myself to the world around me each day. Again, choices, decisions and influences.
Liquid Gown, oil on canvas, 60×48
The Pajama Party, oil on canvas, 36×60
AF: Tell me about what you see as the psychology around fashion and the garments we choose to clothe ourselves in.
C: When we are shopping for clothes, we pass up most items available. We reject all the items which don’t fit our perception of ourselves or our perception of our bodies. These rejections are as telling as what we eventually choose to buy. We essentially have to contend with the roles we play in our relationships as well as physical issues that dictate attire: seasons, terrain and climate. Specifically for women whose options vary greatly, our choices can openly display themes of femininity: sexuality, power, accessibility, creativity, compassion, social status, affluence, self-respect. Because our attire speaks so loudly about who we are and who we aren’t, we also deal with influence and who we hope to engage with on a given day. How accessible do I want to make myself today? How much do I want to reveal? How much do I want to conceal? Do I want to lead or do I want to be one of the masses? Do I want to bring attention to myself? These aren’t conscious questions we ask ourselves necessarily; yet they sit below the surface.
Behavior and language is affected by dress. From my personal experience I’ve noticed that I’m more expressive and creative when I wear a long scarf; more formal, precise, and attentive wearing a suit jacket; more nurturing and tactile in a long flowing dress. I notice my energy, tone, and carriage alters depending on the femininity of my fabrics, the structural formality of a garment, the heel height of my shoes, the accessories I’ve chosen. My language and sentence structures change, my accessibility to others is affected. The emotional, physical, and psychological components are intertwined. This, I find fascinating.
Orange Scarf, oil on canvas, 29×42
AF: I’ve noticed a few of your latest works in this series are named after women. Are these “portraits” of specific women?
C:Yes, they are. It is part of a social “inspiration” project that I began in 2009 and will be complete in the next several months. It is comprised of 6 individual paintings around 40″ and one larger 10′ painting. It is entitled Accidental Mentors Project and I’ll be sure to let you know all about it when fully complete.
Cindy: Structural Integrity
AF: I can’t wait to see the completed series! Do you have a favorite article of clothing? What makes it special and what does it say about you, as a woman, as an artist or as a mother?
C:I found this question challenging, if you can believe it. I decided on one long skirt I’ve had for about 6 years. It has a conservative pattern on a somewhat sheer fabric, yet a Latin-inspired construction. Every time I wear it, it makes me feel like dancing and I couldn’t feel more feminine or more perfectly my age in it. Because of how it makes me feel, I’ve also had some great memories attached to it. That adds a sentimental component.
Decisions, mixed media on canvas, 36×60
AF: Finally, just for fun.. What are you wearing? 😉
C:Pink racer-back NIKE T-shirt, navy blue Adidas cropped workout pants and my favorite socks – my running shoes yet to be put on. Plus, a little locket with my kids’ tiny toddler faces inside. The combination seems perfect at this quiet, early morning moment before the sun has arrived.
A huge thank you to Christina for sharing her work and insights. To see more of this talented artist’s work, please visit her website.
Featured image is Christina in her downtown Jacksonville studio. All images are courtesy of the artist’s website.
What do you get when you take one part line sketch + one part abstract expressionism + a flair for fashion? The stunning work of Denver artist/photographer/designer, Leigh Viner. Leigh elevates what could be a simple fashion sketch to fine art by her extraordinary eye for composition, figurative expression and well-placed explosions of color and texture.
Push
Look closely at the women Leigh is painting. These models aren’t faceless mannequins, each one has a story to tell. Their faces are full of subtle emotion– vulnerability, longing, confidence.
PerceiveGatsby
The strength of her work is in it’s simplicity. She is an artist that understands “less is more”. In her hands, a simple line drawing becomes a striking portrait with just a few limited dashes of color.
Draw The LineAbstractions Aside
To see more of Leigh’s work, visit her website. Her work is available for purchase in her Etsy store, jkldesign, which features original art, as well as prints of her artwork and photography. Leigh also writes a delightful blog, CREATE. You’ll be inspired.
Argie Mitra has such creativity and talent oozing out of her that it seems she has her hands in everything. She’s an artist, a stylist, a jewelry designer, a costume designer, a window-display designer AND an up-and-coming fashion designer with her own independent line, Mitra. If there is a creative project going on, you can bet she will be part of it.
Lacae Trapeze Dress, Mitra, Myco-Reverie Fall 2011
It is this sponge-like absorption of the artistic world around her results in designs that are a fantastic amalgamation of inspirations put together in a uniquely Mitra way.
Mitra, Myco-Reverie Fall 2011
This young designer is just a year out of college and she is well on her way to accomplishing great things. I first got to know Argie when she worked as a gallery assistant while I was working for Fogle Fine Art. It has been such a privilege to watch her blossom and I can’t wait to be able to say I knew her when!
Nidia strapless top, Dusia maxi skirt, Mitra, Myco-Reverie Fall 2011
To see more of Argie Mitra’s fabulous designs, please visit her website and Facebook page.
All images are courtesy of the designer’s website. Photography by Lauren M. Gherardi.
It seems that the art world is embracing fashion and its cultural influence. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s recent Alexander McQueen exhibit, Savage Beauty, broke attendance records for fashion exhibits at the institution. Designers, especially ones specializing in couture fashion, seem to have more freedom than ever to create uniquely artistic forms. We see designers such as the late McQueen taking inspiration from the art world and creating masterpieces in their own way.
Dress, VOSS, Alexander McQueen, razor clam shells stripped and varnished
Are these practical clothes? No. But then, art isn’t created for practicality’s sake. It is created to be an outlet and a source of inspiration. McQueen and other designers like him have taken inspiration from the forms and textures of ancient and modern sculpture to develop glorious garments that inspire.
Jean Paul GaultierMary KatrantzouStephane RollandManish Arora, Autumn/Winter 2011-2012
On a simple dressmaker’s form, these could be mistaken for museum-worthy sculptures, but when worn, they become a moving work of art.
The paintings of Wm. Coleman Mills have an undeniable texture– they make you want to touch them. And they are full of gorgeous, saturated color, which makes you want to wear them. So after hearing the pleas of fans of his artwork, the artist set about the task of recreating his artwork into textile designs, namely scarves.
Sunset At Grand Lagoon scarfSunset At Grand Lagoon by Wm. Coleman Mills, encaustic on canvas, 144×48
Those who know me well know that I have a weakness for scarves. It’s one of the reasons I was excited to move to the Pacific Northwest– scarf weather year-round!! So when I heard that one of my favorite painters was debuting a line of scarves based on details of his work, I got just a little OK, a LOT excited. These lovely textiles beautifully capture the essence of a coastal Southern summer, but are versatile enough to wear any season of the year.
Wind Swirling On Gulf Water scarf from WMCM Studio
The scarves are made by photographing each inspiration painting and converting the photo into a digital CAD file. It is then cropped and digitally screen printed onto a lightweight cotton voile and hand-finished in the artist’s hometown and current residence of Fairhope, Alabama. Each scarf is 24×72 inches and made-to-order. They can be backed with either silk or cotton and are signed and numbered by the artist.
Water's Edge scarf from WMCM Studio
This is your chance to own a beautiful piece of wearable artwork! More info on the scarves is available on the WMCM website and pre-orders are being taken now! I can’t wait to see what other textiles he comes up with next.. I’m thinking throw pillows, bedding, window treatments, etc!
PS– Be sure to take a gander at Coleman’s artwork while you’re on his website.. not to be missed!
Please enjoy this oldie but goodie while I spend the next two weeks camping, packing, visiting with the mom-in-law and moving from WA to OR. See you in September!
Swimmingly [ swim-ing-lee ]
–adverb- Definition: without difficulty; with great success; effortlessly.
‘Tis the season for swimming. If you’re in Florida at least, maybe if you’re elsewhere ’tis the season to dream of swimming. I recently came across the paintings of New York ( by way of Minnesota ) artist, Samantha French, bathed in sunlight and clear blue water.
Reminiscent of summers spent on Minnesota lakes, French’s work seeks to recapture those fleeting, carefree days of summer. Days spent in the water, underwater, by the water.. nothing compares to the lovely worn-out feeling of a day spent swimming and relaxing in the sun.
The swimmers and sunbathers in French’s work are reminiscent of days gone by.. of colorful convertibles, hotdog picnics, the days of Hepburn and Tracy.
French has a show titled “Open Swim” opening at the Left Bank Gallery in Essex, CT this Thursday. To learn more about the artist, visit her website and be sure to fan Samantha French Art on Facebook! Prints of her work can be purchased through her Etsy store.
