Artist Interviews Daily Artsy F/Stop Artsy Photography

Nowhere Land: Jenna Gang

Posted on July 11, 2012

Photography, more than any other medium possesses such a power to transport us to anywhere in the world.  And because of it’s documentary nature, we often believe what a photograph is telling us.  When New York based photographer Jenna Gang contacted me, I was especially intrigued by her series of images from Israel.  It turns out this controversial country has very special meaning for Jenna.  I hope you’ll enjoy hearing her talk about the series in this email interview we conducted recently.

Artsy Forager | Your series of photographs from Israel have such a different, more quiet focus than most imagery coming from that country.  What was your catalyst for the series?  Did it evolve over time or did you begin with your concept already in mind?

Jenna Gang | The catalyst for this series was my grandfather. As a holocaust survivor, he expressed throughout my childhood how important it was for me to visit the holy land.  After he passed away, his 35mm camera was given to me by my grandmother.  By merging his camera with his aspirations for me, I thought it only fitting to honor his memory by shooting this series.

Throughout my development as a photographer, I have always been drawn to images that were minimalistic and left interpretation to the viewer. Through photographs, the world sees Israel as a conflict. I wanted to show that Israel is so much more than that. I simplified my subject to lines and shapes to reflect the natural beauty of the country.


AF | Who do you count among your photographic heroes?

JG |  In hopes of not sounding too generic, most of my fellow FIT alumni are my heroes. This is because although our foundation was built in the same way our results vary so widely. Erin Kennedy, Christian Thorman and Nadirah Zakariya were each given the same tools that I was and yet we all emerged with distinct individual styles. I wait in anticipation to see what they create next.

AF | What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t a photographer?

JG |  If I weren’t a photographer, I’d be a food critic. Since I love to eat, this would be a worthy profession. I understand that I would have to eat some bad food along the way, but it would all be worth it for that one good dish.

AF | What is your dream photography project?

JG |  During my free time, I enjoy travelling the world via Google Earth, planning how I would capture each of the different landscapes. I am fascinated with Japan and would enjoy a trip to the countrysides of Tokyo, Samurai sword in tow.

To see more of Jenna Gang’s work, please check out her website.


Daily Artsy F/Stop Artsy Photography

Magical Mystery Tour: Jody Miller

Posted on July 11, 2012

For me, one of the hallmarks of fine art photography is the ability to create and/or capture atmosphere.  Just one of the things that separates a good photograph from an amazing one.  Photographer Jody Miller‘s images give the viewer a sense of mystery in each place they capture.

Miller’s photographs often catch us in an underrepresented area of a region.  A spot quintessentially indicative of a place, yet one not immediately associated with it.  In each, she creates an atmosphere of seeming abandonment and desolation, even if it is not so, our minds draw that conclusion.

Britain

California

Pacific Northwest

There is an element of mystery and suspense in the atmosphere of isolation.  It’s as if we’ve awoken to find ourselves completely alone in the world.

To see more of Jody Miller’s photography, please visit her website.  Her work can be viewed in person at Lightbox Photographic Gallery in Astoria, Oregon, a truly fabulous little gallery dedicated completely to fine art photography.

Artist found via Lightbox Photographic.  All images are via the artist’s website.

Artsy on Escape Into Life Photography

Artsy on Escape Into Life: Scott Newett

Posted on July 10, 2012

You may remember photographer Scott Newett’s Solo Man image from my Art to Inspiration post last week.  It’s really one of the most striking images I’ve seen in a long time.  While perusing his website, I was struck by how carefully composed each image is, like a still from a Wes Anderson movie scene.  I couldn’t help but feature him over on Escape Into Life today.  This hipster had me at hello.

Solo Man by Scott Newett

Scott Newett on Escape Into Life

Artsy On the Road

Artsy On the Road: Falling Down the Rabbit Hole

Posted on July 9, 2012

Thanks to our currently transient-like lifestyle ( we move every 3-6 months due to my husband’s job ) our opportunities for visiting amazing places are much higher than most people can boast.    We took advantage of hubby’s three day holiday weekend to visit Glacier National Park in Montana and camp at one of my hubby’s favorite places in the world, the tiny hamlet of Polebridge, MT.  So in the spirit of the F/Stop Artsy event here at Artsy Forager, I thought I would share some photos and thoughts from our trip!

Being among amazing natural beauty is a huge source of inspiration for me.  Getting out and hiking and camping refreshes and rejuvenates not just the body, but the mind and the soul.  It is in places like these that we unplug, give ourselves over to each moment and feel how very small we are in this vast landscape.

While the call of the wild is definitely a draw for us, sometimes what makes these trips so inspirational is how much we connect with each other when we’re unplugged and off-the-grid, as well as how we may find ourselves in the midst of an other worldly atmosphere.

For the past few years, my husband has regaled me with stories from his “Summer of Love”, almost an entire summer spent traveling from one amazing place to another.  He’s always described his time in Polebridge, MT, a tiny town less than a mile from the West entrance to Glacier, as his “falling down the rabbit hole”.  Like Wonderland, Polebridge is filled with quirky characters and when you are there, you become immediately immersed in its magic.

It is a place where happy and friendly dogs run free, a French ex-patriot and retired Santa Claus mingles with a former pharmacist turned saloon owner and an entire evening can be spent singing Bob Dylan songs around a bonfire with complete strangers who feel like old friends.

A place where the grass is cool and fragrant and the view from every direction inspires.  It’s a spot where winters are long and hard but summer is its own reward.  A landscape built for dreaming and creating.

Not every artsy place is full of galleries and museums.  Some are artsy by way of how they inspire and the community of people drawn to them.

Where is your artsy destination this summer?  Where will the road take you?  No matter where you are, look for the artsy.  It’s always there and it’s waiting for you.

PS– The folks at Polebridge like their little community small.  So keep it on the down low. 😉

All images are the property of Artsy Forager.  Please do not use without permission.

Artsy Forager Featured Artist Photography

July Facebook Featured Artist: Thomas Hager

Posted on July 9, 2012

Isn’t it amazing to think that just like many young people get a confused look on their faces when you show them a vinyl record,  so has the use of film photography reached the brink of extinction.  But there are some photographers who are keepin’ it old school, like this month’s Facebook Featured Artist, Thomas Hager.

Tom uses historic photographic processes of kallitype and cyanotype, which involves mixing chemicals and hand applying them to high quality archival paper.  The process involves contact printing an enlarged negative onto the paper, then fixing the image in a bath of sodium thiosulfate.

The results of this process create a painterly texture to each print, as the inks settle down into the paper rather than laying on top of it.

The monochromatic quality of these processes enhance the visual texture in each image, much like a black and white photograph might.  Yet the actual printed texture makes Hager’s cyanotypes and kallitypes feel more like richly hued paintings rather than photographs.

Thomas Hager’s work is currently on exhibition at the Jacksonville International Airport in my hometown ( and his! ), Jacksonville, FL.  His work is featured alongside another Artsy Forager favorite, Christina Foard.  So if you’re in Jax or happen to be traveling through JIA, don’t miss it!

Immersion, featuring Christina Foard & Thomas Hager at Jacksonville International Airport

You can see more of Tom’s work on his website.  His originals are sublime and worth every penny, but if you’re on a budget, check out Town Editions, Tom’s limited edition series!

All images via the artist.

Design Foraging Figurative Paintings

Friday Finds: ¡Feliz cumpleaños, Frida Kahlo

Posted on July 6, 2012

I used to deliberately fight against liking the work of Frida Kahlo.  You see, in my college painting studio there was an older Bolivian woman who was auditing the course and she LOVED Kahlo and seemed to fancy herself as the next Frida.  Which wouldn’t have been a big deal except that she was mega annoying about it.  She bugged the bejeezus out of everyone in the studio.  So she tainted Frida for me.  It wasn’t until years later that I rediscovered her work and came to develop my own artist crush on Frida.  Today would have been her 105th birthday.  So in honor of Frida Kahlo de Rivera, here are a few artists who also found her inspirational!

Viva La Vida by Emma Gale

Frida Kahlo by Judy Kaufmann

Frida by Tara Jacoby

Daft Punk Frida by Fabian Ciraolo

Frida Dog by Clair Hartmann

Emma Gale | Judy Kaufmann | Tara Jacoby | Fabian Ciraolo | Clair Hartmann  

Happy birthday, Frida!

All images are via the artist’s websites, linked above.  Be sure to check out each artist’s website for more examples of their work!

Daily Artsy Figurative Mixed Media

Searching for Self: Anibal Vallejo

Posted on July 5, 2012

I’ve always heard that it isn’t until we hit our 40s that we really come to know and understand ourselves fully.  While I’ve just entered my fourth decade, I can say, I wholeheartedly believe this is true.  The work of Colombian artist Anibal Vallejo reminds me of the searching for self that we do in our younger years.

Untitled, acrylic, graphite and hand embroidery on canvas, 150×120 cm

We might try on different styles of self– whether that be in trying out varied careers, trying on different types of relationships or merely figuring out just who we are and where we fit.

Untitled, acrylic, graphite and hand embroidery on canvas, 120×150 cm

Often we may feel like we’ve found the right fit at the time, but eventually, the “suit” loses its novelty and we look back, seeing how very far we were from who we really are.  We may look on that younger self as putting on the most ridiculous of costumes on our road to discovering ourselves.

Untitled, graphite, acrylic and hand embroidery on MDF, 60cm

In some cases ( but by no means all! ), with age and maturity comes a better understanding of who we are and a confidence in being exactly the person we were meant to be.

Untitled, acrylic, graphite and hand embroidery on canvas, 120×150 cm

Untitled, graphite, acrylic and hand embroidery on canvas, 120x150cm

Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones.  You were born knowing exactly who you are and what you were meant to be.  But most of us spend our lifetimes figuring it out.  I feel like I’m getting closer each day.  How about you?

To see more of Anibal Vallejo’s work, please visit his website.

Artist found via Escape Into Life.

Featured image is Untitled, graphite, acrylic and hand embroidery on canvas, 120×150 cm.  All images are via the artist’s website.

Art to Inspiration Photography

Art to Inspiration: Smita Jacob

Posted on July 4, 2012

Happy Independence Day to all my US Artsies!  Hope you are enjoying the holiday in the company of friends and family.  Hubby and I are enjoying purple mountain’s majesty at Glacier National Park!  This month’s Art to Inspiration artwork is a photograph by the fabulous Smita Jacob, photographer and blogger extraordinaire over at Hogger & Co.  I was excited to see the selection of a photograph for this month’s inspiration, as my resulting inspired gallery will give you a little sneak peek at next week’s photography event, F/Stop Artsy!

The inspiration–

Healing Yoga With Aarti by Smita Jacob

The gallery– 

My Potholes project by Claudia Ficca and Davide Luciano

Frozen Series by Zena Holloway

Tied Together by Martin Stranka

The Brave by Sarah Ann Loreth

Solo Man by Scott Newett

Enjoy your holiday, Artsies!  Be sure to click on each photo to see more work from these talented photogs!

You can find more information on Art to Inspiration here and if you would like to participate in the next Art to Inspiration, just fill out this form! Follow me and all the other Art to Inspiration bloggers on Twitter by subscribing here.  Let the inspiring begin! 

Artsy on Escape Into Life Figurative Paintings

Artsy on Escape Into Life: Aaron Reichert

Posted on July 3, 2012

Tracy Geilbert at Gallery Orange in New Orleans has a fantastic eye for art.  It isn’t any wonder that many of my faves have come from her gallery or made their way into it!  Today on Escape Into Life, I’m featuring an incredible young figurative artist, Aaron Reichert, whose work can be seen in person at Gallery Orange.  I think you’ll love his graphic portraits!

Wasted and Wounded, Portrait of Tom Waits, acrylic on canvas, 60×48

Aaron Reichert on Escape Into Life

Abstract Art Daily Artsy Paintings

Organic Conversations: Meredith Pardue

Posted on July 3, 2012

I have an inherent weakness for artwork that combines nature inspired imagery in a completely abstracted way.  ( See the work of Susan Morosky, Deb Haugen, Brenda Hope Zappitell and countless others! )  The work of Austin artist Meredith Pardue captured me with saturated color and expressive yet achingly familiar shapes.

Bloom, ink, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 48×48

In the same way that nature lovers commune with the outdoors, Pardue converses with her canvases.  Her paintings are intuitively expressive, filled with bright color dotting expanses of negative space not unlike the way rocks are scattered in lakes and rivers.

Bloom X, ink, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 36×72

Bloom XI, ink, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 36×72

Her Bloom series reminds me so much of the peppering of wildflowers all over the mountainsides during our Northwest summers.

Bloom II, ink, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 50×60

To see more of Meredith Pardue’s work, please visit her website.  Be sure to check out some of her other series of work– amazing stuff!

Featured image is Bloom XXV, ink, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 88×60.  All images are via the artist’s website.