Hi Artsies! I’m taking a tiny break for a few days, while we visit with some dear friends from Florida. Please welcome fellow art lover and blogger, Kaitlyn Patience, who blogs and creates gorgeous stationery over at isavirtue!
Hello! My name is Kaitlyn. I blog at isavirtue and I will be guest posting on Artsy Forager today!
Jovie, watercolor on paper, 8.5×11
Not to be confused with the comedic British movie character, artist Austin Power has made a name for himself as well. His unique portraits, which almost never depict an entire face, are at once eerie and intriguing.
Esther, watercolor on paper, 11×15Emmanuel 2, watercolor on paper, 12×14
I would have guessed that the artist only paints those details that have made an impression on him. For example, I feel most connected to my husband’s eyes, and my best friend is known for her ski slope nose. So I assumed that the artist was simply recording the most intimate features on his friends and loved ones (As in his series “21 Portraits of People I Miss”). But the artist has a different train of thought than I.
Amy, watercolor on paper, 10×15Jayme, watercolor on paper, 11×15
Power describes his reasoning for leaving out a nose, or a mouth, or a pair of eyes, “I am interested in showing the difficulty and discomfort in fully understanding a person. I leave my subjects incomplete to highlight their limitations, as well as my own inability to see the subject beyond the influence of myself.”
Featured image is Self-Portrait by Austin Power. All images via the artist’s website.
Hi Artsies! I’m taking a tiny break for a few days, while we visit with some dear friends from Florida. Please welcome fellow art lover and blogger, Kaitlyn Patience, who blogs and creates gorgeous stationery over at isavirtue!
Hello, my name is Kaitlyn! I am the author of art and snail mail blog “isavirtue.” I will be guest posting today on Artsy Forager.Last summer, Lesley wrote an excellent two-part blog post entitled “Yes, Virginia, You CAN Afford To Buy Artwork!” Aside from being the best title in the history of all blog posts, these two guides are an excellent resource to both online and offline art purchases. If you are looking for even more resources, I provide a similar post on my blog, listing a variety of art sale websites. Lesley’s belief that art collecting is not just for the wealthy and the learned connoisseurs is one that we both share. I believe art is, and should be, available to everyone.That being said, there is certainly an intimidation factor involved. This fear of art may stem from its perceived value, or a lack of knowledge. The first concern is an easy one to strike down. Art is affordable. You can take my word for it, or you can peruse the aforementioned guides. No matter what your budget is, you will be able to find art that you love.The second issue, a lack of knowledge about art is one shared by many. To be honest, I don’t believe you have to have any knowledge at all. If you like it, and can afford it, then buy it! That being said, if you want to know more, I’m happy to share with you a mini tutorial on the types of art available for home décor (Sorry, you generally can’t buy installation art, performance art or public art!).The following information is a simplified version of what is offered in my online e-course, “make art a part (of your life).” I encourage you to read more about the course here (LINK: http://blog.isavirtue.net/p/e-course-registration.html) – it’s great fun and you can enjoy it at your own pace!
“There’s a ninety-nine percent chance you already have some version of art in your home, whether it be a cool print you found, a little DIY, your children’s artwork, or one of those hip new canvas transfers. I’m hoping you feel so inspired by reading this that you are anxious to rush out get some more art to decorate your home! But what type of art will you buy? Is it important to you that it be “original”? What’s the cheapest way to go about this? What is the difference between a regular print and a limited edition? How do you know you aren’t over-paying?”
Goodness me, you have so many questions! First, let’s look at the different types of art available.
Original, Jessica Bell ( via Buy Some Damn Art )
Limited Editions | A limited edition work of art is the next notch down on the value scale. This is because while there are multiples of the art, the number is restricted. A limited run of art prints for example, may include anywhere from two hundred to one thousand pieces. However, any more than two hundred and the term “limited edition” is being stretched.
Limited Edition print, Jennifer Sanchez ( via 20×200 )
Canvas Transfers | A photograph, poster or print that is taken and laid on canvas through chemical or heat transfer. The canvas is then tightly wrapped around a wooden frame to look like a gallery style painting. It’s brilliant because it lets people purchase art for their home at really reasonable prices.
Canvas Transfer, Flapper Doodle ( via Society 6 )
Regular Prints | Any paper print made from a drawing, original painting, photograph etc. There is no inherent value, except to you because you love it!
Regular print, Emma Leonard ( via Etsy )
Posters | Printed on papers of varying thickness, posters can be memorabilia, advertisements or simple decorative images. People love to collect posters because they are the least expensive form of art and can be hung framed or unframed.
Poster, Stephane de Bourgies ( via AllPosters.com )
Import | While not always imported, the term is used to reference three dimensional art which includes foreign objects, replicas or mass produced goods. They often include wall art and freestanding sculptures.
Import, Stag Head ( via Indaba )
I hope you have enjoyed this little lesson and that it will help you in your search for beautiful art!
You may remember the fabulous work of Shaun Kardinal, featured a few months ago. I was completely smitten by his technique of combining found materials and embroidered elements in such an artistic way. Along with Shaun, there are other artists putting their own spin on this way of working. Here are a few of my faves!
British Vogue Cover, Deconstructed by Inge JacobsenPaula by Stacey PageDance 8 by RomussiLucky JacksonWork on Paper #14 by Hinke Schreuders
.. up over on the Artsy Forager Facebook page! Head on over and check it out! Exciting things to come from this month’s artist.. stay tuned for details.
You may have noticed that I’ve been a bit out of touch for the last few days.. or maybe you haven’t.. 😉 Hubby and I moved rentals and getting the internet connection to work with our Mac has been a bit of a challenge. And then there’s the unpacking and getting settled part AND we have very dear friends coming to visit tomorrow! Needless to say, things are busier than normal in my crazy little life. So please forgive me if the blog posts are not as chatty as usual!
Today’s artist, Laurel Sparks, uses interlacing lines and shapes to create her mixed media abstracts. Each piece becomes a web-like beacon, inviting us in to explore the world that she has crafted.
God’s Eye, acrylic, marble dust, paper mache, glitter, pom-poms on canvas, 36×39Constellation, acrylic, marble dust, paper mache, glitter, pom-poms on canvas, 36×39
Her use of unexpected materials like rhinestones, pom-poms and “googly-eyes”, keep the work feeling fresh and feminine. Yet her use of graphic pattern and colors produce bold compositions.
Conflagration, acrylic, marble dust, paper mache, glitter, beads, rhinestones on canvas, 36×33Forum, acrylic, marble dust, paper mache, glitter, beads on canvas, 39×36
To see more of Laurel Sparks’ work, please visit her website.
Featured image is Gris Gris, acrylic, gouache, marble dust, colored pencil, black glitter, googly eyes on canvas, 27×31. All images are via the artist’s website.
One of the things I love about my husband is how excited he gets about wildflowers. He is the manliest of men, but when spring arrives, he begins the hunt for perfumed beauties. Our camera card gets filled with glorious specimens to remember and identify. We joyfully observe butterflies and bees making their rounds, testing each bud. Artist Jennifer Bain shares our fascination with the beauty that awaits just outside our windows.
Regeneration, mixed media on panel, 24×24
Like yesterday’s artist, Charlene Liu, Bain takes the traditional floral still life and reinvents it. Each work may contain a few realistic portrayals of birds or flowers, but it is the juxtaposition of more contemporary, silhouetted elements and textile-like patterns that give these pieces post-modern punch.
Uphill Climb, mixed media on panel, 12×12
The simple linear shapes give the work a fleeting, unfinished quality which creates a beautifully dynamic tension between those and the more detailed elements.
Seekers, mixed media on panel, 36×48
Butterflies and birds flit across each piece, seeming to be drunk on loveliness. Like the butterflies, I too, would love to dance among these beauties.
Pretty Bird, mixed media on panel, 36×48Swallowtail, mixed media on panel, 18×24
To see more of Jennifer Bain’s work, please visit her website. Oh and Jennifer is another artist represented by Skidmore Contemporary. I told you they had great taste!
PS– Didn’t realize when scheduling these posts that I featured two floral artists within two days. I’m interested to hear your takes on both!
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.
I like to think that a big part of an artist’s purpose is to present the world with a new way of seeing something familiar. Assumptions that were once made and scenes taken for granted are turned on their ear by the artist’s unique vision. In Eugene, Oregon artist Charlene Liu’s most recent body of work, the artist takes an often prosaic subject and gives it fresh, new life.
Her use of handmade paper brings the organic nature of her creations to the forefront. She then takes her playfulness with material a step further, using pigmented pulp to create her delicate floral palette.
Swoops and Cyclone, watercolor, handmade paper, pigmented pulp, 40.5×50.5
Like a cottage garden, the elements of each work are layered and wild, where floral still lifes were once a staid domain, they are now delicately set free.
Mad Bloom, mixed media on paper, 30×30
To see more of Charlene Liu’s work, please visit the website of her representing gallery, Taylor de Cordoba, another of my favorite gallery resources for amazing work!
Featured image is Mad Bloom, mixed media on paper, 30×30. All images are via the Taylor de Cordoba website.
Happy Memorial Day, Artsies! Hope you are out celebrating with friends and family. Chances are if you aren’t completely land-locked, you’ll be spending some time in, on or near the water. Hubby & I are spending the holiday moving from our temporary rental in town to our summer rental on Hayden Lake here in Northern Idaho. It’s still been pretty chilly here, so we won’t be doing any in-water activities, but I’m sure we’ll find ourselves soaking up the sun and just enjoying lake life. Columbus, Ohio artist Laura Sanders perfectly captures the wonder of water-logged summers.
Obstructed Horizon, oil on canvas
I was immediately drawn to Sanders’ work, not just because George & I will be enjoying lake life this summer, but also because her work beautifully portrays the joyful memories of my own summer lake experiences as a young girl. My older brother, Jason & I used to spend a few weeks of every summer at the home of our great aunt & uncle, who were active retirees living on small Hall Lake in Northern Florida. Aunt Helen & Uncle Vernon were still fairly young, but had no grandchildren yet, so we filled the void, spending lazy days swimming, fishing, biking and just generally having the time of our lives.
Untitled, oil on canvas, 36×36
Jason was into taking my uncle’s little johnboat around the lake for a spin and biking up and down the clay road, while I, like the girls Sanders’ paints, was more the little mermaid. I loved being in the water, the feel of it on my skin, the sun beating down, heating up the inner tube until it got just hot enough to need to dunk under for a bit of relief. Uncle Vernon loved to swim, too, and spent hours in the lake with us, while Aunt Helen was the disciplinarian. She firmly believed in the no swimming just after lunch rule.. much to our chagrin. But she always brought us Fla-Vor-Ice’s while we swam, so all was forgiven.
Noon, oil on canvas, 25×27
As we grew older, our time at the lake grew shorter. We became busy with teenage life and Aunt Helen & Uncle Vernon finally had a grandson of their own to spoil. We moved on, but they held a very special place in our hearts. They’ve both passed now, Vernon several years ago and Helen just last year. But the memories we made with them live on. Every once in a while, a breeze stirs up or I’m near the water, or see paintings like Laura Sanders’ and I am immediately transported back to Hall Lake. I can feel their presence and hear Aunt Helen scolding Uncle Vernon for keeping us in the water too long, just before she rings the old dinner bell by the back door.
Cloud Cover, oil on canvas, 52×42Later Summer, oil on canvas
I hope you’ve spent this Memorial Day making some wonderful memories of your own! To see more of Laura Sanders’ work, please visit her website. For a little bonus, scroll down to the end of this post to see a special photo from my days at Hall Lake. 😉
Featured image is Girls and Plastic Floating, oil on canvas. All images are via the artist’s website or the website of her representing gallery, Rebecca Ibel Gallery.
Here’s your bonus pic!
Hall Lake, Summer 1982 l to r: My brother Jason, our friend & lake neighbor Glenn Hayhurst, his sister Shelley, yours truly
I’ve made no secret here of how enamored I am by trees. There is just something so inherently beautiful within the elements of a tree, it isn’t any wonder than artists whose work utilizes wood possess such natural grace and elegance. Here are a few of my favorites!
Nestler series by Grant Ward, maple burl, spun aluminum & padauk, 19×8Cleave series by Joe Segal, 9×18Cities and Signs by Evan Blackwell, wood, 26x22x2A Lightness in Being, Exercises in Zen #2 by Christian Burchard, madrone burl, 12x12x26
