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, 6x6 Liquorice All Sorts, oil, 24x18
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, 24x18
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, 8x10
Peanuts and Gumballs, oil, 24x18
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.
Happy Friday, Artsies! If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you have probably noticed that it’s a little painting heavy. Painting as a medium is my first love, ooey-gooey globs of paint on a canvas will always be the first thing to catch my eye. I hate that it seems like sculpture is the red-headed step child of the art world. I do love beautifully rendered sculpture and have vowed to feature it more here. So as I work on some sculptors to feature soon, here’s a round-up of some three dimensional work that I am especially drawn to.
Vanilla Driftwood by Treg Silkwood and Candace Martin, AKA Silkwood Glass
Seedpod, Nested by Eric Moss
Pod, burnished earthenware and soluble metal salts
Nest by Michael Roco, mixed media
Do you have a favorite 3-d artist? Do tell! Have a fantastic weekend, Artsies! To see more of any of the above sculptors’ work, please visit their websites:
Confession: I kind of have a list of artists who I would love to have paint my portrait. These are artists through whose eyes I want to see myself. Is that weird? Wait, on second thought, don’t answer that. Anyhoo… right now, near the top of the list is Ann Marshall, only behind Deborah Scott, who was the one to introduce me to Ann’s work in the first place. This is an artist who is able to capture the essence of her sitter’s soul and bare it onto the canvas in a strong yet soft way.
Sunshine and Molasses, pastel and paper collage on paper, 39x55
Her detailed surfaces and the way the figures are incorporated into their surroundings give her work an ethereal, haunting quality, yet they still feel fresh and modern.
Katherine, oil and collage on canvas, 30x40
I definitely see a contemporary take on art nouveau and some fabulous Gustav Klimt-ish layering of pattern.
Garden, pastel and paper collage on paper, 39x55 and 19x55
Then there’s the Pre-Raphaelitish influence of some of the compositions and poses, which give the work a wonderfully romantic, Brontesque quality.
I Used to be a Southern Belle, pastel and paper collage on paper, 55x39
Her figures are rendered with stunningly quiet power and vulnerability. Which, I think, as women is exactly how we might like to see ourselves.
To see more of Ann Marshall’s work, please visit her website and Facebook page.
Featured image is Wait by Ann Marshall. All images are via the artist’s website.
Ann Marshall’s feature was written to music by She & Him.
It has been a while since I’ve featured an abstract painter. Maybe it’s because I see so much abstract painting that is good, but not exceptional. Completely nonobjective abstract work looks like it’s easy, but in actuality it is very, very difficult to do well. ( I know, I tried in college and the results were, well, not so good. Maybe someday I’ll be brave enough to try again ). That being said, Susan Morosky’s work is definitely of the exceptional kind.
Big Grass Creek, acrylic on canvas, 46x68
Susan’s brushstrokes, while seemingly frenetic, are essential to her sense of composition. They lead the eye in, out, up, down and around. There is a sense of movement, yet the work feels peaceful, not chaotic.
Canyon River, acrylic on canvas, 36x36
Her work is an abstract inspiration of the properties of water, fields and their boundaries. It is from this beginning that the finished pieces find their organic rhythms.
Creekside Spring, acrylic on canvas, 36x36
Night River, acrylic on canvas, 36x36
Layers of paint, some left piled onto the canvas, other layers extracted from it, create an undulating surface as vibrant and lively as a rushing river.
To see more of Susan Morosky’s work, please visit her website. If you’re in the New Orleans area, you can see her work in living color at the fabulous Gallery Orange.
Featured image is Belle Island Shore by Susan Morosky. All images are courtesy of the artist’s website.
PS– I often listen to music while writing artist features and usually try to choose a musical artist that inspires me in the same way that the art does. Susan Morosky’s feature was written to Tiger Lily by Natalie Merchant. Thought it would be fun for you to know my “soundtrack” for artists. Is it fun? Do you care? 😉
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, 20x28
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, 40x60
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, 60x42
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!
After three months in the cultural dead-zone that is Aberdeen, WA, it feels good to be living in a town with an active arts community. Grants Pass, OR isn’t exactly Portland or Seattle, but it is a welcome change. Last weekend, I was delighted to tour the current show at the Grants Pass Museum of Art , Vibrant Earth, featuring the glass sculptures and tapestries of California artist Deanna Marsh.
Gone Rogue, kiln-formed glass and steel, 36x36
It is really no surprise for artists to be inspired by the Western landscape in all it’s dynamic diversity. Deanna Marsh’s fused glass and metal sculptures capture the essence of the rushing rivers and steep mountain slopes. Recalling the wild spirit that still resides throughout so much of this landscape.
Golden Geodesy, brazilian geode, kiln-formed glass, copper and steel, 48x18x3
Deanna’s work is beautifully wrought and large in size, making her ideal for corporate & healthcare placement ( *hint, hint, to all my art consultant & designer readers!! ).
Accommodating Land by Deanna Marsh, kiln-formed glass and steel, 64x30
So if you happen to be anywhere near Grants Pass, Oregon, A) Let’s have coffee! and B) visit the Grants Pass Museum of Art before September 30th to see the work of this talented artist in person. If you can’t see it in person, please make sure you visit the artist’s website to view more of her work.
Featured image is Choose Your Path by Deanna Marsh. All images are courtesy of the artist’s website.
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!
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.
Perceive
Gatsby
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 Line
Abstractions 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.
