artsy forager

Posted on June 10, 2014

Every weekend Mr. F and I stay at home ( in other words, no camping or backpacking on the agenda ), we say we’re going to have a relaxing, chill weekend. But lately, our weekends around home have been anything but slow and this weekend was no exception! After a yummy breakfast in Arcata Saturday morning, we attended the Sustainable Living Expo– gotta get some ideas for the artsy dream home we’re saving our pennies for!

I try to take advantage of our weekends in town to do something artsy and lucky for me, this weekend we were able to take in not only a few stops along the North Coast Open Studios tour, but this month’s ArtsAlive in Eureka.

peggy loudon studio

In addition to Peggy Loudon’s studio ( check out her website, stunning ceramics! ), we also took a peek into the studios of Libby George, who was kind enough to give me some pastel tips, and mixed media artist and painter Natalie Craig.

After a little rest, we headed down to Old Town for Eureka’s monthly ArtsAlive event. We were able to hit a few studios and galleries before meeting up with one of Mr. F’s coworkers for a drink.

lori goodman at piante

sheldon skillie at the black faun

The work of both these artists intrigued me with their references to ancient cultures– Bhutanese for Goodman, Native American Haida for Skillie. To reference aboriginal culture and customs in modern interpretations give me hope that these old traditions won’t be forgotten. And this busy but artsy weekend won’t be far from my own memory for a long time yet! Next weekend– hoping to get some painting time in!

All images are by Artsy Forager.

Abstract Art Daily Artsy Mixed Media Paintings

Posted on June 10, 2014

I am never not struck by the incredible beauty of this planet we call home any time Mr. Forager and I are out hiking. It is amazing to think of the way this earth evolves, adapts, endures. In these beautiful mixed media paintings, Australian artist Megan Weston, in her own words “presents our earth as fragile and damaged by our selfish behavior, but also demonstrates that its beauty still survives“.

Inspired by aerial landscapes, these mixed media paintings seem to whirl and swirl within their planetary atmosphere. Just as the earth is filled with wonder and variety, Weston’s work leads the viewer on an imaginary journey around its circumference. We don’t know if we’re looking at storm systems brewing from above or microscopic views of tiny bits of our planet. As the colors bleed and blend, we are left with the assurance that no matter how we abuse it, this ever changing earth will endure long after we have left it.

To see more of Megan Weston‘s work, please visit her website.

All images are via the artist’s website.

Daily Artsy Figurative Paintings

Posted on June 9, 2014

I’ve been seeing a lot of articles pop up lately on the importance of our online profile photos. It seems that we make snap judgements about the people we see online based solely on facial expression in profile photos ( duh? ). In his paintings, Colombian artist Jesus Leguizamo obscures the faces of his subjects, blurring all expression. There seems to be a trend in art and photography of obstructing faces.. in these days of status updates and selfies, are we all just sick of ourselves?

In some of Leguizamo’s work, the faces are completely obliterated, leaving nothing but what’s left of the figure to clue us in as to who they are. In others, the result is a bit more haunting, as we see just enough expression to leave us wanting to know more.

In all the social media swirling around us, it’s tempting to want to put it all out there, to share with the world everything we’re doing and thinking.. and it seems there is a Pavlovian type effect that happens when we do. Sharing and getting a response makes us want to do more. But when do we cross the line over into sharing too much? Is it best to lay it all out for the world to see or retain a bit of mystery?

To see more of Jesus Leguizamo‘s work, please visit his website and his portfolio on Saatchi Art.

Second image via the artist’s website. All other images via Saatchi Art.

collage Daily Artsy

Posted on June 6, 2014

The minute I saw this artist’s work, it resonated deeply with me. As Mr. F and I continue to travel, we are brought closer to the day when we settle down to make a permanent home. The idea of home– where that will be and what it looks like for us is a frequent topic of conversation. Through her collage work, Seattle artist Kelda Martensen is also seeking the meaning of home.

prints available in the Artsy Forager Collection for Mantle Art

prints available in the Artsy Forager collection for Mantle Art

prints available in the Artsy Forager Collection for Mantle Art

Of course house like structures and elements figure prominently in Martensen’s work but they are often turned on their head, or inside out, causing us to remember that the buildings we inhabit are merely that– home, in its true definition cannot be held captive in architecture. Our real home lives and breathes within us and changes with our shifts in relationships and seasons. We may perhaps be bound to one particular place, but our heart is free to soar and live wherever it finds root.

To see more of Kelda Martensen‘s work, please visit her website. And make sure you check out the collection of Kelda’s prints for sale in the Artsy Forager Collection for Mantle Art!

All images via the artist or her website.

*This post contains affiliate links. As curator of the Artsy Forager for Mantle Art Collection, I receive a small commission on each piece sold from the collection.

Don't Miss Artsiness Exhibitions Galleries museums

Posted on June 5, 2014

Gallery Shows You Should Know About

This week, it would seem, is one to be filled with all sorts of newness! In addition to the new post series started on Tuesday and the introduction of my Great.ly shop, I’m excited to finally launch a new featured series I’ve been pondering for a while now. I’m always on the hunt for new ways to support and promote the artists whose work I love. When we travel, we’re on the lookout for local art shows and happenings. Which led me to think, hey, you guys must be, too!

Each Thursday afternoon, I’ll be posting a round up of interesting gallery or museum shows I think you outta know about– one from each region of the country, North, South, East & West. ( FYI– sometimes North and Northwest will be interchangeable, just because. )

Here’s the very first round up–

north | Marie Watt, Receiver at Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle, WA

south | Lily Kuonen, Playnthings, at the Crisp Ellert Museum, St. Augustine, FL

east | Jeremy Miranda, Late Winter/Early Spring at Nahcotta, Portsmouth, NH

west | Jennifer JL Jones, Invisible Thread at Hunter Kirkland Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM**

Find details about each show by clicking through to the gallery or museum links above. If you check ’em out, tag me ( @artsyforager ) on Instagram with the hashtag #dontmissartsiness!

**Jennifer JL Jones’ show ends June 8th! Get there before it closes.

Image sources via the galleries & museum sites linked above.

Abstract Art Daily Artsy Paintings

Posted on June 5, 2014

You guys know I love some thick goopy paint! These small paintings by Susan Carr may just be the densest, most luscious piles of paint I’ve ever laid my artsy eyes on.

I’m in love with the way these paths of paint wind their way up, down, and around each canvas, blending and weaving together like rainbowed tree bark. I mean, I kind of want to dip a corn chip into that goodness and eat it. But I won’t. However, I will just sit here and admire and wish I could run my fingers over all that lovely paint.

To see more work by Susan Carr, please visit her page at Saatchi Art or her representing gallery’s website.

All images via the Giampietro Gallery website.

Design Fashion Interiors Jewelry

Posted on June 4, 2014

Sometimes an opportunity comes along and you just stop everything else you’re doing to pursue it. Which is exactly what I did when the new Great.ly site launched last week. Haven’t heard of it? Well, let me tell you all about it! Great.ly is an online commerce platform “connecting the dots between makers & tastemakers”. For artists, artisans and other makers, it’s the opportunity to stock an online “studio” with work from which “tastemakers” ( bloggers like me & other influential folks ) fill their Great.ly boutiques and market the work to their audiences.

One of the great joys of writing Artsy Forager is the ability it has given me to help influence the careers of artists whose work I love in whatever way I can. And for me, I see Great.ly as another way to do just that! The Artsy Forager boutique gallery, The Trove, is already stocked with work by artists and artisans whose creations exemplify the excellence I seek to showcase here on the blog and speaks to me ( and to you, I hope! ) on a personal artistic level. I would love to have any one, or all of these pieces for myself! Right now, The Trove is broken up into three main categories, Own the Artsy— where you can find incredible artwork by some of my favorite artists like Emily Jeffords, Kiana Mosley, & Jaime Derringer.

There’s also the Wear the Artsy section, because why just hang the art on your wall when you could hang it around your neck or on your shoulder? And of course, I want to Live the Artsy. Wouldn’t it be amazing if every thing in our homes, down to the most utilitarian objects was crafted not just for purpose but for beauty? The dream can be a reality. I’m seriously lusting over so many of these pieces. If only Mr. F & I had a home to call our own right now! This interview with Great.ly founder Sarah Bryden Brown explains it all so much better than I ever could! I hope this post doesn’t seem too sales-pitchy, as I never want this site to turn into one giant sales pitch. But I LOVE promoting artists and with the creative minds behind this site, including The Jealous Curator herself, I see this as an incredible platform for connection and promotion of artists and their work. And I want to truly embrace it as such. I truly think this is a fantastic opportunity for artists, artisans, and bloggers to join forces and do GREAT things ( pun intended! ).

If you’re an artist or artisan interested in becoming a Great.ly Maker, you can apply here. And if you set up a Great.ly studio, please let me know so I can perhaps add your work to The Trove! And if you just love artsy things, well bookmark The Trove and get to shopping! 😉

All images via The Artsy Forager Great.ly page.

*This post contains affiliate links. As a Great.ly Tastemaker and curator of The Trove, I receive a small commission on each piece sold from The Trove boutique gallery.

Daily Artsy Sculpture

Posted on June 4, 2014

When it comes to ceremonies and celebrating, it seems like here in the US, our traditions are pretty mundane. Where are all the costumes and displays? For many other cultures, milestones are met with ritual and fanfare. Baltimore artist Amy Boone McCreesh explores that relationship between exhibition and ephemera in her sculptural work.

Crafted from cut paper, ribbons, sequins, found objects, you name it– these sculptures are teeming with texture, color, and movement. Reminding us of maypoles, leis, and exploded pinatas, they are contemporary interpretations of ancient traditions.

To see more of the work of Amy Boone McCreesh, please visit her website.

All images are via the artist’s website.

Abstract Art Paintings The Artsy Nature

Posted on June 3, 2014

Judging from the blog’s title & if you’ve been reading for awhile, you’ve probably guessed that Mr. F and I are the outdoorsy types. We both thrive on time spent among the quiet beauty of the outdoors, whether surrounded by snow-capped mountains or digging our toes into the black sand of Northwest beaches. I’m finding artistic inspiration in nature for my own series of work, so why not find it in the work of other artists, too? Often when I see an artist’s work, my mind connects it to the memory of a place I’ve been or a detail observed or sometimes, an outdoor scene will call the artist’s work to mind. It’s the whole chicken vs. egg thing, but this time, with art and nature.

So with this post, I’m launching a new series, The Artsy Nature, in which I pair a photograph from our traverses in the great outdoors with a piece of artwork.

photo | spring at The Black Sand Basin, Yellowstone National Park by Artsy Forager

art | Purpose by Amy Donalson

One of my absolute favorite features in the wondrous beauty that is Yellowstone were the geysers and hot springs. Algae and micro bacteria create gorgeously saturated coloration in the most heavenly palette.

Nature is the most spectacular of canvases, isn’t it? Look for more The Artsy Nature posts coming your way!

Photo by Artsy Forager, art image credit linked above.

Daily Artsy

Posted on June 3, 2014

As much as I love the other three seasons, there is something different about summer. As in winter, everything slows down but at this time of year, you have the added bonus of warm sun and long days! In her paintings and etchings, New York artist Isca Greenfield-Sanders captures the fleeting freedom of summer days and the carefree ways that come with them.

Even when you’re far from school age or having kids of school age, summer still somehow provides the mental break we all need. It’s like a free pass to just enjoy life! That slowing down gives our minds more time to absorb what’s happening around us and pay closer attention to the people in our world. Aren’t the best conversations to be had while floating on an inner tube? In summer, we see the world through squinted eyes, so that everything is brighter and more perfect, a hazy, lazy feeling that Greenfield-Sanders captures through her work in the loveliest way.

To see more of Isca Greenfield-Sanders‘ work, please visit her website.

All images are via the artist’s website. Artist found via Miss Moss.

Older Posts

Newer Posts

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August 12, 2022
Reviewing. 2019.
December 31, 2019
Showing. Charlotte & Sacramento!
October 6, 2019
Showing. Tiny Art for ETA 26.
September 4, 2019
Showing. Anne Irwin Fine Art EAS 2019.
August 7, 2019

All posts are written by Lesley Frenz, unless otherwise stated. If you would like to repost something you see on Artsy Forager on your own blog, please provide a link back to the original post. All artwork images are the property of the individual artists, please link to this site or theirs when reposting and credit the artist appropriately. Artsy Forager contains some contextual affiliate links. An affiliate link means that I receive commission on sales of the products that are linked to in noted posts. So if you click on a link and make a purchase from an affiliate site, such as Mantle Art or Great.ly, then I may make a commission from that purchase. Those affiliate links may also be found on my Pinterest page. Artsy Forager reserves the right to delete any comments deemed as inappropriate. Play nicely, please.

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