Sometimes, all it takes is a slight shift to see things from a completely new perspective. I’ve always loved the slight glimpses seen through doorway cracks and angled views. These minimalist collages by Paris based artist Rosemarie Aubserson with their slightly skewed peeks give us the quickest little glimpses into new places.
The placement of some elements around the periphery of the compositions relate the feeling of catching a fleeting glance around a corner. Expanses of solid color heighten the drama of discovery, almost making it seem like a package being opened– making me want to rip away the paper to see more of what’s there!
Mr. F and I are generally cheerful, non-moody people, but we each have what we call our “blah” days. You know the ones, the days when you just aren’t feeling quite yourself, the days when all you want to do is curl up in bed, speak to no one and watch trash tv all day. These paintings by French artist Lou Ros struck me in their contemplation and moodiness, beautifully painted representations of melancholy.
From the use of a primarily grey and neutral palette with punctuations of pink and other vibrant colors, we’re reminded that although the grey sets in temporarily, it is by no means permanent. I love the artist’s use of frenetic brushwork and drips, the slightly “unfinished” quality to each piece accentuating the fleeting nature of mood.
To see more work by Lou Ros, please visit the artist’s website.
It is the unique gift of an artist to create beauty from the unexpected, to look at a thing and see its potential in a way no one else does. In her A Sacred Space series, Baltimore artist Rosemary Liss deconstructs the canvas then puts each back together in a way that emphasizes the beauty of the materials themselves.
By focusing on the parts that make up the whole, Liss compels us to think about the entirety of the process of art making. From the tree that was felled for it’s wood, to the wood cut and sanded for stretchers, to the threads woven together to create the canvas’ surface, through these tiny works of art, we realize that while most artists are individual creators, a village of hands are woven together in each piece.
The sea or the snow? The sea or the snow. Mr. F and I go back and forth on this question frequently. While spending the winter in Idaho, we decided on snow. But now that we are on the Northern California coast, I wonder, will the tides turn back toward the sea? There is something wild and mysterious about the ocean, and Massachusetts artist Jeremy Miranda captures the struggle by man to understand and control the uncontrollable character of nature.
We move in to the wild places, we build our houses and cultivate lawns and gardens, we want to be surrounded by nature’s beauty yet when the elements go about their way with no regard for us, we resent it. We try to control it. To bend and shift nature’s way to meet our own needs instead of leaving it to its own perfectly evolved devices. Miranda’s work captures that intrusion of man on wild, not only the destruction and encapsulation that ensues, but the way that nature reclaims what is hers when man moves on.
Well, Artsies, Mr. F & I have said goodbye to Idaho and hello to California! And we all wished a fond farewell to February and wish a bright and cheery welcome to March and this month’s new Featured Artist, Erin McIntosh!
I first posted about Erin’s work almost exactly two years ago and have been closely following her artistic journey. Her works on paper continue to retain the floaty, gossamer quality that first drew me to them. But her work has evolved in the most lovely way into these newest pieces, with their organic patterns and forms leading us to dream of the prettiest science class illustrations ever. There is a bit more structure to these pieces, but the artist’s hand keeps them feeling fresh and spirited.
You’ll see more of Erin McIntosh‘s work on the blog this month, but if you can’t wait a second longer to explore ( and who can blame you?! ), head over to her website and have a good long look around. Plus, have a peak at the Artsy Forager Facebook page, where Erin’s work is gracing our cover and I’ve created an album of just a few of my McIntosh faves! If you happen to be in the great state of Georgia, Erin’s work will be hanging at the Museum of Arts & Sciences in Macon as part of the Emerging Artists show through June!
It’s been a stressful few weeks, ya’ll. Whenever we get toward the end of Mr. Forager’s contract and we start looking at new places to go, the stress just piles on. The whole process is definitely not for the faint of heart! But everything has fallen into place and while things are still crazy while we get packed up and plan our road trip to Eureka, we’ve gone from stressed out to excited. I discovered the work of photographer Zack Seckler in the midst of a particularly stressful day and the quiet humor calmed my soul. Perfect way to end the week!
I love the ironic juxtaposition and obliviousness of Seckler’s subjects. They reminded me that the joy and fun in life is still all around, even in the midst of trial. You just have to be able to see it! Happy weekend, Artsies!
In between working on my Feminine Wiles series, I found some time to create a couple of paintings for two girls. One for a girl anyone has yet to meet and the other for a girl I know and love so well. She is full of sunshine and fire and sass.
My niece Samantha is on the brink of leaving childhood behind and beginning her journey as a young woman. For her 13th birthday, I decided to create a painting for her that felt like that journey. The little painting I created was my contribution to Project #2 for the We Are the Contributors project, whose theme was beginnings. Read more about my thoughts on the piece here.
samantha | beginnings
The Beginnings piece was the first thing I’d painted in nearly nine months. After getting into my Feminine Wiles series, that style of painting feels much more natural for me, so when I look back on this one, it’s not my most recent favorite. But it was a first effort and a step in the right direction, which I hope is what Samantha will always remember about any beginning– it’s scary and strange, but you don’t know what will happen until you try.
idaho sunrise | palette
The second piece I completed recently was a little artsy gift for a few of our Idaho friends expecting their first baby soon. We could have bought something off the registry, but with our limited travel space, I’m embracing any excuse to paint on a larger canvas and then give it away! Our friends are outdoorsy like us, but not super modern, so I didn’t want to go too crazy-abstract for their soon to be daughter. The image on the right is from the bedding they selected for the baby’s room, so I wanted to create something that would compliment the color scheme without trying to recreate that motif.
The finished painting is 12×24 and I think it will add a nice pop of color to her room and something peaceful for mommy & pop to gaze at during late night feedings. Thanks for taking this little artsy detour with me! Will have a new Feminine Wiles painting to share soon!
I can’t freehand a straight line to save my life. But when I was studying Interior Design for a few years, I loved drafting. Sliding my mechanical pencil along the T-square, everything became so precise and orderly, there was a controlled creativity to it that I found intriguing. When I first saw the work of Augustine Kofie, I was instantly intrigued by a similar use of line, but it was the way those lines were placed and the little surprises that stole my imagination.
In his beginnings as a street artist, Kofie began exploring letter and line not just for their aesthetic value, but the way they were constructed and how they could be broken down and rebuilt into something new. Each piece is a manipulation of angle, line and form, leaving the eye to wander endlessly over each canvas, shapes shifting and changes as our perspective moves. And then there are the little pops of retro imagery that pop up when they are least expected– adding a bit of life and humor to these overtly geometric compositions.
Our time here in Moscow is very rapidly coming to a close. It feels like we just arrived, but before the sun rises on Sunday morning, Mr. Forager & I will be setting off for our next destination– Eureka, CA! But before we bid adieu, I wanted to give you a little taste of this small town that exceeded our expectations.
Perhaps when you think of artsy spots, the middle of Idaho doesn’t exactly spring to mind. It didn’t for me either! But Moscow is a lovely little college town with a high concentration of creative types. Which results in a community filled with charm, intellect and taste around every corner.
Just a few artsy spots we loved in Moscow–
1 |kenworthy theatre I love a small town with an original movie theater. And while the Kenworthy isn’t quite as grand as some, it boasts an active and creative calendar. From first run, big budget box office movies, to small, independent films & documentaries, to live theater, the Kenworthy has a little artsy something for everyone.
2 |maialina Fresh made pasta, extensive Italian wine list and the most to-die-for meatballs and sauce I’ve ever had. All in a rustic contemporary atmosphere. Fave.
3 | moscow co-op Now you might be thinking.. what’s so artsy about a grocery store? But the Moscow Food Co-op isn’t just any ol’ supermarket. It’s filled with fresh organic goodness to eat, drink and slather all over yourself. I’m a firm believer that a good, local organic market is a staple in a great artsy town.
4 | pritchard art gallery Moscow is home to the University of Idaho and Pritchard is the university gallery. A nicely laid out, generous space, the most recent show 38 Minus features handmade paper relief sculpture depictions of all of Idaho’s native aquatic species. Suprisingly lovely and engaging work, beautifully presented.
5 | one world cafeA great coffeehouse is a must-have in any artsy spot. Mr. F and I tend to prefer the ones with an eclectic feel, where the coffee is top-notch and the overheard conversations are always interesting. One World became our go-to coffee spot most Monday mornings. A fave among UofI students, we always felt a little guilty checking Facebook while everyone around us was having lofty intellectual discussions and writing term papers..
6 | the storm cellar I love, love, love a good consignment store. And Moscow’s Storm Cellar is one of the best and nicest I’ve come across. Artfully presented clothes and accessories and reasonable prices. If only we hadn’t been trying to decrease the amount of stuff we’re traveling with.. I could have done some serious damage.
This list is just the tip of the iceberg that Moscow has to offer. If you ever happen to find yourself in the area, I promise, it’s worth a stop, even if just for an afternoon.
Many artists are collectors of some sort. Whether collectors of the fleeting and untouchable such as memories or moments, or of more tangible things in which they see a beauty that others may not. Artist Susanna Sundman creates the most charming and lovely compositions out of her collections.
While she does lovely work in watercolors, it was these little assemblages that I seemed to keep coming back to and finding so enchanting. There is a careful deliberation about them, yet them seem entirely playful and fun. Each one is a wonderful little mix of texture, color, and story.
To see more of these assemblages by Susanna Sundman, follow her on Instagram. You can also find more of her work on her Flickr.
