artsy forager

Posted on December 31, 2013

I’ve been reading up on the Abstract Expressionists lately and have found myself completely enraptured by the movement and the entire era. Working intuitively, many abstract artists set out without a clue as to where their composition will ultimately end up. The work is an extension of who they are in that moment in time– a big part of what fascinates me about abstract work and abstract expressionism. In the work of Heather Chontos, I see much of that same intuitiveness and freedom.

Heather made a name for herself in the world of fashion publications, styling and set designing for the likes of Barneys & Anthropologie. And in these abstract works, there carries over that sense of composition, you can almost see her rearranging her shapes and lines on each canvas, much in the same way she might stage & style for a shoot– moving things around until it feels just right. She isn’t afraid to let us in on that process, too. Smudges in charcoal and paint let us know where perhaps she switched out one shape or line for another.

Of course, there is beauty in the slick and perfectly painted canvas– but often being able to let go of our need for perfection and allow ourselves to be vulnerable as artists is a deeper challenge. It is an act of truly putting yourself out there, there is no hiding, you are laid out on canvas for all the world to see. Completely scary, for sure, but amazingly liberating, too.

One of my own ~~resolutions~~ goals for 2014 is to get serious about painting again. I’ll be starting a little daily exercise over on Instagram ( come follow along! ) and will share more on that later this week. It’s a daunting prospect, especially as I hope to be busy with freelance work too, this year, but my heart is longing for it. Artists like Heather are reminding me that the work isn’t always about the result but about learning from the process.

To see more of Heather Chontos’ work, please visit her website, and follow her on Facebook & Instagram. You can purchase her work through the Milk Farm Road shop.

All images are via the artist’s website.

Daily Artsy Figurative Paintings

Posted on December 30, 2013

We all want to present ourselves in the best way possible. But with the infiltration of social media into every aspect of our lives, its tempting to cross the line over from putting our best foot forward to presenting an inauthentic picture of who we are. In his work, artist Tristan Pigott examines our habits of self-projection and the superficiality we often perpetuate.

His compositions employ fashion models in the place of “ordinary” people, to further enforce the notion of the fronts and facades we create for ourselves. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of wanting every photo we post to be beautiful, to encite envy among our social media followers and to lead them to believe we live a life to which they should aspire. And maybe we do in some ways. But in other respects, each life is filled with the same sorts of gunk and uncomfortable human stuff that we are all too often so very careful to edit out. How many photos have you seen this holiday season of burnt cookies? Or a child in mid-meltdown because Santa didn’t bring exactly what he asked for? Not many, I’m guessing. I certainly didn’t post the photos of the burnt Honey Rosemary Pecans I made or my non-made up face upon waking first thing Christmas morning.

Why? Because I’m chicken. I don’t want the world to see the dark circles under my eyes or to know that I occasionally leave food in the oven just a bit too long. ( Oops guess now you know my secret! ). Like everyone else, I want the world to see my life as beautiful. But here’s the thing. Every life IS beautiful. Filled with beauty. It may not be magazine spread perfect, but each and every one of our lives is full of moments that take our breath away, that make us laugh and yes, make us mad or embarrassed. But what makes our lives the beautiful messes that they are is embracing the imperfectness, being able to laugh with and at ourselves. Letting people into our beautiful mess.

To see more of Tristan Pigott‘s work, please visit his website.

All images are via the artist’s website.

Daily Artsy

Posted on December 27, 2013

Many of you may be on the road as I type this, on your way home after much holiday merriment. Isn’t it interesting how much different the landscape looks from a car? I remember being fascinated by the blur of grass and trees seen from my backseat window as a girl. Even when half asleep after a long day, my young mind could still tell just by the timing and turning of corners when we were almost home. Long Island artist Grant Haffner captures his love of his own hometown roads in his tender, colorful paintings.

In these acrylic paintings, Haffner beautifully captures that feeling of being on the road, the whizzing blur of color, the towering power lines, the never-ending expanse of sky. Sure, air travel may be faster, but a road trip offers so much more in the way of adventure and discovery. There could always be some hidden potential just around the next corner, just over that hill. Haffner’s paintings capture that sense of excitement and anticipation and their lack of cars and people give the viewer a through-the-windshield feeling of being that sole traveler indulging their wanderlust.

To see more of Grant Haffner‘s work, please visit his website. Our journey from Florida to Washington three years ago is among my best road trip memories. Do you have a favorite?

All images are via the artist’s website. Artist found via The Jealous Curator.

Daily Artsy Paintings

Posted on December 26, 2013

Did you make some wonderful memories yesterday, Artsies? What will you recall? Will it be the main event, the big moments or will it be the small, seemingly insignificant minutes that you’ll look back on with fondness? In her latest work, New York artist Stephanie Brody-Lederman in her own visual language, illustrates the moments that capture her emotions and imagination.

Some people recall certain events in great detail. That’s never been me. I remember more the sensuality of memory– the smell of my paternal grandparents’ house, the soft skin of my maternal grandmothers’ hands, the thrill of the first kiss my husband gave me. In these paintings, it is that untouchable sensation of memory, the emotion of certain moments that Brody-Lederman is capturing.

In small symbols and still scenes, she evokes a sense of the remembrance of an instant. After all, our memories don’t necessarily record full scenes like a movie, but more brief flashes and hints of feeling remind us of what has been.

To see more of Stephanie Brody-Lederman‘s work, please visit her website.

All images are via the artist’s website.

Artsy Fodder

Posted on December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas, Artsies! I couldn’t let this day go by without taking a moment to wish you more peace and love than your heart can handle. I am so thankful for the gifts of your time, attention and companionship as I wander down this journey. Spend today knowing that you are dear to me, each and every one.

Happy Christmas!
Artsy & Mr. Forager

This Artsy Life

Posted on December 24, 2013

Well, Artsies, I trust you’re either fully prepared for tomorrow’s festivities or up to your eyeballs in preparations! Here in the Forager house, we’re somewhere in between.. I still have some Christmas brunch prep to do and will be heading out soon to brave the post office, so today’s This Artsy Life post will be short and sweet.

We had a beautiful blanket of snow covering the ground for most of the weekend, just in time for Christmas! Nothing like crisp air and fresh snow to get you in the mood! Here’s just a few snaps from our weekend..

[ white christmas dreams come true ]

[ don’t mind if i do! ]

[ before ]

[ after ]

[ all wrapped up** ]

[ indeed it is ]

**If part of your day today includes rushing out because you ran out of gift tags, stay home & print your own Instagram tags like mine! I found the template through Pinterest, you can find it on the Going Home to Roost blog here.

Merry Christmas Eve!

If you’d like to see more from This Artsy Life, you can catch up on all our adventures on the blog here or follow me on Instagram!

PS– Between now & New Year’s, I’ll be taking a little break to get organized and prepped for what I think will be a busy and exciting year! I’ll still have an daily artist post going up and one final This Artsy Life, but no extras until 2014. You guys will all be too busy to hang around your computers anyhow! 😉

All images by Artsy Forager.

Daily Artsy Paintings Still Life Watercolors

Posted on December 24, 2013

I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite things about this time of year is the food! Putting diets aside, we allow ourselves to focus on the inherent feast for the senses that delicious food can bring. Nothing beats the scent of freshly baked bread wafting through a home, am I right?? This season is about indulgence and much of it of the decadent sweet kind. In her Bakery series, artist Heather McCaw Kerley focuses her attention on those baked objects of desire.

Isolating these treats, each a monument to delightful indulgence. “I’ll have just one“, these seem to be saying. And when we taste the sweetness of icing on our tongues, a wave of satisfaction washes over. We know we can’t make a steady diet of doughnuts and cupcakes, but oh, if only we could! How sweet life would be. Maybe. Or perhaps, if we were to indulge all the time, special treats would lose their luster. We would no longer savor them slowly, but devour them without truly tasting their deliciousness. I think the same can be said of events like holidays, if we were celebrating this way every day, the shine would soon grow weary. But its the anticipation, the build up, the focus of intensity that makes these days so special. Let’s savor them like the delectable cupcakes they are.

To see more of Heather McCaw Kerley‘s work, please visit her website and be sure to follow her on Facebook and Pinterest

Daily Artsy Figurative Mixed Media

Posted on December 23, 2013

When I was young, one of my favorite grandmother’s house activities was to sit with her and go through the piles and piles of photo albums she meticulously collected and kept. I was enchanted by seeing my grandparents when they were young, my mom and uncle as children and black & white pictures of countless relatives I never chanced to meet. After my grandparents passed, my mom, brother and I sat around her dining table and tried to go through all the photos. We discovered a good many whose faces we didn’t recognize and surprisingly, my grandmother didn’t label. Who were these people? What had them meant to our grandparents? In her encaustic mixed media work, New Jersey artist Marybeth Rothman takes vintage photo booth pictures without identity and puts new stories to old faces.

The artist gives new life to these abandoned portraits, seeing connections between strangers, reimagining them as icons of Greek mythology and fictional characters. The tiny photographs are enlarged to a grand scale, giving even further importance to these forgotten faces.

It does make me wonder, what will become of all our own memories? Especially now that most personal photos are digitized, there will no longer be boxes and albums of photographs to be unearthed. Will living our lives digitally allow for a better keeping of record or will all be lost when the technology we’ve used becomes obsolete?

To see more work by Marybeth Rothman, please visit her website.

All images are via the artist’s website.

Artsy Happenings

Posted on December 22, 2013

I don’t usually post on Sundays, but I wanted to pop in and make sure all the artists who follow Artsy Forager knew about this! I was so thrilled and excited to be a part of the Thriving Artist Summit earlier this month, a free online conference full of amazing advice, tips, and inspiration for artists. But here’s the best news– all of the interviews are being replayed, now through December 31st! So if you missed out on any or just want to listen again, head on over to the Thriving Artist website to gain access if you aren’t already registered.

artmuse.com founder Bonnie Glendinning gathered together 20+ industry experts who, like me, are all on a mission to help artists not just survive, but THRIVE!

I shared my expertise in blogging and social media at this powerful summit and I hope to help you learn how to make these easy and accessible tools work for you!

Find out more right here: http://thrivingartistsummit.com/lfrenz
During this special community summit you will discover how to:

Make Your Creative Biz a Real Success
Build Your Brand for Your Ideal Buyers
Price for Real Profit and Growth
Increase Your Sales with Marketing, PR, and Social Media
Diversify into Licensing, Wholesale, and Direct-to-Consumer
Get Into Galleries, Shows, and Raise Project Funds

I’d love for you to experience this yourself and JOIN US FOR THIS FREE summit.

The Thriving Artist Summit
With Lesley Frenz and Bonnie Glendinning December 18 through December 31, 2013 Approximately 1 hour, replay available to registrants

SECURE YOUR SPOT NOW: http://thrivingartistsummit.com/lfrenz

Design Design Foraging Jewelry

Posted on December 20, 2013

Oh how I love some pretty jewelry candy! I asked ~~Mr. Forager~~ Santa to put a pretty little artsy bauble in my Christmas stocking. Think its too late to add one of these to my list? These handmade glass and fiber pieces by Asheville artist Arlie Trowbridge aka Urban Revisions would be sure to add an artsy touch to every day.

Aren’t they lovely? Like wearing beautiful little pieces of rock candy. The top necklace and bottom rings are my fave. Which do you love best?

It’s too late to order from Urban Revisions in time for Christmas, but never too late for an anytime gift for yourself! 😉 See more pretty artsy baubles on the Urban Revisions website here.

All images via the Urban Revisions website.

Older Posts

Newer Posts

Studio Sale 2022!
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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