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  • Artsy Dwelling: A Dream Art Collection

    Artsy Dwelling: A Dream Art Collection

    When I was young, I remember spending hours flipping through the Sears & Spiegel catalogs, circling every little thing my heart desired and hoping to receive a few of those wishes for Christmas.  While there are still lovely things I want, my tastes and passions are a little more grown up and my treasures a bit more lasting.  I am often asked, whose art I would be in my dream collection?  I think about it quite a bit– too much probably!  It’s so very difficult to choose, I’ve discovered the work of a great many fantastically talented artists!  I think for me, a perhaps for many art lovers and collectors, it comes down to whose work do I want to live with every day?

    Jones, Mills & Baker

    jennifer jones | gigi mills | christina baker

    In order to want to dwell with an artist’s work, hopefully for a very long time, I need to feel a deep connection to it, to have something inside me stir and resonate each time I look at it.  Whether it’s their use of light, line, color, or texture, I need to delight in it and be able to lose myself.  It’s probably obvious that I’m drawn to a certain palette, too, as color is for me, a strong part of a work’s appeal.

    Segal and Foard collage

    christina foard | joe segal

    I consider myself very lucky to already own small pieces by a few of these artists ( all my art is in storage or I would share those with you! ), but they are, every single one, artists whose work I fell in love with the very first time I saw it.  And they are artists whose work I consistently return to time and time again.

    Denny, Matthews, Hall collage

    rachel denny | casey matthews | susan hall

    Perhaps I have a bit of an advantage, being exposed to the work of so many gifted artists, but maybe my biggest privilege has been to get to know these artists personally.  And those friendships and relationships make their work even more special to me than it otherwise would be.  Getting to know the artists whose work you’d like to collect will help you understand and appreciate your collection even more.

    Just putting this together motivates me to save my pennies so that I can start hoarding more artwork!  What about you?  Who would be in your own dream art collection?

    All image sources credited above.  Please note some artwork has been cropped from the original.

  • Home Is..: Nan Brown

    Home Is..: Nan Brown

    Although we technically don’t have a home of our own these days, the idea of home is on my mind a lot.  Just this morning I was browsing through realtor.com, as you do, checking out what’s around in our price range.  I find the need to remind myself that home isn’t always about the roof over your head.  The Trailers Collected series by the late photographer Nan Brown prove that often home is in the eye and heart of the beholder.

    Brown_Trailers Collected 43 Brown_Trailers Collected 19 Brown_Trailers Collected 1 Brown_Trailers Collected 8 Brown_Trailers Collected, 40

    It might sound corny, but it’s so very true.  Home is where the heart is.  If a place is filled with the people we love, it provides us shelter, not just in the physical sense but in the emotional and spiritual senses.  By capturing these humble abodes, some well cared, for others, barely hanging on, Brown captures the essence of what home can be.

    To see more of Nan Brown‘s work, please visit her website.  The artist passed away earlier this summer after a long illness.  She leaves behind a legacy of thoughtful, sensitive work.

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Finding My Own Artsy: Dropping the Ball, Picking Up the Brush

    Finding My Own Artsy: Dropping the Ball, Picking Up the Brush

    I feel like such a slacker, ya’ll.  Not in general, because I’m working my little tushy off doing freelance work for art consultants, galleries and artists— which I’m super excited about!  The business of being artsy is picking up steam, but the act of doing anything truly artistic has been on the back burner for what feels like a long time.  And I’m definitely feeling its absence.

    paintsIt’s funny how being in the desert, which wasn’t necessarily our ideal spot, fostered a creative spark I hadn’t felt in a while.  I think it had much to do with three things:  the lack of distractions around us, Mr. F doing online coursework meaning lots of evenings and weekends I was left at loose ends, and probably the main reason– a lack of tv in our Joshua Tree rental.  I’m working hard, sitting in front of the laptop for at least 8 hours each day and there is always more to be done, so I’m finding it difficult to truly disconnect.  But I do so want to.  But this blank page is very intimidating right now!

    sketch padI want to start a little daily creative ritual.  But where to begin?  I’m almost fearful of even mentioning it here because what if I punk out and don’t keep up with it?  So I want to know, especially from those that are working artists AND working at another job– how do you carve out the time?  Do you find yourself doing little things daily or do you save up all that energy for occasional, long, productive creative bursts?

    brushes

     

    And any recommendations for a small paint-friendly sketch book?  The paper in my current sketchbook is more for dry media and I’d really like to start a little daily paint practice of some kind.  I know, excuses.  Just wanted to through this out there, let you know that if you’re struggling with the same, you are not alone!

    All images by Artsy Forager.

  • Abstract World: Isabel Bigelow

    Abstract World: Isabel Bigelow

    Sometimes, it isn’t a matter of what you see, but how you see it.  Perception can be a funny thing.  Often, Mr. F & I will watch the same movie but get something totally different from it. Or we’ll look at a scene and I’ll zero in on one thing, while his eye notices another.  The simplicity of these paintings by Isabel Bigelow remind me that what each eye focuses on is as unique as the person they belong to.

    Partial Arch by Isabel Bigelow Isabel Bigelow collage

    Bigelow zeros in on simple shapes, isolating them against monochromatic backgrounds, leaving us to wonder– am I seeing what I think I’m seeing? Or am I seeing something else entirely?  The shapes become even more ambiguous when we turn the paintings on their sides or upside down.

    Yellow Mushroom by Isabel Bigelow

    Bigelow_Wings Turquoise

    Fluke by Isabel Bigelow

    But maybe that’s a good thing, this act of seeing differently.  We can focus too closely on our own perceptions, forgetting that there are other angles of viewing.  Not wrong, just different.

    If you’d like to see more of Isabel Bigelow‘s work, please check out her work on the Sears Peyton Gallery website.

    All images via the Sears Peyton Gallery website.

  • Win Artsy Stuff! It’s Fall Ya’ll Contest & Giveaway!

    Win Artsy Stuff! It’s Fall Ya’ll Contest & Giveaway!

    Finally, finally FINALLY.. It’s Fall ya’ll!!  I think I may have mentioned once or a hundred times how very much I love this season.  The crisp, cool air, the brilliant changing of the leaves, the warm yellow light, it is by far my very favorite time of year.  Tennessee artist Deann Hebert & I have that in common.  She, too is a fall fanatic and wants to share her love of the season with you and what better way to do that than to GIVE YOU SOME ART!!

    Here is the stunner of a painting you could win– Caramel Crisp by Deann Hebert, acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, 30×30.  Gorgeous right?!

    image

    Here’s how you can enter to win this painting for your very own–

    1 | Create an Autumn-inspired Pinterest pinboard, it can be inspired by the painting or just the season itself! You can see a few of my own pins below and check out more of my Artsy Welcomes Autumn board on Pinterest!

    Fall Ya'll collage

    2 | Follow Artsy Forager and Deann Hebert on Pinterest.

    3 | Comment on this post with a link to your pinboard.  Easy as pumpkin pie!

    Sorry, Artsies, this contest is now closed.  A random giveaway winner will be announced here on the blog on Wednesday, October 2nd!  Contest is open to U.S. residents only.

    Good luck!  Now grab a Pumpkin Spice Latte and get to pinnin’!

    Art image via Deann Hebert. Collage images found here here and here.

     

  • Enhanced Beauty: Spiros Halaris

    Enhanced Beauty: Spiros Halaris

    We all have our product loyalties.  Mr. F is fiercely loyal to King Arthur Flour, for instance.  Sometimes, as in Mr. F’s case, it’s about how the product performs, in others, it’s because we are enchanted by not just the product, but the packaging.  New York based illustrator Spiros Halaris has created a charming series of illustrations celebrating the Aesop brand of beauty care products.

    Spiro Halaris Spiro Halaris Spiro Halaris Spiro Halaris

    Halaris’ illustrations show crumbled, well used and presumably well loved tubes of Aesop balms and lotions against a drawn illustration of berry branches.  In looking at these pieces, I’m reminded of the connection between nature, beauty products, and paint.  All can be used to beautify in different ways and there is a natural bridge between found beauty in nature, enhanced beauty with cosmetics, and created beauty in paint.

    Spiro Halaris

    If you’d like to see more of Spiros Halaris‘ work, please visit his website.  You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Behance.

    All images via the artist’s website.  Artist found via Trendland.

  • This Artsy Life: Weekend 38 [ when nothing goes as planned ]

    This Artsy Life: Weekend 38 [ when nothing goes as planned ]

    We check the weekend forecast religiously throughout the week.  Here in the Northwest, especially in the Fall, the weather can change on a dime.  All week, the forecast was calling for periodic rain for Saturday.  So no hiking or biking for the Foragers!  We decided instead, to take a road trip down to Astoria, one of our favorite little Northwest towns.  But our MacBook, it seems, had other plans.. internet connectivity issues forced us to forgo a lovely day of traipsing around Astoria in the rain in lieu of a smack-dab-middle-of-the-day Genius Bar appointment in.. wait for it.. Tacoma.  Woo.  No offense to Tacoma, but it just hasn’t been very high on our list of places to see.  Actually I don’t think it’s been on Mr. F’s list at all.  I suspected hidden potential.

    Imagine our surprise when we awoke to sunny skies on Saturday.  We decided to make the most of our Tacoma day, lining up some well reviewed eateries, but deciding to skip the Tacoma Art Museum because the Museum of Glass was closed for a private event.  We’ll go back when we can hit them both.  So it would just be a day for errands, eating, and exploring.

    IMG_1418 IMG_1420 IMG_1430 IMG_1424

    After a rocky start– an hour long wait to be served breakfast meant we sped to our Apple appointment sans nourishment in our bellies– we finally explored a bit of the Tacoma Theater District on the unexpectedly sunny day.  Lots of lovely little antique shops ( oh how I wish my sis-in-law & fellow browser had been with me! ) and fantastic architecture, along with a very cool public art installation– The Garages, where it seems the city? owners of the  garages? have given over the walls of the structure as a place for creative expression in the form of street art and graffiti.

    Though we were a bit disappointed in our food choices, we were pleasantly surprised by the part of Tacoma we explored.  We treated ourselves to a movie that evening, not much else to do at night in tiny Shelton and Sunday was spent running more errands and catching up on work.  Do you ever have weekends like that?  Ones that you look forward to all week, only to have them sabotaged a bit by the mundane problems of modern life?  Oh well.  High hopes for next weekend!

    Want to see more from glimpses into This Artsy Life?  Follow me on Instagram!

    All images by Artsy Forager.

  • Delicate Immersion: Elise Wehle

    Delicate Immersion: Elise Wehle

    I find it very refreshing to come across an artist for whom the most important part of her creative process in the process itself. For Utah artist Elise Wehle, the delicately intense, repetitive handwork in her cut paper collages provide an escape into her world of process.
    Elise Wehle Elise Wehle It seems we can all suffer from tech and connection overload these days. Moments when we are completely disconnected and far away from a glowing screen of some sort have become fewer and farther between. These pieces in which artist Elise Wehle immerses herself with their deliberately tattered textures, precise cuts, and vintage feel are the perfect antidote to a world obsessed with tiny screens.
    Elise Wehle It’s almost as it we’re glimpsing peek of an Instagram feed deteriorated. The photographic cropping of the images recall those ubiquitous scenes in our social media each day. But they have aged, maybe giving us a reminder that those moments are fleeting– perhaps too fleeting to be constantly clicking and updating.
    Elise Wehle Elise Wehle

     

    If you’d like to see more of Elise Wehle‘s work, please visit her website.  I’m thinking of starting a little daily painting study to help me unplug & disconnect each day.  What’s your method of getting away from technology?

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Design Foraging: All Roads Design

    Design Foraging: All Roads Design

    As a dutiful child of the 70s, I love crochet, macrame, all those disco-era handicrafts. Though I don’t always love that era’s color palette as much as my sister-in-law– you guys should see the 1970s era RV she is redoing, appropriately named Gertrude. Anywhoo.. I recently stumbled upon the work of All Roads Design, I knew I wanted to share it with you! It’s like art you can pet. And I so would, every day!

    DF_AR5 DF_AR3 DF_AR1 DF_AR2 DF_AR6

     

    I think one of these would add beautiful texture to our one day Northwest dream home. He ( gotta be a he with all that hair ) would mix so well with all the other artwork I’m coveting. Hey, an Artsy can dream, right? Have a great weekend, Artsies! We’re hoping to take a little road trip this weekend, will fill you in on Monday!

    All images are via the All Roads website.

  • Artsy Dwelling: 4 Ways to Style Leaning Artwork

    Artsy Dwelling: 4 Ways to Style Leaning Artwork

    You know, there’s more than one way to skin a ca— I mean, hang artwork.  I hope I proved that in our last foray into Artsy Dwelling!  Be a rebel.  Don’t hang that art at all!  Go all crazy and casz.. just let it lean.

    Leaning = layering.  If you keep your artwork relegated to the walls, you’re holding it at a distance.  You know, like that moldy fruit you found in the refrigerator.  But living with art should be about living with it, having it truly be a part of the way we interact in our personal space.  Leaning brings it in close.  We can study it, pick it up and touch it, live with it in ways we can’t do when it’s nailed to a wall.

    Check out some of my favorite ways to style leaning artwork–

    1 | On a ledge

    Lean on ledge collage

    found here here here here and here

    Take advantage of those architectural details as a natural resting spot for artwork.  It’s kind of Decorating 101 to put artwork above a fireplace, but leaning it on the mantle, especially when layered with other pieces creates a visually rich display that’s easy to change up with the seasons or just on a whim!

    2 | On a piece of furniture

    Lean on collage

     found here here and here

    Same rules apply for furniture.  Wait, forget that.  There are no rules!  Big art, small art, doesn’t matter, as long as it makes an interesting impact and puts a smile on your face.  It all goes back to that layering thing.  Leaning artwork connects itself better to the other objects in your vignette when it is sitting on the same surface.  It’s like bringing your artwork into the half-time huddle.  Now he feels included!

    PS– If you’re gonna lean artwork on your headboard, might be a good idea to secure the back with a little 3M velcro, you know just in case things get a little, shall we say frisky?  Oh come on, you know you were thinking it!

    3 | Behind a piece of furniture!

    Lean behind collage

    found here here and here

    My favorite rule to break.  Used to be, no art lover would dream of putting artwork, which let’s face it, we probably paid a lot of money for, even partly hidden behind a piece of furniture.  But that little artsy game of peek-a-boo leaves me wanting more!

    4 | On the floor

    Lean on Floor collage

     

    found here here here here and here

    Maybe you have the perfect spot for a piece of artwork, but hanging just isn’t practical.  Just lean that baby on the floor.  The perfect solution especially for super oversized pieces of work that it would take an army to hang!  Or for when we want a splash of color but don’t want to commit to holes in the wall.

    Of course, it should be noted that leaning artwork, especially on the floor and behind furniture isn’t the idea solution if you have small children, rowdy teenagers ( ok, really any kids at all ) or clumsy husbands.  😉  Do you have any artwork leaning around your house?  Share a photo over on the Artsy Forager Facebook page, I’d love to see!

    All image sources linked above.