Blog

  • Beauty Confined: Carlos San Millan

    Beauty Confined: Carlos San Millan

    As someone who works from home, I spend a lot of time within the walls of each of our temporary homes.  And when you’re staring at the same walls each day, one of two things happens:  a) you begin to notice the hidden beauty around you or b) you find your inspiration outside those walls.  Lucky for us, Spanish artist Carlos San Millan finds and paints the beauty he discovers within confined spaces.

    Untitled by Carlos San Millan
    Untitled, oil on board, 90×70 cm

    I still remember and often think about every nook and cranny of my lovely little home I left behind in Florida!  When we first landed in the Northwest, we lived in a gorgeous two-story Craftsman home and though the little town left much to be desired, we loved every second of our time in that house.  I was continually inspired by the rooftop views and the vintage craftsmanship.  Our little house in Joshua Tree surprised me by instigating some of the most creative and inspired moments I’ve had in years.

    Untitled by Carlos San Millan
    Untitled, oil on board, 80×80 cm
    Untitled by Carlos San Millan
    Untitled, oil on board, 36×43 cm

    What I love most about these paintings of Carlos San Millan is the loveliness he is capturing in lived in spaces.  Random stuff on the floor, paintings stacked against wall, an arm flung casually off a chair– these aren’t perfectly styled rooms.  They look much like ours do every day, it’s the way we live and though we may not see the inhabitants, their presence is felt.

    Untitled by Carlos San Millan
    Untitled, oil on board, 81×53 cm

    Over the last few days, I’ve been finding myself daydreaming about our new little place outside of Olympia, where we’ll be headed in nine days!  I can’t wait to share photos with you.  It’s a dreamy little spot and I’m already anticipating how inspiring it will be.  I’ll give you a hint: Waterfall. IN THE BACKYARD.

    Want to be inspired by more of Carlos San Millan‘s work?  Be sure to visit his website ( click on his name for the link ).

    All images are via the artist’s website.

     

  • Design Foraging: Marzia Rossi

    Design Foraging: Marzia Rossi

    As a part of the purging to travel light process, over the weekend, I went through my jewelry  and decided what pieces I just had to have with me on the road.  While I have some lovely pieces– many of them vintage courtesy of my maternal grandmother who had a large collection of costume jewelry from the 1950s-80s– there’s something about most pieces that just don’t quite feel me.  A little too safe, a little too ordinary, which I hope this Artsy is not!  I would love to revamp my collection and I’ve got my covetous eye on these beauties by Italian jewelry artist Marzia Rossi!

    Stanze #4 by Marzia Rossi
    Stanze #4, mica, acrylic glass, shibuishi, red gold
    Transparent Orchid #2 by Marzia Rossi
    Transparent Orchid #2, acrylic glass, white gold, cold enamel
    Spinosi #4 by Marzia Rossi
    Spinosi #4, silver, mica
    Stones #2 by Marzia Rossi
    Stones #2, azurite, acrylic glass, red gold
    Transparent Orchid #6 by Marzia Rossi
    Transparent Orchid #6, acrylic glass, red gold, cold enamel, silk

    Her work is so delicate and the organic materials and shapes are right up my alley.  And the construction details?  Just might be the best part.  Want to see more? Head over to Marzia Rossi‘s website and drool all over your keyboard.

    All images via the artist’s website.

  • Life Fragments: Emily Ferretti

    Life Fragments: Emily Ferretti

    I’m not sure what it is about Aussie artists, but I am almost inevitably drawn to their work.  Case in point: Emily Ferretti.  Ferretti’s sparsely populated compositions and chalky palette provide an aesthetic salve to an overwhelmed and frenetic mind.

    Ferretti_Table Top Studio Ferretti_Table Top Ferretti_Nod to Henri Rousseau Ferretti_Blue Leaves

    Her work has such a mellow softness to it, contrasting interestingly with the fragmented shapes and lines that are a recurring theme.  It is work which reminds me that when life is pulling me in a million different directions, I can brush my life’s canvas with tender vulnerability– a soft place to cushion life’s hard edges.

    Ferretti_Ruby Mag Ferretti_Skyline

    Please visit the artist’s blog to see more work by Emily Ferretti.  Also, there is a lovely interview and studio visit with the artist on The Design Files site.  You know I love a good studio visit!

    All images are via the artist’s blog.

  • A Careful Balance: Ky Anderson

    A Careful Balance: Ky Anderson

    I’ve been working on a freelance art curation project for a healthcare installation– which for this one means looking at a lot of stock photography.. yesterday it was flowers & marshes, today, fitness photos.  So you know what makes me super happy right now?  Some fantastically awesome abstract paintings!  These abstract works by Brooklyn artist Ky Anderson are all about balance and relationship and they are speaking to my stressed out little mind!

    One Has Three Shadows by Ky Anderson
    One Has Three Shadows, acrylic on paper, 50×38

    Anderson uses simple lines and forms, intertwining them in his compositions so that everything feels just cautiously balanced.  Like a game of Jenga, it seems as if the pieces of the whole are carefully placed so that each is supporting the other.

    Settled In by Ky Anderson
    Settled In, acrylic on panel, 16×18
    Untitled by Ky Anderson
    Untitled, acrylic on paper, 22×22
    Pressure by Ky Anderson
    Pressure, acrylic on panel, 16×18

    The artist continues her balancing act in his chosen palette,  softening dark black lines with creamy pastels and translucent blues.  Each piece a study of careful balance.

    Centered Single by Ky Anderson
    Centered Single, acrylic on paper, 22×30

    I highly recommend you check out more of Ky Anderson’s work on her website.  Each piece more lovely than the next!

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Crystallized Imagination: Alexis Arnold

    Crystallized Imagination: Alexis Arnold

    As Mr. Forager & I go through our belongings, deciding what goes with us and what stays behind, one of the hardest things to part with have been books.  Even as my family was packing up our Florida storage, it was so difficult to say “don’t ship it” to my books.  But it feels like we have less and less time for reading these days.  In fact, when I came upon these crystallized book sculptures by San Francisco artist Alexis Arnold, they reminded me of what my own mind feels like sometimes, having grown frozen from under-utilization!

    Post Mortem by Alexis Arnold
    Post Mortem, book, Borax crystals, 7x9x5
    Cookbook by Alexis Arnold
    Cookbook, book, Borax crystals, 9x6x6.5

    Reading stimulates the brain in ways other activities just don’t provide.  If you’re like me, you actually feel differently when reading a book than you do when reading online or even a magazine.  I feel like my mind is more engaged, more completely consumed than I do with any other type of reading.

    San Francisco Magazine by Alexis Arnold
    San Francisco Magazine, magazine, Borax crystals, 11x6x5.5
    The Catcher in the Rye by Alexis Arnold
    The Catcher in the Rye, book, Borax crystals, 7x5x3

    But for some reason, I just haven’t been compelled to pick up a book lately.  I’ve been known to devour books within a few days time.  Lately, though, in the evenings, normally prime reading time, I find myself reaching for my iPad instead, using the time to catch up on blogs or social media.  Maybe it’s because I don’t have a super comfy reading spot in this apartment.  Or maybe it’s because we only have overhead lighting ( which I hate! ), so there isn’t a cozy, makes-me-want-to-curl-up-and-read atmosphere.

    Allure by Alexis Arnold
    Allure, magazine, Borax crystals, 11x12x3.5

    These are all just excuses.  I am now adding an item to my to-do list: READ.  Not blogs, not social media.  A real live, smells like musty paper book.  I will do it!  Soon.

    Want to see more of Alexi Arnold’s work?  Check out her website.  Anyone else suffering from book withdrawal?

  • This Artsy Life: Weekend 31[ Work + 5 Places I’d Rather Be ]

    This Artsy Life: Weekend 31[ Work + 5 Places I’d Rather Be ]

    Weekends, in and of themselves, are always a good thing. But weekends like this one just past, ones in which you feel like all you did were chores with maybe a pleasant little walk in between, are hardly my ideal. Although Mr. F and I struck a good bit off our To-Do list: Found a rental for our next location ( we’re headed just a short drive south to Olympia, WA! So happy to be staying in the Northwest! ), unloaded all of our belongings that were in storage in Florida, then immediately packed it all back into storage here in Seattle, along with a bunch more stuff we’ve been traveling with. Had to deal with paperwork, grocery shopping & other thrilling errands, along with continuing to pack up more things from our apartment for storage plus a nice, big Goodwill pile.

    So much to do, so little time.  And I’d much rather be spending this time the way I did last summer.. I thought you could maybe use a little daydream escape today too, so here are 5 places I visited last summer and would much rather be right about now..

    20130805-100429.jpg[ glacier national park ]

    20130805-100525.jpg[ hayden lake, idaho ]

    20130805-100730.jpg[ yellowstone national park ]

    20130805-100820.jpg[ trail of the coeur d’alenes, coeur d’Alene, idaho ]

    20130805-100925.jpg

    [ polebridge, montana, just outside glacier national park ]

    Someone get me a time machine, stat!  Happy Monday, Artsies!  Check out more beautiful places from This Artsy Life in the Artsy Forager Instagram feed.

    All images by Artsy Forager.

  • Double Take: Timothy Pakron

    Double Take: Timothy Pakron

    Remember in the old days when you would accidentally double expose a photo and you’d be a little bummed when it didn’t turn out perfectly, but secretly pleased because the double exposure was super cool?  Me too I mean, I’m not nearly old enough to remember that, but perhaps you are. 😉  Anyhoo.. these photographs by Mississippi born  NYC artist Timothy Pakron have me longing for the days of happy photographical accidents.

    Wash Away by Timothy Pakron
    Wash Away, archival inkjet print, edition of 5, 40×40
    Lazy Blue Eyes by Timothy Pakron
    Lazy Blue Eyes, archival inket print, edition of 5, 40×40

    His blurred figures take on a bit of a ghostly quality and we can’t be quite sure whether or not we can trust our own eyes.

    Distance by Timothy Pakron
    Distance, archival inkjet print, edition of 5, 40×40
    Fade by Timothy Pakron
    Fade, archival inkjet print, 40×40

    These could almost take on a slightly sinister quality, but I prefer to see them as a bit day dreamy.  Like that hazy fog between sleep and wakefulness, there is a pleasant light-headedness to them that I completely dig.

    This Side of the Blue by Timothy Pakron
    This Side of the Blue, archival inkjet print, edition of 5, 40×40

    Want to see more of Timothy Pakron’s work?  Check out his website.

    All images via the artist’s website.  Artist found via Michael Mitchell Gallery.

  • Design Foraging: Fabrics by Amanda Stone Talley

    Design Foraging: Fabrics by Amanda Stone Talley

    I just love it when artists translate their work into functional design!  So I was super excited to see New Orleans artist Amanda Stone Talley roll out a line of fabric based on her patterned paintings.

    Tigerlily_Amanda Stone Talley
    Tigerlily
    Prize_Amanda Stone Talley
    Prize
    Mohican_Amanda Stone Talley
    Mohican
    Falling Petals_Amanda Stone Talley
    Falling Petals
    Red Dust_Amanda Stone Talley
    Red Dust

    Aren’t they delicious?  I just want to eat one up.  Or more practically, reupholster a chair. 😉  Tell me some of your favorite art-turned-design finds!

    All fabrics are linen/cotton/canvas blend.  All images via the artist’s website.

  • August Featured Artist: Candace Fasano

    August Featured Artist: Candace Fasano

    I just love it when an artist seems to take a bit of a break for a while and then BOOM!, comes back strong!  Such seems to have been the case with Florida artist Candace Fasano, this month’s Featured Artist.

    Double Exposure by Candace Fasano
    Double Exposure, oil on wood, 24×24

    Long time Artsy Forager readers might remember Candace’s work from way back in July ’11 ( where have the past two years gone?? ).  Over the past few years, I would occasionally glimpse a post on her blog or Facebook page, but then just within the last few month, suddenly it seemed like this artist was back and she meant business!  When I clicked on a blog post back in January, I was thrilled to see a bunch of new, exciting work looking back at me.

    Alternating Phase by Candace Fasano
    Alternating Phase, oil on wood, 12×12
    EG3 by Candace Fasano
    EG3, mixed media on wood, 12×12

    Fasano is still playing with her imagination ( and ours ), delving even past narratives into the worlds of scientific mapping and microbiological patterns.  There is still the typography and wispy lines that are part of her artist’s signature, but these new paintings seem to be an artist who has discovered new caves to explore and is diving deeper beneath the surface.

    Double Etch Trenches by Candace Fasano
    Double Etch Trenches, oil on wood, 11×14

    I’m so excited to feature the work of Candace Fasano all August long here on Artsy Forager!  Be sure to check out her website, blog, and Facebook page.  You can see one of Candace’s paintings gracing the Artsy Forager Facebook page, too, as well as a whole album of my favorite Fasano works!

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • Inside Job: Chelsea James

    Inside Job: Chelsea James

    One of the most fun things about traveling the way we do is being able to try on different types of places.  It’s always interesting to me how each place has its own personality, reflected in the town’s homes and buildings.  The look of Seattle and Joshua Tree couldn’t be more different!  Interior obsessive that I am, I couldn’t help but share these lovely paintings by artist Chelsea James.

    Studio b by Chelsea James
    Studio b, oil on canvas, 36×36
    Utility Sink by Chelsea James
    Utility Sink, oil on panel, 36×36

    I first spotted James’ work on the New American Paintings blog a while back and was immediately drawn to her style of painting.  Her use of angles and perspective really draws you into the space of each painting, reminding me greatly of another favorite interior artist, Peri Schwartz.

    Sink by Chelsea James
    Sink, oil on panel, 12×12

    And of course, I always love any artist who sees the beauty in the ordinary.  Thanks to Chelsea James, I will never again take for granted the loveliness to be found in a sink!

    Sylvia by Chelsea James
    Sylvia, oil on panel, 12×12
    Piso 7 by Chelsea James
    Piso 7, oil on panel, 12×12

    If you’d like to see more of Chelsea James’ work, please click on over to her website.  Don’t you want to do a Risky Business style slide across that floor in Piso 7?  Just me?

    All images via the artist’s website.