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  • Artsy Spot: Chihuly Garden and Glass

    Artsy Spot: Chihuly Garden and Glass

    Last week, an interior designer friend from Florida was visiting Seattle, so we seized the opportunity to catch up over lunch. I racked my brain trying to come up with a lunch spot I thought would be inspiring to her design senses and then it hit me– the cafe at the Chihuly Garden & Glass museum! I’d been meaning to visit the museum since arriving in Seattle, but it just hadn’t happened yet, so here was the perfect excuse.

    Chihuly Gardens

    Textiles_Northwestern Room_Chihuly Gardens
    The museum centers around the work of renown Seattle glass artist Dale Chihuly.  Chihuly is a bit of a polarizing figure in Seattle– his work, having saturated the Seattle glass market for quite sometime, he’s like the Starbucks of art in Seattle.  He’s everywhere, as are copy cats and artists who’ve worked for him so it can be understandably tiresome to see yet more Chihuly.  But with that said, the museum is a feast for the eyes and definitely worth a visit!

    Chihuly Gardens

    Chihuly GardensChihuly GardensFrom an art lover’s standpoint, the mere spectacle of color and texture is unforgettable.  The museum is relatively small, only about 1/2 dozen “rooms”, Chihuly’s work really shines in the atriums and outdoor garden spaces.  The design of each space is done thoughtfully and with much regard to the characteristics of the works themselves, how the light behaves in and around them, color, etc.

    Chihuly Gardens

    Though the price of admission seemed a bit steep at $19 for an adult ticket, the museum staff was friendly & helpful, which goes a long way in my book!  Overall, the Chihuly Garden & Glass is the perfect cultural diversion amongst the touristy offerings at Seattle Center.  Oh and lunch at the Collections Cafe was delicious!  For more information on visiting the Chihuly Garden & Glass, please visit their website.

    If you’d like to see more photos from my visit, check out the Artsy Instagram feed!

  • Twisted & Tangled: Deborah Dancy

    Twisted & Tangled: Deborah Dancy

    Sometimes, as I’m looking through my artists queue and planning which artists to feature, I have to go back and search the Artsy archives because I come across an artist whose work is so fantastic, so just up my alley, that I’m shocked I let this artist’s work sit in queue for so long.  I can’t believe I waited so long to share these gorgeous abstract paintings by artist Deborah Dancy.

    As the World Turns by Deborah Dancy
    As the World Turns, oil on canvas, 60×48
    Dancing in the Dark by Deborah Dancy
    Dancing in the Dark, oil on canvas, 60×60

    Dancy spins a web of layered painterly texture, light, shadow and intricately concocted yet wonderfully spontaneous cages of line.  My eye gets caught up in each tangled maze of paint, getting utterly lost and never wanting to come back.

    The Object of My Affection by Deborah Dancy
    The Object of My Affection, oil on canvas, 46×46
    Stormy Weather by Deborah Dancy
    Stormy Weather, oil on canvas, 30×30

    And have I mentioned the palette?  Warm rusty desert tones contrast with pale cotton candy pastels, keeping things fresh and light.

    Gates of Paradise by Deborah Dancy
    Gates of Paradise, oil on canvas, 60×48

    Want to see more of Deborah Dancy’s work?  Of course you do.  Check out her website.

    All images via the artist’s website.  Artist found via Sears Peyton Gallery.

     

  • This Artsy Life: Weekend 30 [ Just Us Two ]

    This Artsy Life: Weekend 30 [ Just Us Two ]

    Here’s the thing.  Mr. F & I love people.  We really do.  But we’re both introverts, he being a bit more on the outgoing side than I.  So as much as we love to socialize, people can be exhausting for two introverted folk!  When it’s just us, we can just BE.  And usually, when we’re traveling, unless we happen to be in a place where there are friends to hang with ( Seattle ) or a place where his work crew is awesome and super social ( Idaho ), we are each other’s sole company.  And we’re totally OK with that.  More than that, it’s the way we like it.

    So as happy as we would have been to be joined by a gang of friends on our hike this weekend, as it was shaping up by the end of last week, we were secretly pleased when it turned out to be just us two.  We arose super early Saturday morning to make the 2 1/2 hour pilgrimage to Mt. Baker.

    20130729-103328.jpg[ skyline trail ]

    20130729-103513.jpg[ we were as giddy as this guy ]

    20130729-105145.jpg[ even on our hike, we each got a little alone time ]

    20130729-105234.jpg
    [ snow in august! ]

    20130729-105414.jpg[ glorious day ]

    We felt guilty that our underestimating the drive time meant that we missed out on a friend’s birthday celebration.  But having more him & me time was like a surprise gift, and a much needed one as we’re in the midst of the stressful few weeks before packing up and traveling on.  Speaking of, on Sunday we concentrated on dwindling down our belongings even lighter– no more renting a trailer each time.  Everything must now fit in the back of the SUV.  My closet is now 1/3 its normal size.

    20130729-110059.jpg[ the clothes that made the cut ]

     I am determined to take a few essential art supplies with me, too.  Will be working on sorting that out next weekend.  What did you do over the weekend?  Anything fun?  Did you party like it’s 1999 or just enjoy some down time alone?

    If you’d like to see more of This Artsy Life, you can follow me over on Instagram!

  • Time, Stood Still: Dan McDermott

    Time, Stood Still: Dan McDermott

    Have you ever had a moment so special, so perfect that you want to freeze yourself there, so that you can go back and revisit it again and again?  London based artist Dan McDermott‘s paintings ( yes, paintings! ) freeze in time moments from our collective past, preserving not just the actuality of that occasion but the feeling of being in that moment.

    Beauty Queens by Dan McDermott
    Beauty Queens, oil on canvas, 130×100 cm
    Good Times I by Dan McDermott
    Good Times I, oil on canvas, 80×60 cm

    Working from an extensive archive of vintage imagery, McDermott captures what seems like frozen film frames in paint.  It’s like watching those old home movies on projector ( showing my age! ).  Everything is a bit distorted, but we recognize the familiar.

    Yellow Dress II by Dan McDermott
    Yellow Dress II, oil on canvas, 80×50 cm
    Rollerskates by Dan McDermott
    Roller Skates, oil on canvas, 80×50 cm

    The corralling of these “frozen” moments doesn’t just happen in the frenetic, blurry application of paint.  It is found in the palettes, as well, we can sense the warmth of the sun, along with the faded cloth of memory.

    Cocktail by Dan McDermott
    Cocktail, oil on linen, 127×67 cm

    What moment would you like to freeze in time?  I can think of several!  Want to see more of Dan McDermott’s work?  Please visit his website.

    All images via the artist’s website.

  • Design Foraging: Kristina Crestin Design

    Design Foraging: Kristina Crestin Design

    Design foraging isn’t always just about finding artfully designed wares.  It’s also about finding those folk out there doing their thing with an artsy bent.  In my art consulting days, I loved working with interior designers who had an appreciation and eye for artwork, incorporating well chosen work into their designs not just for aesthetic appreciation, but also to begin to create a personal collection for their client.  Boston area’s Kristina Crestin Design knows how to work magic in a room through icing the cake with artwork.  Check out some examples of Kristina’s art-centric designs!

    DF_KCD_gallery1_photo12_Kristina Crestin Design DF_KCD_gallery3_photo3 DF_KCD_gallery4_photo5

    DF_KCD_gallery1_photo10[ I am completely in love with the bones of this house.  Seriously my dream house. ]

    Finally, Kristina has been working with a favorite Artsy Forager artist, Christina Baker, on a special artwork commission for a client.  Here’s a sneak peak!

    DF_KCD_Baker commission

    I can not wait to see Christina’s piece ( in love with that palette! ) installed in the finished space!  I have no doubt it will add just the right touch of artsy pixie dust to Kristina Crestin’s design.  Want to see more work from this artsy designer?  Check out Kristina Crestin’s website.  You can also follow her blog!

  • Strange World: Lottie Davies

    Strange World: Lottie Davies

    Our minds are funny things. Especially when we are young and the world is filled with magic and everything seems so much bigger, both physically and metaphorically. We see things in ways as children that we gradually lose as we grow into adulthood. UK photographer Lottie Davies artistically arranges photographic scenes that mimic the strangeness of being a child in a grown-up world.

    Davies2
    Most of our childhoods weren’t always idyllic and the eerie atmosphere of Davies’ work reflects that. There seems to be a lurking sinisterness in each scene, as if there is something more going on than meets the eye.
    Davies1 Davies3
    How many times have we thought back to a childhood memory, only to realize we’d been recalling it through rosé colored glasses? Or maybe we sugar coated our world as children, only to realize as adults what life was really like when we were kids.
    Davies4
    What do you think of Lottie Davies’ work? I love that we seem to find ourselves in the midst of a story with each one. Want to see more from this artist? Please visit her Lottie Davies.

    All images via the artist’s website.

  • Sophisticated Swag: Alex Brewer

    Sophisticated Swag: Alex Brewer

    You’ve more than likely seen this artist’s work.  His painted church in DC was all over the interwebs last year.  But artist Alex Brewer aka Hense, does more than just create amazing ecclesiastical transformations.  Brewer takes elements of the style he honed as a graffiti artist and applies it to canvas and paper, resulting in abstractions that are sophisticated with a bit of swag.

    Mural by Alex Brewer
    Mural, acrylic, ink, aerosol, graphite and oil bar on canvas, 58×58

    Brewer takes those quick gestures and gritty scribbles from his street art background and translates them into layered, slightly rowdy compositions.  Full of riotous color and the spontaneity of street painting, these pieces seem like screen captures of fleeting moments in paint.

    Day Two by Alex Brewer
    Day Two, acrylic, house paint, ink and spray paint on wood, 42×48
    Rearrange by Alex Brewer
    Rearrange, acrylic, aerosol and latex house paint on wood, 72×72
    Red Painting by Alex Brewer
    Red Painting, acrylic, spray paint, ink and house paint on wood, 42×48

    The layers of paint interlace with each other, so that we aren’t sure where one layer begins and the next one ends, like one artist’s graffiti slightly covered by the next to come along.

    Untitled Blue by Alex Brewer
    Untitled Blue

    Want to see more work by Alex Brewer?  Check out his website.

    All images are via the artist’s website.

     

     

  • Insert the Artsy: Casey Matthews

    Insert the Artsy: Casey Matthews

    In my not so distant past, I worked as a Project Manager/Art Consultant for a gallery & art consulting firm.  What does that mean exactly?  It means I looked for artwork for clients.  A LOT.  Matching up the right art to fit the client’s space, budget, design, and taste was what I did and something I plan to start doing again ( keep your eye on this page! ).  When I see a blank wall, instinct takes over and I immediately start thinking of what artist’s work would be perfect in that space!

    When I saw the empty wall above this bed, the wheels immediately started turning.. Clean, modern bedframe, fabulous funky black Bertoia chair, graphic striped rug and bright green coverlet.  So we want something with some texture and color but not too much.. enter this pair of abstract paintings by Casey Matthews!

    ITA_Casey Matthews

     

    interior | artwork 

    Casey’s work feels fresh and young, but still sophisticated enough to add a grown up vibe to what could otherwise feel like a “starter” room.  And I love putting a pair or series of work where a single large piece is the more expected choice.  What do you think?  What artwork might you place in this space?

    Stay tuned for more details regarding services coming soon to Artsy Forager!

    Images via artist’s representing gallery, Gallery Orange.

  • Shifting Perceptions: Katharina Grosse

    Shifting Perceptions: Katharina Grosse

    I find myself continually fascinated by the work of artists who very literally paint outside the lines.  Artists like Margie Livingston and Laura Moriarty use paint as a medium for sculpture, who see beyond paint applied to canvas to what else these aqueous pigments can be.  German artist Katharina Grosse paints across spatial planes, creating psychedelic landscapes which push and ignore our perceptions of boundaries.

    Untitled by Katharina Grosse, Nasher Sculpture Center
    Untitled ( 2013 ) by Katharina Grosse, Nasher Sculpture Center
    Pigmentos Para Plantos y Globos by Katharina Grosse
    Pigmentos Para Plantos y Globos, acrylic on balloons, soil, wall, floor

    Our realities are really all about perceptions– each person’s reality is different depending on their perceptions.  When we were in Friday Harbor last weekend, we received wildly different answers to the question “What is it like to live on the island?” Because of their own unique experiences, each person we asked had a completely different answer.  Their perceptions had shaped their reality.

    Untitled 2008 by Katharina Grosse
    Untitled, 2008, New Orleans, acrylic on wall and floor

    Grosse’s work takes the process of “painting” off the canvas and onto any surface, often ignoring spatial boundaries.  Her installations cause us to change how we perceive reality through her eyes and perhaps changes our perceptions permanently.

    One Floor Up More Highly by Katharina Grosse
    One Floor Up More Highly, 2010, styrofoam, acrylic on wall, floor, soil and reinforced plastic
    Picture Park, 2007 by Katharina Grosse
    Picture Park, 2007, acrylic on wall, ceiling, soil, latex balloons and canvases

    If you’d like to see more of Katharina Grosse’s work, please visit her website.  Have you seen any interesting installations lately?  Perhaps ones that pushed boundaries?

    All images via the artist’s website.

     

  • This Artsy Life: Weekend 29 [ One Last Island Before We Go ]

    This Artsy Life: Weekend 29 [ One Last Island Before We Go ]

    If you’ve been following the This Artsy Life posts, you know Mr. Forager & I have been doing a bit of island hopping recently. Once we decided for certain we were leaving Seattle, we knew we wanted to make sure we hit one last island. One thing about living a traveler’s lifestyle– you make sure you get out and see as much as you can, as you never know when you may pass by that way again. As many times as Mr. F & I had been to Seattle in the past, we’d yet to make it over to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. And since it’s possible that we could soon be on the other side of the country, we decided to make a weekend of exploring the island.

    San Juan Island ferry[ friday harbor ferry dock ]

    20130722-125353.jpg[ gothic view ]

    20130722-125603.jpg[ orca! ]

    20130722-130804.jpg[ lavender ]

    20130722-132121.jpg[ romantic boat ride ]

    20130722-133439.jpg[ sunday morning fog ]

    The island did not disappoint!  We explored from one end to the other, the range of activities as diverse as the weather.  Next weekend: we finally hike in the North Cascades!  Want to see more from This Artsy Life?  Follow me over on Instagram.

    All images by Artsy Forager.