Part of what originally drew us to take a work contract for Mr. Forager in Joshua Tree was the artsy, hippie-ish community here. We got a hint of it while looking at JT online and decided that if we’re gonna live in the desert for six months, living in a uniquely inspiring and art loving community was the way to go! So for this month’s Curated Persona series for UGallery, I’ve put together a collection of artwork inspired by Joshua Tree and The Hippie Chick Next Door. Check it out here!
Do you remember how exciting it was to receive a letter when you were young? An envelope would arrive, addressed just to Miss So and So or Master Such and Such, so grown up! Then we become adults and most every piece of mail is either a bill or junk mail. Wouldn’t it be lovely to receive a heartfelt letter instead of an email? Seattle artist Kenna Moser’s work in the current exhibition at Grover/Thurston Gallery, with its vintage postmarks and whimsical imagery makes me want to sit down an write a beautifully illustrated letter to everyone I love!
Whisper, beeswax, vintage letter and oil paint on wood, 6×6
Poem, beeswax, vintage letter and oil paint on wood, 6×6
Being a writer of sorts, I’m no stranger to the written word, but these days, like most, my correspondence consists mainly of Facebook messages, texts, and emails. Mr. Forager and I wrote digital love letters at length during the month or so when we first began dating and he was living in Seattle and I was in Florida. It makes me a bit sad that they are floating in cyber space somewhere instead of neatly tied together with a ribbon placed in a special box in the closet.
Traverse, beeswax, vintage letter and oil paint on wood, 5×5
Route, beeswax, vintage letter and oil paint on wood, 5×5
Moser’s mixed media works have such a whimsical quality to them.. it’s as if we’ve found that pile of secret letters hidden in a box, trying to decipher the enchanting language of images and symbols.
Address, beeswax, vintage letter and oil paint on wood, 6×6
To see more of Kenna Moser’s work, please visit her website. Her work can be seen in the current exhibition at Grover/Thurston, along with the work of Deborah Bell until March 30th.
Nothing says spring like girls with flowery tattooes! When I spotted this piece by Seattle artist Stasia Burrington on Artsyo, I was smitten with her work, her use of cut paper florals and girls is at once sweet and strong. Love it! I’m featuring Stasia’s work in my Artist Watch on Escape Into Life today, see it here!
Clementine, charcoal, ink and fabric collage on Stonehenge paper, 11×14
What do you think of when you hear the phrase “spiritual experience”? Does a mountaintop epiphany come to mind? Or beachside meditation? Spiritual experiences come to us in all sorts of guises, for example, Mr. Forager & I had one last year as we drove up the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park, both awed by the beauty and shedding tears of thankfulness that we were able to share it with one another. Australian artist Marisa Purcell pursues spiritual experiences in her abstract work– encounters with paint so mystical they embody spiritual sensation.
Buzz, acrylic and oil on linen, 183×172 cm
Floating, ghostly orbs of color appear and recede before our eyes. We squint to try to get a closer look, but even as we narrow our gaze, the forms do not become clear.
Caress, acrylic and oil on linen, 153×137 cm
The Halos of San Marco, acrylic and oil on linen, 183×172 cm
Hum, oil on linen, 153×137 cm
Suggestions of shape, illusions of form, are all the hints we are given. Light permeates and glows from each piece, enveloping the canvas and the viewer. We are left with the feeling that something has just happened, yet we aren’t sure quite what.
Elastic II, acrylic and oil on linen, 75×59 cm
To see more of Marisa Purcell’s work, please visit her website.
In case there was ever any doubt ( which there never really was ), Mr. Forager & I have determined we are not desert people. Sure we can appreciate the wide open space, days and days of sunshine, and night skies full of stars. But we’ve been here in Joshua Tree for five months and we miss blue water and tall green trees! We’re getting antsy to bid farewell to desert life. So we were more than happy to escape to San Diego this weekend to visit with friends and soak up some sea air..
[ ocean beach ]
[ we’ve missed you, pacific ]
[ a lil artsy ]
[ save us a seat right here ]
[ we’ll be back soon ]
Aaaahhh.. that’s better. Maybe these last few days will get us through to our next visit, and then we’ll hopefully be headed somewhere very green! Want to see more of our artsy life? Follow me on Instagram!
I used to be a lover of big department stores, you know, the ones full of racks upon racks of things to choose from– a little something for everyone. But that was the Suburban Florida girl in me. Since our move to the Northwest, I find myself more and more drawn to the small shops that make up most of the little towns we find ourselves living in and exploring. The shops themselves are often architectural gems, with brick walls, old hardwood floors and coffered ceilings, every time I see an empty storefront, I dream of the what a pretty little gallery or shop it might make. So I couldn’t help but be enchanted by this series by UK artist Johnny Bull, as he turns his brush to the lovely little shops to be found in the land of Degas and Monet.
Of course it goes without saying that French buildings and boutiques would be full of charm and joie de vivre, but the style of Bull’s work makes them even more delightful. In isolating the buildings against a muted pastel background, we are allowed to gaze upon them one by one, each with a personality and charm of its own.
Bull’s palette reminds me of what it might be like to see each shop in different lights of day– the blue grey of early morning, the warm glow of sunset. So lovely I can’t stand it. I immediately want to go into each shop and smell the cafe au lait and meet the quirky artists and writers sure to live above stairs.
To see more of Johnny Bull’s work, please visit his blog. Now I must go and plan a trip to France. Oh, it’s gonna happen.
I know I usually only post once on Fridays, but I had to share this with you before the weekend! Uncommon Goods is sponsoring their second Art Contest and they want YOU!
Here’s your chance for your work to be seen by an Uncommon Goods Art Buyer and The Jealous Curator herself, Danielle Krysa! AND you could win 500 smackeroos plus a deal on limited editions of your work through Uncommon Goods. You can see all the details and how to enter on the Uncommon Goods Art Contest page. But you’d better scoot– deadline for entries is Monday, March 31st!
Artwork above, Jump Off by 2012 contest winner, Matthew Amey.
This post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods. All opinions are my own. Want to sponsor a post on Artsy Forager? Use this contact form, let’s chat!
Spring is officially here! As much as I adore winter, there is something about spring that brings out the joy and hopefulness in us, don’t you think? Like when I owned my little house in Florida, how excited I would get every spring to go to the local nursery and buy pretty flowers and mulch and transform my little yard, keeping my fingers crossed I could somehow keep everything alive! ( Hint: I usually didn’t. ). Even while we’re vagabonding it and renting, I long to transform each space in the spring. This year, I’ll have to just gaze longingly at all the wonderfully artsy gardening products popping up all over. Here are a few of my favorites found in my design foraging this week–
Any plans to do some diggin’ in the dirt this weekend? Mr. F and I are heading over to San Diego for some much needed time with friends. I’m hoping we’ll see some glimpses of spring while we’re there!
You are some lucky Artsies this week! Not only were you treated to a peek inside the studio of this month’s Featured Artist, Peri Schwartz, today you get to see inside the studio of one of our City Mouse|Country Mouse artists, Christina Baker! Christina was kind enough to give us a little glimpse inside her home studio, which just happens to be conveniently located in the kitchen– where the coffee is!– and takes the time to chat a bit about her work.
Give a warm Artsy welcome to Christina Baker!
Artsy | Hi, C! Thanks so much for opening up your studio to us and taking a few minutes to chat. I’ll dive right in.. Every artist has such a different way of working. Can you tell us about your painting process?
Christina | Well, for starters I am used to working in an open studio outside of my house. I’ve been working in that environment for almost 10 years now. Last fall I began working at home. Our kitchen is my favorite room in the house. I love to cook and I love to paint so we decided to turn the kitchen into a working studio from 8am till about 4pm each day. It’s actually really worked for me. There is plenty of light and the best part about it is that I am accessible to my family at any time. I’m also self taught and though I feel it has helped me maintain some originality, it has definitely kept me back a lot. I’ve always had a natural eye for color and composition but what I am still to this day learning is technique– trying to get the paint to do what I want it to do! This has by far been my biggest challenge. I paint in acrylics, although at times use both an oil as well as a watercolor format. My grandmother was a watercolor artist, so watercolor was the first medium, aside from Crayola, that I ever tried. I also like to keep my brushes and paint wet. It not only helps me with movement, but slowly builds a transition for additional, thicker paint with less use of water. I tend to use my fingernails in most every painting I do. It is an impulse as well as habit. Some people have called it a signature of sorts.. I’ll scratch free flowing lines or shapes through some of the thicker painted area. It sort of loosens up the area as well as adds depth and texture. The bad side of this is, it doesn’t always work.
[ pup Java likes to “help” ]
AF | You paint some landscapes in addition to your very successful abstract series. How is your process different when painting abstracts versus landscapes?
CB | Oh boy….This question opens a big can of worms! Just ask my husband. Landscapes, florals, as well as most anything with a subject matter, is so much easier for me to paint. I can usually do a landscape in a day or two. Though my heart is mostly in abstract painting, it carries with it a great deal of discipline and focus. The best way I can describe it is like writing a song. The first few sections are actually rather easy, but the more elements added, the harder it is to glue it all together. Sometimes you start off with one idea, you add your next idea, shape color, composition or contrast and it changes the entire dynamic of the piece. The next thing you know, you have something completely different than what you even remotely thought you would end up with! Another way to describe it is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Well, maybe putting together a puzzle is a lot easier. Anyway, the reason I love doing abstracts so much is that when I am in the groove I truly do get lost in the painting. It’s that certain “zone” where you’re not really thinking anymore, you’re just painting, where all the magic happens. If I am singing out loud ( aka annoying the family ), I am in the zone. This is when I do my very best work.
AF | Where do you find your inspiration?
CB | It’s absolutely everywhere! Aside from friends and family, which are always such an inspiration, I would say that color in general is something that has always sparked that feeling of “I can not wait to try this!” sort of thing. I remember back in the 90’s when films were using this sort of orange and green tint and I just loved it. The basic simple composition of every day visuals is also very inspiring to me. It could be something as simple as a bottle cap laying on the sidewalk but just shy of the grass line, a photograph, the way the street lights sort of trickle down our beveled window at night. Sometimes it is a current event which could be personal or universal. Other obvious forms of inspiration for me come from the work of other artists which include, photographers, writers as well as painters.
AF | Do you have a finished composition in mind when you begin or do you just feel your way through?
CB | I wish I were able to plan out my work but I can’t. Usually the only thing I can control is the colors I have chosen to use for a specific piece. Even that can and will change as I go! There are countless times when I am “seeing” the outcome in advance but usually the finished piece never matches that vision.
AF | How has your work changed since moving from Florida to Tennessee?
CB | I haven’t seen much change inspired from my move to another state but what I have seen and felt is change inspired by my life here in Tennessee. I have finally met my soul mate, another long but very beautiful story! He has brought so much joy and happiness to my family and my life that it has definitely shown up in my work.
My husband collects comic books, bear with me as I’m going somewhere with this, and though it may seem unrelated to painting I feel it is relevant to the direction my art has taken. Learning more about the culture behind comics, and it goes so much deeper than Spider-Man, I have learned how wonderful it is to become open minded to so many areas in life some may have never thought to explore. Simon Pegg could not have said it better with this quote:
Being a geek is all about being honest about what you enjoy and not being afraid to demonstrate that affection. It means never having to play it cool about how much you like something. It’s basically a license to proudly emote on a somewhat childish level rather than behave like a supposed adult. Being a geek is extremely liberating.
How does this fit into me being an artist? It’s becuase I am living my life and expressing myself via my work with the most liberating mindset that I have ever had. I am trying so many new things and have so much yet to discover that there is just not enough time in the day to do it all!
AF | I asked Deann this question, so I just have to ask you, too. If you weren’t an artist, what would your dream job be?
CB | An interior designer! I love interior design and Pinterest has totally been heaven for me in this department. Though my taste leans more contemporary, I have always had great appreciation for antiques. My mom owned an antique shop when I was a child, so for obvious reasons my love for antiques will always stay with me. As I grew older, I realized my eye was more drawn to simple clean lines, the less is more sort of thing, but over all, I honestly just appreciate all interior design. Especially when the two words, old and new are combined. In other words, eclectic.
AF | Thanks so much for chatting, Christina and a special thanks to your hubby, Jeremy Baker for taking such lovely photographs!
CB | Thank you for this really fun interview, Lesley!
If you’d like to see results of Christina’s studio work, please check out her work in the City Mouse | Country Mouse show and sale currently up in Found Gallery, as well as on her website.
One fact presents itself to me every day: there is an overwhelming amount of amazing art to be discovered in this world! And sometimes, I get so caught up in finding new artists for you that I neglect to share extraordinary new work by artists who have already been “foraged” by moi. Never fear, because those days are over! This is the first in a new monthly series, Artsy Lately, in which I will bring you new work by an artist previously featured on the blog. But wait, that’s not all! If you’re on Pinterest, you’ll also find a new Artsy Forager board titled Artsy Lately, where yours truly as well as the wonderful artists themselves will be pinning new work! Exciting stuff, ya’ll!
Now let’s get down to the business at hand. I’ve been in love with the work of LA artist Geoff Mitchell since the first time I saw it and immediately featured him on the site. Then I was able to see his work in person during my visit to Florida Mining back in November. So when I saw Geoff post a new crop of work, not only did I respond with an elated gasp, I just knew I just had to share it with you.
Sunspots, mixed media on panel, 20×20
As with all of Mitchell’s work, these are images put together with more thought toward the imagery and compositions themselves rather than the associations we may make– the artist leaves that completely up to us. He hands us the puzzle, yet there is no rightor wrong completion or conclusion. We see what we see.
Magic Lantern, mixed media on panel, 20×20
Music Box, mixed media on panel, 20×20
Thin ice, mixed media on panel, 20×20
Mitchell’s work always has such a wonderful sense of mystery.. like pages torn from a book, we are only given a few chosen details, graphically executed from which to mold our own story.
Rose Cara Cara, mixed media on panel, 20×20
To see more of Geoff Mitchell’s work, please visit his website. I’m hoping before Mr. F & I leave Southern California that I’ll be able to get over to LA and give you a glimpse inside Geoff’s studio. I think there are stories awaiting there.
Be sure to also check out the new Artsy Lately board on Pinterest. We already have 16 artists who’ve joined in and started pinning their latest work! Are you an artist whose work has been featured on Artsy Forager? Send me an email at artsyforager(at)att(dot)com and I’ll send you an invitation to pin!
![This Artsy Life: Weekend 12 [ Artsy & Mr. Forager Escape to the Sea ]](https://artsyforager.com/images/Pier+Regular/This+Artsy+Life%3A+Weekend+12+%5B+Artsy+%26%23038%3B+Mr.+Forager+Escape+to+the+Sea+%5D.png "This Artsy Life: Weekend 12 [ Artsy & Mr. Forager Escape to the Sea ]")
