There is nothing quite like a quiet day surrounded by wilderness to get us in touch with the wildness inside. Even more thrilling is to spot an elusive animal on its own turf. California artist Jane Rosen sculpts wild creatures in all their quiet, untamed beauty.
Rosen’s sculptures have a caged serenity about them, as if reigning in their innate wildness for the spectator. I bet they come to life the minute your back is turned! The artist’s choice of materials bring a purity and etherealness to each piece. They almost seem to be representations not of the animal itself, but of its spirit.
Mr. F and I often talk about what has drawn us to the Northwest. The mild summers have a lot to do with it, but even more, is the feeling that, in comparison to so much of the US, there is a wildness here. Big cities are few and far between, the landscape filled more with small towns, rural communities and much still wild and untamed wilderness. The thought that we can go out on a hike and see deer, elk, bears, and even moose in some areas, is thrilling. We are living on the edge, ya’ll. But that also means that we, as humans and society are ever encroaching on the wilderness and the animals found therein are paying the price. These themes of nature and our relationship with it and effects upon it are the catalyst for the work of Portland sculptor, Rachel Denny.
In her work, Denny has created a visual language for exploring the charm and delicacy to be found in the natural world. Whimsy belies a deeper meaning, if we take the time to look beyond what we see.
Rachel Denny’s latest work can currently be seen in her solo exhibition, Outside In at Foster/White Gallery in Seattle through October 26th. You can also see more of Denny’s work on her website.
I used to have two cats ( who now live with Mr. Forager’s mom ). One of said cats, Simon, used to occasionally turn his back on me and just sit very still, and at those times, there was a sense of sadness that always seemed permeate the scene. But then he would suddenly start chasing the sunlight or stretch out for a long nap. London photographer Elisa Noguera Lopez creates a similar sense of isolated moments in her series, Perhaps Finally Alone.
In this series, the artist places domesticated animals against a simple decorative background atop a plinth-like stool. Capturing her subjects in ambiguous, seemingly-headless poses creates a sense of lonely disquiet to each scene. Their backs to us, the subjects are disengaged, leaving us longing for acknowledgement.
While the scenes may feel lonely at first, the longer I study them, the more of an anticipatory feeling I get.. the cat is watching a lizard on the floor below, ready to pounce at any second.. the woman has just flipped her head upside down and will whip it back up Rita Hayworth-style.
What do you think, Artsies? Do you find these headless bodies charming or disturbing? Let me know in the comments! To see more of Elisa Noguera Lopez’s work, please visit her website.
Did you have a favorite animal growing up? One that you loved, identified with, family members bought you t-shirts & stuffed animals in their likeness? Isn’t it interesting how we, as young children, identify with our fellow members of the animal kingdom, then as with most of the magic of childhood, we outgrow our connection to our spirit creatures. The work of Tuscon artist Katja Fritzsche reminds us that those connections we once felt are not gone forever, only buried for a time.
Blue Sky Ram, reverse painted mosaic and hand cast glass, 30x20x22
By casting her creatures in the glass with perceived rigidity and coldness, Fritzsche’s work serves to recall to us that though we overlook our fellow animals, destroying their habitats as we build our own glass and steel monuments, they are still among us. We catch glimpses of them in unexpected places, a lost deer wandering a suburban neighborhood, a hawk perched high atop a skyscraper.
Edge, blown glass and hand worked bronzeMigration, cast glass and hand forged bronze, 18x10x10Mapplethorpe, mosaic glass and hand worked glass, 30x21x10
As we amble clumsily through life, the animals live each day with instinct, grace, and purpose. Each born to his own calling and knowing it from birth. How have we strayed so far from our own guiding spirits?
Violet, blown glass, mosaic glass and pressed flowers, 24x15x22
To see more of Katja Fritzsche’s work, please visit her website. I went through a pretty serious manatee phase when I was young– such gentle, unassuming animals, while Mr. Forager has always had a fascination with wolves. What creature did/do you identify with? Has it changed over the years?
I’ve never been one of those horse-crazy girls. You know the ones. Oh, I read my share of Black Beauty and The Black Stallion when I was young, but I just never caught the equestrian obsession. But we have been knee-deep in horse country here in Idaho and after seeing these creatures everyday, I can now understand the fascination. In her paintings, artist Karen Keene Day perfectly captures the untamed beauty and spirit of American wild horses.
Moments with Wild Horses 79, 24×24
Powerful yet gentle and graceful, the horse often serves dutifully yet you can see in their eyes the longing to run free.
Moments with Wild Horses 81, 12×12Moments with Wild Horses 116, 48×60
Through her use of simple painted line drawing juxtaposed with slashes of vibrant color, Day translates into her work the innate wildness of the animals and unique personality each one displays.
Moments with Wild Horses 84, 8×8
To see more of Karen Keene Day’s work, please visit her website. The artist supports the work being done to keep wild horses safe by donating 3% of her commission on each sale to the National Mustang Association branch in Cortez, CO.
These last four months of living on a lake in Northern Idaho has had its advantages, wildlife spotting being chief among them. A favorite post-dinner activity of Mr. Forager & I is to take a long walk in the hopes of spotting a few deer, osprey, rabbits and lately, turkeys(!). While Mr. F loves to fantasize about how awesome it would be to be a bird of prey, I tend to humanize the animals we see. I like to think they are more like us than we realize. Today, I’m featuring a few artists who seem to also love blending the line between humanity and the animal.
To Fall for Flattery by Nate FrizellBeyond the Menagerie by Kareena ZerefosRenard by Charlotte CaronSabrina Hornung
I would love to commission Charlotte Caron to create a portrait of Mr. Forager as a grizzly bear– it would be his ultimate dream come true! What animal do you see yourself as?
Charlotte Caron found via The Jealous Curator, Sabrina Hornung found via Lost at E Minor. All images are from the artist’s websites, linked above.
Some days my happy mood gets kicked in the gut first thing in the morning. This usually results from something I’ve read online that a) infuriates me, b) disgusts me, c) leaves me sick to my stomach and shaking my head in dismay, or d) all of the above, as was the case this morning. So it is only fitting that the work of today’s artist, Portland’s Trish Grantham, is the perfect antidote for what ails me!
The Creators, mixed media, 54×24
Unapologetically sweet, Trish’s work is filled with joy-inducing imagery. Masked-bandit-like birds, happily wise woodland creatures, smiling toast (!).. they all speak to me, saying “Hello! We’re here to remind you that the world is really a happy place filled with kind beings!” Many of the world’s inhabitants have simply forgotten how to be truly grateful, gracious and happy.
The Creators Gather, mixed media, 24×12
Just as it is impossible to look into the face of a smiling child and not smile back, as I was looking through Trish’s portfolio, my pursed mouth and heavy heart where replaced by a light-hearted grin.
The Flight Instructor, mixed media, 30×36
This world can be an ugly place and for some reason, it seems, many of the people in it are striving to make it even more hostile, all for the sake of their fear of someone taking away something that never truly belonged to them. We don’t own this world. It owes us nothing. Oh what a happier place it would be if the world were ruled by the creatures in Grantham’s work! Instead of devouring the innocent, the wolf instead sets the baby birds free to live as they please. Sure his belly may not be as full, but his heart will be bursting.
Free to Fly, mixed mediaSympathetic Sea, mixed media, 72×60
Trish’s work spoke to my weary heart this morning. I hope it speaks to yours and perhaps, instead of choosing bitterness and hate, you will instead choose joy. I have.
To see more of Trish Grantham’s work, please check out her website. If you happen to be in Portland, OR ( And if you are, how about sharing a little housing advice? What areas are affordable but still nice & safe? Hubby and I are looking to the future.. ), sorry for the sidetrack– you can see Trish’s work in Portland at Augen Gallery, a delightful contemporary gallery downtown.
Featured image is The Futurist, mixed media, 24×12. All images are via the artist’s website.
‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a bird-mouse..? The work of today’s artist captures the whimsy and fantasy that defines this time of year. French artist Corine Perier creates hybrid creatures that, despite the works’ surrealist quality seem completely real, not to mention irresistibly charming.
Le Trophee de la Chance, oil on wood panel, 46x38cm
Though whimsical in feel, these contemporary portraits remind us of the very real problem of species extinction on our ever changing planet.
Le Petit Prince, oil on wood panel, 27x22cm
Her amalgamated creatures stare out at us with wide, vulnerable eyes. They appear kind and wise, resembling characters from fantastical lands like Narnia and Middle Earth, here to guide witless humans on their journey.
Renaissance, oil on wood panel
But in the eyes of some, there is an additional element.. perhaps fear, perhaps resignation to their fate at the hands of the very humans they wish to help?
Boule de Neige, oil on wood panel, 65x54cmCamouflage, oil on wood panel, 27x22cm
To see more of Corine Perier’s gentle enchanters, please visit her website. A big thank you to Myra Wexler aka YO MOMMA for introducing me to Corine’s work. Be sure to check out Myra’s blog, too. It’s full of awesome sauce.
Camisoles and combat boots.. cayenne and chocolate.. some things just don’t seem like they would go together. Take, for example, the work of Mary Chomenko Hinckley. This is an artist who enjoys finding the harmony in the disparate.
Golden Winged Warbler in Ellipse Field, digital pigment print on silver rag, 28×21, 40×30 or 52×40
Like pairing the detailed natural images of ordinary birds against mod-style backgrounds whose colors may echo or complement those of the bird, but the contemporary patterns give these ol’ birds a new spin.
Belted Kingfisher, Unique Variant 3/5 Digital Pigment Print and Colored Pencil on German Paper, 28×21
In her work, the artist is exposing the relationship between objects that seem completely unrelated. By juxtaposing these seemingly incongruent objects, she finds harmony in the new relationship. Plus, I think they give these guys the cheeky little personalities they deserve. Birds are fun, what can I say?
Red Bellied Woodpecker in Ellipse Field, digital pigment print on silver rag, 28×21, 40×30 or 52×40Gannet in Ellipse Field, digital pigment print on silver rag, 28×21, 40×30 or 52×40
To see more of Mary Chomenko Hinckley’s fine feathered friends and her other work, please visit her website.
Featured image is Pileated Woodpecker in Ellipse Field, digital pigment print on silver rag, 28×21, 40×30 or 52×40. All images are via the artist’s website.
Madeleine Peck-Wagner has a way of taking subjects that could be trite and making them extraordinary. Her latest series features mythical wolves and horses, but in Madeline’s hands, they are treated in a way that is contemporary and elegant. The cross-hatching & precision of the lines are reminiscent of architectural drafting, giving the figures depicted a strutctural, landscaped quality. Conversely, blots and washes of brightly colored paints call to the spiritual significance such animals, both living and decayed possess.
Fighting HessiansRussian Winter IIWolves At The DoorWe Are All Tragedies
