Living in places with so many wild areas, whenever we go out hiking, we’re still very aware of man’s impact on the landscape. Salt Lake City artist Thomas D. Aaron brings attention to the natural landscape and the effect of man’s hand upon it.
20, mixed media, 48×48Bend, mixed media,66×72
Aaron uses PLSS ( Public Land Survey System ) imagery as the jumping off point of his mixed media works. Focusing on manmade grids imposed upon the landscape and the paradigms they create with the natural order of the terrain.
Two Canyons, mixed media, 24×24 each
The painterly textures mimic the natural terrain and in some, dominating brushwork overpowers the landscape, just our infrastructure has done the same to natural wild spaces.
New Blue New, mixed media, 68×60Like the Sea, mixed media, 68×60
To see more of Thomas D. Aaron’s work, please visit his website. To learn more about the motivation and ideology behind his work, check out his interview with Ellen Caldwell on the New American Paintings blog.
I can’t tell you how much it thrills me to have talented artists contact me to be featured on the blog. I’m planning to feature Barcelona artist Mertxe Alarcon’s work here at Artsy Forager soon, but I just couldn’t wait to share it with you. So head over to Escape Into Life today for a little sneak peek!
As I mentioned before, there were certain shows I knew I wanted to see while we were in Seattle last weekend. I’ve loved the work of Seattle artist Anne Siems since first seeing it online and was excited to get my chance to see her work up close and personal. Her solo show, Guidance is showing at Grover Thurston Gallery, just up ( or down? Still don’t have my Seattle geography down pat ) the street from Foster/White, so away we went.
Wolf Girl, acrylic on panel, 48×48
Siems’ inspiration behind the show was the evolution of her daughter from childhood into adolescence and the idea that wild animal spirits may help children navigate their way through this transition. In each of us there is a wild, animalistic-like spirit that, as we grow up and grow older gets buried under years of suppression and training in proper behavior.
Antler Girl, acrylic on panel, 40×52
In Siems’ work, we see children taking on historically grim expression and formal, constricting garb, reminding us of centuries of children whose innocence is lost all too soon. Children whose natural wild spirits may fight against the constraints of social tradition and custom.
Bison Boy Drawing, mixed media on paper, 38×50
I was particularly drawn to Bison Boy ( above ), perhaps for the way the figure is isolated starkly against the white paper background. He has been taken out of his environment, out of his element. His garments are in the somewhat effeminate style of his era, yet his bison head & skin seem to be reminding us to not forget the wildness within.
George’s favorite work in the show was Lynx Cap ( below ), as this figure retains a sprightly, little girl expression in contrast to the other figures’ more suppressed, even haughty countenances. She is still an innocent.
Lynx Cap, mixed media on paper with embroidery, 22×30Guidance Tree, mixed media on panel, 48×48
I could go on and on about these and talk about every one– they are so interesting, visually and spiritually. If you’d like to see more of Anne Siems’ work, please visit her website. If you’re in Seattle, I highly recommend a visit to Grover Thurston to see these in person, a truly stunning show.
Featured image is Heart Branches, mixed media on panel, 30×30. All images are via the artist’s website.
A huge part of what drew George & I to the Northwest was the mountainous terrain. When the weather is good, every weekend is spent hiking and exploring the mountains around wherever we happen to be. We’re gearing up for the ultimate mountain adventure this June, when we’ll take some time off to camp and explore Glacier National Park, the Tetons and Yellowstone. So it’s only natural that I’ve got mountains on the brain these days. Hope you enjoy these artist’s takes on the peak life!
Kate ShawPeace and Love by Casey Roberts, cyanotype with gouache, 60×69Colorado Electricity by Christina Foard, oil on canvas, 36×36Pile of Nipples by Marian Brunn Smith, oil on canvas, 24×18One After Another, mixed media on panel, 30×24
A gallery that takes advantage of a beautiful space, displays a wide range of interesting work in a well-designed and thoughtful way AND feels comfortable and unpretentious? These kind of galleries are my happy places. Foster/White Gallery in Seattle definitely qualifies for a spot on that list. Thanks to our time in Seattle being super limited and the tiny brain melt in which I somehow forgot that almost all galleries are closed on Monday, our only full day there and the day I’d planned to do lots of gallery hopping, I had to narrow down my galleries to visit to A) shows I really wanted to see and B) galleries that were close together. So we took a few hours before leaving on Tuesday to visit Greg Kucera Gallery, Grover Thurston Gallery ( more on that show next week ) and Foster/White Gallery, which was by far our favorite overall gallery experience.
Casey McGlynn: Manchild and Rachel Denny: Works of Nature at Foster/White
Foster/White has been on my list of galleries to visit for quite a while and when I saw that they were showing Rachel Denny’swork, it quickly went to the top of the list for our time in Seattle. But I’m one of those people that saves the best for last, so while I saw Rachel’s work out of the corner of my eye upon entering the space, there were so many other wonderful works around each corner that I made my way around the whole gallery before I spent some time with Rachel’s amazing sculptures.
Sculptures by Paul Vexler at Foster/White
Speaking of amazing sculptures, these bent wood pieces by Paul Vexler were exquisite. The way the grain of the wood caught the light from the window drew attention to those beautiful curves. As impressive as his work was ( and there is a large hanging piece in the F/W lobby that is to die for ), Cookie the elephant by Shay Church both delighted me and drew me in.
Cookie ( Asian Elephant ) by Shay Church
Cookie is part of Church’s Wet Clay series, site specific installations consisting of a wooden armatur covered with clay and sand. In this series, Church focuses on elephants and whales, gentle yet imposing creatures who must survive long migrations. With each passing year, those migrations grow more and more dangerous and daunting for these animals. Cookie leans into the wall for support, seeming to struggle to stand. As the clay has dried, it has begun to crack and fall, adding to the emotional impact of the piece. We are watching Cookie deteriorate before our eyes.
Bone Yard by Evan Blackwell at Foster/White GalleryBone Yard ( detail ) by Evan Blackwell
Another installation that caught our eye was Bone Yard by Evan Blackwell. The white clay pieces, pinned to the way may appear to be fragments of bone, but upon closer inspection, we see that they are actually broken pieces of model jets. Perhaps a commentary on our military policies? Or our desensitization to such destruction?
Staccato Surface by David Alexander
The abstract, colorful reflection of Staccato Surface by David Alexander had unbelievably lovely gestural movement and a gorgeous palette. Photos do not do it justice! Finally we made our way over to Rachel Denny’s work. I’ve been a huge fan of her work since the very first time I saw one of her Domestic Trophies online and have been looking forward to finally seeing her sculptures in person. I was blown away by just how intricately constructed they are, their palettes & construction perfectly designed to catch and direct the viewer’s eye. I was just as delighted by her work as I’d hoped to be.
Rachel Denny: Works of NatureSweet Tooth ( detail ) by Rachel Denny
To see more of each artist’s work and more of the amazing work on display, please visit the Foster/White Gallery website. If you’re in Seattle, Rachel Denny & Casey McGlynn’s current shows will be up until April 28, 2012. I highly recommend a visit!
Spring is finally here! This season always brings with it such a renewed sense of energy and love of life. While I’m enjoying a day of renewal of my own following our Seattle weekend, I hope you’ll enjoy the work of Anne Ten Donkelaar.
Flower Construction #3, 70x120x6.5cmFlower Construction #3 ( detail )Landkaart, wings are partly made from maps where the butterfly originated, 26x20x5.5cmFlower Construction #8, 70x120x6.5cmFlower Construction #8 ( detail )
Please visit Anne Ten Donkelaar’s website to see more of her beautiful work. Be back in full swing tomorrow!
Featuerd image is Flower Construction #3 ( detail ). All images are via the artist’s website.
I love work that speaks to me on several levels. ( Yes, I can hear the artwork talking to me! ) The work of Philadelphia artist Jackie Tileston seems to communicate to us from several worlds at once.
No Matter Where ( Not Pictured Here ), oil and mixed media on linen, 72×60
Atmospheric foundations hint at other-worldly landscapes filled with mystery, while pops of graphic color and pattern create a layer of modern visual language.
Untitled ( Green ), oil and mixed media on linen, 48×60
Linear color leads the eye to dance across each composition against backgrounds of painterly texture. Tileston’s surfaces fairly crackle with excitement and visual energy.
The Transcendent Who Superintends Reality, oil and mixed media on linen, 60×72Phenomorama, oil and mixed media on linen, 72×60
To see more of Jackie Tileston’s work, please visit her website.
Featured image is Auspicious Circling of Mad Utopias, oil and mixed media on linen, 72×60. All images are via the artist’s website.
