After three months in the cultural dead-zone that is Aberdeen, WA, it feels good to be living in a town with an active arts community. Grants Pass, OR isn’t exactly Portland or Seattle, but it is a welcome change. Last weekend, I was delighted to tour the current show at the Grants Pass Museum of Art , Vibrant Earth, featuring the glass sculptures and tapestries of California artist Deanna Marsh.
Gone Rogue, kiln-formed glass and steel, 36×36
It is really no surprise for artists to be inspired by the Western landscape in all it’s dynamic diversity. Deanna Marsh’s fused glass and metal sculptures capture the essence of the rushing rivers and steep mountain slopes. Recalling the wild spirit that still resides throughout so much of this landscape.
Golden Geodesy, brazilian geode, kiln-formed glass, copper and steel, 48x18x3
Deanna’s work is beautifully wrought and large in size, making her ideal for corporate & healthcare placement ( *hint, hint, to all my art consultant & designer readers!! ).
Accommodating Land by Deanna Marsh, kiln-formed glass and steel, 64×30
So if you happen to be anywhere near Grants Pass, Oregon, A) Let’s have coffee! and B) visit the Grants Pass Museum of Art before September 30th to see the work of this talented artist in person. If you can’t see it in person, please make sure you visit the artist’s website to view more of her work.
Featured image is Choose Your Path by Deanna Marsh. All images are courtesy of the artist’s website.
What separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize!
— Clairee Belcher, Steel Magnolias
Just as accessories are the icing on an outfit’s cake, so this round up will be the icing on the cake of artsyF A S H I O NWeek! Some wearable, some not, all fun!
Shell, mosaic shoe by Candace BahouthBroach by Tatiana WarenichovaRaspberry by Ana HagopianMy Laundrette by Sharla Valeski
Many artists see their wardrobe as an extension of their creative personalities. So for artsyF A S H I O NWeek, I thought it would be fun to feature a few of my favorite stylish artists side-by-side with their work. You’ll see that often their style carries over from canvas to clothes.
THE URBAN GENTLEMAN: STEVE WILLIAMS
Passion Of The World ( cropped ) with Pioneer Chaser with artist Steve Williams
THE HIP RUSTIC: DOLAN GEIMAN
Artist Dolan Geiman with Made In The Shade Guitar Collection ( Large )
THE ECLECTIC ECCENTRIC: SHARLA VALESKI
Liberated with artist, Sharla Valeski
There are hints about who we are in what we choose to wear. What are your clothes saying about you?
To see more of these artists’ work, please visit their websites, listed below.
Jacksonville artist Christina Foard has been developing a series of paintings, “Dresses”, which explore the connection between what we wear, our personality, our past, present and future. Here, Christina talks candidly about this series and what she sees as the psychology behind our fashion choices.
AF: Hi Christina! Thank you so much for taking the time for this little interview. You know how much I love your work. I am completely enamored with your dress series and am so excited you have been creating some new pieces! How did this series begin and how has it evolved?
C: I’ve been working on dresses since 2008. It began with self-portraits where I am wearing gowns painted with mapped areas or terrain I’ve covered. Mapped gowns was a personification and extension of aerial landscapes that I had begun a year prior. (Ballerina Dance, The Written Legacy, Fluid Gown ( below ), The Courtesan, A Life-changing Conversation, A Single Mom’s Playground, Picnic of Adulthood are some of these.) Since it was more about the journey, decisions and influences, I eventually removed the figure altogether. I began to place myself in and amongst other women, each of us represented symbolically as a dress. In these, I paint the way someone feels to me. It’s more about vitality and energy than their physical presence…a little like painting a pattern of the music they emanate and comparing those rhythmic differences in a series. ( “Pajama Party” ( below ), “Three Sisters”, “Five Friends” ). For example, a 90 year old woman with a saucy, adventuresome personality might end up with the most flamboyant and lively dress, which looks more suitable for a 20 year old.
Recently, in “Polka Dot Party” ( below ) and a few others, my focus area shifted from observing others to a discussion of how I choose to present myself to the world around me each day. Again, choices, decisions and influences.
Liquid Gown, oil on canvas, 60×48
The Pajama Party, oil on canvas, 36×60
AF: Tell me about what you see as the psychology around fashion and the garments we choose to clothe ourselves in.
C: When we are shopping for clothes, we pass up most items available. We reject all the items which don’t fit our perception of ourselves or our perception of our bodies. These rejections are as telling as what we eventually choose to buy. We essentially have to contend with the roles we play in our relationships as well as physical issues that dictate attire: seasons, terrain and climate. Specifically for women whose options vary greatly, our choices can openly display themes of femininity: sexuality, power, accessibility, creativity, compassion, social status, affluence, self-respect. Because our attire speaks so loudly about who we are and who we aren’t, we also deal with influence and who we hope to engage with on a given day. How accessible do I want to make myself today? How much do I want to reveal? How much do I want to conceal? Do I want to lead or do I want to be one of the masses? Do I want to bring attention to myself? These aren’t conscious questions we ask ourselves necessarily; yet they sit below the surface.
Behavior and language is affected by dress. From my personal experience I’ve noticed that I’m more expressive and creative when I wear a long scarf; more formal, precise, and attentive wearing a suit jacket; more nurturing and tactile in a long flowing dress. I notice my energy, tone, and carriage alters depending on the femininity of my fabrics, the structural formality of a garment, the heel height of my shoes, the accessories I’ve chosen. My language and sentence structures change, my accessibility to others is affected. The emotional, physical, and psychological components are intertwined. This, I find fascinating.
Orange Scarf, oil on canvas, 29×42
AF: I’ve noticed a few of your latest works in this series are named after women. Are these “portraits” of specific women?
C:Yes, they are. It is part of a social “inspiration” project that I began in 2009 and will be complete in the next several months. It is comprised of 6 individual paintings around 40″ and one larger 10′ painting. It is entitled Accidental Mentors Project and I’ll be sure to let you know all about it when fully complete.
Cindy: Structural Integrity
AF: I can’t wait to see the completed series! Do you have a favorite article of clothing? What makes it special and what does it say about you, as a woman, as an artist or as a mother?
C:I found this question challenging, if you can believe it. I decided on one long skirt I’ve had for about 6 years. It has a conservative pattern on a somewhat sheer fabric, yet a Latin-inspired construction. Every time I wear it, it makes me feel like dancing and I couldn’t feel more feminine or more perfectly my age in it. Because of how it makes me feel, I’ve also had some great memories attached to it. That adds a sentimental component.
Decisions, mixed media on canvas, 36×60
AF: Finally, just for fun.. What are you wearing? 😉
C:Pink racer-back NIKE T-shirt, navy blue Adidas cropped workout pants and my favorite socks – my running shoes yet to be put on. Plus, a little locket with my kids’ tiny toddler faces inside. The combination seems perfect at this quiet, early morning moment before the sun has arrived.
A huge thank you to Christina for sharing her work and insights. To see more of this talented artist’s work, please visit her website.
Featured image is Christina in her downtown Jacksonville studio. All images are courtesy of the artist’s website.
What do you get when you take one part line sketch + one part abstract expressionism + a flair for fashion? The stunning work of Denver artist/photographer/designer, Leigh Viner. Leigh elevates what could be a simple fashion sketch to fine art by her extraordinary eye for composition, figurative expression and well-placed explosions of color and texture.
Push
Look closely at the women Leigh is painting. These models aren’t faceless mannequins, each one has a story to tell. Their faces are full of subtle emotion– vulnerability, longing, confidence.
PerceiveGatsby
The strength of her work is in it’s simplicity. She is an artist that understands “less is more”. In her hands, a simple line drawing becomes a striking portrait with just a few limited dashes of color.
Draw The LineAbstractions Aside
To see more of Leigh’s work, visit her website. Her work is available for purchase in her Etsy store, jkldesign, which features original art, as well as prints of her artwork and photography. Leigh also writes a delightful blog, CREATE. You’ll be inspired.
Argie Mitra has such creativity and talent oozing out of her that it seems she has her hands in everything. She’s an artist, a stylist, a jewelry designer, a costume designer, a window-display designer AND an up-and-coming fashion designer with her own independent line, Mitra. If there is a creative project going on, you can bet she will be part of it.
Lacae Trapeze Dress, Mitra, Myco-Reverie Fall 2011
It is this sponge-like absorption of the artistic world around her results in designs that are a fantastic amalgamation of inspirations put together in a uniquely Mitra way.
Mitra, Myco-Reverie Fall 2011
This young designer is just a year out of college and she is well on her way to accomplishing great things. I first got to know Argie when she worked as a gallery assistant while I was working for Fogle Fine Art. It has been such a privilege to watch her blossom and I can’t wait to be able to say I knew her when!
Nidia strapless top, Dusia maxi skirt, Mitra, Myco-Reverie Fall 2011
To see more of Argie Mitra’s fabulous designs, please visit her website and Facebook page.
All images are courtesy of the designer’s website. Photography by Lauren M. Gherardi.
The paintings of Wm. Coleman Mills have an undeniable texture– they make you want to touch them. And they are full of gorgeous, saturated color, which makes you want to wear them. So after hearing the pleas of fans of his artwork, the artist set about the task of recreating his artwork into textile designs, namely scarves.
Sunset At Grand Lagoon scarfSunset At Grand Lagoon by Wm. Coleman Mills, encaustic on canvas, 144×48
Those who know me well know that I have a weakness for scarves. It’s one of the reasons I was excited to move to the Pacific Northwest– scarf weather year-round!! So when I heard that one of my favorite painters was debuting a line of scarves based on details of his work, I got just a little OK, a LOT excited. These lovely textiles beautifully capture the essence of a coastal Southern summer, but are versatile enough to wear any season of the year.
Wind Swirling On Gulf Water scarf from WMCM Studio
The scarves are made by photographing each inspiration painting and converting the photo into a digital CAD file. It is then cropped and digitally screen printed onto a lightweight cotton voile and hand-finished in the artist’s hometown and current residence of Fairhope, Alabama. Each scarf is 24×72 inches and made-to-order. They can be backed with either silk or cotton and are signed and numbered by the artist.
Water's Edge scarf from WMCM Studio
This is your chance to own a beautiful piece of wearable artwork! More info on the scarves is available on the WMCM website and pre-orders are being taken now! I can’t wait to see what other textiles he comes up with next.. I’m thinking throw pillows, bedding, window treatments, etc!
PS– Be sure to take a gander at Coleman’s artwork while you’re on his website.. not to be missed!
Kicking off artsyF A S H I O NWeek here at Artsy Forager! Fashion and art have long been intertwined. For centuries, artists have, perhaps at times unwittingly, been the recorders of the history of fashion and style. It is in thanks to artwork that we can track what was worn by whom hundreds of years ago. Paintings weren’t just art, but were the fashion magazines and blogs of their day. For instance, thanks to Vermeer, we see a glimpse of the difference in the daily costume of the classes in a Mistress and Maid.
Mistress and Maid by Johannes Vermeer, c. 1666-1667
Today’s artists seem to have a bit more freedom to interpret instead of record. Fashion is such an integral part of our modern culture, it is no surprise that it still holds a fascination for contemporary artists. For some artists, the fashions themselves are worthy focal points. Denver artist Roxanne Rossi elevates a simple dress’s silhouette into an artistic statement, a sculptural fashion plate, clean but heavy in texture, it seems like it could come to life at any moment.
Afternoon Delight by Roxanne Rossi, acrylic, 36×60
Sometimes the fashion media becomes a literal component to a piece of fashion-influenced art, such as in the collage work of Melbourne, Florida artist Derek Gores. His imagery has the composition of a Vogue magazine spread and the collaged photos, magazine, labels, etc give each piece a painterly depth.
All Summer Long by Derek Gores, mixed media collage
Painter Kelly Reemtsen uses the constraints of mid-century era mindsets about fashion and juxtaposes them with garden tools and hardware, producing visual statements about the expectations placed on women, by themselves and the world at large.
Throwback by Kelly Reemtsen, oil on panel, 36×36
Celebrating the female form, both physically and spiritually, Leigh Pennebaker’s wire sculptures reveal designs that are sensuous and soft, despite their industrial materials.
Madeline by Leigh Pennebaker, wire sculpture
Like many fashion-forward artists, Megan Cosby began with an interest in fashion design, but decided she was more interested in the people themselves and what their style said about their personality, who they are, where they’ve been and where they are going.
Better by Megan Cosby, mixed media on canvas, 14×12
And then there’s the smart and cheeky work of Sarah Ashley Longshore, at once playing homage and poking fun to our culture’s obsession with fashion. I’ve featured her Audrey Hepburn paintings several times on the blog, but she also has this fabulous series focused on fashion and pop culture.
Trophy Wife Junk Drawer by Sarah Ashley Longshore, acrylic and high gloss reisn on canvas, 48×72
More fashiony-artsy goodness to come this week! Stay tuned.
Featured image is Major Poontang by Sarah Ashley Longshore.
Remember cutting out paper snowflakes in elementary school? These Friday Faves have elevated paper cut-outs to the ultimate artistic level. You know, school supplies are on sale right now.. let these artists inspire you to create your own stationary masterpieces!
Feather Mountain by Lena Wolff and Jaime Knight, paper collage with iridescent oil stick, varnish, mica and hole punchIcosahedron II by Richard Sweeney, paper and adhesiveNight Mare by Annawili Highfield, Ink, archival cotton paper, cotton thread, copper pipe, timber blockDissociations by Karen Margolis, abaca paper
Be sure to check out each artist’s website for more amazing paper creations! Have a great weekend, Artsies!
Sometimes a princess has to do what a princess has to do. Like kiss a frog, get a horrible night’s sleep with a pea stuffed under the mattress or maybe just open her eyes and wake up. Seattle artist Deborah Scott has created an intriguing new series, Waiting For Prince Charming, which explores how traditional fairy tale themes would be translated in our modern world.
Snow White, oil and mixed media on canvas
For instance, how would Snow White’s modis operandi of relying on her beauty and reputation as “the fairest in the land” work to secure her prince in today’s world? Mass media advertising, of course. Scott depicts her, perhaps this most vapid of the fairy tale princesses, as a purely passive participant in her own fairy tale. Her happy ending isn’t a result of anything she does or who she is, but merely because of her famous looks. Sound familiar?
The Girl Would Believe Anything, oil and mixed media on canvas
And then there’s the chick from The Princess & The Frog. How many women have been deceived into thinking that warty, nasty toad would one day magically turn into a prince? He may seem debonair and sophisticated, but he is a frog all the same. And once we realize how duped we were.. we are horrified at our own stupidity.
A Social Climber's Romance, oil and mixed media on canvas
In A Social Climber’s Romance, we see a well rested young woman and a pea peeking out from under the mattresses– she obviously hasn’t passed the real princess test, but is oblivious to the meaning of her sweet slumber. In this series, Deborah continues to hone her classical, figure-focused narrative style, which works tremendously well to carry out the themes in each work.
Waiting For Prince Charming opens at All City Coffee in Seattle September 10th and will be on exhibit there until November 5th. If you’re in the Seattle area, please check it out! Better still, there will be an artist’s reception on October 21st, Deborah is a delight in person and meeting her will give you such deeper appreciation for her work.
In the meantime, stop by Deborah’s website to see more of her work and check out her introduction on Artsy Forager here.
Featured image is Princess And The Pea. All images are courtesy of Deborah Scott.
Special thanks to Deborah for giving me a studio tour and a sneak peek at this new work when George & I were in Seattle last week! Look for features on some of her talented studio mates on the blog soon!
