artsy forager

Tag: Artists

  • Come Closer: Jerome Lagarrigue

    Come Closer: Jerome Lagarrigue

    I like to inspect things closely.  And when they aren’t aware of it, I like to examine people closely.  There is so much expression and beauty held within the eyes and the lines of each face.  French born artist Jerome Lagarrigue, in his larger than life portrait studies, focuses his brush on the eyes of his subject, revealing emotion that we might not notice without such targeted attention.

    Eye #6 by Jerome Lagarrigue Jerome Lagarrigue Lagarrigue_Eye #8 Eye #14 by Jerome Lagarrigue Jerome Lagarrigue

    Sometimes, when Mr. F & I are sitting together, reading or watching a movie, I can’t help but gaze at him for a while.  Pretty sure it creeps him out a bit when I do that!  But there is something so lovely about memorizing the face of the one you love, isn’t there?  Not to mention really seeing all the people you interact with every day.  How many of us could describe the faces of friends, family, colleagues well enough to create a true likeness?  If we don’t know a face well, how will we ever be able to read it?  To know what isn’t being said?

    To see more of Jerome Lagarrigue‘s work, please visit his website.  Take some time to sit and stare at someone you love today, Artsies. 😉

    All images via the artist’s website.

  • Great Expectations: Denise Prince

    Great Expectations: Denise Prince

    Yesterday, I shared with you Lucky Jackson‘s work and wrote about the masks we wear.  Well, it seems like I’m on a bit of an identity-crisis train this week, so hop aboard!  I was really struck by this series of photographs by Austin artist Denise Prince, in which we find women dressed in finery, yet seeming very out of place.

    Jesus, Empire Waist by Denise Prince Block Ice by Denise Price Daughters of Industry by Denise Prince Store Bought Lemonade by Denise Prince American Bingo by Denise Prince

    These women, decked out in evening wear, seem frozen in time, not just physically, but perhaps spiritually as well.  They could be the homecoming queens whose lives began with such hopes for greatness, only to find themselves living a much more ordinary, less glamorous life than they ever expected.  Sometimes, we put such expectations on our future, don’t we?  Of course it’s perfectly normal to have dreams.  Haven’t we all, especially when we were young, dreamt of accepting an Oscar or Grammy in our evening gown or tux?  Maybe we expected our lives to turn out differently.  But no matter what turns life has taken, we can always still be the star of our own story, just perhaps less formally attired.

    Want to see more of Denise Prince‘s work?  Please visit her website.

    All images via the artist’s profile at Saatchi Online.

  • Artsy Lately: Rachel Denny

    Artsy Lately: Rachel Denny

    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.

    Cold Comfort by Rachel Denny Tangled by Rachel Denny Soft Heart by Rachel Denny Lemon Thief by Rachel Denny Rumor of Spring by 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.

    All images are via the artist’s website.

  • The Masks We Wear: Lucky Jackson

    The Masks We Wear: Lucky Jackson

    It’s that time of year.  Kids are planning who they’ll “be” for Halloween, adults are racking their brains to come up with costumes for themselves that are funny, clever, sexy, whatever the think they are or wish that they could be.  But the latest series by Canadian artist Lucky Jackson, I am the Hero of This Story, has got me thinking about the masks we all put on every day.

    Lucky Jackson Lucky Jackson

    It’s funny how we all grow up thinking we can do anything, be anything, but slowly over time as we age and life beats us down, doubt creeps in.  Maybe I’m not smart enough, or pretty enough, or cool enough, or brave enough.  So instead of believing that we can be the hero of our story, we play dress-up each day, pretending to be who we are not, faking it, hoping to make it through.

    Lucky Jackson Lucky Jackson

    Eventually though, either publicly or privately, whether when we’re young or at the end of our days, the facade will begin to crack.  We’ll come to realize that face we’ve been putting on all these years isn’t really who we are.  And hopefully, if we’re lucky, we’ll figure out who is truly hiding behind the mask.

    Lucky Jackson

    These painted woodcut pieces by Lucky Jackson harken back to those days of dreaming of who we would become, but also look to what happens to who we become as we listen to the voices around us.  Want to see more of Lucky Jackson‘s work?  Please visit her website.

    All images via the artist’s website.

  • Wear the Artsy: Jennifer JL Jones

    Wear the Artsy: Jennifer JL Jones

    I don’t know what it is about the work of this month’s Featured Artist, Jennifer JL Jones that reminds me so much of the Pacific Northwest.  Maybe it’s the watery, downward strokes that make me think of the softly falling rain or perhaps it’s the subtle glowing light, so different from the blaring bright this Florida girl had been used to!

    This piece in particular, Sukha [Totems], is just the perfect representation of a Pacific Northwest Fall and I’m pretty sure that wasn’t anywhere near her mind when she painted it!  Autumn here in the NW is such an interesting mix of brilliantly changing leaves, grey skies and rain soaked earth.  Days that are made for cozy sweaters, boots and definitely don’t forget your raincoat!

    Wear the Artsy collage

    art | Sukha [Totems] by Jennifer JL Jones

    ring | Patina Pleat Ring

    sweater | Boucle Cowlneck

    bag | Dylan Tote

    jeans | AG Stevie Ankle Cords

    boots | Dahlia Punched Boots

    coat | Classic Snap Up Trench

    My perfect Northwest Autumn day would be spent wrapped up in these cozies, grabbing coffee and heading to the art museum, followed by an evening at home by the fire gazing up at Jennifer Jones’ painting. 😉  One day, I will have one!  One day.

    Image sources linked above.

     

  • The Calm and The Frenzy: Krista Harris

    The Calm and The Frenzy: Krista Harris

    Our life seems, as I’m sure many of yours do, like a stream of times of hurry and peace.  When we’re looking for our next spot– hurry.  Once we get there and settle in– peace.  Autumn and spring– hurry.  Winter and summer– peace.  In her abstract paintings, Colorado artist Krista Harris finds inspiration in that natural push and pull that the journey of life brings.

    Blushing by Krista Harris Keeping Bees by Krista Harris Sunflowers by Krista Harris

    East of Here by Krista Harris

    Holding Hands by Krista Harris

    Through her process of building up and tearing down, adding and subtracting paint intuitively, Harris ends up with compositions that are flooded with movement, yet we find moments of respite among the fury.  Warm colors are tempered with contrasting cool hues, a perfect parallel of our own seasons of peace among life’s fray.

    If you’d like to see more of the work of Krista Harris, please visit her website.

    All images via the artist’s website.

  • Delicate Grace: Gosia

    Delicate Grace: Gosia

    Once in a while, I come across an artist whose work really captures me and I want to drink in each detail.  While perusing the work of another artist, I came across the website of his studio mate and immediately fell in love with what I saw.  The sculptures of Toronto artist Gosia haunted me with their delicate grace.

    Eva by Gosia Pearl by Gosia The Feeling Washes Over Me by Gosia Luna by Gosia The Penny Bust by Gosia

    The shrouded faces, the graceful features and gentle expressions, all rendered in snowy white.  They remind me of a quieter place, perhaps a place that doesn’t even exist, where time moves slowly and people are unfailingly tender and kind.

    If you’d like to see more of Gosia‘s work, please visit her website.  If you’re in Toronto, she has a show currently up at Latitude 44 Gallery until October 12th and will open a new show at Wall Space Gallery on October 10th!

    All images are via the artist’s website and Facebook page.

  • In Context: Rudolf Stingel at Palazzo Grassi

    In Context: Rudolf Stingel at Palazzo Grassi

    I’ve found that occasionally, where and how I see an artist’s work will influence how I feel about it.  If I see something while relaxing on vacation, I might think more highly of it than I would have if it had just been hanging in my local coffee shop.  A beautifully designed gallery or thoughtfully hung gallery can positively influence the way work is viewed.  Context is everything!  New York based artist Rudolf Stingel‘s installation of work at Palazzo Grassi in Venice turns the context of the gallery on end by blanketing expansive surfaces in an Ottoman-style carpet.

    Rudolf Stingel Rudolf Stingel Rudolf Stingel Stingel5 Rudolf Stingel

    The carpet, a nod to the palazzo’s history ( it used to be a trading spot for rugs from the Middle East ), creates a dramatic backdrop for Stingel’s monochromatic paintings.  The work ranges from small scale portraits of classical sculpture to large minimalist abstracts.  In a white wall gallery, they would still grab attention, but somehow the carpeted space seems to create a more intimate experience with the artwork.  And set against all that pattern– the work still calls out, perhaps the pattern serves to even enhance the work, drawing the viewer in and intensifying details that may have been overlooked.

    It’s an interesting thought, isn’t it?  The way in which the context of work might influence our opinions and feelings toward it.  Have you ever experienced something similar?  Seeing work in one context and feeling a certain way, then completely changing your mind when you see it differently?

    If you’d like to see more of Rudolf Stingel‘s work, please visit his representing gallery, Gagosian.

    All images are via Design Boom.

  • Transitory Nature: Kyle Stewart

    Transitory Nature: Kyle Stewart

    Transitions are always inspiring to me– the changing of seasons, the shift into a new life, the evolution and transformation.  The transitional seasons of our lives always seem to bring about a renewed energy and purpose.  In perusing the work of Toronto artist Kyle Stewart this morning, got me to thinking about how each experience builds upon the next as we move through this life.

    Hooded Girl #2 by Kyle Stewart Form #1 by Kyle Stewart Autumn's Return by Kyle Stewart Form #2 by Kyle Stewart The Conversation #2 by Kyle Stewart

    In Stewart’s work, you see him working out, playing and stretching through each canvas.  Scrolling through his paintings, you get a visual sense of each transition as he moves from tighter, more constrained abstracts into looser, quieter work, trying out narrative details along the way.  How amazingly does the life cycle of art mimic our own?  We too, move in and out of seasons, changing and transitioning, sometimes ever so slightly, sometimes in big, big ways.

    If you’d like to see more of Kyle Stewart‘s work ( and I highly recommend you do!  Every piece is stunning! ), please visit his website and follow along on his artistic journey through his Tumblr, Facebook & Instagram feeds.

    Images via the artist’s website.

  • Finding Home: Amy Wilson Flaville

    Finding Home: Amy Wilson Flaville

    I feel like I’ve been writing a lot this week about our traveling lifestyle.  Maybe it’s been on my subconscious lately.  We’ve been talking about our future home a lot recently, what that might look like, where it might be.  These collages by San Francisco artist Amy Wilson Flaville    reminded me that none of us are guaranteed a dry and comfy bed each night.

    Fixie by Amy Wilson Flaville

    Upon first glance, I fell for Flaville’s use of color and pattern in these shopping cart collages.  As I looked a little more at her work this morning, I saw more.  I saw those colorful patterns as happy memories, the kind we store up in our hearts and carry with us everywhere we go.

    Wagon Train by Amy Wilson Flaville

    We carry our homes within us, which enables us to fly. — John Cage

    Cabana by Amy Wilson Flaville Pasture by Amy Wilson Flaville

    Whatever our situation, whether we find ourselves living in the lap of luxury or pushing all our earthly belongings in a shopping cart, it is what is inside that sustains us.  The people who love us, who we have loved, we carry that with us and no four walls can contain it.

    Caravan by Amy Wilson Flaville

    If you’d like to see more of Amy Wilson Flaville‘s work, please visit her website.

    All images via the artist’s website.  Artist found via The Jealous Curator for Emily Henderson.