New Year’s Eve is a time for self-reflection, right? I mean, between the glasses of champagne, that is. Which makes the work of photographer Akihiko Miyoshi perfect for today’s Artist Watch on Escape Into Life. In his work, the photographer seems to be looking into his own lens, distorted by the forms standing between. I find them fascinating and hope you will, too! Check ’em out here!
Mr. Forager and I are forest & woods people, with a bit of the ocean on the side. Which is a big part of why we love the Pacific Northwest so much and can’t wait to get back there ( only 3 1/2 more months! ). The quiet, the depth and darkness of the woods is a salve to our souls. Artists Anke Schofield and Luis Garcia-Nerey aka KOLLABS, are two artists who work collaboratively, exploring the role of humans within the forest and the environment as a whole.
In their work, KOLLABS often shows human and animal interaction, but taken out of the literal context of the woods. As in Conversations ( above ), it may seem that the bear, shrunken in size, perhaps to belie its power, is there to entertain the wealthy woman. Or perhaps she has invited the bear in, to try to get to know him and his ways so that she might better serve him.
As so many of us live far removed from the woods, usually only glimpsing wild animal at the zoo, photographs, or other media, it’s easy to forget that these creatures once ruled. That they, along with their forest homes, were treated with reverence and respect.
After all, they were there first. To see more of KOLLABS’ work, please visit their website. You can see their work in person in several galleries across the US, including Diehl Gallery in Jackson Hole, WY, Gilman Contemporary in Sun Valley, ID and Lanoue Fine Art in Boston, as well as Whistler Village Art in Whistler, British Columbia.
Artist found via Diehl Gallery. Images via Diehl Gallery and Gilman Contemporary websites.
For some people, myself included, there is just nothing like a paper calendar. The joy of crossing off items on a To-Do list or counting down days to a trip or birthday just isn’t the same when you try to keep track digitally. Or sometimes they’re just nice to have close-by for a quick glance.. what day does Valentine’s Day fall on this year??.. along with being lovely to look at. So for my final Artsy Holiday design round-up, here are a few 2013 artsy calendars featuring artists who’ve made an appearance here at Artsy Forager!
Sources and links to purchase are located below each calendar’s image. Which is your fave? Or do you already have another artsy calendar waiting for the New Year? Happy weekend, Artsies!
Not too long ago, Mr. Forager and I had yet another conversation about what makes one piece of artwork successful over another.. Another piece of the puzzle leading to an extraordinary composition, he has concluded, is depth. Whether real or perceived, depth just makes work more interesting, giving our eyes places to go and hollows to explore. Albany artist Deborah Zlotsky’s work involves shapes moving in and out and around each other, giving our eyes plenty of places to get lost.
The artist paints intuitively, shifting shapes and depth with each tweak, a change in color here causing one form to fall back while another comes forward.
With her highly planar compositions, it is almost as if Zlotsky is moulding sculpture in two dimensions. You can almost see her brush as a sculptor’s hand, carving out shapes and forms, delineating her own hollows and bumps.
To see more of Deborah Zlotsky’s work, please visit her website.
All images are via the artist’s website.
If an artist were to translate your life into paint, what would it look like? Would the palette be bright and cheery or grey and solemn? Montreal artist Claire Desjardins’ work has the feeling of a warm and colorful life.
Many of Desjardins’ pieces are abstract impressions of moments or memories, the colors, forms, and textures telling us their visual stories, yet leaving us to form our own conclusions.
In the layers of paint, can feel the scene– the sights, the sounds, the scents. Paintings filled with the fleeting moods of everyday life, when taken altogether, create an extraordinary existence indeed.
To see more of Claire Desjardins’ work, please visit her website and Facebook page.
All images are via the artist’s Facebook page, linked above.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of the Artsies around the world! I’m taking a break from the blog today to enjoy the holiday with Mr. Forager. With so much tragedy going on in our world, the greatest thing we can all wish for this day is peace on earth. May it be so and may it begin with me. Wishing you a most wonderful, peace-filled holiday!
Artwork by this month’s Featured Artist, Marsha Glaziere. See more of Marsha’s work on her website and on the Artsy Forager Facebook page!
Lusciously layered, elegantly styled, richly colored photographs resembling classical floral still lifes? Yes, please! Have a peek at the sensual work of Dutch artist Margriet Smulders, featured today in my Artist Watch on Escape Into Life. Escape the rush of this Christmas Eve by gazing at these lovelies found here!
For eons it seems that with a certain level of success in the art world, comes a level of celebrity most artists will never know. Especially today, artists are selling themselves as a brand almost as much as they are selling their work. Australian artist Emma Gale turns the tables to feature celebrated artists as the subjects of her work.
The artist takes these immediately recognizable artists and reinvents them in her own style, yet each one retains the essence of the personality we’ve come to associate with them and their celebrity.
Yet, we’re left to wonder.. how much of our perception of the celebrated among us is based on spin and branding? If we were to meet the famous in person, would they be just as we imagine them or would we be surprised to find how different they are from their image?
To see more of Emma Gale’s work, please visit her website.
All images are via the artist’s representing gallery, Anthea Polson Art.
Now for an Artsy Holiday gift guide that will probably apply to many of you– gifts for the ultimate Artsy! The UA loves everything art-related, but they don’t take themselves or their artsy stuff too seriously. Just a few things I’ve found that any UA would love!
Seriously, is that not the coolest beach towel you’ve ever seen?! There is also a John Baldessari one that is pretty awesome. Would make me want to hit the sand just to show off my artsy accoutrement! Want to see more For the Ultimate Artsy? Check out my Pinterest board chock full of artsy goodies!
All image sources are linked above.
Do you ever wonder what it might be like to be the subject of a painting? Would you be content to let the artist interpret you as you are or would you try to clothe yourself in your own chosen persona? The subjects in the paintings of UK artist Mary Jane Ansell seem to be playing dress-up, yet we are left to wonder, is this who they are or who they wish to be?
In these quiet paintings, we are offered a glimpse into a moment, a fleeting feeling, a pause in the life of the subject, the life of the artist and one of our own.
They are quiet, contemplative portrayals, yet within each is a sense of anticipation. The stillness and peace that comes just before we discover something amazing. Perhaps it might be within ourselves that we find the revelation.
To see more of Mary Jane Ansell’s work, please visit her website.
All images are via the artist’s representing gallery, Fairfax Contemporary.