I used to deliberately fight against liking the work of Frida Kahlo. You see, in my college painting studio there was an older Bolivian woman who was auditing the course and she LOVED Kahlo and seemed to fancy herself as the next Frida. Which wouldn’t have been a big deal except that she was mega annoying about it. She bugged the bejeezus out of everyone in the studio. So she tainted Frida for me. It wasn’t until years later that I rediscovered her work and came to develop my own artist crush on Frida. Today would have been her 105th birthday. So in honor of Frida Kahlo de Rivera, here are a few artists who also found her inspirational!
Viva La Vida by Emma GaleFrida Kahlo by Judy KaufmannFrida by Tara JacobyDaft Punk Frida by Fabian CiraoloFrida Dog by Clair Hartmann
I’ve always heard that it isn’t until we hit our 40s that we really come to know and understand ourselves fully. While I’ve just entered my fourth decade, I can say, I wholeheartedly believe this is true. The work of Colombian artist Anibal Vallejo reminds me of the searching for self that we do in our younger years.
Untitled, acrylic, graphite and hand embroidery on canvas, 150×120 cm
We might try on different styles of self– whether that be in trying out varied careers, trying on different types of relationships or merely figuring out just who we are and where we fit.
Untitled, acrylic, graphite and hand embroidery on canvas, 120×150 cm
Often we may feel like we’ve found the right fit at the time, but eventually, the “suit” loses its novelty and we look back, seeing how very far we were from who we really are. We may look on that younger self as putting on the most ridiculous of costumes on our road to discovering ourselves.
Untitled, graphite, acrylic and hand embroidery on MDF, 60cm
In some cases ( but by no means all! ), with age and maturity comes a better understanding of who we are and a confidence in being exactly the person we were meant to be.
Untitled, acrylic, graphite and hand embroidery on canvas, 120×150 cmUntitled, graphite, acrylic and hand embroidery on canvas, 120x150cm
Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones. You were born knowing exactly who you are and what you were meant to be. But most of us spend our lifetimes figuring it out. I feel like I’m getting closer each day. How about you?
To see more of Anibal Vallejo’s work, please visit his website.
Happy Independence Day to all my US Artsies! Hope you are enjoying the holiday in the company of friends and family. Hubby and I are enjoying purple mountain’s majesty at Glacier National Park! This month’s Art to Inspiration artwork is a photograph by the fabulous Smita Jacob, photographer and blogger extraordinaire over at Hogger & Co. I was excited to see the selection of a photograph for this month’s inspiration, as my resulting inspired gallery will give you a little sneak peek at next week’s photography event, F/Stop Artsy!
The inspiration–
Healing Yoga With Aarti by Smita Jacob
The gallery–
My Potholes project by Claudia Ficca and Davide LucianoFrozen Series by Zena HollowayTied Together by Martin StrankaThe Brave by Sarah Ann LorethSolo Man by Scott Newett
Enjoy your holiday, Artsies! Be sure to click on each photo to see more work from these talented photogs!
You can find more information on Art to Inspiration here and if you would like to participate in the next Art to Inspiration, just fill out this form! Follow me and all the other Art to Inspiration bloggers on Twitter by subscribing here. Let the inspiring begin!
Tracy Geilbert at Gallery Orange in New Orleans has a fantastic eye for art. It isn’t any wonder that many of my faves have come from her gallery or made their way into it! Today on Escape Into Life, I’m featuring an incredible young figurative artist, Aaron Reichert, whose work can be seen in person at Gallery Orange. I think you’ll love his graphic portraits!
Wasted and Wounded, Portrait of Tom Waits, acrylic on canvas, 60×48
I have an inherent weakness for artwork that combines nature inspired imagery in a completely abstracted way. ( See the work of Susan Morosky, Deb Haugen, Brenda Hope Zappitell and countless others! ) The work of Austin artist Meredith Pardue captured me with saturated color and expressive yet achingly familiar shapes.
Bloom, ink, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 48×48
In the same way that nature lovers commune with the outdoors, Pardue converses with her canvases. Her paintings are intuitively expressive, filled with bright color dotting expanses of negative space not unlike the way rocks are scattered in lakes and rivers.
Bloom X, ink, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 36×72Bloom XI, ink, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 36×72
Her Bloom series reminds me so much of the peppering of wildflowers all over the mountainsides during our Northwest summers.
Bloom II, ink, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 50×60
To see more of Meredith Pardue’s work, please visit her website. Be sure to check out some of her other series of work– amazing stuff!
Featured image is Bloom XXV, ink, oil and oil crayon on canvas, 88×60. All images are via the artist’s website.
I am a firm believer is finding the beauty in life’s simple pleasures. And don’t you find life more inspiring when you are able to delight in the things around you? I love the way Boston artist Marian Dioguardi‘s paintings celebrate ordinary treasures.
Sitting Pretty in Turquoise, oil on cradled panel, 36×24
I am a nester. I like to be surrounded by lovely things, things that carry meaning for me, objects that are not only functional but inspire me– whether through their color, design or the memories they hold. Our current lifestyle means that we travel relatively light. Most of my favorite things are in storage in Florida. But there are pieces we travel with that make each place feel like home– my turquoise tea kettle, used every day to boil water for coffee, a framed photo from our wedding day, a small painting I did for George of Mt. Rainier.
My Little Cupcake, oil on cradled panel, 24×36
Whenever we reach a new place, it begins to feel like home once I hang the pictures, place the tea kettle on the stove. Their presence is comforting, reassuring.. they are constants in a life that is ever changing.
Inner Glow- Citrine, oil on cradled panel, 30×30
One day, we’ll dig our feet in and put down roots. And all my every day treasures will come home with me, filling a new home with the love and beauty and memories they carry. There will also be new treasures, ones that George & I will find together through our travels and one day, they’ll remind us of what an amazing life it has been.
Simplicity Itself, oil on cradled panel, 4 panels at 5×5 each
To see more of Marian Dioguardi’s work, please visit her website. What about you? Do you have any cherished every day treasures?
Featured image is Sitting Pretty in Turquoise, oil on cradled panel, 36×24. All images are via the artist’s website.
Where did the month of June go?! Here it is, July 1st already! A new month equals a new Featured Artist over on the Artsy Forager Facebook page. The featured artist for July is Thomas Hager, an incredibly talented fine art photographer ( and painter! ) who uses historic photographic processes to create incredibly gorgeous imagery. Head over the Artsy Forager Facebook page for a peek at Tom’s work! More features on Tom to come all throughout the month of July!
I realize that Artsy Forager can be a little painting heavy and fine art photography is an oft-under appreciated medium so next week, we’ll be celebrating the work of some fantabulous photogs! Each day, we’ll feature a different art photographer, showcasing a range of styles. Maybe you’ll be inspired to get a little artsy with your own camera!
As with many right-brained folks, math is not my strong suit. But one thing I loved about taking geometry was the analysis of shape and how each is formed using different angles. It seems that many creatives are finding geometrics inspiring these days. Check out my artsy geometric finds for this week!
Filzfelt Stools via Apartment TherapyHare by Marco CibolaBrooch by No Milk TodayWelsummer Oblong Cushion by Lindsey LangQuilt by Lisa Call
Happy weekend, Artsies! Will you be doing some artsy geometric foraging of your own this weekend? 😉
PS– You may have noticed that I’ve switched up the Friday’s title from Friday Faves to Friday Finds. I’ll be using the Friday round-up to not only explore what’s trending in the art world, but to also share my inspiring finds throughout the world of design!
Featured image is Hare by Marco Cibola ( detail ). All images are via the artists’/designers’ websites, linked above.
There have been many times in the past year in which my hubby and I have had to pinch ourselves at the wonder of the moments we’ve experienced. Living a life of travel has its downsides but we recognize how incredibly fortunate we are. Each memory is one we may not have otherwise enjoyed had we chosen to stay put. In her series Technicolor Summer, Los Angeles artist Kimberly Brooks captures such quiet moments in which life and all that surrounds us is being soaked up to the fullest.
Technicolor Summer, oil on linen, 36×44Canon Drive, oil on linen
Her paintings are tinged with a hint of melancholy, as the scenes follow her family through summer vacations all the while bracing for the death of the artist’s father. We too, find ourselves in the midst of amazing beauty, yet still wishing for something more.. thinking about how much a close friend or family member would enjoy the moment, how much we wish they were there with us.
Mulholland Drive, oil on linen
So we take lots of photographs to share, hoping that our loved ones can live these moments with us across the miles. But we often wonder, if given the chance, would they have made the same choice? We’ve met people who live within a few hours drive of incredible places yet they have never ventured out to experience them.
Yosemite River, oil on linen, 30×30
Are you living life to the fullest? What moments are you truly enjoying and experiencing these days? It’s so easy to get stuck in the drudgery of our day to day. Get out and live in full color, enjoy every minute as if it were your last.
