This past Sunday, following more weekend festivities than is normal for us, Mr. F and I took to the beach for the afternoon. There is always something about the salt air, the crash of the waves, and the sand between your toes that is healing for the psyche! Doesn’t the ocean have its own special, briny scent? And it always seems to give sparkle to everything it produces. The paintings of this month’s Featured Artist Carlos Lopez gives expression to the nourishing power of the sea and jewelry artist Emily Miranda‘s Oyster Cuff is the perfect sparkly companion!
Carlos is masterful at expressing the oyster’s gentle, undulating curves in paint, mimicking the rollicking waves, just as Emily Miranda sculpts those same contours from in her cuff bracelet. One work of art to see, one to wear.
To see more of Carlos Lopez‘s work, please visit his website. You can see more gorgeous jewelry by Emily Miranda on her website. Both a feast for the eyes!
Humboldt County, our temporary home of the moment, is apparently known for its oysters ( among other things, ahem.. ). Their fame and abundance is pretty much completely lost on me. I’ve just never been much of a fan, will only eat them fried ( hello, southern girl ) or baked with champagne and brie ‘cuz I’m fancy like that and Mr. F makes them this way and they are not only palatable but to die for delicious! If there were any other way to make me love them, it would be through the work of this month’s Featured Artist Carlos Lopez, who finds amazing beauty in their jagged shells.
I’ve featured the work of this young New Orleans painter before and he is constantly “painting, painting” as his daily Facebook status attests, cranking out new, inventive ways of seeing his signature subject. Most recently, he’s taken to isolating his oyster shells on bright, bold backgrounds, giving them a contemporary pop quality that is especially striking. You’ll be seeing more from Carlos all through this month, so stay tuned!
To see more work from Carlos Lopez, please visit his website and the website of his representing gallery, Gallery Orange in New Orleans. Be sure to head over to the Artsy Forager Facebook page where Carlos is our cover artist and I’ve put together an album of my Lopez faves!
You know the old wives’ tale: oysters are an aphrodisiac. How many single guys have taken a gal out for beer & oysters hoping to make a lil magic happen? If it’s sensual magic you’re hunting, look no further than the work of New Orleans artist Carlos Lopez. His elegant, nearly surreal still lifes of oysters will make your mouth water and pulse quicken before you ever bite into the real thing.
Gluttony, oil on canvas, 10×10Champagne with Gigi, oil on canvas, 20×20
For a New Orleans native, oysters, so abundant in the area seem a natural still life subject, yet there is nothing prosaic about Lopez’s treatment of the common bivalve. These works carry the sensuality of Georgia O’Keeffe, the smooth surrealism of Dali, yet glow with the light and crispness of classical still lifes.
Passionate Affair, oil on canvas, 50×40
These mollusks seem to take on a life of their own, the work is so full of emotional charge, we can feel the sadness, the joy, the hope or shame the oyster seems to be feeling. Or perhaps we are seeing our own reflection in the pearly surface of its shell.
Make a Wish, oil on canvas, 16×16Heavenly, oil on canvas, 20×20
To see more of Carlos Lopez’s work, please visit the website of his representing gallery, Gallery Orange in New Orleans.
In the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter, housed in a 200+ year old classic Creole building lives Gallery Orange, a contemporary fine art gallery whose vibe and vision match the freshness of its signature color.
Gallery Orange, New Orleans, exterior
If you’re a regular Artsy Forager reader, you’ve heard of Gallery Orange before. I first found GO when I discovered the work of Sarah Ashley Longshore, which then led me to Gallery Orange, her exclusive representation in New Orleans. I found gallery owner Tracy Geilbert’s aesthetic and taste to be quite similar to my own and have been happily watching her list of artists grow and work by those artists flying off the walls! Tracy’s love of art and enthusiasm for original work is infectious, I’ve never seen a gallery promote their artists harder than she does!
Gallery Orange, New Orleans, interior with works by Sarah Ashley Longshore
Owner Tracy Geilbert was already selling art at a young age, making sketches of Duran Duran, photocopying them and selling the “prints” to her classmates. ( Ah, a fellow 80’s girl! ) Part Dutch and part British, Geilbert studied art and eventually graduated from the Royal Academy of the Arts at The Hague. Life would eventually take her to post-Katrina New Orleans and, after working for another high-end New Orleans gallery, heeded the call of her heart to open a space of her own.
Gallery Orange, interior, works by Guus KempGallery Orange, New Orleans, interior, works by Gigi Mills, Carlos Lopez and Jill Ricci
Starting in a tiny 600 square foot space, with only two artists on her roster, Tracy’s hard work and eye for unique talent led to the gallery’s current space on Royal Street where boutique galleries are springing up and blazing new trails on the New Orleans art scene. Tracy brings her Dutch artistic sensibilities to the gallery, offering only exceptional original work ( no giclees here! ), creative energy galore and a bit of good humor thrown in. Gallery Orange is all about serious art that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Gallery Orange, New Orleans, exterior
If you are in New Orleans or planning a visit, do not miss a trip to Gallery Orange! Delightful, deliciousness awaits you! You can see a list of upcoming shows at GO on their website— which is newly redesigned, make sure you check it out!
New Orleans is one of those places that is unlike any other. It is unique in it’s history, traditions and way of life. Artists of all kinds, writers, musicians, painters, are attracted to its vibrancy and joie de vivre. In this most European of American cities, the arts are not just a weekend hobby of the 1%. Creativity is an ingrained part of daily life. Each day is touched by artists in some way. And today, as the town celebrates the most New Orleansish day of Mardi Gras, I thought we’d explore NOLA through the eyes of its artists.
As I was thinking about what makes New Orleans such an extraordinary place, six characteristics kept coming to mind..
SUSTENANCE
No doubt New Orleans is famous for its cuisine.. a bit French, a bit Southern.. totally deliciously unique. Jambalaya, po’ boys, beignets, shrimp creole.. I would be perfectly happy to eat my way through the city! Artist Carlos Lopez celebrates the simplicity and purity of New Orleans cuisine in his still lifes of oysters found in the city’s gulf waters.
Southern Trio With Lemon, oil on canvas, 36×24 ( via Gallery Orange )
SWINGIN’
New Orleans Jazz is the soundtrack for the Delta. The horns, the banjo, the bass.. you can’t help but tap your feet. NOLA artists George Schmidt and Frank Kelley, jr., capture the energy that flows from the melodious sounds of Dixieland jazz. Though currently living in Florida, artist Yvonne Lozano’s Delta roots still show through.
NOLA by Yvonne Lozano, mixed media on canvas, 24×36Buddy Bolden's Nervous Breakdown from A History of New Orleans Jazz series by George Schmidt, oil on canvasA Jazz Extravaganza by Frank Kelley, jr., limited edition lithography, 18×15
STRUCTURE
The city’s architecture reflects the diversity of its history and inhabitants.. from grand antebellum mansions to the European-influenced ironwork of the French Quarter to humble shotgun houses, each illustrates a facet of the city’s rich culture and history. And, of course, each has been a source of inspiration for artists such as Grant Schexnider, whose Shotgun Series celebrates the spiritual wealth found in these humble abodes.
Skinny Shotgun 1 by Grant Schexnider, oil on canvas, 18×36
STYLE
New Orleanians have a style all their own. Unfailingly friendly and hospitable, but direct and unafraid to tell it like it is. But always with charm and high style. The stylishly cheeky work of NOLA artist Sarah Ashley Longshore fits the city like beads on Mardi Gras.
Audrey in Orange by Sarah Ashley Longshore, acrylic on canvas with high gloss resing, 30×30 ( via Gallery Orange )
SPIRIT
Joyful. Exuberant. Even in the face of darkness and destruction, every day in New Orleans is a celebration of life. Ally Burguieres’ work shines brightly with the fire of the people of New Orleans.
Moonrise on Bourbon by Ally Burguieres, oil and acrylic on wood, 36×18
STRENGTH
The final and most enduring characteristic of New Orleans is the strength of its community and culture. Poverty, disease, disaster, destruction. The city has seen it all, yet through each trial, comes out on the other end that much stronger. Cory Willingham’s work explores the inner strength found when a community is called upon to rebuild.
Almost Home ( diptych ) by Cory Willingham, acrylic and wallpaper on canvas, 24×30 each
New Orleans isn’t just party central at Mardi Gras. It is a community filled with artists who are serious about preserving the city’s history and not just persevering, but thriving into the city’s future. It is a city that loves its artists and they return that devotion a hundredfold. We’ll continue the NOLA love tomorrow, when Artsy Forager features a NOLA gallery bringing a fresh and contemporary, yet uniquely New Orleans style to the French Quarter!
All images are via the artist’s websites linked above, unless otherwise indicated. Images by Carlos Lopez and Sarah Ashley Longshore are via Gallery Orange.
The hubby and I love food. Eating food. Buying food. Cooking food. Talking about eating, buying and cooking food. We plan trips around where we will eat. For us, food is more than just a way to provide energy to our bodies. ( Although, we take that pretty seriously ). Food doesn’t just nourish our bodies, it is a feast for the eyes and the soul. The best times are those spent lingering over wine after a delicious meal with friends.
For centuries, artists have seen the beauty and sensuality in food. Gastronomical still lifes have long been the fare first of students, then of masters like Cezanne. For this Friday’s round-up, I’m featuring some selections from an artsy menu. Here are some of my favorite artistic comestibles!
Falling Seeds #8 by Gustavo CastilloOpaque Cookies by Kim FrohsinTower by Justin RichelHot Sauce Spill by Carlos LopezStrawberry PB&J by Duane Keiser
After you wipe the drool off your keyboard, be sure to check out the websites of all these grocery-lovin’ artists. Hmm.. I think maybe it’s time for lunch.
