artsy forager

Tag: deer

  • 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.

  • These Bucks Are BUCK: Rachel Denny

    These Bucks Are BUCK: Rachel Denny

    Seattle, Seattle, Seattle ( Marcia Brady voice ).. we arrived on Saturday and are completely in love with the city but overwhelmed by apartment hunting.  So this week, I’m re-running posts featuring some favorite Seattle artists.  Sorry for the repeats, hope to be back to normal artsy blogging next week!

    Is the adjective buck actually used in the common vernacular?  Or do only So You Think You Can Dance geeks like myself know what it means, thanks to Lil’ C?  He uses it as slang for something that is crazy good and cool.  Which is exactly how I would describe the sculptures of Portland artist, Rachel Denny.

    Red Buck, polyurethane foam, wool and wood

    On my morning walk with George today, we came upon a deer munching on flowers in a neighbor’s yard ( one of the things we love about the Northwest ).  So when I came across Rachel’s work this morning, I connected with it instantly.  Her work explores that surprise of the unexpected wildness of nature in urban settings and every day life.

    Young Buck, merino wool, polyurethane foam, thread and wood

    Young Buck and Red Buck, both above, are part of her Domestic Trophies series, which while appearing at first to be whimsical and playful, actually seem to be making a commentary on how we try to justify our own violence or antipathy against nature.  The head of an animal that was once a living, breathing creature, killed for sport and mounted as a trophy gets “domesticated” and rendered impotent by blanketing it in a warm and colorful wrap of fuzzy wool.  It is now rendered to be merely a decorative object instead of a wild beast.

    The Lion and The Lamb, polyurethane foam, wood and wool

    Or perhaps the artist is comforting these poor creatures.  Covering their eyes and shielding them from a future of staring down at the same scene day after day.  Or maybe she’s just having a little fun by creating something beautiful out of something so symbolically grotesque.

    Teal Doe, polyurethane foam, wood, wool, paint and thread

    Whatever Rachel Denny is doing, I am on the bandwagon.  These pieces are fanciful and fun and if there is a deeper message behind them, so much the better.

    Go to Rachel Denny’s website for more of her sculptural work– the ceramics are great, make sure you check them out!

    All images via www.racheldenny.com.

  • A Delicate Peace: Susan Hall

    A Delicate Peace: Susan Hall

    Coco Chanel once said, “I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature; lace always evokes for me those incomparable designs which the branches and leaves of trees embroider across the sky..”

    Shoreline, oil on panel, 48×43

    I came upon Susan Hall’s paintings as we ascended the stairs up to Butters Gallery in Portland, our last gallery stop of a long day spent in that art mecca.  Through the glass doors, I spied beautiful tone-on-tone figures, peaceful in their exquisite solitude.

    Vision, oil on panel, 60×48

    As they drew me in, I realized that I was viewing these figures through a veil, not one over my own eyes but through the intricate patterns in which Chicago artist Susan Hall ensconces each of her subjects.

    Companion, oil on panel, 35×40

    Veils may have both negative and positive connotations– The view through the veil of a bride is lovely and full of hope, while the view through the veil of a burqa may be considered by some as the prospect of a prisoner, someone not allowed to view the world through naked eyes.

    Reverie, oil on panel. 27×27

    Hall’s work also has a bit of a voyeuristic quality, as if we were gazing through lace covered windows, intruding upon a private moment or catching a glimpse of a ghostly deer’s visit before he disappears into the dark night.

    Arrival, oil on panel, 43×48
    Clearing, oil on panel, 48×43

    We see him but does he see us through our gossamer covering?  Or perhaps he is merely an apparition of our imagination?  Either way, I am enthralled.

    Please visit Susan Hall’s website to see more of her breathtaking work.  If you are in the Northwest, a visit to Butters Gallery to see her work in person will be a delight for your eyes, pinky promise.