I admit, I’m a scaredy cat. I turn on lights as soon as I enter a dark house. It’s something about the fear of what is unseen. The power of suggesting what might be lurking is enough to give me chills. The work of California artist Sherie Franssen weaves a visual tension between what lies beneath and what is merely suggested.
Fool For Love, oil on canvas, 43×65
Her expressive abstract works begin with a figure, then through expressive gestural brushstrokes and saturated color, the figurative presence recedes, like a shadow, into the swarm of color and movement.
Return of the King, oil on canvas, 78×86Barnyard, oil on canvas, 78×80
While perhaps, if we gaze long enough and look closely enough, we may catch a glimpse of the figure among the fray. But it will be the searching that our eyes most remember as we take in the excitement of each moment and movement. We may even forget what it was we were anticipating.
Sherie Franssen, oil on canvas, 78×90
To see more of Sherie Franssen’s work, please visit her website. Her work can be seen in person at Dolby Chadwick Gallery in San Francisco.
I’m a little sneaky sometimes. You know, like a mouse. You may have noticed the found gallerypage pop up in the top navigation last week.. or maybe you noticed the found logo in the sidebar.. or saw the Facebook & Twitter posts on Sunday. If you haven’t picked up on my not-so-subtle hints, you can find more on foundhere.
found is an online exhibition gallery featuring curated collections of small works, quarterly, for limited engagements. It’s just another way for me to share artists’ work with you, but in a more focused, specific, special way and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity and promise lots of wonderful artsiness will come to found!
The very first found exhibition will open on Thursday, February 21st! The show, City Mouse | Country Mouse will showcase two Nashville area artists, Christina Baker and Deann Hebert, who, in their respective work, are drawn to very different perspectives of their Tennessee home. The show will be sponsored by the artists’ representing gallery, Gregg Irby Fine Art and a portion of the proceeds will benefit The Nashville Zoo.
Mark your calendars! These two talented artists are creating some beautiful work to share with you!
Just in case you don’t speak text short-hand, 2G2B4G = too good to be forgotten. Which very aptly describes the work of today’s artist, Denver’s Shawn Huckins. The artist’s current series, An American Revolution Revolution combines 18th Century American portraiture with 21st Century lexicons such as tweet and text acronyms, creating diverting and provocative images.
Vanderlyn’s Secret Obsession, Talk Dirty to Me, acrylic and pencil on canvas, 30×36Dorothy Quincy: Don’t U Realize Dat I Only Txt U Wen Im Drunk, acrylic on canvas, 34×44
Like the historical portraits he uses in his work, the text slang has become a part of our own period in history. Will we still be using this jargon to communicate in a hundred years? Or will future generations look back and see us as stodgy, stuffy, and hopelessly formal? Hard to believe that we could denigrate any further than we have, but perhaps our ancestors thought they were just as hip and happening as we believe ourselves to be.
The Transient State of Mr. Rice, acrylic and pencil on canvas, 22×28
My first thought when looking at this series was similarities between traditional portraiture, often created as a remembrance of a certain person for a special occasion, and our modern obsession with texting and tweeting, and the impressions and memories of ourselves we are creating.
Young Girl with Dog and Bird- Sorry to Tell You, But Your Girlfriend Looks Like a Farm Animal, acrylic on canvas, 32×40Verplank’s Post on American Moralism: Like Duh, Obviously, It’s a Complete Waste of Time, acrylic on canvas, 40×53
I’m not sure I would want to be remembered for my texts. Would you? To see more of Shawn Huckins’ work, please visit his website.
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.
The juxtapositions of uber-traditional garb and the ultra modern in these paintings by Andy Price really caught my eye. See more from this artist in my Artist Watch over on Escape Into Life today!
Have you ever thought about how certain fabric patterns remind you of someone? Crazy mod-retro prints make me think of my sister-in-law, who loves all things vintage, while subdued plaids in soft blues and greens make me think of nature-loving Mr. Forager. Seattle artist Jane Richlovsky uses patterned textiles in her work, incorporating them in such a way that the personality of the era shines through.
Cake Mix #7, oil on found textile, 4.5×6
The artist depicts domestic scenes from the mid-twentieth century, actually painting on found vintagey patterned textiles. The result is a interesting visual style– one in which some details of the scene show depth of space, while others, usually the shapes on which the patterns come through, are flattened as the patterns appear more as cut-outs of the forms rather than strictly conforming to the shape it is covering.
A Wonderful World of Your Own, oil on found textiles, 31.5×32Designed for Living as You Want It, oil on found textile, 10x5x15
Richlovsky’s work reminds us that not all was as it seemed in the “good ol’ days”.. the flatness of the patterns meet the Norman Rockwellish technicolor scenes of life we remember from movies, yet there is a cynical and almost sinister undercurrent to some of the paintings.
Easy as Peeling a Banana, oil on found textile & canvas, 31×36
To see more of the work of Jane Richlovsky, please visit her website.
In my college painting classes, my painting prof used to always say that knew I was in class because he could literally hear me painting. You see, I have a tendency to dig my brushes into the surface of the canvas, a sensation and sound I quite enjoy ( though it’s pretty tough on expensive brushes! ). The work of Florida artist Amy Donaldson has that same kind of textural energy, I can almost hear the scrape of her brush and palette knife against the canvas.
You’re Beautiful, mixed media on canvas, 60×60
Donaldson’s process is one of an additive and subtractive back and forth between the palette, paint, and canvas. Inspired by her ( and my! ) native state of Florida, Donaldson creates abstracts that hint at the broadness of a landscape, yet have the surface of an aged, graffiti covered wall.
Adore, mixed media on canvas, 72×60mixed media on canvas
In expressive abstract quality of her work, Amy’s paintings let us get lost in the play of color, light, and texture, each bouncing our eyes in excitement across the canvases.
In His Presence, mixed media on canvas, 60×72
Would you like to see more of Amy Donaldson’s work? Please check out her website and Facebook page.
All images are via the artist’s website. Artist found via Stellers Gallery in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
With holiday craziness last month, the Art Association Pinterest contest took a short little hiatus. But this month, Erin from artsocial and I are back with what we think will be our most fabulous contest yet!
For all you AA newbies ( wait, that sounded wrong ), here’s how it works– You create a Pinterest board around one work of art ( which we provide ), filled with anything and everything that pops into your mind while gazing at the catalyst piece.
The artwork providing our catalyst this month is Cocktail Party by none other than Artsy Forager’s Featured Artist for January, Christina Baker! Talk about a perfect place to start!
Cocktail Party by Christina Baker
Are you ready to start pinning away and maybe win some art? The art we’re giving away this month is FABULOUS.
Step 2 | You create a Pinterest board titled Art Association, like mine here, where you pin any and all images you associate with the featured artwork ( like word associations, only visual )– here’s a sneak peek at some of my associations
Step 3 | Leave a link to your Art Association pinboard in the Comments section of this post
Step 4 | Follow both art social and Artsy Forager on Pinterest ( if you already are, you’re ahead of the game and doubly awesome )
Here’s what you can win–
Are you ready? You will be entered for a chance to win this original painting by Christina Baker! Christina created this piece, inspired by Artsy Forager ( aww, shucks!! ) specifically for our contest. And it could be YOURS!**
Roses Over the Bridge, acrylic on canvas, 12×12
The pinner with the most amazingly fabulous Art Association board ( as judged by me and Erin ) will be chosen on Wednesday, January 23rd at 5pm (mountain standard time). I can’t wait to see what associations you guys make with Christina’s work.
Pinning begins… NOW!!
**So sorry but the contest is open to US residents only.
Would you like your artwork to be featured as an Art Association subject? Shoot me an email at artsyforager@att.net or Erin an email at artsocialonline@gmail.com for more info.
OK, I’ll admit, I’m not a big action-movie fan. In fact, the latest super-hero based film is usually the very last on my movie watching list ( although I end up watching them with Mr. Forager so that he’ll watch the latest costume drama/foreign film with me ). But I might be rethinking my prejudice due to the work featured today. The recent work of Brooklyn artist Jim Gaylord is based on action sequences in films– now there’s an action movie screening approach I could get into!
High Muck-a-Muck, oil on canvas, 24×20
In Gaylord’s work, some paintings, some collage/mixed media, we are met with a cacophony of shapes, colliding upon one another. The crashing of objects, the roar of engines.. it’s almost audible. Can you hear it?
Coat of Arms, gouache on cutout paper, 40×26Rat King, oil on paper, 43.75×30Victory Lap, gouache and soot on cutout paper, 26×36
Pops of white amid the chaos resemble clouds of smoke, distorting the full scene from our view, while smaller forms are catapulted out from the midst like shrapnel.
Soft Endorsement, oil on canvas, 22×17
I think I’ll be looking at action sequences a bit differently from now on, won’t you? To see more of Jim Gaylord’s work, please visit his website.
You know that old saying “Good fences make good neighbors”? There is much truth to be gleaned from that quote. Freedom and space is important, but boundaries and divided spaces can help create a sense of protection and privacy. In a painting, divided spaces can create a sense of balance and compositional interest, as in the work of Arizona artist Sherri Belassen.
Hammock, oil on canvas, 66×40
In her paintings, Belassen utilizes line and color blocking to create shadow, shape, and texture within the layout of each canvas. Figures are connected to each other and their surroundings, creating a sense of visual depth and the suggestion of surrounding spaces.
What If, oil on canvas, 36×48Love is in the Air, oil on canvas, 48×48
Her figures take on almost a monumental, landscape-ish quality, as if these are giant canvases we are glimpsing from high above.
Divine, oil on canvas, 30×40
To see more of Sherri Belassen’s work, please visit her website. Her work may be seen in person at a number of galleries around the US– see the list here!
Hammock and Divine are via the artist’s website. What If is via representing gallery Jules Place and Love is in the Air is via representing gallery Elizabeth Gordon Gallery.
