Artsy Forager is one year old today! My little blog baby is moving from infancy into toddlerhood and I am one proud momma.
It’s Not My Birthday, That’s Not My Cake- Coconut by Lori Larusso, acrylic & enamel on panel, 18x18x1.5
It’s been a year of discovering amazing artists, fantastic galleries and enthusiastic art lovers! I’ve gotten to know so many incredible people through the blog and would like to thank every one of you for continuing to read, support and share in the art love here at Artsy Forager.
In the coming year, look for even more incredible artists, gallery features, inspiration for artsy living and a blog redesign that will ( hopefully! ) make the website even easier to peruse and use!
You guys make this labor of love a pleasure. As a birthday treat, I’ll be tweeting some of my favorite Artsy Forager features throughout the day. Keep your eyes peeled!
Much artsy love!
Lesley
For George– Thank you my wonderful husband for all of your encouragement and support. You make my dreams come true every day.
Sometime in my late 20s I went through a slight obsession with the Irish part of my heritage & Irish culture in general. I think it stemmed mainly from too many Maeve Binchy books and multiple PBS viewings of Riverdance. Add to that the fact that my husband thinks Guinness is the greatest thing since, well, Guinness, and it isn’t any surprise that we love St. Patrick’s Day. So to get you in the mood for a little Erin Go Bragh, how about some artwork to remind us of the Emerald Isle?
Runaway Trees by Christina Baker, acrylic on canvas, 48×48Ives Pond I by Susan Morosky, acrylic on canvas, 30×30Cold Feet by Casey Matthews, mixed media, 24×24Covenant Commitment by Steve Williams, mixed media on canvas, 84×84
If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, then you know that I have a few absolute favorite artists. These are the artists whose work I absolutely adore and return to again and again. Today’s artist, Maribel Angel is high on my list of favorites. From the first time I saw her work, during my gallery career in Florida, it was delight at first sight.
Bird Park, acrylic on panel, 34×24
The irresistible charm of Maribel’s work is pretty obvious, but even more so when she begins explaining the inspiration behind each one. For these latest paintings, she found unknowing muses in the form of all the birds congregating on her lakeside property in North Florida due to such a mild winter ( even for Florida! ).
Fruit and Bandits, acrylic on panel, 12×12
From the artist: “..all those feathered creatures that flew south for the winter used our yard as their tourist destination for several months. Not to mention all the local birds who had no reason to fly further south – so we had double the population than usual and I could hear them chattering and chirping non stop from dawn till dusk while i was working in my studio. It wasn’t like song birds keeping a tune and creating a beautiful orchestra of sound – it was just full on chatter! Similar to the sound you would hear of camp kids shouting and playing at the pool. I enjoyed their company and while I was painting I would imagine the stories they were sharing with each other. ”
Gentle Whisper, acrylic on panel, 34×24
The way she renders animals in such stylized simplicity is so appealing. Her horses stand lean and graceful, birds are bright and cheerfully scattered. She enriches each with beautifully layered color and texture– as stunning as they are online, her work is even more wonderful in person!
Crossing Over, acrylic on panel, 12×12New Nest, acrylic on panel, 12×12
To see more of Maribel Angel’s work, please visit her website and the Gallery Orange website. If you’re lucky enough to be in New Orleans, you can stop in at Gallery Orange to see her work in person or in Florida, check out Maribel’s work at Southlight Gallery.
Featured image is Shangrila, acrylic on panel, 48×12. All images are via Gallery Orange, Maribel’s representing gallery in New Orleans. For more on Gallery Orange, check out the recent Artsy Spot feature on the gallery here.
As the hubby and I travel, we try to experience as much of each area’s culture as we can. Last Friday evening, we decided to meet a friend for a night filled with our favorite things– delicious food & drink, stimulating conversation and fabulous art! I can’t imagine what could be better. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that this ( below ) was our view for cocktails!
View of Lake Coeur d’Alene from Beverly’s
We discovered the happy hour at Beverly’s and this was our second week in a row partaking of the fancy food & drink at affordable prices. I have a feeling it may be a weekly habit for the rest of our time here.. hubby George is addicted to their truffle fries, while I am just addicted to fries of any sort! As yummy as the fries were, they just weren’t nearly as pretty as our Hummus Plate. I am a firm believer that we eat first with our eyes, so I love a colorful, artsy presentation of food!
Hummus Plate gloriousness at Beverly’sCaramel Apple Martini
Cocktails and conversation flowed, as we shared the truffle oil-doused (!) complimentary popcorn with our friend and fellow traveler, Kirsten. This lifestyle we’ve chosen is fairly unique, so travelers always seem to bond together, sharing stories and experiences. There is a great sense of camaraderie in knowing that there are others living such a crazy, wonderful life!
Kirsten, George and yours truly
It was a beautiful night in Northern Idaho, so we strolled downtown to The Art Spirit Gallery to attend the opening of their current show, Portraits by artist Dan Spalding. The Spokane, WA painter’s exhibition centered around his beautifully textured and expressive portraits. His use of light is really incredible, giving his work a raw, emotional power.
Dan Spalding show, Portraits, at The Art Spirit Gallery in Coeur d’Alene, ID
Isn’t the painting on the top row, second from the right amazing? It draws my eye every time I look at this photo. I’m usually not an opening night art viewer, preferring to peruse when galleries aren’t as crowded and I can hear myself think or as Jerry Saltz said this week “Please stop talking so I can hear myself see!” 🙂
More of Dan Spalding’s work
But I do love the energy of exhibition openings and ArtWalks. Seeing crowds of people enjoying and talking about art gives me goosebumps! And I am always thrilled for the gallery & artist when I see lots of red dots! ( As I did last night– can you spot the one visible in the pic above? ). What I really love about attending openings with my husband and friends is the conversations about the work we are drawn to and why. For an non-artsy person, George actually has a fantastic eye! He really loved the sculptural work of Simon Kogan ( below ).
Henry Moore by Simon Kogan, bronze
While I loved these stylized bird paintings from North Idaho artist Catherine Lemaitre Earle. Aren’t they lovely?
Artwork by Catherine Lemaitre Earle
All in all, a delightful evening, artsy in every wonderful way!
A happy Artsy at the end of the evening
How about you? Any artsy fun to be had this weekend?
Happy Wednesday, Artsies! I have a little treat for you today.. Kaitlyn Patience, curator of the wonderful blog, isavirtue, is doing a little guest post for me today. I think you’ll find her to be a kindred-artsy-spirit!
Hi! My name is Kaitlyn Patience and I blog at isavirtue. When I first discovered Lesley’s blog, Artsy Forager, I was beyond delighted because art blogs are few and far between. One literally has to forage for art amidst the endless supply of lifestyle, fashion and food blogs! Like Lesley, I share a penchant for contemporary art – which in this sense simply means art that is happening now.
In order to inject the world wide web with just a little more art, I created an internet gallery. This online space, in which users can scroll sideways through the images, is entitled “lowercase gallery” (link: www.sunnyoasis.com/Kate) because I believe “art” can be friendly, accessible and inspiring. I use the space to practice my real life curating skills.
Currently being featured in the lowercase gallery is Sara McIntosh-Robichaud. I worked with Sara in the spring of 2009 and curated a presentation of her MFA artwork in a group exhibition. She was inspired by the height of one wall and decided to bring in one of her largest pieces – “Sluggard.” When she finally brought the 95”x 48” painting into the gallery – I was shocked. There appeared to be a man in a halo…and also a penis.
Sluggard, acrylic on canvas, 48×95
Being a young curatotrial intern at the time, I didn’t feel equipped to make the decision on whether this piece could be hung in a public, school gallery. Despite the fact that the painting was clearly “abstract,” I had heard the gallery director expunge on the impossibility of exhibiting nudes in the space because it was a public gallery and children’s groups often visited. So I called the director and said “There is a phallic image within this painting we are planning to hang, is that ok with you?” He responded with “Pardon? What do you mean?” And so I stuttered “You know, like…a penis.”
Nuclear Family, acrylic on canvas, 72×72
The director came to the gallery to see for himself and said “Oh that? that’s fine.” And that was it. I was surpremely embarassed at having mentioned it at all since it was clearly a non issue. To this day I blush when I think about that painting but I remind myself that should the situation have been reversed (I.e. I didn’t say anything and he did care), it could have gone exponentially worse!
Occular, acrylic on canvas, 33.5×37
That incident doesn’t keep me from loving Sara’s work however. Just as some of her works are titled “A Moment 1” and “A Moment 2,” she has managed to capture all of my emotions ranging from pure joy to sullen despair. She makes unique choices that I admire, particularily in colour, shape and texture. Perhaps the reason I am most drawn to her body of work is because of the clean lines and the perfect finishing. Should I ever become a painter I suspect my obsessive compulsivity to be ‘neat’ would result in something similar. I hope you enjoy her work as much as I do!
Polly’s Fiddle, acrylic on canvas, 33×37
P.s. Five months later the gallery director was assigned to be my thesis supervisor.
As much as I LOVE winter and though we still have snow on the ground here in Coeur d’Alene, I find my heart longing for spring. Maybe it is because, since moving from Florida and experiencing my first real winter, it’s March and I feel ready to trade my fur-lined boots for sandals. Or perhaps it is because since visiting George in Seattle two years ago, I know how utterly beautiful a Northwest spring can be! And we’ve heard that as gorgeous as these snow-covered mountains are, Coeur d’Alene is the place to be in the warmer months.
My anticipation for spring is likely pretty obvious in this week’s posts.. The latest series from Brooklyn artist, Lily Stockman have me longing to grab a few pencils and a sketch book and take off into the woods to see what wildflowers I can find.
Garden Club, acrylic on unstretched canvas, 156×96
Following in the footsteps of her plant-loving family and Victorian-era amateur botanists, Stockman examines her own existence in the natural world. The works are, at times, modern interpretations of botanical illustrations whose style has been made familiar by naturalist artists such as Ernst Haeckel. Others, much more loose and abstracted, remind us more of the feeling of being connected to the natural world– its brightness and simplicity.
Brooklandia, oil on panel, 24×18
She is examining the natural Renaissance we seem to find ourselves in– the reaction perhaps to the pervasiveness of technology. We are planting gardens in our backyards, enjoying farm-to-table dinners and find ourselves yearning for engagement with nature like never before.
The Way We Remember It, oil on canvas, 60×72
Advances in technology have led us far, far away from living our daily lives entwined with the natural world. Instead of being essential to survival, our relationship with nature has changed to one of pleasure and preservation. When we spend time cultivating that relationship, it is not just helping preserve the earth, but to preserve our own natural souls.
Concord Silhouette, oil on canvas, 60×72Clover for Ajay ( Jaipur at Night ), oil on canvas, 72×60
To see more of Lily Stockman’s work, please visit her website. Her work can be seen in the NYU 1st Year MFA Show at The Commons Gallery in New York, opening tomorrow March 7, 2012.
Have you ever been so enraptured by the natural beauty surrounding you that you feel as if the wonder of it actually becomes a part of you? I have suspect Pakayla Biehn has encountered this feeling. Her dreamlike works tell me she is one who also has visions of laying in a field of flowers and floating down sparkling streams.
Ten Thousand Times, oil and acrylic, 28×18
Biehn’s work has such a quiet, poetic beauty. To look upon them seems as if we are encountering a hidden, magical place, filled with fairies and wood nymphs.
All the Time I Was Making This I Was Thinking of You, oil and acrylic on canvas, 36×24
They remind me of the enchantment of the most beautiful places I’ve seen and of places from my dreams I have yet to visit.
People in Love, oil and acrylic on canvas, 22×14Hope There’s Someone, oil and acrylic on canvas, 28×19
To see more of Pakayla Biehn’s work, please visit her website. If you’re in Cali, you can see her work at Gallery Hijinks in San Francisco or at Thinkspace Gallery in LA.
Spring is almost upon us, artsies! Did you lose yourself in a lovely place over the weekend?
Featured image is The Study of the Structure of Subversive Existence, oil & acrylic on canvas, 28×20. All images are via the artist’s website.
The world today is so loud and pushy. We are visually bombarded at all times with color, typography, imagery, you name it. It begins to weigh us down unknowingly. Atlanta artist Erin McIntosh’s recent work has a quiet, delicate quality, the perfect antidote for a noisy world.
Watercolor 30, watercolor on paper, 9×9 image on 11×14 paper
In her work, Erin is seeking to explore the silence to be discovered among the cacophony. Her intuitive process and use of water-based media give her works on paper a soft, gossamer-like quality.
Watercolor 32, watercolor on paper, 9×9 image on 11×14 paper
Diaphanous shapes and translucent forms float freely, randomly just as our thoughts as we lie in the grass and daydream. We’re wafted away through the chaos and into the quiet stillness.
Watercolor 31, watercolor on paper, 9×9 image on 11×14 paperUntitled, watercolor on paper ( via Gregg Irby Fine Art )
Ah.. I feel so peaceful now! To see more of Erin McIntosh’s work and enjoy a bit of her own brand of artsy stillness, please visit her website. I also highly recommend a visit to the website of her representing gallery, Gregg Irby Fine Art. If you happen to be in Atlanta, drop by and see these lovelies in person!
And, as a wonderful little treat, here’s a video of the artist herself, telling you a bit about her work–
I have a long, ongoing love affair. With books. I blame my grandparents, who were avid readers and every night spent with them was ended curled up in my grandmother’s lap listening to her read. Growing up, books were a favorite escape, summers were often spent with my nose buried in story after story. I came very close to pursuing a degree in literature rather than art history ( I was obviously never destined to be rich! ). But one of the best things about studying art history was all the stories. The best of both worlds. Here are some artists who seem as obsessed with books as I am!
It's Story Time IV by Christopher StottCome With Me by Na Zhao ( via ArtLink )Blonde But Not Forgotten by Harland MillerUnicorn by Gala BentBooks by Holly Farrell
Be sure to check out these artist’s websites below. So I just finished a Frida Kahlo biography. Any artsy reads you would recommend?
