Every weekend Mr. F and I stay at home ( in other words, no camping or backpacking on the agenda ), we say we’re going to have a relaxing, chill weekend. But lately, our weekends around home have been anything but slow and this weekend was no exception! After a yummy breakfast in Arcata Saturday morning, we attended the Sustainable Living Expo– gotta get some ideas for the artsy dream home we’re saving our pennies for!
I try to take advantage of our weekends in town to do something artsy and lucky for me, this weekend we were able to take in not only a few stops along the North Coast Open Studios tour, but this month’s ArtsAlive in Eureka.
In addition to Peggy Loudon’s studio ( check out her website, stunning ceramics! ), we also took a peek into the studios of Libby George, who was kind enough to give me some pastel tips, and mixed media artist and painter Natalie Craig.
After a little rest, we headed down to Old Town for Eureka’s monthly ArtsAlive event. We were able to hit a few studios and galleries before meeting up with one of Mr. F’s coworkers for a drink.
The work of both these artists intrigued me with their references to ancient cultures– Bhutanese for Goodman, Native American Haida for Skillie. To reference aboriginal culture and customs in modern interpretations give me hope that these old traditions won’t be forgotten. And this busy but artsy weekend won’t be far from my own memory for a long time yet! Next weekend– hoping to get some painting time in!
One of my favorite activities in the world is visiting artists in their studios or even getting a little peek inside through photographs! Whether an artist is working from a light filled loft or a small corner in the kitchen, the way an artist approaches their workspace says so much about their creative process. I suspicion you enjoy studio visits, too.. And so dear Artsies, I thought I would treat us to a little jaunt to the studio of Deann Hebert website You may recognize Deann’s work from the City Mouse | Country Mouse show currently online at Found Gallery here at Artsy Forager.
Everyone, say hello to Deann!
Deann and I decided this trip to her studio would give us the perfect opportunity for you to get acquainted a bit better. So she indulged me by answering a few questions inquiring Artsies might like to know..
Artsy | You have such a unique style of applying paint to canvas! Can you tell us a bit more about your process?
Deann | My process has definitely evolved over the years. I have always been attracted to texture, and palette knife painting. I wanted to create a style that married these two together. A key factor in this was the opportunity I had to study abroad while receiving my formal training. It exposed me to different cultures, ways of thinking and creating art. It was really just a trial and error type of thing. It’s a process of applying layers on top of layers. With each layer reacting with another. Once I got into my “groove” of painting, it just felt right. I literally had an “ah-ha” moment, of “this is who I am!”
AF | How have you seen yourself grow as an artist over the years?
DH | Oh I have changed so much over the years. I think it’s only a natural progression that a fine artist changes and grows. I hope I am always changing and evolving, not being static. I think this is where true creativity comes from. Over the years my work has gone from bright, bold colors and still lifes, to more muted tones of blues, creams, greys, and landscapes. Who knows what the future will bring!
AF | What is the most exciting part of painting for you?
DH | The most exciting part of creating for me, is watching the painting literally become something right before my eyes as it is on the paint table. But, the créme de la créme, is evoking an emotional reaction from the viewer, for whatever reason.
AF | What is it about the country that captures and holds your imagination?
DH | Well, this little country mouse grew up in a small town and my family always owned horses and cows. So growing up “in the country” was our way of life, and I absolutely loved it. The texture of an old barn or fence, or grass growing in the fields remind me of my childhood days. Unfortunately, many of these old structures are falling victim to time and neglect, but still are a direct link to the past, and the present. These barns tell a story, too, if we could only listen to them, to me, they are the heart and soul of the South. Even my studio walls are made from reclaimed wood from a historic barn that was torn down, so my inspiration, is quite literally, everywhere. Now, I am lucky enough to call Tennessee home, and the rolling hills and landscape are truly inspiring to me and beautiful. In my own little way, I want to pay homage to that.
Margaret Britton Vaughn, Poet Laureate of Tennessee, says it best in her poem:
BARNS OF MY YOUTH
I miss the barns of my youth,
The ones that read, “See Rock City.”
Hungry Caterpillars ate them alive,
Spitting out nails
To become thorns in the side
Of crawling asphalt,
Erasing small towns
To link big cities
They die hard, these old barns,
Leaning on the everlasting
Shoulders of Time
That cushion the fall of rotting boards.
Light seeps through decaying skeletons,
Causing shadows to tiptoe
Like ballerinas dancing the waltz of the wind.
In our hurry to get there
We destroyed the landscape:
Masterpieces of America.
AF | You are very involved in children’s art activities, like Art Camp. What do you see as the most important creative lesson a child can learn?
DH | Since I have two children myself (2 and 6), exposing children to the arts is very near and dear to my heart, and I think the most important creative lesson a child can learn is that art can be used to express yourself in ways that nothing else can. That you can actually say something with your art.
AF | Obligatory question. If you weren’t an artist, what would your dream job be?
DH | It’s so hard to answer that question because I am living my dream job…. but let’s see, since I love to travel, I always thought Samantha Brown had the coolest job ever to tour the world and work for the Travel Channel show, “Great Hotels”. How cool would that be?!
That would be a pretty sweet gig, but I have a feeling most folks would trade with you in a heartbeat! Thanks so much for opening up your studio to us, Deann!
To see more of Deann’s work, please visit her Deann Hebert website and the City Mouse | Country Mouse online show and sale in Found Gallery here at Artsy Forager. Big thanks to Ray Sanduski of With an Eye Photography for the gorgeous shots of Deann’s creative space and process. Be sure to check out Ray’s website!
It seems like every Fall when the Open Studios and Art Tours gear up we seem to just miss them. So I was elated to know we would be able to spend a Saturday checking out some of the local work Joshua Tree and the surrounding communities have to offer. A day spent seeing new places, meeting artists , getting a peek inside their studios and process– what could be better?! Wanna go along for the ride? Buckle up. Safety first in the Artsy mobile!
Not MY Artsy mobile, but someone else’s spotted in Joshua Tree
Our first stop took us down a few long, lonely dirt ( OK, sand, really ) roads. We hoped the trek would be worth it. And when we came upon Judy Wold’s studio, something told me it would be.
Outside Judy Wold’s studio
Judy and her husband Bob live in Santa Monica, but the desert keeps drawing them in, allowing them to enjoy the best of both worlds. We were greeted warmly and with mimosas ( my favorite kind of hello! ). Her little abode/studio is tucked away from the rest of Joshua Tree, overlooking an undeveloped valley and a spectacular view of the mountains to the north.
Views around Judy Wold’s studio
Mr. Forager and I fell hard for the painting in the bottom right above. My photo doesn’t do it justice– it was full of color, depth and texture in person. We’re contemplating a purchase..
If you’ve ever been on an Art Tour, you know that artists not only open their studios, but utilize other spaces to create make-shift galleries. Judy’s Airstream guest room turned gallery was our fave. It had just the right boho vibe. Definitely got our wheels turnin’!
Wold’s Airstream gallery/guest room
Next we ventured out to Twenty-Nine Palms to check out some work that had looked a bit interesting in the brochure.. unfortunately, the photo was very deceiving and I found the building to be much more interesting than the art inside. Bummer.
Artsy building filled with so-so art. Art Tour number obliterated to protect the innocent.
Back to Joshua Tree we went, this time heading to the South and the studio of wood sculptor Mark Doolittle. This artist is one of those fascinating creatives that begins in a largely left-brained profession ( biomedical research ) then transforms into a beautifully creative artist.
Symbiosis, amboyna burl and basswood with bubinga base, 32x33x6. George Post, photographer.Mark Doolittle’s work bench and the fossils that inspire him
In talking with Mark, he related to us how he was always struck by the aesthetic beauty in microbiology. The same quiet, patient methodology needed to work in the biomedical world equips him with the ability to spend hours carving meticulously. Truly phenomenal work!
A few more stops, among them an installed re-creation of Western Motel by Edward Hopper, created and installed by Jenifer Palmer-Lacy and the studio of Marjorie Franklin and Janis Commentz ( click on the artists’ names to check out their websites! ) One of our last stops was the home & studio of Karine Swenson. Her paintings of desert wildlife really enchanted me, as did her postings throughout of random facts regarding her work and her process.
One of Karine Swenson’s rabbits with a little note about her process
What I love most about this kind of outing is the conversation. Not only with the artists, but with Mr. Forager. Coming from outside the art world, he looks and questions with a different perspective, one that always makes me stop and think. Hope you enjoyed this little virtual Art Tour as much as I enjoyed the real one.
Quick question for my readers– Would you like to see more posts like this in addition to artist features?
Please enjoy this oldie by goodie while I spend the next two weeks camping, packing, visiting with the mom-in-law and moving from WA to OR. See you in September!
There are people and by people, I mean artists, whose life and art are so intertwined that almost everything in their life looks like their artwork. Maribel Angel is one of those people and I mean that in the best possible sense. The minute I drove up to her home & studio in St. Augustine, Florida, I knew I was in for a treat.
Maribel’s home & studio, which she shares with her husband, Cash, dog Miss Hannah and three cats, is on a quiet street removed from the bustle of tourists in downtown St. Augustine. Entering through a green gate with a little bell, I am greeted with a hug from the artist and meow from possibly the friendliest cat ever, Lulu.
Trimmed in bright colors reminiscent of her paintings, the house, studio and workshop are like sweet little dollhouses. Maribel and Cash purchased the property, which faces a lovely canal where Lulu loves to beg for attention from joggers, as a fixer upper and have done most of the work themselves over the years. It is apparent that this is a place created with love.
Let’s go into the studio.
Sunlight streams through the windows, filling the diminutive studio with light and warmth.
Every artist’s studio needs a comfy chair. A place where an artist can curl up with a cup of coffee and read or dream about where inspiration will take them next. Finished artwork or works in progress are all around the studio– like these sweet little horse paintings ( below ), which were big sellers during the MOCA Studio Tour a few weeks ago.
The studio floors are reclaimed hardwood, which came from a local horse barn. Maribel theorizes that perhaps the floors are subconsciously leading her to paint horses! Whatever the cause, these equestrian inspired pieces are hard to resist. However, I am even more in love with a new series Maribel is working on– inspired by the Anthropologie catalog!
I told Maribel how much I loved these and when she told me her inspiration source, I was downright gleeful! There is just something about Anthropologie that we artsy girls love. Ask anyone who has ever been in one with me. I get this joyous, glazed over look in my eye, which I’m sure is very similar to the look I had upon leaving Maribel’s.
On the opposite side of the room, are the quintessential elements of any artist’s studio– easel, work table and of course, stacks of works in progress. See the horses? I think the floors are working their magic.
Ever wonder how Maribel creates those wonderful, collaged layers in her work? First, she makes a color copy of the inspiration source, whether it be a textile pattern, page from a book or other ephemera, then soaks the copy in a medium solution which allows her to peel the transparent image from the paper. The transparency allows for background paint and other elements to show through and using this instead of the paper itself will be more permanent and chemically stable.
I can’t wait to try this out on my own.. I already have a few ideas! If only I was as prolific as Maribel.. there is artwork and inspiration everywhere you turn in her studio.
Don’t you love the rustic window paned doors? Maribel has definitely created a space that warms the heart and nurtures the soul. I was there for less than an hour and came home incredibly inspired and ready to create! I hope our visit to Maribel’s studio has done the same for you.
I am so excited to bring you our very first Artsy Forager studio tour, featuring ( drumroll, please! ), Amelia Island artist Theresa Daily! *applause*
Theresa and I struck up a friendship through the glory of Facebook long before we’d ever met in person. This self-taught artist struck me as incredibly funny, generous and kind-hearted, not to mention talented. Once I met Theresa in person last year, there was no doubt that my initial impression was true.
The artist in her studio
Though a Kentucky native, Theresa is definitely an “island girl” at heart. Her work lovingly depicts the landscapes and life surrounding her on Amelia Island.
You can usually find Theresa painting at Blue Door Artists on Centre Street in Downtown Fernandina Beach, FL– look for the blue door and crazy stairs! She shares her sun-filled second floor studio with fellow artist, Carol Sprovtsoff. You may even catch a glimpse of Theresa’s grandchildren, two adorable artists-in-training!
Potato-chip bag evidence, kids are about!
A peek inside her watercolor stash
Working in a collective studio like Blue Door allows the artists to share ideas and inspiration, as well as help each other out when they get “stuck”. The idea of an artist working away in a lonely studio may be romantic, but not be nearly as much fun. These artists feed of each other’s creative energy, which results in growth and more dynamic work. For instance, when Theresa was struggling with her latest piece ( pictured below, behind the easel ), fellow Blue Door artist, Casey Matthews was there to encourage, offer suggestions and be a source of support.
Theresa’s work has gone from mostly representational to more intuitive , abstracted landscapes. But a consistent style and palette keeps the work coherent and instantly recognizable as hers.
The studio’s gallery space
Art for sale!!
Thank you for joining me on a little visit to the creative space of this local artist. Stop by Blue Door anytime Monday- Saturday, 11ish to 5ish ( island hours! ) and you may be lucky enough to see Theresa Daily in action and enjoy a chat.
