Stacy Alexander -LISTEN TO MY ART BEAT!

Doreen Adams…. One tessera at a time

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:48:00 +0000

Doreen Adams

As I write this entry, I am in a beautiful house at the edge of the ocean just south of Santa Cruz. At this moment, I can hear a seal calling through the distant fog. That said, I thought to write an entry about fellow artist and Facebook friend, Doreen Adams, because her studio, Creativeartmosaics.com, is located in a similar environment in the hills above Malibu, also overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Being where I am right now, (and as a flock of pelicans makes circles in the sky outside my window), I can truly relate to the inspiration Doreen must feel as she looks down over the ocean from her studio each day. I think I understand why she is compelled to create art to express her love of nature and her respect for all living things. Being here has caused me to gain a new appreciation for these things as well as for the art that Doreen creates.

Doreen is one of the finest mosaic artists around.

One of the most defining characteristic of Doreen’s mosaic art is its resemblance to paint on canvas. She tends to lay the tesserae in concentric patterns, using a style known among mosaic artists as ‘painting with glass’. The fine detail with which she executes each mosaic must require the patience of a saint!

Doreen's imagination is clearly not limited to the natural beauty that she sees from her studio window. This piece, entitled simply, "Cheeseburger" was included in the 8th Annual International juried exhibition at the Museum of Man in San Diego last February during the convention of the Society of American Mosaic Artists. The mosaic was also featured as cover art on the "Mosaic Rocks" CD.

When her “White Rabbit” (above) piece won second place in the 3rd Contemporary Mosaic Art Competition “Breaking the Rules” also at the 8th Annual International juried exhibition at SAMA 2009,one of the judges had this to say:

“We love this mosaic! Everything about it is considered. In the first place it is very well drawn and composed – you can feel the white rabbit’s ‘lateness’ and, astonishingly, considering the strong use of complimentary oranges against greens, the overall effect is very harmonious.

Andrew commented on how the tesserae at the front are very small and detailed compared to the larger broader work at the back – this is the opposite to what one would expect and so there’s an interesting lesson to learn here – you don’t ALWAYS have to get smaller and fiddlier as you progress back into the picture.
We would therefore like to award this mosaic joint second prize.
(I will provide the prize for Doreen – namely a book on the work of Boris Anrep, which I feel will be useful to her in her future mosaics.)” Martin Cheek

Talented on many artistic levels, Doreen began her life’s journey in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has traveled the world taking classes from many inspirational artists. She describes herself as a “freelance, self-taught, self-employed artist” and writes, “My love of animals and children can be seen throughout my art whether it be my mosaics, decorative painted furniture, children’s illustrations, fine art paintings and drawings or my handmade crafts. “

Here are a few of Doreen’s watercolor illustrations:

Doreen is available for commissioned work and takes a flexible approach to these projects, sometimes working from a selection of photographs or if possible, paying visits to a specific site personally, to gather her own reference material. As she works through her commissioned art, she periodically documents her progress on her web site so that her clients can appreciate the painstaking detail that she enlists to create their mosaics.

Doreen is a member of SCBWI, (The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators), SAMA, (The Society of American Mosaic Artists), MAA (The Malibu Art Association) and MAO, (The Mosaic Artists Organization).

Please visit her web site to see more of Doreen's beautiful art work or to get further information.

Latifah Shay – Artist by Nature

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:35:00 +0000

Latifah Shay

“I feel such joy and freedom when I create. When I paint I am present with the
truth of who I am. I move through life enjoying, exploring and expressing this
exciting part of my being.”

Desire

Latifah Shay is an artist acquaintance whom I met through Twitter, the social networking site. Her notoriety as an artist began in third grade when she won a school coloring contest. Then, in high school, one of her architectural drawings ranked first place in the state competition. Her art fire was fueled, so off she went!
Delicate Intensity

“I attended the architecture program at Texas A&M University. Three years later I
found myself disenchanted. Plumbing, structures and HVAC held no allure for me. I
completed my degree, delving deeper into figure drawing, photography and
furniture design.

Two years later, I began pursing graphic design. Bought a computer, learned the
programs, took classes, and read voraciously. In short time I had a job at a mid-sized
creative company as a designer.”

Flamboyant

Her work characteristically consists of "geometricized", concentric forms and hues used independently of their local color. One frequently finds swirls that are full of emotion and brilliant color, moving across a plane. The swirl can be seen as a symbol for the "endless circle" (similar to the endless knot) in Chinese culture.

Feeling My Way

Latifah creates her art for many reasons, but it is, above all, informed by color and a sense of movement. As a mother of 4 yr. old triplets, she finds herself frequently in her local library where she reads with her children. While there, she loves to look at the illustrations and reading about the artists who create them. She is currently attracted to the illustration style of artist David Shannon.

The Truth About Love

“I release so much as I create. I release my emotions, my stagnations and stuckness. I connect with, experience and release my truth as I create.”

Roses and Honey

When her triplets were two Latifah began painting again.
“ Being a mother has brought ligh to my truth. I am an artist by nature. I want to paint, draw and create -- to explore my inner worlds through color, line, form, collage... as much as possible.”

Last month, Latifah attended the Unity Music Festival in Warfordsburg PA. where, for the second year in a row, her worked served as a beautiful backdrop for the main stage musicians.
(Singer Lindsay Mac with Latifah's art in background

Please visit her web site HERE (http://www.latifahshay.com/) for more information about Latifah’s art.

Deryn Mentock - Steampunk-Meets-Tiffany's

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Deryn Montock
This is the first time I've featured a jewelry artist on this blog. However, Deryn Mentock's artistry is so unusual and exceptional that I just had to show you her work.
Caged Charlotte

Each piece of Deryn' jewelry is like a little sculpture or a reminder of the past zapped with an idea for the future. It verges on steampunk, but is more refined than that. It almost defies description. I'd say these pieces are a melding of fine jewelry elements with rough and raw materials wrapped in wire and fashioned in unusual ways to come up with something truly unique and wonderful.
Beth's Charm Keeper

One can tell, just by looking at this jewelry, that the artist who makes it draws from multiple influences. She writes, "As a kid, my parents always encouraged me in the direction of art making. My mom was very creative and I grew up in a do-it-yourself household. Consequently, I've had my fingers in a lot of different art pies! I haven't had much formal training but I've pretty much tried it all, creatively speaking; painting, leaded glass, jewelry making, calligraphy, sewing, pottery, drawing, embroidery, collage, photography, candle making and more. I think that varied background has given me a good knowledge of materials and techniques that I'm able to apply to the artwork that I do today."

Little Green Apples

Deryn's designs mingle unique, worn and well-loved finds, religious pieces and faceted, semi-precious stones as well as one-of-a-kind handmade elements. These elements are all combined in eye-catching ways that are unexpected. She titles each piece suitably with names that characterize the jewelry's unique qualities just as any artist would title a painting or sculpture.

Miraculous

When working on her jewelry, Daryn prefers to create the look and feel of vintage, unusual and found objects. She delights in blending these treasures into her work. Each composition, infused with color and texture, reveals an intuitive message of faith conveyed through the artist’s hands.

Koi Pond

Deryn enjoys teaching nationally and is a design team member for Susan Lenart Kazmer’s “Objects and Elements.” Her artwork has been featured in several books including “Mixed Emulsions” by Angela Cartwright. “Exhibition 36” by Susan Tuttle and, most recently, “Collaborative Art Journals and Shared Visions in Mixed Media” by LK Ludwig. You can also find her work in many articles and publications, including Step by Step Wire Jewelry, Belle Armoire Jewelry, Belle Armoire, Art Doll Quarterly, Stampington's Gallery, Correspondence Art and Stampington's book Artist Trading Cards.

Amber Collar
You can contact Deryn at mocknet@sbcglobal.net and see more of her work at her BLOG; and her ONLINE STORE.

Buddhist Mandala Ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:23:00 +0000

Back in the 80's, when I lived in Houston, I took my Goddaughter, Petunia, to the final day of a Buddhist mandala meditation ceremony. It was fascinating to watch the Buddhist monks complete their mandala sand painting, slowly and carefully using the colored sands that were all lined up in pots like the ones above. I couldn't believe how much detail was contained in every square inch of the beautiful sand painting.

During these ceremonies, the construction process takes several days. Then, much to the dismay of the viewing audience, the mandala is destroyed shortly after its completion. This is done as a teaching tool and metaphor for the impermanence' of all contingent and compounded phenomena.

For those of you unfamiliar with the mandala and its significance, it is a design that is a representation of the cosmos or the universe, created in a circular pattern which leads to a central point. It is a symbol or wholeness, of beginning and end.

Simple mandala have been drawn by many native people in many counties, including the early Australian Aboriginal people. Many Christian churches have a circular stained glass window, with the cross as the center point of the circle.

In the Buddhist mandala, the circles represent levels of the cosmos, and the squares generally depict earthly levels. The levels may have gates, which lead into the center of the mandala. The mandala is used as an external expression to help find the universe within. Often, the mandala incorporates symbols or physical representations of the Buddha to show the transition of the spiritual journey

No two sand mandalas are ever alike.

However, each one is created using the same basic concepts.

Here is a video that I found on YouTube that illustrates what the ending ceremony is like:

(If you are unable to view the video above, please click HERE.)

A Steampunk Orange

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:09:00 +0000

Back when I was a kid, the old man who ran the local photography studio taught me how to hand tint photos with oil paints and a Q-tip. Now my Mom's album of family photos contains a number of pictures of strange-looking blue or magenta- skinned individuals.

Photo Manipulation has been practice since the 1800's. Before computers, photo manipulation was done with oil paints, as mentioned above, with ink, double-exposure, piecing photos or negatives together in the darkroom, or by scratching Polaroids. Now, with the use of Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Corel Photopaint, and other software program an image can now be edit with ease. A good quality and angle of both images is a must to achieve a good manipulation result.

Here are some fun manipulated computer images that I was able to dig up on the web. Some of them are downright amazing! :

Connie Cohen - Spizzi Mosaics

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:29:00 +0000

Connie Cohen

Wouldn’t you just love to have a shower surround like this?!

Firedog Shower

If you’re a fan of modern mosaics with Old World style, you might want to pay a visit to Spizzi Mosaics, the studio of Minneapolis, Minnesota mosaic artist, Connie Cohen.

Connie began her art life as a graphic designer. Then, a friend told her about a do-it-yourself TV program she had seen about pique assiette techniques and tile cutting. The friend suggested that the two of them begin making mosaics and the rest is history. Connie very quickly became hooked on the art form. A couple of years later, she found herself in Ravenna, Italy with her Mom where she took Lucianna’s mosaic course and fell in love with smalti. Since then, she has spent much of her life creating and perfecting her beautiful decorative and fine art works. Connie works primarily with either Italian or Mexican smalti, but has recently begun to add stained glass to her work.

“I fell into the world of mosaics by chance and have discovered something far beyond what I could have ever imagined. What began as a hobby has led me deeper into the world of art, history and architecture. For me, it is the perfect synergy of my background in graphic design and architecture. I’m captivated by the process and I’m intrigued by the idea of making a fluid “painting” using a solid material. I am amazed by the magic in the process and I create to be a part of that magic.”

Whether working to music or in quiet solitude, Connie’s work reflects a deep, thoughtfulness about the designs and process.

“Whether I'm studying someone else's technique or free-forming on my own, I think my hand and personal sensibility comes through without really thinking about it.”

Connie enjoys working with and sharing her work with children and has participated in a number of Artist in Residency programs in her career. Perhaps most admirable was her stint with the Kulture Klub Collaborative, a non-profit that offers art opportunities to homeless youth. She coaches her students to find designs and colors that portray each person’s unique style.

If you happen to be in the vicinity of Long Beach, CA. this summer, you might want to stop by the 2nd. Cith Council Gallery. Two of Connie’s pieces, “The Tree of Inner Solitude” and “Kissed by the Tree of Weeping Love” , were accepted into the juried show: Tesserae: The Art of Mosaic. They will be at the gallery from June 27 - August 5.

You may view more of Connie Cohen’s work HERE.

Exhibition Notice

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:46:00 +0000

I received the following announcement today. Imaging making 50 mosaics in 50 days!

>
> Hello friends, family, and colleagues,
> I’m writing to tell you about my art blog called Jude Pittman’s Studio,
> www.judepittmanstudio.blogspot.com
> The new artwork which I’m making every day for 50 days will be exhibited with 66 other artists’ work In the 50/50 Show at the Sanchez Art Center July 24-August 29.
>
> Whew! It’s an exhilarating challenge to make a mosaic every day for fifty days.
> A couple new pieces will be added to the blog every few days. Please join me in this creative journey by checking out my blog! Then come to the grand opening on
> Friday, July 24 7–9 pm
> at the Sanchez Art Center
> 1220 Linda Mar Blvd. Pacifica CA
>
> All of these 6" x 6" artworks are for sale
> and may be taken home at the time of purchase.
> Cheers,
> Jude Pittman
> Visit my website for more artwork at www.judepittman.com
>

German Artist, Lierre Foest

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Lierre Foest

Describing the watercolors of Lierre Foest is not easy. She makes whimsical creatures that sometimes verge on darkness, yet accomplishes this with rich, brilliant color. She paints abstracts and and originally-flavored fantasy art. Her style runs the gamut between cubist and expressionist influences to outsider art to naive/faux - naive/folk art, but the one unmistakable element that characterizes Lierre’s paintings is her eye for color.

Washes of primary and secondary colors sweep the viewer into the fantasy worlds she creates with her brush.

If you can’t see the vdieo above, please click HERE.

Lierre is in her 20s, lives in former communist East Germany, is married and has three children ages 3 and under. She works from a home studio as a painter, writer, and designer. Primarily self-taught, Lierre briefly attended the Albert-Schweizer School for Music and Art in Hamburg, Germany and studied watercolor under a teacher at another school for a few weeks . She quit after a few months to move east and eventually started teaching herselfI used to work under a penname.

"I'm obsessed with Poe and with James Horner's music, but I like Goethe and Mozart too. In Hamburg, Germany I attended the Albert Schweizer School for music and art and studied watercolor briefly but other than this have no formal training in art. And the absolute most important thing anyone reading this definitely needs to know about me is that I do not like writing autobiographies."

“I've found I am very comfortable as an autodidact. I started selling paintings about 4 years ago and have sold over 400 so far to collectors all over the world. My favourite medium is watercolor but I also work in ink (pen and wash), coloured pencil, charcoal, graphite, acrylics, oils, and oil pastel. “

“I prefer tiny and detailed work, using on average pens with tips 0.05 mm in width, and brushes size 10/0. Many of the paintings and drawings I do are 1" x 1", art card size (2.5" x 3.5" also called ACEO or ATC) or 4" x 6" also called OSWOA). I also do 5" x 7" and some 12" or larger but am most comfortable with tinier sizes and miniatures.”

Interested parties may view more of Lierre’s work on her web site HERE.

Photograms - Photos without Cameras

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Sun, 24 May 2009 04:43:00 +0000

A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of attending an exhibit at the Frankel Gallery in San Francisco that featured photograms. Photograms are photographic images made without a camera by placing objects directly onto the surface of a photo-sensitive material such as photographic paper and then exposing them to light. The result is a negative shadow image . Man Ray is most often attributed with bringing this method into the art world, although he called his works, “rayographs”.
Man Ray Rayograh

You may have experimented with a relative of photograms if you have made "sun prints" using blue architect's paper which, when exposed to the sun, turns white. Perhaps you laid leaves across it, put down your hand, or created a composition with kitchen objects before exposing it to the sun and developing it in the kitchen sink using running water. These are photograms. The forms block the light, leaving white or gray imprints, like shadows, on the paper or film when it is developed. Opaque objects leave white areas because no light gets through them; translucent objects leave shades of gray.

River Taw 19
Susan Derges is an internationally recognized photographic artist, also uses this technique in her work . She focuses primarily on landscapes. River Taw 19 is one of her more notable images.

The German painter, graphic artist and poet, Max Ernst is considered to be one of the primary pioneers of the Dada movement and Surrealism. He, too, experimented with photograms. Photograms became a signature trademark with many of the Dada artists.

Mr. Knife Miss Fork

Photograms are a good way to teach composition, shape, and value. They can be made with a sheet of photographic paper with objects put on top. The sheet and objects are arranged under the enlarger and exposed for about 30 seconds with a wide aperture (e.g. f 5.6 or wider). The paper is then developed according to normal procedures. Photograms are one-of-a-kind prints, because once the objects are removed from the paper, that particular arrangement is gone. Photograms invite experimentation with different objects and techniques. Using a flashlight, for example, would give very different lighting than the enlarger. Liquids on glass (cliché verre), cellophane, coal pitch, chemical salts on glass ("crystallography"), and moving beams of light have all be experimented with to create different effects.

László Moholy-Nagy
László Moholy-Nagy was a Hungarian painter and photographer as well as professor in the Bauhaus school. He was highly influenced by constructivism and a strong advocate of the integration of technology and industry into the arts. Moholy-Nagy's cameraless images bore the name that we most often use now with this class of images, "Photograms." He was interested in photography as a medium of light and form, not sentiments or personal feelings that are the concerns of other art forms.

Rodchenk
Aleksander Mikhailovich Rodchenk was a Russian artist, sculptor, photographer and graphic designer. He was one of the founders of constructivism and Russian design is also a notable creator of photograms. His images suggest someone who is no longer there, the absence of body, yet the resonance of history.

Shadographia
This piece, entitled, Shadographia, was created by Christian Schad in Stuttgart. Schad was a German painter associated with Dada and the New Objectivity movement.

Free Radicals
Len Lye, born Leonard Charles Huia Lye was a New Zealand-born artist known primarily for his experimental films and kinetic sculpture. "Free Radicals" was among a number of his more notable photograms.

Fuss
Adam Fuss’ images have depicted babies, water droplets, christening dresses, moving light, snakes, sunflowers, rabbit entrails, and human skulls. His work was on display at the Frankel the day I went.

If you have access to a darkroom, you might want to check out these instructions on how to make your own photogram.

Art Fad Gains Popularity - Matryoshka Nesting Dolls

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:47:00 +0000

I'm not sure if the shop is still in Jack London Square here in Oakland, but we used to enjoy taking our Maya there to see the beautiful, hand-pained Russian nesting dolls called, "Matryoshka"...You know the kind...There is a large one and you pull the top off and find others in graduating sizes. I had a couple of sets when I was a child.

As the popularity of Matryoshka has grown, more people are interested in making their own customized art dolls. Kits are now commercially available to allow any artist to create their own unique nesting dolls.

They are often made to resemble political favorites, movie stars or other characters, even famous artists. A few weeks ago when I was in New York, I saw a set that was comprised of the likenesses of Picasso, Salvador Dali, Magritte and other notables in the art world. It had a $3800 price tag on it.

Matryoshka dolls range in size from 1/2" to life size and larger.

Custom painted gaming pieces are also popular. These chess sets are unique and may include the King, Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight and Pawn as interesting conversation starters.

Other games and game characters, such as Mario and company, are cool as Matryoshka dolls.

Using kits of blank nesting dolls, an artist is limited only by the imagination.

Matryoshka dolls must nest inside each other, so hand painting them is a popular option. Some designers are creative with fabric and felt and create the look of more traditional soft dolls with their kits.

Favorite characters from movies, books and folklore are also often featured on nesting dolls. Santas of all varieties are collectors’ items, so it only makes sense that Santa Matryoshka dolls are readily available. Best loved characters from movies and cartoons also make nesting dolls really special to collector and some are worth thousands of dollars.

Dictators, presidents and world leaders are commemorated in Matryoshka dolls quite frequently. Collectors value these nesting dolls as historic timestamps, as the leader’s look during a particular election of time in power is recorded on each set of dolls. Russian presidents are a particularly popular subject of Matryoshka dolls.

From endangered species to beloved family pets, nearly all types of animals have been carefully painted onto Matryoshka dolls. Some nesting doll sets feature animals you might find in a zoo or endangered species.

Whatever the subject, Matryoshka nesting dolls have the potential to make it more interesting.

Michael DeMeng - Getting Kinda Rusty

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:46:00 +0000

Michael DeMeng
For assemblage artist, Michael DeMeng, rust plays a significant role in his work. In fact, he authored a book called, "Secrets of Rusty Things"

This is “Little Ben”, one of Michael's latest creations. The assemblage was fashioned out of a roller skate, an alarm clock and a Goodwill dolly.

About his work, Demeng says, “My work is about transformations. It is about the transformation of the common into the sacred. Discarded materials find new and unexpected uses in my work; they are reassembled and conjoined with unlikely components, a form of rebirth from the ashes into new life and new meaning. These assemblages are metaphors for the evolutions and revolutions of existence: from life to death to rebirth, from new to old to renewed, from construction to destruction to reconstruction. These forms are examinations of the world in perpetual flux, where meaning and function are ever-changing.”

An excellent example of this is his life size Mother’s Day offering that is based on one of the most complex Hindu deities, Kali Ma, the Dark Mother.

"One missing feature that I deliberated long and hard on is the traditional Kali tougue. I tried it and it was too much for this particular piece. Instead I sort of insinuate it."

In his article for the Missoula Independent, Andy Smetanka described DeMeng’s studio much the same way someone would describe mine: “...a jumbo cardboard box full of cut-up and yet-to-be-cut-up magazines here, the rusty innards of a mechanical cash register there. A bag of bottle caps. Buckets of gears and cogs. Threaded brass bushings and odd bits of rusting iron everywhere. There’s crap all over the place.” (One man's trash…
by Andy Smetanka -Missoula Independent Vol. 16 No. 3 - Issue Date 1/20/2005)
(insert Demeng’s studio)

Michael’s assemblages are created from objects that he finds here and there…yard sales, antique shops…..He transforms them into works of art that transcend steam punk into a genre of their own. He glues them and paints and welds them until they no longer even remotely resemble their original forms. Strange, other-worldly animal-based pieces called, “mmanimals” that he classifies as his “Zoo-Illogicals” seem to beckon viewers to step closer.

Each of his rusty shrines appears to commemorate some mythological metal diety or... poet, as the case may be...

No home is complete without at least one Michae DeMeng Pez dispenser:

…and this bra assemblage almost defies description.

Michae travels the world over teaching workshops to people who are interested in learning his unique assemblage techniques. Please CLICK HERE for his workshop and exhibit schedule. His ONLINE STORE has all kinds of nifty ware for the DeMeng enthusiast and readers can find out even more about Michael DeMeng at HIS WEB SITE. He has one of the best blogs out there which you can find by clicking HERE.

The results of the April Mosaic ATC Swap

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:20:00 +0000

Stacy Alexander
April yielded one of the most fun art swaps I have ever been a part of. I decided to organize a mosaic ATC card swap and put out calls all over the internet. A whole lot of people signed up, but not as many actually sent in their cards. The ones I did receive were so lovely, however, that I decided to feature them all here.

This lovely set was created by Susan Bjerke, who made cards in three distinct styles. All three cards were shiny and glistening. Her choices of mirror, glitter tile and some type of cool glaze over the concentric card was really eye-catching! She added the latter card as an extra and I was so happy!

Stacy Hurt is a fiber artist who made these very unique and beautiful cards in gold ,red and black. The center tiles are polymer clay and have been stitched on with beads, symbols and a little of this and that. I just love these cards and am so happy that she included an extra for me.

Gila Rayberg absolutely blew me away with these tiny portraits of Anna Marie Cox and Rachel Maddow! She included the smaller heart piece as a gift. I can't believe she got so much detail into a 2.5" x 3.5" space! I can't imagine even taking on an endeavor like this, but Gila totally succeeded!

Check out the tiny detail in these cool polymer clay cards that were made by Gerri Newfry!
I'm not sure which one I love more! They looked really great in person. Each tiny piece was made by hand.

Precise traditional mosaic technique was used in this set by Sharon Curry. The soft, earthy tones really made these cards special! Don't these look like a larger mosaic? I found working with pieces this small to be a real challenge. Sharon accomplished the objective with incredible precision!

Joanie Hoffman took a less traditional route with her whimsical fish cards. They were made of fabric with bead embellishments and a creatively grouted set of tiny buttons at the bottom.

Deb Aldo made this pretty, pretty set using two different styles. The one of the left has some of the prettiest green glass I have ever seen. The more modern blue card has mirror in the middle and try as I did, I was unable to take a shot that made it actually look like mirror so I added a lens flare just to so it would look reflective. (Nothing like cheating with Photoshop!). These were really awesome!

Rachel Ogden's two cards were created with very thin, delicate glass that shimmered in the light. I had a heck of a time doing them justice with my camera. They were gorgeous in person! I don't know if you can tell by the photo but the one with wire on it is a caged heart and the other one is a bird!

When Sharon Haddockasked if she could send four cards instead of just two, I saw no reason to say no....and man! I'm sure glad she sent them. Each one was wired for hanging and was made of fused glass that she made herself. Some of the glass was transparent, so when you held the cards up to the light, they were just incredible! She also put silvered edging on each card. Wow! She also very generously included some tiny fused glass leaves and other glass goodies in the package.

Johnna Edmondson is another artist who took a non-traditional approach to this project. Aren't these fun?! She sent me an email beforehand and told me she had used something special for the grout, but didn't want to tell me what it was. I had no idea it was going to be fiber! Cool!! I love the hardness of the tile mixed with the soft fiber.

Mindy Brent's organic card on the left reminds me of that piece that Goldsworthy did at the entrance of the deYoung Museum in San Francisco. It stands in stark contrast to the glitzy glass card on the right! Whoever gets this set will be very fortunate, indeed!

Jessica Sanders received a lot of buzz over on my Flickr album with these two beauties. They're both remarkable, but folks seemed really crazy about the red flame one. They had an incredible amount of detail in them!

I featured Diane Moore on this blog quite a while ago. She has really earned a name for herself with her legendary bead work. For some reason, the photo makes the beads inside the hearts look widely spaced, but they really weren't. They were tight and just lovely! She did a great job creating these unique beauties!

Stacy Alexander
I made these cards just to even things out. The card on the right was something I made by stacking the tiles on their sides. Susan Crocenzi made a beautiful mosaic using this technique and I made a mental note to try it myself. I really enjoyed the challenges it created!

If you are one of the artists who made cards for this swap, I would appreciate it very much if you would comment here and tell us a little bit about your process, concept or techniques used to make these cards. I'd like to congratulate everyone for doing such a great job! They were all beautiful and I had so much fun seeing all of them in person. FYI, they all went out in today's mail, so should be to you in a couple of days.

Thanks for playing!

Mina Bahic, a Contemporary Romantic

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Sun, 10 May 2009 23:26:00 +0000

Today, I grouped my featured artist's photographs all together in one shot to illustrate the beautiful and spontaneous interplay between her photography and her paintings.

Twenty two year old North Carolina painter, actor, musician and photographer, Mina Bahic, has managed to harness the same embodiment of elements that spoke to landscapists Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran in their work during the Romantic period. Her expressions of deep, richly-colored floating clouds hovering over more color and form are her strongest signature.

She has been painting since she was in third grade and uses art as a therapeutic tool to escape life’s everyday stresses. It is difficult to determine whether her paintings influence her photography or if the photography inspires the billowing hues that softly rest on her canvases.

While Mina's ultra-contemporary abstracts realistically resemble those of the Abstract Impressionists more than they physically resemble anything from the Romantic period, they carry some of the same identifying characteristics of the latter. Namely, her work reflects strong emotion as a source of aesthetic experience. Not surprisingly, she listens to music for inspiration and lets this dictate the mood and lyrical quality of her art. Her saturated colors capture the grandeur of the sky and fire the imagination to interpret the powerful, yet gentle, stories she tells with the two media. Upon viewing her work, one is jettisoned into that unmistakable state of aesthetic pleasure as the beauty of color is arranged in perfect harmony

Interested parties can view more of Mina’s work on her MySpace page.

Karen Pearle - Pearls of Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Fri, 08 May 2009 06:53:00 +0000

Karen Pearle
"You must become aware of the richness in you and come to believe in it and know it is there."
Brenda Ueland

Recently, I was a guest at the studio of one Ms. Karen Pearle. My journey through Karen’s special world of mosaic art began when I walked through her white gate and onto the walkway through a beautiful Zen garden. The roses were blooming and this set the mood for the entire visit.

The first thing evident when stepping inside her studio, was Karen's obvious passion for the art she creates. Early roots of this passion sprang from sitting as a child in a synagogue. “I would find refuge from the sermons and chants by gazing longingly at the stained glass windows, filled with luminous color that would change as the light changed.” As an adult, she fills her walls and life with the same luminous colors that inspired her childhood dreams.

Karen’s prolific body of work spans many different subjects and emotions. Her expressive portraiture is particularly interesting. Einstein’s face staring out from broken shards of pottery and glass and the three portraits of Van Gogh are among my personal favorites, but these works only touch the surface in terms of Karen’s versatility.

The woman in her “Spirit of Unity” piece reminded me of Frida Kahlo.

“My work is a passionate and imaginative exploration of color and form in the ancient, yet new medium of mosaics. Stained glass and mixed media give this medium a tactile and brilliantly reflective quality.”

When she isn’t making mosaics, Karen does healing work that is designed to help people recover from stress and trauma. She also assists individuals in getting in touch with and deepening their creativity and purposes in life. Her Healing Practice, Chi Nei Tsang, is located in Oakland, where for 15 years she has specialized in these areas. The small room where she does her this work is filled with the art that is spiritual in nature. For example, this striking triangle piece rests on the wall at the head of the massage table where the work takes place.

All of the walls hold spiritually inspired colorworks of depth and tactile wealth and significance in meaning.

This bird piece was a healing experience for Karen after the death of her mother.

She created a series of circular mosaics inspired by Katsushika Hokusai’s, “Great Wave”.

Karen received Master of Fine Arts from Queens College in New York in 1990. You may find more pictures of her work on her web site at Pearl Glass Mosaics. Contact the artist directly at
bctherapy@aol.com

Karma Hallmark - Concentric Color Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Sat, 02 May 2009 07:22:00 +0000

Karma Hallmark

I first met Karma "back in the day" when she attended Lamar High School in Houston with my elder daughter, Stacy, Jr. She has subsequently become a close friend to our family and, indeed, seems like a true member. And although her own Mom is crazy about her (and rightfully so), I often refer to her as my "substitute daughter" of "step daughter".

I have recently returned from a trip to Karma's current home in New York City where spending time with her rejuvenated my enthusiasm for her spirited and whimsical artistic creations.

Wassily Kandinsky considered the circle to be the most peaceful shape, a shape that represents the human soul. Karma’s paintings capture that same inner resonance by which color touches the soul itself.

Her condensed, kaleidoscopic, jewel-like effects are filled with sudden dynamism, pictorial complexity and energy.

Karma's obvious love of color and awareness of space lend themselves to her characteristic creations of squares with concentric rings or ornamentation in collaged grids or on hand shapes that evoke motion and fervor of spirit, happiness and peaceful celebration.

Karma uses her mixed media paintings as a segue between design school that was based in innovation and technology, into a more connected, harmonious manifestation of her life as an artist.

To create her works, Karma uses a mix of media: watercolor, hard and soft pastels, colored pencils and acrylic paint on either paper or wood.

She applies the soul-touching colors in a way that causes them to play against one another, creating an inner resonance that has a purely spiritual effect.

The bold lines and brilliant hues in Karma's designs transport her art beyond the realm of folk art into a creative springboard of geometric intrigue. Her collages are saturated with wild gyrations of colors that move through space, yet are held together by the consistent square grid. The repetitive circular patterns on her hand symbols evoke images of Indian mendi gone wild. There is so much action in them that one could say they are expressions of events, that is, of unfolding time.

Karma holds double degrees from the University of North Texas in Radio, TV and Film and anthropology. Her masters is from Illinois Institute of Technology, Institute of Design in Design Planning. Check out her web site at: KARMA WORKS

James Kuhn – From Christian Drag Queen to Artful Chameleon

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:29:00 +0000

It all started the other day when I was looking through pictures on Flickr. Someone who uses the screen name “Hawhawjames” had posted a mini-video of his face painted with the images of two Byzantine dancers. As he puffed out his cheeks and chin and moved his head about, the dancers moved in time to the jungle-esque drum beat sound track. It was hilarious ...and I was hooked! One doesn't see talent such as this every day. I had to find out more about this guy.

Turned out, the work was by James Kuhn, a performance artist from Three Oaks, Michigan, one of the most talented, fabulous and versatile people I have ever encountered!

Turns out James has the potential to inspire from many unexpected angles. Here he is as drag queen, “Junie Moon”

The artist states, “When I dress up in female drag I go by the name of Junie Moon! I have walked in at least 15 Chicago Gay and Lesbian Pride Parades, and did drag shows at bars in Chicago, with my various partners, mostly at the North End bar on Halsted Street. I am famous for my huge hair creations and wild getups. I rarely do shows anymore, but still attend the Halsted St. Fair in costume and am usually seen in the parade. I consider myself a Performance Artist and my drag is a natural extension of my art.”

I found this little anthology of James’ work here:

(If you can’t see the video above, please click HERE )

The more I investigated this artist, the more amazed I was by how he is able to transform his face and life into such wonderful and colorful personae.

I dropped him a line to ask if I could write an entry about him and was very pleased when he responded in the affirmative.

James informed me that he went to art school at the Art Institute of Chicago and obtained a BFA in drawing and painting. He is represented by “Blue Gallery” in Three Oaks, Mi.

He has an upcoming show there in September, and one in Toronto at an arts center where he plans to lecture about his 365 face art project. (Click HERE to see information about his incredible book, “365 Faces” )

The artist states. “I accidentaly discovered face painting and it has become my biggest passion. I think painting on skin is an amazing sensual experience, and painting myself in the mirror is always a fun challenge. Face paint must have magical powers because it transports me into another world where i can be anything i can imagine. I am constantly inspired, and see no limit to the medium.”

Watch the zebra move!

(click HERE if you can’t see the video )

…but wait….That’s not all!

James is a devout Christian who also paints Biblical art work that he sells to churches.

To make his Biblical works, James uses a paper mosaic technique in which he uses acrylic paint to cover small pieces of paper that he then layers onto a substrate, mosaic fashion. He says he has a number of loyal clients who purchase he work regularly. James attends the New Life Community of Hope, a "21st century, reconciling, and inclusive fellowship of Christian believers."

He writes about his ideas for face painting on his online journal HERE, and his Flickr photostream is HERE.

Check it all out. It will keep you fascinated for days on end!

Catherine L. Mommsen - It's All in the Details!

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Catherine L. Mommsen
I first met Fairfax Virginia artist, Catherine Mommsen, on the online photo hosting web site, Flickr.

Known there as "Doeki", Catherine has been a constant encouraging spirit for a lot of the other artists who post photographs of our work there. She seems to take a genuine interest in what other artists are doing and does not hesitate to exude her approving commentary. She is kind, supportive, witty and is a remarkable artist in her own right.

Babel

Catherine's drawings consist of patterned ink renderings so beautiful that they almost defy description. I own one of them and could barely believe my eyes when I removed it from the package! The fine, unwavering detail seemed almost impossible to have been created by a human being, yet Catherine continues to turn out brilliant piece-after-perfect-piece!

Entwined - The Mommsen Girls

Ink drawing has been around for a long time - its earliest origins were in China about 5,000 years ago - and was originally developed for darkening the raised surfaces of stones for pictures and writings. But other cultures also used inks they made that were colored from berries, plants, and minerals that were available in the local areas. The ink used in earlier artistic works has very little in common with what we use today, and scholars have not been able to identify all of them.

Giza in Binary

Catherine writes:

Art is subjective: I draw in order to understand myself and the world around me; to explore differences, diversity, extremes, patterns and oddities. My work is intuitive and experimental. Contrasts are my building blocks: Contrasts such as the formal structure of technical drawing (my field of formal training) versus the flow and movement of freehand; contrasts in textures, colors, lines and shapes. Drawn to the offbeat, quirky and slightly out-of-step, I strive to express the unique and diverse found in every-day life.

Technique, process and media intrigue me. Learning from other artists, understanding diverse processes, and experimenting with new media are all exciting and fill my need to understand how the world works.

Inks are my current media of choice, partly because of their vibrant substance, sense of permanence, and versatility; but also because of the strong contrast of the sharp line against a soft background. I adore heavy, weighty, substantial papers. I love the warmth and light of beeswax. The possibilities with etching and printmaking are exciting.

It's true that art imitates life, but it is my life that inspires my art. I believe those who enjoy my work take away a bit of my unique perspective, and hopefully, are reminded of the extraordinary in everyday life.

Seti

Catherine grew up in Midwest America where, "... soft, muted tones dominate the landscape. When she left the Midwest, she traveled throughout the U.S. and abroad before finally settling just outside of Washington DC where, as she puts it, "... strong lines and contrasts dominate my environment."

Star Map

Catherine attributes much of her inspiraton to the Pacific NW where she claims, "... my love for diverse colors and designs was indelibly set.

The Resurrection of Amador

North Pole

The artist writes, "I am largely self-taught, as I believe are most artists. My formal degree is from Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College where my focus was on technical drawing, copper etching and mathematics."

Echo

She continues, "Although my interest and experience ranges from assemblages and mixed media to experimentation with paper sculpture, my abiding passion is for drawing. I am currently preparing for a collaborative exhibition next winter with two other pen and ink artists. My short term plans include workshops in intaglio printmaking and encaustic painting."

Read more about Catherine and her work on HER BLOG, or follow her Flickr Photostream HERE.

Yulia Brodskaya Makes Quilling Positively Thrilling!

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:25:00 +0000

Yulia Brodskaya

Quilling, or filigree paper work, is an art that involves rolling or coiling thin strips of paper into intricate designs and shapes. Most sources agree that quilling is an ancient art form, possibly first practiced with paper by monks and nuns to decorate religious objects. The art itself is likely named because originally the tiny strips of paper were rolled over goose quills. Prior to the invention of paper, other societies curled thin metal wire in a similar decorative fashion.

For those of you unfamiliar with the process, I present the following video on beginning quilling techniques. While this is a commercial video, please note that I am neither promoting nor endorsing these products. Simply, I thought this was the best video to give a quick overview of what quilling actually is and how it's done.

(If you are unable to see the video above, please click HERE.)

Today’s blog entry features one of my favorite quilling artists, Yulia Brodskaya. I was so happy to hear from her this morning, granting me permission to feature her work here because it truly is spectacular! She takes quilling to an entirely new level.

Originally from Russia, Yulia Brodskaya is now a London-based graphic designer / illustrator who specializes in a paper art technique that lets her create distinctively graceful and artful typography.

Before moving to the UK in 2004 Yulia was interested in diverse creative practices ranging from Textile Painting, Origami and Collage to more traditional Fine Art practices.

Since obtaining her MA in Graphic Communication from the University of Hertfordshire in 2006, she has continued to experiment and explore ways of bringing together all the things that attract her most: typography, paper, and highly detailed hand-made craft objects.

Yulia engages in creating a wide variety of her paper-craft artwork. She enlists her typographical skills and knowledge of color in breathtaking combinations ranging from the full-spectrum of rainbow colors to the simpler, yet every bit as complex, white on white.

Yulia was recipient of a first place award in the Russian Conceptual Packaging Design Competition and elected a Member of the International Society of Typographic Designers in 2006. Her artistic life consists of constant experimentation and evolution.

Please check out Yulia’s web site to see more of her fascinating art work! CLICK HERE

The Obligatory Easter Egg Post

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:49:00 +0000

Gary Lemaster

First, I'd like to wish a Happy Easter to all of my readers who celebrate it. I thought a fancy egg post would be most appropriate today, and a real expert at this sort of thing is egg shell artist, Gary Lemaster. (I thought my friend, Tracy Broback's children might especially enjoy this one.)

Gary LeMaster is the artist who creates these incredible carvings.

Gary writes:

"Almost everyone asks me what the eggs are made of, thinking that no one in their right mind would attempt to carve a real eggshell. They see that they are "egg-shaped" but assume that they are either ceramic or plastic. Despite that, they are - in fact - real eggshells, constructed primarily of calcium carbonate and produced in their original form by real geese, ostrich, rhea, emu, turkeys, chickens, etc."

"First, I empty and clean each egg. After the egg has dried, I use a lead pencil to sketch the details of my artwork directly on the shell. I then cut away appropriate sections of the design or engrave the surface of the shell (or both), using a variety of diamond and carbide cutting tools. My tool of choice is a dental handpiece powered by an air compressor which generates over 400,000 rpm's for the burs to do their job."

"Once the egg has been fully worked, I use my hands and an abrasive cleanser to remove any remaining pencil marks. The egg is then submerged in two bleach baths to disintegrate any membrane residue from the inside surface. Finally, the egg is signed and sealed with three or four coats of lacquer. It is then placed on a stand inside a glass dome to preserve and enhance its beauty. Each egg is, of course, signed and
dated by the artist and comes with a signed and dated certificate of authenticity stating the title of the egg and avowing that each egg is made by hand."

Gary has a web site called, "The Eggshell Sculptor" Click HERE to see more of his beautiful work.

(W.R.A.P.) The Gas Station Project

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Jennifer Marsh is the founder and director of the International Fiber Collaborative.
Its' first project was to provide an opportunity for people who enjoyed working with fiber arts, whether professional artists, hobbyists or students, to come together from all over the world to express their concern about the worlds extreme dependency on oil. The project was called the World Reclamation Art Project (W.R.A.P.), otherwise known as the Gas Station Project. Participants crocheted, knitted, stitched, patched, or collaged 3 foot square fiber panels that expressed each participants concern about the topic. Simply by designing and creating these panels and participating in this project, they were expressing their concern about this important subject to all nations. All of the panels were then sewn together to completely cover an abandoned gas station in central New York State.

In May, 2007 - The owner of the gas station signed a contract allowing use of the abandoned station.

The Call to Artists was made to crochet, knit, stitch, quilt, or patch 3 foot square (91.4 cm x 91.4 cm) fiber panels. The panels did not need to contain an image or be a literal portrayal of the artist's idea. It was due by March 15th, 2008.

Watch the installation video here:

If you are unable to see the above video, please click HERE

What follows are some photographs of the individual panels that were made for the project:

"Burlap Membrane"
Costa Rica
Collaborators:
Aura Madrigal, Irene Chaves, Gaby, Alina & Carlos Chavarria, Alex & Antony Gonzalez

Earth,Sea,Sky
Karen Rosenberg
Berkeley, CA
Wool, Silk, Misc.
Knitted

We Love Nature
Applique and Painting Over Cotton Mesh
Silvia Piza-Tandlick, Irene Chaves, Maritroni Avarado, Alex, Anthony, Gaby, Alina, Kris, and Patric. Silvia and members of the Cerro Danta Women's & Youngsters' Collective.

Aimee Lee
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
"Cut and knitted plastic shopping bags. Approx. 120 bags representing 3 years of bags collected by a couple in New York City."

Aimee Lee writes:
"I wanted to create a panel made out of a petroleum-based product, to show how our dependence on oil goes a lot further than gasoline for our vehicles. Plastic bags are an inextricable part of our lives, something we don't even ask for, but get automatically when we purchase goods. In cutting the bags into strips, I kept every piece of the bag in the knitting process so that it remains a closed circle; no plastic was put into the garbage system in the process. I also wanted to use bags from only one family, to show how many plastic bags can accumulate in one household (and this isn't even all of them!)."

Oil Splash in Water
Cherri
Syracuse, New York
“Oil Splash in Water”

Mary Trecilla
Milan, Italy

Jennifer Marsh is a graduate of Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts who currently lives in Alabama. She has expressed interest in doing more projects similar to this, so bookmark her web site and check back if you'd like to submit for the next round.

Suzanne Smith - Mosaics- a New World Order

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Mosaics represent a smashing of one world and a reassembly into a new order which is symbolic of all the art I have done in my life.

Suzanne Smith

Suzanne Smith
San Diego mosaic artist, Susanne Smith, created a mosaic workshop for adults with developmental disabilities at the St Madeline Sophie's Center in El Cajon, California. She then went on to do her own mosaics inspired by the Southern California cacti.

"I like to work in three dimensions and consider my creations garden sculpture."

Suzanne is a member of the Spanish Art Village Art Community and currently works as a Program Assistant with the Glenner Center where she makes art and music with folks who have Alzheimer Disease.

"Diversity" is the best word to describe Suzanne's art career. She writes, "I have lived in all sorts of situations around the world. I taught English in a school in India and Art in junior high on the Island of Guam. I got my degree in Art Education at the University of Washington in 1970. For twenty five years I lived in the wilderness of Southeast Alaska and did paintings of icebergs and mermaids. I also did many fish prints of large salmon. I lived for three months in Indonesia and studied Batik with Bagong Kassudirdja on Java. I did my own version of Batik paintings for the Pike Place Public Market in Seattle and worked at the Daniel Smith Art Supply Store there."

She says that she looks for her soul in her art.

" At that time I had an exhibit of my paintings that depicted exploding things. I exploded all sorts of items such as watermelons, apples, bridges, rubber ducks, computers etc. I was going thru a divorce and this study was a natural expression of those times. Then I got involved with a mentally disabled Vietnam Veteran and started a series of upside down paintings. I formed a partnership with another artist who was Vietnamese and he painted things upside down too. He had been a boat person coming over from Vietnam."

"I am a contributing artist at the Smash Shack here in San Diego where people go to smash plates and glass goblets as a kind of therapy. They let mosaic artists use the scraps and display their works in the shop."

"In an effort to explore the pure beauty of the world I currently do paintings of Palm Trees and drawings with a figure study group."

Interested parties can see more of Suzanne's work on HER BLOG.

Mosaic ATC Swap, anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:49:00 +0000

UPDATE: I have had a tremendous response to this post via email and a lot of questions, so please let me clarify. The 4 for 3 swap ends on the last day of March. The mosaic swap ends on the last day of April and is a 2 for 2. Participants need to email your intent to play prior to sending cards. I must have your mailing address for the database before you are officially entered.

Thanks....and have fun!

Stacy

I am hosting an Artist Trading Card swap for an art organization and 36 people have signed up. Huge swap! My granddaughter, Maya, also plans to participate.

Stacy Alexander

Over the next ten days, I will be receiving these miniature works of art, swapping them out and sending them back to the artists.

Johnna Edmondson

This particular swap is a "four-for-three", so each artist makes four, receives three back and I get to keep one card for hosting the swap.
Franny Smith

I've written about ATC's before, but want to revisit the subject because lately when I pick up the mail, there are new cards, each unique and inspirational and I can't not mention them!

Victoria O'Neil

There are entire organizations devoted to ATC's and their exchange. Since the inception of the concept, the cards have spread across the world like wildfire.
Ann Tyler

People collect them, reuse them in their own art pieces, trade them, frame them and carry them around in plastic cases for instant art fixes while they are out and about. I used to keep a stack of them on my coffee table for use as conversation pieces or as a meditation aid. I have always loved looking at them over and over.

Marie Johanson

The cards can be made of virtually anything...metal, wood, glass, tile, paper....so long as they conform to the size regulations, anything goes!
Victoria Pfan

They are small and are sometimes referred to as "pocket art"...baseball card size...2.5" x 3.5". For this swap, I have received some real beauties...but the one card that my friend, Joanne sent from England (especially for me to keep) evoked the idea that I should host a mosaic ATC exchange. Here is the entire set:

Joanne Archer

And this it the mosaic card up close:

Joanne Archer

If you would like to participate in the mosaic ATC swap, please send me an email for the details:
bayarts4u at gmail dot com.

The swap will be two-for-two. You create and send two mosaic 2.5" x 3.5" cards on any rigid substrate, and you'll receive two of someone else's cards. You can create your card from ceramic tile, polymer clay, glass...whatever you want. Those are the basics. I think it will be fun!

Susan Crocenzi Solo Exhibit

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:50:00 +0000

Susan Crocenzi, shown here with her friend, David (David is a drum-maker whose work will soon be seen here as soon as his web site is up and running...so check back!)
John and I had never been to Nevada City, so when we heard that the multi-talented, Susan Crocenzi, was having an opening at the Nevada City Winery there, we decided to take a little day trip to check things out. We're so glad we went! Look at this beautiful art!

The winery itself, which named Susan as "Artist of the Month", is nestled in the town’s characteristic rolling Sierra foothills. It proved to be every bit as charming as the rest of this alluring, diminutive village.

Arriving guests were greeted with a preview of Susan’s work that glistened and sparkled from the front window. You can see a little of it in the picture above (L) and in this shot taken from inside the building.

The gallery area was adorned with an abundance of food and drink, much of which was served in Susan Crocenzi mosaic-enhanced bowls and platters. One of the locals reported that Susan had toiled incessantly up to the last minute to create this inviting tablescape.

A mellow gathering of Susan’s friends and admirers filtered in and out of the gallery. Included was mosaic art notable, Pam Givens, whose appearance reportedly took a delighted Susan by complete surprise.

Susan's art style ranged from simpler designs to those that were wonderfully complex.

The area’s abundant foliage was a clear influence for much of Susan’s work.

Her art proved to be an endless parade of color-punched sparkle mixed with organic, natural themes that reflected Susan’s artistic vision perfectly.

Texturally rich and unique, each piece contained a different combination of tempered glass, beads, hand made polymer clay tiles, ceramic and glass tiles and unusually colored grout.

She also displayed pieces of her beautiful one-of-a-kind jewelry.

There was certainly something for everyone at this event.

To create her work, Susan combines a number of different techniques. She portrays mosaic art from a truly original vantage point.

Her carefully-placed amalgamations of tempered glass and hand-made polymer clay tiles provide a luxurious recipe for visual success.

Susan’s mosaic art will be appearing at the upcoming Society of American Mosaic Artists convention in San Diego and can also be viewed on her web site.

Congratulations, Susan!

Ellen D. Stern - A Mixed Bag of Artful Enthusiasm

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:29:00 +0000

First things first....Congratulations to Lynne Mossiman, the latest Listen to my Art Beat blog art drawing winner. I will be mailing out a great DVD to Lynne that is about the 1,000 Journals project just as soon as I can get my act together and make it to the post office.

Speaking of freebies....a pal of mine from Creative Souls, Artist Victoria O'Neal, is giving away a very cool print on her blog. Go to this link and leave a comment to be entered to win:

http://www.artypantz.blogspot.com/

___________________________________________________________________
Today's featured artist is Ellen D. Stern, someone whose fanciful creations are very cool!

Escaping Man
Originally from the Bronx, New York, self-taught conceptual artist, Ellen D. Stern, uses combinations of disparate objects, textures, and references in her work that are able to engage the viewers' emotions, humor and intellect. Her quirky and unique style is multi-disciplinary and therefore, offers something for most everyone. By looking at her work, one would never guess that she was an insurance company employee for nineteen years when she lived in New York.
Hourglass
Often feminine in theme, Ellen's mixed media works range from free-form basketry to mosaic art.

Homage to the Venus of Willendorf
Now residing in Michigan, Ellen attempts to show viewers the process of creation within each piece of art itself. She stated, “I see objects either in nature or man-made and they inspire me to create a piece of "found" art or else I just want to combine bright colors in new ways, or else I am affected by current events in the news. It's all an expression of how I feel.”

Portrait of a Man
“I hope to transmit to the viewer the same Eureka! moment that I experienced in conceiving the idea of the piece.”

Burlesque
I have embarked on many simultaneous missions:
I play God(dess), attributing characteristics to my medium and by being consistent within one piece, I aim to convince the audience of their validity.
In some instances, I find, recreate, ...

Desire

To see more of Ellen’s work, please visit HER WEB SITE.

Recovered Memory - Drawings from Jan Wurm's Closet

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy Alexander) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:10:00 +0000

RECOVERED MEMORY
drawings from Jan Wurm's closet

February 20 - March 27, 2009

Eddie Rhodes Gallery
Contra Costa College
2600 Mission Bell Drive
San Pablo, CA 94806

The nature of memory is fickle. Sometimes elusive, sometimes unrelenting, sometimes just not the way we remembered. The shifting nature of memory is intriguing. And when tiny fragments taunt us, we dig for more shards to piece together some reconstruction of something we may have retained only as a trace feeling or impulse.

In our efforts to document and hold on to experience, we photograph, record, and videotape. As a culture we erect monuments and memorials. As a community we sing songs and tell stories. All of these serve to build a shared history, a collective memory which is in constant flux. At times focus shifts, perspectives change, and the understanding and meanings change along with the altered memory of the moment. And as individuals we find infinite ways to mark our path: seashell, pebble, feather, a dried flower. Each serves as a touchstone for memories of childhood, travel, love and loss.

The drawings in this exhibition all address the evocative power of ordinary objects. The old towels were used in childhood on the back seat of the car to protect against wet and sandy bathing suits after a day at the beach. The old sheet covered a bed in London thirty-five years ago. The striped Indian bedspread lived in a student hostel. The leotard retains the tarnished dreams. The covering of the poker table bears the name of place out of time. Each object is a touchstone for memory and each memory the foundation for the drawn evocation of a passing moment.

How the drawings lightly rest on the surface, as if drawn up from the inner life of the object and ready to slip back at any moment, vanish without a trace, is a dance between statement and suggestion, expression and implication, inclusion and omission. A charcoal line traces the figure. Echoes of color allude to the form. The object is held fast to conjure the past. And this fills the closet with ribbons and ticket stubs and old perfumes. Unless, of course, we want to forget.