I spy something red

Ran Hwang, Dreaming of Joy, buttons and pins, 2008.

Rein Nomm, Winter Feast, a single strawberrry, 2005.



 

Labokoff, Trio, mixed media.

Mark Rothko, Red, Black, and Maroon, 1957.

Alexander Calder, Red Lily Pads, 1956.  Guggenheim Museum, New York.

Golly Bard, Cloche No. 3: Captured Hearts, watercolor, 2010.



Happy Valentine's Day!

New art, new header, new series

There's a lot of newness this week.  In addition to busily working on the new artist series that is launching on Monday, I've created a couple new art pieces.  The mixed media piece shown above is titled Lovebirds in the Moonlight.  I was inspired to create it after pruning our filbert tree this week.  Filbert trees have lovely little yellow blossoms in long clusters that dangle from branches.  In the artwork, I wanted to keep the branches sparse-looking, so I reflected the blossom design in the stars.



The other piece I completed this week is called Sea Garden.  The blue I used for the background reminded me of the ocean, so the work evolved from this perspective of being under water.

Also new this week is my header, just in case you didn't notice.  My friend, Korinne, helped me with the design.  She's super talented and has her own gocco machine, so if you're needing a designer for branding, cards, or invitations, I'd be happy to pass along her contact information.

Two cities, two blogs, and two artists a week

Kate Bingaman-Burt in her Portland studio.  Photo was taken by Anthony Georgis, another Portland artist featured in the interview series.



I'm so excited to tell you about this project I've been working on with Art Hound's Kate Singleton. This Monday, we are launching a six week series featuring twelve artists from Portland and Brooklyn. The interviews will showcase artists' latest works,  their work spaces, and their take on the independent art scene in Portland and Brooklyn. We're also inviting readers to join us in a dialogue about the vibrant art communities.  Hope you'll join us!

Sewing, just one of Jacqueline Bos' many talents.

Cards from the heart

My six-year-old daughter and I just finished valentine cards for her classmates.  I'm pretty happy with how they turned out considering we only used supplies found at home, and my daughter was able to do nearly all the steps of the project on her own.  



The first step was assessing our stock of craft supplies.  We gathered together some cream cardstock, crepe paper streamers, cutting and hole-punching gadgets, and an alphabet band stamp.



After brainstorming a basic card design, we started cutting strips of crepe paper streamers and gluing them onto paper.  (We used regular white copy paper as a base, but paper with printed text would have been fun, too.)  We made a total of three letter size sheets and let them dry overnight.



The next day, I made a heart template that my daughter used to trace onto the backside of the streamer collages.  We were able to cut nine hearts from one sheet.



While I cut the cardstock into quarters, my daughter used a decorative scissors ("clouds") along the edges of the paper to create a scalloped look.  We then glued the hearts onto the cards leaving some space at the top for the stamped message.



Initially, I wanted to stamp "Je t'aime" on the cards, but my daughter's vote was for "I heart you." As my daughter stamped the valentine message onto the cards, I detailed the edges with a small hole punch.  (Another decorative touch could be two purple lines sewn alongside the edges.)



We made twenty-seven cards altogether.  Now to start on an entirely different set of cards with my other daughter!

Smitten with Elisa Strozyk's wooden textiles

Wooden Blanket.



I'm in awe of Elisa Strozyk's amazing art, particularly her collection of wooden textiles.  I love how the wooden blanket and wooden carpet can transform from a two-dimensional piece to a three-dimensional work.  They are fluid, flexible, and even functional.



To create a wooden textile,  Elisa takes hand or laser cut wood veneer pieces and adheres them to a fabric backing.  Her craftsmanship and attention to detail are truly impressive. 



Wooden Carpet.  Photo credit: Sebastian Neeb

My love of portrait photography

In addition to drawing and painting, I like taking pictures, particularly of people.  Here are some of my more recent favorites.

 

I really enjoy black and white photography, especially working with film.  The first photograph was taken with a vintage camera, a Minolta Autocord. 



To read my post on how to take black and white portraits of kids, go here.

The alluring, imaginative world of Dan-ah Kim

I Hunt You



I love art that makes me look at it for a long time.  Such is the beautiful work of Brooklyn artist Dan-ah Kim.  Each piece she creates is like a story in itself, with heroines traversing through fantasy woods, fields, waters, and skies.



Dan-ah's art reminds me of the short French novel, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.  There is the common theme of celestial elements, but I realize it's more than that. Like the book, Dan-ah's art is a weaving of childlike innocence and the mature matters of the human heart and mind.

Stars Under My Control

I've Found Refuge In You

Tired Spirit

Findings of a Voyager