Artists I Like: Clare Bowers

Yes, I do like diamond clusters and cuddly animals and mountains in rainbow colors.  So when I came across Clare Bowers' art on Etsy, it was like she was reading my mind.  I love how she builds up  different layers and materials to create a visual melody of pattern and texture.  I recently contacted Clare and asked if she would share a few words about her art.  Here's what she had to say.



When I was a little girl, I used to write tiny notes and leave them inside hollowed out acorns.  I wanted to believe in magic and I figured if I found a secret note inside of an acorn, I would've thought that was pretty dang magical.  Like, maybe an elf wrote it?  Or a squirrel?  I like doing what I can to promote magic and wonder, but that's not really why I make things.  I make things because I have always needed and wanted to make things. 

Right now, I'm interested in creating art that doesn't have a specific story behind it.  I think people are connected by the feelings underneath our individual stories, and I'd rather connect with someone than tell them a story.   I love geometric shapes and patterns.  I'm inspired by nature, by plants and animals, and by the Northern California landscape- the texture and shape of skyscrapers, redwood trees, abandoned buildings, graffiti, the fog, the Russian River and the Pacific Ocean. 

Clare is currently taking a short break while she works on larger pieces and sculptures for her next show in October at Mina Dresden Gallery in San Francisco.  You can see her current collection in her Etsy shop here and on Flickr here.

Art sale in my Etsy shop!

It's time to clear off my shelves to make room for new items, so I'm running my first Etsy sale!  I like a great sale, and I like to give a great sale.  Over half of the listed items in my shop are marked 25 - 40% off!  I'll also throw in a little something with each purchase.  Click here to view all sale items.  Sale ends this Sunday.

Quilting a duvet cover amongst other things

 

I have always loved Marimekko's Unessa fabric and have wanted it as a duvet cover.  Over the last few months, however, I have been collecting a number of other fabrics and decided to quilt a duvet cover instead. I started the new quilting project just this past weekend. Using muslin as a base for the quilted top, I started sewing thin strips of fabric onto the muslin.  The strips run vertically on the duvet cover, alternating from all black to patterned.   

 

The last time I made a queen size quilt was over ten years ago, so I forgot how much room was needed to work on it.  Right now, I have the top sprawled out in the middle of our family room, so I'm constantly shooing the cat off of it and reminding family members to look out for pins.  

I estimate that I'll need around 55 strips to complete the top, and considering each strip takes 45 minutes, I've got my work cut out for me.  I also haven't decided on the fabric for the duvet's back yet, but the Unessa is definitely on top of my list.  

Although I'll be busy the next few weeks with the quilt, I'm still dedicating time at my art desk working on sketches, playing around with my new printer, and enjoying the beautiful spring weather.  Here's a look at some of my other recent works.

 

left, clockwise: 

1.  Photo of a mill in the Columbia Gorge.  I'm thinking about adding it to my Etsy shop as part of a set.

2.  Sketching in my new Canal Paper sketchbook.  Pastels blend beautifully on the paper.

3.  Drawing more trees and patterns

4.  Blossoming apple tree next to our house 

Show and Tell, a new series

Today is Show and Tell in my daughter's classroom.  I loved Show and Tell in school, so I figured I would create a new series on the blog.  I'll try to post a new Show and Tell every 2 - 3 weeks of things that I acquired (either bought, given, or borrowed) that I'm really excited about.   Today's post covers three items items that I just got the last couple of weeks.



From left, clockwise:

1. Prairie Underground organic cotton dress (resale find, $30).  Seattle-based Prairie Underground is one of my favorite clothing lines.  I feel like I'm wearing sweats but look very feminine at the same time, which is a hard-to-find combo in fashion!  Their hoodies are a must-have in every woman's closet.  So flattering on different body types, and sooo comfortable.



2.  Handmade zipper sketchbook (birthday gift).  Very retro and very cool.  There are only five of them in existence.  The book was made by hand (cutting, screenprinting, and sewing) by the talented Mareika Weber. 



3.  Little ceramic bowl ($2!).  There is a terrific arts center near our home.  In the lobby is a shelf of donated ceramic pieces, either seconds or leftovers from a class.  The pieces are marked at very reasonable prices, just a few dollars on average.  And all the money from sales goes back to the arts center.  Hurray for art programs!

Stumped

Here is a closeup of the 30 in. x 40 in. oil painting I have been working on (first mentioned in this post). In February, I decided to paint over a French landscape that I had started many years ago.  Painting over a nearly completed work (of 50+ invested hours) may seem ludicrous to some, but it was actually quite liberating.  I painted over the entire canvas in white so that I could see the textured layers of paint more clearly.  From there, I painted squares in a cornucopia of colors.  And, as you can see from the picture above, I like to apply paint very liberally.  To give the painting more dimension, I coated the entire painting with a thick glossy medium tinted with black paint. 



I really like how the black paint "dirtied" the painting, and I am pleased with the look of the high gloss.  A glossy surface helps define details in a work, which is true in photography as well.  The reflection of the light created by the gloss highlights the different ridges and layers of paint.  To create a dynamic interplay of dimensional qualities, I'm going to paint a flattened design on top of the gloss.  The line design will only be in one color and in a matte finish.  I'm excited to see how it turns out, but this is the step that I've been stuck at for the last month.  I can't seem to decide which direction to go, so I need your help!



Below are three different ideas that I sketched yesterday.  I would love to think which one you think is the winner.  Any other ideas are also welcomed!



1.  Scattered patterns.  Couldn't help but think rainbows.  I like the juxtaposition of the curved lines to the geometric pattern in the background. 

2.  Stylized landscape. (The straight lines might be tricky with the textured surface.  I might have to use tape to get clean and straight edges.  Tedious but could be a cool effect.)

3.  Allover pattern.  I also thought about doing an allover pattern in this style showing flowers.

What is your vote?

The famous through the eyes of Imogen Cunningham

Magnolia Blossom (1925), Two Callas (1925)



I have always been an admirer of Imogen Cunningham's botanical photography.  Yesterday I discovered some of her portraits of famous people.  I love the candid shots, like the one of photographer Ansel Adams.  And the photo of actor Cary Grant is striking don't you think? 



(A fun little fact about Imogen- she was born here in Portland!)

 Ansel Adams (1953), Cary Grant (1932)

Frida Kahlo Rivera (1931),  Alvar Aalto (1961)

Upton Sinclair (1934), Self-portrait (1932)

[image source: photoliaison.com]

How to get your art in boutiques

My shop [image sources from left: Lucky Magazine,  Boone Rodriguez, and Hadley Hutton]  



Many of you may be at a place where you are ready to showcase your work in stores other than your Etsy shop.  Although online marketplaces like Etsy are great avenues for artists to broaden their fan base, art, for the most part, sells better in physical spaces than on the internet.  I have been a retailer of art and handcrafted products myself, and I have perused thousands of submissions from artists and designers.  Only a small percentage actually piqued my interest, and here's how they did it.



1.  The fit is right.  Reach out to shops that sell similar art and products.  To know if you're a good fit, you first need to be able to define your target customer.  If your customer would (and could) buy from the majority of the product lines in the shop, then you have a good match.



2.  Beautiful photography.  It's all about first impression and in most cases you only have a few seconds if you're submitting your work to a shop owner via email.  If you're not much of a photographer, then you need to hire someone who can take high quality product shots.  And all you need for a submission letter are three or four really good photos. 



3.  Brief and concise submission letter.  Ideally, you should show your collection in person.  If this isn't possible, then email a submission letter to the shop owner.  The subject line should be a short description of your collection, such as: new bamboo jewelry collection made in Portland.  The body of the email should be no longer than six sentences, including information on artist's background and current collection.



Don't take it personally if you don't hear back from a store.  The store buyer is most likely inundated with other submissions.  Most stores also have buying seasons, so it may not be the ideal time for the shop owner to pick up a new collection.  If you don't hear back from a store buyer within two weeks, try a follow-up email. 



From your own personal experiences, I'm sure some of you can contribute to this list.  Feel free to add more advice for other artists in the comment section.