Buy art and give back

If you're a sucker for Girl Scout cookies, then you definitely need to check out The Working Proof.  They don't carry Samoas, but they do have the next best thing- sweet art!  And like Girl Scout treats, the art is for a good cause.  With each art purchase, 15% is donated to a charity.  Over thirty charities have been supported by The Working Proof, including Keep America Beautiful, Teach for America, and Doctors without Borders. 



A new print is released every Tuesday.  This week's feature is one of my favorite artists, Danna Ray.  Her limited edition print, We Are Connected, is shown above.  Read more about the work in this  interview.  

The limited-edition prints are quite affordable, many priced at $30! Some of the current prints available on The Working Proof include (left, clockwise):

This Land is Your Land, Amy Ruppel [American Forests]

King of the Mountain, Lisa Golightly [Victory Junction]

My Secret Self/At Rest, Olivia Jeffries [Transportation Alternatives]

Golden Animals,  Julianna Swaney   [Puppies Behind Bars]  

The Bear Trap, Lauren Gentry [Farm Sanctuary]

Shopping for art online

Sebastian Foster has a well-edited selection of artists, many who are from Portland!



The internet can be a wonderland for art shoppers, that is, if you know where to look.  In the last couple of years, I've discovered so many great sites showcasing the latest in independent art.  I have been compiling a list to share with you all, and then Kate from Art Hound came out with this list that put mine to shame!  Here are a few of my favorites:

The Shiny Squirrel 

20x200 

Enormous Tiny Art  

Little Paper Planes 

Charmingwall's 6x6 project 

Sebastian Foster 

and, of course, Etsy

Happy browsing!

Old School 3-D

When I was vintage shopping at the beach the other weekend, I found a box of stereographic cards in one of the antique stores.  I had never seen photographs like these before.  The lady behind the counter informed me that these cards were designed to be used with a stereoscope, which gives the viewer a 3-D image.  I was charmed by the stereographic cards and ended up buying a couple.  The above photo is of Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.  I picked this particular photo because I was mesmerized by the majestic scenery, and I guess I wasn't the only one.  When researching this beautiful Alpine village online, I found out that it was the inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien's Elven valley, Rivendell. Very cool!

On the backs of the cards are descriptions of the images.  Some read more like stories than formal summaries.  Here is the text accompanying the Bluebird's Nest photo.

I find it intriguing that 100 years later, 3-D images are a fad again.  More and more, newly released movies are being viewed in 3-D.  I expect to see museums move in this direction, creating virtual tours of architectural and sculptural masterpieces. On the Louvre's website, there is an "Explore in 3D" section.  Here's the link to the page if you want to check it out.

Color me plaid

I have been working in brighter hues this week.  Maybe it's the anticipation of summer and seeing blooming flowers all around me.  I created this plaid design a few days ago.  Yesterday, my daughter needed some wrapping paper for a birthday present, so I made a print of it for her to use.  This got me thinking of other uses for the plaid.  I found some large blank labels and decided to make a decal for my laptop.  Ideally, I would have used a printable vinyl sticker, but I only had white labels on hand.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.  Now I'm ready for summer!



Other colorful moments in my week . . .

flying a kite

my latest works

Evening Sky

At the beach

"Painting" with reclaimed wood

photo: Nash Baker        

Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira creates incredible sculptures out of old wood fences from construction sites.  Shown above is his installation last year at the Rice Gallery in Houston.  It's titled Tapumes, which means "fencing" in Portuguese. 



His three-dimensional works are representational of two-dimensional works.  He forms the wood pieces in his scuptures to look like paint strokes on canvas.  It's brilliant!



Below, I've paired some of his paintings alongside of his three-dimensional pieces.  You can see the similar qualities in movement, tone, and pattern. 

Here are a couple of fascinating videos on Oliveira's sculptural works.  The first video features the artist talking about his art and the fencing material used.  The second video shows the artist installing Tapumes at the Rice Gallery.    

Small Treasures

When I taught high school art, I had several tackle boxes in my classroom.  Inside the tackle box compartments resided tiny natural objects, such as shells, seed pods, and insect carcasses. As a drawing lesson,  I would have students study and draw one of these objects for at least 30 minutes.  I even passed out eye loupes so that students can see the objects' textures and patterns close-up.   



When I was at the beach this weekend, I stepped into a store that carried a variety of tiny sea objects {many of them imported from warmer coastal areas}.  I couldn't help but get all giddy about starting another miniature collection.  Shown above are some of the items I got at the local beach shop.  The barnacle is first on my list to draw!

Show and Tell: Antique shopping at the beach

I find that it's harder to snatch up great finds in antique malls in Portland, seeing that anything retro is all the rage here.  So one of my favorite places to shop for vintage items is the coast, particularly Lincoln City.  It seems like whenever I'm in this small coastal town, I'm able to pick up an item or two that I absolutely love.  This weekend, I came away with a small hoard of items, and all for under $50. 

hand-molded ceramic dish found amongst random children toys and mismatched dishware

i'm crazy about the patterned tree design on the lid and side of the bowl  

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a cast iron sauce pan with lid that I've been coveting since the last time I was in Lincoln City

kitchen ware like this makes me want to cook more

i'm thinking chocolate sauce with pound cake right now, mmm

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couldn't resist this gravy boat

it's the diamonds