Yep, that image pretty much sums it up! Large-scale, hyperreal paintings on custom-cut panel, and a pug named Mochi. I love this episode so much. Barcelona born, New York based artist Gemma Gene is on the podcast today, and she is not only super talented, she’s also hilarious! You can listen right up there under Gemma & Mochi, or download ART FOR YOUR EAR wherever you get your podcasts.

First, a bunch of perfectly painted metallic balloons, Mochi for scale, and a couple of gigantic bows on cut panel:

Gasp! Gorgeous! ps. I threw in that last image as proof that these are actually paintings. 

Next, a few very, very special gems:

Awww, that little gem right in the middle is ‘Yellow Gem’, Gemma’s baby girl! And yes, her name really is Yellow (not Maria) which might be the coolest thing I’ve ever heard. Oh, and that action shot is what Gemma and I were talking about re: dropping off a commission to Voltz Clarke Gallery… as the paint dried!

Okay, now we’re going back in time a bit to where it all began… objects wrapped in aluminum foil, because, who doesn’t love an insane challenge:

… and clearly a painted foil lobster is the gateway to foil lobster sculptures!

Next [drumroll please]… iiiiiiit’s MOCHI!

Gah! Too much cuteness… I can’t handle it! Also, can you see why she must be absolutely exhausted!? Yeah, me too.

Of course, a little plug for both of Mochi’s books is a must:

Hilarious! “Living with Mochi” is available right this second, and “Pugpyhood” can be pre-ordered.

And finally, I obviously had to include this beauty… Gemma, Mochi and the Twinchis in matching iridescent outfits:

Ah-mazing! Also amazing… everything about this conversation! Thank you so much to Gemma for taking the time to share her hilarious stories, and of course, thank YOU for listening. I’ll be back with a brand new episode of ART FOR YOUR EAR  in two weeks.

Other links:

1. Gemma on Instagram
2. Mochi on Instagram
3. “Living with Mochi” Book, Available now!
4. “Pugpyhood” Book, Releasing Sept ’22
5. Tom Cote Book, Illustrated by Gemma
6. Voltz Clarke Gallery : New York
7. Gallery RED : Mallorca, Spain
8. Steven Holl Architects

SO, where to begin? At the beginning, of course. I asked San Francisco based artist Leah Rosenberg if she was an artsy kid… and I found out we have more in common than I ever could have imagined! Intrigued? Perfect. Listen right up there under Leah painting her installation/mural at SFMoMA, or download ART FOR YOUR EAR wherever you get your podcasts.

First up, “Everywhere A Color”. This is the work that stopped me mid-sprint at the San Francisco Airport:

Oooh, I do love a good color legend! How could I not stop to take a closer look!?

I also got to see “Gather and Break” in person at the Facebook offices in Menlo Park, California:

Obviously, I loved this too.

My favorite thing about Leah’s work (besides the stunning use of color, of course) is the personal presence required. Here’s a peek into her space at the Vermont Studio Center residency, where she created “Every Day A Color”… starting with GREEN, representing the blades of grass Leah noticed poking through the snow:

Brilliant. Also brilliant… Leah’s friend, artist Susan O’Malley‘s book, titled “Advice From My 80-Year-Old Self”:

These are photos I took of my personal copy… it’s on my mantle as we speak, and I love it and its wise contents oh so very much.

Leah and I talked about a few of the projects they did together, “A Healing Walk”, located at Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, CA:

Sigh. So beautiful. I think we should all go for a healing walk… as soon as you finish listening to this episode!

And then, of course, there’s this beautiful, inspiring, massive undertaking:

“Getting Better Every Day A Color” at SFMoMA. What an absolutely beautiful homage to a friend and fellow artist. I’m sure Susan was with her for every colorful step.

And finally, I can’t finish this post without showing you just a little bit of Leah’s cake:

NO MORE CAKE, said her prof!? Forget that… I say MORE cake! Thank you so much to Leah for taking so much time to share her stories with me; thanks to Create Magazine (and their CALL FOR ART!) for supporting this episode; and as always, huge thanks to you for listening. ~ Danielle

Other links:

1. Leah’s website
2. Leah on Instagram
3. Emily Carr University
4. California College of the Arts
5. Vermont Studio Center, Residency Program
6. Susan O’Malley, Artist
7. “Advice From My 80-Year-Old Self”, Book
8. Miette Bakery / Blue Bottle Coffee
9. Create Magazine / CALL FOR ART

I kicked off 2021 with an Ashley Longshore episode, and I’m gonna wrap the year with one, too! Yep Ashley is back on the podcast today. We’re talking about JOY with a capital J … finding it in the little things, bringing it into our artwork, and not letting the state of the world break us! She also prepped a few questions for ME this time around (and yes, I blushed more than once… she does that to me!). Listen right up there under Dorothy in Beverly Hills, or subscribe to ART FOR YOUR EAR wherever you download your podcasts. ps. Yes, there is some colorful art — and language — in this episode, so little ears probably shouldn’t listen!

First up, paintings from Ashley’s time at the Artist-in-Residence at the Peninsula Beverly Hills:

Ahhhh, fabulous still lifes and giant teapots! I didn’t realize how big they are… now I love them even more.

Next, a few of my faves from Ashley’s “Still Happy” series:

Yep, still happy.

Speaking of happiness, haute couture astronauts in ruby slippers:

Again, I had to show you the scale!

Up next… there really is no place like home, just ask Dorothy:

Gorgeous. I love those rosy cheeks. ps. That’s Buttercup relaxing on the studio floor. Sweet girl.

From sweet girls to fierce women… here’s a peek at Ashley’s ongoing portrait series, currently housed at Diane von Furstenberg‘s flagship store in New York:

… and here they all are in one beautiful book, titled ROAR! Thank you so much to Ashley for bookending my 2021 with her contagious energy. This is the last episode of the year, but I’ll be back with a brand new episode at the very beginning of 2022! I’ll still be sending out my daily newsletter through all of December, so feel free to subscribe… or gift a subscription to an art-loving friend! (it’s only $3/month for artsy content Monday through Saturday).

Thanks so much for listening. Happy holidays to your and yours! Danielle xo

Other links:

1. Ashley on Instagram
2. Ashley’s Website
3. Peninsula Beverly Hills
4. Diane von Furstenberg
5. “Roar”, Ashley’s new book!
6. Trey Speegle episodes: ep. no 4 / ep. no 80 / ep. no 147 / ep. no 197
7. Celine Gabrielle, Artist
8. Booksmart, Movie
9. Beanie Feldstein, Actor
10. Late Night with Seth Meyers
11. The NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH ART Society

Are you tired? If not, listening to everything Vancouver based artist Sandeep Johal is doing might make you wanna take a nap! Murals, residencies, installations, solo shows… oh, and she also has a 6 year old son. Told ya. This busy, full-time artist went to university for… biology? Yep. She refers to her twenties as ‘the lost years’, but as you can see, she is now very much found! Listen right up there under Sandeep beside one of her murals, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

So, where should we even start? Well, let’s jump in with just the tiniest peek at a few of Sandeep’s murals:

So fantastic, and seriously, there are a lot more where these came from. Keep an eye on her Instagram feed, because there is always a new wall being prepped!

Alright, let’s take a step back to the work Sandeep was just starting when I met her. Here are just a few of Sandeep’s very emotional “Rest In Power” goddesses:

The piece in the middle is Natsumi Kogawa, the Japanese woman Sandeep mentioned. It’s so horrific that this series could go on and on and on. Hopefully their stories will be heard, and justice will prevail.

That’s not an easy topic to segue from, but there is more work to show you. Here are a few of Sandeep’s ‘beast’ collages:

Yes, this is exactly what we were talking about! Different mediums, but still very much Sandeep’s style. FYI,  these pieces are currently available through @vanartrental … just sayin’.

Speaking of beasts, here’s a look at “Beast of Burden” Sandeep’s final show for her residency at the Burrard Arts Foundation:

So fantastic! This was Sandeep’s first foray into textiles and, yeah, she nailed it. And, of course, there was so much talk about Pennylane and Jamie that I had to pop this photo in!

And finally — oh my word this is so good — “What If?”. This installation is on right now, until December 11th, at the Surrey Art Gallery in Surrey, British Columbia:

Custom wallpaper, too!? Love. If you’re anywhere near Vancouver between now and mid December, get yourself over to the Surrey Art Gallery to see this show in person… So. Many. Details!

Let’s wrap things up with a little ‘how it started / how it’s going’ combo, shall we:

Oh hell yes! From a birthday girl at McDonald’s to a MAMA BEAST! Thank you so much to Sandeep for taking the time to tell us all of her stories; thanks to Storyblocks for supporting the episode, and great big thanks to YOU for listening. I’ll be back with a new episode of ART FOR YOUR EAR in two weeks.

Other links:

1. Sandeep on Instagram
2. Sandeep’s website
3. “What If” / Surrey (BC) Art Gallery until Dec. 11
4. “Beast of Burden” / BAF Residency
5. Thrive (Founder Jamie Smith)
6. Pennylane Shen, Artist Consultant
7. Sara Khan, Artist
8. Crissy Arseneau, Artist
9. Vancouver Mural Festival
10. VAG (Vancouver Art Gallery) Art Rental & Sales
11. Storyblocks

Loooooove! I discovered the work of Georgia based artist Angela Burson while selecting work for Create Magazine. It was the broken arm that grabbed me immediately… followed closely by that cat’s little squished face! Now, are you asking: ‘Where are their heads?’

“I paint images of often headless people, their personal objects and interior spaces which reveal complex psychological and social relationships with one another. Without the head, the viewer sees the clothed body not as a portrait, but as a collection of objects and patterns.”

Mission accomplished. Also, I think Wes Anderson needs to hang a few of these beauties in his next film, yes? Yes. You can follow Angela on Instagram at @angelaburson.

Sigh… I wish you could go for hikes inside paintings. This is the work of Hudson NY based artist Gabe Brown. Her work {both on panel and paper} creates worlds that are colorful, mythical, and just plain magical… speaking of magic:

“Art is like magic, an illusion created by the force of humanity. Our choices in life can be amazing portals for adventure.”

Brown’s paintings create a secret recipe for an inner landscape of the human condition, narrative vignettes that are both alluring and mysterious. Nature and those elements existing in its microcosm become metaphors for a strange and at times super reality, a parallel universe that questions the natural scheme of life itself. Using a visual vocabulary derived from a world that often goes unnoticed, Brown begins to reinvent reality.

See? Don’t you want to go for a walk in there now!? Gabe’s work is available through Kenise Barnes Fine Art, CT.

I will never get tired of writing about Japanese artist Naomi Okubo. All of her paintings {acrylic on canvas} are self-portraits, and in some cases, “plural self-portraits”. This originated from being bullied when she was younger … she “had felt a fear what others thought about [her], and as a result, was confused about how to relate to others.” Over the past several years, she has continued to explore this idea of acceptance – or lack there of – and the paintings above are the latest result. Here’s an excerpt from a recent video interview with Naomi:

“I want to create the effects of camouflage. This person is melting into the background, which is how I think about fashion, especially in Japan. I was told that I shouldn’t be so outstanding.

So, if I just paint only this one person, she would stand out because she’s wearing such a bright dress. But, if I paint other very bright patterns, she will to melt into the background. It’s the social conflict between standing out / melting in.”

So true for so many of us, yes? Watch the full video, created by ALL*ARTS, and follow Naomi on Instagram at @naomi_okubo.

You can tell just by looking at that photo that this is gonna be FUN! Today’s guest on ART FOR YOUR EAR is Nova Scotia based painter Celine Gabrielle. She is hilarious, talented, and pretty much an unstoppable force. Celine’s story is filled with twists and turns and pivots and then a few more turns. Oh, and for those of you who keep emailing me to ask for the episodes to be longer, well, have I got a treat for you… Celine and I ended up talking for TWO HOURS. Yep, get your coffee and art supplies, and we’ll meet you in the studio! Listen right up there under Celine and her rings, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts.

First up, a little peek at a few of my fave paintings from Celine’s portfolio:

Ooooh, ahhhh! So rich, so ruffly, so colorful! Okay, so now that you’ve got the gist, here are a bunch of the pieces we talked about specifically. First is, well, the first piece she did in her now known style, for a show titled “Under the Influence”:

… and yes, that’s the artist Celine chose as her ‘influence’! Polish painter Tamara de Lempicka {1898-1980}. Gorgeous.

Next, the yellow dress!

I love this dress, and I love the story that goes with it even more. I can’t wait to see what Celine does with ‘Scotian’ series!

Of course, I had to include the tinsel jacket painting, and a closeup for good measure:

Can you believe she only started painting in 2018? In. Sane.

Next up is the near death experience mural:

Yeah, tippy toes on a ladder is NEVER a good idea… trust me.

I had to include these screengrabs too! This super funny and sweet video is what Celine posted to her Instagram feed after she talked on the phone to Ashley Longshore, who had called to buy her work:

Ha! I love that Celine puts it all out there for everyone to see, feel, everything! Here’s the video if you wanna watch it.

And finally, the inside scoop on a few very important things. No.1, the pastel monster from high school; No.2, possibly the best school photo I’ve ever seen; No.3, Celine’s supportive, beautiful family:

Awww! Love, love, love! {and yes, I WILL be putting Celine’s school photo on Instagram, because how can I not!?}. Thank you so much to Celine for sharing all of her stories, and for hanging out with me for so long; thanks to Storyblocks for supporting the episode; and big thanks to YOU for listening! There will be more ART FOR YEAR EAR in two weeks.

Other links:

1. Celine on Instagram
2. Celine’s Online Shop
3. Canterbury High School, Ottawa
4. FAME!
5. NSCAD, Nova Scotia College of Art & Design
6. The Other Art Fair
7. CJ Hendry on ART FOR YOUR EAR
8. Ashley Longshore on ART FOR YOUR EAR
9. GoPro video of Danielle’s mural 
10. Storyblocks

This is the absolutely fantastic work of London based artist Lakwena Maciver. This show, titled “Homeplace”, was installed at Hastings Contemporary in the Spring of 2020. Here are Lakwena’s words about these paintings:

“I’m an artist and a mother, and I’m looking at where those two roles cross over. My art is concerned with mythologies; things we hold to be true, and I want to tell the truth to my kids. I know that they go out into the big wide world and I can’t control what happens out there. They’ll hear things and be influenced by things that I have no control over. But I can ensure that in my home I am sending them clear messages about who they are, their value, their worth, what to do in times of need, where to go to for help, what to set their hearts on, what is important. So that’s what these paintings are about. They contain words of affirmation, words that will encourage, warn and inspire. 

My intention is to create a safe space. As these paintings and images of them travel, literally and virtually, my hope is that they might act as sparks to encourage others to define spaces of safety, and also as signs to point people to places of safety.”

So beautiful, in both execution and message.

“The Great American Fact”, referencing an 1892 book by educator Anna Julia Cooper, was the title of Baltimore based artist Amy Sherald’s show at Hauser+Wirth, LA (March-June/2021). All five of these large-scale pieces are stunning, but “As American As Apple Pie” {with the woman wearing the Barbie t-shirt} might be my favorite! Here’s an excerpt from the gallery’s description of the exhibition:

“[Amy Sherald’s] paintings celebrate the Black body at leisure, thereby revealing her subjects’ whole humanity. Sherald’s work thus foregrounds the idea that Black life and identity are not solely tethered to grappling publicly with social issues, and that resistance lies equally in a full interior life and an expansive vision of selfhood in the world.”

Not only do the images reflect “whole humanity”, Amy purposely hangs the work a little lower than usual, purposely creating a direct relationship between the viewer and the subject. Sigh. I wish I was eye-to-eye with these beauties right now.

*Photography by Joseph Hyde, Installation shots by Fredrik Nilsen Studio, bio photo by Shaniqua Jarvis for Interview Magazine