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Sigh. This is the absolutely exquisite work of Canadian painter Shaun Downey. I’ve written about him before, and I’ll do it again. Shaun’s oil paintings take my breath away … his color choices, those lovely everyday settings, and don’t get me started on those mirrored portraits. Beautiful. {Also, I need a rose for my hair now.}
Paper, maps, paint and pins all living together as a delicate, intricate, important narrative. This is the gorgeous, mind-boggling work of Fidencio Fifield-Perez. He was born in Mexico and grew up in the USA. After graduating from art school, he has focused on creating these beautiful, intricate, paper-cutting mixed media pieces. How do I know this? Well, I got an amazing email from a woman that runs the galleries and visiting artist lecture program at his alma mater. She wanted to make sure people knew about Fidencio’s work, and his very important/timely story:
“… Last semester I hosted an exhibit of paintings and cut paper installations made by one of our alumni, Fidencio Fifield-Perez. Fidencio is a DACA recipient, and has spent his life as an artist advocating for fellow undocumented residents and making gorgeous, pointed artworks about his experience living undocumented in the United States … Some of his most poignant works are made from appropriated, painted maps. He cuts away the “real” things the map represents- land, water, cities, people- and leaves the imagined, the drawn- roads, latitudes, boarders. Is this mud? A field to be harvested? A body of water to be crossed? Fence, net, or viscera? Every piece is meticulously cut and pinned to the wall with red map pins.”
Beautiful. The world needs more artists like Fidencio, and more people who send this kind of email.
Ah, the lovely work of Canadian painter Kirsty Templeton Davidge. When I saw the first image in this post, I assumed it was a photograph. It wasn’t. Then, I assumed she’d been a working artist for years. Wrong again. Kirsty just graduated in 2015 after deciding to go back to school to get her BFA. I was so curious to know what she did in her pre-BFA life. Hand model, perhaps? I emailed her to ask, and this is what she told me:
“… I was a stay at home mother to four kids. I always did things with my hands (made baby clothes, made things for our house etc) but I wanted to find the root of my ‘making’. I also wanted to get a degree as a life goal so I returned to school and took my BFA. I worked hard and really focused on becoming better and focused on the fundamentals – drawing, painting and sculpture. In my final year I took the painting path. It is my privilege to paint and because I got a late start, I’m not wasting any time.”
Well, now I assume she’s amazing and totally inspiring … and I’m right this time. Happy Monday. ps. follow her on her brand new Instagram feed!
Gasp! Painted paper-cut pieces … GORGEOUS. This is the latest body of, always elegant and slightly bizarre, work by Hong Kong born, Vancouver raised, and now Berlin based artist Andrea Wan. All of her work is fantastic, but this latest series took my breath away. Oh, and I highly recommend following her on Instagram, because her work in progress shots are absolutely beautiful and totally inspiring. In fact, I’m heading into the studio to put some paint on that scary black paper I’ve been avoiding.
Yep, they’re paintings {close-ups included as cold hard evidence}. This is the work of American artist Jessica Hess. All of these gorgeous pieces are part of her upcoming show, titled “Less is More”, that opens at Hashimoto Gallery in San Francisco this Thursday, August 31 / 6-9pm, and runs until September 23. Here is Hashimoto’s description of this exhibition:
“Less Is More” expands Hess’ ongoing survey of derelict spaces void of human presence. The vivid paintings transport the viewer to locations around the country, such as the Heidelberg project in Detroit or the rural backroads of New England. Hess’ new work develops the narrative set forth by her previous exhibition “More Is More” by detailing the continuous change in these vacated structures. Graffiti saturated buildings have been buffed over, abandoned homes are boarded up and repainted. These subdued moments provoke contemplation of the cyclical nature of our built environments.
The exhibition also highlights key developments in Hess’ creative practice. She continues to skillfully manipulate the reality of her subjects through interventions of painterly abstraction. One piece, entitled “North Adams” {first image above}, portrays an abandoned home, its vibrant color starkly contrasts the surrounding bleak forest. Hess renders the painting to resemble a physical photo collage, offering a glimpse at the intermediary process between her source and its final painted form.
You’re going to go, right? Yes!
Ahhh, August. I just got back from spending the majority of the month in Venice!? I saw insane installations, glass sculptures, huge paintings, and a lot of very conceptual artwork. I took in more art than one person can handle {not to mention the pasta and gelato}. When I arrived home, this month’s artsy mystery box from ArtSnacks was waiting for me :
Yum! Obviously I had no choice but to stage my own mini Biennale using all of these new supplies… inky paintings, candy sculptures, and you guessed it, a gift shop! {In case you didn’t see the June and July posts, I’ve decided to team up with these guys once a month because, quite frankly, I love their art-filled boxes. Let’s face it – the more supplies you have, the more art you’ll make, and the more artwork I’ll have to write about. Plus, they put CANDY in every box! Win-win.}
So, on with the show. NOTE: No flash photography allowed
Ah yes, there might be a line-up or two, but when it’s your turn you can totally eat that sugary sculpture… very interactive, indeed. But wait, there’s more! A trip to any gallery would not be complete without this :
Oh yeah, baby – exit through the gift shop! I have to admit, I love gallery gift shops… and in Italy, they are particularly fantastic! Now, if you’re not in the market for any of these ‘works of art’ that I whipped up, perhaps I can interest you in the September ArtSnacks box. You can still get it if you sign up by August 31. Order one month at a time or sign up for 3 months, 6 months, or a full year… whatever works for you. Click here for all of the ins and outs. ps. enter coupon code ‘thejealouscurator’ and you’ll receive 10% off your first month of ArtSnacks! ps. hashtag your box openings / what you make with, #artsnacks
Annnnnd exhale. Ah, these quiet, everyday moments have been captured beautifully by Australian painter Zoe Young. All of these pieces are from her series titled “Space Between Hours”. Here’s the write up from her site about this work:
“Space Between Hours” is a retreat and a space to meditate, away from the noise and chaos of modern life. It is the expression of an artist whose life and artistic practice are harmoniously intertwined.
This body of work reveals the significance that objects, both collected and inherited, hold for the artist. For instance, Young incorporates studies of artworks that have resonated with her since childhood, such as Benjamin Edwin Minns’ etching Aboriginal mother & child (1925) which features in Ode to Minns (2017). In this way, she pays homage to her Grandfather’s art collection and enters into a dialogue with these artists across time and space … Zoe Young’s still life compositions are unashamedly feminine, and are an intimate reflection of her environment and lifestyle, as a mother of two working from a countryside studio. Since having children Young has become wary of the accelerated pace of modern life. Her paintings are an attempt to slow down and grasp time, by capturing unique, tranquil moments and distilling them on canvas.
Lovely. {ps. Note that the first painting is hanging on the wall in the last painting!}
Big beautiful abstract-ish blooms! This is the newest body of work by American artist Monica Lee-Henell. She’s worked as an illustrator for years, but has recently decided to begin moving away from the commercial world to create her own personal work. Enter these large-scale paintings, a saturated, rich fine blend between floral and abstract. I love the final pieces but, I have to admit, I’m a sucker for her works in progress / studio shots … you can find more on her lovely Instagram feed. Here are a few words found on Monica’s site about why she has made this creative change in her life:
“An artist’s job is to be awake. Remain awake and awaken others. We are not meant to slumber through our gorgeous, lush lives.
I want my art to feel intimate and generous, to create a sensory experience for myself, and for the viewer. The art is meant to linger in the delicate space of your psyche. As an artist, I want to create an emotional impression causing you to ask yourself what you might not be seeing on the surface.”
Lovely.
Hot summer in the city – I can smell these paintings from here! Yep, a fine blend of overripe fruit, damp cardboard, and cigarettes. Ahhh, makes me miss the days when I lived at Queen & Spadina … kinda. This is the memory-inducing work {gouache on paper} of Toronto based artist Caitlyn Murphy. Happy Friday… and don’t forget to buy your watermelon in the morning before it gets too hot!
Haring, Warhol, Basquiat … and a whole bunch of colorful poured paint! These paint sculptures {is that a thing?} are the fantastic work of Japanese-American, California based artist Joe Suzuki. Funny, smart, and a modern ode to Pop Art that makes me smile {like a hot pink smiley face}. Here is Joe’s statement:
I consider my work to be artifacts of my own particular culture, which is not the generalized Japanese American culture, but that which formed as a direct result of being a first generation immigrant. Through a long assimilation process, I found myself not fully belonging to either culture, but rather somewhere in between, which I began to call Japamerica.
In my peculiar culture, customs and traditions are born out of misunderstandings or idiosyncrasies, and myths and legends are often formed through the struggles of everyday life. I am fascinated by and curious about my culture’s development and the affect it has on my identity. I see my art making as an investigation that captures and documents my ever changing, mutating, polyglot reality. My work is informed by my life, contingent on my ordinary, real world experiences as a middle class Japamerican dad, who is simply trying to make sense of it all.
{via Artsy}
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