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Acrylic and collaged wallpaper on canvas. I thought I should say that right up front since my first question was, “what is that!?”. This the unconventional landscape work of UK based artist David Wightman… now, if I could find a lemon yellow waterfall to jump off, my summer vacation would already be in the calendar!
ps. Some of David’s work is available via Rise Art.
Oooh, look at that tiny snippet of goodness! Layers of paper, images, and whatever else this curious artist can get her hands on. Today I’m talking to Canadian artist Aimée Henny Brown. And the reason for the title of this episode, “Foxes ‘n’ Hedgehogs” is truly a perfect description of how Aimée’s brain works … curious like a fox, but she digs deep like a hedgehog! We started this episode with a personal help session that I’d requested. Aimée knows EVERYTHING about paper and, luckily, is happy to share her knowledge. I want to go bigger with my collages, so she told me how. Listen right up there under that insanely gorgeous peek at a #WIP from her Instagram feed, or you can subscribe on iTunes.
First, go big or go home.
Gah! Look at that amazing, gigantic collage! That’s the Tyvek she was talking about, and yes, I am so going to try that. Look out hardware store, here I come!
Next up, houses in the negative. This is what she’s experimenting with while in Montreal, and I absolutely love them:
There really is something so beautiful about the other side of the paper after you’ve made a few cuts – lots of happy surprises over there! So, as you can see, Aimée has a fascination with structures, architecture, shelters etc… case in point, a few pieces from a 2016 titled “Futur Infinitif” :
Oh my word. Stunning. Last year Aimée and I were in a group show together, along with Vancouver’s Janice Wu, at Back Gallery Project. These were some of Aimée’s pieces:
There they are on the right, and again, look how big they are! I included that close-up above as well so you could see that, yes, there are houses nestled into almost everything she does! LOVE.
Oooh, and these are the installation shots of the work Aimée did while on that YEAR LONG residency in Harrison:
Right? Seriously, she can make anything. Look at those cuts? I love that she isn’t afraid to experiment with materials… which of course is why I ask her for advice whenever I can!
Speaking of cuts, here are those perfectly perfect bangs we were talking about:
Gorgeous! The topmost shot is a recent photo, but given all of our talk about foxes, hedgehogs and possums, I thought it only fair to include this 2016 image of Aimée and her forest friend! Thanks to Aimée for taking a break in her precious studio time to hang out with me for an hour and a half; thanks to Saatchi Art and Thrive for supporting the episode, and thanks to you for listening! There will be more art for your ear next weekend.
ps. I just found out tonight that Thrive is currently accepting new members for their May intake. Their groups fill up, so if you’re interested make sure to pop over there soon.
Other links:
Abstract works on paper … that make me want to drop everything, run into the studio and start making marks… alllllll of the marks! This is the dreamy work of Canadian artist Andrea Soos. She runs a beautiful studio in Victoria, called Poppet Creative, where she helps other people find their creative genius. I am so thrilled that she’s finally showing the world what she’s been doing quietly in the background! Pop over to her brand new site to see her lovely work {PS. you might want to buy a piece or two before they all sell out, or before she realizes she should put her prices UP.} Happy Monday.
Whoa. Ok, clearly I had to include all of those closeups because, well, these details are fantastic! Flowers, figures, narratives… it’s all happening! This is the work of Sara Khan. She was born in England, raised in Pakistan, and now lives in Vancouver… that’s the super quick version of her life story. Now, how about the story behind these beautifully bizarre watercolor paintings from her series titled “Ubiquitous Follies”:
I am interested in the repulsion and beauty found in ordinary spaces and situations, and question the normalcy of the seemingly mundane matters in life. For example; how a man inside a woman leads to the birth of another human; turning the woman into a mound of soil in which a human germinates like a plant from a seed, and in the process disfigures the woman to the limits of possibility.
It is in dealing with these observations that I draw them out, to find a place for things that are neither here nor there. Slowly laying out translucent layers of watercolour, I work toward pronouncing some areas, while covering others entirely, almost decoratively as if to say “you didn’t belong, but now you do, or you did belong and now you don’t.” I leave some questions to chance, answer others more definitively, hovering somewhere between restraint and complete spontaneity. The idea is to develop a space or landscape with both extremes in it; the abhorrent and the fantastic. Coexisting to form one complete picture; thriving in the gray areas, it’s a subtle dance between “is it” and “is it not”. ~ Sara Khan, 2017
Whoa, again.
Sigh. I have loved the work of Brooklyn based painter Samantha French for YEARS. Now, Sam is known for her large-scale, underwater oil paintings, which I’ve written about several times and even had her on the podcast to talk about. I’m so smitten with her aqua blue pools filled with reflected sunlight, so I often just pop over to her website to see what she’s up to… and this time I found these! Smaller works on paper using gouache…. love, love, love! If you’re looking for a more affordable way to add a Samantha French original to your collection, this might be the way. Also… gouache!? ♥
Oh, the things Chinese artist Li Hongbo can do with paper!? In 2014 I wrote about his marble busts that are in fact paper, and today… guns that become flowers. Now, I’m a little late to the game on this one, as “Oceans of Flowers” was exhibited for the first time a few years ago. Most recently it was shown at Eight One Art Museum in Beijing last June … I don’t know where it might show up next, but watch for it! Two thousand rainbow-hued paper weapons – from machine guns to hand guns – that unfold into beautiful paper flowers. Stunning.
Gasp! This is new work by Canadian artist Myriam Dion. I’ve written about her before, and I’ll do it again! In fact, I’m including her story and work in my upcoming book… how can I not?! Working slowly and carefully, Myriam meticulously transforms heavy front page headlines into delicate lace. Beautiful. And speaking of beautiful, here is one of her quotes from the book:
“I conceive my work like a gift of my time. I wish to give that tranquillity to viewers, that they can use this time to contemplate with attention and let themselves sink in the act of observation.” ~ Myriam Dion, 2017
… and the THREE winners are… DREW AUSTIN, SHANDRA SMITH, and COCO SPADONI! Thanks to everyone who entered, and if wanna pick one up anyway, this beauty is only $24 Canadian and you can BUY it right here. Thanks to Jp King for being so generous with this give-away! xo
Well, it would not feel like December if I didn’t have a gorgeous, sustainably-produced, Risograph calendar from Paper Pusher to give away! Jp King is the artist behind this annual beauty, and he’s done it again {actually, I should have him on the podcast}. Anyway, leave a comment below and on Monday December 11th I’ll draw three, yes THREE, names and each of those people will be able to spend their 2018 looking at these gorgeous artworks … good luck!
ps. If you don’t wanna take your chances with the draw, this beauty is only $24 Canadian. Just sayin.
Oh my monotype! These gorgeous monotypes on paper are the work of Vancouver based artist Renée Gouin. I can’t decide which I love more … her gorgeous dusty/pastel palette or the way she crops her subjects. Um, hm… TIE! Here are her words about this fashion inspired series:
“I’m inspired by an array of aesthetics including the spare flatness of Japanese woodblock prints and the reductive visual vocabulary of Morandi. My most recent work is influenced by the color palettes and ambiguous spacial effects found in fashion photography. By emphasizing these flat abstract forms, I embrace the playful antics of cubism. I make monotype prints that strive to celebrate women’s relationship with clothes. My interest is to bring an awareness to the daily ritual of dressing and accessorizing, while pursuing my delight in form and color.”
{via Miss Moss}
Now this is a lovely way to start a Monday. This is the soft, layered, mixed media work of Seattle based artist Jenna Douglass. I love her mixture of found images, washy paint, and perfect graphite lines. Perhaps it’s the palette, but they all feel like a dewy spring morning … a dewy spring morning that makes me want to get into the studio! Happy Monday.
ps. Some of her leaf pieces are available in her shop.
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