Painter puts down brushes, mission trips 11 May 2009
Posted by pcNielsen in Art, Art and Missions, Art and faith, Artist profile, Christianity, Painting.2 comments
Painter and graphic designer Kendra Baird is putting down her paintbrush to participate in an eleven month mission trip according to the Charlotte Observer. Baird began painting a few years ago after forays into graphic design and photography. She turned to the brush while taking pictures of geckos with a friend. Her first painting “turned out really well,” so she thought, “Why don’t I try to sell these?” She talked to Green Rice Gallery in NoDa, which took three of her paintings. Two of them sold.
The Observer article implies that Baird is giving painting up in order to go overseas as a missionary. “Baird will leave for the World Race in August, carrying only a backpack. She’s packing a small sketch pad and watercolor palette, but she’s prepared to leave the rest of her art behind — forever, if God asks her to.” My question — to Baird and to the missions community — is this: Why did she have to give up painting to be a part of Adventure’s in Missions’ World Race? Baird should be made aware of opportunities (as new and few as they may be) that put her God-given talents to use. Operation Moblization’s ArtsLink offers mission trips designed specifically for artists.
Baird believes she can sell paintings after returning from the World Race, but that’s beside the point. Sacrifice is an important part of character, and giving up her craft for a year may be entirely intentional on the part of the artist. However, if a person is gifted in a particular craft that shouldn’t be ignored. God doesn’t gift each of us as part of the body just so we can say we are good at this or than and then box it up and put it on at shelf.
Image from Kendra Baird’s Etsy store.
Anna Keiller smoked ceramic sculptures 27 April 2009
Posted by pcNielsen in Art, Artist profile, Ceramics, Found objects, Salvage, Sculpture.1 comment so far
Via Twitter (and thanks to searches I’ve set up in TweetDeck) I’ve become internetly acquainted with ceramic sculptor Anna Keiller. The most recent post on her blog, Fire and Earth, details her smoking process, which is much more exciting than using an electric kiln (as I do).
She also has an older post that talks a little more about smoke firing titled Smoke Firing. I talk about my process in this post from last July. The following is one of her recent works titled The Abduction, after a Swedish fairy tale. I quite like the coloring on the piece, and give her props for the use of salvaged materials in the base and post.
I think I’m going to have to find myself a barrel and try this smoking method out. It looks much more fun and is probably cheaper than running the kiln to smoke. The only trick to barrel smoking for me could be locally enforced burn bans we suffer from in Northwest Arkansas on a fairly regular basis.
Dennis Gerwin’s ceramic cities at NCECA 21 April 2009
Posted by pcNielsen in Art, Artist profile, Ceramics, Sculpture.6 comments
I saw photos yesterday in two places of Dennis Gerwin’s extruded clay cityscapes and had to share them. They were a part of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts’ (NCECA) Juried Student Show.
From Eva Funderburgh’s Flickr Photostream
From Priscilla Mouritzen’s blog Pinchpots
At first I was trying to figure out how you hand-build something that large and delicate and fire it without all kinds of problems. According to Funderburgh, the sculptures were pieced together after being wood fired. That’ makes more sense. One way or another they are amazing.
Mad potter in Arkansas 8 April 2009
Posted by pcNielsen in Abstract art, Art, Art vs Craft, Artist profile, Ceramics, Craft, Found objects, Handmade, Sculpture.1 comment so far
A month or so ago I dug a hole in my front yard for a new mailbox post. The dirt looked a lot like clay, so I saved a few hunks and fired them in the kiln.
They came out a bit soft and quite crumbly, not surprising, but they more or less turned into Arkansas rocks. They look very similar to the stones found on a lot that’s just been graded for construction.
George Ohr, the Mad Potter of Biloxi, dug a lot of his clay locally in Mississippi. My father told me recently that Ohr sometimes took dirt out of the middle of the road. He’s one of a few historical characters I’d like to meet (another off the top of my head being G.K. Chesterton). The bisqued, scroddled Orh pot below shows off some of his raw materials.
Image from Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art.
Meagan Chaney on the business of art 2 April 2009
Posted by pcNielsen in Art, Artist profile, Business of art, Ceramics, Mixed media, Sculpture.1 comment so far
Ceramic sculptor Meagan Chaney posted part 1 of 2 in a series on how to promote yourself as an artist today. It’s worth reading via this link.
I’ve been a fan of Meagan’s work since I discovered her blog last year. She uses low-fire clays and most of her works are small abstract (or non-representational) sculpture. Her glazes are pretty nuanced for low-fire works. She lives and works in Ocala, Florida.
You can purchase her sculptures on Etsy or giveArtfully.
R.I.P. Andrew Wyeth 16 January 2009
Posted by pcNielsen in Art, Artist profile, Criticism, Drawing, Illustration, Painting, Realism.4 comments
This isn’t something I normally do, mark the death of a significant artist (Of course, I’ve only been blogging for three years or so, and perhaps there haven’t been very many notable artists who’ve passed in this time.), but I thought I’d make a note of it this morning.
Andrew Wyeth died today at the age of 91. Wyeth was an American realist known for Christina’s World (1948, above) and a series of studies of his neighbor Helga (below, 1971-1985). Critics have long complained that his work is little more than illustration, although shows of the artist’s paintings often draw record crowds.
Not knowing much more than I’ve already stated about the artist, I still disagree with this recurring criticism. There is, in my opinion, a depth of content by means of his composition and subject matter that I don’t generally associate with mere illustration. While not quite as surreal and evocative as, say, contemporary realist works by the likes of Patty Wickman, Wyeth’s paintings draw out a contemplative emotion far beyond a Rockwellian nostalgia — who’s works aren’t really contemplative at all. Wyeth’s painting was, probably, poorly received simply because he happened to be a realist in a Modernist world.
Friday Fare: Instant art grants, installations 10 October 2008
Posted by pcNielsen in Art, Artist profile, Business of art, Fiber, Found objects, Installations, Modern culture, Photography, Sculpture.add a comment
ThinkChristian points out a post at the Urban Prankster which elaborates on The Federation of Students and Nominally or Unemployed Artists’ instant art grants of $10-$60. From the Federation’s website:
The FSNUA aims to re-inspire creative thinking and action in everyday people by removing a small barrier and providing encouragement. We give small, unsecured grants in the form of $10-$60 for creative projects thought up on the spot by everyday people. In the past this has included a merchant marine, two 10 year old girls, a US soldier on leave from Iraq, an accordion player from Alaska, and around 40 others. We funded their new paintings, drawings, knitting, and photojournalism projects, and the repair of one accordion. Projects that may not have happened had they not come across 10 people in the park to support and inspire the thought.
Beyond the small amount of money, the project encourages people to see themselves as something other than workers or consumers even if it just for the length of time required to apply for the FSNUA grant. We also hope to re-inspire dormant desires to create while presenting an example of generosity without an ulterior motive.
I’m pretty fond of the idea, especially the last paragraph’s hope that they are encouraging people to “see themselves as something other than workers or consumers.” Here-here!
A friend forwarded me a link to photographer Magdalena Bors’ website. As much as a photographer she appears to be an installation artist, turning common household objects into miniature landscapes. The following image from her photo-installations is for my knitting wife.
She was born in Antwerp and has a photography degree from Melbourne, but there isn’t much other information about the artist on the website.
Marton Varo marble sculpture 30 September 2008
Posted by pcNielsen in Art, Artist profile, Sculpture.add a comment
Friends took us to Cannery Row in Monterey yesterday. We visited the aquarium and stepped into a couple galleries. In a nice little spot called Gallery i Fine Art. I was smitten with Marton Varo’s marble sculptures. The following is called Robed Figure on a Pedestal.
His contrasting use of rough and smooth surfaces is very nice and reminded me of one of my favorite marble works, Rodin’s Danaide. It’s difficult to see though in this cameraphone image. Of course, it’s always difficult to get a sense of three-dimensional work in a two-dimensional way.
Adding: The gallery staff suggested Varo was one of the only (or the only, if I heard her right) sculptors using marble in the states. Not long after coming home from California though I had an email in my inbox from Sarah Hempel, who also works in marble. It seems, from what I can tell, Hempel doesn’t always do the stonework herself. Perhaps the girl at the gallery in Monterey was suggesting that Varo is one of the few artists to tool the marble himself, something that few people are willing and able to do because it is so time consuming.
How artists got started 29 September 2008
Posted by pcNielsen in Art, Artist profile, Business of art.2 comments
I never knew I wanted to be an artist — it was just a sort of burden that I was born with. I always wondered, “When will this thing, this disease, go away?” I dressed differently from all my friends, and spent my teens wondering why I wasn’t like everyone else. My dad was always telling me to grow up and get a proper job.
Sound familiar, to a degree? Maybe that last part in particular, the father’s practical exhortation? The TimesOnline — a UK publication new to me — has what looks to be an interesting article on how people got started as artists. I’m posting this link here for the readers and for myself. I’m on the road, visiting friends in the Monterey Bay area, and don’t have time to read the entire piece right now. When I get the chance I may add to this post.
Especially with a cameraphone.
LinkLuv: Galleries, cuddly monsters and China 22 August 2008
Posted by pcNielsen in Art, Artist profile, Business of art, Ceramics, Sculpture.1 comment so far
I found this Canadian gallery blog via a link that my wife referred to me. In a post today, the owner talks about how she chooses which artists she will represent.
From the Wall Street Journal, an artist’s painting is refused entry to a show in Beijing. It was headed to a German owned gallery in the city, but was held up after customs searched the container it was in. The cubist work depicting the Bird’s Nest was openly critical of China’s political policies. You have to wonder about the judgment of the German gallery in this case. The artist is actually Chinese born and educated, but lives and works out of New York. His website here.
Eva Funderburgh is a sculptural ceramic artist working out of Seattle. She has a new blog on her website which includes a number of time lapse videos of her creating her monsters. From her website, “Eva’s work focuses on emotion and whimsy. It exists in the middle ground between cute and creepy, cuddly and sinister. In her sculptures, you can spot influences ranging from the tea ceremony to video games.” I really like the propeller driven whales pictured above. One of her videos is below.
