Well, she could not be more correct about that … this shit IS bananas. Ah, gorgeous work featuring a lot of bananas, punched paper circles, french knots as far as the eye can see – not to mention all of those smiley faces – all with an underlying message about the current state of the world. The hanging, for example, is titled “Was Happy Cancelled?”  This is the most recent work of Philadelphia based artist Kelly Kozma, and is currently part of a group show {with Sarah Detweiler and Han Cao} at Paradigm Gallery. Here are Kelly’s honest and beautiful words about this body of work, titled “Yesterday, Ten Years Ago”:

“Since the beginning of quarantine I felt the need to create bright and happy work. It seemed like that was the ticket to successfully convince myself that things would be ok. It would work for a while, and then another news cycle would unfold and the sparkle would dull. So I’d throw more color and shiny bits at it; think a superhero with glitter lasers coming out of the fingers. It got a little harder to get knocked down, and a little easier to get back up. This work became a shelter when I needed a place to hide and a shield when I felt strong enough to fight.

Even though my process is about adding on and building, conceptually it was more equivalent to chiseling. I slowly removed layers of loss, uncertainty, and anxiety to try and find some nugget of truth, comfort and stability. I never found those things, or at least not in a concrete way. However, I discovered that the search itself (ie: the process of making) was the most helpful way to alleviate the pain I was feeling. The slow nature of stitching and knotting thread is my way of marking time and I often found myself thinking “Things will be better when I’m done with this piece, things will have changed.” Sometimes they did, sometimes they had gotten worse, and other times I noticed I had just gotten better at adapting. But regardless, there was a physical object where there once was not; a record of that moment in time.

The radiant palette and light hearted imagery are a reflection of both my deep sadness and my highest hopes. On one hand, this work is about the facades we put up to protect ourselves and the faces we wear to create an idealized version of how we want to be perceived. However, there is also an intention to simply create a lightness and allow time and space to gaze upon something joyful and whimsical. I made bright and happy work from a dark place. My goal is not to disguise our experiences but rather channel their energy into something beautiful.” 

Love, love, love. Happy Monday. {These original pieces are currently available through Paradigm Gallery.}

I couldn’t decide… should I write about #tarplife, a series filled with blue tarps painted into the photographic interiors of design books, or a bunch of campers who’ve found their way into the pages of outdoorsy magazines from a body of work titled “Encamped” … okay fine, I’ll show BOTH!  This is the work of Seattle based artist JoEllen Wang, and this is part of her artist statement:

“… At the heart of my process, where all my inspiration comes from, is everyday life in an urban environment. I paint images of familiar objects and subjects which for me simultaneously trigger nostalgia and complicated feelings about reality. I like to take my subject out of context, or see it out of scale, as an exercise in questioning the value I associate with it.

I paint diminutive campers in generic settings. The subject matter is homelessness, but the paintings are small and cute, and easily consumed, like candy. I paint campers and tent cities into picturesque landscapes. It’s celebrating the great outdoors, but also seeing the misplaced displaced-the people easily ignored at home…”

Like candy, indeed. Happy Friday.

Gasp! These porcelain pieces are the gorgeous work of Miami based artist Morel Doucet. I could go on and on and ON describing what I love about these pieces … like the children with safety pin heads, Nefertiti covered in delicate leaves, or those tiny hands and feet popping out of seashells, but I’ll hand it over to Morel because his artist statement says it all:

“My work explores the cultural disparity of self- realization, assimilation, and transnational identity as a Haitian immigrant. Using direct or implied human figures, I explore narratives of vulnerability, isolation, and alienation within various cultures across the globe. Within the vocabulary of indigenous art and my dreams, I create whimsical forms resulting in a diary of self-mythology.

These exchanges allude to a larger conversation about sea-level rise, environmental pollution, and the displacement between descendants of the African diaspora, and their physical environments. Through intensive detailed labor, my work mimics the current state of Black fragility. I employ ceramics, illustrations, and prints to examine the realities of climate- gentrification, migration, and displacement within the Black diaspora communities. In addressing these issues, I merge my Afro-Caribbean culture with flora and fauna and draw from the concerns of the collective consciousness of my community.

In my quest to illustrate the impact of climate-gentrification, I present work with visual impact and sensitivity —and draw inspiration from the indigenous cultures of the Amazon, Aboriginal people of Australia, and the Yoruba tribe of West Africa.”

Beautiful.

This is just a teeny, tiny peek at the work of 92 year old Canadian artist Gathie Falk. I have loved her work since my days as an art student. She was a successful, female, Canadian artist… which was exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. The first time I actually saw Gathie’s work in person – at the National Gallery of Canada in 1999 – I cried. She does everything from painting to installation, but it’s this series of life-size, papier maché dresses that gets me every time. Feminine portraits, each with their own story told only with a few objects… no faces required. The photos above are Gathie with her mother in 1942, followed by a much more recent shot of Gathie in action. Here is a description of her work from Equinox Gallery, her representation in Vancouver:

“Gathie Falk’s practice meticulously transforms objects of everyday experience into extraordinary things. Working in a variety of media that includes performance art, sculpture, ceramics, painting and drawing, Falk has produced works that feel surreal and dreamlike, reinventing clothing, fruit, plants, shoes, or baseball caps into objects of much greater significance. Although these objects are relatable in their familiarity, it is the personal symbols they carry – not the universal – that are of interest to Falk. Her practice has been aligned with the traditions of Surrealism, Funk, Fluxus, and Pop Art, but the influences are rarely direct. Indeed, Falk is most comfortable when poised on the edge of contradictions.”

Sigh. Love.

 

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Finishing touches! 👌🏾

A post shared by Adele Deloris Riley (@adele.d.riley) on May 23, 2020 at 9:51am PDT

Sponge Bob sheets transformed into imaginary, fluffy, flora? Work you have to comb before it’s finished? Yes and YES! This is the dreamy {meticulous} work of London based artist Adele Deloris Riley. I am always fascinated by an artist’s process, and spend a lot of my day thinking, “How did they do that?!”. So you can imagine how happy I was that Adele included the ‘before’ images of the forgotten scraps she turns into art! She was recently interviewed by The Sunday Times Home, and I pulled this bit of info/very sweet story from that article:

“Breathing new life into fabrics that would otherwise be discarded brings more fulfilment to the process”, Adele says. “During the uncertain times of the lockdown I found solace in my work. The laborious deconstruction and reconstruction of fabrics provided a therapeutic and joyous release … Lockdown has also brought new custom projects; Adele recently transformed an outgrown safety blanket of a client’s daughter into an artwork for her bedroom. “She had discovered it at the back of her wardrobe but it held too many memories to part with it. The personal touch was almost magical and so heart-warming. I feel grateful that I could provide such happiness during the pandemic to them through my work.”

Beautiful.

Apples and tassels and whales, oh my! These glorious pieces are the work of American artist Max Colby, and are all part of their “Elegies” series… and yes, every single one makes me want to MAKE something right this very second. There is so much to look at in each and every piece! Here is part of Max’s artist statement to give you a peek into why they do what they do:

“Through lush, detailed work in embroidery and textiles, Max Colby reframes traditional notions of domesticity, power, and gender through a queer and non-binary lens. Embellished with beads, sequins and other adornments, they rigorously explore identity through material histories. Touching on ceremonial and art historical iconography, the artist reclaims, transforms, and constructs objects which subvert the aesthetics of violent, patriarchal systems.”

Gorgeous! Also, you have to see the scale… in studio, and with Max at a show earlier this year:

Gah! So. Big! Happy Monday.

This is the work of Portland based, Scottish artist Jo Hamilton … and that’s Jo with her Grandmother Agnes ‘Nancy’ Robb, aka Gran, from her “Matriarchs” series. Jo crochets everything from cityscapes to large-scale nudes, but since I always seem to have a soft spot for portraits, and these are literally soft portraits, how could I resist?! ps. Follow her on Instagram because her #WIP shots are great!

These acrylic paintings are the work of Vancouver based, Métis artist Jean Paul Langlois. He has so much great work on his site, from huge outdoor murals {I watched this one being painted!}, to a series about ape soldiers arriving in the Old West… but, I just had to share these paintings from his ongoing series titled “Fake Indians”. Here are his words:

“This ongoing series is inspired by film and television that used white actors to play roles as Indians. Not just extras or background but well known character actors. Often those depicted were inaccurate, racist stereotypes. The more I began to look for it, I realized how pervasive this casting was. I could find a Fake Indian in almost every TV series or movie I watched. Western serials, spaghetti westerns, sitcoms, Disney films, everywhere. Big name actors and actresses too, from Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz to Don Adams and Burt Reynolds. 

As a person of Métis ancestry, I find the idea of Fake Indians interesting. I carry a card in my wallet identifying myself as an aboriginal person but have virtually no connection to the culture or history of my people. I feel as disconnected from that reality as William Shatner in White Comanche… I’m a Fake Indian too.”

Interesting, insightful, AND beautifully painted… Love.

Bowling pins! This is the funny, kitschy, and beautifully painted work of Toronto based artist Bernice Lum. Her current solo show, titled “A Spoon Full of Sugar”, is filled to the brim with altered bowling pins and is showing at Galerie Youn in Montreal until July 18, 2020. Here is Bernice’s statement, which sheds a little light on all of this fabulous nostalgia:

“Bernice Lum has been telling stories through her work by revealing a little bit of her story through a sense of humour, play and wit.  

Born in 1963, bowling and Wednesday evening drives to Dairy Queen were a weekly event for the family. Even her older brother was born while her father was playing in the finals of a bowling tournament which became the inspiration to her new series … a diary of stories within every pin, and a body of work that pays homage to her late brother and father.” 

So beautiful. And, as Galerie Youn so perfectly says, “A spoonful of sugar may not be the cure for COVID-19, but will help bring a smile, ‘In a most delightful way.'” Ah, yes, we could all use a little sugar.

Oh. My. Word. This is the absolutely stunning work of American photographer Tawny Chatmon. Yes, photographs. Well, that’s where these Klimt-inspired beauties begin. Here is part of her statement that explains why, and how, she does what she does:

“The primary theme that drives my art practice today is celebrating the beauty of black childhood. I am currently devoted to creating portraits that are inspired by artworks spanning various art periods in Western Art with the intent of bringing to the forefront faces that were often under-celebrated in this style of work. 

My camera remains my primary tool of communication, while my constant exploration of diverse ways of expression moves me to add several different layers using a variety of mediums. After a portrait session is complete, I typically digitally manipulate my subjects and unite them with other components to achieve a work that is a new expression. Often lending to them the eyes of someone their elder and more wise and almost always exaggerating their hair and features in a celebratory way. Thereafter, I may superimpose antique patterns and textures, collage vintage botanical and wildlife illustrations, or add hand-drawn digital illustration. If I feel I am not yet complete, after each portrait is refined and printed, I may combine paint and gold leaf adding ornamental elements inspired by 19th-century artworks. By experimenting with various art practices, I allow myself to follow no set of rules while creating instinctually and fluidly. Each layer serves its very own meaningful purpose.”

Beautiful on so many levels.