So, here we are on the last day of 2010! Pretty exciting for all of us, but especially monumental for San Francisco based artist Lisa Congdon. Today marks Day 365 in her A Collection a Day, 2010 project! Yep, that’s right – every single day of this entire year Lisa photographed, or drew a collection of things, and then posted them to her blog. It’s an unbelievably beautiful bunch of stuff {vintage toys, art supplies, buttons & thread, and the list goes on}. I’m totally jealous of her knick-knack packed shelves… oh, and also that Uppercase Gallery has turned these daily posts into a beautiful little book due out in the Spring of 2011! It’s going to be gorgeous!! Ok, ok, but enough about my jealousy, today is all about who makes Lisa jealous ~ Enjoy:
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I’m jealous of Alexander Calder.
From the moment I saw Alexander Calder’s show at the SF MOMA many years ago, I became smitten. I immediately bought two books on the man, Calder’s Universe and a vintage copy of his monograph entitled Calder (by Maurice Bruzeau, now out of print and difficult to find). I lay on my sofa and devoured them in less than a week.
Alexander Calder is best known for his mobiles, but he touched practically every artistic medium of his time (stabiles, graphic design posters, rugs, toys, sculpture, painting, drawing, jewelry, ceramics, etc.). Two years ago I had the privilege to see his work again at the Whitney. They featured his wire Circus, which made him famous in the 1920’s (he was a bit obsessed with the circus). It was incredible to see. He is one of the most experimental and prolific artists of the last century.
Born and raised in the U.S., Calder left for Paris in 1926, when he was 28 years old., and there is art career blossomed further and he became part of the avant-garde art scene of the day. In 1931 Calder married Louisa Cushing James. They traveled continually. By all accounts he was a good-natured man.
Intensely creative, fearless, prolific, modern, good-natured, lived in Paris in the 1920’s, world traveler, kept enormous messy studio. What is there not to be jealous of?
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Exactly! Thanks so much for dropping by Lisa, and congratulations on your lovely collection of collections! Can’t wait to see the book.
