Oh. My. Beautiful, sad, perfect, destroyed… all of that. This is the work of Toronto based artist Brian Donnelly. He has a solo show coming up later this week in Portland at Stephanie Chefas Projects. The show is titled “Nothing Lasts Forever” – appropriate – and this was a chunk of text that I found on the gallery’s site describing Brian’s process:

“Donnelly is well known for his aggressive approach to portraiture that involves defacing meticulously executed figures through the use of turpentine, hand sanitizer, and other materials. The resulting work is a study in deterioration, fortified by the philosophy that to take away from something can be just as provocative as to add to it.”

Agreed. I think I’d put the word “brave” in there somewhere too. I’m not sure I’d be able to pour turpentine over a perfect painting… although I bet it would be fun!

Lol’s meet beautifully painted classics. Yes. These are paintings! Everything – from the lace collars, to the romantic landscapes – and then of course there’s the perfect lettering… I rly cant even. This is a sneak peek of the latest work from American painter Shawn Huckins. I wrote about him yearrrrrrs ago, but with this amazing new show, titled “Everything is Hilarious and Nothing is Real”, about to open on May 5th at Modernism Inc in San Francisco, clearly I had to write again. If you want to see the full reveal of these big, perfect beauties up close and personal, you really should. The show runs from May 5 to June 25, 2016 and the opening reception is May 5th from 5:30- 8pm.

Good luck, Shawn! L8R

I don’t write about abstract paintings very often, but when I saw the most recent work of Vancouver based artist Scott Sueme, well, I couldn’t help myself. His palette, the graphic compositions, and let’s be honest… those stripes pulled me right in. All of these pieces are from his upcoming show, titled Retreat, that opens at Kimoto Gallery this Friday, April 8th in Vancouver. Retreat indeed… looking at these paintings makes me want to pack my bags in search of summer.

Oh. My. Goodness. This recent series from Portland based painter Lisa Golightly is killing me. That black beach? That little bike gang? Gorgeous! Not acrylic, or gouache or oil… nope, it’s house paint. Kinda perfect considering how homey her work is. As always, Lisa’s paintings bring back the sweetest, sometimes slightly faded, memories of childhood. Sigh… they make me feel like I’m eight again… “if only for a little while.”

Lisa will be showing several of these pieces at LA’s Good Eye Gallery. The opening reception is on Saturday April 9th, 5-9pm… and ps, a little birdie told me that Lisa is coming in from Portland for the party! For more information contact 323 255-4538 or info@goodeyegallery.com

Oh! Get it… oh… circles… anyway. These are 7 of 34 pieces in Nahcotta‘s latest exhibition, “What Goes Around”.  Yes, 34 artists – many of whom I’m slightly obsessed with – have created 12″ circular pieces of art. From Jeremy Miranda, to Jennifer Davis, to Leah Giberson {who hinted about this piece during our podcast interview a few weeks ago} – the roster is just fantastic! This was the inspiration for the show:

Choosing a particular selection of 34 artists, predominantly from the gallery’s significant stable, Nahcotta challenged them with the task of creating work on a twelve-inch circular panel. Since Greek antiquity and making resurgence throughout the Renaissance, circular works of art, called “tondi” (“tondo” when singular) have been made in architecture, sculpture, and paint. Botticelli and Michelangelo, for example, both painted and sculpted more than a few scenes utilizing this form. Deriving from the Italian word “rotondo,” meaning “round,” the shape very much informs the context and narrative of the art itself, so “What Goes Around” promises an incredible range of work launching from the same dimensional foundation.

It’s a gorgeous show, so if you can make it to the artist reception/opening – which is TOMORROW from 5-8pm – well, you should! It will be up from April 1 until May 1, 110 Congress Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Now, if you can’t make it to the show, all of these pieces are available for purchase online… but hurry because a few of them are already SOLD.

{Artists shown above: Jeremy Miranda / Timothy Wilson / Michelle Morin / Travis Hetman / Jennifer Davis / Laura Berger / Leah Giberson}

… and the winner is… NICOLE REDDINGTON! Congratulations Nicole, have an amazing time – I hope you get to see Charlotte’s work in person! And thanks to everyone that entered – stay tuned because there are always more giveaways around the corner.

……..

Sigh… these vibrant oil paintings make me want to go swimming on a warm, tropical night! Mind you, they also make me want to go to the Affordable Art Fair in New York next week. Yes, these gorgeous paintings by Brooklyn based artist Charlotte Evans will be there… and you might be too! Saatchi Art has given me a pair of VIP tickets to give to you! Leave a comment below and I will draw one name on Saturday March 26th, at noon pst. The winner can decide which of their lucky friends gets that second ticket. Here are the details:

Two Complimentary Tickets to the Private View of the Affordable Art Fair  ~ Courtesy of The Jealous Curator and Saatchi Art

Join Saatchi Art on Wednesday, March 30th from 6-9pm for the VIP Private View of the Affordable Art Fair in New York City. Saatchi Art will be presenting new works by 9 outstanding emerging artists on the first level in Booth #1.49. VIP guests will receive a copy of Saatchi Art’s new print catalog, as well as a limited edition tote bag, while supplies last! We look forward to meeting you in New York. 

VIP Pass includes admission to each day of the fair, including After Dark and the Sofa Session with Saatchi Art Chief Curator Rebecca Wilson on Thursday, March 31st at 1:30pm.

Featured artists: Kevin Bradley and his Church of Type, Fabio Coruzzi, Charlotte Evans, Alex Jackson, Koen Lybaert, David Fredrik Moussallem, Robert von Bangert, Dean West

The Affordable Art Fair, Metropolitan Pavilion 125 West 18th Street, New York, NY  *between 6th and 7th Avenues

Ok, if you’re going to be in New York next week, leave your comment below… good luck! {ps. HUGE thanks to Saatchi Art for this fantastic giveaway xoxo}

Ah, a series of lovely traditional doilies. Well, that’s what I thought… until I looked a little closer. These are drawings. DRAWINGS! They are from a series, titled “Tedium”, by Canadian artist Lindsay Arnold. Here is her beautiful description of these drawings (DRAWINGS!):

“Tedium is a series of drawings using the doily as a metaphor for feminine experience and the process of aging. The crocheted pieces I use as models are sourced from yard sales, auctions and second-hand stores. Each portrait includes stains, holes, loose threads and errors. The imperfections which have rendered the doily unusable for its original purpose now provide narrative and meaning to the drawing. This series honours experience, acknowledges tedious labour, and attempts to reveal a part of the anonymous maker’s story.”

Love. So much.

{ps. Lindsay has a show opening, titled “Hearth”, on March 17th at Estevan Art Gallery}

Ok. I seriously don’t even know where to start. Leaves hand-sewn into perfect cubes? Delicate embroidery that transforms leaves into doilies? It’s all just too beautiful and perfect. I wrote about the sticks, stones, and leaves {way back in 2012} of German-born, UK based artist Susanna Bauer, but wow, she just keeps pushing the leafy envelope. Stunning.

If you’d like to see these delicate beauties in person, Susanna has shows coming up this March in New York {March 11 ~ April 16 at the Muriel Guepin Gallery}, and in the UK {March 2 ~ May 26 at the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World}.

I have loved the work of American artist Jessica Brilli for years. I’ve written about her a few times, and I’m sure there are many more posts to come. She has a love of all things vintage, as do I. The other thing we have in common… curating. Yep, we’re going to talk about a very exciting show {that kinda makes me want to cry} which will open later this month, but we’ll get to that in a minute. Ok, you can listen right up there under that lovely couple, or you can subscribe on iTunes. First up, a few pieces from her “Static” series, the work I posted about way back in 2012:

So good. But alas, she “got tired of painting typewriters”, and so she turned her attention to vintage, suburban landscapes. I follow her on Facebook, and she often posts work in progress. I find it fascinating to watch her work develop that way. Here is one of my favorite progressions:

She is also concerned with the topic of health care and care for the elderly, this is an acute issue for many families and professional medical care for elderly relatives is an important social issue.

Ah! A peek behind the painted curtain. That piece is one of the images that was inspired by the set of slides she bought at a garage sale {such a cool story!}. Here are a few more from that “Slide Show” series:

… and those are the slides! I also asked for a tiny peek at her studio, and look, a vintage radio… surprise, surprise! Of course, I had to ask her about her motel paintings. The image below is one of my favorite pieces of hers. It whisks me right back to family road trips:

Love. Speaking of love… “Jealously Curated | East Coast Edition”. What!? Yes, Jess and a bunch of other artists have put this beautiful show together, that opens November 23rd in Cambridge MA. The theme… everyone in the show has been written about on my site! How crazy amazing is that? And yes, I got a little teary-eyed when they emailed to ask me if I’d be ok with it. Ok with it? Um, YES. Here is a peek at the fantastic artists whose work will be included:

Gah! So, so good! I wish I could go to the par-tay {Jess said the opening party was in November, but it’s actually on December 3rd}. If you can go, please do… and then send me photos! Alright, that’s that. There was a quick mention of a Big Salad with the Seinfeld crew in the speed round, and then we said goodbye. Thanks so much to Jessica, for EVERYTHING, and thank you so much to you for listening. There will be more art for your ear next weekend.

{Links to artists above: Anna Jensen / Jenny Brown / Airco Caravan / Erin Fitzpatrick / Jeremy Miranda / Leah Giberson / Taliah Lempert / Zin Helena Song / Jessica Brilli}

If you’re in Toronto you should absolutely check out Art With Heart. It’s an art auction, now in its 22nd year, put on by Toronto’s Casey House, an organization that cares for people suffering from HIV. This fundraising auction is filled with absolutely gorgeous work {a few of my favorites shown here}, that “will benefit a number of Casey House’s initiatives including sending skilled teams of registered nurses and workers into clients’ homes, providing rehabilitative care and recreation therapy at the hospice, and bringing specialized HIV nursing care via partner clinics to marginalized people who lack access to treatment. Donor generosity enables additional services at Casey House to address the complex health needs and isolation that many clients experience.”

THE AUCTION

The Carlu / Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Reception 5:30 pm / Live Auction 7:00 pm

TICKETS … $175 {buy now}

{Artists shown above: Sarah Letovsky / Janet Morton / Megan Ellen MacDonald / Kim Dorland / Kris Knight / Keita Morimoto}