This 2010 painting series, titled ‘The Feast’, is the work of Vancouver based artist Nicola Tibbetts. It makes me hungry… and then a little bit sick. The pieces above are, in this order, Preparation of the Feast; The Feast; The Remains of the Feast. Here are her words about this body of work:

“This is a series of paintings based on an imaginary banquet. My inspiration for this theme was the lavish, ostentatious feasting rituals of the Middle Ages. These paintings illustrate the course of a feast from its very beginnings as a lush accumulation of the ingredients, to its final stages, where bones and dishes pile high and only crumbs remain.”

Okay, I need to lie down. Happy Friday.

Ah, “Lovers’ Eyes”. These modern takes on a classic are the lovely work of UK based artist Lucy Pass. From what I can gather, she doesn’t know any of these lovers, or their eyes. Nope, Lucy uses found images as the starting point for all of her work, “passing [her] own subconscious judgement onto an unknown face, and inviting the viewer to do the same.” Well, we may not know who these dreamy eyes belong to, but to explain the origin of “lovers’ eyes”, I’ll pass it over to good old Wikipedia:

Eye miniatures are believed to have originated when the Prince of Wales (later George IV) felt the need to send the widow Maria Fitzherbert a token of his love. This gesture and the romance that went with it was frowned upon by the court, so a miniaturist was employed to paint only the eye and thereby preserve anonymity and decorum. Reportedly Maria’s eye miniature was worn by George IV, hidden under his lapel. This is regarded as the event which led to lovers’ eyes becoming fashionable, appearing between 1790 and the 1820s in the courts and affluent families of England, Russia, France and more rarely, America.

“Smile, Honey” … the title of the final piece above, and a perfect lead-in for this post about New Mexico based artist Dorielle Caimi. That said, I’m going to let her take it from here:

“Her large-scale figurative work explores the unabashed expression of personal identity and personal truths that challenge our time-worn social constructs. Her work highlights the strength and ferocity of female beauty, through a careful and methodical deglamorization of her subjects. Ever-present throughout her work, are the fluorescent hues and shapes which speak to the advertorial, graphic nature of her narratives and represent the pressures faced by modern women.”

2019. Let’s do this, gals.

Welcome to 2019… Rococo teacup astronauts have been waiting for you! Gah… so good! These wonderfully weird paintings are the work of Brazilian artist Lúcio Carvalho. I don’t know what I love more, the dreamy nod to the past or the shiny nod to the future. Here are a few words about Lúcio’s work:

“Lúcio Carvalho works is inspired by scenography as well as Baroque, Rococo and Renaissance era. Emotion, memory and imaginary archives – fragment from the past, projection of the future – are building the work that needs to be protected because of its fragility, to stay preserve for the future to exist with a certain freedom.”

Love, love, love. ps. Some of his work is available through Gallery MX, Montreal .

Yep, that final piece looks about right… who else is dizzy? This is the fabulous work of San Franciso based artist Kristin Farr. You’re probably thinking, ‘Whoa, I wonder how much masking tape she goes through?’. Well, the answer is NONE. That’s right, she does everything freehand… okay, now I really need to sit down. I met Kristin earlier this year when I was in California and, I can tell you, she is just as colorful as her fabulous work {and yes, I’ll be getting her on the podcast sometime in 2019!}

ps. Kristin also writes for Juxtapoz Magazine … seriously, the coolest chick ever.

“Watercolour, Ink and Pigments on “Amalfi” handmade cotton paper” … sigh. This is the elegant work of Italian artist Sabrina Garrasi. Those inky lines, stone-like textures, and bold shapes… Stun. Ning. Happy Monday.

Gasp! Perfect folding / flowing fabric, and abstract shapes filled with vibrant candy-colored gradients. This is the breathtaking work of Norwegian artist Audun Grimstad. All of these oil paintings {um yes, OIL PAINTINGS} are part of his most recent series:

” … “Body Cage” plays with elements of fashion design — ornate garments, lush spaces, bold colours — to create abstract arrangements that explore issues of feeling trapped inside the facades we construct around our identities. The paintings hint at narratives about the human condition, where the opposites hope and regret is central.”

Paintings.

Doesn’t that last piece make you want to call your BFF? Or paint? Or paint with your BFF? This is the work of American artist Daisy Patton. Watching her career flourish over the last few years has been so inspiring… she pushes her work every time she steps up to one of those giant panels. More detail, different color combinations, new techniques, and images that all have their own stories behind why she chose them. And guess what? I’m with Daisy right now! Yes, we’re in Aspen together for BIG PICTURE, BABY {a beautiful show that I curated that happens to be opening TONIGHT at Skye Gallery}. We’re putting on our snow boots and mittens, and heading out at 6pm… hope to see you there!

I’m flying to Aspen today for a show that opens tomorrow night {see Monday’s post}, and oh my goodness, this gorgeous work is definitely setting the mood. These are just a few recent pieces {acrylic, gesso, graphite, enamel on panel} by Scottish artist Emily Moore. Mountains, chalets, and snowy vistas fill her dreamy 2018 portfolio. I’ve written about her twice already {1, 2}, and yes, I can confidently predict that I’ll do it again and again and again.

Emily’s work is available via Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh.

Gasp! This is the large-scale, absolutely breathtaking work of American artist Ronald Jackson… and yes, that’s Ashley Longshore peeking up behind two of his pieces. I was just scrolling through Instagram {as you do} and saw her post about her latest, and very smart, art acquisition – !!! – Clearly, I dropped everything and wrote about him immediately. Beautifully painted patterns, masks, and those eyes… those eyes that stare into your soul. Not only is his work fascinating, so is his story. Let’s jump in right here:

… In 2001, halfway through his military career, Jackson had an epiphany that inspired him to consider a post-military career as an artist and painter. However, he realized that he needed much development, and that there was little to no opportunity to attend art school while serving abroad. He therefore read, researched and studied all he could in order to experience significant growth as he worked towards improving his skill; while at the same time, managing multiple military deployments and frequent training exercises.

Um yes, I have to get him on the podcast.