Be still my crystal-loving heart! I have written about American artist Chad Wys a bunch of times over the years, but how on earth did I miss these rock-covered beauties from 2014? All of this work is from Chad’s ongoing “ready made” series in which he adds his own contemporary touch to relics from the past … and the thrift shop. LOVE!

Okay, I need to touch all of these things… shiny, smooth, spiky, ALL OF IT. These bizarre still-life vignettes are the work of Wang & Söderström, a collaborative duo made up of Swedish spatial and furniture designer Anny Wang and architect Tim Söderström. They do all sorts of fabulous projects together, and strive to “create mind tickling and unexpected experiences through materiality and technology”. Nailed it. Here is a description of one of their still-life series:

“‘Common Odd Things’ is a still life series that aim to stretch the boundaries between the familiar and the unreal. The organic sculptures are created by the artist duo Wang & Söderström through digital data to physical form by 3D printing. They are made in various biodegradable PLA blends, such as wood, stone and glossy plastic, which creates different textures and appearance that is often found in Wang & Söderström 3D rendered work.

The objects have been brought together in different set designs and captured by photographer Mishael Phillip, who focus on boosting the surrealness yet keeping details to reveal the sense of the real world.

The title, ‘Common Odd Things’, invites to explore the work from your own perspective. The contradictory words ’common’ and ‘odd’ is a play of how things can carry familiarities at the same time feel bizarre and alienated. Things can look like an object from your dinner table or a sex toy. Or perhaps a creature, something alive. What makes them common and what makes them odd, is through the individual eyes.”  Photos by Mishael Phillip

Gasp! I love everything about this… lips on legs and play-dough like shapes on a grand scale? Yes, yes, YES. I wrote about the fabulous work of Japanese born, San Francisco based artist Masako Miki way back in 2013 and in 2011, but my goodness, the evolution of her work is astounding! If you happen to be in the Bay Area, she has a gorgeous show installed at BAMPFA – Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive – right now (install shot above). Here are a few words about “MATRIX 273”:

 “Her current work is “inspired by the idea of animism from the Shinto belief of yaoyorozu no kami [eight million gods] who are both good and evil with a wide range of personalities.” In defining this world of shifting boundaries, Miki creates larger-than-life-size, felt-covered forms drawn from the Japanese folk belief in yokai [shape-shifters] who can disguise themselves in any number of different forms. Miki creates the semi-abstract, sculptural forms utilizing brilliant colors and sets them into a magical environment suggesting another reality. The installation moves from the three-dimensional forms to abstract images on the floor and walls, conveying a sense of expanding boundaries.”

The show will be open until April 28, 2019. Happy Monday.

“Uncommon Thread” is my latest curatorial endeavor, and I could not be more proud! Soft sculpture made with thread, embroidered thread, paintings with thread, paintings of thread, and knitted thread… just kidding, that’s knitted GLASS. I mean, come on! Here’s my curatorial statement:

Thread – an everyday, utilitarian, domestic material – until you put it into the skillful hands of these artists. Winding, tying, twisting and stitching its way through the work of all seven featured artists, this is in fact the common thread that ties their work together. However, there is nothing common about the way these women manipulate their materials of choice, and their reasons behind the work itself. Paint, glass, ink and – yes – actual thread will be on display, resulting in a very uncommon group show. UNCOMMON THREAD features artists from Seattle to New York, Los Angeles to small town Canada.

The show is now open at bG Gallery in Santa Monica, but the opening reception is this coming Saturday March 16th 6 – 9pm. Go, be amazed, buy art. Thank you to bG for inviting me to do this, and thanks to these seven wonderful artists for participating : {the order above} Natalie Baxter, Sarah Detweiler, Nike Schroeder, Lindsay Arnold, Ellen Schinderman, Michelle Kingdom, and Carol Milne.

Have you seen these amazing life-sized crocheted ‘n knitted works of fantastic-ness floating around the interweb? Well I have, and clearly I had to write about them too! This is the work of Finnish artist Liisa Hietanen, and here are her words about this series, titled “Kyläläiset (Villagers)”:

“I make sculptures by crocheting and knitting. The technique has become a way of thinking. It is continuous and present and allows a portrait to slowly find its character. I am currently working on a series called Kyläläiset (Villagers), which consists of portraits of my fellow villagers in Hämeenkyrö. I study the essence of familiarity and shared experiences. I meet the same familiar strangers every day on the street and our common world is the size of a small village. I am depicting the present moment by portraying my own surroundings, but at the same time I am bringing out something common to us all.”

Beautiful.

“So far, so good”, indeed! This is the vibrant, joy-filled work of Miami based artist Alex Yanes. I found his work via Wednesday’s post, and then proceeded to fall down an absolutely gorgeous rabbit hole. Sculptural paintings, installations, sharks and oh so many good vibes.

“Since he decided to pursue art full-time in 2006, his work has become his autobiography, speaking volumes about who he is and what he has seen. A son of the city, his story is influenced by his Cuban roots and an ever-growing curiosity about all the things Miami had to offer him during the 80’s and 90’s. Yanes’ work is the result of years spent immersed in skateboard, tattoo, hip-hop and rock culture during his teenage years, but says he felt the stirrings of creativity at a young age. He won his first art contest at age six and claims that one of his greatest accomplishments was building his own tree house at the age of 10; a feat he accomplished with the knowledge and tools imparted on him by his father and grandfather. Now a father himself, Yanes spends his time making art and raising his family in the city that raised him. Where he once worked on canvas, his art has taken on a life of it’s own, coming alive via wood, acrylic, resin and enamel into three-dimensional installations.”

Happy Friday.

Gasp! Seashells… thousands and thousands of seashells! This is the stunning work of London based artist Rowan Mersh. As you might have guessed, he is best known for turning ordinary materials into, well, the absolutely extraordinary pieces shown here. These pieces are just a tiny sampling of his work, his portfolio is full to the brim with insane pieces and beautiful minutia.

Oh! The shapes, the colors… the perfectly placed shapes and colors! This is the work of London based artist / art consultant Sophie Smallhorn. In case this isn’t obvious, her work “explores the relationships between colour, volume and proportion.” Yes, it does… beautifully! Happy Monday.

Gouache, watercolor, collage, ceramics … seriously, the portfolio of American artist Erin Harmon is filled to the brim with rainbow-hued magic! Just imagine if you could jump, spin and dance around in one of her worlds? Well, if you’re a ballerina in Memphis, you can…

Gasp! Sets that Erin designed for Ballet Memphis. Sigh.

That yellow cherry? The stem? ♥

Marble, calcite, the occasional copper stem, and alabaster breasts. Honestly, I’m lost for words… which doesn’t happen very often. These seductive (yes, even the donut is sexy) sculptures are the work of London born, Los Angeles based artist Nevine Mahmoud. How does she do this? Sigh. Stunning.

{via Artsy}