Gasp! This installation, titled “Manifestation 8 : Permutation 1”, is the latest work by American artist Samuelle Green. I wrote about her beehive-like work {made from zillions of paper cones!} in 2019, and so the second I saw these pink velvet chairs show up on Instagram… well, I knew I had to write again! This piece was part of two-person show with Liz Miller, titled “Fiber Filled”, at Spartanburg Art Museum in South Carolina. Here’s a description of Samuelle’s work from her website:

There is structure and design inherent in the natural world which we constantly draw from and take for granted. We generally fail to acknowledge the skill, time, and detail required to manifest the intricate structures found in objects we encounter regularly – such as those found in bird and wasp nests, beehives, spider webs, rock formations, anthills, feathers, and countless others. Samuelle’s work, especially the large scale installations, reference these forms – inspiring contemplation. These natural forms are often met with human made, found objects.

Sigh. Beautiful.

Don’t worry. They aren’t going to pop. Those squishy balloons are squishy at all… they’re resin! That said, they certainly create some drama with a capital D, no? This is the work of Belgian artist Christophe Delbeecke, and here are a few excerpts from an interview he did with Luisa Catucci Gallery, Berlin:

“I really love working with everyday objects because their banality offers a lot of different possibilities. We are so used to these kinds of objects that just a small modification can give them a totally new meaning, giving the chance to create something new and original … I love paradoxical things, because they push us to meditate and think in a deeper way. With the “Balloon Series” I wanted to materialize the tension between the balloons and the sharp objects, which upsets the “pre-installed software” of our brains. In fact, we think that the image we are looking at is actually impossible, but still it exists … The message behind my artworks is very paradoxical as well – it can be positive and full of hope like, for instance, “Nothing can beat me”, but once you switch the objects it can get really negative and hopeless.”

Oof, yes it can… I’m gonna opt for the “nothing can beat me” angle.

Fine, I won’t try to eat any of these pieces, but wow, that’s alotta eye candy! This absolutely gorgeous, joy-filled, I-wish-I-could-lick-it show is titled “Curious Matter”. Oh, how I’d love to sit in the middle of that happy space for an afternoon… so therapeutic. “Curious Matter” was installed at Skye Gallery Aspen, and featured the work of three fabulous female artists: Dan Lam, Yellena James, and Meghan Shimek. Now, who wants some sugar?

*Install shots by Jason Siegel

Seattle based artist Emily Counts makes the most magical ceramic sculptures. Some of them hang on the wall, interlocked into beautiful narratives, while others tell their stories standing free… and ALL of them are gorgeous / make me wish i knew how to use a kiln! I have questions about Emily’s childhood {because for some reason I always want to know that part!}, we talked about how she found her way to ceramics, her current process, stained glass, mushrooms, grief, grandmothers, haircuts and more. Don’t worry. It’ll make sense. Look/listen under that lovely photo of Emily in her studio {shot by Amber Fouts for Luxe Magazine}, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify.

Let’s kick things off with the first piece of Emily’s I ever saw / instantly became obsessed with. It’s titled, “Forage and Pour”:

Looooooove. And yes, I popped another one of her wall pieces in there because, um, how could I not. It’s titled “Catenary Vessel”, and I love it too!

Next, Emily’s CERAMIC MURAL {!?}:

Isn’t that crazy amazing!? You might recognize it because I wrote about it, IN DETAIL, last summer. This was at Facebook’s Redmond, WA location, and part of their Artist-in-Residence program.

Oooh, next… some “portraits”, complete with stained glass eyes etc:

Aren’t they lovely? And they have Emily’s bangs!

Up next, interlocking vessels:

Ah, the mushrooms and flowers she talked about. Magical. Also, I really want to see Emily and her husband try to drink ginger tea out of these at the same time.

Finally, a peek at Emily’s current show, titled Souvenir. at Nationale in Portland:

See? This is why I’m such a HUGE fan of Emily. Oh my word, it’s all so gorgeous. I put in that final image so you could get a better look at the glass. What a renaissance woman! She make do it allllllll. Oh, and great news if you’re in Portland, this show has been extended until July 8th. Thank you so much to Emily for sharing all of her stories with us {and for encouraging me to get a kiln!!!}; thanks to Wireframe for supporting this episode; and great big thanks to YOU for listening. There will be more ART FOR  YOUR EAR next weekend.

Other links:

1. Emily on Instagram
2. Bio photo of Emily by Amber Fouts for Luxe Magazine
3. “Souvenir” at Nationale {until July 8}
4. studio e gallery {Seattle}
5. SOIL show!… Brooklynn Johnson / Rachel Thomander / Ko Kirk Yamahira
6. Susannah Montague, Sculptor
7. Wireframe {Podcast}

Tiny sculptures made from found scraps? YEP! Philadelphia based artist & animator Lydia Ricci transforms the weirdest bits and pieces into beautiful little objects – from couches and hairdryers to cars and roller skates. We get into how she found her way to this kind of work, and she may or may not have admitted to a crime. Kinda. You can listen right up there under that tiny station wagon and the bike that’s hitching a ride on the roof, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify.

First up, a few of my favorite little sculptures from Lydia’s massive {yet miniature} portfolio:

Aren’t they fantastic!? Some of her pieces are available through Paradigm Gallery in Philadelphia {Lydia just had a show there… how did we not talk about that?!}

Okay moving on from that little slip-up, here’s just the tiniest sampling of her stop-motion animation work:

 

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Yes, that’s the mac & cheese reference that came up in the Not-So-Speedy speed round… and united us FOREVER! There are so many fantastic animations on Lydia’s Instagram feed, and I almost put allllll of them here, but I figured I’d just point you over there instead. Warning: You will be there for HOURS.

Oh, “PANTYHOSE”. Brace yourself for a crazy true story:

What!? Yep. Just one more reason to love her. ps. Fabulous music by Wonderly.

Up next, “Don’t You Forget About Me”. This is the short film that made me a little teary-eyed. I’m not sure why… maybe it’s the old photos? Everything in there was pulling at my 1970s heartstrings. Oooh, and the other great thing about this video is that you get a peek into her jam-packed studio!

So sweet, and her words are just perfect. Also, how great is that messy studio!? So. Much. Stuff. See:

And with that I will say, thank you so much to Lydia for doing this with me… and mark my words, we will make the dream retreat happen! “True Crime, Mac n’ Cheese, Art 2022”! Okay, I’m gonna have to workshop a better name, but you get the idea. Be there or be square.

Other links:

1. Lydia on Instagram
2. Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
3. Sheridan College, Ontario
4. Ann Carrington, Artist : Episode No.193
5. Paradigm Gallery, Philadelphia
6. The Innocence Files on Netflix

Who better to have as my guest for the second installment of “PAINT CHIPS” than a junk food loving art consultant! Yes, my good friend Pennylane Shen is back on the podcast, this time with MORE CHEEZ TASTE! We’re eating Cheezies and talking about food themed art that takes our breath away. You can listen right up there under all of that cheesiness, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify.

First up, the entire reason we both showed up to this episode with a bag of Cheez Doodles, “The Cocktail Party” {1992}, by American artist Sandy Skoglund:

Yes, a party covered entirely in REAL cheese doodles! FYI this is showing right now, until September 2021, at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, TX. I’m guessing it no longer smells like fake cheese? Sandy coated all of these doodles in epoxy in 1992… but you never know!

Here are some of the other Sandy Skoglund installations/photographs we talked about… the very timely “Germs Are Everywhere” {1984}, the super creepy “Walking on Eggshells” {1997}, the very famous “Revenge of the Goldfish” {1981}, and the green cats from “Radioactive Cats” {1980}:

Notice how I just sort of snuck the snakes and eggs in the middle of all that so I wouldn’t have to look directly at them for too long?

Alright, we’ve had our salty snack… time for something SWEET:

 

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Okay, it’s not actually sugary icing… it’s oil paint. SO MUCH OIL PAINT. This is the piece I brought to the party today. “Under Heaven” by Xu Zhen. The Instagram video is the one I took while standing in front of this jaw-dropper at Art Miami in 2016. Isn’t it insane!?

And finally, a few throw back photos to when Pennylane and I actually got to eat junk food / talk about art IN PERSON:

Ahhh, good times. I can’t wait until we can do this again. Hopefully Nick the Nalley Chip guy will be there with his truck! Thanks so much to Pennylane for doing this with me… twice {I’m so glad we didn’t eat the cucumber chips the second time around. So. Gross.}  And, of course, thanks to all of YOU for listening… there will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend.

Other links:

1. Pennylane on Instagram at @dazed.and.confucius
2. Sandy Skoglund, Artist
3. “The Cocktail Party” now on at McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, TX
4. Xu Zhen, Artist
5. Art Miami
6. Episode no.200 hosted by Petah Coyne
7. The NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH ART Society
8. Co-Loop Podcast Network

I’ve wanted to interview American artist Beverly Fishman for years… but, honestly, I was too intimidated to ask! Not only has she shown her work all over the world, she was also the head of the painting program at Cranbrook for 26 years. Yeah. Anyway, long story short – I asked, she said yes, and here we are! I’m so excited for you to hear this episode… it’s filled to the brim with stories, insights, and no-nonsense roll up your sleeves ‘n get to work advice. You can listen right up there under Bev and her jaw-dropping work, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify.

First, the group of Bev’s paintings {!?} I posted a few months ago:

Yes, they’re paintings. Craziness.. they are literally glowing!

Here’s the piece I was referring to when I asked Beverly about titles. This is “Untitled (Digestive Problems, Asthma, Depression, Depression)”, 2019, Urethane paint on wood:

Gorgeous … who knew digestive problems, asthma, depression, and depression could be so fabulous!? Well, Bev did.

Up next, her carpal tunnel causing collages:

I love that her work translates into so many mediums, yet you always know it’s “Beverly Fishman”. Speaking of which… from paintings of pills, to pills made with glass:

Gasp! Aren’t those STUNNING? These beauties were the result of  her 2011 Guest Artist Pavilion Project (GAPP) residency at the Toledo Museum of Art. I would love to collaborate with a glass artist at some point… okay, I’m officially putting that on my very detailed “list of things I want to do”.

And finally, I had to include a few of these gems from the 80s & 90s:

Seriously. Such a kick-ass woman! Huge thanks to Beverly for coming on the podcast to share her stories, insights, and fabulous advice… and, of course, thank YOU for listening. There will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend. ps. If you’d like to subscribe to ‘The NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH ART Society’ to receive my new daily art deliveries, you can sign up right here. ~ Danielle

Other links:

1. Beverly on Instagram
2. “Prometheus Bound” {Painting by Rubens}
3. University of the Arts, Philadelphia
4. Ree Morton, Artist
5. Cynthia Carlson, Artist
6. Yale University
7. Mel Bochner, Artist
8. Elizabeth Murray, Artist
9. Eva Hesse, Artist
10. Cranbrook Academy of Art
11. Mark Bradley-Shoup, Artist {episode no.12}
12. Petah Coyne, Artist {episode no.186}
13. Sydney Blum, Artist 
14. Samantha Fields, Artist & Educator {on the podcast: ep.91 & ep.153}
15. Bev’s Art Institute of Chicago Talk … watch it on YouTube
16. “Love Letter to LA” at Gavlak Los Angeles, May 1 – June 5, 2021

Ahhh, sipping coffee in the studio while admiring these colorful, patterned blankets draped on hooks. Or not. They’re wood… flat, hard, unable to flow! And if you want to get really specific, here’s the materials list: Dye, UV absorbent lacquer, on plywood with nylon cord and wire {no cloth!}. Oh my word, this is the fabulous work of Chicago based artist and educator Dan Gunn. Some of his work is included in “The Shallow Act of Seeing” currently showing – until May 16th – at John Michael Kohler Arts Center {Sheboygan, WI}. “Pushing against the very qualities that define their medium, artists Dan Gunn, Bayne Peterson, and Rachel Beach defy the physical rigidity of wood and confound expectations of its use.”  They sure do! Happy Friday.

Okay, it’s a three-way tie between the scrambled pink phone, the giant yellow fan, and the nose light. So. Good. This is the weird and wonderful ceramic work of Haitian born, Miami based artist Woody De Othello. Here’s a description of his work via Jessica Silverman Gallery:

During his childhood, Othello saw these household objects as intimate presences, used to alter physical states and offer temporary comfort. Moreover, born and raised in Miami to a family of Haitian descent, the artist was enamored by the power of ceramic pots used to contain and overcome negative energy and bad spirits.

Using a hand-building technique called “slab construction,” Othello builds his ceramic sculptures up about six inches at a time. “The clay takes over; it has a mind of its own,” he explains. “It is a conversation and there is always space for me to react.” Othello pushes the forms up to a point where they are near collapse, working the unfired clay to a point of precariousness, giving each piece a psychological weight, a sense of movement and individual emotion. The glazes are then layered with many pieces being fired multiple times to achieve the depth of color and texture that Othello desires.

‘The clay takes over’ … love, love, love!

*Bio photo via Cultured Mag by Aubrey Mayer

Beautifully made work that also makes you laugh? LOVE! This is the gorgeous/cheeky work Barcelona based artist Gerard Mas. After scrolling through his portfolio, it appears that Gerard sculpts in any medium he can get his very talented hands on … from wood and alabaster, to clay and in this case, resin.

Gerard Mas is a Spanish artist (Sant Feliu de Guixols, 1976) who approaches his sculptures with an exceptional sense of humor. The statues resemble busts from the 15th century Florentine period, but in the very contemporary vision of Mas. With his sculptures he creates a dialogue between tradition and modernity. Mas is particularly interested in the visual image and less in its historical meaning, perhaps as a paradigm of our current society in which image increasingly replaces content.

Although his work shows a great aesthetic affinity with the traditional – which is also evident in the use of his favorite materials: marble, alabaster, wood and resin – changing the invisible code of ethics is an important key in the artist’s process. The sculptures of the ‘Dama’ series are a good example of absurd and grotesque combinations.

The women’s faces are sweet and charming, soft and delicate, often with a pearly white skin that implies innocence, but at the same time, for example, a cheeky, inflated gum ball breaks through the illusion and idealistic perfection of her beauty, as in the ‘Dama del Chicle’ busts , and a surprising shock effect is created. ~ via Absolute Art Gallery, Belgium

The sunburn is my fave… or the bubblegum… ooh, or the nose-picker. Tough call.