This is the beautifully painted, powerful, breathtaking work {acrylic on canvas} of LA based artist Calida Garcia Rawles. I’m going to hand this over to her, because this description from her ‘about’ page says it poetically and perfectly:

“Merging sharp photo-realism with poetic abstraction, Calida Rawles paints African-American women and men submerged in glistening water; bodies are swarmed by a flurry of bubbles, ripples, and refracted light. For Rawles, water is a spiritually healing element for all people – yet she recognizes its historical connotations to racial exclusion and cultural fears. She uses the complicated duality of water as a platform to address identity politics while reimagining her subjects beyond cultural tropes. At times, her work alludes to current events, even making topographical maps of cities where acts of racially targeted violence have occurred. In other moments, her works are purely celebratory of the resilience, strength, and beauty of African American culture.”

Beautiful. But wait, there’s more… as stunning at Calida’s paintings are, I just had to share a few images from her Instagram feed. Some of her paintings are so big that she works by sitting on scaffolding… but look how small her brushes can be:

The pay off for using such teeny tiny brushes on those great big canvases? Yet another solo show at VSF {Various Small Fires} in LA, not to mention a fantastic interview in W Magazine. So, so, so inspiring.

Styrofoam, insulation, plexiglass, concrete, foam, wood … and that final piece? It’s is embroidery on Tyvek {a synthetic material used to wrap houses during construction}. What?! Yes. This is the very powerful work of Montreal based, Algonquin-French artist Caroline Monnet. Her show, titled “R-Value”, is currently showing at Division Gallery in Montreal. Here is the exhibition description:

“For years, the housing situation in Indigenous communities has remained grievously unchanged. In remote regions with harsh winter conditions, construction materials can be scarce and expensive. Construction financing is cannibalized for repair and upkeep, while residents and local councils are excluded from decision-making. The result is generic housing, unattuned to its environment and bearing no resemblance to traditional dwellings. Caroline Monnet’s recent work grapples with colonialism’s impact, updating outdated systems with Indigenous methodologies. Combining contemporary building materials and patterns transmitted across generations, Monnet creates hybrid objects. Resembling city maps and bar codes as much as they do traditional weaving and beading, the patterns she prints on, weaves into, or cuts from insulation offers a glimpse back and a path forward.

Meticulous, beautiful, powerful. This work will be at Division until July 1, 2020.

Oh, HELL yes! The power of vulnerability displayed as brass knuckles topped with some very beautiful / badass quartz. Do you remember this “ring”? I wrote about it waaaaay back in 2011… and now it’s in the Smithsonian! Yep, American sculptor Debra Baxter is my guest today. I’ve been following her ever since that first post, so it’s about time I had her on the podcast. You can listen up there under that stunning piece of wearable art, or subscribe right here.

Ok, let’s start off with a quick reference. For some of you, this will be a trip down memory lane… and for you youngins, an education. I give you Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, 1978:

Sigh. I was in love with him. Anyway, yes… those crystals! Clearly this would have an impact. How, after seeing this as a kid, could Debra not start making art that looks like this:

Oh, boy. The crystal brass knuckle collection… and this isn’t all of them! I know this is older work for Debra, but damn, it’s just too good not to show! It’s like having the Fortress of Solitude on your frickin’ hand!

But wait, there’s more. Here are the absolutely stunning pieces you can find in Debra’s jewelry collection:

Gasp! Absolutely stunning… and the reason for the rustling sound at the beginning of the episode. Hey, totally worth it!

Next up, the #30DayArtQuarantine. Oh my word, these are just a few of the pieces Debra made every day for 30 days:

See? How on earth could I ever pick a favorite? It’s impossible. A few of these pieces are being released TODAY via Form & Concept Gallery in Santa Fe…  Here’s an interview she did with them about this series, and a link to the 5 available pieces.

Next, a little look at the two-person show Debra did last year, with Vancouver based artist Rebecca Chaperon, at Roc La Rue Gallery in Seattle. This is the post I did for that show:

Aren’t they perfect together? Dreamy, mystical, all of it.

And finally, THE PAPER BAG. I have to put it in all caps because I cannot even begin to imagine carving something like this:

… and it’s not even finished yet! Keep an eye on Debra’s Instagram feed for #WIPs of this beauty. Thank you so much to my fellow sculptor {I’m manifesting this} for chatting with me, and thanks to YOU for listening to us. See you next week for a new episode of ART FOR YOUR EAR.

Other links:

1. Debra on Instagram
2. Debra’s jewelry: DB/CB
3. Upcoming jewelry collab. partner: Susanna of Mineralogy Project 
4. Roq La Rue Gallery, Seattle
5. Form & Concept Gallery, Santa Fe / 30day sculptures in their shop

Ahhh, I want to spend the weekend in alllllll of these paintings by American artist Erika Stearly. Also, if we’re talking about things I want, I’d also like all of the lamps and potted plants she has so beautifully painted into these quiet, comfortable, homey spaces. Which brings me to this question? Are these places real? Kinda…

“She’s found inspiration in vintage home remodeling magazines, the IKEA catalog, photos taken in friends’ houses, searching sublet rental ads on Craigslist, and most recently though Instagram.

Using a combination of watercolor and acrylic paint, Stearly quickly sketches in the setting. Despite being loosely rendered, exaggerated and often brightly colored, the collection of domestic items depicted still manage to evoke the sense of a particular place. Stearly’s paintings are often titled by street address.”

Sigh… so dreamy. A few of Erika’s originals are available on Showfields.com, and you can find prints here. Happy weekend.

Okay, it’s no secret that I love the combination of embroidery on photographs, but these lovely pieces by Palm Springs based artist Han Cao have taken these found images from the past, and brought them directly into our current situation. This series, titled “Quarantine Collection”, is her latest work. Here are her words:

“This collection was created as a way to remember this significant, historic time, focusing on our collective individual efforts to protect and save the lives of others.”

Beautiful. Wash your hands and wear a mask. It’s really easy.

Oh my word, YES. I’ve been watching the “in progress” images show up on his Instagram feed for months, and finally, New York based painter Will Cotton‘s cowboys ‘n unicorns are ready to ride! His brand new show, titled “The Taming of the Cowboy”, opens this Thursday May 28th at Galerie Templon in Brussels, and runs until July 31, 2020. Here is the statement from the gallery’s press release:

“In a nod to his country’s political schizophrenia in the midst of the electoral campaign, Will Cotton offers a new take on the myth of the cowboy, symbolizing the conquest of the West. His large, ostensibly classical oil paintings portray a surprising encounter between triumphant cowboys and their fantastical steeds: pink unicorns. The figure of the cowboy evokes a strong sense of American masculinity, associated with freedom, manifest destiny and a culture of violence. In contrast, the unicorn — particularly when pink — reminds us of a more contemporary mythology that has in recent years taken possession of the little girls’ section of toy and clothing departments everywhere. Questioning the notion of gender, the exhibition explores the relationship between the sexes along with the hypersexualization of childhood, the notion of queer, and the LGBT movement, whose global mascot has recently become the rainbow unicorn.”

Okay, I didn’t think it was possible, but now I love these oil paintings even more. ♥

Oh my word, I am in love. These oil paintings are the work of Glasgow born, London based artist Kaye Donachie. Dreamy and narrative… I want to know everything about all of these women. Here’s a little snippet from an interview with Kaye that gives a little glimpse into that:

“My paintings primarily refer to literature, biography and archival imagery. I have an interest in the early twentieth century avant-garde women who contributed to art and culture but remain marginalized figures in history. These women have a clear sense of identity, represented through their writing and art, and as muses … Many of the women I refer to are liberated modern thinkers. Their biographies are sparse but that affords a space in which to interpret narratives in my painting and representation.” ~ Kaye Donachie, Excerpts from 2018 Interview with Elephant.art 

Sigh. So beautiful.

Gasp! This is the surreal work of Mexican artist Carlos Amorales, titled “Black Cloud”. The still images above are from the first time this was installed in 2007 {Yvon Lambert, Paris}, and the video is from the CURRENT installation at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. These black paper beauties will be covering the walls there until June 7th, 2020. Happy Monday.

Yes! Today’s guest on ART FOR YOUR EAR is New York based artist and illustrator Amber Vittoria. We have been overlapping on projects throughout this crazy quarantine, so clearly I took that as a sign from the universe to get her on the podcast! Amber works almost exclusively with the female form, which – you guessed it – I asked her about. Turns out, she worked in advertising at the beginning of her career, and found that she couldn’t relate at all to the images of women being used – so she started creating her own, very stylized bodies. Anyway, we’ll start at the beginning and work our way up to those stories! We recorded this a couple of weeks ago, knee deep in lockdown so take a listen right up there under that curvy, flower-carrying lady, or subscribe right here.

First up, the results of a six week artist residency she did earlier this year at Facebook’s Analog Lab in New York:

See why I asked her about these pieces? I love the work so much, and her reasons behind this series:

“Inspired by the modern embrace of individuality within office spaces, this risograph poster series leverages bright and colorful portraits of women heading into work. Historically, women and their personalities tend to be quieted or ignored within an office setting; these portraits aim to be a playful nod to celebrate how society has began to empathize with womanhood and the stories, thoughts, and ideas women bring to the table.” 

Amazing, right?! Okay, up next … Ambers’s HAPPY SOCKS!

So much fun! This was one of my biggest take-aways from this episode… that Amber continues to create the work she wants to create, using her very personalized style of drawing female figures, and the brands come to her FOR HER! This is the dream, and she’s living it.

Speaking of brands, here’s a lineup of some of her collaborations, starting with this pair of shoes she did with K-Swiss:

Not only are these sneakers delicious, I mean gorgeous, listen to the concept behind them:

“Through the bright colors of “This Space Is For You,” this collaborative K-Swiss Classic pair celebrates the space women have made to express themselves both physically and emotionally. The woman in the piece also pushes to create even more space, representing the continued crusade for intersectional feminism and equality amongst genders. This collaboration had an international release on International Women’s Day.”

Next, her mural that is installed in the Warby Parker shop in Boston:

So cool! I scoured Amber’s Instagram feed for the photo she took when she popped in for a visit, but alas, an official interior shot will have to do.

But wait, we’re not even close to finished! How about the work Amber did for the “social launch of Marc Jacobs’ Daisy Love Eau So Sweet scent. The pieces embody the bright scent of Eau So Sweet, leveraging fruity decoration, daisy iconography, and warm musk coloring.” Yeah they do:

I can’t handle all of this goodness… and we haven’t even gotten to Gucci yet:

The first piece was a commission for Gucci’s DIY knitwear collection and the second illustration was for a perfume campaign.

Oooh, and this just launched! Amber’s latest class on Skillshare came out a few weeks ago, and is titled “Intuitive Illustration: 4 Quick, Fun Exercises to Unlock Creativity”:

She shares all sorts of tricks for getting out of your head… which you just know I absolutely LOVE!

Oooh, this is brand new info too. I just curated a new online show on Showfields’ site, and of course I reached out to Amber to ask for a couple of her pieces. She said, yes:

Yes! I love everything she does, but there’s something about this soft, blurred colors that speak to me. These two pieces are originals and are still available… but I’m betting not for long!

And finally, I had to include a few process shots. I love that she combines digital and analog in her work because, as she said, that kind of defines her creative experience so far. Here she is adding analog to the digital right in front of our eyes:

Love! Speaking of love… she posted that ‘line and scribble or lollipop or rose or a stop sign’ on Instagram a couple of days ago, and I just had to share it... oh art, the possibilities really are endless. Sigh. Ok, with that I will say thank you so much to Amber for doing this with me, and thanks to YOU for listening. There will be more ART FOR YOUR EAR next weekend.

Other links:

1. Amber’s online shop : Originals / Prints
2. Amber on Instagram
3. Amber’s class on Skillshare
4. Showfields x TJC Show
5. Happy Socks… go get some!

Today, FRIDAY MAY 22nd at NOON {et} I’ll be hosting a LIVE ART SALE on Showfields.com! I curated a grouping of the 8 fabulous artists above {and ok yes, I curated myself into the lineup!}. Please tune in because A. it’ll be fun, and B. for every person that hops on to watch, Showfields will be donating $1 to the charity of my choice… I chose Doctors Without Borders ♥  Soooo, come on over, invite a friend… or ten! This post gives you a peek at half of the available work, and here’s the description I wrote for this curation:

“While the various pieces are quite different – from ceramic eye masks and quiet landscapes, to self portraits and embroidered bits of nature – for me, the element that connects this collection is the feeling of intimacy. Each piece gives us a peek into the artist herself, creating a cocktail of beauty, humor, and vulnerability … and yes, that’s my favorite kind of cocktail!”

…….

Aaaaand that’s a wrap! That was FUN! A bunch of the work sold during the LIVE event, but you can still pop over to Showfields to see my curation and buy some gorgeous work from some very talented artists.