dana robson collage works

i am buzzy doing blog maintenance, working on my special creative project and caring for my big doggie who is having trouble walking post-seizure, so i cannot write much today but i wanted to show you the beautiful works of san francisco artist dana robson. i love the gorgeous handwork here; the stitching onto vintage papers and maps, the goccoing, the nature motifs and while we are at it let’s not ignore the frame crafting either. the pieces give off a flowing, soothing energy which my whole house could use right now.

purchase these pieces at the beholder and see dana’s website for more.

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shalene valenzuela ceramics: let’s chat!

i like to see pretty and edgy put together in art, and if it’s bright, ironic, feminine or makes a contemporary statement about society, i am all for it. you can imagine why my head nearly flipped off with delight then, when i saw the humorous and intriguing ceramic collection of shalene valenzuela. at first glance i admired shalene’s skillful command of her chosen medium, her layered style, and all the vintage shapes and molds she uses. after gazing for a little while longer though, the forms fall away to reveal secrets, histories and legacies which tell very strong, up-to-the-minute stories. let’s have a chat with shalene and find out a little more…

q: where do you live, and where do you create your art?
a: i currently live in missoula, montana. i lived in oakland, ca for several years (i am a california native), and moved up here to start a long term artist residency a year ago. i will be in missoula for at least another year, then we shall see!

q: what is your background, and did you study art formally?
a: i have a BA in art practice, and a MFA in ceramics. i have been an active studio artist for several years, and have taught many classes, mainly in ceramics.

q: what is it about clay as a medium that appeals to you most? and (without giving away any secrets of course!) can you tell us a little about the techniques you use?
a: i love the transformative qualities clay has. there’s such a wide variety of work that people have executed using the very same materials that i do: we all speak the same technical language, but the aesthetic range is amazing. my work is mainly slipcast, and i draw/paint using underglaze, and sometimes use screenprint transfers in my works, using underglaze as the printing medium. my work sort of borders on the trompe l’oeil aesthetic, but in more of a “cartoonish” manner. i want the object to be recognized, but my illustrations compose it into something else entirely. for the most part, i make my own molds, unless of course, i run across a commercial mold that is way too ridiculous to pass up.

q: i see throughout your collection a very strong theme of women in contemporary society. has your work always had feminine motifs? how has it transformed since you started making art?
a: my work always had some element of a feminine motif in it. i have always tried to combine humor with a deeper message in it, and i think as i have grown older, i have gained more of an understanding why these topics and image styles interest me. i use “dated” imagery, yes, but these images conjure up many issues that are still pertinent today, not only for women, but for society as a whole.

another thing i was thinking about recently… i loved to draw at a very young age, and as my character rendering skills developed, i noticed even the male characters i drew had a soft feminine edge to them, so i sort of gave up on drawing guys. even now, it takes a bit more focus for me to draw the male characters i may put in some pieces.

q: what is the price range of your collection?
a: from as little as $15 for ceramic teabags to about $3999 for my largest piece - 99 bottles of beer. but most of my stuff is in the “affordable” range - reasonably priced functional items, and most my sculptures are below $500, unless they are large or complicated.

q: what is your inspiration for these works? do you have a message you want to send through these pieces?
a: i’d like to think that my body of work consists of quirky pieces that reflect upon a variety of issues with a thoughtful, yet humorous tone. i am inspired by the potential of everyday common objects. i reproduce these objects in clay through handbuilding, slipcasting, or a combination of the two, and illustrate the surfaces with a variety of handpainted and screenprinted imagery. i primarily obtain my imagery from remnants of the past (instructional guides, advertisements, family photos, tall tales), and reconstruct the images in order to convey my narrative. these narratives generally deal with topics ranging from fairytales, urban mythologies, societal expectations, etiquette, and coming-of-age issues. stylistically, much of my imagery is pulled from sources around the 1950’s era. through advertising, common objects were embraced in the most royal fashion, and through television and print, images of the “perfect americana life” were portrayed. i use these images in a manner that can deal with ageless topics.

q: where can we go to see your collection in person? are you currently exhibiting in any shows or is there anything else meaningful you would like to tell us?
a: my studio is currently at the clay studio of missoula in my studio and our sales gallery, but i am in several shows and whatnot now and coming up. in missoula, i will have wall works in a solo display at bernice’s bakery in the month of june, a piece in the missoula now! show at the ceretana in september, a solo show at the clay studio of missoula in october, and a solo show at the catalyst in december. elsewhere in montana, you can find small works at b civilized in livingston.

back in the bay area, i currently have work up in a group show at the grand theater center for the arts in tracy, at the natsoulas gallery in davis. i will have a piece in a group show at ruby’s clay studio in san francisco starting in late june, and will have a solo exhibit and sale at cricket engine studio and gallery in oakland (this is my former studio, where I used to serve as gallery manager). also, i am excited to be in two consecutive shows at santa fe clay in new mexico - the first is bling, opening this week (may 23rd - june 21st)! the best bet is to always check my site for updates. i do have several things in the works, and try to make updates regularly!

thank you shalene!

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natasha preenja paintings

these acrylic paintings from indian artist natasha preenja are making me dizzy in the best way. i love the patterns and lines combined with soothing color schemes and the strong feminine subject matter.

wah - i hunted around but found no website for natasha. i found these pieces on pav’s lovely blog, though, and you can click over there to see more of natasha’s work and more cool things!

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laura blumenthal ceramics

hurrah! spring is here, and here are some lovely little plates and cups to celebrate the season from philadelphia potter laura blumenthal. graphic designer laura uses terra cotta, stoneware and porcelain with techniques like silkscreening, handbuilding and carving to create pretty combinations her collection.

purchase these pieces and see the full (and very affordable) complement at her etsy shop.

via creature comforts

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martha rich mixed media paintings

i just saw these fantastic paintings on the sfgirlbybay blog and had to write about them immediately. they’re part of the painting a day exercise california artist martha rich has just wrapped up, called freedomwig. martha has created a collection of acrylic, collage, ink and pencil pieces that have consistent underlying themes of insecurity, the trends people follow to achieve acceptance and the ultimate disappointment that occurs once they realize how absurd it all is. according to martha, the series is inspired by “all the ads we see during our lives informing us of the bad smells we make, our lack of prettiness, that we are too fat, and all our flaws that will cause others to like us less.” wow.

as a child, martha worked as a television and print ad model. the rediscovery one of her old j.c. penney shoots lead to her obsession with vintage department store catalogs from the 60’s and 70’s, as well as her signature style: an imperfect interpretation of all those stiff model poses, undergarments and beauty products found in the pages of those wishbooks from days gone by.

i love these works. i simply love them. the naive style, the stylish motifs that salute previous eras, the layers and expression, the sweet feminine palettes that belie a message that a lot of people don’t want to see or hear. these are strong statements to stand up and make in a world where superficiality, quick fixes and the next best thing abounds. but the hook is here and holds you because martha isn’t preachy about what she is trying to get across. the positive, affirming message of seeing the value in just being yourself comes through loud and clear. and that is music to my ears.

these pieces are in an exhibit which has been extended over at the la luz de jesus gallery in los angeles through january 27 (hurry!). check out what is still available here, read the rest of the sf girl’s blog post here and while we’re at it let’s not leave martha’s main website or freedomwig site out either!

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beanwad handmade jewelry

love these delicate but still funky pieces of gemstone jewelry from local artist erin costello - another renegade craft fair find!

purchase her work here.

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suzi blu art

i like this girly heavily textured art from new jersey artist suzi blu. she’s using a combination of acrylic paint, mica powder, colored pencil, ink and beeswax to create these folksy outsider compositions.

i like the scratchy surfaces, bright colors and positive messages she conveys.

see her blog to find out what she is up to, and check out her flickr stream, video log, ebay or print shops to see much much more!

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studio archirivolto charme chair

i don’t care that these are $795 each, i’m hatching a plan now to cook up a scheme to somehow see these in the flesh and maybe sit on them once… to me this is the perfect feminine/masculine chair. glamorous and curvy, but made from macho materials of aluminum and leather, from the brilliant minds at italy’s studio archirivolto for fasem.

LOVE.

see for yourself at fy2k or the conran shop.

via betterlivingthroughdesign

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shino arihara illustrations

tony over at thumbtack press just got some new work in from california artist shino arihara, but the older stuff is great too!

purchase shino’s prints at thumbtack press and see more work on her website.

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linen and silk sachets from estelle billot

i love these sweet little pillows and sachets from french designer estelle billot. estelle grew up in burgundy and studied business in paris. her company, nature et poesie, and the designs she creates are inspired by her french heritage, travels and favorite childhood memories. her distinctive products are accented by french words and poetry.

her poetry is translated into english and is included on a hanging tag on each item.

the poems are so sweet — the one on the dove pillow says, “beautiful as a dream, light as a cloud, a travelling dove, soars in the air so pure, and embellishes the azur…”

i love her delectable color palette and happy, simple shapes. i also love the touch of luxury from the european linen, dupioni silk and french lavender she uses to make her lovely products. any of her pieces would make a truly wonderful gift!

see estelle’s website to find a shop near you.

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naomi kobayashi illustrations

i almost went insane when i saw these beautiful illustrations by japanese artist naomi kobayashi.

although she shares the same name as the famed textile artist, i do not believe they are the same person (and i certainly hope someone will correct me if i am wrong).

i am struck by the strong childhood themes, delicate dreamlike imagery and the sheer, poetic style.

seriously, it’s making me nuts.

an extraordinary talent.

see her full portfolio here.

via knowing i would

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bella bella couture correspondence

look at these lovely cards from california artist tristan brando.

tristan’s company, bella bella, was created out of a need for tristan’s search for small cards on which to write brief notes.

these fold over cards are about 3.5″ x 4.88″ and come with white envelopes (and without the watermarks you see in the photos).

they also do rubber stamps, monogram stamps and custom orders.

letterpress coming soon!

visit tristan’s website for more info, or her etsy shop to purchase.

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