jennifer maestre sculpture

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look closely at the fantastic sea creatures created by south african born, massachusetts based sculptor jennifer maestre and you will see that they’re made of pencils. that’s right, you heard me. jen’s current work is skillfully crafted from hundreds and hundreds of colored pencils. they’re cut into one inch pieces, sharpened and then drilled through to become beads, and then sewn together using a peyote stitch. in each of these incredible works you can feel the approach-avoid paradox from her medium - a clear and surprising achievement (and one of her goals). you can also see the genesis and extension of a simply fascinating idea.

all that contrasty tension in the spikey points and smooth, undulating surfaces serve as reminders of all that is dangerously attractive in nature. the textures, at first glance, give way to a certain complex reveal that comes from deep inside a person who is not only a visionary, but also a truly enlightened master of color.

i love to see the progression and throughlines of artist’s work, and jen’s website is a fabulous example of this. knowing that she started out with the idea using nails when she was a student (see the first 3 photos above), and then having it evolve organically into pencils and then being nimble enough with the concept to extend this thought into something wearable and accessible to people who aren’t hardcore collectors is truly extraordinary and seems so purposeful, and successful to me.

and i want to touch everything, even though they’re sharp, and stick my head inside that tall guy with the gaping hole at the top, to see all the spikes in there. to stare. and think and evolve like the piece itself must have done.

see more magnificence on jennifer’s website.

bonus: check out her beautiful pendants, pins and small sculpture in her etsy shop!

via designboom

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nama rococo wallpaper

“what if bootsy collins played versailles?” this philosophical question should give you an idea of the quirky genius behind this hand painted, hand screened single sheet wallpaper from artist karen combs for her massachusetts company, nama rococo. back in the day, karen was inspired by a chinese scroll in a museum, and wanted to see her artwork on a larger scale. she created a piece on a 50 foot roll of paper, and was inspired by the concept of converting her designs into a repetitive, rhythmic pattern. the wallpaper idea came naturally after that. the joyful exuberance in their hand mixed color selection is stirring. and the abstract, fresh approach they have, mashed with a more traditional ornate decorative style, results in revved up, sprightly patterns on acid free french paper that make you stop to stare and watch the show.

i love the high quality, fine art approach to their craft. these single sheets are not inexpensive (e.g., the french dot pattern is $220 for a 25″ x 38″ sheet), but when you think about how much a large centerpiece painting for your room would cost, it seems pretty comparable. knowing that it’s quite a labor of love make it even more valuable.

find more info and see all the wonderful selection here.

via bb-blog

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gabrielle schaffner ceramics

vintage pottery, nature, and numerous trips to italy are what inspires the very pretty ceramics collection from massachusetts artist gabrielle schaffner.

she uses wheel-thrown and handbuilt techniques to create her functional pieces.

she works with earthenware clay, and uses a modified majolica technique for glazing.

i love her nostalgic imagery, lush colors and smooth textures.

contact gabrielle through the fort point arts community.

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