collage clearinghouse: July 2008

7/30/2008

Josie Lewis

Mandala, 2007, paper and resin, 48" X 48"

Josie Lewis is a Minneapolis based artist. Her collage work is put together in a really interesting way. She layers the strips of paper that make up her compositions with alternating layers of resin; this method gives them an incredible depth and physicality. Her pieces are often several inches thick with multiple layers of resin, which has a very high gloss finish. Her images are abstract mosaics often comprised of concentric rings surrounded by undulating organic forms. She describes them on her site as “…a blend of micro and macro: a satellite image confused with a blown-up cellular structure.” Her website is really great and I would recommend a visit, but I have a feeling the pictures don’t do these justice. Luckily, if your in the Minneapolis area you can see Some of Josie’s work at The Gallery at Fox Tax, opening Sept. 13.

A Tale of Two Cities, 2008, found paper and resin,15" X 15"

A Tale of Two Cities (detail)

Guest Editor, 2008, found paper and resin,15" X 15"

George Eastman House Goes Flickr

There's a nice collection of really cool old photos free of known copyright restrictions that has recently been posted on flickr on behalf of the George Eastman House. One can only imagine the wealth of photos in that collection!!! You can find the flickr collection here.
I am so glad that these are "free" for use. Sometimes its tough finding original imagery to use that is legally free of copyright restrictions. I have learned the hard way about these laws, and I am trying really hard to stick by them. It means more painting, more imaginative image searching, and a bit of photography on my own part.

7/25/2008

Valero Dovol

More goodies coming from dear ada blog. Here's some really graphic work done by Valero. How can you not find love in 'yer heart for such beauty! There is always a soft spot in me for a mushroom....and the above piece from the Wonderful World gallery on the site are just exquisite with their mandala presence. The Aerofauna pieces are amusing and their bright colors are just screaming!
With an impressive client list, and a fab website, Valero Dovol is capturing attention for me today.

Antonio Adriano Puleo

One For Me, One For You, 2007
Oil, acrylic, paper and fabric on canvas, framed
35 x 24 inches
California artist Antonio Puleo, whom I discovered from the dear ada blog, does some really cool things with backgrounds. I have some serious love for this, it's really sweet. The geometry in the background just rocks me.
There are more scrumptuous images on the site for Cherry and Martin here. yummy.

7/24/2008

Etsy....

Etsy.
By now you must have heard of this site or you have your head in the sand.... It's almost difficult to avoid at this point, with thousands of crafty and artsy individuals selling their wares in virtual shops. I can't believe how Etsy has grown and how prominent their exposure is. It's a great site for those that don't want to get involved with website building and all that. Websites require a bit of knowledge and sometimes some software, so it's a bit more intimidating then going onto Etsy and creating a storefront. Anyone can do it.
The marketing playing field on Etsy is pretty even, too. Each user is given the same tools to promote their goods and they do a great job on providing all sorts of tools, forums, logos, ideas, inspiration, etc.....
I listed a few ephemera things on etsy a couple of years ago. With all the latest hoopla and exposure on the site, I decided to list a few of my handmade books that I have been playing around with. So my little Etsy has been rejuvenated.

"Footloose" 11" x 11" x 4" - mixed media

©Elena Mary Siff

Lo and behold, Elena Mary Siff, who is a prolific and very talented collage and book artist, created today's Etsy Finds...in which she picks out several interesting handmade books, Including Mine! The newsletter reaches 13,000. Whether or not my book sells, it sure will get seen today. Thank you Elena....and Thank you Etsy!

7/23/2008

Cobaltika - Joining Collage and Photography

I have been a fan of Bobbi Studstill aka Cobaltika for years now...I used to be much more active on LiveJournal, and I can remember reading her blog and really having love for her interesting collages. She lives in Kansas, far removed from my east coast life. I enjoy the simple tainted beauty that she represents so well in her work.
In her words, her work is " a variety of coloring materials, paperScraps, old books, transferring materials, shreds of vintage fabrics and sewing notions, and my own photos have made this possible and resulted in an artform i simply call “mezclado”."

Her image toolbox is large! Her work with Gesso is admirable. Her photographic sense is amazing. She uses various cams in various states. She uses digital technology to alter photos.

Currently, I am loving these reconstructed books. I ordered one from her etsy shop. I can't wait to have one of these sweet things in my hands.

Her website is chock full of images to drool over. Check it out.

Exo

Wanda, 2008

I noticed Alejandro Muñoz’s collages on flickr. He goes by the moniker of Exo and is from Buenos Aires, Argentina. His uniquely fragmented and eroded figures burst across the page in dynamically satisfying compositions. I really like how the pieces are both densely packed with lots of images but how he also manages to use the negative space in an effective way. Its worth a visit to his flickr page.

Corta la Bocha, 2007

Mirtha-Belén-Andrea, 2008

7/10/2008

John Alspach

We All, paper collage, 5x6ft

I really like these large scale, text based collages by Twin Cities based artist John Alspach. They have a very painterly approach to collage with lots of torn edges and rough texture and a pop-like feel that reminds me of Jasper johns in many ways. He also has some really nice found art pieces, assemblages, and interesting textural paintings. His work has a great decrepit, run-down, urban vibe that I find intriguing.

Panel Two, paper billboard collage, 4 x 6'

Nine, found steel panel, 4 x 4'

John works out of Shinyrobot studio and is the director of Broadcast exhibitions.
shinyrobot.com
shinyrobotstudio.blogspot.com
bcexhibitions.com

7/08/2008

SIMPLY MARVELOUS!

Holy Crap I am having love love love for these guys at The Marvelous Collective.
Yummy! Rich rugged graphic bold these 3 dudes + others really are packing a punch.

I detect a bit of male-ness in these pieces, and I really like it. It's a nice contrast to the sweet female approach to the medium of collage. Please do go and get a peek at this stuff, it's simply marvelous!

Kate Phillips - Encaustic Work

rose red 5.5 x 5.5 2005 private collection
Peering around on etsy, I discovered the encaustic work of Kate Phillips. A Berkley resident who originally hailed from Scotland, her soft work is poetic and soothing...
I like the way encaustic techniques hold the moment ever so carefully. The title "Clandestina" is very Victorian and lovely. The little motifs that she uses in the border areas are also delicious...
Her website holds more little treasures.

clandestina
5.5 x 5.5 2005
private collection

7/01/2008

Downs and UPs!!

Artists have such a topsy turvy life. Some days you are on top of your game, you know it, your ego is grand and your work is grander. Other days you suck, everything sucks, and you just want to go to sleep.
I had entered this piece recently in the Regional Juried Show for the Cooperstown Art Association, which I just joined.

I was so hoping to get in, but I got the rejection notice while I was in Long Island. Doggedly, I picked up my piece from the upstairs above the gallery where it had been stored, and I really let my ego take the plunge. I hate that feeling, that rejection thing. I forced myself to look at the pieces that made it in and drove back home to escape to the studio and my own little bubble.
A week passes.
Last night I came home and was opening up the bills. Groan, the insurance company is fooling around on my hailstorm claim, and I am gnarly. I open then next envelope in the pile. It is from Arkell Museum, the gorgeous new facility that is located in Canajoharie, NY, my current hometown. They review artists exhibition proposals once a year in June, and I had turned in my proposal with a shiny CD containing 10 images months ago back in March, after which I promptly forgot about it. This letter? It was a contract for a solo show in October of 2009!!!! I am so psyched! If I had to pick a local place to show my work, Arkell would be #1 on the list. I sure didn't expect to get accepted! Immediately, my ego responded with big smiles. What hailstorm? Amazing how you can go from such lows to such highs, all in one week. It's so emotional...it's so female of me, so artist of me...

A view of the Arkell Museum in Canajoharie, NY

Update:
I went back and read the letter again, and good grief!!! It isn't from the Arkell Museum!! It's from the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts in Little Falls, NY. I sent out the applications on the same day, and apparently my mind did some kind of weird dyslexic thing, and I got this all wrong. I apologize!! I am very excited about exhibiting in Little Falls. It's a super great venue. Hope to see some of you there on '09!