SOMEWHERE, SOMETHING INCREDIBLE .....

Today I discovered the amazing art of Michael Zelehoski. At first I couldn't make sense of what I was seeing on the computer screen.



Were they actual boxes and pallets? Photographs ? Paintings?

What Michael has done, in his own words....

"involves the literal collapse of three-dimensional objects and structures into the picture plane. This simple gesture – which is basically just taking things apart and putting them back together flat – is at the heart of what we think of as two-dimensional, representational art."

I was so enthralled when I made this discovery that I called my husband to look. He had a puzzled expression on his face. LOOK! this guy has flattened a box and made a picture from it so it still looks like a box and you aren't even sure whether it is 3 dimensional or two!!! And do you know what he said ?

"I don't get it."

In all fairness, I did drag him away from the rugby ...... and he usually gets it.

Have a look at Michael's process here to see how he collapses the object and puts it all together again.

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." - Carl Sagan

SYNCHRONICITY, BIRDS AND HEALING

Every year Seth Apter organizes a "Treasure Hunt" for favourite blog posts. You can find links to other bloggers taking part in the treasure hunt, here. I have chosen Synchronicity, Birds and Healing for my Buried Treasure post. The bird sculptures in this post are all created by Geoffrey Gorman.

When my husband was gravely ill he spent many months in bed recovering from several surgeries and radical chemotherapy. To distract ourselves from the situation I decided to hang bird feeding platforms outside our bedroom window to see how many bird species we could attract to the garden. Every day I prepared a feast that soon became the talk of the town and within days every bird and his wife descended on our garden.

Once we had attracted the birds to the garden I purchased a nesting log made from palm stem. It wasn't completely hollowed out because apparently it is best to keep everything as natural as possible. Armed with wire and pliers I climbed into the tree closest to the bedroom window and fixed the log so that Martin would be able to see it directly from the bed.


Coming back through the kitchen door I called out that it may be a few weeks before the birds become used to the log. Almost immediately, Martin answered, "Come and have a look! ".

I have goosebumps thinking about it even now for there perched on the log were two Black Collared Barbets and while we watched with mouths agape they started pecking the soft pith out from the centre of the log.

It took several weeks for them to hollow it out to their liking but eventually the Barbets were satisfied and they began to build a nest inside the log. They were in that tree, building, nesting, feeding and rearing young for the rest of Martin's treatment.

Our visitors all congregated in the bedroom to watch, mesmerized as the little Barbet family went about their business. We are convinced that they played a very important part in my husband's healing. What are the odds that a family of shy birds will take up residence in a tree only minutes after putting up the nesting log? I have given palm logs as gifts over the years and most people report that no bird will go near it for the first month, if ever. We experienced many synchronicities during the two years that my husband was ill and this is definitely one we will never forget.

See more of Geoffrey Gorman's work here and his blog here.

ONE RUNG AT A TIME

Photograph by Dan Taylor. See more of Dan's photographs here.

Ladder symbolism in art could mean anything from climbing the rungs of success, ....... to a means of communication between man and God .... earth and heaven.

Journeys 2 by Lin Lisberger. See more amazing pieces in this series, here.

I am drawn to the ladder for its symbolism .... it's shape .... the rhythm created by the rungs .... as well as the memories attached.

Another wood sculpture by Lin Lisberger. See more here.


I'm thinking of an old oak tree from my childhood .... far older than the oldest person on earth..... I was told. Propped against it, the top rungs disappearing into the foliage, was a tall (and wide) weathered ladder. To this day I don't know what it was used for.... maybe roof repairs ... but the thing that stands out in my mind, is the view from the top ..... which made me feel very heady and almost powerful enough to fly. Almost....

Studio Ladder by Igor Kamyanov. See Igor's Flickr photo stream here.

For me, the ladder in Igor's painting symbolizes my dream of having a studio built above the garage where I will have a view but more importantly I will have my own space to work in.

Jacob's Ladder by Lyndal Hargrave. More of Lyndal's work here.

This piece is by Robert Rauschenberg. "The work consists of two separate canvases, each the height of a man. A wooden ladder bridges the gap between them, and its legs extend to the floor, inviting the viewer to climb into the picture".

Photo of Anselm Keifer's work taken by catheadsix on Flickr.


Reverie #3 by Graceann Warn. Encaustic, Oil and objects on wood panel. Website here.

Awakening Breath no.1 by Patti Roberts-Pizzuto and Johntimothy Pizzuto. See blog here.

Ladders by Adrian Lawson. I wish we could see each painting individually but you can visit the Hand Held Gallery and click on the picture to enlarge it.

"Every positive change -- every jump to a higher level of energy and awareness -- involves a rite of passage. Each time to ascend to a higher rung on the ladder of personal evolution, we must go through a period of discomfort, of initiation. I have never found an exception." - Dan Millman

AT FULL TILT, SINGING AS I GO

This week has been one of those full-tilt-singing-as-one-goes sort of weeks. The days have been glorious, though cold enough to wear a tartan coat and a sunbeam....

I finished the door commission, mentioned a few posts ago......



...... and visited my "good luck" gallery in my favourite little mountain village ....


..... ate lunch next to a waterfall, at a restaurant overlooking the farm where I spent most of my childhood.

I also treated myself to a Clementina van der Walt plate, something I've been wanting to do for a long time.


Ceramics by Clementina van der Walt at The Underberg Studio. The plate I bought is in the top left corner.

The Underberg Studio gallery stocks art by leading South African ceramists. This little gallery is my lucky charm ..... and I'm not saying anymore in case I jinx it ;-)

Quirky ceramic jugs by Hennie Meyer.

Ceramic Tile by Cathy Brennon. (I happen to have this tile on my wall :-)

Cathy and Lawrance Brennon, the owners of the gallery, are both recognized artists in their own right. Cathy is a ceramist who creates a range of amazing pieces, from delicate, detailed bowls to earthy, African inspired body masks.

Delicate bowl by Catherine Brennon at The Underberg Studio gallery.

Lawrance is a photographer who captures the stunning beauty of surrounding mountains with his camera. He also makes pinhole cameras and has a blog where he shares his passion for photography.


Potter at Work by Lawrance Brennon. See more on Lawrance's blog, here.

The ceramics studio (attached to the gallery), is full to brimming with bits and pieces that grip one's attention from the moment one walks in the door.

Ceramics Studio. The clay busts you see are also made by Cathy.

Have you ever tried holding a conversation with someone while your eyes are darting around the room and though you are hanging onto every word because the words are important you are battling to pull your eyes back into their sockets so that you don't appear rude? That is what it is like for me when visiting the studio. There is just so much I need to look at! Shelves of art books ...... half finished ceramic pieces ..... new ideas carved in clay .... pottery tools ..... sacred treasures gathered on walks ..... shards of blue and white porcelain, stumbled upon during a trip to Japan .... pinch pots filled with found objects and inspiration.

"There are mountainous, arduous days, up which one takes an infinite time to climb, and downward-sloping days which one can descend at full tilt, singing as one goes". - Marcel Proust

CEMENT & CONCRETE IN ART

Art Fossils created by Marlies Hoevers. Found materials set in concrete. See website here, and etsy shop here.

Have you noticed how many artists are using cement in their art lately? Anselm Kiefer has been a favourite of mine for a long time but since joining Tumblr I've become aware that many of the artists I'm drawn to, incorporate cement or concrete in their work.

Latin Quarter by Andrew Crane. Cement, plaster, paint, varnish and graphite on canvas. See Andrew's website here.

Andrew Crane uses thin layers of cement as a ground to his compositions. He admits 'that his lack of plastering skill is a help rather than a hindrance in the birth of a painting – the resulting surface, with its imperfections and anomalies, providing pointers and structure to the composition of his paintings.'

I love this one by Andrew Crane. See more here.

William Hall discovered the versatility of cement while working on the construction of his home in Texas.

"There were many masonry task that need to be done, pouring slabs, laying tile, finishing sidewalks and driveways. As I worked, I noticed how good cement felt, how versatile it was. It began to speak me. It revealed to me textures, colors and surfaces that I had never seen before! My brain began to whirl with all the many applications this new medium could foster in my work." - William Hall

Warrior by William Hall. See an interesting video about William's process here and website here.

Stefano Nanni. See Stefano's Flickr photostream here.

Erik Sommer. Website here and more beautiful photos here.

More from Sophie Cauvin, here.

Sophie Cauvin. More to see here.

Doris Salcedo. Found on Mansuetude's Tumblr blog here.

Cement Sculpture by Ruth Hardinger. See her website here.

Just a box of cement? ........ but I like it!

*Click here to see Juliana Santacruz Herrera's pothole and yarn art in Paris.