Art Propelled

THE AFRICAN AESTHETIC

2012-01-26T22:33:00.001-08:00

East African spices. Image from Akhaya Cookery School.

I am besotted with the African aesthetic,

whether in architecture,

contemporary art and craft,

interior design,

or fashion.

I am stirred by the colours,

the organic textures, shapes and patterns,

the earthiness

and the African Make-Do aesthetic.

This post doesn't even reach the tip of the iceberg but it's a proe (as they say in South Africa) ... a small taste.

This is such a beautiful image of African telephone wire baskets but I can't find the source. If the photographer come's across this post I would love to give him/her credit.

"Africa is great at improvisation, at making

something astonishing from

whatever is at hand.

It does not need expensive materials.

Africa has a genius for recycling.

It has taught me to discard nothing

as I can find a use for it later.

"African Make-Do" is the name

I have given this aesthetic." - Andrew Verster, Artist

Path to Peace Baskets. Read the story at this wonderful blog, here.

"It's the startling use of colour that

we get so right. You see fearless

combinations because there are no rules,

even though we do have cultural traditions.

Sometimes the beauty of African colour can make

you uncomfortable - and yet stimulated."

- Karen Roos, Editor, Elle Decoration South Africa

Yoruba Quilt from Anthropologie

"It inspires with its colors.

The tones may be subtle,

as if bleached

by the intense heat, or the colours

supersaturated like an explosion

of wild flowers in twilight.

The real beauty is how these colours go together...."

- Quotations from the book Africanismo

Alan Donovans house in Kenya. Click here for more photographs.

Kuba Shoulder Bag. See more bags using African textiles here.

Interior Designer, Aline Matsika uses African accents in many of her interiors. See Aline's website here.

Kuba textiles add an exciting element to interior design. I particularly like the muted Kuba (Tcaka) upholstery and the shoowa cushion above.

Corrugated iron frames. See website here.

Yvonne O'Brien Interior Design. See website here.

Designer, Marzia Chierichetti' s retreat in Kenya. Click here to read more.

Mango wood and aliminium bowls by Marzia Chierichetti. see website here.

Aline Matsika Interiors. See website here.

Aline Masika Interiors. See website here

If you like the African aesthetic take a look at my Pinterest board,

African Style from time to time. I will be adding more images as I find them.

Another must is Tapiwa's wonderful blog African Daydreams, here.

Aline Matsika Interiors.

LIGHTLY CHILD, LIGHTLY

2012-01-21T01:38:00.000-08:00

Decoy Duck by Nathan Lynch. See Nathan's website here.

"Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Even though you're feeling deeply, lightly let things happen, and lightly cope with them on tiptoes and with no luggage, completely unencumbered". - Aldous Huxley

Molly with Nathan Lynch's Decoy Ducks. See more here.

It's that time of year when I feel as if I'm wearing concrete boots. Last year my friend and Life Coach, Leslie suggested that it could be a seasonal thing for me....... a combination of hot humid summer and burn out. This makes perfect sense, since every January/February I feel this heaviness and in fact brace myself for it .... blaming Christmas and all the rushing about. I know that I push myself until Christmas trying to get through all my commissions in time. This year I seem to have gone over the deadline and am still trying to complete commissions. The humidity isn't helping either!

I found this image on Pinterest.

Knowing that it is a seasonal thing doesn't make it any easier but I am able to look at it from a lighter perspective, if that makes any sense.
Web Feet Duck Bum by Tom Moore. See more of Tom's wonderfully whimsical glass creatures here.

The Aldous Huxley quote sings in my ears ..... "Lightly child, lightly" ... while I search for images to lighten my mood. I'm drawn to those artists with a wonderful sense of humour, and let me tell you, it's well nigh impossible to feel heavy for long.

Another glass piece by Tom Moore.Read more here.

Tweet Tweet by Tim Hawkinson. See more here.

Ceramic creature by Jeannie Pappas. See more here.

This member of the Omo Tribe made me smile. I found the image on Pinterest with no links.

SCRATCHING THE SURFACE

2012-01-12T23:03:00.000-08:00

Karen Kunc. Woodcut, etching and beeswax

No poetry today.... just thoughts .... ideas...

Trapping fleeting memories ...

of experiments with sgraffito on wood.

Enjoying images

of all the creative ways

artists scratch into or onto a variety of surfaces.

Paper, leather, wax,

clay, enamel, wood, stone, metal plates,

plaster, walls, sand.

Incised and painted wood panel by Cecil Skotnes

Ellen Johnson at Anderson O'Brien Fine Art

I love Ike Bushman's work!

Ike Bushman
Ivo Stoyanov. See more of Ivo's work here.

Rebecca Crowell. Scratching into wax.

Sgraffito Landscape by South African artist Walter Batiss. See more here.

Warding off Evil. Intaglio print on paper by Katie Kiley

"Kiley states that her art is about communication; the need to share something important and personal. For years, she has searched for imagery that conveys the thoughts, emotions, and spiritual insights that fascinate her. This search has led her to explore the imagery of the hand. She is particularly intrigued with gestures and their meaning."

Sgraffito pots by Demon Potters. See website here.

Ceramics by Lari Washburn. See Flickr photo stream here.

Sophie Milne. See website here.

Enamel Bowl by Helen Carnac. See blog here.

Stone Eye Idols excavated at Tell Brak, Syria. See here.

Landart by Andres Amador. See more here.

A PLACE YOU CAN GO

2012-01-06T15:15:00.000-08:00

Photograph by Michel Poisson. Flickr photo stream here.

There is a place you can go

where you are quiet,

a place of water and the light

on the water. Trees are there,

leaves, and the light

on leaves moved by air.

Birds, singing, move

among leaves, in leaf shadow.

After many years you have come

to no thought of these,

but they are themselves

your thoughts. There seems to be

little to say, less and less.

Here they are. Here you are.

Here as though gone.

None of us stays, but in the hush

where each leaf in the speech

of leaves is sufficient syllable

the passing light finds out

surpassing freedom of its way.

- Wendell Berry

(I found this poem at this beautiful blog)

Digital print by Fiona Watson. See Flickr photo stream here.

Digital Print by Fiona Watson

Valley of the Ghosts by sasanester. See more photos here.

Jon Roman. See Jon's Flickr photo stream here.

Sue Lawty's pebble mandala. Read about the Beach Project here .

Photo by Jim Champion. See Jim's Flickr photo stream here.

"Be secluded in your secret heart-house,

that bowl of silence... " - Rumi

I found this photo on Tumblr. Photographer unknown.

"There is a silent self within us whose presence is disturbing precisely because it is so silent: it can't be spoken. It has to remain silent. To articulate it, to verbalize it, is to tamper with it, and in some ways to destroy it ". - Thomas Merton

David Severn. See more photos here.

TURNING THE PAGE

2011-12-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

Lament, Wooden book by Karen Kunc

With the new year approaching I am ready to turn the page and start afresh. On the inside cover of my journal for 2012 I have written a quote by Carl Sagan.

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known".

What better way to start a new year than knowing that somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known!

Thanks M for reminding me.

Everything/Something by Karen Kunc. Wooden book: screenprint and gouache.

A big thank you to all the wonderful people who visit my blog. The blog world has certainly enriched my life. A few days ago I was feeling drained as I usually do at this time of the year and after visiting a few blogs where I read many words of wisdom and encouragement I came away feeling refreshed and filled with hope for the new year. Thank you dear friends for your wisdom, enthusiasm and support!

Wishing you all the best for 2012 and many fulfilling hours, days or months of creativity!

Reference by Karen Kunc. Wooden Book, screenprint and gouache.

Also, a big thank you to all those artists whose beautiful art fills my blog gallery. What a joy to feast my eyes on such extraordinary work!

Though many of you have seen Velma Bolyard's amazing Rock Books, I wanted to celebrate them here on my blog. Click here to read more.

Christina Wiese's ceramic book. See website here.

Check out Wendy Kershaw's series of porcelain books on Flickr, here.

I discovered this photo of Anselm Kiefer's Standing Book on Catherine's Flickr photostream. Many more amazing gems to be found on Flickr. Click here.

Arabesque by Dot Krause. A cast iron book with thin sheet of polymer clay. Website here.

Falling in Place. A series by Redredday on Flickr. See here.

A bundle of Elizabeth Bunsen's little books. I check in on Elizabeth's blog regularly because her photographs and words make my heart sing. See blog here.

Book by Carol E McMahon. See website here.

Book from Ronald Chase's Play series. See website here.

Beautiful handmade pages by Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord. Click here to see The Spirit Book series.

"Each page is a meditation that echoes nature with both repetition and variety. "Reading" the book is meant to be a contemplative experience that takes the reader out of the everyday world and into a state of gratitude and reverence". - Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord

Photograph by Helena on Flickr. See more of her Diary of the Book-Lover series here.

2000 year old lead codice. Read about it here.

"May peace and peace and peace be everywhere".

- The Upanishads (c.900 - 600 B.C.)

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-12-24T04:52:00.000-08:00

Wishing all my blog friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !

I found this tree at Weylandts though it is no longer on the website.

UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS

2011-12-16T13:56:00.000-08:00

African Seed by Carrie Varjavandi. Edge Textile artists of Scotland.

"Night the beloved. Night, when words fade and things come alive. When the destructive analysis of the day is done, and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again. When man resembles his fragmentary self and grows with the calm of a tree." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Christine Mauersberger. See Flickr photostream here.

Manon Gignoux in collaboration with Hye-Sook Yoo.

Manon Gignoux in collaboration with Hye-Sook Yoo

Manon Gignoux in collaboration with Hye-Sook Yoo

Federico Saenz Recio. See website here.

Night of Sorcery by Josep Niebla. See Josep's website here.

Silvia Cordero Vega. See Silvia's Flickr photo stream here.

Josef Winkler. See more here.

Full Moon and Still Life by Lorna Crane. See more of Lorna's work here.

Night Visitor by Adriane Bannon. See more of Adriane's work here.

"A Different Firmament.... But when they were crossing the silent market-place on which nobody was to be seen except the sentry on duty at military headquarters, when the empty place surrounded by the dark houses, in which scarcely a light was burning, lay before them like a crater of isolation, like a crater of silence out of which recurring waves of peace flowed over the sleeping town, then Heinrich Wendling took his wife's arm, and at the first physical contact she closed her eyes. Perhaps he too had closed his eyes and saw neither the deep summer night nor the white ribbon of the road that stretched in front of them as they walked in its dust, perhaps each of them saw a different firmament .... " - Hermann Broch, The Sleepwalkers

This beautiful ceramic vessel by John Ward reminds me of the moon.

THE POETRY OF LEAVES

2011-12-07T23:37:00.000-08:00

Black Bowl, Maple Leaf by Tom Meyer. See Etsy shop here.

Looking at a simple leaf ......

Looking at a single leaf ....
Leaf by Ronald Chase. See series here

I sense poetry ......

I sense poetry .....

stories ......

stories......

Stitched Leaves by Heidi Soos. See Heidi's Flickr photo stream here.

.... and art.

....... and art.

Antoni Tapies

I read a blog post by Kelle Hampton about receiving a big box of leaves from her cousin ...... "who sends leaves every year". A gift to connect Kelle to happy memories from her past.

Linda Vachon. See Linda's flickr photo stream here

At this very moment, I am imagining opening a box of leaves from our Drakensberg farm....... breathing in the scent of pine forests, eucalyptus avenues and ancient oaks, mingled with early morning mist.

Mixed media by Patrick Boehner. See website here.

Mixed media by Patrick Boehner

Patrick Boehner. See more here.

A POEM by MARY OLIVER

What can I say that I have not said before?

So I'll say it again.

The leaf has a song in it.

Stone is the face of patience.

Inside the river there is an unfinished story

and you are somewhere in it

and it will never end until all ends.

Take your busy heart to the art museum and the

chamber of commerce

but take it also to the forest.

The song you heard singing in the leaf when you

were a child

is singing still.

I am of years lived, so far, seventy-four,

and the leaf is singing still.

Ingredients for a Story by Katie Cooke. Flickr photo stream here.

"Ingredients for a story about London, about falling in love, about writing letters, and about going to the zoo."

Book by Lexi Hayman. See blog here.

ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES

2011-12-01T05:24:00.000-08:00

Small wall sculpture by Ben Wolf. See website here.

Uneven edges ....

Kathryn Frund. See more work by Kathryn here.

Tactile edges .....

Michelle Y Williams. See more here.

Rough edges .....

Terri Brooks. See Terri's blog here.

on canvas, wood or paper .....

Pradeep Neruka. See more here.

all add to the charm of these pieces.

Lin Yan. See more here.

Whether it's a painting, a collage, assemblage or a piece of jewellery .........
Necklace by Deborah Rudolph. Onyx, aquamarine, silver, kevlar. See more of Deborah's work here.

a tea bowl...

Alain Vernis. See more here.

Katsumi Kako. See more here.

Katsumi Kako

or sculpture .....

Sculpture by Ursula Vonrydingsvard. See website here.

the rough edges create excitement.

10 THINGS ARTISTS SHOULD BE THANKFUL FOR

2011-11-21T03:26:00.000-08:00

Work in progress by Ross Laurie. Visit a very interesting Tumblr blog here.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Sylvia White shares her list of the 10 things artists should be thankful for. I have pinned it on my noticeboard!

Box of Pencils by photographer and stylist, Heather Bullard. See Heather's blog here.

1. I am thankful that I am not one of the majority of people in this world that
wakes up every morning, goes to a job they hate, just to come home and do it all
over again.

2. I am thankful that when I am away from my studio, my ideas come with me, they
keep me company everywhere I go.

3. I am thankful for this passion that gives me so much joy (and angst) but mostly
joy.

4. I am thankful that when I have left this earth, I will leave something meaningful
behind.

5. I am thankful that I have a mind that can not sleep, I will never be bored.

6. I am thankful that there is a part of my life that nobody can control, except
me.

7. I am thankful that no one in the world can ever take this gift from me.

8. I am thankful that I am brave, it takes courage to pursue my gift.

9. I am thankful that I am never satisfied, it forces me to move forward and grow.

10. I am thankful I discovered this list!

Paint brushes on browndresswithwhitedots Tumblr Blog, here.

Hats off to those artists who have to juggle their day jobs with their art .

Studio of Jimmy Rix. See Jimmy's work here.

Read articles by Sylvia White, the founder and director of Contemporary Artists' Services, here.

JOURNALS AND INSPIRING QUOTATIONS

2011-11-18T06:56:00.000-08:00

Artist Book by Margo Klass. Click here to see Margo's website

I've been collecting inspiring quotations since my school days, often scribbling them down on scraps of paper and later writing them out neatly into my quote journal. There's something very empowering about the words of others especially when they mirror one's own thoughts. So often I just can't put into words what I am feeling and when I find a quotation that expresses these thoughts clearly, it's very satisfying.

Leatherbound journals by Teo Studio. See Teo's Etsy shop here.

Journal by Teo Studio. See Etsy Shop here.

Emerson began writing a journal at about 15 and in it he wrote his thoughts, experiences and quotes from the books that impressed him.

"Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.”
__ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Another journal by Teo Studio. See Teo's blog here.

I have found beautiful handmade journals and artist books on the web, all of which would make wonderful quote "bibles".

Miniature Journal by Teo Studio

If you feel like sharing your favourite quotes I would love to read them.

Leather notebooks and journals by Scaramanga. See more here.

One of my many favourite quotes is by Nigerian writer, Ben Okri ......

"We plan our lives according to a dream that came to us in our childhood, and we find that life alters our plans. And yet, at the end, from a rare height, we also see that our dream was our fate. It's just that providence had other ideas as to how we would get there. Destiny plans a different route, or turns the dream around, as if it were a riddle, and fulfills the dream in ways we couldn't have expected."

Journal by Bridgette Guerzon Mills. See more at amonobooks here.

Journals by Bridgette Guerzon Mills at amanobooks.

Journal by Luthien Thye. See more at Luthien's blog, here.

Artist book by Kathleen Amt. See Kathleen's Flickr photo stream here.

Embroidered Notebooks by Heather Shaw. See Heather's Etsy Shop here.

Journals by Elizabeth Bunsen. See blog here and shop here.

HOLES AND PERFORATIONS IN ART

2011-11-12T01:34:00.000-08:00

Voodoo Me by Anne Lindblom. See Anne's Flickr photo stream here.

Holes ...... punched and pierced,

Mixed media piece by Karl Fred Dharmen.

perforated and burned ...... as surface decoration .....

Artist Book by Robbin Ami Silverberg. See Robbin's website here.

as recesses to put things in ....

Little Treasures. Mixed media piece by Catharina Sonn Kaaren. See Catharina's Flickr photo stream here.

Holes that are drilled, hammered and carved......

Dreamers Book by Anthony Caro

or molded meticulously by hand ...

Astonishing sculpture by Eva Hild. Have a look at Eva's website here.

to let the light in or out......

Sculpture by Noguchi

Pigeon holes... cubby holes ......

Secrets by Stephanie Craig. See Stephanie's Flickr photo stream here.

Air holes .......

Norie Hatakeyama. Photo taken by Tim Johnson. See Tim's Flickr photo stream here.

And holes to look through.

Sculpture by Henry Moore . Photo by Barbara Rich. See Barbara's Flickr photo stream here.

HAPPINESS IS .............

2011-11-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

Bouquets of old spoons from the scrap yard,

Containers filled with pencils...

I LOVE pencils!

Art books... particularly African Art books,

Piles of sketchbooks filled with ideas,

Monkeys that peep .....

Sundays on the The Midlands Meander (an art route through KwaZulu Natal) .....

Browsing through country shops,

Being amazed by creatures made from wire and beads,

Stopping somewhere for tea .... lunch ..... and tea again

Beautiful scenery.... snow ..... fresh air in rural Natal

Happiness is spending time with my family (yep, that's my brother in the top right corner above ...... Lets see if he reads my blog :-)

All photos are mine except for The Dlaminis above from Zulu-Lulu Trading on the Midlands Meander.

SO MUCH HAPPINESS by Naomi Shihab Nye

It is difficult to know what to do

with so

much happiness.

With sadness there is something

to rub
against,

A wound to tend with lotion and cloth.

When the world falls in around you,

you
have pieces to pick up,

Something to hold in your hands,

like
ticket stubs or change.

But happiness floats.

It doesn't need you to hold it down.

It doesn't need anything.

Happiness lands on the roof

of the next
house,
singing,

And disappears when it wants to.

You are happy either way.

Even the fact that you once lived

in a
peaceful
tree
house

And now live over a quarry of noise
and
dust

Cannot make you unhappy.

Everything has a life of its own,

It too could wake up filled with possibilities

Of coffee cake and ripe peaches,

And love even the floor

which needs to
be swept,

The soiled linens and scratched records…..

Since there is no place large enough

To contain so much happiness,

You shrug, you raise your hands,

and it
flows out of
you

Into everything you touch.

You are not
responsible.

You take no credit,

as the night sky

takes no credit

For the moon, but continues to hold it,

and to share it,

And in that way, be known.

- Naomi Shihab Nye

SELF EXCAVATION ..... AND DIGBY

2011-10-29T22:43:00.000-07:00

Somewhere along the line I gave up reading books ..... hand held books, that is .... and I allowed that gap of time to be taken up with reading on the internet. Now with all the power failures we are experiencing I am spending less time on the computer and more time finishing the many half-read books I have put aside over the last year or two. I'm also renewing my love for poetry...... Reading a poem here and there in the lamp light to ponder over while falling asleep.... several hours before my usual bedtime.

When Digby arrived I was feeling particularly frazzled. He brought with him a little gift the breeders failed to mention, besides the hernia and tummy upsets. His ringworm infestation (fungal infection) had to be nipped in the bud before it got out of control.

Thus began the daily treatment baths and re-baths, washing and drying of doggy bedding, extra scrubbing of everything that could be scrubbed (with a little help from Digby) and extra hoovering and lifting of heavy things.

I bet you know where this is going! Of course I put my back out ...... so I had no option but to slow down and decided to read books that would soothe my feelings of overwhelm.

With the reading of inspiring books has come a phase of self excavation. These phases come in waves throughout my life (as they do), and each time I excavate a little more. The excavation theme has now overflowed into my carvings .... something that has surprised me and given me much food for thought.

I've since come to the conclusion that annoying happenings like power failures, frequent water cuts and ringworm infestations are not simply lessons in patience but they can also be positive catalysts for renewal and change .

Sighhhh ..... Well I have to think that or get completely bogged down with bitter feelings toward shady dog breeders and inefficient service providers ;-)

Painting by Simon Addy, Carved Totem by me.

"There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination. Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic" - Anais Nin

Detail of my totem, Excavation I

WATER THERAPY

2011-10-20T01:05:00.000-07:00

Rain. Fiberglass sculpture by Nazar Bilyk. See more of Nazar's work here.

I love to be near water though I rarely swim. I would much rather walk in the shallows, soothed by the wavelets lapping at my ankles .....

Robert Rauschenberg. I found this image on Tumblr.

... or paddle knee deep in rock pools searching for pebbles and cowries that have been trapped there on the out going tide.

Jen Bradford. See more details of her work on Flickr, here.

I can't resist mountain streams whether I'm wading in them or sitting on a rock staring into the water.

Baleen by Andrew Wyeth. There are many more images here.

There is a stream on the other side of our garden wall and though I can't see it unless I'm at the wall peering over I can always hear it. It is the music I listen to while I carve or when I'm falling asleep at night.

Detail from The River Map Scrolls by Lorna Crane. I love this piece! Read blog post about The River Map Scrolls here.

Water from the River by Lorna Crane. See Lorna's website here.

WATER by Pablo Neruda
Everything on the earth bristled, the bramble

pricked and the green thread
nibbled away, the petal fell, falling
until the only flower was the falling itself.
Water is another matter,
has no direction but its own bright grace,
runs through all imaginable colors,
takes limpid lessons
from stone,
and in those functionings plays out
the unrealized ambitions of the foam.

Water Overflowing by Linda Nardelli. This piece takes me straight to the beach shallows. See Linda's website here.

Oh if only ! Water Swing (in Dalyan, Turkey) by Emma Holland. Flickr photo stream here.

Shallows by Hanna Kay. See more of Hanna's work here.

Tryptic by Stuart King.

Beach Walk by Cindy Tonkin. Acrylic and collage. See more of Cindy's work here.

Kathryn Frund at the Chase Gallery. See more of Kathryn's work here.

Corroboration by Anthony J. White. Oil on Linen. See website here.

A TANGLE OF TWISTING PATHS

2011-10-09T00:23:00.000-07:00

Anne-Laure Djabllah. (Oil, mixed media on canvas). See Flickr photo stream here.

I have been planning this post for a while and when I re-discovered Anne-Laure Djaballah's blog it all came together. Much of Anne-Laure's work revolves around the fragile threads of life .... connecting ... disconnecting, tangling... untangling; Path's crossing, twisting, meandering .... beginning and ending. In most of her pieces there is a line, a thread, a wire linking elements .... much like life. Our lives are connected by threads, journeys and stories.

Detail from work in progress by Anne-Laure Djaballah. See blog post here.

"Lines, broken up, tangled, linking the dots, drawn by hand, made of paint, thread, string or wire, the line connects one place to the next, suggesting a path, and telling a story". - Anne-Laure Djaballah

Assemblage by Anne-Laure Djaballah.

I wallowed in Anne Laure's blog for a while before moving on to other artists who are intrigued by life's tangles, both organized and disorganized .....

Enthicket 2 by John Bonick. See more of John's work here.

...... and then this poem by Naomi Shihab Nye fell in my lap....

Life is a tangle of

twisting paths.

Some short.

Some long.

There are dead ends.

And there are choices.

And wrong turns,

and detours,

and yield signs,

and instruction booklets,

and star maps,

and happiness,

and loneliness.

And friends.

And sisters.

And love.

And poetry.

Life is a maze.

You are a maze.

Amazed.

And amazing.

-- Naomi Shihab Nye from the book A Maze Me

Stefany Hemming. See more of Stefany's work at the Bill Lowe Gallery, here.

Brice Marden. See more here.

Free Advice by DJ Simpson. See more here.

Alexander Faley. See more of Alexander's work at Koller Art House here.

Alexander Faley. See more here.

Sam Reveles. See more of Sam's work here.

Diane Cooper. See many more tangled pieces at Diane's website, here.

Kay Sekimachi

Necklace by Kay Sekimachi. See more of Kay's work at the Jane Sauer Gallery, here.

Ceramic piece by Gudrun Klix. See website here.

A whimsical sculpture I found on Tumblr. If anyone knows the name of the artist please let me know .

STRIPES, STRIPY, STRIPED

2011-10-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

Sean Scully. See more of Sean's work here.

Sean Scully immediately comes to mind when thinking of stripes in contemporary art but there are also many other wonderful artists incorporating stripes into their work. These are just a few of my favourite pieces.

Minnie Pwerle. Acrylic on linen. See more here.

Minnie Pwerle. Acrylic on linen.

Stripes #4, oil and mixed media on panel by Rebecca Crowell. See website here.

Tea Bag Quilt by Sophie Truong. See Sophie's Flickr photo stream here.

Mathew Harris. See more of Mathew's textile art on his website here.

Bill Gingles. See website here.

Sam Lock. Website here.

Detail from sculpture by Ursula von Rydingsvard. Photo taken by Mathew Felix Sun. See Mathew's blog here.

Large ceramic pieces by South African artist Louise Gelderblom. See website here.

"The shape of the piece and the surface markings on it create a rhythm, a percussion beat that I think of as a wordless tactile language." - Louise Gelderblom

THE STORY BEHIND MY CARVED TOTEMS

2011-09-22T05:24:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have blogged about why I began carving totems but when Kim Schoenberger bravely shared her story a few weeks ago I realized that hearing her story added another dimension to her art.

For years I have been intrigued by the Kenyan vigango or funerary posts which are carved by the Mijikenda to house the spirits of the deceased. See below.

Vigango Commemorative Sculpture of the Mijikenda of Kenya by Ernie Wolfe III

When we lost our 16 year old daughter to cancer I looked at these vigango with new interest and thought it would be therapeutic for me to carve one in my own style .... one day. They say that to lose a child or any loved one can have all sorts of repercussions besides the obvious and when my husband also contracted cancer I had a strong feeling that the shock of our daughter's death had been the catalyst. To cut a long story short it took another two years of illness, diagnosis and treatment as well as the death of my mother before some semblance of normalcy began to return to our lives and that was when I decided to fall apart. Subsequently there came a time when I knew I would have to pull myself together or it would be a long climb back.

It was the right time to begin carving my totems.... my vigango. I tentatively began and before even completing the first one I could feel a cloud lifting and I raced on to the next and the next, carving day after day, working through the deep sadness within me until my "studio" walls were lined with totems. They loomed over my work space like guardians.... messengers .... beacons of hope.

I'm sure that carving these totems kept me sane and I'm still carving them because they symbolize so much for me. I am reminded often that creating art heals and though sometimes it is difficult to actually start something amidst the trials of life, when one finally does get moving the joy of the creative process takes over and begins working it's magic.

I found this poem by Lucian Blaga on Tumblr last week ....

In my chest,
a strange voice awakens
and a song plays inside me
a longing that is not mine.

They say that ancestors, dead before their time,

with young blood still in their veins,

with great passion in their blood,

with the sun still burning in their blood

come,

come to continue to live

within us

their unfinished lives.

Such a deep silence surrounds me, that I think I hear

moonbeams striking on the windows.

O, who knows, soul of mine, in which chest you will sing

you also, after centuries,

in soft ropes of silence,

on harps of obscurity - the drowned longing

and the pleasure of living torn? Who knows?

Who knows?

—Lucian Blaga, translated by MariGoes

The photos at the top of the post show one of my totems standing against a granary door from Mali.

C O R R U G A T E D

2011-09-09T04:49:00.000-07:00

Loops. Corrugated iron sculpture on Waiheke Island, New Zealand. (Artist unknown). Photographed by Abby T. See Abby's Flickr photo stream here.

"When I discard something, I betray it. When I find it, conceive a vision of it renewed, and make art from it, I redeem it. All objects have the potential to be redeemed through art, to be transformed through human vision." - Stephen Derks

Rose Red City by Rosalie Gascoigne. Corrugated Iron. See more of Rosalie's work here.

Corrugated cardboard collage by Louise Nevelson.

Collage and cement artwork by Andrew Crane

Stitched and painted collage by Jeane Myers. See Jeane's Flickr photo stream here.

Cardboard Collage Textures by Callum Chapman. See here.

Painted collage by Scott Bergey. See Scott's Flickr photo stream here.

Corrugated cardboard sculpture by Alex Uribe. See more sculpture by many artists, here.

Caterpillared by Brad Smith. Architecture and package design students from 49 schools throughout North America were tasked with creating chairs constructed only with corrugated board and glue. See more amazing pieces here.

Mixed media collage by Malcom Willcox. See more of Malcom's work here.

Mixed media collage by Malcom Willcox. See more here.

A corrugated sea .... Why not? See more of Michael Meal's photographs here.

"Art! What a concept! It saved my life! A place where you can do as you please! " - William T. Wiley

WEATHERED, WORN AND RECLAIMED

2011-09-03T02:31:00.000-07:00

Rusty Moon by Denis Randall. See website here.

Looking back, trying to remember when I first became enamoured with old worn and weathered wood I immediately think of the large table standing in the middle of our spacious farm kitchen. It had a wonderful scarred and scrubbed surface with a shiny patina along the edges and there was always a wad of folded newspaper shoved under one leg to keep it steady. It was used for everything from the stacking of eggs, decanting of milk, kneeding of dough, the stirring of cake mix, the cooling of jars brimming with hot berry jam, the making of sandwiches on dipping day, the writing of childish novels and homework, the sorting of wild flowers to press between pages of tatty cook books to the eating of simple suppers after the long drive from the city. I can remember my step father mentioning that Duncan, his father had made the table from old floor boards. This really intrigued me, since it actually meant we were eating off the floor!
Crusty Present by Denis Randall. See more assemblages made from reclaimed wood, here.

Wood Assemblage by Rumen Dimitrov. See more of Rumen's work here.

Driftwood Assemblage by Ngaio Lenz. See more of Ngaio's work on her Flickr photo stream, here.

Wood Assemblage by Alton Falcone. See website here.

"By transforming a ruined object (such as recovered wood) into a harmonious composition, the work becomes a symbol of the positive view of time: this is a history on which we reflect, learn and grow. This is wisdom." - Alton Falcone

Wood Assemblage by Alton Falcone. Website here.

Moving Day by Henry Deposit. See more of Henry's sculptures and assemblages using reclaimed wood, here.

New Foresty Module by Henry Deposit. See larger images here.

A Charmed Life by Henry Deposit. See more of Henry's work, here.

Keeper of the Words by Ken Munsie. See blog post and more images here.

Assemblage by George Peterson who creates works of art from reclaimed skate boards.

George Peterson. See more amazing pieces made from reclaimed skateboards here.

A DREAM OF TREES

2011-08-25T01:38:00.001-07:00

Garden of Memories. Beautiful lithograph by Egidijus Rudinskas. Please click here for enlarged image and here for more about Rudinskas

A Dream of Trees by Mary Oliver

"There is a thing in me that dreamed of trees,
A quiet house, some green and modest acres
A little way from every troubling town,
A little way from factories, schools, laments.
I would have time, I thought, and time to spare,

With only streams and birds for company,
To build out of my life a few wild stanzas.
And then it came to me, that so was death,
A little way away from everywhere.

There is a thing in me still dreams of trees,
But let it go. Homesick for moderation,
Half the world's artists shrink or fall away.
If any find solution, let him tell it.
Meanwhile I bend my heart toward lamentation
Where, as the times implore our true involvement,
The blades of every crisis point the way.

I would it were not so, but it is.
Who ever made music of a mild day?" - Mary Oliver

Brainwave. Mixed Media Collage by Wen Redmond. See website here.

Mixed Media piece by Lynnette Miller. See Tumblr blog here and other blog here.

Growing in the Dark. Mixed media on paper by Jeane Myers. See website here.

Tendrils of Time. Photo-Surrealism by Michael Ticcino. See Flickr photo stream here.

Sophie Munns is an artist of seeds, leaves and anything pertaining to plants. This piece glows! See more of Sophie's work here and here.

Music and Nature by Donna Malone. See Flickr photo stream here.

Blue Trees in the Afternoon by Ken Swinson. See more of Ken's work here.

Memories of Trees by Robyn Gordon. Website here.

The Most Awkward Dance by Marcella Anna Stasa. See more of Anna's quirky sculptures, here.

Art in Nature by Rumen (Popa) Dimitrov. See more sculpture here.

Art in Nature by Rumen (Popa) Dimitrov . See more art here.

"Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life. " - Hermann Hesse

Just over 6 months before Seth Apter's book is out ! At last his hard work is coming to fruition and I am so chuffed to be in it!

CAGED BY CIRCUMSTANCES

2011-08-18T05:07:00.000-07:00

Mihaela Nicolcioiu-Savu.

To cut a long story short I am feeling restricted and confined due to power outages and puppy ailments. It seems like the right time to do a post on cages since I'm confined to home for the next few weeks looking after a very dear, very good little bull terrier puppy named Digby.

.....So on with the post while the power is on.

Cages and Enclosures Series by Dawn Nakashima

Dawn Nakashima was inspired to do a very moving series on Cages & Enclosures, after her parents spoke about their experience in the concentration camps during World War II. Read the story here.

"The rice bowls held within the cages represent the individual. I chose the rice bowls because when people immigrate to other countries their ethnic food tends to be the last thing to go in terms of assimilating into another culture".

"The tags that are attached to the cages mirror the ones that were attached to the internees and their belongings when they were in transit to the camps... ". - Dawn Nakishima

Sculpture using Eucalupt branches by Ken Unsworth. See more here.

Cage by Alberto Giacometti
Sculpture by Bard Breivik. See website here.

Sculpture by Martin Puryear. See more here.

Sculpture by Chen Zhen. Website here.

Uncaged Series (ceramic) by Alice Walton. See more here.

Caged Man (Wood) by Bruce Chapin. See website here.

Birdcage series, collage on matboard by Lynda Andrus. See link here.

.........and this is Digby!

CONTEMPORARY PALIMPSEST II

2011-08-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

My Secret Thoughts by Patricia Oblack. See Website here.

The definition of Palimpsest according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary is:
1. Writing material (as a parchment or tablet) used one or more times after earlier writing has been erased.
2. Something having usually diverse layers or aspects apparent beneath the surface.

In this post I have featured artists who have used this concept in their art.

Handwriting on the Wall by Patricia Oblack. See Tumblr blog here.

The two paintings (above) by Patricia Oblack were done on a piece of plywood which Patricia's daughter had used as a diary of sorts to jot down her thoughts , phone numbers etc, late at night .... which of coarse is the ideal time to jot down secrets on the board that supports one's mattress. The board was eventually sawn in two and Patricia used these late night jottings as inspiration for the paintings and named them appropriately... My Secret Thoughts and Handwriting on the Wall.

Currents #3 by Alice Spencer. Each print in this series of monotypes is made of as many as 6 layers using a combination of plates and stencils.

Ivy Arabesque by Alice Spencer. Precision foam board with acrylic and sand. See more here.

Plaster Relief by Laurie Pearsall. Read her blog post here.

Palimpsest by Raymond Pousette-Dart

Solo Moments by Carol Ann Carter. See more of Carol's work here.

Proof is in the binding by Naomi Sultanik. See Naomi's website here.

Georges Noel

On Land and Sea by Lisa Creed. See website here.

Shadow (encaustic) by Lisa Pressman. See website here.

Ann Baldwin. See more work by Ann, here and a step by step layering process here.

Rug Sampler by David Chalmers Alesworth. Dyed wool yarn upon a Persian carpet fragment. Website here.

Contemporary Palimpsest - Jose Parla. See post here.

SOMEWHERE, SOMETHING INCREDIBLE .....

2011-07-30T01:07:00.001-07:00

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 and 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

2011-07-28T03:25:00.000-07:00

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 M 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 M would be able to see it directly from the bed.

Coming back through the kitchen I called out that it may be a few weeks before the birds became used to the log. Almost immediately, M whispered, "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 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 M'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 large 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

2011-07-22T05:20:00.001-07:00

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

2011-07-15T05:05:00.000-07:00

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 on the far left.

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 on 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

2011-07-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

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

Have you noticed lately, how many artists are using cement in their art? 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 who sees his paintings as ‘"philosophical ramblings in paint and cement", 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 was working on the construction of his home in Texas when he discovered the versatility of cement.

"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.

ART DIARIES AND WORK LOGS

2011-06-25T05:08:00.000-07:00

It was quite a battle for me to actually get going with the commission I'm working on. This is not unusual! The angst I feel at the beginning of each commission almost takes the joy out of it but I know that if I soldier on the work begins to flow and I can't wait to wake up each morning to get back to it. This time I decided to journal my way through the resistance to help me focus on the task at hand.

I find artists journals about their day to day trials and triumphs very inspiring. I've been reading a self taught artist's blog for several years now and though there are times when I worry about Paula's struggles I am more often than not, spurred into action by her sheer guts and determination. You have to take your hat off to Paula ....... A few weeks ago she stopped the mayor in the street and asked him to display her art on his walls..... and maybe sell it (with commission of course). That story kept me giggling for the rest of the day.

Here are a few of the many inspiring images that have motivated me into keeping a record of my work day.

Notebooks by Jacque on Flickr. See more here.

Tiempo al Tiempo IV by Argentinian artist Carlos Gallardo. See more of his art here.

Finale XV by Carlos Gallardo. See more of his work here.

My Secrets by Zea. See more on her Tumblr blog, Working Log, here.

My favourite artist at the moment is Sophie Cauvin. Though the next three images may not be old dusty artists journals I like to think that they are.

See more of Sophie Cauvin's work here.

......... and one more image I found on Tumblr.

THE DRAKENSBERG IN MAY

2011-05-18T07:13:00.001-07:00

"Is it not possible that a place could have a huge affection for those who dwell there? Perhaps your place loves having you there. It misses you when you are away and in its secret way rejoices when you return. Could it be possible that a landscape might have a deep friendship with you? That it could feel your presence and feel the care you extend towards it? Perhaps your favorite place feels proud of you…" - John O'Donohue (in his book Beauty)

May is my favourite month of the year because it is my birthday month (it is also Autumn) and my husband treats me to a 4 day stay in the Drakensberg. At the beginning of each year I start the countdown and by the time May rolls around I am more than ready to head for the mountains.

We were lucky enough to have a suite facing the mountains with no buildings to obstruct the view. This photograph was taken from the patio.

Drinking water with cupped hands straight from a mountain stream always tastes better than anywhere else.

So many of the trees in the Eucalyptus Forest were hollowed out, inviting one to step inside and contemplate life as a tree .... except there was always that lingering thought..... What an ideal nest for snakes and spiders!

It was well worth the steep climb up to the fern forest and a great way to work off 2 or 3 buffet meals a day.

We came across this baby Berg Adder. It is one of the most poisonous snakes in the Drakensberg....... and yet we were drawn to it.

It is particularly beautiful at the end of the day when shadows fill the hollows in the hillside and Egyptian Geese gather before flying home to roost.

"Now I was suddenly made aware of another world of beauty and mystery such as I had never imagined to exist, except in poetry...I experienced an overwhelming emotion in the presence of nature, especially at evening. It began to wear a kind of sacramental character for me. I approached it with a sense of almost religious awe, and in the hush which comes before sunset, I felt again the presence of an unfathomable mystery. The song of the birds, the shapes of the trees, the colors of the sunset, were so many signs of this presence, which seemed to be drawing me to itself. " - Bede Griffiths

HIGHS AND LOWS OF A WILD COAST HOLIDAY

2011-03-29T05:44:00.000-07:00

Just popping in to tell you about our holiday at the Wild Coast before I disappear again to start work on my carving commissions.

A young hunter with his hunting pack. He proudly showed us the cane rat and rock rabbit he was taking home for dinner.

Most Transkei trips are not without drama but the magic allure of the Wild Coast keeps calling us back and my husband who has been fishing there for well over 30 years is completely smitten.

The highs:

1. Perfect weather ( though sometimes it was a little too hot in our tented cabins).

2.Amazing beaches populated by comical goats.... and cows .... and donkeys.

3.Long energizing walks gathering pebbles (you should see my pebble stash) and quiet moments sitting on driftwood treetrunks contemplating the sea.

4. Paddling in the delicious warm water while the men fished at sundown.

5. Savouring the view from the high boma where we spent most of our time when not on the beach.

6. Sipping wine in the evenings while watching the huge moon come up from behind the hill.

7. Laughter, good conversation and new friends from Australia.

8. Fresh crayfish braaied on the fire every day.

9. Dear sweet Pammy, my friend who was such an easy person to spend a holiday with.

10. An extremely well organized week thanks to our friend Dave.

We ate all our meals at this tall thatched boma. There was always a breeze and the view was wonderful!

Happy wood gatherers who enjoyed the lollipops I took for them when we went on our daily walks.

Tented cabins with thatched roofs.

View from the boma. You can see our vehicle parked behind our cabin.

The Lows (most of which weren't really low at all)

1. Though the trip down was interesting and picturesque it was slow and a bit hairy in places with livestock, nose to tail for the last 40 kilometres, however it was nowhere near as bad as it has been on other trips. They had layered the slippery slopes with chunks of rock and the rain held off except for a few short squalls. We stopped counting after 30 dead dogs and various other animals on the road.

2. Tarantulas under toilet seat rims ..... well only one but after that my imagination conjured up tarantulas leaping out from every nook and cranny. It is also Black Mamba country so I have to admit to being a bit skittish about long snakey shadows.

3.A broken toilet and no hot water for the first 3 days.

4. A burglary in the cottage nextdoor when EVERYTHING was taken from right under the noses of the sleeping inhabitants. A sleepless night followed ..... wondering if it was our turn next.

5. Several nerve racking hours when the outboard motor failed miles away from camp on a murky, deep, green river inhabited by God only knows what. Fishermen have been catching Zambezi sharks along the Wild Coast and a little further down coast there have been several fatal shark attacks so I was feeling particularly vulnerable. The boat was lent to us by cottage owners who were away. I hadn't been too enthusiastic about going on the "cruise" in the first place since I had a baaaad feeling ...... and the plug for the boat was a champagne cork!!?? .... but hubby had promised it would be an unforgetable experience .... which it was! When the boat came to a sputtering standstill far up river we noticed petrol pumping out into the water. After many heart stopping, failed attempts to get going again and numerous "rests" in the mangroves one of the men managed to hold the broken fuel pipe together while another pulled the starter cord and finally the boat limped back to camp.

6. Near the end of our holiday a couple from KwaZulu Natal were hijacked just down the coast from us .... Gerald was killed and his wife Ingrith was shot in the stomach. My condolences go to Ingrith (a well known face around PMB) and to the Roberts clan who have lost a beloved member of their family.

*All photographs are mine except for the top one which I found here.

TIME FOR A TEA OR COFFEE BREAK

2011-03-10T00:21:00.000-08:00

Back to Reality, Coffee Time. Found on Tumblr, here.

It's time I took a break from blogging. I know .... I always say I'm going to take a break and never do because I just can't keep away but this time I have to be disciplined. A few great carving projects are coming up and I really need to put my nose to the grindstone so that I can meet deadlines. Keep the seat warm for me and I'll be back in a month or so to share a cuppa and chat.

Photograph by Allison Cecil. See Alison's Flickr photostream here.

Coffee Plats and Cups for "ART TELLING by Turkish Coffee" Found on Tumblr here.

I love this photograph by Elizabeth Bunsen. See Elizabeth's blog here.

Two of Cups by Elizabeth Bunsen. See more glorious art and photographs here.

This piece is by Michele Maule. See Michele's Flickr photostream here.

Pinched Cup by South African-born ceramist, Priscilla Mouritzen. Priscilla's pinch pots are so beautiful they make me feel quite weak at the knees. See more here.

Pinched Porcelain Tea Bowl by Priscilla Mouritzen.

Life Cycle of the Termite Cup by Priscilla Mouritzen. See Flickr photostream here.

Papier Mache Coffee Cup by Cecilia Levy. See Cecilia's Flickr photostream here.

Porcelain Tea Set for One by Sarah Walters, South Africa. See more here.

......AND THE WINNER IS .............

2011-03-08T04:31:00.000-08:00

Paper Quilts, Assemblage by Lynne Perrella. See series here.

The winner of Inside the Painter's Studio by Joe Fig is ...... Cerulean!

Congratulations Eric! Please email your postal details to me ASAP.

Eric Adama is a mixed media artist from the Netherlands whose work I have been admiring for some time. See Eric's blog, here.

Paper Quilts, Assemblage by Lynne Perrella

Thank you so much Lynne for being guest blogger on Art Propelled. Your review of the Joe Fig exhibition certainly got my heart racing as I'm sure it did for everyone reading it. Thanks too for the generous prize!

"Always and Ever" Collage from The Ancram series by Lynne Perrella

All the pieces you see in this post are from Lynne Perrella's two new series, Paper Quilts and The Ancram Collages. It was difficult choosing my favourites so please visit Lynne's website here to see them all together.

"Life Lessons" Collage by Lynne Perrella

Shhhhhh ......... ARTISTS AT WORK.

2011-03-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

Coopérative Féminine de Djajibiné Gandega "Djida". Photograph by Anais Gordils

Oh to be a fly on the wall! I don't know about you, but I thrive on the energy surrounding artists at work and often wish I could just sit quietly observing without the artist being aware of my presence.

Durga Charan Das. Beautiful, contemplative photograph by Laurent G. See Laurent's Flickr photostream here and blog here.

WHATEVER MAN MAKES

Whatever man makes and makes live

lives because of the life put into it.

A yard of Indian muslin is alive with Hindu life.

And a Navajo woman, weaving her rug in the pattern of her dream

must run the pattern out in a little break at the end

so that her soul can come out, back to her.

But in the odd pattern, like snake-marks on the sand

it leaves a trail.

- D H Lawrence

Audrey Kawasaki. See Audrey's website here and interview here.

Annamaria Potamiti's Studio. See blog here.

Elaine Kerr at work. See Elaine's Flickr photostream here.

Elizabeth Schuppe. See Elizabeth's art at Flickr, here.

Elizabeth Frank's work table. See Elizabeth's blog here and Etsy shop, here.

Mosaic artist and sculptor, Julie Deery. See Julie's Flickr photostream here.

Akbar Simonse took a series of photographs of sculptor Mark Rietmeijer at work. See series here.

Andrew Walford who lives and works in the rolling hills of KwaZulu Natal. Website here.

Andrew Walford painting one of his enormous ceramic tiles.

Don't forget Lynne Perrella's lucky draw, here on the 8th. You could win a copy of Inside the Painter's Sudio by Joe Fig ....

LYNNE PERRELLA'S VISIT TO THE JOE FIG EXHIBITION

2011-02-28T18:26:00.000-08:00

Bill Jensen's Studio. Table sculpture by Joe Fig. #

Lynne Perrella visited the Joe Fig Exhibition at the Massachusetts College of Art & Design and has kindly offered to share her experience with Art Propelled readers. In addition, Lynne will be giving away a copy of "Inside The Painter's Studio" plus a little "something"extra to one lucky reader whose name is drawn from the hat on the 8th March. Just leave a comment at the end of the post and hold thumbs!

Melissa Meyer's Studio. Table Sculpture by Joe Fig. #

Now without further ado, it's over to Lynne............

For whatever reason, I have always liked the idea of “documenting” an experience, as a way of further examining it and placing it deeper in memory. For instance, it is not unusual to use a page of my art journal as a swatch board, gathering snippets of all the various materials used in a just-completed assemblage. Or I might take along a notebook to make my own scribbled notations at an exhibit, rather than rely on a museum catalog or flyer. These habits help me to prolong the enjoyment of experiences I have enjoyed, and challenge me to decode them in new ways. Somehow, the documentation practice brings me into a closer relationship with the things I do and see….and becomes its own form of reverie and observation.

Amy Sillman's Studio. Table Sculpture by Joe Fig #

Joe Fig, an artist from Connecticut, has taken Documentation to new heights by creating intricate detailed replicas of contemporary artists’ studios, and I recently saw a definitive exhibit of his work at the Massachusetts College of Art & Design. (“Inside the Painter’s Studio”, Stephen D. Paine Gallery ) Fig’s practice consists of meeting with artists, conducting in-depth interviews (using his own self-styled questionnaire) followed by an extensive photo session….and then he retreats to his own studio to create uncanny miniature dioramas of the various artists’ studios. This exhibit includes twenty studio dioramas by Fig, as well as paintings and prints by the artists he interviewed. In a space, lets say….approximately 11” X 11” X 9.5” he created a replica version of Gregory Amenoff’s wooden work table literally encrusted with paint and surrounded by studio debris including bleach bottles, rags, discarded water bottles, tape rolls, a tiny level, blank canvases, a white wooden stool, etc. When interviewed, Amenoff refers to the “corrosion” of paint on the actual work table, a studio relic that he has kept throughout various moves for the past twenty-five years. The sentiment behind this favorite studio necessity is echoed in Fig’s tiny pocket-sized version of the table, complete in every last smaller-than-small detail.

Greg Amenoff's Studio. Table Sculpture by Joe Fig #

For the first several minutes in the gallery, my mind was occupied with inevitable practical musings….”How do you suppose he DOES this? How long do these models take to build? Good Lord! – Lookit all those little paint tubes!”, etc. But soon I was seduced into a much deeper connection to these tiny environments. Although each was different and unique, every model evoked a feeling I know very well – that complex feeling that occurs when I cross the threshold and enter my studio. Whether I am there to putter, or get to work immediately, or just simply “inhabit” the place and hang out; the physical space and all of the accumulated debris is there to facilitate whatever is next.

The Studio of Barnaby Furnas. Table Sculpture by Joe Fig #

Karin Davie's Studio. Table Sculpture by Joe Fig. #

Fig’s models of overflowing tables and work carts mottled with paints, and chock-a-block with brushes and rags, remind us of the mundane objects that collect and accumulate in a studio, and the eager feeling of anticipation that happens when we enter. Yes, there is the mess, the overflow, the strata, the coagulation, the junk. For some reason, we seem to need it. By leaving my own studio, and visiting this gallery full of miniature studio environments, I was reminded of the necessity to allow a studio to “be” as an organic evolving launch pad for ideas. Not unlike looking through a microscope in a lab, the process of leaning down and peering closely into these intricate convincing mini studios, I rediscovered my own art practice. The mundane clutter, it turns out, comprises our necessary tools of the trade. The things we reach for in the midst of some artistic frenzy, and expect them to be there. The “old reliables” that we couldn’t do without, even if we only use them once a decade. In my studio, there are lots of relics left over from a previous life as a commercial illustrator. Circle compasses, French curves, ruling pens, pica rulers, and a metal T-square, among others. More than nostalgic clutter, these tools remind me of how one art experience flows into another, over a lifetime.

Ross Bleckner's Studio. Table Sculpture by Joe Fig #

Quite appropriately, the final construction that I viewed, before leaving the gallery, was a model of a white two-car garage with a couple of skylights…..the studio of Joe Fig. He has thoughtfully left one of the miniature garage doors open, so we can bend low and peer inside. We observe his pin board full of postings/clippings/flyers, his easels, his work table and computer, his drafting table with materials and tools for creating his miniature studios. Best of all, a smaller-than-small model of the very model that we are viewing is displayed on a tiny work stand. You might say, a studio within-a-studio. Having a flashback to childhood, when I always insisted that every doll have a doll of her own, I considered the highly developed sense of work and play that inhabits each one of Joe Fig’s amazing constructions. Every tiny diorama provides testimony to the tenacity and work ethic necessary to spend a lifetime making art. Or, as Chuck Close observes, during his interview – “Inspiration is for amateurs – the rest of us just show up and get to work.”. Exactly!

*Joe Fig's website, here.

*To make it interesting, mention your favourite studio in your comment.

*To match the art with the artist, click on the # under each image.

*To see Lynne Perrella's new collage series go here.

COVER STORY

2011-02-24T04:16:00.001-08:00

Book of Quakers by Stephen Livingstone. See Stephen's website here.

"Creativity is not the finding of a thing, but the making something out of it after it is found" - James Russell Lowell

When I first started googling, not quite 4 years ago, I had never heard of an altered book. I was staggered when I realized this was an artform. Now I am discovering the most intriguing book cover artworks and deconstructions.

Another piece by Stephen Livingstone. See website here.

"i use natural and found materials. paints made from pulverised rocks, sludge and dust, the results of rusting and burning. i collect rusted objects and reform them, give them new life. i recycle books, save them from incineration and give them new meaning." - Stephen Livingstone

Mixed media piece using book cover by Jo Horswill. See Jo's blog here.

Two of the most exciting pieces (in my opinion) are those of Jo Horswill, an artist and blogger from Australia. I love the fact that she has incorporated bits of her own etchings and prints into these pieces. Jo has written a wonderful post about book art on her blog, My Story. Well worth a visit!

Another piece by Jo Horswill. My favourite! See Jo's blog here.

Stain by Pat Swanson. Discarded book parts and graphite on wood backing. See more here.

Scraps I by Pat Swanson. See more of Pat's work here.

You may recognize Brigitte Riesebrodt's work from an earlier post. See more here.

John Fraser, another familiar artist featured on Art Propelled. See here.

All that Remains by Gillian Robinson. Blog post on Drumcroon - Art Education Centre, here.

Reliquiae - All that Remains by Gillian Robinson. See more here.

"Books have a powerful symbolism, communicating ideas, knowledge, wisdom, history, experience. ‘All That Remains’ seems to capture that sense of power, combined with great vulnerability" - Words by Kevin on the Drumcroon blog.

A detail from one of Jason Twiggy Lotts intriguing pieces. Jason's website here.

Jonathan Callen's work always stops me in my tracks. See more here.

"Don't worry about your originality. You couldn't get rid of it even if you wanted to. It will stick with you and show up for better or worse in spite of all you or anyone else can do." - Robert Henri

SCROLL, SCROLLING, PAPER ROLLING

2011-02-14T23:41:00.000-08:00

Library of Alexandria (detail) by Ania Gilmore. Read post by Catherine Nash here.

My fascination with scrolls began when as a child my Grade 3 teacher told us the story of a young sheperd boy who discovered a cache of ancient clay jars in the back of a cave near the Dead Sea. I can still feel the butterflies in my stomache thinking back to that day .....when sitting crosslegged on the floor of a chalk scented classroom.... my teacher came to the part of the story where the lid was removed from one of the jars to reveal ....... a scroll that had not seen the light of day for more than 2000 years. 2000 Years!!! A simplified, condensed story of course but it made quite an impression on me.

Library of Alexandria by Ania Gilmore. See website here.

Many years later I read a short magazine article about the healing scrolls of Ethiopia. I had a fit of the butterflies again which sent me on a fact finding mission.... but my search came to a very disappointing dead end until I began working in the University library. Thrill of all thrills, I found a book.... a whole book! ..... about these amazing artefacts . When we finally had access to the internet and Google, several years later, one of the first things I googled was Ethiopian Healing Scrolls.

Long Ago and Far Away by Dot Krause. See website here.

This post however is not about the ancient scrolls of long ago but rather about contemporary scrolls or paper rollings that artists incorporate into their art.

Who Owns the News by Joan Giordano. See website here.

Who owns the News, detail by Joan Giordano. Website here.

Mixed media collage by Leslie Avon Miller. See Leslie's blog here.

Mixed media collage by Donna Watson. See Donna's website here.

Tribal Offerings Series # 7 by Joanne Williams. See website here.

Stairs to Mauthausen by Robbin Ami Silverberg. See website here.

Reeds of Knowledge by Rosie Huart. See website here.

I've featured these scrolls by Mary Ellen Long in another post but I love them so here we go again. See Mary Ellen's blog here.

Crush by Vadim Katznelson. Acrylic paint and mixed media on board. See more here.

TOWER, TOWERS, TOWERING

2011-02-09T23:46:00.000-08:00

Safe House by Kim Schoenberger. Found objects, metal and clay. See Kim's blog here.

When I set out to do this post it was not with the Twin Towers in mind but it was difficult not to think of 911. David Nash did not set out to create a sculpture with Twin Towers in mind either but he found himself carving An Awful Falling 911, from a piece of beech wood. You can read a full post about David Nash on the blog That's How The Light Gets In.

An Awful Falling 9.11 by David Nash. See more of David's towering pieces here.

On to more positive imagery. I find Richard Shilling's land art very uplifting. Generally, landart overlooking a wide landscape gives me a good feeling, as do all the towering sculptures featured in this post. Scroll down to see the innovative work of Ken Munsie.

Land Art by Richard Shilling. See Richard's Flickr photostream here and his website here.

Iron House by Hao Ni. See Flickr photostream here.

Tower of Pans by Sally Mankus. I LOVE this piece! See Sally's website here.

Tower of Babel by Clifford W. Tresner. Photograph by scilit on Flickr, here.

Ceramic sculpture by Mary Fischer. See more of Mary's work here.

Ceramic Sculpture by Mary Fischer. See more of Mary's work here.

Ceramic sculpture by Christina Wiese. See website here.

Sculpture by Barry Smith. Rosegum and rusty metal. Height 1.4m. See Barry's website here.

Towered by Ken Munsie. Timber, metal and paper. See website here.

Chain Mail by Ken Munsie. Timber, metal and paper. See Ken's website here.

Sculpture by Dave Kinane. See here.

LETTERS FROM AFAR

2011-02-02T23:32:00.000-08:00

Souvenirs of the wounded by Hugh Shirley

Those who have spent time in boarding school will know how important receiving post is when living far from family and home. Every lunch time we would all congregate in the quad while a prefect read out the names of those with post. I will never forget that feeling of euphoria when my name was read out. It was wonderful to receive one letter but two, three or four would make me feel quite giddy. Some of the girls received thick bundles of envelopes tied up with string and others would wait for days or weeks without receiving any mail at all.

I found this image on Tumblr.

My mom was always very good about sending a few letters a week. Some envelopes were thick with cuttings from newspapers and magazines, pressed flowers, snippets about the goings-on at the farm, jokes and anything she thought would cheer me up. I was not a happy boarder!

Out of Context by Janet Jones. See Janet's website here.

Valentine's day at boarding school was an important occassion which we all looked forward to because the prefects intercepted the post and actually opened and read the cards out in front of the whole school. Some of the messages were rather steamy and others were extremely soppy which would have us all rolling around on the floor with laughter. When the boys caught wind of this tradition they would send the most embarrassing messages they could think up. Those were confiscated but a few were borderline and had us all in hysterics.

Kathryn Frund. See more of Kathryn's work here.

Cecil Touchon. See more of Cecil's work here.

Love Letter series by Crystal Neubauer. Read about the series at Crystal's blog, here.

"The series is built around a stack of love letters found stashed inside a wall in my mothers childhood home.

All of the letters are written to Gerald "Jerry" from his sweetheart Mary, as he travels around the state in the late 1920s looking for work. In the end Mary breaks Gerald's heart by telling him she can never be the kind of girl he needs her to be for marriage.

Background is comprised of original pages of love letters, which have been sampled by the mice and ravaged by time. Other elements include texts, cloth, objects and photographs relevant to that time. " - Crystal Neubauer

Love Letter by Adrian Lockhart. See more of Adrian's work here.

Love Letters by Gillian Taylor. Read about Gillian's art here and here.

Letters from Afar Mawu by Beatrice Lebreton. Read about Beatrice here.

The Letter by David Smith

Photo mosaic of a carving I did for someone living far from home. See my website here.

SLATE, SEA AND SKY

2011-01-25T13:19:00.000-08:00

Sea by Susan Barnes. See more of Susan's seascapes here.

I was browsing through Douglas Robertson's blog and found a poem by Norman Bissell from his book Slate, Sea and Sky. I love the poem and it fits well with the theme of this post.

Weather I by Susan Barnes. See more here.

Sounds

Sometimes here
it’s hard to tell
the sound of the wind
from the sound of the waves
or the sound of the waves
from the sound of the rain
or the sound of the wind
and the waves and the rain
from the sound of my breath.

- Norman Bissell
Drawing by Douglas Robertson. See website here.

Douglas Robertson writes, "The poem is a fabulous wealth of ideas for me, the lines evoking strong moods and images of the sea, and stirring many personal memories and experiences of the Atlantic coast of Scotland."

Caain' Whaals by Douglas Robertson. See website here.

Most of Doug's art is inspired by the sea and poetry. I love his drawings of whales and most of all I love his carved wooden whales. Browse through his blog , here and read about Sounds, the triptych he is working on, inspired by Norman's poem.

Douglas Robertson's beautifully carved wooden whales. See blog here.

Moon by Susan Barnes. See Susan's work at Green Hut Galleries, here.

The Space Between the Light by Kathryn Frund. See more here.

A Connected Solace by Kathryn Frund. See more here.

After the Storm by Amadea Bailey. See more of Amadea's work here.

Wind from the Sea by Andrew Wyeth

FRAGMENTS, SCRAPS AND REMNANTS

2011-01-19T06:12:00.000-08:00

Temple Codex Cloth, Part II by Mathew Harris. See Mathew's website here.

Mathew Harris was the first artist who came to mind for this post. His beautiful textile pieces have captivated me since I discovered his works-in-progress on Flickr.

Echo 3 by Mathew Harris. See website here.

I enjoyed this article by Michael Brennand-Wood.

"On my last visit to the studio we sat and talked about the latest suite of drawings and cloth works. At certain junctures, allusions would be made to specific references, images pinned to the walls of the studio. I listened as my eyes began to drift around the room, I felt as if I were in the pages of a giant sketchbook. I noticed photographs of crumpled aeroplane wings, chipped wall surfaces, Japanese Temples, old texts, scraps of cloth and paper, tiny experiments in cloth and pigment, skeins of thread, waxed papers bound by reels of linen. The walls and floor were stained, marked with the outline ghosts of previous pieces. Colour was everywhere, puttied whites, ochre reds, sepia, sooty blacks and fugitive slightly blurry marks. The quality of the colour is very specific, everything is ground, stained, dragged, it may look old, worn but all of the cloth and paper surfaces have been treated, worked into time and again until the fabric is a virtual map of the processes that shaped its existence. - Michael Brennand-Wood

Aoyama Notebook 4 by Mathew Harris. See website here.

Thinking about fragments, shards and offcuts of past artworks ....
rejuvenated.

Remnants and scraps which might have been discarded or pushed to the back of a drawer or to the bottom of the rag-bag or wood pile .....
re-invented as artworks.

A delicious thought!

Authentic Movement 2 by M.J. Cunningham. Leslie introduced me to M.J's work. See more here.

Lisa Jurist's layered work is amazing! See blog here and etsy shop here.

Seth Apter. See Seth's blog here and Etsy shop here.

People Say .... by Cheryl McClure. See more here.

Fragment 2 by Maximova. See more here.

Fragments by Christian Burchard. (Thin slices of warped, bleached and sandblasted madrone timber). See more here.

Takamaya Dai. See more here.

Mosaic by Rosalie Gascoigne. Fragments of decorated china, tins, timber, printed art reproductions on board. See here.

David Neale Jewellery. See website here and blog here.

Photograph by Yehan Wang. See website here.