Daily Art Muse

alice simpson: portrait of the artist as…

Look closely at these whimsical busts by sculptor and book artist Alice Simpson. She’s got a grand sense of humor but the art is seriously good.  Each of these new sculptures are self portraits of the artist inspired by historical figures, history or great works of art.

The Great Wave, partially glazed stoneware, 9″ x 6″ [...]

jeremy may: bookish gems

Littlefly’s Jeremy May repurposes old books by laminating hundreds of sheets of paper together and then cutting the pages from each book in the shape of  rings, pendants or pieces to be used in a bracelet. After the “Literary Jewels” are carefully finished, many of them go back into the space carved out of the [...]

claudia poser celebrates nature’s drive towards growth and change

Simple shapes altered, grouped together, wearing universally appealing textures and patterns - all add interest to Claudia Poser’s ceramic pods. Poser, who has a PhD in Polymer Science, explains that she uses “an abundance of repetitive, organic shapes to explore nature’s instinctive drive toward reproduction, adaptation and survival that thrives in spite of human efforts [...]

salima thakkar: exploration as inspiration

Some artists put their ideas down on paper in a sketch or words as a way to capture the idea for possible use at a later date. When Salima Thakkar has an idea she skips that step entirely, choosing instead get to work immediately by exploring, experimenting and exploiting materials. The Belgian jewelry artist finds [...]

john brickels celebrates the hidden beauty of entropy

Dilapidated barns, rusty old trucks and cars, factories on the brink of collapse - all are fair game for John Brickels who is inspired by “the hidden beauty of entropy.” The Vermont artist rescues rusted pedal cars and trucks, rebuilding the guts of the cars in stoneware. The tires (flat tires too!), dashboards, chassis, steering [...]

karen searle: inspired by the feminine impulse to nurture

Fiber artist and author Karen Searle’s wire sculptures create lines, movements and shadows that “suggest the energy of a human presence.” Searle knits and crochets a variety of materials including wire, flax paper and linen, addressing the concept of women’s work.

How My Mother Dressed Me, detail, copper wire, hand knitting, dresses 6″ high

Flax Vessel, knitted [...]

pflipsen olivova studio: sculpture meets jewelry

Husband and wife team Katia Olivova and Steve Pflipsen have only been collaborating in art and life for a few years, but their work is already strong and boldly executed. Olivova, born and raised in the Czech Republic, comes from a family of successful glass artists.  After studying at the secondary school of glass making [...]

ronna sarvas weltman, hacienda mosaico, remembering beginner’s mind

One of my intentions for 2010 is to nurture my creative self.  I’m off to a good start: In January I set up a brand new studio (I’m still organizing and getting used to the wonderful large space), and I took an online class.  Next month I head to Baltimore for the Synergy II conference [...]

gustav reyes: simply wood rings

Gustav Reyes salvages wood - from the neck of a violin, or a young boy’s baseball bat or the keys of a xylophone -  and skillfully transforms the wood into rings - wedding rings, engagement rings, anniversary rings, rings that celebrate nature, life, love. Sensitive to the history of each piece, Reyes’ strives to “bring [...]