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All Entries in the "Featured" Category
alex gabriel bernstein explores glass
These bold cast glass, cut glass and steel sculptures look like glacial shards or crystal formations that have burst through their metal foundations. While North Carolina artist Alex Gabriel Bernstein grew up in the middle of the studio glass movement (his parents are glass artists Katherine and William Bernstein) he initially chose a career working with children in a psychiatric hospital after graduating from college.
Splintered Block, cast, cut lead glass, fused steel
Stance, cast, cut lead glass, fused steel
Compression, cast, cut lead glass, fused steel
Eventually Bernstein found his way back to the glass world, studying under Czech artist František Janák, and obtaining an M.F.A. in glass sculpture from the School for American Crafts at Rochester Institute of Technology. His website showcases an extensive portfolio - each luminous sculpture more exciting than the last.
Flesh Bridge, cast, cut lead glass, fused steel
Detail, glass
An explorer at heart, Bernstein describes his work in an artist statement found at Patrajdas Contemporary Art:
“I feel as if I am an explorer. With each piece I make I prepare for a journey, I have a general idea where I want to go, but I never know where the path will lead me. Each piece I work on I set out in the hopes of discovering something new and exciting. As any explorer my journeys are filed with ups and downs, disappointments and breakthroughs, however with each piece I am sure to gain knowledge and insight which is the excitement that brings me to my studio every day.” Alex Bernstein
invincible summer
flickr find:
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer.” Albert Camus
anna atterling’s pralines and bonbons
Who knew pralines and bon bons could look this delicious in metal? Anna Atterling did. I didn’t find much on the web in English about the Swedish artist except that she makes jewelry and loves it. That’s enough for me. The images of her silver sheet pralines are wonderful (click each to see a larger view) and a fine example of how good photography can enhance an artist’s work. Atterling’s portfolio is here.
hattie sanderson’s metal clay rings
These wild rings by Hattie Sanderson are part sculpture, part jewelry - and the combination works. Sanderson lives on a farm in Illinois that is home to corn, soybeans, cattle, hogs and a metal clay studio where the certified metal clay instructor creates one-of- a-kind jewelry.
Somehow this busy artist finds the time to travel around the world teaching workshops (the Magnetic Pendant Focal Clasp workshop caught my eye). Look at the sketch above to see how she takes the seed of an idea and fleshes it out.
Thanks to Lorrene Baum Davis for the link.
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″ x 5″
Inspired by the print, The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, by Kastushika Hokusai
Sarah Palin
In 2007 I wrote about Simpson’s Abundant Beauty collection of clay sculpture portraits. She just keeps getting better. You can find her whole portfolio - which includes figurative clay sculptures that range from operatic characters to ballroom and tango dancers in addition to her handcrafted artist books - on her website.
Marie Antoinette, partially glazed stoneware, 11″ x 6″ x 6″
“Imagining myself, as the whim touches my imagination…from history, fantasy, art and style.” Alice Simpson
Oh, what a wonderful imagination - now I want to see Simpson make a self portrait for her Hip Hop series - figures from the New York Hip Hop scene.
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 book. The book becomes both packaging and material for the product. Love it.
via carrotbox
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 to impose order.” Many of her pod arrangements are large wall pieces. Click on the images to see them larger - Damage has my wheels spinning.
Kinetic Energy, terra cotta, 41″x21″x3″ as seen on Flicker here
Damage, terra cotta, 41″x22″x4.5″
“The tension between order and emotion, the rational and the organic intrigues me. I find beauty in both natural and manufactured detail. My pods grow out of my fascination with nature’s instinctive drive towards growth and change.” Claudia Poser
Contained Energy, terra cotta and monotype, 12″x12″x2″
Bounce, terra cotta, 48″x24″x3″
Holy, terra cotta, photographs, hardware, and finished wood, 9″ x 22″ x 1.5″, 2009
See more of her most recent mixed media work like Holy [pictured above] here.
“My sculptures evolve from a glimpsed shape, a scrap of clay or a half-remembered dream. I’m motivated by those moments of fusion with the clay when time and judgment drop away and there is only touch and shape, light, shadow, and the beguiling chocolate texture of wet terra cotta.” Claudia Poser
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 inspiration in the process of trial and error.
Modular Bracelet, patinated silver tubing, 18kt yellow gold
Bracelets and necklaces in Thakkar’s Modular collection are meant to suggest animal scales. When worn on the body the small, angular chunks of silver tubing that connect in repeating patterns wrap around a wrist or neck like a second skin.
Ring, black rodium plated silver, diamonds
Ring, patinated silver with inlay of 18kt yellow gold, green tourmaline
I’m also intrigued by the distinctive style of the rings in her Grid collection and the way she sets the precious stones. Thakkar, who holds degrees from both The Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp and The Royal College of Art, London, has a portfolio that includes ten different collections - take a look here.
Modular Bracelet, patinated silver tubing, 18kt yellow gold
Ring, ebony wood, 18kt yellow gold, from the Sweets & Treats collection
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 wheels, engines - even old tools strewn on the car’s floor in his Claymobiles are all made from clay.
Green Mountain Barn, clay, 23 x 18 x 12
Old Betsy, bicycle body, clay, 32 x 24 x 42
Garton, pedal car body, clay, 36 x 18 x 36
Murray, pedal car body, clay, 36 x 18 x 36
Passaic Paint, clay 28 x 20 x 20
Brickels’ work is informed by architecture, automobiles, machines, nostalgia and all things that show the effects of time and weather. Before creating one of his buildings he takes photos of old barns and gathers images from the internet and libraries. Next, he cuts walls from clay slabs, inscribes bricks, adds texture, boards and shingles (extruded from a clay gun). Each building takes a month or more to dry before being fired. The attention to detail on Brickels’ buildings, claymobiles, robots and machines is astounding.
Read some of Brickels’ thoughts about work, play, life and making a living making art in Ceramic Arts Daily
More at Lazy Pear Gallery
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 and crocheted Japanese flax paper, linen; 36″x16″
Body Bag III, tote bag, knit linen, flax fiber and rope, 18″ high
She has even knitted together pieces of birch bark as a metaphor for women’s work and women’s lives - all of which the artist suggests involve mending and piecing together, scavenging and adorning.
Essence: Long Dress, life-sized wire sculpture and shadow
Bark Quilt, birch bark, rayon thread, glass beads 36″ x 60″
“My imagery is inspired by womens’ lives and womens’ bodies, and by the feminine impulse to nurture.” Karen Searle
Searle, who has an MFA from Minneapolis College of Art & Design, teaches and exhibits across the country and abroad and is the author of Knitting Art: 150 Innovative Works from 18 Contemporary Artists
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 in Kamenicky Senov, she apprenticed for both her mother, jewelry artist Marie Olivova and her father, renowned Czech glass artist Ladislav Oliva.
Red Coral Necklace, metal, coral
Olivova’s technique of using solder to fill the negative spaces between the wires on hand-wrought wire frames allows her to create her pieces directly on glass, stone, bone and a variety of other materials. I particularly like the sculptural quality of the necklaces in the collection - and the droplet sculptures are stunning (see picture below - for more sculpture images go to the sculpture section of their website). Be sure to check out their Etsy shop.
River Drop, wall sculpture, glass, metal
Opal Glass Bloom
Marble and Pearl Neckalce
Pflipsen, who grew up in Minnesota, holds a BFA in glass from the University of Wisconsin. In 2003 he met his future wife when he spent six months in the Czech Republic studying Bohemian glass techniques. Today he blows the glass for their sculptures and jewelry.
Garnet Front Hook Necklace
Moonstone Spiral Necklace
Pearl Rosette Pin
Pflipsen and Olivova have an Etsy shop
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 and March will find me in Mexico attending Ronna Sarvas Weltman’s week-long workshop/retreat at Hacienda Mosaico.
Pendants, Ronna Sarvas Weltman
The workshop will include plenty of technique, as Ronna teaches about resins in addition to polymer clay, wire, shaping and texturing fine silver, copper, bronze and brass, but there will also be a strong focus on connecting students to their own artistic voice and helping them ‘hit the sweet spot’ in their work. Students who have taken classes with Ronna say that her classes are empowering - couple that with a spectacular setting and you’ve got a winning combination for nurturing your creative self. Here’s what Ronna says about the week:
“This week-long workshop will help you find your unique artistic voice through polymer clay and wire. We will experiment, play, laugh, create and transform as we explore and expand ideas about art as adornment. Rounding out the experience will be twice-daily optional (but free) guided exercise by Janis Levine, open studio at night, forays into Puerto Vallarta, and gourmet spa food for breakfast and lunch.” Read the entire workshop description here.
Ronna Sarvas Weltman, Pink Ring, polymer clay, wire
The venue is Hacienda Mosaico, a bed and breakfast in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico that specializes in art retreats. In addition to Weltman’s workshop, the 2010 schedule includes workshops with Michael deMeng, Robert Dancik, Hadar Jacobson and Opie and Linda O’Brien.
“You will find cobbled streets, where tortillerias and markets catering to the locals rather than the tourists…..craft shops, cantinas, night life and adventure. Hacienda Mosaico is ideal for small retreats and intimate parties as well as a quiet respite from the busy world….a tranquil vacation destination in a tropical environment for adults.” From Hacienda Mosaico’s website
I am excited about attending Ronna’s worshop - and I will approach it in the way that I now move through all of my days - with Beginner’s Mind. Beginner’s Mind is the Buddhist concept of approaching the study of any topic with openness, eagerness and a lack of preconception - even if you are at an advanced level of study. Last week I was listening to Tara Brach’s podcast (she helps me quiet the chatter of my ‘monkey mind’) when Brach related what is widely considered the most famous line in the book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
I find peace, release and comfort in exploring the world with a beginner’s mind. Won’t you join me - in Mexico, in Beginner’s Mind, in exploration?
Puerta Vallarta, Mexico
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 out the warmth and the honesty of the wood.” He has two websites - you can find them here and here.
Come back late this afternoon for my final post of the week - see you then!
The Purple Key, Ash, Maple and Rosewood from a xylophone key
Ring, Bog Oak and concrete inlay
The Key, Ash, Maple and Rosewood from a salvaged xylophone key
david bennett’s glass sculptures: liquid motion
Trapeze artists appear to be flying through the air, horses galloping across open fields, and gymnasts look as if they are performing impossible twists and turns. David Bennett’s glass and bronze figures capture both the shimmering, liquid qualities of the glass and the motion of his subjects.
Tumbler in Amethyst
Welding bronze rods to create cages for his figures, Bennett blows hot glass into the metal molds, later embedding LED lights into the sculptures to enhance the luminosity of the glass. Read more about the artist’s process here.
Dancing Stallions, blown glass and bronze, 39″ x 37″ x 16″
Red and Turquoise
Bennett gives new meaning to the idea of reinventing yourself, and hope to anyone who thinks it is ‘too late’ to begin again. Almost twenty years ago the former Army-Captain-turned-lawyer was on vacation celebrating his 50th birthday when he met a glassblower who spoke to the litigator about his life - that conversation made Bennett question his own path and he set out to chart another course. Read this beautifully written excerpt from the 2007 American Style magazine article about the artist.
Brown Galloper, blown glass and bronze, 22″ x 36″ x 14″
Hoops Lady
David Bennett with one of his sculptures
“Artisans have been blowing glass into metal forms for two thousand years. We are pushing the technique. We can make complex forms in glass and bronze that we could not do in either medium alone. As we’ve stretched the technical processes of blowing glass into metal, I’ve had more and more artistic freedom. Our figures can be lighter and wilder in their motions, and we’ve become able to manipulate the glass around its armatures in increasingly playful ways.” David Bennett
See an out-of-this-world Bennett chandelier here (click on the images to view them larger).
inni pärnänen: the possibility of materials
For jewelry designer Inni Pärnänen, the thrill lies in the possibility of a material or a technique. The Finnish artist explores parchment paper, cow horn, wax, fine silver, copper and paint, allowing the materials to define the work with surprising results.
Brooches, parchment, silver
More! brooch, copper, paint
Polymorphous, necklace, etched silver, steel wire
The soft shapes, crisp geometric lines, quiet shades of neutral, bold splashes of rippling color, subtle textures, shadows and light Pårnänen achieves with these materials are beautiful and beg to be touched. I wonder what will capture her curiosity next?
Necklace, cow’s horn, silver, steel wire
Ordinary Beauty, ring, burned/dyed paper, cotton thread, wax
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