Daily Art Muse » Featured

timothy horn plays with scale and end of summer message

Susan Lomuto — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:32:37 +0000

Inspired by an 18th century earring pattern, Santa Fe artist Timothy Horn plays with scale and materials in Pearl Works, a series of sculptures he started in 2007 – scroll to the last image to see the true size of these lovely, graceful, detailed blown glass and nickel plated bronze sculptures. His portfolio shows the full range of this artist’s work – be sure to take a look at the crystallized rock sugar sculptures. Sweet!

Titania, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze, cast lead crystal
50 x 28 x 9 ”

Titania, detail

Miranda, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
49 x 26 x 9 ”

Cordelia, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
28 x 11 x 5 1/2 ”

Grand Noeud, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
36 x 22 x 9 ”

Sweet Thing, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
50 x 36 x 9 ”

Galatea, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
54 x 36 x 9 ”

Odette, mirrored blown glass, nickel-plated bronze
56 x 36 x 9 inches

Sweet Thing, installation view

Endings and Beginnings

I am taking some time off to soak up the end of summer and ready myself for the beginning of the fall season. I’ll meet you back here with new offerings after the Labor Day holiday (though I might pop on to DAM’s Facebook page to post links before then – would love to see you there). And please enjoy the archives – oh, so much to see – 2,750 posts to keep you busy!

more please…

Susan Lomuto — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:21:48 +0000

today’s flickr find:

I’m not afraid to say that I want more of the well lived life…more love, laughter, joy, abundance, highs, smiles, successes, serenity, fearless days, calm, good health…more please.

Susan Lomuto on Flickr {click to see image full size}

josé chardiet

Susan Lomuto — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:09:41 +0000

Considered one of the leaders in the second generation of the Studio Glass movement, Cuban born José Chardiet has been a successful glass artist and teacher for more than two decades. His expertly crafted work includes vases embedded with copper wire designs and the complex combination of glass and metal sculptures seen here. Each body of work distinctly different and yet all Chardiet. His interpretation of the family unit, as seen in the Still Life series is refreshing.

Blue Purple Dome Teapot, front and back

Earth, copper wire, glass

Red Labyrinth, front and back

Silver Teapot

Orange Gold Labyrinth

jeff de boer: of cats, mice and the buddha in you

Susan Lomuto — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:09:41 +0000

Canadian artist Jeff de Boer may be best known for making beautifully crafted cat and mouse metal armour sculptures, but The Buddha in You, and de Boer’s thoughtful description of the sculpture (see below) are what really captured my attention and sent me searching for more from this artist.

The Buddha in You, bronze

Watch the video here then click on the image of the buddha above – you will find yourself on the Artevo website, where you can zoom in very close and move the image around to see all of the detail that de Boer describes in the video. Truly wonderful.

Elven Princess 2010

Elven Princess, detail

Samurai Cat 2007

Samurai Cat, detail

Work in progress

Read more about the artist on his website, where you will find a full portfolio, great FAQ section and wonderful photo essays of work-in-progress, including a how-to for making his Samurai Cat Armour.

Thanks to Lorrene Davis for passing along the link.

yoshi aoki’s mixed media sculpture and a giveaway winner

Susan Lomuto — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:46:17 +0000

Most artists create a design based on the material they work with – glass, ceramic, metal, paper. Yoshi Aoki turns that idea upside down by coming up with a design first and then choosing the materials to create it. Working out of a studio in his Oregon garage, Aoki strives to “capture the essence of nature in abstract ways.” I think Aoki’s sculptures would translate well into jewelry, don’t you?

Gravity, steel, raku-fired ceramic

Raku Scape, steel, raku-fired ceramic

Vine, steel, dyed maple

Where It Grows, steel, raku-fired ceramic

Willcox Update and a Giveaway Winner

Many, many thanks to all who made a donation to help Kimberly Willcox rebuild her studio – although my giveaway has ended, donations are still being accepted and I encourage you to continue to spread the word through your blogs, Facebook and Twitter activity – maybe even think about hosting your own giveaway to help Kimberly.

DAM has more than 4,000 daily readers – imagine if everyone gave just one dollar…or two. It would add up quickly to a significant amount of help. If 50 of you set up your own giveaway…if 100 of you spread the word to your own circle of readers and friends. Just something to think about.

I spoke to Kimberly yesterday – she was busy sculpting face molds in polymer clay as all of her molds were lost in the fire (the faces are then cast in bronze). She is literally starting from the beginning again and is overwhelmed (in a good way) by the support DAM readers have shown her over the last few days. Kimberly left this comment on the post about her studio fire:

“Dear fellow artists, friends and Susan…I am so touched by the support and kindness you are showering me with during this difficult time. In the wildest dreams of my creative soul I never visualized myself in this predicament. The vast hole of black charred emptiness will find light…in time…I will rise like a phoenix from the ashes! Thank you…from the bottom of my heart and soul” Kimberly Willcox

For those who have asked if her sculptures are available for sale, the answer is YES! To inquire about prices and to purchase, you can contact Kimberly directly at kimberlywillcoxart@gmail.com

Here’s the link to my original post and you can make a donation here.

And now…on to the winner!

Congratulations to Annie Hooten!

Annie please send me an email with your address and I will ship your prize package.

Happy Monday!

the gift of giving

Susan Lomuto — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:31:43 +0000

today’s flickr find:

This has always been one of my favorite quotes -

“A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives you roses”
~ Chinese Proverb

Anna on Flickr

There is still time to enter the daMuse giveaway here. Comments will remain open on Wednesday’s post until Sunday, August 22, 2010 (11:59pm EST).

The donation page on Kimberly’s site will remain open indefinitely – give what you can, when you can.

Many thanks to all – have a wonderful weekend.

joshua rodine glass and there is still time to enter the giveaway!

Susan Lomuto — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:08:44 +0000

I’m rushing, rushing, rushing today, but I didn’t want to leave you without a post, so please enjoy these glass bottles by Oregon artist Joshua Rodine. The perfume bottles make me wish I wore perfume…and I think a perfect daily meditation might include looking intently at one of his Serenity Bottles – maybe it would help me stop rushing. Yes, this.

Serenity Bottle #108

Branch Bottle #207

Perfume Bottles

T-Tree Bottle

Teal Perfume Bottle

Giveaway

A huge thank you to everyone who made a donation to help Kimberly Willcox get back to the work of making art. Imagine if every person who reads this blog just donated what they could – whether that was $5 or $500 – imagine how quickly the numbers would add up…

There is still time to make a donation and enter the giveaway. {Heck, I hope you will consider making a donation even if you don’t want to enter the giveaway!}

Details right here. Hey – have I mentioned that DAM readers rock?! Much love to all of you!

kimberly willcox’s transformation and a damuse giveaway

Susan Lomuto — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:35:28 +0000

Kimberly Willcox is no stranger to transformation. An artist who creates three dimensional objects from reclaimed materials, she skillfully transforms the discarded into the collected. Several years ago, after a devastating hurricane and a drawn out professional crisis threatened to destroy her career, Willcox also reinvented herself and began making the one of a kind sculptures she is known for today.

Group of Story Poles, recycled materials
Small 32”-45” Medium 42”-52” Large 50”-60”

“I thought of the splintered cypress staves as a metaphor for the destruction and chaos caused by natural disaster. I was at once consumed with the idea of transforming the metaphor from one of sadness to one of rebirth and resurrection. The weathered pieces of wood have now grown into kinetically alive figures that tell their story of renewal.”

Heart of Gold, from the Staves series
cypress, bronze, stone, steel, brass, 28″ x 8″ x 8″

The Stave sculptures pictured here were created from 72 wooden staves that were once the barrel of a water tower on her property, destroyed by Hurricane Frances. Willcox describes them as “kinetically alive figures that tell their story of renewal”.

Hello Girl, from the Staves series
cypress, bronze, steel, 22” X 32” X 8”

Ironically, Willcox now shares a common history with her figures. Last month the artist’s studio sustained massive damage in an electrical fire. I read about the fire and through a Facebook contact I was able to get in touch with Kimberly to see if there was a way we could help. Speaking to her it became clear that she has a strong will, the spirit of a warrior and a powerful drive to make art. Please visit her website to see more of the Staves sculptures and many other portfolios.

Kimberly Willcox in her booth at Ann Arbor, Michigan, before news of the fire

When we spoke, she shared the upside of this latest challenge: her sculptures were spared because she was at a show in Ann Arbor when the fire tore through the Florida studio – she had most of her inventory with her. She also told me that no matter what happens, her creativity can never be taken from her - not by a hurricane, not by the hand of unscrupulous business people and not by a fire. Strong woman. Wonderful artist. Powerful spirit.

daMuse Giveaway

I’m giving away $150.00 worth of books to one person. Keep reading to find out how to enter this giveaway…

Insurance will only cover a fraction of the cost to replace the machines and tools Willcox and partner (in life and art) Kevin Nordhausen lost in the fire.

You can help. Make a donation (click here) to help Kimberly replace some of her machines and tools so that she can get back to work.

In July, an electrical fire destroyed Willcox’s Florida studio

After you make a donation toward Kimberly’s machines and tools (right here), come back and leave a comment on this post to let me know that you made a donation. That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway.

You can find a list of the books in the giveaway package here.

The comments on this post will remain open until Sunday, August 22, 2010 at Midnight (EST). I will use a random number generator to pick a winner and I will announce the winner on Monday, August 23, 2010.

Give $5 if that’s all you have. Give more if you can. Every little bit helps. Spread the word. Share this post on your Facebook page, add a link to it on your blog, email the post to your friends. Together we can help get Kimberly back to work making art.

Beep, Beep, cypress, bronze, steel, 31″ X 23″ X 8”

Donate HERE
List of books in giveaway package HERE

erica stankwytch bailey: the enormous depends on the small

Susan Lomuto — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:06:44 +0000

Listen to this podcast (complete with slideshow) as Erica Stankwytch Bailey describes her recent artist in residence experience at the Grand Canyon. The experience was profound for Stankwytch Bailey, a contemporary metalsmith who is inspired by the way the larger aspects of this life are dependent and influenced by the smaller elements.

“I inspect the world in great detail and have always collected shells, seed pods, stones and interesting organic elements. My studio often resembles a laboratory with trays of collected specimens lined in rows. Whether by fear and fascination, disgust or admiration I am constantly moved by life. From the minuscule piece of reef collected on the shore to the enormous sadness evoked by the many inequalities that exist I am constantly inspired.”

In the video below, the artist talks briefly about what it takes to make a living as an artist. While her portfolio is more diverse than the pieces I’ve chosen to feature, I find the oval and circular shapes, texture marks and subtle oxidation of the metal on these pieces quieting and soothing.

ACC Atlanta Artist Erica Stankwytch Bailey from KPKinteractive on Vimeo.

viviana santamarina: graphite and paper

Susan Lomuto — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:34:07 +0000

Substituting pencils for crochet hooks allows Viviana Santamarina to leave traces of graphite as she crochets thin paper strips, adding one more interesting element to her collection of figurative sculptures.

One Stitch at a Time

Encircling The Void

Santamarina’s website is under construction and not fully functional but her blog has more than two dozen images of the sculptures.

Wandering

Once Upon A Time

Dress

I really appreciate the low-tech aspect of this work – we are often seduced by tools and techniques – Santamarina reminds us that humble tools and basic techniques are more than enough.