Art Nerd's Open Salon Blog

Exhibition of new paintings and sculptures by Gary Hume at White Cube

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:01:20 -0500

Gary Hume, Six Poles, 2011. Gloss paint on aluminium, 48 1/16 x 108 1/16 in. (122 x 274.5 cm) © the artist. Photo: Stephen White, Courtesy White Cube. LONDON.- White Cube announces 'The Indifferent Owl', an exhibition of new paintings and sculptures by Gary Hume. Over the past twenty years, Hume has developed a distinctive visual language of bold, simplified forms to create paintings that

Egyptian and Swiss archaeologists find rare tomb of woman in Egypt's Valley of Kings

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:01:17 -0500

File photo of an Egyptian archaeologist cleaning a wall at the tomb. EPA/KHALED ELFIQI. By: Aya Batrawy, Associated Press CAIRO (AP).- In a rare find, Egyptian and Swiss archaeologists have unearthed a roughly 1,100 year-old tomb of a female singer in the Valley of the Kings, an antiquities official said Sunday. It is the only tomb of a woman not related to the ancient Egyptian royal families

The Secret Life of A Doll By Sharon Wilfong

Tue, 3 Jan 2012 22:01:18 -0500

John Covert

Water Babies, 1919

Oil on paperboard

American, 1882 – 1960

Her pale bisque cheeks and cherub lips were lovingly painted with the most delicate shade of Alizarin Crimson. The doll’s golden locks were swept to one side with a blue satin ribbon and blue satin shoes to match her sapphire eyes. Her torso and limbs were held together with long wire hat pins and attached with a master’s stitch to a beautifully tailored dress. The intricate lace framed the impossibly low-cut neckline and formed the letters of her name, Charlotte. She had been special made for the little socialite and had been adored and flaunted about under the noses of all the girl’s friends. That was long ago, when children took good care of their dolls and craftsmanship was appreciated.

After the early years and for a very long time, no one looked at her as they once had, with a combination of adoration and jealousy. During that period, she was referred to as “old”, “the spooky doll”, or “creepy”, and with other not so endearing terms. Her sad twist of fate came after her original owner had passed away. Charlotte was put into a box and sold with all of the little girl’s treasures. A well-dressed woman and her young daughter bought the box of toys. When they unpacked the box and found Charlotte, they were both very pleased. “Oh mommy,” the child beamed with delight. “I want to play with her!” “I don’t know sweetie,” Mother replied. “I think she may be worth something. She’s very old. You have all of your pretty Barbie dolls to play with.” But I want her mommy!” “I’m sorry, not yet. Someday, I promise.” And with that, Mother turned and sat Charlotte on the shelf. She sat on the shelf in the bright sun for months; every once in a while someone would glance her way and comment. “What an interesting old doll, she must have been very beautiful when she was new.” “Yes,” Mother would reply, “I think she may be worth something.” Charlotte’s rosy cheeks were now brown smudges and the sapphire blue of her eyes were a shade of faded black. Mother kept her dusted off most of the time and sweetie always seemed to want to pick her up. Mother wouldn’t let her. But, as fate would have it, the little girl would get her wish.

On a particularly bright day, Charlotte was suddenly knocked off of the shelf. A large black cat had decided that the doll’s spot looked like the perfect perch. She crashed to the ground and the startled cat disappeared. Mother and sweetie came running. Charlotte’s nose was chipped and cracked when Mother picked her up. “Well, no one is going to want you now, are they?” Mother sighed. “I do mommy,” chimed an angelic voice from below. “I guess it couldn’t hurt. Please be careful with her, she’s very old and I think she may be worth saving.” Mother was hesitant, but felt there was no harm since the doll had already lost some of her charm.

Unbeknownst to Mother, her little “sweetie” couldn’t care less about Charlotte. She simply wanted Charlotte’s hand- made dress for her newest Barbie doll. The child ran off to her secret place, thrilled to have the doll at last. She sat with the two dolls on her lap. “Look Barbie! This old lady is going to give you her beautiful ball gown! Aren’t you lucky?” The girl chirped. She sat Barbie down gently and turned to Charlotte. There was a row of little pearl beads that looked as if they were pushed through button holes, lining the front of the doll’s dress. Sweetie tried to unbutton them. That didn’t work. The small pearls and loops gave the appearance of buttons, but were really only adornments. Frustrated by her failed attempts, the child held onto the doll’s hair while tugging on a sleeve of the dress. The now brittle locks came out in the girl’s hand. She tossed the remnants of the doll’s hair onto the floor without a second glance. The girl didn’t know that Charlotte’s dress was partly holding her body together. She stood up and tugged furiously on the dress, until the whole contraption ripped apart. Sweetie threw herself and Charlotte to the ground in frustration, and burst into tears. Then she spun around and gave the doll a little kick. “Stupid old doll, who wants a doll like you, can’t even change your stupid old clothes!”

When Mother found Charlotte and the distraught child, she scooped them both up. She opened a drawer filled with junk and tossed Charlotte inside. Mother closed the drawer and all was black. Time passed, as time does and then a light filled the void. Countless hours of darkness were gone in an instant. ”It’s about time we get rid of all this junk.” A voice broke the silence. Whoa, look at this creepy doll!” “Yes, that was my mother’s prized possession. I ruined it and she didn’t even get mad!” Charlotte was unceremoniously tossed into the trash and carried to the curb to meet her destiny.

The bag of garbage was thrown in the back of a large truck. The trash truck bounced through the city streets, stopping many times along the way. A huge broken dresser drawer landed on the doll. Ripping her dress from her mangled torso, it knocked Charlotte out of the truck and into the alley way, far from her home. Few people passed by. Most didn’t notice her. Once someone almost picked her up, but decided not to. She was muddy and broken. Very little was left of the once treasured doll. Once again, fate played its hand.

It just so happened, that Charlotte had fallen into the alley way behind a Painter’s studio. This creative man prided himself on finding beauty in the world where no one was looking. He believed that every object had a story to tell and if one were willing to look deep enough, a unique story would unfold. The alley was a great adventure to explore from time to time. There were always interesting objects: bits of old books, discarded clocks and sometimes photographs. He came searching through the alley, early one morning, and found his Madonna. He picked Charlotte up and gazed at her in the same way the children had so long ago. The life the doll showed in the chip of her nose and the now dark blush in her cheeks. This filled him with adoration. She represented a life lived, and set his heart on fire. The artist returned to his studio with his prize. A new chapter in the life of the doll had begun.

The Painter discovered that Charlotte had been handcrafted in the year 1901. She was now one hundred and ten years old. The date was etched on the heel of her right foot. He couldn’t make out the craftsmen’s signature and had no way of knowing her given name. Her name had been stripped from her along with her dress. “Don’t worry my love, I will take care of you and everyone will know how truly special you are.” He prepared the first of many canvases especially for the doll. She became the subject of the painter’s work. Charlotte was gone, transformed into Muse. She was never ignored. He painted her many times, using her untold story to a tell story about life. Her reflection in a glass of water became a metaphor for change. Her twisted limbs told a story of struggle and the never ending circle of time. She was reborn in the artist’s hands and spent many years as his companion.

The years with the Painter had been good to the Muse. Her popularity rose and people would come from miles away to see her and the Artist working in the studio. After he passed, there was much discussion about her worth. Influential people regularly bought and sold her. She was protected in a glass case. She had become so important to people that her worth was not something they could estimate. She was nearing her two hundredth birthday and becoming very fragile. In the end, it was decided, to keep her on display in the museum. Her story drew people from all over the world. But they never knew about the secret life of Charlotte, the doll.

Artist interview with Narboo

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:01:15 -0500

S~ “Who would you say are your heroes and inspirations?”
Narboo- "My family, my son, my girlfriend, and my friends. All the local artists around Seattle really inspire me. I am inspired by the city itself and others cities I've traveled to, but I also love nature and the trees and mountains. It's why I love Seattle- it's so close to all of it."
S~ “Where do you find inspiration for your characters?”
Narboo- "I get most of my inspiration for my characters through life itself and people or situations I run into. I draw a one legged seagull character because I remember seeing one in the Burger King parking lot begging for some fries as a little tike. Growing up, I would get up and watch cartoons on Saturday mornings like most kids, but I would always have a sketchpad with me to draw Daffy Duck or the Chipmunks, backgroungs, or my own little guys. I have always drawn since I could pick up a crayon and for the most part, I've always liked making my own characters."

S~ “Can you describe your work process and what media you use?”
Narboo- "I am always drawing. Sometimes I take ideas from my stickers or sketchbooks for paintings, and sometimes I just get ideas for paintings and I roll with it. I mostly work in acrylics on canvas and found wood. I use wheat paste and random paper as well for my mixed media pieces."
S~ “How do you feel about a structured art education?”
Narboo- "I went to school for graphic design. It was in my late 20's. It was fun and I learned a lot about the computer and printing side of things. I feel that has been an advantage for me in certain freelance gigs. But I know it's not for everybody. It has to feel right. Only you know."
S~ “What do you hope to accomplish as an artist?”

Narboo- "I really just like to make people smile. If I make one person a day smile, then I have done my job. If I can pay the bills and not have a day job, that would be awesome too! I'm close. I like how things have come together."
S~ “What do you consider your greatest achievement to date?”

Narboo- "Just getting out there. I was not very confident earlier in life when it came to my art.
My friends and family loved it but I just thought they were being nice.
I thought for sure people wouldn't take me serious because I wasn't painting boats and lighthouses. But that wasn't me. So to realize my love and strength was characters was a big step. I started showing in January of 2008 and haven't had a showless month since. (is showless a word?)"...
S~ "It is now."

S~ “Do you prefer collaboration and painting for an audience over studio painting?”
Narboo- "I love both. I am a very independent person so I need that time at my drawing table just going crazy with my brain and a pencil, pen, brush, or all of the above. But it is really inspiring to collab with other artists and live painting is on a whole other level. I love it. I used to hate when people watched me draw, now I feed off of the energy. For me there has to be a balance between the two."
S~ “Who are some of your favorite artists to collaborate with?”
Narboo- "I have had the honor of working with Starheadboy, (who has meant so much to me as an artist), Andrew Miller, Ryan Ward, Maggie Harbaugh, and Xavier Lopez Jr."

S~ “Where can your fans go to see your work in person?”

Narboo- "I have pieces up right now at Sweet Iron Waffles on 3rd and University downtown. BaBa Louise in Ballard on 65th, and Tasty in Greenwood."
S~ “Where are some places on-line that your fans can view your work?”

flickr.com/narboo

narboo.blogspot.com

narboo on facebook

S~ “Where in Seattle’s current art scene do you picture yourself?”
Narboo- "Just apart of it. I am an artist-I am an illustrator, a graphic designer, a cartoonist and a street artist rolled up in one. I'm just happy to be along for the ride."

S~ “Where do you hope to be in 5 years?”
Narboo- "Drawing everyday. No more day job."

Interview with Artist: Sarah Denby

Sun, 2 Jan 2011 11:01:05 -0500

Sarah Denby

For inquiries, custom work, or questions regarding freelance art projects, please contact

Sarah atsrdenby@hotmail.com

To view Denby’s fine art collection:

http://picasaweb.google.com/srdenby

Sarah R. Denby is a freelance painter born and raised among friends and family in the Pacific Northwest. Mostly self-taught, Denby grew up watching her mother and older sisters draw, paint, sew, sing, and build beautiful things, and in her late teens she began making a name for herself through paint in her hometown of Stanwood. Today she paints for clients all over the Pacific Northwest.

Denby works mostly in acrylics on canvas, specializing in slightly kooky portraits and unsuspecting themes. Bold in color and heavy on content, Denby’s artwork has taken many shapes, including murals, large-scale illustrations, portraits, graphic design and tattooing. Resent projects include logo design and muralist for Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op in Everett, WA, and Artist in Residence for the Mount Vernon School District, 2009-2010. Denby’s current collection, Nudes in Shoes is showing at Mi Shoes at 1315 Railroad Ave. during the October, 2010 Bellingham Art Walk.

The Interview

S~ “What is your most dominant characteristic?”

Sarah- “I think above all, I have the capability of breaking chaotic things down into simple, digestible parts.”

S~ “Who would you say are your heroes and inspirations?”

Sarah- “Heroes...all the ladies in my life who make me laugh and cry with me are my heroes, cause they save me. My inspirations can come from anything...anywhere. Smells, songs, colors that I never considered together but that suddenly strike me as compatible, shapes. And obvious things too, like other artists...Edward Hopper is my most recent inspiration.”

S~ “Where do you find inspiration for your characters?”

Sarah- “I do mostly portraits, so my characters are real people... I just try to capture their most telling feature if I can.”

S~ “Can you describe your work process and what media you use?”

http://www.paulisrael.com/

Sarah- “The process begins with a search, usually. I have to try and find some tangible things to create the elements within a painting. I print a lot of images, I take a lot of pictures, I have weird little scraps of paper and crap everywhere that are just the right color or whatever. I have to lay it all out and find a home for it all on the canvas, piece by piece...starting with the background and leading up to the front. I work mainly in acrylic paint on canvas, but funny things happen and by the time I’m done...there's always some piece of multi-medium who-knows-what in there. My favorite thing to do is hide secrets in there, and then later whoever bought the painting will see and be excited about it all over again.”

Sarah- "Michael Pearson's, (he's the musician just releasing the Ghosts of You album ) son, Simon, is a Godzilla fanatic. This painting is of Simon with a Godzilla tail destroying Seattle...the moth is called Mothra and the dragon with 3 heads is King Ghidorah...all classic Godzilla creatures (I just learned all this over the course of the last few weeks...Simon is only 4, but he's very informative) I like doing portraits that have special meaning to the recipients in a surreal/whimsey/weird way. This one was right up my alley."

S~ “How do you feel about a structured art education?”

Sarah- “I think structure is a good thing for some artists. I have my own form of discipline when it comes to the creative process and I know if I don't follow my rules or if I get lazy, it won't be as decent of an outcome. But I also believe that there are some things that can't be taught. But don't get me wrong...if someone offered to pay for my education at an art school, I wouldn't kick it outta bed. I hope I never stop learning and improving on my skills...I feel like I have so much to figure out still.”

S~ “What do you hope to accomplish as an artist?”

Sarah- “I'd love to just be able to work as an artist, painting, and meet other people who share my passion and learn from them. It would be nice to just make enough money to put gas in my car when the mood strikes to visit a friend, eat out when I'm craving Bamboo Gardens, and buy my kids lego sets when they're being good little boys. That's all.”

S~ “What do you consider your greatest achievement to date?”

Sarah- “I think following through with my painting has really paid off, and I'm proud that I didn't let life and all the crazy shit it throws at you stop me from remembering that, aside from being there for my family and friends, art is the most rewarding aspect of my life. Achieving enlightenment? Does that count?

S~ “Do you prefer collaboration and painting for an audience over studio painting?”

Sarah- “Painting is so intimate, and it's such a process...the idea of an audience makes me sweaty.”

S~ “Where do you hope to be in 5 years?

Sarah- “In 5 years I hope to be happy.”