Dale Chihuly, The Man Who Grows Glass

April 26, 2012 By

Suspended from the ceiling like delicate crimson parachutes, Chihuly’s flowers reflect the light. Their petals do not wilt, but will shatter if they fall, so they are carefully secured by metal twists and rods. As part of a new installation by Washington born-and-based glass artist Dale Chihuly, this 100-foot chandelier of flowers combines the vivacious colors and dainty medium for which Chihuly has become internationally renowned.

Chihuly Garden and Glass is Seattle’s tribute to a beloved artist, and the venture is Chihuly’s gift of eternal spring embedded with shapes from an alien landscape. The forms he creates are beautifully, at times disturbingly, organic. “The technology really hasn’t changed,” Chihuly explains on the Garden and Glass Website. “We use the same tools today they used 2,000 years ago. The difference is that when I started, everyone wanted to control the blowing process. I just went with it. The natural elements of fire, movement, gravity and centrifugal force were always there, and are always with us. The difference was that I worked in this abstract way and could let the forces of nature have a bigger role in the ultimate shape.”

Located at Seattle Center, in the shadow of the Space Needle, the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibition will open on May 21st, spanning 12,208 square feet of exhibition space and opening into a 16,000 square foot garden, each containing another Chihuly-ian world. The centerpiece is the Glasshouse, a 40-foot tall glass and steel structure that draws architectural inspiration from Paris’s Saint-Chapelle and the Crystal Palace in London, two of Chihuly’s favorite conservatories.

“I call myself an artist for lack of a better word,” Chihuly once told an interviewer more than a decade ago. “I’m an artist, a designer, a craftsman, interior designer, half-architect. There’s no one name that fits me very well.” Chihuly Garden and Glass is a reflection of the artist’s multimedia escapades; a place where architecture, sculpture, glass, acrylic and film all come together as organically as Chihuly’s subject matter so that the installations are not so much installed, but grown. And still growing.

For more information, visit http://www.chihulygardenandglass.com.

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Stephanie Paige Gets Connected

February 14, 2012 By

The interaction between humans and their surrounding world is a complex exchange of give-and-take. For artist Stephanie Paige, this relationship stems from an awareness of her connection with nature and her place within it. Using vibrant colors, expansive space and earthy textures, Paige creates art that is both humble and awe-inspiring, never failing to create a dialogue between the viewer and the world that exists around him or her.

One aspect of Paige’s work that stands as a powerful testament to her philosophies is the use of found materials. “What is interesting about adding found materials to my work is that in each found piece that I place is a representation of self” explains Paige, “Yes, this old rusted flywheel that I found on the side of the road is representing me or you.”

ABN caught up with this Southern California-based contemporary artist on the rise to discuss inspirations and aspirations.

Laurel Dammann (ABN): How would you define the relationship between your art and nature? What elements of the world around inspire you and your work the most?

Stephanie Paige (Sp): The relationship between my art and nature is all about feeling connected to the earth in a way that shows my respect and admiration for all the wonders of mother nature. The earth is where I feel grounded and feel supported. The ocean is where I let my emotions free and create. The sky is where I dream and I feel spiritually guided and the fire gives me energy and renewal. I am mostly connected to water because I am emotionally tied to my creations and enjoy discovering where it will take me.

ABN: Textures are a notably important part of your art, as are vast expanses of color and space. What do each of these elements mean to you as an individual element in a bigger piece? The three reacting together?

SP: The way I feel centered with my art is to have balance, and combining all these elements into my work gives me that sense of completeness. I spent the early part of my life as an artist that had to be perfect and exact with what I created and always having to fill every inch of the space with interest. Now my life’s journey as an artist and human being is letting go of that idea of perfection and “having it all.” I began focusing on moving toward simplicity, calmness and being at peace with what is.

ABN: You moved to Southern California in 1990. What is it about that specific landscape that inspires you? Do you feel as if the move changed your artistic direction and/or vision?

SP: After moving to Southern California  from a small town in Michigan, I became instantly inspired by the landscapes with such varied textures from dry desert to the open vast oceans with all its wildlife, the skies amazing sunsets and sunrises and the tropical trees. Just in my backyard alone, I’m inspired by all the textures nature makes around here.

ABN: As an avid user of green mediums and found items in your pieces, what do you feel these materials add to the moods you seek to capture?

SP: What is interesting about adding found materials to my work is that in each found piece that I place is a representation of self. Yes, this old rusted flywheel that I found on the side of the road is representing me or you. I always place each found piece in the center to remind me or you to be centered and it also represents renewal of self, just like that old flywheel. Now using green materials is a more important aspect of creating because it is respecting the earth and gives me a sense of closeness with Mother Nature.

ABN: You write in your artist’s statement that your creations start with “play time” and include your practice of Metta. How do these methods affect your relationship with a piece, its process and its components?

SP: I first should tell you that when I step into my studio to create I am mediating and draw from my spiritual connection to the earth to be inspired. So “Play Time” to me is listening and feeling my way though my hand to find the path of each piece. Metta is a practice I do everyday for myself and to my loved ones and then to all beings everywhere. It gives me that connectedness I need in this world and provides me with a knowing that I am not alone and [that] I am you and you are me. When I create a piece of art, I feel that this feeling is put into the piece and it is meant for one specific person who is yet unknown. People have commented that when they saw a piece that they had to purchase, [they felt it was] made for them. That is a very rewarding, fulfilling moment for me as an artist.

ABN: What are you currently working on?

SP: I am currently experimenting with integrating more found materials. I recently did a wonderful piece called Rebirth, made with cut slats from old wine barrels. The barrels added real depth and texture to the work, bringing it all to life. I feel the barrels themselves have a story to tell, as I imagine the aging process, the labor not only spent to make the wine, but the all aspects of the time and love and patience that goes into all things that are worthwhile. It adds a timeless quality to my art that cannot be made any other way.

For more information, visit www.StephaniePaigeStudio.com.

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Craft Shows Go Avant-Garde in Westlake, Ohio

January 26, 2012 By

The phrase “craft show” brings to mind a number of images, some of them possibly involving middle-aged moms in cat sweaters perusing long aisles of knitted potholders and earrings that required a glue gun as a creative tool. But the 2012 Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show in Westlake, Ohio is definitely not your mother’s craft show. Hosting an eclectic group of artists showcasing everything from jewelry made of recycled American coins to vases made of lightbulbs, this January 29th event is determinedly its own.

A popular theme in the show is the use of “upcycled” elements and unique vintage finds to make something entirely new yet completely sustainable. It’s a method that is not only affordable to the artist, but good for the planet.

“There is a definite nod to the past when viewing some of these vendors and their work” says Becki Cooper, the show’s founder. “It’s really exciting to see what vendors come up with and how they take something from the past and make it applicable to the trends that are popular now.”

Along with finds from antique shops and Goodwill stores, there are a number of eco-friendly vendors at this year’s show, including cosmetics made from beeswax, recycled wine bottle jewelry and purses constructed of old T-shirts.  Outside the recycled and eco-friendly realms, there’s also a plethora of food, pottery, stained glass and home decor items. Basically, something for everyone. So much so that your probably could find a knitted potholder if you really looked hard enough.

Visit www.avantgardeshows.com for more information on the vendors and location.

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Inside the Outsider Art Fair

January 25, 2012 By

It is a general trend throughout history that where there are people, there are people making art. With a world population of approximately seven billion people, that roughly translates to a heck of a lot of art. So it goes without saying that there are countless talented artists who go unnoticed throughout their lives. But the Outsider Art Fair is doing its part to right this wrong, showcasing the work of talents who never went to art school.

From January 27th to January 29th, the Outsider Art Fair offers two days of exciting panels, conversations, film screenings and, of course, artwork in New York City. Founded 20 years ago, the fair was inspired by the countless self-taught artists who create work outside of the cultural and artistic mainstream, and the fair has become one of the world’s best-known venues for unrepresented artists. It’s also gathered support from many people and organizations within the art community, including Scott Ogden, founder of Brooklyn-based Make Skateboards.

“The world of self-taught or outsider artists has been an inspiration for me for a long time” says Ogden. “This year in particular seemed like a great time to introduce a little new blood into the fair. And with that in mind, I’ll be releasing new, limited-edition skateboards featuring authorized reproductions of the art of two of the best-known artists in the field. I’ll also show original works by several artists who are rarely, if ever, represented at the fair.”

For the first time since its founding, an extensive collection of gallery exhibitors will be featured at the fair, including the Collection de l’art Brut of Lausanne, Switzerland, the world’s leading museum specializing in outsider art, and New York’s El Museo del Barrio, which will promote its “Testimonios” exhibition. Other newcomers to the event include Pure Vision Arts, Manhattan’s first art studio and exhibition space for artists with autism and other developmental disabilities, and LAND Gallery, a Brooklyn-based, nonprofit organization presenting the work of artists living with disabilities. In addition, independent scholar and outsider art specialist Valérie Rousseau will host and organize a series of panel discussions covering such topics as the outside art collector’s experience.

“As many of [them] regularly point out, there is one inescapable aspect of the most compelling work made by self-taught artists that never fails to seize their imagination: That is that it is always profoundly, unmistakably, inexplicably moving,” says critic Edward M. Gómez, a specialist in the field of self-taught artists, on what brings so many admirers to the Outsider Art Fair,

For more information, visit http://www.sanfordsmith.com/default.aspx?pageId=3.

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O. Ascanio Gallery Makes Its Contemporary Mark

December 13, 2011 By

An art gallery is only as interesting as the art it holds and O. Ascanio Gallery owner Oscar Ascanio takes this maxim seriously, turning his space into a visionary kaleidoscope of contemporary masterpieces. Through December 17, he’s showcasing the works of some of the world’s most notorious 20th century artists, including Jesus Soto, Alejandro Otero, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Bernar Venet, Agostino Bonalumi and Victor Vasarely.  Selections from Biennale de Paris award winner Francisco Salazar, mathematical precision pieces from Italy-based Victor Lucena and experiments with monochromatic red paintings by Bernard Aubertin are also a part of this impressive collaboration.

“They are plastic art masters worldwide and are known through innumerable acclaimed expositions in European, Asian and North American museums, where each artist has etched his place among the greats and where curators, critics and collectors have agreed that each one is a great master,” says Ascanio.

O. Ascanio Gallery is located at 2600 NW Second Avenue, in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District. For more information, visit www.oascaniogallery.com.

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Esmeralda Kosmatopoulos Explores the Palm Authority Project

December 2, 2011 By

Esmeralda Kosmatopoulos works in her New York Studio. Photo by Gaia Somasca.

Born in Greece, raised in Paris and currently living in New York, self-taught sculpture and installation artist Esmeralda Kosmatopoulos has carved out her own artistic identity in a variety of unique climates. For her newest installation, the Palm Authority Project, Kosmatopoulos explores the individuality of the self by placing it—metaphorically and somewhat literally—in society’s hands. Part of a body of work titled “The Future is On Your Hand,” the Palm Authority Project—featured in Miami’s Bayfront Park from November 30th through December 4th—sets five giant inflatable hands  against a recorded backdrop of children’s voices, thus exploring society’s influence on the individual through the metaphor of palmistry.

“My installation is about questioning the way people embrace their individuality away from the general social templates,” states Kosmatopoulos. “In palmistry, the lines inside your hand that you where born with tell you very specific details about your personality and your future. [In] the same way, society teaches individuals from a very young age what kind of person he or she is supposed embody.”

Kosmatopoulos constructed the inflatable hands, which range from eight to 12 feet in height, out of 120 yards of ripstop fabric. By juxtaposing the hands with the background audio recordings, the artist illustrates the contrast between social authority and organic awareness and invites each viewer to reflect upon their own identity, social nature and interaction with the external world.

For more information on Kosmatopoulos and the Palm Authority Project, visit www.thepalmauthorityproject.com.

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Miami SOLO Makes Its Debut

November 30, 2011 By
Miami Solo

More than 100 contemporary artists are making a splash at Miami SOLO

Whether you’re an artist, dealer, collector or enthusiast, there’s no better place to be this week than in Miami, Florida, when nearly 20 art shows converge in conjunction with Art Basel Miami Beach—including Miami SOLO, presented by Artexpo. With so much to see and so little time to see it all, Miami SOLO’s approach is a curated one: Assemble 100 of the world’s most talented contemporary artists who are working in a variety of genres, mediums and price points so that there’s truly something befitting of everyone’s taste and budget. One-stop art shopping at its finest.

Located across the street from Art Miami, which drew 46,000 attendees alone in 2010, Miami SOLO’s freshman show is already generating great buzz. Last night, the show offered an exclusive Opening Night Premiere, with contemporary pop artist Jiang Heng in attendance.

Tickets to Miami SOLO are available at the door, with $15 day passes and $25 week passes available. The show is taking place in the Wynwood Arts District at 3011 NE 1st Avenue at NW 31st Street. Show hours are as follows:

  • Wednesday, November 30th: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Thursday, December 1st through Saturday, December 3rd: 11a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday, December 4th: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

For a full list of this year’s exhibitors, visit http://www.miamisolo.com/exhibitor-list.

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