Spring is near

Spring

The sun has been out this week, and I'm happy.  So are the birds!  They are chirping louder than I've ever heard them, and it's been fun watching them swoop down from the trees to take a quick little bath in puddles.

This week I finished two small works that are inspired by the recent Spring-like weather.  One is an abstract drawing, and the other is a painting of a tree branch.  You can see more photos of the pieces in my shop.

Lullaby

Hole-y Moly!

Looking for a new hobby?  How about drilling into egg shells? These remarkable and very fragile works are created by Slovenian artist Franc Grom. There are literally thousands of holes bored into one egg shell. Wow!

photo sources: daylife.com, national geographic

The stunning colors and imagery of Rachell Sumpter's art

Brothers in Sport

I'm in awe.  These mixed media works from Rachell Sumpter are so beautiful and mesmerizing.  I absolutely love the look of the detailed gouache work layered with the blended pastels background.  The style is very dream-like and contemporary, and the use of cultural imagery is so compelling.  I can't wait to see more!

Finery

Gauntlet

 Molten Kin

Is As Was

Tootling along the historic Columbia River Highway

Latourell Falls

At about this time every year, you'll start seeing Portlanders with a mad look in their eyes.  That's because we've been cooped up under a gray cloud for several months, and we are all suffering from vitamin D deficiency.  So it's a funny phenomenon around here when the sun comes out and the temperature creeps over fifty.  Many tweens would like to think our skin sparkles like diamonds, when on the contrary, it's more like paste. One thing I know for sure is that once the winter sun is out, so are all the locals.   

The weather was glorious yesterday, and being a holiday, we decided to take a drive down the historic Columbia River Highway to Multnomah Falls, which is just 30 minutes from Portland. Here are just a few snapshots from the day.

Crown Point Vista House

Mossy rocks all along the trails.

We hiked to the top of Multnomah Falls.  The famous 45-ft-long footbridge is at the bottom right of the photograph.  It looks like a twig!

After the hike, we had dessert, of course, at the Multnomah Falls Lodge.  My choice- huckleberry tart.  A perfect ending to a lovely day at the gorge.

Oh, and minus the $5.95 dessert and a little bit of gas, the trip to the gorge didn't cost us anything!

Portland/Brooklyn Artist Series: Kate Bingaman-Burt

I'm thrilled to be partnering with Art Hound in a six-week series featuring some of the foremost independent artists from Portland and Brooklyn.  Each week,  we will be interviewing a different local artist from our respective hometowns.

This week's featured Portland artist is Kate Bingaman-Burt.  To young aspiring artists at Portland State University, Kate is called "Professor."  But she is known to many of her fans as the artist behind Obsessive Consumption, a blog documenting the daily drawings of personal consumption.

photos: Anthony Georgis

How would you describe your work?

I like to incorporate a variety of materials and create an environment, but I don't get the chance to do this very often.  For the past eight years my work has been about personal consumerism, guilt, excess, silliness, and the mundane.  I try not to take myself seriously, but I take working hard seriously.

Kate's drawing of Anthony's camera. She only draws with Faber Castell pens and uses Strathmore paper (8" x 10" to be exact.)

What are the greatest challenges of being an artist today?

One challenge that I have is balance and knowing when to stop.  I have a hard time stepping away from a project.  I also have problems with saying no.

Sometimes focus is a challenge for me, so I created a system of rules, such as daily drawing and a schedule.  This helps me create in ways that I need to create while still having a structure.

Layers of Kate's favorite images.

Tell us about the biggest risk you've taken as an artist.

Moving to Mississippi after graduate school.  I exited a community of friends and makers and entered totally new territory.  It was scary, but I am so glad that we lived there for four years.  It really taught me that you can make your own space wherever you are.

Kate dreams of a room filled with plants.  Fortunately for her, she lives across the street from a plant shop. 

What do you love most about Portland?

I like that I can sit at my desk all day and still feel like I am part of the neighborhood.  I live in an area that is pretty active.  I live above a coffee shop, so I can hear the patrons in the coffee shop and I don't feel like a total recluse.  I also love the fact that I can go to the ocean in 90 minutes and the mountains in 60 and into the forest in 10.  Amazing.

One of Kate's favorite Portland food cart items.  Mmm, they are delicious!

What makes Portland/Brooklyn such a great place for independent art?

Even though I have only been here for a year and a half, I feel really supported in what I do.  I don't feel negativity or competition, but more collaboration and support.  

Kate is releasing her first book, "Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today?" this spring.  An upcoming show and book release is scheduled for April 2 at the Land Gallery in Portland.  

Maybelle, Kate's studio buddy.


This week's featured Brooklyn artist is Jacqueline Bos.  Read her interview here.

As part of the artist interview series, we are inviting readers to participate in a dialogue about Portland and Brooklyn's art communities.  Both cities are considered epicenters of the independent art scene, but how do you think the two art communities differ?

I spy something red

Ran Hwang, Dreaming of Joy, buttons and pins, 2008.

Rein Nomm, Winter Feast, a single strawberrry, 2005.

 

Labokoff, Trio, mixed media.

Mark Rothko, Red, Black, and Maroon, 1957.

Alexander Calder, Red Lily Pads, 1956.  Guggenheim Museum, New York.

Golly Bard, Cloche No. 3: Captured Hearts, watercolor, 2010.

Happy Valentine's Day!

New art, new header, new series

There's a lot of newness this week.  In addition to busily working on the new artist series that is launching on Monday, I've created a couple new art pieces.  The mixed media piece shown above is titled Lovebirds in the Moonlight.  I was inspired to create it after pruning our filbert tree this week.  Filbert trees have lovely little yellow blossoms in long clusters that dangle from branches.  In the artwork, I wanted to keep the branches sparse-looking, so I reflected the blossom design in the stars.

The other piece I completed this week is called Sea Garden.  The blue I used for the background reminded me of the ocean, so the work evolved from this perspective of being under water.

Also new this week is my header, just in case you didn't notice.  My friend, Korinne, helped me with the design.  She's super talented and has her own gocco machine, so if you're needing a designer for branding, cards, or invitations, I'd be happy to pass along her contact information.

Two cities, two blogs, and two artists a week

Kate Bingaman-Burt in her Portland studio.  Photo was taken by Anthony Georgis, another Portland artist featured in the interview series.

I'm so excited to tell you about this project I've been working on with Art Hound's Kate Singleton. This Monday, we are launching a six week series featuring twelve artists from Portland and Brooklyn. The interviews will showcase artists' latest works,  their work spaces, and their take on the independent art scene in Portland and Brooklyn. We're also inviting readers to join us in a dialogue about the vibrant art communities.  Hope you'll join us!

Sewing, just one of Jacqueline Bos' many talents.