Art is Moving, a fabulous blog about art, artists & community has been featuring local Washington artists and their processes this month. Last week I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Lauren. She asked some tough, not-your-typical sort of interview questions. It was a fun challenge to have to think about the role NW artists play within the larger culture.
The interview has been posted and you can read my responses here:
Figured it was about time I created a website just for my paintings - since they pretty much have taken over and all. All my illustration work will continue to be posted to Rekoj Design but I recently found a strong need to have people be able to find me by my actual name. Fancy that.
Just in time too because I recently found out that I get to travel to Miami soon with my gallery for AQUA ART MIAMI - !!!!! Super duper exciting!
La Familia is hosting a really incredible online art auction in an effort to raise funds for shipping all the artwork we need to ship to Miami next month. Check it out for a chance to get a super sweet deal on some really lovely pieces - and support a whole group of NW artists to boot! Bidding closes tomorrow at 5pm Pacific time so you better go take a peek right now: La Familia Online Art Auction for Aqua Art
I recently came across the work of Josie Morway and felt an immediate spark. She has the same love of found materials and the same ability to get lost in layers of feathers. She also complements her portraits with graphically influenced backgrounds. Only where I use Arabic calligraphy inspired lines she draws upon Typeface and lettering. I just love the softness she has achieved in this piece.
Then of course there is the work by one of my original influences, Audrey Kawasaki. It was through a love of her work that I came across the oil on wood technique that I use in my own work. Audrey's work introduced me to the magic of sealing the wood with a clear acrylic polymer before painting in thin oil glazes. This allows the wood grain of the support to fully show through and in my case, be left exposed all together.
Tonight I'm excited to get to go see the work of one of my new favorite influences, Kelly Vivanco. Her solo show, featuring mainly new works on round panels, opens tonight at Halogen Gallery here in Belltown.
Having been someone who used to work in the round I'm excited to get to see what Kelly has done with her compositions. Her style of wide-eyed girls isn't necessarily an influence for me but her prolificy IS. (At least I WANT to be influenced by such!) Maybe it is just because she works in acrylic rather than oils but my oh my does Kelly put a lot of work out there. And her style is consistently hers every time with a sense of whimsy, fairytale and dream. Can't wait to see the show tonight!
After over a week without picking up a brush I finally had some time to get back to it tonight. I've reunited myself with my wood blocks and my colors and it felt SO nice to get myself lost in the little details again.
Here is a little preview taste of what I've got in the works for the upcoming 5x5 show in December. Oh yes - little jewels of fishy colors = pure painting bliss.
This summer has just been full full Full! Between art happenings, busy work weeks and weekends filled with family, friends & travel I just don't know what hit me. One thing recently was the show currently on view at La Familia Gallery. Up through the end of the month are works by Doug Mandt, Brad Strain & James Caudle - including the coolest installations I have seen at the gallery to date. Very worthy of checking out:
A few other things I've been up to include: Partying it up for the Apex summer party, "Science Friction" Road tripping with Katie up to the Peninsula Day in the park to shower the soon to be Coolest Parents Ever. Yes, that is their official title.
I absolutely had to post this animation by Gab Askew here just so I can remember it. Next time I'm feeling uninspired and blue I want to sink into this beautifully created world. Do yourself a favor and take a few moments to enjoy!
My head and heart are all a tangle these days as I'm filled with a yearning for the next step. A yearning to move on to the New and a practical need for more art space. This is manifesting itself into having to chose between two choices: Moving my studio to a separate studio space, or moving my home out of the co-op to somewhere with a bigger studio. This back and forth has filled me for weeks & weeks now. This weekend I was able to edge closer to the decision by having a series of kismet conversations with friends new & old. Like maybe how certain folks make appearances in your life right when you need them? For instance I was able to meet and discuss art with the Bay Area artist Susanah Montana Murdoch. Susanah is a lovely soul and truly an inspiring painter. Her bit of advice about the whole thing was to make the push and ride the wave of art momentum when you have it. I also had the joy and pleasure of spending a day road tripping to the Peninsula with my dearest old pal Katie Sandbom. That girl always has a way of asking the right questions. Not to mention there isn't anything quite like a road trip to help clear your head. If anyone out there has any oracles up their sleeve I sure would love to see how this all turns out!
You may or may not have noticed (since it is summertime after all), but I've taken a wee bit of a break this past month. Here's the highlights of what I've been up to:
I traveled to my favorite little spot of the Oregon coast to spend a week reading books, exploring tide pools, painting tide pools, taking naps, taking long walks & eating seafood.
I saw the delightful movie UP in 3D
I attended a huge family gathering in Yakima Valley to celebrate the 88th birthday of my dear ol' Grandma.
Returning from the Valley with a large abundance of peaches I then spent multiple days experiencing "peach facials" with my friend Kirsten while jamming & canning. Can you say mmmm ginger peach marmalade??
I began the hunt of seeking out more studio space by touring various houses, co-ops and lofts only to find myself unable to decide between a bigger home space or a separate studio space. The solution may be in the works... more to be divulged soon... mwah ha ha
I worked my butt off for my day job. Somehow folks have decided to start buying condos again which has kept me busy busy.
I had the pleasure of attending the open house of the new Seattle City Hostel here in Belltown. Each room was painted by local artists some of which were from my gallery. It was a crazy rad evening of local emerging artists. Lanae shot this amazing video of the evening:
I attended and fell in love with Kate Protage's "XS" show. Returning a week later determined to buy this piece I learned a valuable lesson in art purchasing:
If you love it, buy it before someone else does.
I attended the Union Celebration of two friends of Andy's which included a bbq, a bonfire, jello shots and the first camping we've done in far too long. Pure summer fun!
I started work on a new series for the upcoming 5x5 show in December.
Whew! What a month! Gotta love that sweet sweet summertime.
A nomadic childhood made my sense of "home" into a concept rather than a place. I create art that continually builds and restructures these concepts.
Landscapes real and imaged tucked within a child-like house shape revel in a love of pattern and line and color that I had first picked up as a child in Turkey.
Freely creating a huge canvas of color-play, only to tear it into strips to sew with was hugely liberating. I had returned to creating purely for the joy of making something beautiful, but never forgetting a heavy dose of yearning towards the apex of an unknown destination.
My work has been shown in Seattle galleries and internationally in Ireland, Finland and Monaco. I've been an awardee of the Vermont Studio Center Artist Fellowship and a printmaking residency in Co. Donegal, Ireland.
As well as being a working painter, I also consult as a curator for real estate development in the Seattle area, and serve on the Board of Directors of Seattle's Center on Contemporary Art.
