Art and Art Deadlines.com

A food-themed FREE resource site for ARTISTS.

×
Art and Art Deadlines.com

Tag: #ArtistoftheDay

ARTIST of the DAY: Jani Leinonen

Posted on by R.L. Gibson

results REPORTED

A friend recently boasted on social media of her successful year of NOT shopping at Wal-mart, her 2015 resolution.  I am proud of her.  I hate resolutions, as I frequently mention, that imply that I should be less (physically) or spend more (as a consumer) or be more (insert anything superficial).  But what if we all chose to do one small thing to become the person WE want to be?

Many years ago, I vowed never to spend another dollar at McDonald’s. I believe their food is toxic, and the treatment of employees is abysmal.  Why would I support any company whose business model involves killing me slowly?  Their recent efforts to change the public perception of McDonald’s are no better than saying “I’m sorry you feel that way” instead of “I am sorry.”  I am bombarded with warnings from other bloggers and even a few readers about how I should be careful not to burn bridges with my opinions. Hmmph. Clearly today’s AAAD Artist of the Day, Jani Leinonen, creates with an open heart & mind.  So shall I.

McJesus (left) and McBuddha (right) by Jani Leinonen!
McJesus (left) and McBuddha (right) by Jani Leinonen

“Art is a lie that reveals the truth. And the truth is that we are allowed to think about alternatives. Conflicts keep spreading, social and economical differences keep widening, and our ecosystem is on the verge of breakdown. If the taboo is broken, we do not live in the best possible world. So, we know what we do not want. But what do we want?” — Jani Leinonen

Enjoy more irreverence complements of Jani Leinonen!

ARTIST of the DAY: Fenella Elms

Posted on by R.L. Gibson

deep BREATHS

I met the talented James Dickey, the author of  the book Deliverance, many years ago. As I drove through the rural south today in search of the perfect patch upon which to grow the rest of my life, I felt the feral nature that must have inspired so much of the desperation with which the book reeks.  When my flight instinct kicks in, I need only look up to the trees to see the topmost tiny branches swaying in the biting cold air to find my calm again.  The work of today’s Artist of the Day, Fenella Elms, gives me that same sense of order in the disorder.  Calm in the chaos.

White Flow by Fenella Elms, individually-made beads on porcelain, attached with slip
White Flow by Fenella Elms, individually-made, ceramic beads on porcelain, attached with slip

“Aspects of my past career in mental health continue to influence my work with clay: the subconscious approach, a sense of rhythm, attention to detail and difference. I don’t seek to put my experiences into the clay, but marvel at how they emerge.” — Fenella Elms

Enjoy the calming forms of Fenella Elms!

ARTIST of the DAY: Laird Bindrim

Posted on by R.L. Gibson

simply BEAUTIFUL

Minimalism has so many faces. Some would have you believe it to be stark and cold and gray.  I find it comforting.  I disagree that minimalism must always be bare.  Even intricate design can be simple and clean and appreciable for their design.   Today’s Artist of the Day, Laird Bindrim, shows such beautiful restraint. Such beauty in simply waiting for the unfolding.

U-Totem by photographer Laird Bindrim
U-Totem by photographer Laird Bindrim

“Photography as a medium is immediate. The “taking” of a photograph is measured in fractions of a second.  An art form, that has the unique ability to show us a singular moment.  In this image, the person talking on the phone, my good friend, is calling home to his mother to let her know he’s arrived safely.  Albeit, three thousand miles away from her.  This was the view from the car where I waited and watched patiently as he consoled her.” —Laird Bindrim

Delight in more beauty by
photographer Laird Bindrim!

ARTIST of the DAY: David Marinos

Posted on by R.L. Gibson

never ALONE

One of the joys of editing AAAD is the artists that I meet. Some seek advice or publication, but most often, they seek connection.  Creativity is often isolating, but all of you have taught me that an art community is where and what and who you make it. Today’s Artist of the Day, David Marinos, will be 18 years old tomorrow.  My birthday wish for David is that he not know artistic isolation although his work already displays an understanding.

Vision and Absent Light by David Marinos
Vision (left) and Absent Light (right) by David Marinos

_______________

“No one knows what life is and all these meaningless quotes aren’t helping.” —David Marinos

_______________

Discover more from David Marinos!

ARTIST of the DAY: Jennifer Dipper

Posted on by R.L. Gibson

try a new PERSPECTIVE

It is just another day of the calendar, but January 1 brings out the worst of self-judgement & self-loathing in us all. New Year’s resolutions are rarely about self-fulfillment & more about internalizing the judgement of others –about fixing perceived faults of body image, guilty pleasures & consumer expectations. So every January 1, I just try, often in vain, to remember to live my life with eyes open, wide open, open with a renewed awareness of myself and the world around me, the people, the earth, and the food, of course.  When I came across this image by today’s Artist of the Day, Jennifer Dipper, I recognized this look. Gentle but fierce, a haze of lashes softening but not obscuring the world. Strength.

EYES: Open by Photographer Jennifer Dipper
EYES: Open by Photographer Jennifer Dipper

“I like taking a minimal approach to fine art photography. Moments captured are not created my me. I am simply recording one possible perspective in a given time in a way that I am captivated. Capturing an image allows me to capsulate [sic] a fleeting moment, allowing that same emotion (or interpretation) to be felt over and over by even those who were not there.” —Jennifer Dipper

Learn more about photographer Jennifer Dipper!

ARTIST of the DAY: Robin Antar

Posted on by R.L. Gibson

egging on the POUNDS

This is not just a season of mass consumerism, but a season of mass consumption.  As a Southerner, I am unceasingly amazed by how many holiday dishes include mayonnaise.  It is an embedded part of the culture.  There are less-than-playful, spiteful & angry debates, conversations & argument over brands.  I stand firmly on the side of homemade.  *Please note, all hate mail containing the word “Dukes” has been filtered to my junk mail box.  The work of today’s Artist of the Day, Robin Antar takes its own stand, intention or not. (continues below)

Hellman's Real Mayonnaise (realism in stone) by Robin Antar
Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise (realism in stone) by Robin Antar

“My passion as a sculptor involves a technique I uncovered more than 20 years ago — the precise art of creating ‘virtual records’ of contemporary culture — capturing common, everyday items in stone. Essentially, I replicate these items on a real life-scale, complete with meticulous detail. I achieve this absolute realism by incorporating parts of the actual object, as well as custom-made stains, paints, plastics and gold leaf. It’s more than art imitating life, it’s art mirroring life.” —Robin Antar

Discover more from sculptor Robin Antar!

ARTIST of the DAY: Greg Sand

Posted on by R.L. Gibson

CHRISTMAS future

I watched Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” again last night.  I think the familiarity of the story along with the endless tongue-in-cheek remakes and knock-offs have taken the edge of the concept.  But what if?  What if your life was absent of you?  The work of Greg Sand, today’s Artist of the Day, reminds me of the reality of that concept.  Every vintage portrait over which I have longed in consignment and thrift stores has met their end.  Sobering.  Another thoughtful display of empathy– empathy for those connected to these unknown souls. (continues below)

Once Removed #1 (left) & Once Removed #4 by Greg Sand
Once Removed #1 (left) & Once Removed #4 (right) by Greg Sand

“The series Once Removed consists of antique portraits in which the subject is missing. In all of the images, only the photographer’s backdrop and chair–next to which the sitter once stood–remain. The photographs are now about the absence of the subject rather than about the subject itself. Hopefully the viewer ponders the removal of the person and concludes, given the obvious age of the portraits, that the subject is dead.

‘By giving me the absolute past of the pose…
the photograph tells me death in the future… I shudder…
over a catastrophe which has already occurred.’

 

“These words from Roland Barthes’s ‘Camera Lucida” describe how I feel when I view a photograph as old as the ones used in this series. I feel a connection to the person, followed by a dread of what is to come, followed by a sense of grief at what has already transpired. The removal of the subject–who is very much alive in the photograph–forces the photograph to more truthfully depict the present reality in which the subject is no longer alive.” — Greg Sand

Explore the more work by Greg Sand!

ARTIST of the DAY: Ellen Jewett

Posted on by R.L. Gibson

STRANGE and gentle

As the years go by, I have come to view the details with different eyes.   With people, I have a far greater capacity for empathy even without intimate knowledge of every detail.  But with art, I find myself captivated by the minutia.  I enjoy dissecting the elements.  The sculpture of today’s Artist of the Day, Ellen Jewett, keeps me busy for hours.  A cursory glance may reveal spectacular figurative work, but the individual elements offer tiny narratives to be combined into a more complicated world view.  Mesmerizing. (continues below)

strange and gentle by Ellen Jewett
strange and gentle by Ellen Jewett

“At first glance my work explores the more modern prosaic concept of nature: a source of serene nostalgia balanced with the more visceral experience of ‘wildness’ as remarkably alien and indifferent.  Upon closer inspection of each ‘creature’ the viewer may discover a frieze on which themes as familiar as domestication and as abrasive as domination fall into sharp relief.” — Ellen Jewett

Discover more work by Ellen Jewett!

ARTIST of the DAY: Julia Geiser

Posted on by R.L. Gibson

smoke & mirrors

Some days, one has to put one foot in front of the other and simply hope for the best.  When searching for today’s Artist of the Day for AAAD, I stumbled on to the work of Julia Geiser.  This work perfectly illustrates my week.  (continues below)

Collage work by Julia Geiser
collage work by Julia Geiser

“When I first started to work with collage (in 2012) I really got attached to the method. With collage I am allowed to work fast and the pictures I create are more likely a sketch of an idea then an in all details finished picture. I only use pictures from the Internet. So the online-voyeurism becomes an inspiration to me. In such a way my work grasps a larger ground. It becomes a debate about rights and licenses, about privacy and commons, about ownership and laws. The collages always oscillate between visual and legal borders.” — Julia Geiser

Learn more about #ArtistoftheDay, Julia Geiser!

ARTIST of the DAY: Pedro Marzorati

Posted on by R.L. Gibson

hot weather, cold WATER

It has been unseasonably warm in the Great Smoky Mountains this past week — 70+ degrees in mid-December.  While I appreciate the bonus, it also made me think of the AAAD’s Artist of the Day Pedro Marzorati.  His work is a perfect physical embodiment of climate change, and it changes based on your perspective, time & place.  Simply perfect. (continues below)

Where the Tides Ebb and Flow by Pedro Marzorati
Where the Tides Ebb and Flow by Pedro Marzorati, land art installation

“The statues speak for us, it’s a way of interrogation,
just ask yourselves!” –Pedro Marzorati

“Where the Tides Ebb and Flow” was introduced for the first time in 2008, as a part of Land Art “Kielzog” festival, near Amsterdam & then again at the “Sentier du Rhone 2009” festival, in France.  The sculptures illustrates the human silhouette that are more or less submerged in water depending on the increasing water levels.

Take the time to discover more about Pedro Marzorati!