Tonia Ackermann

"atelierszene", Painting, acrylic on canvas, 2009, 135 x 75 x 4 cm

"bartelsstraße", Painting, acrylic on canvas, 2008, 150 x 100 cm

"hinterhof", Painting, acrylic on canvas, 2005, 75 x 75 cm

"unterm dach", Painting, acrylic on canvas, 2005, 125 x 150 cm

"hausflur", Painting, acrylic on canvas, 2005, 150 x 175 cm

Tonia Ackermann takes a scene and fractures it into separate panels, each individually rendered. The pieces vary to greater or lesser degrees of color, perspective and even time, creating fascinating studies of the nature of observation. I think we've all seen something similar done with photography, most famously (though certainly not originally) by David Hockney. But approaching this in paint adds an element of depth, of heightened randomness. Like the abstract colored squares in Chuck Close's monumental portraits, one has the sense that each is created in reference to the whole but without reference to its neighbors, suggestive of the appearance of order from random processes. Breaking up the scene into smaller parts also naturally lends itself to a kind of fish eye perspective and some of the work, especially the 2009 piece "atelierszene", at the top, reminds me a bit of Gideon Bok's interiors. It's engaging work and the potential for further exploration is almost infinite. You can see more examples of her work here: http://www.artdoxa.com/Tonia. (She does not appear to have any other website and you must join this site if you want to contact the artist).

Kelly Louise Judd

"Forest Sleep" Oil on panel  16" x 20"

"Lead Us, Lantern" 18" x 24" Oil on panel  2010

"Out Comes The Night"  12" x 24"  Oil on Panel

"Perched" Oil on panel  16" x 20"

"Weeping Woods" Ink and watercolor on paper  2010

Kelly Lousie Judd's work is part of a larger scene in the art/illustration world, that I do not yet know a name for. It exists alongside the pop-surrealist movement. But it is not pop. It parallels steam-punk's interest in 19th century aesthetics but without the industrial focus. It has it's roots in the work of the late Edward Gorey and culls it's influences from the like of Arthur Rackham and Kay Nielsen. Ms. Judd's work stands out for it's haunting moods and arresting visual concepts. She describes a world of ghosts and spirits, of dreams and tragedy and transformation. You can see more of her work at her website (www.swanbones.com) and on Flickr, or follow her blog.

Erik Sandgren

Erik Sandgren teaches in Washington state and his work primarily concerns the the land, the sea and the people of the Pacific Northwest (although not exclusively). His father was a professor of painting and his life has been filled from an early age with a vast array of influences. Although he cites none of these my own poorly educated eye sees traces of Winslow Homer filtered through the likes of Charles Burchfield and Marsden Hartley. His pieces are as much about the ephemeral personal experience as they are about the place to which that experience is tied. He works both Plein Air and in the studio capturing fleeting moments of light and atmosphere in the first case and then filtering the moment through the lens of memory and meaning in the second.
The titles, sizes and media of his work are unlisted on his website (www.eriksandgren.com) which also shows only a small portion of his output. More work can be seen at karinclarkegallery.com

Valentine's Day

Artists have a tendency to look at the darker side of things, so romantic imagery appropriate to the holiday is not exactly abundant. But I did a quick troll through the blog and here's some random pieces that jumped out at me, ranging from the darkly cynical to the genuinely sweet.

Happy Valentine's day.
(click on the artists' names for links back to my original post of their work, where you'll find links to their websites).


Kate Bauman

'Til Death Do Us Part"

Amanda Blake

"Nigel and Lily at Sea" 11" x 14"  oil on panel  2010

Scott Brooks

"Renaissance Man"  oil on panel  2008

Nicoletta Ceccoli

"Balloon Girl"

Melanie Corradi

"Birds"

Brian Despain

"The Exchange" Oil on wood  20" x 16"

Lori Field

"Butterflies In My Stomach"

Kathleen Lolley

"Wild Flowers"  Acrylic on wood  2010

Kelly Vivanco

"Curious Bouquet" 16" x 16" acrylic on panel 2009

Timothy Cummings

   Masks, 2003, Iris with handwork and monotype, 16" x 13.375"

   Spot Portrait, 2001, acrylic on board, approx. 10" x 8"

  Owl Girl Lives in the Garden, 2004, acrylic on panel, 10" x 8"

Pretty on the Inside, 2003, acrylic on panel, 18" x 14"

   Spot Portrait, 2001, acrylic on board, approx. 10" x 8"

On his website (www.timothy-cummings.com) I could not find any images more recent than 2005. It appears that he's working on some film projects but that part of the website merely says, coming soon. Nonetheless, the images were so striking that I felt I had to post them. About half of his work are simply faces occluded by varying masks and marks, most of which lend a slightly horrific aspect. On a couple, the face is covered in scrawled doodles, linking somehow the ritual markings of so-called primitive cultures and the developed world's need for individualist self-expression. The result is not comforting. There is other imagery as well and all of his work is beguiling and slightly disturbing. Just the way I like it. Go check it out.



I came across his name on an ad for a show at the Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts, called "Cute and Creepy" coming this October. Over half of the artists to be included in the show are artists I've included in this blog. Including Lori Field who posted the ad. I do not currently have any other info on the show. But I guess the curator and I have some similar tastes. Go figure.

Melanie Corradi

"A Social Grace"

"Birds"

"Falling Towards Tuesday"

"The Other side of Blue"

"Today"

Melanie Corradi has tried on a lot styles and approaches to art and eventually found a marketable niche, painting what she calls "Organic Abstractions" (see the 3rd and 4th paintings above). For many artists such a discovery becomes a means to support other more personal or experimental work. It can be a fine alternative to teaching or merely working a non-art-related day job. It's called living by the brush, if you happen to be a painter. By her own estimation she has painted between 3 and 4 football fields worth of these paintings. In the end such repetition can drain the creative energy from anyone. So to shake up her own world, she has also become a pastry chef designing and decorating eclectic cakes and desserts. She still paints though. Of course. Talent for something, and a love for something may not be exactly the same thing but they stride together quite closely most of the time. And I for one am anxious to see where she goes next.
You can see all her work, visual and edible, on her website: www.melaniecorradi.com

note: The sizes of here paintings are not indicated on the website but I happen to know that she works fairly large.

Tricia Cline

"The Exile and the Manitcore", 2008

 "Fancy Rattus II",  2006

 "The Exile and The Deer" (front and back)  2008  25" x 12" x11"

 "The Exile and the Rabbit" (front and side)  2009  17" x 8" x 8"

 "The Exile and the Manticore II", 2008  13" x 12" x 5"

Tricia Cline's porcelain sculptures explore the relatedness, indeed the oneness, of man and animal. In this sense she shares not only a technical similarity, but a common purpose with the work of sculptor Kate McDowell. In her artist statement she writes, "The language of animals is the language of images. An image is not an idea with a defined meaning, it is itself an animal." We humans tend to put our ideas of things in front of the the thing itself, a mental hierarchy that gets in the way of real perception. But since I have been using this blog to practice writing and thinking about art (and that sometimes leads to interpretation), I'll plunge on heedless of good advice. What strikes me as especially interesting is the echoes of ancient art in her work. Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian and Indian imagery spring to mind. But perhaps this is not so surprising given her aims. Peoples of the ancient world no doubt felt a far more visceral connection to the natural world than our technologically modern selves. Their portrayal of the human and the animal co-mingling and mixing together was used to convey a mythology of deep connection to the world of natural phenomena upon which their lives daily depended. Even her title for this series, "The Children of Lower Exile" has about it a hint of archaeology and mythology.

To see more go to her website: triciacline.com

and thanks to www.artistaday.com