Here at Studio Gallery, we see a lot of different art. Paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, 3D media… just about anything that you can think of! My name is Karen, and I am a new Studio Gallery gallery associate. Since starting here, I’ve been exposed to the wonderful worlds that these artists, photographers have created. To commemorate that joy and celebrate that passion, I want to tell you about ten pieces from our catalogue that I want to live in.
Sometimes, you see an incredible piece of art, or an amazing photo, and you just want to jump in. If you’re me, you write an entire list about it. Now, this is a list of ten, but there isn’t any particular order. I would be happy to live in any of these works.
10: Cabin with Iris Reflections by Susan Raines
From Pond Reflections (June 2023)
The brightness of the green and yellow, amplified by the water reflecting it, contrasts beautifully with the dark, deep wood of the cabin. The cabin actually does belong to Raines and her husband! Raines was inspired by the reflections from the pond around her camp. The composition creates an interesting, woodsy atmosphere that makes me appreciate the beauty of nature, and the things we build.
9: Cherry Blossoms by Cheryl Ann Bearss
From Society of Solitude (May 2023)
I admit the bias in the fact that pink is my favorite color (tied with yellow!). This is a beautiful piece; what I wouldn’t give to run through the pink grass as the breeze blows through it! The deep colors of the bark are distinguishing and eye-catching, and both the blossoms and the grass are luscious and inviting.
8: Westsider Rare & Used Books by Pam Frederick
From Myth and Memory (November 2022).
As any book lover will admit, the idea of living in a bookstore is the dream. That’s why so many of us buy so many books! This bookstore is especially captivating because of how Frederick’s collage is composed. What books do you think might be in this collection? What book would you want to find?
7: Caroline on my Mind by Sally Kauffman
From Affinity (September 2021).
How cool would it be to have a little house by a cliff side where the birds come to hang out and watch the sunset with you? Incredibly cool, that’s the answer! Not only is this a beautiful sunset, but the birds look so friendly and fun! Befriending some birds and watching a beautiful sunset from my hypothetical cliff side house is now on my bucket list, thanks to Sally Kauffman.
6: Blue Pond and Black Hill by Suzanne Goldberg
From Abstract Landscapes (March 2023).
It would be so interesting to live in a world that looks like this. The colors are incredible and the world is begging to be explored–or maybe I’m begging to explore it. I would love to appreciate the beauty of this world Goldberg has created. And it reminds me to appreciate the world we live in currently–it’s just as fantastical as the world painted here, if only we adventure to find out how.
5: It Looks like Rain by Freda Lee-McCann
From After Tradition (May 2023).
I love the rainy, mysterious atmosphere. The way the fog surrounds the mountain and forests makes me wish I was watching this from one of the trees. I’m imagining the tranquility of how the rain would sound when it comes…please, let me visit the world in this piece!
4: Metamorphosis by Sally Kauffman
From Myth and Memory (November 2022).
This piece is absolutely breathtaking, but that’s not the only reason that it’s here. This is one piece in a series by Kauffman, Jeopardy, in which she highlights species facing endangerment. To Kauffman, butterflies represent joy and renewal. When looking at this piece, I feel those things, too. This stunning piece sparks hope and calls attention to the danger that these beautiful creatures are in.
3: Home is Where The House Is by Jennifer Duncan
From Jots and Tittles (August 2023).
The way that Duncan portrays her childhood home heavily resonates with me. The house that I lived in was at the end of a road, with a large yard and a wrap-around porch. I would do anything to see it again. I do not have the same story as Duncan, but I have the same love of where my childhood began, and I love how she’s captured that feeling. To jump into this world and relive the memories of where a life started would be a wonderful and personal experience.
2: The Deadzone by Lyndra Andrews-Barry
From Petrichor (March 2023)
I am drawn in by this mysterious, existential piece. I cannot word this better than Lynda Andrews-Barry does: the motive of the exhibit asks us to imagine a future where the only surviving pieces of our world are fragments–our perception of normal has gone extinct, only to be fossilized. Petrichor, the exhibit this piece was in, shows us that world.
What an intriguing concept, and just by looking at this piece I can feel the gravity of it. I wish I could have seen this myself when it was on display, but I have been told that the caged bird will sing. If it registers noise, it will adjust its volume and sing louder. A voice crying out for us, imploring us to take a moment and listen to what we might become. Truly incredible, and a beautiful piece.
1: The Typewriter by Micheline Klagsbrun
From Anchors of the Heart (April 2023).
I find the sentiments of Anchors of the Heart to be genuine and human. Inspired by both personal family stories and the reality of what is happening to refugees, Klagsbrun focuses on the objects we find personal meaning in and what they mean to us. This typewriter really drew me in, even more so with the sentiment of the exhibit. The splotches of ink almost resemble birds flying out of it. It’s true that I do not have a personal connection with this specific typewriter–but knowing that someone did, so strongly that it could be lovingly depicted here- is wonderful and beautiful to me. We are human, and we love so fiercely not just the people around us, but the things we carry with us. I would love to go into this piece because I would love to hear about the journey this typewriter has known, and the love it has felt from its person.
Those are my ten picks of pieces that I would love to jump into! It was hard to narrow down the list to just ten. If you like what you see here, you can go to our Exhibition Catalogues to see more artwork by these artists!
Signing off,
Karen King