Brice Marden, Cold Mountain Addendum

Brice Marsden is an American artist and printmaker. His work is simple, yet still intense, with meandering lines forming monochromatic pieces that use interesting markmaking for a dramatic effect. His painting 'Cold Mountain Addendum' uses ink and gouache materials over Archs Satine paper. Marden created the work using a long stick and standing at a distance from the paper to create strong yet thin lines across the whole of the paper. In 2006 New Yorker Magazine said of Marden's work "Sombre color seems at once to engulf you, with a sort of oceanic tenderness," I agree that the colour of the work instantly affects you more than any other aspect. I think that the piece has a calligraphic quality, reminding me of the marks used in traditional chinese calligraphy where often people would attach the caligraphy tools to a long stick to achieve a rhythmic flow to their work which i can see reflected in Marden's piece (see below).

Contemporary Embroidery by Erin Endicott

Erin Endicott is a contemporary Embroiderer from America. What first drew me into her work, particular her 'wound' collection, was her use of surface decoration and texture. Erin takes used/found fabrics then uses walnut ink to stain the fabric to create a beautiful organic look. She then stitches back into the fabric using threads to create very delicate embroidery so that she is drawing with the thread. The symbolism of the marks represents 'the vein/roots, the cellular/seed shapes, the metaphor of the dress as the skin.' Erin's considered use of layering techniques and attention to minute details, including beading embroidery and staining fabrics, creates exuisitely fragile work that captures the eye. Below is an image of a piece of Erin's work from her wound collection. She has taken an old white dress and stained it brown using the walnut yes. She has then stitched into it using red thread to create organic round shapes.

Nature inspired Clay by Tomoko Abi (Ceramics art and perception issue 92)

In Ceramics art and perception journal there was an article about Tomoko Abi's clay art pieces and there influence from nature. It particularly talked about work from a recent exhibition called Weathering Scape which consisted of various wall instilations. One of the pieces that i particularly liked was called Erosion (see below) and made out of porcelain. The porcalein was left in an outside where it was weathered by the environment to give rain marks, cracks from sun exposure etc. It's these marks that create an organic appearance within the piece and you can see how the work was originally a recatangular shape which has been worn down to give a more rugged edge. The marks are non uniform and create varying levels within the piece. Parts have been worn down to create circular lower levels, and then raised textures also appear on the surface of the piece which give it amazing deoth and detail. The colours of the piece are very neautral, with only black, white and grey showing. The formal elements that make up this piece give an overall look of something decaying, but becoming more and more beautiful and interesting as it's further destroyed.

Pop Art Still Life (Art News-October 2012)

In Art Review journal there was a recent article abaout an exhibition show called 'The Still Life Tradition in Pop Art'. In the article was a piece of work by Tom Wesslemann called still life #34,1963 acryllic and collage on panel (see image below). The painting is in the style of a traditional still life, however it uses iconic 1960's consumer items instead. These items include, "a strawberry icecream soda, a bottle of Coca-Cola, a pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes, two walnuts, an uncomfortably positioned yellow pear and a blue vase with brigh red colours". The coloursin the painting are highly saturated in a way that makes the painting quite uncomfortable to look at as it appears so artificial. The subject image shows how Americans in the era of pop art (and modern day culture) indulge themselves to the point where they are being told what to buy to make the happy and are controlled through advertising. The painting is almost ridiculing the shallow consumer worship that has ensued from advertising.

mixed media ceramics by pheopbe cummings (Ceramics review (september/october 2013)

In a recent issue of ceramic review journal there was an article about ceramicist Phoebe Cummings, which i found particularly interesting. It showed images of her work that incorporated clay along with other materials such as glass, wire and steel. A piece which I particular liked was 'Formation'. It is composed of clay, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and glass and is on display at the Camden Arts Centre in London. I love the modern approach to this work and how the artist has made a piece based on how materials react with one another rather than creating something with a utilitarian use. Her work in 'Ceramics Review' journal is enclosed in a glass bubble so outside factors can't effect the work. Over time the materials she has carefully selected will react with each other, changing the state of the work. The colours and shapes in Cumming's work are muted and organic, and i think the artist has chosen to choose organic aspects of formal elemnts to highlight the change in the work more than anything as the theme. I like how Cummings work changes over time and are ephemeral as it is like viewing multiple artworks over a period of time. Below are some examples of Phoebe Cumming's works.