Artist of the Week - Jud Turner

"GreedEater", April 2010, 48" x 18" x 7" (wall hanging), found object assemblage

Thanks, Dan, for bringing my attention to the work of Jud Turner! Definitely blog worthy!! His artist statement really resonated with me - I love reading about quantum physics (books for the layperson) and ponder about the dichotomies of life. Turner's work brings contemporary issues into the artwork and the viewer must grapple with them. Just last night, I was listening to a discussion on public radio's "Marketplace", about the ongoing saga of our nation's big bank greed and possible illegal machinations. How cosmic that I see "GreedEater" this morning made out of machine parts! Ha! It made me laugh!! Artists often reflect society in their artwork - it's powerful stuff. Check out Turner's website in the Post title to see more of his work - love it!

"Paradise Lost", December 2008, 12" x 10" x 8", found object assembley

Art Club - DMA Art Installation

"Below the Surface - Above the Surface", Art Club Installation

OK - I know! If you check out my blog, you are probably wondering - wow!!! Why all the pictures? Simple - I am really proud of the thirty 9th & 10th grade students who are in our school's art classes and art club and worked their hearts out - mostly after school and on a couple of Saturdays, to complete this wonderful art installation that is currently on display at the Dallas Museum of Art. The exhibit is part of the Young Artists Exhibition in conjunction with the museum's annual Ball, and we were lucky enough to be asked to participate in the project.

The theme this year is "Coastlines: Images of Land and Sea" which inspired a full fledge exhibit by the museum as well as the student artwork. Our students installation is entitled "Below the Surface - Above the Surface" and shows the dark and light sides of the sea. Davy Jones is rising out of his watery grave and is reaching to the light side where the mermaid rests on a floating chunk of a sunken vessel. An ominous sea monster is surfacing around the figures and the ship. The sky is transitioning from a storm to a breaking sunrise with the choppy waters becoming calm and serene. The sand castle features a lovely poem that tells the tale, nestled in the sand and shells of the beach.

The students really outdid themselves! From concept to completion, they used brains and brawn to create their art. They cast their own bodies in plaster strips (for the life sized versions of Davy Jones and the Mermaid) - I know because I had to cut them out of most of their casts! The canvas backdrops (each side 10' X 10') were stitched, primed and painted spinning off Thomas Cole's painting of the Ox Bow, but other storm and sea visual references were utilized for them to create this beautiful sea and sky (which is painted out of house paint).

The Connecticut River Near Northampton, Thomas Cole, 1846 Oil on canvas Metropolitan Museum of Art, Manhattan, New York, USA

They used paper mache to create the VERY realistic looking sea monster tentacles (complete with suckers!) and created a sand castle that never gets washed away by the ocean. The ship and raft were built out of cardboard. It was installed yesterday afternoon, and we take a DART train field trip to the reception tomorrow afternoon. 13 other schools have student artwork in the exhibition and I encourage the reader to visit the museum during the dates of the exhibition 4/15 - 4/25/2010. This Friday, 4/16, is the DMA Late Night - if you are attending the festivities, be sure to check out this fantastic display of student artwork from around the metroplex!

Davy Jones, Wrecked Ship, Sea Monster and the Mermaid

Davy Jones

Sea Monster Tentacles

The Sand Castle and it's Poetic Tale

Artist of the Week - Clark Little

Red Dirt

There are times when I love the way stuff becomes viral on the Internet. My sister forwarded me an email with images of Clark Little's amazing ocean photography. Thank you! This California native not only loves the ocean, but has an incredible sense of timing and a true artist's eye to see the beauty and drama of the ocean. My husband loves the ocean, but I have had little time at the beach since my family bonded with the Colorado Rockies and that is where I feel at home. Mr. Little's photography is beautiful, dramatic and compelling - though I think I could spend a lot of time on the beach and never "see" what he is able to capture with his camera. Check out his website which is linked to the post title.

Sun Curl

Food Art: Peepshi

Easter Sunday and there has not been as much sun in Dallas as I had hoped. Had the croquet set up, the hammock swinging invitingly in the breeze, but the darn misty rain has made the out of doors not so desirable.

So! What to do!? How about posting to my blog (which I have not done in a looonnnnggg time)? What to think about? FOOD! We did have a large, yummy Easter feast at our house with all the usual suspects: deviled eggs, ham, coconut macaroons, fruit salad and candy. Candy and Easter just go hand in hand. But what to do with all that leftover candy? Peepshi! Just found it today, but it falls right into a category that is near and dear to my heart (and to many reader's hearts as well) - Food Art.

I just love the creativity people have and the fun, humorous way they find art materials everywhere - especially with foodstuffs. Check out the slide show from the Washington Post's Peeps Diorama Contest for some incredible art made with Peeps.

At any rate, Peeps and sushi have gone bump in the night to create sushi. Click on the post headline to learn how to make your own. Enjoy!