Trash to Treasure: A Flip Flop Story
Diederik Schneemann's vase from recycled flip-flops.
Have your shoes gone on an adventure without you? I’ve lost a couple in my lifetime, left at the poolside or sunk at the bottom of Table Rock Lake. Most of the world’s lost flip flops probably just land in the garbage, but evidently more than a few travel miles, floating across oceans, to wash up on the shores of Africa. In a true “Trash to Treasure” fairytale, these flip flops are given new life: Designer Diederik Schneemann collects tired, worn and torn shoes from the coastline and sands them down to bring the vibrant colors back to the surface. The shoes are then turned into fun, funky sculptures – perfectly fitting for a flip flop’s second life, don’t you think?
Top 50 Emerging Artists: Abbie Kozik
"Who Does That?" by Abbie Kozik
Artist Member Abbie Kozik has been featured in Art Business News as one of the Top 50 Emerging Artists of 2012!
At the heart of Abbie Kozik’s art are two ideas: That there is beauty in resilience and survival. And that to recognize that beauty, we must also experience that which is ugly. To explore this dichotomy, Kozik draws inspiration from the balance between growth and destruction and beauty and ugliness in nature. “Events in nature are not random, but happen for a reason,” says Kozik. “In looking at our world, we have to ask, ‘What are we willing to see?’” Kozik’s connection to the environment extends to her technique as well. “I hate to waste paint,” she says. “When I’m done with a piece, I scrape off paint from the palette and, right then, another painting is developing. I smear these colors onto another canvas.” In doing so, Kozik creates a one-of-a-kind layering technique that brings life and depth to her eco-conscious work.
Art in Tough Economic Times
The Art District on Santa Fe shared an interesting article on their Facebook page today, the headline reading Cities facing tough times turn to… the arts?
Carol Strickland at the Alaska dispatch writes, “Towns and cities across the United States – throughout the world, really – are investing in the arts both to attract deep-pocket cultural tourists and to improve quality of life.”
That’s something Denver has definitely taken to heart. Strickland writes, “Denver has also changed its image from a destination for puffy-parka people to espresso-sipping sophisticates. Gov. John Hickenlooper (formerly Denver’s mayor and now governor of Colorado) made promoting arts a major focus. Aided by a bond issue and a dedicated sales tax that residents overwhelmingly renewed until 2018, the city built the striking Daniel Libeskind-designed addition to the Denver Art Museum and spruced up a now-bustling downtown arts district, home to a new Clyfford Still Museum.” (Read more.)
Today Gov. Hickenlooper released a press release that the Art District on Santa Fe is a “Certified Creative District”. Our Art District will receive,” a $15,000 grant and assistance to attract artists, creative entrepreneurs and visitors as a strategy to infuse new energy and innovation and enhance the economic and civic capital of the community.”
This is wonderful, great, tremendous news – we are extremely honored to be a part of the Art District on Santa Fe!
Photoshopping the “Classic Nude”
Everyone is chatting about this fascinating project by Italian artist Anna Utopia Giordano, who has taken a series of classic nude paintings and given them a contemporary spin. Giordano digitally altered the paintings to shrink thighs, flatten stomachs, and enlarge breasts. While some are subtle — you might not even notice the alterations unless it was side-by-side with the original — others are jarringly obvious.
Katie JM Baker pointed out, “It’s worth remembering that all but one of the “great artists” Giordano included are male, and that their paintings are not photographs of real women but rather their own conceptions of how the ideal female form should be shaped.”
Fascinating, don’t you think?
Art’s Classic Nudes Get a Photoshop Slim-Down ( Jezebel )
Venus Project ( Anna Utopia Giordano )
Blake Lively’s Art Collection
I love getting a peek at someone’s art collection, particularly when it comes to someone as fabulous as fashionista/actress Blake Lively. So you can only imagine how jealous I am of Ann Rose over at Artlog, who sat down with Lively to chat all about it!
Here’s just a snippet:
Do you think someone’s art collection relates back to their life?
I think that’s the beautiful thing about collecting, especially from a young age, because as your life grows and expands so does your art. Just because you can’t afford an expensive piece doesn’t mean you shouldn’t collect.
When I first moved to New York City, I never would have been able to afford a piece by Sage on my own, but I would walk around the streets and buy pieces from local artists. As I became more successful and able to afford pieces that were more expensive, I began to purchase from local galleries and talk to friends who are art curators. I now own so many pieces that I’m proud of, many are by Sage and other established artists, but still, many new ones are by young, aspiring artists.
Check out the full article (and all the pictures!) at Artlog.
Artwork Network joins forces with Heidi Mendoza
Heidi Mendoza
Artwork Network is pleased to announce a new partnership with Denver interior designer Heidi Mendoza, owner of Re.Dzine (www.iredzine.com). Mendoza is well known for her collaboration on Architectural Workshop’s infamous Green Cube, a project recently highlighted in the 2011 Parade of Homes. It is this eye for unique “one-of-a-kind” style which makes Heidi Mendoza the perfect candidate to partner with original art resource Artwork Network.
“I believe Art and Accessories are like the jewelry of the space,” says Mendoza. “Furniture is the basic outfit, and you need art to complete the look… Not being an art expert, searching the right piece can be very time consuming and a bit intimidating, and I love the fact that I can rely on Artwork Network to help me to find the perfect piece for my clients.”
Artwork Network strives to be the key resource for interior designers like Heidi Mendoza, who look beyond “poster prints” to include affordable fine art in their designs. Melanie Houston, an Artwork Network sales consultant, says, “It’s wonderful to work with a designer who sees the role art plays in creating an emotion or image for a physical space. Heidi also understands the importance of owning original art, and that art doesn’t need to be expensive to be meaningful or inspirational. We are looking forward to our future collaborations.”
Check out our press page for new stories from Artwork Network!
German Art Scam
Steve Martin paid almost $850,000 for this alleged Heinrich Campendonk painting, later discovered to be a fake.
German forgers recently pulled a $23 million scam that fooled big shot auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s, and art buyers like actor Steve Martin. How? This artistically talented group of forgers composed 40+ fake masterpieces from “second-tier” artists (whose works had not been cataloged with minute detail), and composed complete provenances and convincing wormwood frames. Ultimately they were found out when scientists examined one the pieces and saw it contained a blue pigment that wouldn’t be invented until some 27 years after the supposed creation date. I can’t decide if I’m more shocked the forgers got away with it, or the fact that overlooked such detail when everything else had been so meticulous. Fascinating! The trial began last week.
Read more on the Telegraph.co.uk.
Cool Tools: Pinterest
Are you on the Pinterest bandwagon? Pinterest is a great new networking tool taking the internet by storm. It allows you to organize and share your favorite images on the web. It’s particularly great for things like planning weddings and creating “mood boards” for interior design projects.
Tip: We love to “Pin” our favorite artwork. Whether on the Artwork Network site, or from across the web, it’s a great way to keep all your favorites in one place. You don’t have to save any links or download any images – Pinterest can keep track of all the art you want to buy. With just one click, you’re back to the original place you found the artwork. Pretty cool, huh?
Try it out, and look for Artwork Network on Pinterest, too!
HGTV’s Green Home 2011
Bruce Zander's "Snow Bush" from HGTV Virtual Tour
Only TWO days left to enter HGTV’s huge giveaway. You could win a dream home in Stapleton, Colorado, as well as a new car and a big cash prize. Find out all the details on HGTV’s website, and take a virtual tour of the home.
Love the art from HGTV’s Green Home? The interior designers discovered great finds at Artwork Network, and you can too! Create your own dream home with these pieces from Terri Bell and Bruce Zander.
HGTV Green Home Giveaway
Artwork by Terri Bell & Bruce Zander
Guerrilla Art
Guerilla artwork by Cardon Copy.
(Originally posted on 9/14/09)
I came across this fascinating website regarding guerrilla art.
Cardon Copy‘s mission is simple: redesign self-distributed flyers to convey the same intended information with a professional visual aesthetic, and then put it back in it’s original location.
Interesting idea, don’t you think?
