Tuesday, November 8, 2011

interview with Novembers Featured Artist at WiseDesignz: Bob Fink

An Interview with WiseDesignz featured Artist for November 2011: Bob Fink

WD: Tell us a little about your background as an artist:

BF:  I was never meant to be an artist!  My father clearly wanted me to follow in his footsteps to be a physician. 
On the other hand, I was always interested in the visual arts- especially film.  My mother and brother were always quite
artistic- my mother a sculptor and my brother sculpted and did pen and ink drawings.  My uncle was involved in the film industry
in Hollywood- head of distribution for Columbia Pictures and then Tristar.  While he discouraged me from getting involved in filmmaking, I never fully accepted his advice.
I started taking photos when I was a boy with my Brownie Instamatic and have continued my interest in photography throughout
my life.  During my undergraduate education at Stanford I got more interested in photography under the tutelage of Leo Holub. 
I took many classes and helped build their new darkroom facilities. I had some photos published in University publications and
was hired by the Alumni Magazine to shoot several events.  I also started taking film classes and began making short Super-8 films.
By my junior year, I decided not to pursue a career in medicine and planned to go to film school to be a filmmaker.
Unfortunately, when I told my father of my decision, he did not take well to it and actually developed chest pain which only subsided after I graduated from medical school.
I continued to be involved in film and photography throughout my medical education and became involved with a documentary project done by the local PBS TV affiliate and continued to take photos.
Later, I took several photography seminars around the world, combining my love of travel with my interest in photography. I have now visited every continent and have a wonderful library of photographs truly from around thee world! 
About  6 or 7 years ago I decided that it was not too late for me to make movies and jumped in with both feet and spent three years making my first film, a feature length documentary, "Wally", which achieved great success on the film festival circuit- playing at over 30 festivals around the world and winning several best documentary awards.  When I began this project I had never owned a video camera and did not even know how to use a computer for emailing.  With help from some friends and a lot of hard work and manual reading, I was able to accomplish this amazing feat.  Since then I have made other short films and have been involved in the making of several successful independent films made by other filmmakers.  I have worked as set photographer, actor, psychiatric consultant, 
researcher, and executive producer in these projects.  I continue to be heavily involved in filmmaking with several projects currently in the works. 
 
 


WD: What Inspires you in your photography?:

BF:  I am inspired by beauty, diversity, color, and light. My work is very eclectic as a result.  Long ago, at Stanford, the great 
photographer Imogen Cunningham critiqued my work and said to me, "You have a good eye and could be a good photographer, but you need to focus your scope of interest.  You need to find a style and a subject matter and hone your interest."  I am afraid that while her words frequently echo in my head, I have been unable to follow her advice and continue to shoot a variety of subjects. In the end
I could be called a street and travel photographer and am happy with that designation.


Bobs Photography will be at the gallery for the month of November. Please join us for an artist reception Saturday, November 19th 4pm-7pm 


 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

An Interview with Featured Artist Karin Exter

This month at Wisedesignz we are featuring art work by Karin Exter. Karin is an artist I have know for many years and have enjoyed her work immensely! I hope you enjoy our interview and gain some insight into the creative process of this talented artist.

An interview with Artist Karin Exter:

JW: Please tell us a little bit about your background as an artist:


KE:
I have always been involved in the art world in all its aspects since I can remember; visual arts, music, ballet and performing arts.  I used to do sculpture and charcoal drawings and detailed graphic drawings.  A few years ago  I  started exploring different mediums and whilst traveling, I studied the traditional way of creating wherever I might find myself. 


JW: can you explain your artistic process?:



KE:  In this exhibition 90 percent of the products used are traditionally made Japanese products -   I took the old ways and combined it with new ways......the paper was pasted on modern forms and then protected with a Japanese fluid that mainly contains rabbit skin glue and allum.  Organic pasting medium was used in some artwork, like the 'Attaction'.  It was a lot of washi layering but still keeping the depth that washi created when layering.  The linear aquerelle figure studies was done in not the most perfection of lines since I wanted to contain the organic feel of it - the texture of the paper with the aquerelle.  The aluminum was worked to a smooth texture using a lot of different sandpapers, but still I wanted to leave a bit of an organic feel to it with some lines in it. I feel that one can easily overwork and forget the original starting point of ones idea that one wants to convey.  Some times simplicity goes a long way and let the viewer take it further, a journey I wanted the viewer to take and make their own.

JW: What and or who inspires you as an artist?:


KE: Michealangelo - classic, strong and a storyteller through all his mediums.

JW: Thank you so much for sharing your creative insights and inspired works of art!
 
 
 "Communal Aspirations"
                                                      
  "Dawn"
 "Pearl Divers"
 
http://www.wisedesignz.com/exhibits.htmlarins art work will be with us for the rest of the month of October. Please join us for an artist reception during the Everett Art Walk Saturday October 15th from 4pm-7pm
 
 
 
Wisedesignz current exhibit:http://www.wisedesignz.com/exhibits.html

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Art Centered Room Redo...use what you have!

One of my favorite parts of working in the art and framing world is the potential of the product after we as artists have created or as a framer, framed. Art and framing are the perfect cherry on top of the home decor sunday. I have never felt you need to buy art or frame necessarily for a room, but buy what you love and it will all work out. This is true of our little project last weekend. Ursula and I had the opportunity to take a friends house apart and start over. We did a no cost-shop your own house-art centered-room redo!

The home owners are both artists and have a wonderful art collection from local artist and photographers as well and antiques and unique art objects. They just needed some help with the presentation and orientation of this beautiful collection.

The home is also small and so every inch must be useful and have purpose as well as displaying the art work well. This was the biggest challenge. We did small changes all over the home, but the main living space was the biggest transformation and so this is what I will be focusing on today.

One of the first problems we saw was in the entrance way. The home is a beach side cottage style home and you enter almost directly into the living room. They needed a place to hang coats and set down keys as well as a home for the kitty food. And since wall space is limited they also need these spaces to hang art.

This is the before photo showing not the best usage of space.

This is the after. Now they have a proper place to hang coats, set keys and bags, feed the cats and still display art and treasures!

The next area we needed to tackle was the window box nook.This area is small and quaint with ample potential for artistic display. It was important for the home owners to use this space to its max and they hoped to have seating and a desk area.
This is the nook before. At this point is was mostly storage and an eye sore since it was attached directly to the main living room. At this point it had very little aesthetic qualities and mostly no function.

From this view point after it simply looks cleaned out! But we were able to create a livable space that offered comfortable seating and even a little desk area and book case storage.


This photo is of the largest wall in the nook area. It was cluttered and under utilized.

This is the same area after. We were able to create the seating area and allow the home owners to enjoy three pieces of the collection with form and function.
 
The next area of the no cost-redo was the main living area. This being a small home the owners need to be able to relax and entertain in the same area. This room is also the first thing you see when entering the home from the front door. We wanted it to feel inviting and spacious for guest, but intimate and serene for the home owners. Again this was a no cost redo so they already owned everything in the room. We just moved and organized to best show off the art collection and fit the needs of the house.

This photo from before shows a space with no identity and purpose. You are not able to focus on the amazing art that surrounds you!
 
These photos from after show the results of simply organizing like images, lowering and centering groups and changing around some furniture pieces that were hidden in other rooms. In this image alone we can now enjoy six original pieces of art and photography as well as a lovely antique cupboard.
Simple things like changing the placement of art work and finding proper fitting wall areas sometimes is all you need for a fresh start!
 
This room transformation took under two hours and cost nothing. The point of this blog is to hopefully inspire art lovers to take a look at how art in their own home is displayed.Can you enjoy your collection? Are you using your space to its best potential?

If you decide to tackle a no cost-art centered-room redo feel free to send me before and after photos and we might feature you in a future blog!

josey@wisedesignz.com










Friday, July 15, 2011

Featured Artist for July 2011: Laurie Crawford

This month at WiseDesignz we have local pastel artist Laurie Crawford. Her work in soft pastel is just lovely. I have always been a big fan of loose painterly pastels. In particularly landscapes! Her show this month is "Travel Escapes": work done Plein Air from her travels to Europe as well as here at home in the Pacific North West. I hope if you are local you have the opportunity to stop in the gallery to see her show in person. Her Artist reception is Saturday, July 16th from 4pm-7pm during the Everett Art Walk. You can come meet the artist and enjoy the sensory delight that is a travel escape!

Laurie Crawford
“Travel Escapes”
It is easy to love painting in the Northwest.  We have the deepest, richest values of color with surprise lighting at every turn.  When the rain stops, run outside into neighbor's gardens with a pack of supplies and paint plants capes. When the rain starts, try painting the scene another way in the studio.
 
Lifelong educational creative experiences in teaching for the Everett School District and Everett Community College (1974-2000) led me to this point in my life when I can pursue pastel painting with a passion.  After drawing little houses, animals, trees, or flowers for school children to stimulate their own images, I now get to drive around and find cityscapes in Everett and beyond.  Plein air, outdoor painting with other painter, in France ('05), Italy & Greece ('08), Cornwall, England (‘10), Tahuya/Sequim, WA ('04-'08) or Lopez Island ('07), Plein Air Painter’s US Open on Whidbey Island (‘10), all give painting color and light a new challenge.

Being a member of Northwest Pastel Society makes connecting with other artists a year round opportunity. By participating in local art workshops, Artist’s Way and writing groups, I keep my creativity flowing through many channels. Being accepted into juried exhibitions and shows like Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival ('06- First Place Pastel '08), AAUW  Invitational Art for Education Show (‘08-’11), Arts of the Terrace (‘08), Sequim Arts ('07), Puget Sound Bird Fest ('07) and International (‘06) & National Pastel Society shows ('06-'11), extends my vision. Everett Public Library ('07-08), Lyussy Hyder Gallery ('06), Everett Historic Home Tour gallery Show (‘08), ICOS Biologicals, Bothell, WA, Lassen House, Red Bluff, CA, Edward Jones Investments, Snohomish, WA ('10,'11) and tea rooms & coffee houses ('06-'11) provide me with year round joy in showing my art.  I contribute my poster (Assistance League ‘09) & pastel pieces to local church and charity fundraisers (‘06-’11) for local art to make a difference in our community.

~Laurie Crawford



 Laurie's work will be up for the rest of the month of July


www.wisedsignz.com
www.everettartwalk.org

WiseDesignz
Framing & Gallery
2908 Wetmore Ave
Everett WA 98201
425-259-2361

Thursday, June 23, 2011

to be square or not to be square...?

Traditional is good, but sometimes you just need something different!

We had a guest come to us with just this desire. She wanted something simple yet interesting to enhance her delicate cross stitch of a Celtic knot.

The only thing she requested was the inside of the mat NOT to be cut square. We decided to go with an octagon cut mat inside a square frame:


The next step in our design was to add a rustic gold fillet. This custom element is something that can add a touch of detail with out being to overpowering. Even in an octagon shape!





The frame we choose is a knot inspired heavily detailed wood frame with just the right amount of rustic yet upscale character. The frame was chose in a light natural wood finish to compliment the the the cross stitch and lighten up the darker mat:



The finished piece is an example of how you can frame with character and interest and still remain elegant. We enjoy designing with colors and textures keeping in mind the art work is the focus:
In the end our customer was thrilled with the results and we couldn't be happier!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Great Artist Communities

I was just looking at the calender and was super impressed with how much great art festivities are coming up this Summer! This is nothing new either, our area in general really is a great place to be an artist or art lover. I figured I would list a few art evens and festivals coming up in the next few weeks. These are just a few, so I am sure there are plenty more that I am not aware of or are just out of my range that one could find with a little bit of local research. I focused on the Everett area with a couple bigger festivals just out of Everett.


Here is a starter calendar of great events in the Arts! (links provided to get more info):

Sorticulture: June 10th,11th,12th
http://www.ci.everett.wa.us/default.aspx?ID=1228

Everett Art Walk: June 18th, July 16th,  August 20th
www.everettartwalk.org

Edmonds Art Festival: June 17th, 18th 19th
http://www.edmondsartsfestival.com/

Artists Garage Sale: June 18th
http://www.schack.org/events/artists-garage-sale/

Bothell Live Arts festival: June 25th and 26th
http://liveartsbothell.org/

Schack Art center Jurried Show: June 30th-August 25th
http://www.schack.org/exhibits/18th-juried-art-show-1/

Fresh Paint Festival: August 20th-21st
http://www.schack.org/events/

I hope this info helps you find something you may not have already known about. I will continue to post more as I learn about them!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Interview with Artist Greg Stair

 Greg Stair is an artist I have know for a number of years now. He does absolutely amazing work in soft pastel. Greg does portrait work in amazing detail but never seems to loose the painterly look I like so well. I have admired his work since the first time I framed a piece close to 10 years ago! greg was my first showing artist at the Gallery Wall at Art Supply Northwest and has shown with us at WiseDesignz. We always have prints and cards available at the gallery. I hope you enjoy our interview with Artist Greg Stair.

JW: Tell us a bit about your arts education
 
GS: I have an Illustration and Graphic Arts degree from Western Washington University.  I have attended a variety of other colleges while advancing my Art education.


JW: How would you describe your Art?:
 
GS: My art started out as what I call Extreme Portraiture and has evolved into realistic pastel work depicting a variety of topics (including portraits).


JW: When were you inspired in the arts?
 
GS: I was always active in the arts and am constantly inspired by new events in my life.  Being a teacher allows me to experience life from a variety of perspectives and creative angles.


JW: Can you remember the time and place?:
 
GS: No, does that mean I'm getting old?
 

JW: Can you tell us a bit about your history with Everett?
 
GS: I was born in Everett and  grew up in Marysville.  I have been teaching in Everett for about 17 years now.  I have always been active in the community.


JW: What inspires you now as an artist?:
 
GS: The need to improve and evolve inspires me.  I like to think I'm constantly improving and changing.


JW: What advice can you give to emerging artists:

GS: The one thing I've learned is to never give up.  If you believe in what you do keep doing it and work through the frustrations.  Life is what you make of it.



For more information on Greg Stair and his art you can visit the website links listed below: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/greg-stair.html
http://www.indieartgroup.com/products.php?cat=31 

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Art in Hard Times

I know in hard economic times Art is a luxury and not a necessity and many of us ask ourselves "is it even worth it?". I think it is. I imagine that it seems obvious that I would think that way about Art, but I have a number of reasons why. And not just the "I have an art related business" either!

I have seen Art raise the spirits and hopes of people in depression. I have seen Art capture the imaginations of  children. I have seen Art bring together communities. I think to most of us, this all still seems obvious. So how can we keep all this going even in hard financial times?

Well...we cant always expect people to be able to buy art, but we have to keep making it. We cant expect people to come to shows or festivals, but we have to keep putting them on. We cant even expect high returns from our investments as artists, but we still have to keep doing what we do with a smile! Eventually things will turn around and we will still be here, painting and sculpting and singing and creating wonderful Art for the world to enjoy!

 kids creating an Artist Quilt
 free spirits dancing to live music
 children watching as art is created
Live music on the street.

So in the grand scope of things I do feel it is worth it. Every little bit!

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Interview with Artist Lyussy Hyder

I have known Lyussy Hyder for close to 10 years now. She has been a constant support to many emerging local artists in our area. She showed other artists work in her galleries "Art Boutique" and Solovei Gallery" here in Everett for a number of years. Lyussy has been featured at WiseDesignz in the past and is our artist for the month of April. I hope you enjoy our interview with Lyussy Hyder:


JW: Tell us a bit about your arts education

LH: I consider my art education an on-going thing. Formal training since high school at the evening classes at the architectural institute of my home of Ekaterinburg, Russia, and later in United States - art classes at EvCC, surely kept building the base of my skills. Attending numerous workshops though helped me to orient myself in the world of art, and choose the direction I wished to go. But any encounter with art in any form is influential for the appreciative soul. Theater, music, dance, literature, sculptures, paintings, as well as lectures and books on art history, - it all teaches me ideas, taste, courage to express myself, to reach out. 

JW: How would you describe your Art?:

LH: I work in realistic style. I try to paint the essence, the character of my subjects. It's fun to find idiosyncrasies in objects or models which everybody can relate to.  

JW: When were you inspired in the arts?


LH: World of art always was a comfortable place for me. I was dreaming to be a part of it from the early age, and my ideas were wast - I wanted to be a cartoon animator, an architect, a fashion designer...  But it was much later in life when I could fully dedicate my time to painting.


JW: Can you remember the time and place?:


LH: The desire to run and buy paint and brushes first time stroke me after seeing great Russian masters like Repin and Surikov at the Russian Museum in Moscow, when I was 14 yo. That permanent impact I had from viewing their originals made me think of the possibility to get serious with my own art.

JW: Can you tell us a bit about your history with Everett?

LH: I arrived to Everett in 1995 from Russia, and lived here ever since. I went to Everett Community College, worked locally, joined Everett artists coop "Studio Art," and later became a business owner - opened my own art gallery "Solovei." I love our town, and happy to see its art scene evolving and growing so rapidly. 

JW: What inspires you now as an artist?:


LH: I am alert and sensitive to moods, thoughts, impressions from meeting people, or just surroundings, which my imagination links and translates into visual images. I am very drawn to human form and face, I feel greatly inspired to do figurative work and portraits. 


JW: What advice can you give to emerging artists:

LH: Have best of times making art. Do your best too! Bring your own experience into your art expressions, and work, work, work. While we can't count on constant acclamation for our art labor, believe in yourself, be original and persevering.



Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Custom Ideas with Simple Mats

Sometimes in custom matting its easy for people to forget about the custom part! "Custom" can be more then just selecting mat colors that compliment the art. For some art work a specialized finish or cut can be appropriate to take it from simply custom to a real "WOW" piece.
This piece, for example, needed something more then just a rectangle mat opening. We did a custom drop down cut to fit the exact shape of the drawing. By keeping the rest of the mats and frame simple we were able to achieve an elegant and one-of-a-kind look.
This piece needed a little something extra to create the feel of an aged pirate map! We chose to tear the inside edge of the map. We then applied a custom mixed acrylic patina to the torn area. This gives the look of burned or aged paper but still keeps the overall look of the mats consistent. The idea is to compliment the artwork not overtake it.
With this piece it was clear to us what needed to be done to make this just a little more special! Simply hand painting spiderwebs in two of the corners fit perfectly with this print. It was an easy thing for us to do and it completes the look our customer was going for.

Like other decorative designs, these ideas wouldn't work for every project. But the idea is to open your mind to the possibilities to custom matting. The options are endless!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Living the Dream

I am sure many new or up and coming  Artists have anxieties about the art world. Even in the local scene it can seem like a formidable challenge to get your art out for others to enjoy! For most of us it is not realistic to think we are going to be "discovered" by some famous talent agent and become the Next Big Thing. Especially if we never get out into the public. So it takes a bit of hard work and, like most worthwhile dreams , time and patience. We as artists also need to take the responsibility on our selves to get OUT THERE! There are opportunities all around from cafes to juried exhibitions, art galleries to street fairs. All open to new artists. My advice would be to check out all the galleries, festivals, art walks and arts councils in your community and sign up for mailing lists. Many are now e-mail lists and you can get instant information on what is coming up. If you are able to participate in any way, this will help you feel like a part of the arts community and opportunities will start to arise! And be brave! It can be quite intimidating to submit to your art work with the chance of being denied, but this is part of the deal. When you get your first acceptance, solo show or sale it will all seem worth it in the end!



These photos are an example of an up and coming artist Angela Puerschner at her very first solo show. This exhibit at WiseDesignz in 2010 was Angela's first experience at getting her art work out into the public.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

A new Perspective..

  Every Now and then we get a customer who has a basic idea but wants us to take it to the next level. This is an example of how that can work! Our customer had an original needlepoint of two swimming koi that she wanted to be extra special when framed. She knew she didn't want the mat to be cut square on the inside and the rest she left to us. We figured it would be fun and creative to play with the idea that the koi were swimming in a koi pond and to give it some dimension.

We cut the mat free hand to look like the organic edges of the water rim, then raised the mat a level above the needlepoint so the koi appeared to be swimming under the water. The next step was the rock level of the koi pond. For this we looked to R Jay of Artisan Inkwell, www.artisaninkwell.com,our sister company. We had him print a photo of pond edging stones onto high quality paper that we then adhered to a mat and then cut for the finished look. The last step was a patina finished bamboo frame to add texture and color. The final product is decorative and interesting with out overwhelming the delicate needle point.



Decorative matting isn't for everyone or every project, but for the right piece it can add a new dimension and perspective to your framing!

www.wisedesignz.com

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Interview with Artist Juliette Ricci Lagman

Today I would like to post an interview with accomplished Everett native Juliette Ricci Lagman. I have known Juliette for years now since the day we worked at Art Supply Northwest. Even then I thought her work was beyond her years. Juliette's work consists of painting, poetry and photography mixed in a thoughtful and deeply personal way. She has shown her work from Bellingham to Tacoma where she now lives. Juliette has been a featured artist at WiseDesignz and we always offer her prints in the gallery. I hope you enjoy our interview with Juliette Ricci Lagman:

JW: Tell us a bit about your arts education

JRL: I studied photography at Everett Community College for about two years.  It was a fantastic program with a great community and amazing instructors.  I then continued on to The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts.  SAIC is interdisciplinary, so I tried a bit of everything.  I studied performance art, film, printmaking, art history, photography, drawing, and mainly painting.  I loved it.  My Modern Art History class had to be my favorite, and also a class called Painting with Print methods, where I learned garage style - at home printmaking techniques.  My current work is a combination of my favorite media:  writing, painting, and photography, and I pull a little bit from all that I learned, even performance.  Chicago was the best place to learn because there was so much culture and art in the city.  They say the city is the classroom there.  


JW: How would you describe your Art?:  

JRL:  My art is derived from my love of handwriting.  I have always loved writing letters, and journaling, keeping a diary.  I really love pop culture, great images, and color.  I started out primarily as a photographer, but became lured by the limitless possibilites painting had to offer, along with all the textures you can create as well.  The canvas is treated a lot like the pages of my sketchbook or diary in my work.   



JW: When were you inspired in the arts?


JRL:  I didn't discover my love for photography until high school.  Art came a bit later, when I started working at an Art Supply Northwest in Everett, and was studying at EVCC.


JW: Can you remeber the time and place?:


JRL:  I remember seeing a really inspiring show with my mom at Seattle Art Museum. Picasso and Friends.  There were some amazing works by Matisse.  My mom was alway supportive of my desire to take photos.  She bought me tons of film, and always paid for my photo processing.  I would take pictures of all my friends, because I thought I would become a famous fashion photographer, or photograph celebrities just like Annie Leibovitz.
 


JW: Can you tell us a bit about your history with Everett?

JRL:  I grew up in Everett, going to school there.  I alway loved the local artists, so much color, creativity, and innovation.  In high school I showed at the Arts Council of Snohomish County through the National Scholastic Awards.  There was a great foundation in Everett as a young artist.  Working at the art supply store, and going to school there was one of the best times of my life.  I have met my life long friends there, not to mention some amazingly talented artists.



JW: What inspires you now as an artist?:


JRL:  I am still inspired by my favorite, Andy Warhol, everyday.  I see his influence everywhere, or is it pop cultures influence?  Who can tell?  I am inspired by everyday things, frustrations, wins, going to the grocery store, reality tv, music... I live in Tacoma now, and this city offers tons of inspriation with it's grittyness, and hardworking people.


JW: What advice can you give to emerging artists:


JRL:  Figure out what you love, and don't look back.  If anyone tells you that you can't, tell them in no uncertain terms that you can and you will. 


http://www.juliettericci.com/