Cynthia Mosser

David Edgar is a North American sculptor who creates a variety of sculptures from consumer-based recycled materials. The hanging lamps from his series "Plastiquarium", are called "Jellyfish Lamps", and are about 15 x 5 x 7in. Edgar creates these whimsical creatures as an antidote to our stressful culture. I relate to his colorful, playful, sea-oriented shapes. Image source: pinterest.com

Julie ALPERT , a Seattle-based artist/painter, exhibits a partially collaborative show of work called SPLAT at the Archer Gallery inside Clark College (Vancouver, WA). I love the work for its use of color, whimsy, pattern and arrangement within the gallery. The show is based around one image, essentially an icon or symbol of layers of colorful splattered paint as it drips down the canvas/paper. The splats are created in a variety of materials: paint, paper, pen, and incorporate pattern, another reoccurring theme in Alpert's work. The splats are organized often in a grid-like pattern, perhaps alluding to organized chaos. The idea of the splat itself could certanly be related to a feeling or action: angst, whimsy, fun or simply the act of irreverence (or all at once). In terms of the show, half of it was a residency where she taught students and half was her own. (I have posted only her work.) I appreciated her working with students, giving them an opportunity to see the wo...

Happy New Year! Image source: brestbrestbrest.fr

Artist Amy Santoferraro uses thrift stores and flea markets as her art supply sources to create whimsical assemblages. These nonsensical compositions appear delightful via each object's careful juxtaposition. One might even call them a junk bonsai. three's company, 2012 ivory dusk, 2012 Image source: amysantoferraro.com

Check out OK GO's video for "The Writing's on the Wall". Along with bright color and movement, the OPTICAL ILLUSIONS are genius!

Swiss artist, Zimoun, has created "Wall of Sound", an installation of cardboard boxes, small motors and ping pong-sized balls. Located at the Beall Center for Art + Technology on the UC Irvine campus, this beating drum-like show is actually quite soothing, rather than jarring. Through May 3, 2014. Image source: Jenny H.

Elsa MORA, a Cuban-raised artist, creates intricately stitched fabric assemblages, and intricately cut paper works that have a strong connection to folk art. What I love about this piece is the combination of the figure with an illustrated head. Inside the oval it appears to be a window to the mind. And it is my mind to which it is a window! NOTE: I have extensively searched the Internet for an image directly related to the source. I could come up with Elsa Mora and her blog only. http://www.artisaway.com/ Image source: artisaway.com

Darren Waterston's painting, "In-Between", 2002 (oil on canvas mounted on board), is one I admire for its attention to detail, every time I visit the Portland Art Museum (OR, USA).

Matt James Stone does to bananas what a sculptor does with clay. Whew knew a banana could take on such a whimsical form. Image source: mattjamesstone.com

Emily Barletta's uniquely biomorphic and intricate embroidery shows a talent for shape, color and design. Image source: myloveforyou  

Bonnie Fortune (Denmark), Julia Oldham (Portland, OR), and Ryan Pierce (Portland, OR) have been included in a group exhibition called LUPIFICATION OR THE DIVIDE at the ARCHER GALLERY in Vancouver, WA through Feb. 4th, 2012. The show's title refers to how humans have learned "community and cooperation" via wolves. The show visually highlights the human struggle and involvement within nature. Ryan Pierce's work takes on a nihilistic view of nature. His lush, yet sparse paintings of nature surviving within a destroyed person-less world appear pessimistic and dire. Despite this, his supposedly dead wolf painting appears hopeful and charming - a delightful respite from his other paintings included within the show. I dare say he painted this piece the other way around, but found this orientation more to his liking. I can't resist the urge to scratch Mr. Dog's tummy.

Rose Skinner , an Australian installation artist, creates vibrantly hued visual cacophonies of amalgamated objects which creates a delightful, if not jarring visual experience. Her installation of I Wish I Were in Wonderland is an example of my childhood fantasy playroom on acid. Image source: roseskinner.com

This cinematic gem is an excerpt from L"Enfer, a film shot in the early sixties by director Henri-Georges Clouzot. The film's subject, Odette (26 year-old Romy Schneider) is the target of her husband's extreme jealousy. Although the film was never finished, it was presented in 2009 as a full-length semi-documentary by Serge Bromberg . Partly shot in in black-and-white, partly in color, the director and cinematographer break from tradition in their filming techniques (hence part of the Nouvelle Vague movement in France). I love the experimental use of chiaroscuro and the ever changing color toward the second half of the clip. UPDATE and NOTE: The musical artist Beyonce uses this clip as a direct source of inspiration for her video 1 +1 .   Romy Schneider dans l'Enfer - Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Eva Lake will show paintings August 4 - 27, 2011 at the Augen Gallery (I also exhibit at this location). Her show title is called "Drape", and not only do the color juxtapositions create pure energy, they also occasionally form a dimensional convex appearance. Eugène Chevreul, an important color theorist, would be proud. Image source: augengallery.com

X-acto knife aficionado, London-based artist Lucy WILLIAMS creates bas-relief cutouts of archtectural spaces and Modernist buildings. She creates these images from assembled layers of a variety of materials and renders the compositions based on historical photographs. Images courtesy of McKee Gallery Diving Pool, 2004 mixed media  24 1/2 x 27 5/8 x 3 7/8 inches  62.2 x 70.2 x 9.8 cm

Artist/painter Matt COSBY created this polyurethane & aluminum, 9in x 12 3/4in piece as a portrait of artist TJ Norris. An excellent abstraction using pointillistic or divisionistic diamonds. Image source: matt cosby

A nicely descriptive review (by Lisa Radon ) of Bruce CONKLE's wood chunks, etc. shown at Portland's WorkSound .

For years I have admired the domestically-focused, self-referential work of Boston-based artist Candice Smith Corby . Working with almost exclusively in water-based media (gouache, acrylic, watercolor), each piece incorporates furniture or interiors objects stacked on top of the artist, or stacked and near her self-portrait.  And since her art is executed mainly on paper, fabric or wall (and almost entire unframed), it gives the viewer close access to her intimate world. I appreciate her ability to whimsically document her domestic frustration. Brooding Mood , 2008 Screen print 22in x 30in

I am really enjoying Micheal Eastman's plexagraph* photographs at Gerbert Contemporary. I love the formal compositions and their blurry, almost print-like qualities, which make them appear like painterly abstractions. *A plexagraph involves a layering of acrylic where the photograph is contained . Untitled (GW 7) Plexagraph © , Artist Proof 12 x 12 inches ID #ME104 Image source: gerbertcontemporary.com

Back in March (2010), Sofi Zezmer exhibited work at the Mike Weiss Gallery, which I then saw on Vernissage.tv What I love and appreciate about her work is her ability to create sculptures and installations which appear perfectly organic, but which are wholly plastic in material. It is rare an artist's work is so beautiful it has the ability to make me cry. Top Vice Versa LS1 , 2006 Metal, Glas, Plastic 56“ x 30“ x 29“ Bottom Green Piece LS 5, 2004 Metal, Plastic 23“ x 14“ x 12“ Image source: sofizezmer.com