ARTmonday: Lindsey Kocur’s Colorful Architectural Paintings

Boston area artist Lindsey Kocur explores interior and exterior landscapes in graphic architectural paintings. These mixed media works were part of her MFA thesis “Interiority Complex,” exhibited when she graduated from Tufts University in partnership with the School of Museum of Fine Arts. (I actually discovered Kocur’s work at the SMFA Art Sale in 2012).   

She says about her work, “Elements of idealistic contemporary living spaces blend with references to past architectural movements to highlight social issues surrounding structural design that persist today.” Kocur sources highly staged images online and from magazines. Her hope is that her hand-painted boards “reveal a human quality” as juxtaposed against the glossy, flawless interior photography.

Several of Kocur’s architectural paintings and drawings is currently on display (until this Thursday, April 24th) in “Prompt” at 13 Forest Gallery on Mass. Ave. in Arlington. The gallery also carries a fantastic selection of gorgeous handmade jewelry by Boston designers and others, as well as those lovely ceramic birds by Cathy Moynihan I featured in December.

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Case Study House #31

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Eastern Vista

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Flip Side

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Colormetric

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Newest Topographics

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Now House

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View Finder

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Case Study House #30

Images courtesy of Lindsey Kocur. 

                      •   

ARTmonday: Cathy Moynihan’s Ceramic Bird Sculptures

I’ve been thinking about Boston artist Cathy Moynihan’s ceramic bird sculptures ever since Marc Gurton at 13 Forest Gallery in Arlington just outside Boston, told me about her last May. (I was pulling together bird decor, and even though he doesn’t represent her, he kindly sent me a link to Moynihan’s “Aviary” collection.)

I promptly contacted Moynihan, and she invited me to a ceramics show at Harvard, but I was unable to attend. Fast forward seven months, five days before Christmas when I email her in a panic, pleading for one of her ceramic bird sculptures in turquoise to give to my mother-in-law. Luckily, I’m meeting Moynihan today to make the purchase.

Moynihan describes her ceramic bird sculptures as focusing on life — tender, whole, and new. The minimalist birds are soothing and serene, with graceful silhouettes, clean lines, composed posture, and pleasing proportions. Each takes Moynihan hours to make (even the smallest ones), since she hand builds each one using the coil method, then carefully examines each bird, scraping and shaving off the irregularities on the surface until the form is flawless.

Cathy Moynihan studied sculpture at the Appalachian Center for Crafts in Tennessee and earned Art Education Certification from Massachusetts College of Art.

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Blue Bird

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Parent with Egg

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Expecting

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White Nest with Turquoise Egg

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Flock 

Get the Look: 40 Pieces from Boston Jewelry Designers

For this season’s Style issue of the Boston Globe Magazine, in addition to a few profiles of Boston’s Most Stylish (friend and art/science documentary producer Alberta Chu, jewelry designer/computer scientist Jessica Rosencrantz of Nervous System, and Deborah Z. Porter Founder and Executive Director of the Boston Book Festival), I also wrote “Jewelry’s Big Moment.”  The spread includes nine pieces from wonderful, emerging local jewelry designers. With Mass Art and the SMFA in town, (not to mention RISD in nearby Providence, but that’s a whole other post) the artisan jewelry scene is absolutely thriving. Below are additional works from the featured artists, as well as a number of local metalsmiths that we didn’t have room to feature in the magazine. Lots of talent!

 

Boston Jewelry Designers

 

Boston Jewelry Designers Boutiques Artisans

Boston Jewelry Designers

Boston Jewelry Designers Artisans Stores

 

S H O P P I N G

1 Petra Seibertova Nest Earrings, $50 at MassArt Made.

2 Ripegoods Rain Drop Hoop Earrings, $78.

3 Dev Bennett Three Dot Studs, $32 at 13 Forest.

4 Lauren Passenti Fish Jaw Bracelet.

5 Hannah Blount Barnacle Ring, $198.

6 Petra Seibertova Disc Cup Earrings, $340 at MassArt Made.

7 Little Pancake Stamped Triangle Necklace, $36.

8 Nikky Bergman Deer Antler and Leather Amulet.

9 Dev Bennett Geometric Solid #1 at Cambridge Artists Coop.

10 Sophie Hughes Slit Drop Chain Earrings, $240 at Fire Opal.

11 Sasha Walsh Ring, $360 at MassArt Made.

12 Becca Straus Maria Feather Necklace at Michele Mercaldo.

13 Alison Storry Rose Gold Heart Charms Necklace, $44 at Etsy.

14 Iolyte Stackable Ring, $340 at M. Flynn.

15 Dev Bennett Small Metropolis Necklace, $150.

16 Sasha Walsh Stackable Crystal Ring, $56 at Wicked Peacock.

17 Lauren Passenti Claw Necklace, $87 at MassArt Made.

18 Marissa B. Orchid Blossom Earrings, $62.

19 Sasha Walsh Druzy Ring, $220 at MassArt Made.

20 Julia Groos Halo Designs Gold Bead Ring, $220.

21 Beatrice Kim Karung Watersnake Cuff at Good.

22 Sasha Walsh Cuff, $330 at MassArt Made.

23 Hannah Blount Raw Crystal Brass Ring, $88.

24 Dev Bennett Four Post Earrings, $56 at 13 Forest Gallery.

25 Bree Richey Gondola Earrings.

26 Leah Meleski Infused Series Earrings

27 Lauren Blais Garnet Spire Studs, $210.

28 Nikky Bergman Hannah Bangle, $160 at MassArt Made.

29 Leah Meleski Recycled Impurities Earrings.

30 Monique Rancourt Small Granulation Ring, $200.

31 Monique Rancourt Cuff at Society of Arts & Crafts.

32 Lindsay Minihan Felt Bud Earrings, $120.

33 Filomena Demarco Double Feather Earrings, $95 at 13 Forest.

34 Monique Rancourt Feather Series Necklace, $400.

35 Sophie Hughes Razor Shell Earrings, $290 at Fire Opal.

36 Beth Solomon Ring at Alchemy 925.

37 Rachel Pfeffer Hearts on a Wire Ring, $88 at Wicked Peacock.

38 Joyo Small Squares Necklace, $50 at Wicked Peacock.

39 NYX Studio La Damme Earrings, $190 at Wicked Peacock.

40 E. Scott Originals Topaz Stud Earrings, $60 at Wicked Peacock.

 

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 Read “Jewelry’s Big Moment” in the Boston Globe Magazine here.

Globe Style cover

 

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