portraiture Archives - Page 2 of 2

ARTmonday: 10 Geometric Portraits by Matthew Bourbon

While browsing one of my favorite art galleries (at least online, since I’ve never actually been there), Kenise Barnes Fine Art in Larchmont, NY, I discovered the work of artist Matthew Bourbon. (I also pulled images from Darke Gallery.) Bourbon was born in the Bay area, and after college at UC Davis, earned his Masters of Fine Arts at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Bourbon is currently an associate professor in Texas. He is also an art critic and writer.

His artist’s statement says he is “interested in . . . how information is revealed or obscured” and “how it affects the narrative or possible interpretations of story.” I love the colors and geometric patterns and organic shapes that replace the figures heads or other body parts. It’s portraiture and abstract art in one.

The Young Collector, Kenise Barnes Fine Art

Of Two Minds

Our Familiar Guest, Darke Gallery

Rich Beggars, Darke Gallery

The Words We Agreed Upon, Darke Gallery

Another Conversation, Darke Gallery

Natural Folly, Darke Gallery

The Psychologist, Kenise Barnes Fine Art

The Egyptologist, Kenise Barnes Fine Art

The Swimmer, Darke Gallery

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Shop original artwork at Serena & Lily >>

ARTmonday: Winky Lewis

I have fallen hard for Portland, Maine-based photographer Winky Lewis. The portraits of her children are reminiscent of the photographs of my very first photo crush, Sally Mann. They’re also somewhat similar to photos taken by my friend Kathleen Schwartz of her fairy tale children. They also remind me of a photograph that hangs in my bedroom; the first portrait I ever purchased (you can see it at the end of this post). I love evocative black and white portraits of children and their fairy tale lives. Winky Lewis’ photographs are stunning and insightful. She also happened to photograph my friend Sharon Kitchens‘ homestead for a Boston Globe story I wrote, but I’ll save that for another time.

Winky Lewis (with her son) (and her camera)

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I think this is the first portrait I ever purchased. I bought it in the early ’90s at an auction at Little Red Schoolhouse / Elizabeth Irwin, a progressive school in NYC, whose alumni includes artists and artists’ kids. I remember seeing works by Francisco Clemente there. Those were certainly not in my budget. This photo was taken by one of the women who worked in the office of the school; it pictures her nieces. I still love it. It hangs above my bedside table.

ARTmonday: 22 Original Artworks Under $500 from Saatchi Online

Not long ago I discovered the art site Saatchi Online. It’s amazing. I don’t know what took me so long to find it—it was launched in 2006 by the Saatchi Gallery in London. The site has many, many pieces of contemporary art across mediums and price ranges. Artists sell original artwork, as well as prints, so even if you love a pricey work, you can still acquire it in that form. The site is easily searchable and guest curators often put forth interesting collections. Here are my picks—22 original pieces under $500.

Georg Cevales “Elefant” $400

Adalberto Ortiz “Page corner #6” $375

Amelia Coward “Forty two vintage map dots” $265

Emily Fried “Audrey” $250

Bea Mahan “Untitled” $100

Christina Kerns “Nostri” $400

Anne Harper “Whispers are Shadows” $350

Juan De La Rica “Untitled” (Inertias series) $250

Nicole Carman “Brighton Beach Huts and Fido the Dog” $450

Jim Harris “Way Out West” $400

Liat Elbing “Holes #4” $450

Jelena Kostic “Monika R S/S 2012” $220

Luis D’Akmin “Translucent Artless Things” (Series 01) $350

Tess Gumblin “Reclining Nude” $400

Øyvind Suul “Mind map #17” $375

Lies Heilmann “koa titl 8” $250

Sally Schaedler “Rand 9” $380

Nina Beslic “Shadwell II, London” $150

Craig Anczelowitz “Untitled Buddha Forest (Mini Statue #2)” $140

Siri Tenden “Blue boat with pink sail on deck” $250

Paco Vila Guillen “Untitled 9” $100

Patricia Schnall Gutierrez “Domestic Duality” $450

ARTmonday: Ryan Pickart’s Portraits of Women

I saw a few of these oil portraits on Pinterest over the weekend, and though they were charming. I love how the women seem to be posed against wallpaper, or, if against a solid background, there’s a floral pattern on their clothing. The portraits, all oil on canvas, were done by Ryan Pickart, a painter from Lowell, Indiana.