georgia o’keefe musem visit
her story, her words, her art
visitors given the opportunity to see things closely
create them in georgia’s style
some add a bit of humor to their response
georgia lived a life on her terms, full of color and beauty.
Painting by Emma May Riley, ‘Glass of Water’ 2013.
Oil on Canvas.
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‘reality leaves a lot to the imagination.’
-john lennon
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Emma creates still-life realism paintings. The works all have a common theme, to connect with simple pleasures that are in fact commonplace and often overlooked in todays fast-paced society. She aims to create art that is interactive, creating a physical and emotional response in the viewer. Emma is from Devon, United Kingdom
Secret Mall Apartment takes you inside the wild true story of a hidden apartment built in a shopping mall.
The 2024 documentary, now streaming on Netflix revisits the artists who built a secret apartment inside the Providence Place mall in Providence, R.I. The eight Rhode Islanders hung out/lived in the 750-square-foot space on and off for four years, from 2003 to 2007.
The group of artists came up with the plan after real estate developers tore down their artists’ commune about a mile away from what would become the mall. In addition to being a statement against the developers, the space was also used as an art collective for local artists planning projects.
The story went untold for years, but the eight people got together to tell their wild tale in the documentary, Secret Mall Apartment. “This is an insane climb up the cultural ladder — from absolute obscurity to something where so many people have at least the option of seeing it,” they told Boston.com in January 2026.
To document their piece of performance art, they bought cameras from the Radio Shack and filmed their journey.
“The archival footage is just incredible,” Secret Mall Apartment director Jeremy Workman told Columbia University School of the Arts. “They filmed everything with this tiny ridiculous camera they bought for $129 at Radio Shack, and it was small enough to fit in an Altoids case, which made it easy for them to film constantly.”
Workman has said that as he worked on this film, he “quickly learned that they created the secret apartment to make a statement against gentrification. They had lost their homes as a result of development, and this was their unique personal way to show developers that they weren’t going anywhere.”
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I was fascinated by their story, where the idea sprang from, and how it grew over time. The things they were able to pull off at the mall and the art they created outside in the world away from the mall were extremely creative and amazing. It’s an unusual documentary that asks the question about what is art and what is real life? The line is often blurry.
‘art hurts. art urges voyages- and it is easier to stay at home.’
-gwendolyn brooks
*Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) was an American poet, author and teacher, famous for being the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize.
source credits: Boston.com, Dwell Magazine, Rhode Island Monthly
Eva Jospin creates magical forests out of cardboard
A few panels from the Forest series–
there are 50 panels that slot together to create a maze. Tar on plywood.
‘creativity takes courage.’
-henri matisse
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Eva Jospin, born in 1975 in Paris, is a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris. For the past fifteen years, she has been creating meticulous forests and architectural landscapes, which she explores through various media. Whether drawn in ink or embroidered, carved from cardboard or sculpted in bronze, her works evoke Italian Baroque gardens, the rocaille decorations of the 18th century, and artificial grottos.
link to her full bio:
https://www.galleriacontinua.com/artists/eva-jospin-320/biography
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source credit: art, artists, artwork, ann klefstad
Creating portraits that are startlingly lifelike, Chinese artist Leng Jun is a master of hyperrealism.The accomplished painter is particularly known for his detailed oil paintings of women, where every wisp of hair and fiber of clothing is rendered to perfection. Born in 1963, Leng came of age during a time of great economic reform known as the Opening of China. This great cultural change, and the Western influences it introduced, greatly influenced his art.
Interested in painting from a young age, he first experimented with oil paint while in middle school. Though no oil paints were readily available in China at the time, a friend gave him a few colors to experiment with. These early experiments stayed with him and so he continued his studies with a steady flow of information from the West helping to shape and mold him as a painter.
Though he was well respected as an artist prior, it was after his 2004 oil painting titled Mona Lisa that his work went viral. This photorealistic portrait of a woman was based on the principles of Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic painting but depicts a modern woman. This work was followed by a series of photorealistic portraits of women, each more detailed than the next. By examining the details, one can appreciate the precise brushstrokes that pull out each aspect of the sitter.
While there is some criticism that these works look too much like photographs, Leng maintains that anyone seeing the paintings in person won’t be deceived. It’s not his intent to compete with or imitate a photograph, but rather he’d like to push his art to its limits. By balancing technical skill with the ability to bring emotion to his paintings, he’s been able to touch people around the world.“
“I want to push my painting skills to a higher level. What is the most difficult thing? To paint people. For example, still life or rusted metals, they’re not something we see every day. People deal with people the most and people are most familiar with people. To portray people and make others believe is the hardest thing.”
“the position of the artist is humble. he is essentially a channel.”
-piet mondrian
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source credits : my modern met, jessica stewart
the tiny expo art show
at our downtown library
had a wide range of artists
with beautiful work
one of the most unusual
was some of jaci riley’s work
tiny earrings
cast from her cat, Beatrix’s lost tooth.
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“the world is a museum of passion projects.”
-john collison
while recently at my friend’s lake house
we made this beautiful puzzle
of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
she purchased during her recent visit to the northern regions
beautifully made of wood, precision cut, and challenging
but together we managed to complete the puzzle
except
for one piece
that I tried to jam in
I broke it
our ‘gluer’ didn’t put it back together quite right
so we accepted that it was finished without it
but I felt bad
so I wrote to the company
to see if they could possibly replace the piece
I took photos of it and where it was supposed to be
always worth a shot
the artist who made the puzzle
also the company owner
said she would replace it
(talk about customer service!)
I thanked her
excitedly waited for the piece to arrive
within days it showed up at my house
what should arrive at my house
all the way from the upper peninsula
but an entire puzzle
at no charge
from the artist herself
as her and her husband
are the small business owners
of their own family owned company
she is a Ukranian artist
who makes the puzzles
among many other things
he is an American veteran
I was so amazed by their kindness
that I’d like to publicly thank them here
by sharing a connection to their business
I will certainly buy puzzles from them myself
thank you again for reminding me
that there are wonderful people out there in the world
and for your beautiful work
(all links are below)
Artist, Kateryna Nelson
https://www.facebook.com/artfactorytwinportsWIMNMI
https://www.artfactorytwinports.com/shopall
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtFactoryTwinPorts
Gwinn, MI, United States
artfactorysuperior@Gmail.com
—
“customer service is an opportunity to exceed your customer’s expectations.”
-John Jantsch
*John Jantsch is an author, speaker, and marketing consultant who specializes in assisting small businesses. He is the author of Duct Tape Marketing, The Referral Engine, and The Commitment Engine.
mixed media on door;
house paint, acrylic, buttons, liquid nails, mason jar, hot glue
no date
courtesy of laura lippman
Mary Proctor (1960- )
Mary Proctor’s store, Noah’s Ark Antiques, in Tallahassee, Florida is a wood cottage where you can still buy used records and faded photos. Her yard is a labyrinth of clutter, surrounded by a chain-link fence. She lives with her husband and four children in a mobile home behind the store. Mary Proctor began painting on doors in 1995, after her aunt and two other family members were killed, trapped inside their burning house trailer. Firefighters failed in all attempts to pry open the swelled metal doors. Mary says that God then spoke to her, telling her to “paint onto the doors.” Renaming herself, “Prophet Mary Proctor,” Mary’s doors are covered with her spiritual teachings and observances of righteous behavior garnered from everyday life and, especially, from her wise Grandma. Her doors range from cabinet size to large double garage doors on which Mary typically uses paint and a collage of buttons, cloth, and found objects. Mary likes to think of herself as a missionary rather than an artist. “I’m just a messenger and they (the people who collect her work) are the deliverers.”
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‘in a time of destruction, create something.’
-maxine hong kingston
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American Visionary Museum, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
here we meet again
my former kindergarten student
now at the annual Ann Arbor art fair
having grown into a wonderful human
and innovative artist.
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‘creativity is like scientific research in that it involves things that haven’t been done before. as such, creative endeavors are essentially experiments, and if they really unique, you have no idea what will happen.’
-tina seeling
* tina seeling is an american educator, entrepreneur, and author of 17 books on creativity and innovation. she is a faculty member at Stanford University and currently the executive director of the Knight-Hennesy Scholars.
happy birthday to Frida Kahlo, one of my favorite artists
Born on July 5th, 1907, she was one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century. This photograph, titled “Frida with Granizo, Coyoacán,” captures Frida Kahlo alongside her beloved pet deer, Granizo. The presence of Granizo highlights Frida’s love for animals and the natural world. This photo is one of many that document Kahlo’s life and intimate moments at her home, La Casa Azul (The Blue House), in Coyoacán, Mexico City. Frida had an extraordinary talent and indomitable spirit.
“everything exists, and moves, under only one law – life.”
― The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait
Image: Nickolas Muray, Frida with Granzio, Coyoacan, 1939, printed later, gelatin silver print. Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of the Nickolas Muray Photo Archive, 2018.25.q
I didn't have my glasses on.... 