Artists Supporting Artists

When possible it brings me joy to be able to buy a piece of original art from a local artist I admire. A purchase great or small is a thoughtful gesture you can offer to another artist. Standing in front of a piece, I want to stand where the artist stood and try and see through the eyes of the painter–looking through that window that perhaps the artist is looking through and get lost and transported away from real time.

I believe supporting artists in the local community is important to contribute to their success and provide a gesture of encouragement.  Here are a few of my personal favorites I’d like to share from my collection:

"Fluorescence" 2016 by Nathan Foxton, 20 x 16 inches, oil & mixed media

I connected with this piece right away. Very often Nathan’s paintings have a seductive nature as the color and subject matter pull you in. A fluorescent hyena with monkeys? What?! I like that there is conflict with the subjects colliding together. A wild, menacing hyena and monkeys don’t hang together. The hyena creeps along against a moody night sky while the silly monkeys are looking on. There seems to be an air of danger ... or maybe an opportunity between opposites. The world is a complicated and diverse place.

"Fantasy Roses #1" 2005 by Susan Hodgin, 20 x 22 inches, oil on canvas

This piece is an early work by the late Susan Hodgin. I love this piece for its simplicity and vulnerability. The colorful abstract roses want to be seen while there appears to be an undercurrent of private thoughts. Maybe these are hopes, wishes, and dreams from the painter herself.

“In the Moment #1” 2017 by Laura Stennett, 20 x 16 inches, acrylic & ink on paper

At first glance, this piece is a stylish design I would want to hang by my mid-century love seat. On deeper reflection, at its core is a calming meditation.  I see a map of a flowing river passage. In an anxiety-ridden, static world, I like to know there is a place of quiet calm that I can retreat to. This painting reminds me of that.