some more art talk

ive been paying a lot more attention to artwork and if I like it, dont like it, and why. I like art that gives me something to think about, something I can make sense of. I aso like mixed materials, flashy colors, and crazy ideas.

I came across an Australian artist named Kirra Jamison that I thought was fun. Its from a set of 12 other prints blocked together called Love Me Two Times. To me it looks like two little girls playing in the snow with tons of flowers. That may not be at all what it is, but I like it.

Another artist that I think is wonderful is Bethany Krull.When  Prof. Greenan mentioned her gallery opening this past Friday at Indigo Art in her last blog I was so happy to see it. Beth and I went to high school together, probably had art classes together. We see each other from time to time in town, and shes an incredibly happy person :) Her latest collection is called Dominance and Affection and its really great.

"In today’s increasingly nature-deprived society, our most intimate connection tends to be with plants and animals that we ourselves have drastically altered through the process of domestication. We have turned wild animals into companions, genetically sculpting them into sweeter, cuter, less dangerous versions of themselves. We shower our pets with love at the same time we cage and contain them and it is this affection contradicting complete control that I am interested in illustrating in my work. For no amount of love lavished upon these creatures will erase the fact that the success of the relationship lies in our complete domination over all aspects of their existence." -Beth Krull
Ive always had a dog. My cocker spaniel Lulu is the first dog Ive ever had that wasnt my parents. And I admit it- I adore her. Shes a very happy dog and mostly well behaved, because I trained her to be. But if my little dog was born in a wolf pack in the forest, she would be a wild animal.

This peice called Surogate is adorable and heartbreaking. At first you see a cute little chameleon but upon closer inspection you notice he has a harness on and is chained to the tree.

The detail is beautiful and leaves me feeling bad for the little guy.
Beth does most of her work in porcelain and incorporates other materials, paper, wire, polymer clay.

This final peice is called In Servitude 5. It is part of a collection od beetles carrying bowls. The bowls are strapped to them and judging by the title, they didnt strap them there by themselves.

It was hard to pick just a few of the peices in her Dominance and Affection series. If you want to check out the rest of it its here http://bethanykrull.com/home.html