A Life of Visionary Collage, Ann Irwin

Ann Irwin, by all accounts, was a woman who chose to live, love, and create art, under the most challenging circumstances. She battled chronic lung disease and other health issues, but worked on her art constantly. Even towards the end of her battle, she managed, with a 54 foot long cord to her oxygen supply, to still work in her beloved garden, and create eloquent colleges and quilts in her basement studio. According to her husband, Roy, she utilized old books, fabric, and found objects. "Ann created a large body of art (over 400 pieces) rich in a deep personal mythology of whimsical images of birds, houses, trees, and flowers." She often incorporated the printed word in her works, "not to be read, rather for tonality". "She asked her paper, foil, and twigs to function as a silent prayer, to anchor the dreamy images, to keep them real and material." Ann's work was shown in both museum settings and regional shows. I present here, three wonderful examples of her work. The piece I call "Starry Night with Matzoh" is one of my favorites. I thank Roy Zipris, Ann's husband, for bringing her extraordinary work to my attention. I recently visited the Museum of Modern Art to see collages and constructions. Ann Irwin's work would have been a perfect fit. Click on the title of this blog and you will come to a flickr page of more images. Enjoy!

Ann Harper, food for thought

Ann Harper continues to amaze me with her complex, and spectacularly painted artworks. She is a licensed clinician as well as a courtroom advocate for children, and still finds the time to create haunting and unforgettable canvases. This recent painting called "Harvest" is in response to a poem by Saint Helena, part of which is posted here.
"And I have tilled, indeed,
Much land, where men may say that I have planted
Unsparingly my corn—
For a world harvest-haunted
And for a world unborn."
Another of my Harper favorites is "Knitting Birds".  Strange, for sure, but beautiful non the less! Ann offers this one as a giclee print on eBay.

Pedro Martin DeClet, homage to heros

The collage "Portrait de Genocide", a powerful statement by Pedro Martin DeClet, is typical of his works which often examine his personal struggles and those of society. He first started exploring art while incarcerated, and a liberal prison system encouraged his efforts and allowed him to leave the premisses to attend his first show, beyond prison walls. This monumental work honors fallen heros, Latino as well as American Indian. The red pictograph of the human spirit bleeds for them and their sacrifices. Much of Pedro's work is in diary form, and he excels at painting, collage, sculpture, as well as assemblages.
His prison years and his involvement with the Latin Kings are far behind him, only occasionally resurfacing as fodder for his art. Pedro is exquisitely aware of the art world, and the poetry and prose of the most renowned authors and wordsmiths; however, his work is not at all derivative. It is purely his own vision, his own pain. Although completely self-taught, his frequent use of both Latin and Spanish text within his work gives it a unique sophistication. His self-portraits reveal him as he is, sweet, moody, confrontational, scarred, and hopeful. Pedro has had several museum shows and his work is held in many private collections.

Art equals Jazz equals Art

Do you remember the "Cotton Club" from Miami, Florida? My parents and their friends often spoke of what great jazz could be heard there, and I even got to visit once, when I was a small child. But Dirk Dahl, of California, took it way more seriously. He has collected jazz memorabilia for most of his life and is addicted to the sound of the music from the 30's and 40's. He also is a self-taught sculptor, and has created larger than life and extremely powerful figures of some of the Jazz greats, in his personal tribute to this unique sound. His animated pieces are collected world wide, and the JEPG here is of his wind section. Just how cool is that! Google him and watch these figures actually take shape on his videos......you won't be sorry! Wish he were coming to a venue here soon!

Outsider Artist Huber at Galerie Horst Dietrich

Galerie Horst Dietrich is showing Alexandra Huber a group show in Berlin this month. She will have a one-person-show starting in the beginning of March in the artfair in Karlsruhe. Seven of her previous catalogues will be available illustrating the fine work of this gifted artist who came to the art scene in 1993. Her works always remind me of Dubuffet, and sometimes Jean-Michel Basquiat, and with their child-like appearance, they always have an adult sensibility.

She works in mixed media, in both large and small scale, and more of her work can be seen
here