stephen antonson - studio visit

i had the chance yesterday afternoon to visit the brooklyn studio of stephen antonson, aka the master of plaster. what a treat! i always find it mesmerizing to explore an artist's studio and see the creative process in action, and his space did not disappoint. crammed full of prototypes and works-in-progress, all covered with a healthy dusting of plaster powder, the place is a winter wonderland of artistry and inspiration.  in many ways it reminded me of the brancusi studio reconstruction in paris, near the centre pompidou.
stephen paints plaster onto his designs in layers with a brush, then meticulously sculpts and sands it repeatedly to achieve objects of surreal beauty. each piece is made to order and his work is represented by various showrooms across the usa, including de sousa hughes in san francisco as of the end of this month - the pieces for this new showrooms were being finalized and packed up during my visit. what i like most about stephen's work is its endearingly  - though deceptively - simple approach; his playful, fantastic designs coupled with the beauty of the pure white material make for truly timeless objects

art in bloom - antique rugs by peter papp

last week i visited "art in bloom" at the kentshire galleries on madison avenue, an exhibit and sale of 100 antique rugs and textiles curated by san francisco-based dealer peter papp. the stunning tribal pieces included saddle covers, mats, an ikat robe and many gorgeous prayer rugs. the show runs through march 30.

budgerigars by leila jeffreys

i just stumbled upon the wondrous budgerigar portraits by fine arts photographer leila jeffreys. they struck a cord with me as i really love budgies - though she photographs other birds as well. our budgie janneke in belgium was a part of my family for thirteen years when i was growing up. currently, blue and grey take up residence in our living room. they are very social birds who love to be around people, and they can be loud too - when things get out of hand, their cage gets covered by what we call the shut-up quilt. it works.

the theater of insects

completely by chance, i stumbled upon a copy of jo whaley's book "the theater of insects" (2008, chronicle books) at a yard sale this weekend and i am so inspired. i absolutely adore the whimsical and poetic little still lifes, created by this san francisco artist, especially the ones that incorporate vintage victorian portraits. check out her website: http://www.jowhaley.com/.

john singer sargent watercolors at the brooklyn museum

when i was an art student in antwerp, an exhibit of the sketches and travel diaries by delacroix and ingres made a lasting impression on me. later on when i was living in paris, i discovered the amazing watercolors by rodin. and now, this spectacular landmark exhibit of john singer sargent watercolors at the brooklyn museum, once and for all cements my opinion that i far prefer the sketches and watercolors - the preparation and research leading up to the final oil painting - to the grand finished canvas. the sargent watercolors feel shockingly current and are sublime in their use of color and depiction of both architecture (hard) and clothing (soft). a must-see for the summer!

el anatsui at the brooklyn museum

run, don't walk, to the el anatsui exhibit at the brooklyn museum - through august 4, 2013. this is the first solo exhibition in a new york museum by this renowned artist. the showstoppers are twelve monumental wall hangings made from bottle caps. other than the obvious comment on sustainability and the clear assertion of el anatsui as an important contemporary african artist, the works are simply of a staggering breath-taking beauty: the pieces look as if made from gold and silver, truly magical cloths draped in the most dramatic fashion.... words cannot do this justice. here's an instagram impression.