—Bonnie Gangelhoff

The Creative Spirit Within by Lisa Cyr (mixed media, 17.5x22)

Lisa Cyr, author of the best-selling mixed-media instructional book Art Revolution, is busy at work on her latest North Light project, tentatively titled Experimental Painting and set for release in summer 2011. We caught up with Lisa recently to chat about the project and some of the things that have inspired her.

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
I grew up in a family that was very craft oriented. Both of my grandmothers, my mother and my aunt (basically all the adult females in my life at the time) could sew, knit, crochet and embroider really well. There was always extra fabric, thread and yarn around to play with. As a child, I made my own doll clothes and accessories. Early on, I think it was clear to me that something handmade was superior and special compared to anything you could find readymade in a store. Both my grandmothers have since passed but throughout my home, especially at holidays, I have many special things to look at, touch and use that they made for me with their talents. Each piece serves as a reminder of the importance of sharing one's special gifts with others and the impact it has on generations to come.

What’s your home life like?
After living in Manhattan for many years, I moved to the Pocono Mountain area, about an hour and 15 minutes outside the city. I feel like I have the best of both worlds: the richness and culture of the city nearby and the fresh air and comforts of having lots of space to work. I have two cats that I rescued from the streets when I was living in NYC. They are my little buddies, providing creative feedback when I need it. A good supportive purr is all you need sometimes to keep you going! I also have a daughter and she is the love of my life. She inspires me to continue to play and experiment, always seeking new ways to do things.

Any favorite quotes?
I like this quote by Goethe, "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic." I also have a quote of my own that I like to use often. "Create from the heart, innovate without boundaries, strive for greatness and speak to the culture in ways that inspire and motivate."

Favorite artists?
I think if I had to describe where my inspirations come from I would say J.W. Waterhouse and Adolphe-William Bouguereau meet Robert Rauschenberg with a twist of Gustav Klimt.  

Favorite books?
I like when others share their life experience in insightful ways. Artists on Art (Pantheon Books), compiled and edited by Robert Goldwater and Marco Treves, is a collection of writings and letters by famous artists throughout the centuries. From the classical notations of Leonardo da Vinci to the inner workings of Pablo Picasso, the prose is quite uplifting and inspirational.

Give us a taste of your latest project.
Experimental Painting is my latest project with North Light Books. It will feature exciting, in-depth demonstrations that bring a project from conceptual ideation to final execution, showing all sorts of interesting techniques along the way! It will also have a chapter on the artist portfolio, which will divulge into innovative promotional strategies for the artist. In addition to the book, I am planning on doing a mini documentary, showing a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this book. I think it will be a great teaching device as well as an interesting inside look into the project and its content.

You can check out a few of the reviews from fans of Art Revolution, and learn more about Lisa on her website.

—Bonnie Gangelhoff

—Bonnie Gangelhoff

Chief Two Bears by Kevin Red Star

Kevin Red Star. Dan Namingha. David Bradley. Emmi Whitehorse: These are just some of the best contemporary Indian artists working today Southwest Art is featuring in its annual Native American issue.

From Namingha's eye-catching clay pottery (featured at right and on the cover) to Whitehorse's colorful abstract canvases, these artists offer fresh visual voices which take traditional Native art on journeys up, up and away from stereotypical imagery. What these artists share in common is that they honor their Hopi, Zuni or Crow cultures while bringing a modern spin to their artwork.

For example, Whitehorse says she gleans inspiration from the patterns in Navajo rugs her grandmother wove as well as from photos posted online from the Hubble Space Telescope and the ciphers and codes that intrigued her on a visit to the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC.


Neap Tide by Emmi Whitehorse

To read all about them, pick up a copy of Southwest Art’s August issue.

—Bonnie Gangelhoff

—Bonnie Gangelhoff

In August, Southwest Art publishes its annual Native American-themed issue. One of the talented painters featured is the award-winning Chippewa artist David Bradley. Bradley's intriguing images arrived this morning and made me smile. I found myself scouring Pictures at an Exhibition (click above to enlarge) looking for famous faces amid the art crowd at his imaginary Santa Fe opening.

In American Gothic (at right), Bradley's wry social commentary brings together television and art world icons. The Santa Fe-based painter sent me this statement about the piece:

"Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz meet Tonto and the Lone Ranger. Tonto and the LR are retired and running a B&B called the Silver Bullet. O'Keeffe & Stieglitz are tourists. Stieglitz is rolling his eyes after their encounter with Tonto, who sold them some curios from his stand."

What sendups. Bradley gives us much to think but softens his message with a dash of the ironic among the iconic.

The Artists Network team trekked up to Middletown, Ohio, to meet up with artist Kevin Macpherson, whose "Reflections on a Pond" exhibit is up for another few weeks. Our publisher, Jamie Markle interviewed the artist. Check it out!



Learn more:

• Kevin Macpherson's Landscape Painting Inside and Out
• Macpherson's Fill Your Paintings with Light & Color
• Download an article on painting foliage with Macpherson

Joseph Raffael's Studio Bouquet (watercolor, 54x84)

Our friend Joseph Raffael got a great writeup in the Denver Post this week. The watercolor artist's gigantic florals are starting a national right now, so you can see them for yourself in your neck of the woods:

Arvada Art Center, Denver, CO

April 17 through June 1, 2009

Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art, Fort Collins, CO
June 8 through August 20, 2009

The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH
September 10 through October 26, 2009

The Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York City
November 5, 2009, through January 2, 2010

Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland, FL
January 23 through April 4, 2010

You can read more about Raffael in the June 2007 issue of Watercolor Artist and the May 2009 issue of The Artist's Magazine.

Above: (from left to right) Ron Davis, Ron Cooper, Robert Dean Stockwell, Dennis Hopper and Larry Bell. Photo courtesy of William Davis. Below: a silver gelatin photo taken by Hopper on view in the exhibit (click to enlarge).

The original Summer of Love took place in San Francisco 42 years ago. But Taos, NM, has cooked up its own version with actor and director Dennis Hopper. Hopper first rode into town in 1968 to direct the iconic counterculture film Easy Rider. He ended up staying 15 years.

Now, 40 years after the release of the film, the town is paying homage to Hopper, who was just named honorary mayor of the historic art colony. On Saturday, an exhibit curated by Hopper opened at the Harwood Museum of Art. In the show, Hopper brings together works by a pantheon of his legendary artist friends, including Ron Davis, Ron Cooper, Robert Dean Stockwell and Larry Bell.  

Before Hopper moved to Taos, he was part of vibrant art movement in Los Angeles that centered around the Ferus Gallery—a magnet that drew up-and-coming L.A. artists such as Bell. Some of Hopper's photographs from the period also are on display at the Harwood and capture these artists brimming with youthful bravado and L.A. cool. "Hopper at the Harwood" is on view through Sept. 20.