so. truth be told i've been feeling a funk in
when i feel this way i almost immediately turn to art to lift my mood. and in this kind of mental state i want something bright and colorful. and witty.
so christine buckton tillman it is !
we "met" on flickr. at one point we even emailed thinking that it would be lovely to have a show together. that hasn't materialized... yet.... but every time i look at her work i'm smitten. and i would LOVE to own something of hers.
sure - there's the spot on use of color - sometimes in an all over kind of way... sometimes in a very specific detail kind of way - but always "right".
there's the simplicity
there's the use of negative space [yes. i'm a sucker for that]. but it's also her sense of composition. not only where things aren't but where things are placed and what size they are.
i'm also drawn to her use of materials. making things out of things that they shouldn't be made out of. trees and stumps that are ceramic. rainbow painted, or white... i like this idea of bringing in a "permanent" type of nature that really both is and isn't naturalistic.
i particularly these flat, odd, ultimately sort of funny "sculptures" that she makes. [sometimes i think floors aren't used enough in art so i get excited when they are - and used well].
she's also interested in an interesting subset of domestic things. turning bouquets of flowers into drawings the look like pixelated needlepoints.
she's got a thing for bows, streamers, crepe paper, felt, bunting flags... things that i'm also drawn to for their symbolism, for their color, for their visual interest.
the above ceramic present bows [she's also done versions in birch and red oak which are LOVELY] are just so simply wonderful. funny. bright. colorful. nostalgic. and more permanent than their real life counterparts.
you can score one in her etsy shoppe.
i love the fact that she works both micro and macro. things that you can hold in your hand - and then these larger scale projections. turning whole rooms into rainbow, patterned delights. [i'd be remiss if i didn't mention i love the use of dated / analogue technology as well]
besides a bow [which i could actually afford and might treat myself to the next time i have a bit of extra cash], i think what i want to own, though, are these cluster of drawings that she puts together. i just LOVE them in a group. while they are certainly powerful and well executed on their own, together they become some other magic.
and after a lot of thinking.... i think this is my dream cluster. at least for now. christine is always working [something else i admire] and so i'm sure there will be more stunning work for me to oggle over and want for years to come.
her shop
her website
her blog
keep track of my collection on pinterest
till next time ! enjoy your may !
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lisa solomon is a mixed media artist who lives in oakland, CA with her husband, young daughter, a one eyed pit bull, a french bulldog, a cross-eyed cat, a 3 legged cat, and many many spools of thread. she moonlights as a college professor, a graphic designer, and is a partner in MODify/d a crafty biz that up/cycles and re/purposes discards from the fashion industry.
