Studio Betsy Timmer

Lee Bontecou

2012-03-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

Another of my inspirations...

This last one is my favorite...I like seeing the interaction between the individual pieces...a collection of characters. You can read more about her here and check out this video from MOMA below.

Julie Arkell: Combining Cute and Creepy

2012-03-07T12:19:00.002-08:00

Below are some images of the creations of Julie Arkell, an interesting artist I first encountered in Selvedge magazine.

From earthangeltoys.com "Julie Arkell is one of England's best recognized contemporary folk artists working in papier-mâché and mixed media. It has been said that Julie, "...cannot resist the rejected debris of everyday life. She especially favors discarded toys for inspiration and printed textiles”."

I have turned to papier-mâché again and again because of the ease with which I can combine it with found objects...no firing or heating to damage the little bits of everyday I wish to employ. Arkell's work is funny and a little disturbing...it keeps me a little off kilter when I examine it....which, for me, keeps it from becoming too cute.

You can see more of Arkell's work here.

Manon Gignoux

2012-03-06T17:26:00.000-08:00

In June 2008, I had the chance to take a class at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine. It was an incredible, life-changing, inspiring two weeks that I will never forget. I met many amazing artists and learned a lot..both about dying fibers and how to live life as an artist.

Haystack is also where I first encountered Selvedge magazine. I came across issue #22 which is filled with dolls of all sorts. I went home determined to get a copy of that particular issue and a subscription.

(I did get a subscription eventually...for my birthday...it is so expensive it is a special occasion sort of purchase. I think of each issue with its beautiful photographs and heavy matte paper as a book for my permanent collection...no recycling these puppies!)

The main reason I was so enamored with issue #22, which I eventually won on Ebay, was for its photographs of the work of Julie Arkell and Manon Gignoux. I'll post more on Arkell later. For now, have a look at the work of Gignoux.

Manon Gignoux is a French artist who makes textile sculptures, clothed objects, clothing and accessories. I love her muted palette, use of layers and texture, and simple forms. Her figures are pared down to just the essential details. As the viewer, I have plenty of room to project personalities and invent stories. The fabrics are carefully chosen for their texture and hand...they carry with them a strong sense of history, of use, and of the beauty of the everyday. Besides Gignoux's figures, I especially enjoy the dressed objects. With a couple buttons and some carefully selected scraps of cloth, she magically gives a salt shaker or a bottle a unique personality.

Eventually, you will be able to see more of Gignoux's work on her website...but as of late, it has been taken down for an overhaul.

Melanie Bilenker

2012-03-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

I have a fascination with hair. I prefer extreme haircuts...the kind where for days after my appointment, catching my reflection in a mirror or window takes me completely by surprise. (Who is that?!) I like to keep my hair when I get it cut. I keep it around as a record of time past...and now, as I am starting to get grays, as a record of "how my hair was". Sometimes I use hair in my artwork. I think of it as rope - for tying, restricting, confining, escaping - and I think of how it gets tangled, disheveled, and then combed back into place.

Many artists use hair in their work. One of my favorites is Melanie Bilenker. I can't remember how I first learned about her...but she is in my files. I always make a point of showing her work to my drawing students when we discuss alternate drawing materials. How can you make a line without charcoal o graphite. How does the material the line is made from effect the quality and meaning of the line?

All of these works are "drawn" with Bilenker's own hair. On her website, she writes "The Victorians kept lockets of hair and miniature portraits painted with ground hair and pigment to secure the memory of a lost love. In much the same way, I secure my memories through photographic images rendered in lines of my own hair, the physical remnants. I do not reproduce events, but quiet minutes, the mundane, the domestic, the ordinary moments."

I am excited about these pieces because of the simple, everyday scenes so carefully rendered. The sense of depth Bilenker carefully creates makes me feel I am peering into a window to another world.

You can see much more of Bilenker's work on her website.

TIm Walker

2012-02-13T08:25:00.000-08:00

Now that I have the London based photographer, Tim Walker on my mind again, I have been searching out his work online.

Every time a new issue of Vogue arrives in my mailbox, I hastily flip through its pages, searching for any images by Tim Walker. I love his playfulness, his use of over the top props and sets, and his careful attention to color and texture. I always feel like I am peering into a perfectly orchestrated fairy tale.

There is a nice book of his work and process available, Tim Walker Pictures.

He also has a great website.

Lissy Elle Photography

2012-02-11T10:38:00.000-08:00

Still exploring with world from the confines of my couch. (What would I do without the Internet? I almost can't imagine it.)

Today, I stumbled upon the photographs of Lissy Elle. She is reminding me of Alice & Wonderland, Tim Burton, and Tim Walker. I always love to go on these daydreams.You can see more of her work on her website and on Flickr.

Jessica Sanders

2012-02-09T17:26:00.000-08:00

Since I am assigned to bed rest for the next couple weeks or so, I have been spending a lot of time online...maybe a little too much. "Creative research" I call it. Today it certainly paid off. I discovered the work of Jessica Sanders.

You can learn more about her here.

Doris Salcedo

2012-02-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

About eight years ago or so, I started collecting magazine clippings and photos and organizing them in binders. This was spurred initially by being overrun by magazines. (I love ordering magazine subscriptions...it is always so great to go the mailbox and find something new and interesting waiting for me.) My binders, one for fashion, one for baking, one for cooking, one for dream home ideas, one for crafty projects I might just do some day, etc. allowed me to hang on to the best snippets of my magazines and recycle the rest (hopefully avoiding ending up as an eccentric elderly woman crushed in her home by her possessions someday). Unexpectedly, the binders also became a sort of Encyclopedia ala Betsy...a catalog of my interests and tastes that I could see change over time. An old-school version of Pinterest I guess...with scissors, glue, and protective plastic sleeves.

When I entered grad school, my clippings expanded to include photos from library books. Of course I did not cut them out of library books...instead I scanned the photos and printed them out. When I flip through this binder, it is like entering a time warp. I am whisked back to my first couple years of study...the ideas, the struggles...ah....those were the days...

Today, I leafed through my "interesting artists" binder and I came across Doris Salcedo. She is an artist from Columbia and works with domestic furniture and cement, among other things. I never took the time to learn a lot about her specifically but I always respond to a certain haunting quality in many of her works. The fabric details emerging from the cement filled furniture seem like looming, heavy memories.

The images above include a range of Salcedo's pieces. You can read more about her here and check her out in PBS's Art 21, Season 5.

Mona Hatoum

2012-02-06T14:46:00.000-08:00

Thinking about Lebanese born, Palestinian artist Mona Hatoum today. She seems like she will chase down any material or technique to best convey her ideas. You can read more about her here.

Laura Sharp Wilson

2012-01-25T16:31:00.000-08:00

I was working in my studio this morning on some smaller pieces when my mind wandered to the work of Laura Sharp Wilson, an artist I encountered at the Byron Cohen Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri. I went running to my computer to look for images and info. I snapped the photos below at her exhibition, Sculptures, way back in 2005. I was and still am attracted to Wislon's careful use of texture and attention to detail...not to mention the playful, alien, cute yet strangely dangerous world I find myself immersed in. I love the painstaking work with little pieces of paper, bits of clay, natural materials, cloth, and dabs of paint.

From what I can gather online, Wilson currently lives and works in Salt Lake City, Utah. I can't find images of her sculptures, save what I have squirreled away in my files, but I do see lots and lots of paintings such as the one above. You can see a selection her current work at McKenzie Fine Art Inc.

Meghan Currie Yoga

2012-01-24T08:43:00.000-08:00

In some ways, this post may seem a bit off topic.
Afterall, I am usually posting about art, not yoga. However, this video really struck me on a couple of different levels. First, as someone who has done yoga for years, I was amazed by Currie's strength and control. I am in awe of her discipline and the obvious commitment to her practice...these are things that are essential as an artist too. Second, this video has an animated quality which I am always interested in. Chopping up otherwise smooth movement and speeding it up in this case, along with the soundtrack, makes me look at it in a whole new way. Last, it is awesome to see the body flex and contort...so many forms and positions and ways of balancing. The maker in me is excited about the many ways Currie's form interacts with the ground.

You can visit Meghan Currie's website here.

Kate Budd: Elegant and disturbing forms I want to hold in my hand.

2012-01-10T19:39:00.000-08:00

Recently, a new friend suggested I look up Kate Budd. I did and now I can't get enough. I love the simplicity of form and the tremendous attention to surface.Wow! She can really transform materials. Graphite over wax...who knew! Take a look below and then make a beeline to her website for more: http://katebudd.net/home.html

The Amazing Felted Works of Stephanie Metz

2011-11-30T19:48:00.000-08:00

Last month, when I was preparing for a needle felting demo at Washington & Jefferson College, I came across the work of Stephanie Metz. I hadn't ever heard of her before and I was blown away. She does great things with wool....even drawing on paper! It becomes something else entirely in her skilled hands.

Check out the images below adn then visit her website for more...

To Tallahassee and back again...

2011-11-29T14:51:00.000-08:00

It has been a busy few weeks...as evident in my sorely neglected blog. I have been doing some traveling for exhibitions - the first of which I am excited to share today.

Last year, I applied to be in a fibers exhibition at Florida State University. I was rejected (sigh!) but along the way, my work made it in front of the eyes of Dr. Viki D. Thompson Wylder. It turned out she was curating another exhibition simultaneously...one in which my work fit perfectly! She invited me to be part of her exhibition, "Coming Out of the Closet: Clothing as an Emergent Art Form" at the Mary Brogan Museum of Art & Science in Tallahassee, Florida.

Of course, I was thrilled at this opportunity. The show opened on November 4th and will be up through February 26th, 2012.

My piece "Rag Rug" along with two small drawings on the gray wall to the left!

A huge dress made of velvet and a pool of blue organza by Beverly Semmes.

Amazing stapled steel wool garments by Lydia Friedland

One of my favorites, Red Sisters, by Priscilla Roggenkamp

A collection of dresses and shoes by Linda Hall...the fragile and delicate tissue paper seems like skin.

Guerra De La Paz

Thin Dresses by Priscilla Roggenkamp

The striking Heritage/Inheritance by Laine Wyatt fit the curved space perfectlty.

When I walked through the doors of the exhibition, my jaw dropped. I felt like I was surrounded by a long lost family of like-minded artists. It was great to meet so many of them at the opening. The experience was very inspiring to say the least.

It was also great (mostly in retrospect :) ) to drive the long trek from Kansas to Florida. I forget just how massive this country is and how distinct its regions are. I met a lot of nice people and even saw some manatees and gators!

Powerlineflyers

2011-10-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

powerlinerflyers from wesley johnson on Vimeo.

This morning, I got to my desk and performed my usual ritual...checking in on my favorite blogs. One of my latest favorites, Geninne's Art Blog, had this amazing video as its latest post. Awesome. I just have to repost it.

And I guess I should spend a little more time browsing Vimeo.

Something new at last....

2011-09-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

This is a new piece I have been working on, "Uprooted". It is made from Creative brand paper clay, roots from my garden, pastels, graphite, a scrap of silk I dyed pink, and good old fashioned paste wax.

Paste wax over pastel is quickly becoming one of my favorite techniques. It is shiny but not too shiny... protective but not overly artificial and plastic feeling. I put it on, let it sit, and buff it to my desired level of sheen.

This piece is 12" tall. I have been trying and trying to make something small that is not cute. This has proven much more difficult than expected. In retrospect, maybe I should have anticipated small and cute being so intertwined...just think of all the kittens, puppies, babies, bunnies, dolls, etc. out there... they are usually small and usually cute!

Anyway, back to the studio for me. More new work is on its way.

Website Update: Special Projects & Commercial Work

2011-08-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

Details of "Pumpkin Getaway" - Created and auctioned for fundraiser

Embroidery Project: "Badges" stiched and then photographed for use in credit union marketing campaign

Android Costume: Constructed from foam, window screen, acrylic fleece, felt, and various materials. Designed to stand out from the crowd at engineering tradeshows and conferences.

Munny Project: Modified munny doll with false eyelashes and hand-spun wool yarn.

I have been working on trying to update my poor neglected website. For starters, I created a new page for "Special Projects and Commercial Work". This is my new home for everything I do that isn't purely "my art". By that, I mean things I create that have outside rules or frameworks imposed on them. Sometimes the rules come from clients. Other times competitions or special exhibition guidelines. While I tend to gravitate toward pure creative freedom, the opportunities are often good challenges and sometimes they even pay!

So please take a peek; there's a lot more to see. Also, I am always on the lookout for new projects. Please contact me if you have something in mind.

I'm Still Here...

2011-07-26T20:13:00.000-07:00

In my studio...

It has been a long, long, time. I am happy to report I have not been kidnapped or killed; I've just been busy, really busy.

I have tales to tell, artwork to post, and pictures to share. It's coming soon!

Until then, here is a shot from my studio...the shelf full of thimbles and these iridescent green salt shakers I've been hoarding for years.

Looking Around: Sandy Orgel

2011-05-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

Linen Closet by Sandy Orgel, 1972

Now that I am looking through my disorganized image files, I've come across another piece that changed everything for me when I first saw it. This is "Linen Closet" by Sandy Orgel. It was installed in Womanhouse in 1972. Womanhouse was a women-only art installation and performance organized by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro, co-founders of the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) Feminist Art Program.

This simple piece is powerful. Orgel accomplishes so much with an economy of means. The relationship between the manequin and the shelves is everything. The shelves cutting through the woman - decapitating her. They also seem like horizontal bars of a cage. As I think more about this work, I can also contemplate the woman and the closet as part of each other. The woman, like the closet, is built into the home. While Orgel does not present a positive portrayal of this relationship, the relationship is there none the less as is increasingly important to me. My continually developing and changing understanding of my role as a woman keeps me engaged in this piece.

Looking Around: Estelle Akamine

2011-04-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

"Aunt Rose Was Always Glad to See Me" by Estelle Akamine, Painted & Sewn Mesh, 1985.

Back in my glorious grad school days, I spent countless hours in the Art & Architecture library at the University of Kansas. It was so great; I never knew what I was on the verge of discovering. I'd go to a shelf to find a particular book only to have the adjacent book catch my eye. That library is a treasure trove.

One book I happened upon was Fiber R/Evolution, a catalogue published by the Milwaukee Art Museum in 1986. It is a catalogue of a two-part (Invitational and Juried) exhibition held at Milwaukee Art Museum (Invitational) and University Art Museum, the Univ. of Wisconsin--Milwaukee (Juried), Feb. 7-Mar. 30, 1986. The show also traveled to five other museums.

I checked this book out multiple times and even scanned many of the images that inspired and intrigued me for my files. Above is one of my scans and probably my favorite piece in the book - "Aunt Rose Was Always Glad to See Me" by Estelle Akamine. It was made of sewn and painted mesh in 1985. I love the way the title compliments and enriches the form. I find it so easy to relate to the central figure being hugged. It is almost as if she is being absorbed or engulfed. The transparency of the mesh makes the "Aunt" seem like a cage. I love seeing how this little twist...placing one figure inside another...completely changes the "hug" portrayed and communicates the concept so effectively.

Looking Around: Kathy Stecko

2011-04-28T20:24:00.000-07:00

Last year, I participated in ArtPrize, a radical and overwhelming art competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I was extremely fortunate to exhibit my entry, "Rag Rug", in the Grand Rapids Art Museum in the company of many excellent artists. Though I did not win any of the amazing cash awards, I continue to reflect on the experience.

While I was at ArtPrize, I took many photos of works that inspired me. Now, though six months have passed, I am still thinking about some of those works. On my mind lately is "Dreamscape" by Kathy Stecko, a Brooklyn based artist.

My photos pale in comparison to the great shots on her website. The first photo I took myself at ArtPrize; the rest posted here are reposted from http://www.kathystecko.com/.

What attracts me to this work in particular is the way the minimal forms manage to be so expressive. Stecko leaves plenty of room for me to project my visions on and ask questions of her figures. The simple white forms, each on their own shelf, are isolated and alone while still connected to each other by the wall and the overlapping shadows. I can imagine chance interactions, conversations between strangers, and even relationships happening between the figures. In our increasingly connected and simultaneously detached world, this piece makes me think about my interactions with others and the ever changing network in which I exist.

Kathy Stecko has many other intriguing works on her site. Take a look....you won't be disappointed.

New Work: "Suit"

2011-04-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

"Suit", Encaustic over paper clay, 4" x 7.5" x 4", 2010

I've been experimenting with encaustic over papier-mâché and paper clay...and occasional bits of vintage, mini rick-rack trim. Why encaustic? I've been searching out a way to create forms without seams; I am trying to fashion organic objects that seem like they grew and have real skin..... rather than doll-like shapes, sewn and stuffed and dead.

I am not sure about encaustic yet. I love the melting wax and the application process in general. However, it is still hard for me to control and it is quite fragile when finished (prone to dings and dust). I am also investigating other finishing materials. My favorite so far is good old floor wax. More on than later...

Paper clay seems like a promising material, now that I am getting used to its properties. Creative Paper Clay is my favorite. It dries light and strong with a white, papery finish. It accepts acrylic and watercolor well, along with graphite and pastel. I have also used Prang's DAS Modeling Clay which is entirely different when dry. It is much heavier and has a silky, almost slick cured surface. The advantage to these materials is that they air dry and need no firing or baking. This is especially important if you are incorporating mixed media objects as part of the overall structure. You can also add wet clay to already dried pieces allowing for spontaneity and revisiting older forms. It is also very easy to modify dry forms by sanding, cutting and drilling. The disadvantages include cost (as compared to regular earthen clay) and little cracks that develop during drying. The cracks seem to be inevitable but with patience, they can be repaired by simply adding more clay.

Looking Around: Jana Sterbak

2011-04-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

Sisyphus Sport, 1997

Bread Bed, 1996

Distraction, 1995

Uniforme ?, 1991 ?

Inhabitation, 1983

Psi A Slecna (Defence), 1995

Remote Control, 1989

Arm Cages, 1993

Lady Gaga's meat dress has me revisiting my files in search of Jana Sterbak, a Czech-born, Canadian artist. She is well known for her Vanitas: Flesh Dress for an Albino Anoretic made in 1987. Sterbak addresses power, struggle, control, frustration, burden, sexuality, and technology through a wide range of materials. All these images come from her website (except for Uniforme (?)...I am not sure where I got that one from at this moment.)

Objects of my Affection: Pitchers & Creamers

2011-04-04T07:51:00.000-07:00

I collect things, all sorts of things. Rocks, buttons, old dishes, little knick-knacks, vintage dresses, books, thimbles, sieves, wool sweaters, measuring spoons...it's an ever growing list. Many of this things I collect, I intentionally gather for use in my artwork. (The others just happily gather dust around my home.) I am attracted to things with visible history - the patina that only comes with age. I also find myself personifying objects. Some shapes exude a certain character that I can't help but see and relate to. Often, objects I collect don't ever make it into an actual artwork. They just live in my studio as little companions and inspirations.

A while ago, I started collecting small pitchers and creamers. I love their unique shapes and resulting personalities. Initially, I bought them with the intention of casting them in plaster to make molds. Being a novice mold maker, the possibility that they might end up forever encased in plaster seemed quite real...and frightening So, I started to photograph them as a way to preserve them.
My mold making experiments are still underway and have not resulted in a finished piece yet. The photographing process however, seems like a useful habit to get in to. These images are great references for drawings and other projects. I plan to start photographing and posting my various collections here.

How to Live: Follow Your Heart, Risked Be Damned - Ben Stein on CBS Sunday Morning

2011-03-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

I don't watch a lot of TV. I can almost always think of better things to do with my time. Occasionally, I watch the nightly news and catch a random episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations or The Nanny. I do, however, intentionally carve out time every Sunday morning to watch CBS Sunday Morning, a show about art, culture, and a hodge-podge of other things happening around our nation. One of the regular contributors on the program is Ben Stein. Last summer, he gave a commentary called: How to Live: Follow Your Heart, Risked Be Damned. His monologue so touched me that I tracked down the transcript, printed it out, and taped it up in several locations around the house. Today, I am watching the video...again...and soaking in some much needed encouragement as I continue to swim upstream in my life as an artist.

If you would like to print out the transcript to tape to your fridge and studio door, you can find it here.

Let's Talk About Love Baby" - Chido Johnson's Love Library

2011-03-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

Ann-Maree Walker - The Secret Lover

Betsy Timmer - Cookie

Betsy Timmer - Cookie detail

Some months ago, I was invited by my dear friend and artist Ann-Maree Walker to participate in the St. Louis installation of Chido Johnson's Love Library project. The Love Library is a traveling exhibition in which "individual artist’s interpretation of “love” are concealed and superficially homogenized as romance novels."

Each artist invited was asked to submit a "book" for the exhibition. While basic dimensional guidelines had to be followed, each artist's book could take a seemingly infinite variety of forms. Once submitted, each book is assigned a call number and becomes a permanent part of the library. You can view the growing library online. Images of each book are available along with an audio recording of the artist explaining their work.

I created a book called "Cookie". It is a mixed media work that includes encaustic wax, paint, human hair, cookie cutters, an old night gown, and text from romance novels and sugar cookie recipes. This form was fueled by observations of cultural descriptions and definitions of love - feeling that we constantly bombarded with messages about what love is and what form it should take. Please take a look.

The current installation of "Lets Talk About Love Baby" is on display in St. Louis at the Craft Alliance now until April 24th.

New Zealand Book Council's "Going West" and 4th Estate's "This is Where We Live"

2011-03-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

I first saw this animation via Inkthread, one of the blogs I frequent regularly. Careful manipulation of light and shadow really make this film sing.

Here is another I first saw via Inkthread:

This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.

If you check out 4th Estate on Vimeo, you can see several behind the scene videos that reveal the painstaking processes involved.

Oren Lavie - Her Morning Elegance

2011-03-26T07:40:00.000-07:00

I can't stop thinking about stop motion lately...

See below for a idea of the process used to make this animation.

KTWU Segment & the Harveyville Project

2011-03-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

The Harveyville Project in Harveyville, Kansas is a great place to be. It is a strange, unexpected creative retreat in the middle of nowhere. The old school buildings are charming, the food is delicious, and the hosts/founders Nikol Lohr and Ron Miller are delightful. Throughout the year, Harveyville hosts artists and crafters and offer worshops on felting, spinning, encaustic and more.

For me, "Felt School" was an educational, inspirational, creative sleepover. I drove home relaxed and excited about what I had made. I met crafty people from all over the country, slept in a classroom complete with chalkboards and antique class photos, and showered in an old locker room. The school itself adds a lot to the experience; there is just something exciting about walking past lockers in your pajamas. Where else can you learn to make felt in a 1930's high school science lab?

In the years since I was a Harveyville student, I have come back to share my artwork at Felt School. On one of these occasions, I met John Njagi, a filmmaker from KTWU in Topeka. He was doing a film about craft for Sunflower Journeys, a local public TV series. He kindly included me in his film and even traveled to Kansas City to document my current exhibition. Take a look a the video to learn more. Check out the Harveyville Project's website for their current course schedule.

This Thursday is special...

2011-03-24T20:15:00.000-07:00

...if only because I have finally started this blog. It has been on my list of "studio goals" for months now. What do I expect from this blog? Nothing really. I guess I hope for community, exposure, conversation, inspiration...who knows?

For my first post, I am sharing my newest work, "Dream House". It came about in an accidental way. The pillow is made burlap stiffened with Paverpol and the house is made of Creative Paper Clay. The surface layered with encaustic. I enjoy the simplicity of this piece...for me it says a lot and a little at the same time.