Emily's Musings

Week One: Artists I admire

One of my favorite collage artists is Southbury, CT-based Tracy Hambley. I couldn't find much of her work online, but there is one example from a show here. I've seen her work at the Westport, CT Outdoor Fine Art Festival, where she has won prizes for her mixed-media work. I like the three-dimensional quality of her pieces and how she uses the frame as such a strong element (I particularly love the use of the columns in this one, and how the top part is framed separately). All of the elements - the ribbon, the drawers, the cloud background... just jump out at you. I particularly like how tools like the rulers and compass (over the blue window so it looks like it is hanging the window frame) are used as structural elements.

The History of Art and Architecture (1992), Copyright Tracy Hambley Please do not duplicate or reproduce in any other format.

I'm really drawn to Claudine Hellmuth's work - particularly pieces like The Star Maker in those rich colors and the bright stars set off against the background. I like the subtle scientific elements at the top and in the paper along the bottom and the whimsy of having the stars coming out of his pipe. I like how the man's face and hands seem to be in the same color as the paper along the bottom so that both stand out against the blues. There is also nice repetition of the circular wheel in the right corner with the upper arch shape.

And of course, I've always been a fan of Matisse's cutouts like this or this or this one (which I have a print of above my couch). I love how he takes such simple elements and creates so much movement and presence with them.