MARC QUINN FLORALS

Under the Volcano, Acavar Bolivia, 2010

New Mexico Water, 2010

First Cataract of the Nile, 2010

Marc Quinn (b. 1964) is part of the YBAs (Young British Artists), a group that includes Liam Gillick, Damien Hirst, and Tracey Emin, among others.  Much of his work is larger-than-life, and deals with themes of nature, the body, and our relationship to both.

One way that Quinn explores these themes is through "genetic modification and hybridism"; in other words, using flowers as a stand in for human life.  In one of his series, he created stunning horticultural displays of frozen flowers which are able to escape decay through an electrical power source.  Similarly, in "Eternal Spring", Quinn preserves flowers indefinitely by soaking them in silicone.  The paintings depicted here are eerily pristine, capturing an otherworldly perfection and simultaneously bringing to mind the constant decay that surrounds us.

See other floral posts here and here. 

Romper: Peter Pilotto for Target

Straw Hat: Purchased in St. Thomas

Marc Quinn photos from Artsy.net; photos of me by Jacque Skowvron.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

I've always admired the society of leisure that is portrayed in French painting from the turn of the century. An afternoon at the shore, luncheon on the grass--I'm of the opinion that our society does not place nearly enough importance on the necessity of down time.

One of my favorite paintings that reminds me of the importance of repose is A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.

This painting is the masterpiece of French Post-Impressionist Georges-Pierre Seurat (1859-1891).

Seurat was one of the first proponents of Neo-Impressionism, and pioneered the use of Pointillism, along with Paul Signac.

Pointillism is the use of a mass of small dots of various colors that combine to form a visual depiction of another color.

When viewed from far away, Pointillist paintings appear to have bold shapes of color, but upon closer inspection, these are made up of hundreds of smaller dots. Pointillism leaves the work of color mixing to the eye of the beholder.

I was inspired by Seurat's palette for my own leisurely afternoon on the bay, and combined the striking contrast of orange and periwinkle with a dotted scarf as a reference to Pointillism. Of course, the parasol is a nod to the women of leisure in the painting.

I'm wearing a vintage silk scarf, my mother's vintage brooch, Madewell tee, H&M pants, Cynthia Rowley x Roxy kaleidoscope wedges, and an Indian parasol bought in San Francisco.

[Seurat images from westcler.org, flickr.com, and farm4.static.flickr.com, respectively.]

Hau' oli lā hānau

Aloha!

I am currently writing from the island of O'ahu, where I've been enjoying lovely sun and sand for the past week, spending time with my best friend from middle school and making my birthday last as long as possible.

I've enjoyed experiencing Hawaiian culture, particularly local art and style. Though Hawaiians are exceedingly laid back, and greet every day with a shaka, I've adored the bright colors of local artists and designers, which reflect the surroundings so perfectly.

Though I've enjoyed the local art, I can't help but think of my very favorite artist, Henri Matisse. His cut outs are some of my favorite works, and I think they really relate to the mood of the islands.

I shared here that, after a lifetime of painting, Matisse turned to producing paper collages when he was bedridden and could no longer wield a paintbrush.

The bold, bright colors of these works, and themes of nature and jubilation encapsulate my experience of the island aesthetic.

I wore this outfit to my birthday luau at Germaine's in Honolulu, where I learned how to hula dance and that I don't like poi. Hau' oli lā hānau means "Happy Birthday" in Hawaiian.

I'm wearing a silk Diane von Furstenberg maxi dress, Miss Trish of Capri leather seahorse sandals, and a fresh orchid lei.

Thank you to the lovely Jessica Vandagriff for taking these photos!

[Matisse images from archimuse.com, redyellowbluemakeyou.blogspot.com, and madamepickwickartblog.com, respectively.]

MAGRITTE'S MYSTERY

The first warm day of the year is such a teaser. Even though I knew the mid-'70s would only last for a short time, it was difficult to imagine going back to cold weather after a balmy afternoon on the beach. At least it was a reminder that spring is on its way!

Since I wanted to take advantage of the springlike temperature and proximity of the ocean, my outfit was inspired by Belgian Surrealist, René Magritte.

Many of Magritte's (1898-1967) thought-provoking Surrealist paintings have become popular culture icons, like the one below.

He was interested in the juxtaposition of reality and fantasy, and championed a more representational style of painting than other Surrealists, like Dalí and Miró.

One of his primary artistic devices was placing ordinary objects in unexpected environments, causing the viewer to think about the object in a new way.

Though many of Magritte's works seem as though they should have a narrative explanation, he characterized them as "unknowable", like a mystery the viewer has to solve but that there exists no real answer.

"Art evokes the mystery without which the world would not exist." --René Magritte

My response to Magritte's work was to pair both menswear-inspired and nautical pieces with a beach setting, completed by the green apple necklace which represents a recurring theme in his work.

I'm wearing a Uniqlo tee, PRPS jeans, thrifted woven leather suspenders, Literature Noir chalkstripe boyfriend blazer, Marc bag, H&M socks and necklace, and Matiko wedges.

[Magritte images from kazucopy.wordpress.com, hubpages.com, just-take-a-boo.blogspot.com, and gipsygeek.wordpress.com, respectively.]

PAINTED FLOWER

In kindergarten I was christened as Painted Flower, my Cherokee name. Looking back, I think it's funny how apropos my Native American name is to my interests!

Since I'm 1/8 Cherokee, I've always been interested in Native American art and artifacts. Native American handiwork has never really been given a place of status in art history, but it has come under more scrutiny in recent years, both for its "primitive" influence on other American art, and for its own cultural and artistic value.

I inherited this reproduction blanket/poncho from my mother. It's one of my favorite garments, not only because I remember her wearing it, but also because of its beauty and versatility.

The tradition of Native American weaving has produced some of the most striking tapestries and blankets. The bold, graphic color combinations are completely relevant to fashion today.

Brands like Pendleton have been producing collections inspired by these Native American works for decades, and they are back in vogue in stores like Opening Ceremony in New York.

It's important to appreciate these woven works as art as well as for their intended utilitarian purposes.

These boots were sent to me by Cougar, a Canadian company that specializes in stylish and practical winter footwear. I love that they're rain boots incognito as motorcycle boots--much easier to work into my wardrobe.

They are guaranteed waterproof and warm to -11F degrees, so I thought the perfect place to try them out would be in the chilly shorebreak. I couldn't believe how warm they kept my feet! That is, until an unsuspected wave crashed up to my thighs--but that was all my own oblivious fault. Thanks to Cougar for the awesome boots!

I'm wearing a vintage woven poncho, Zehana Outfitters turtleneck, DKNY leggings, and Regal boots, courtesy of Cougar.

If you fill out this short survey of your impression of Cougar boots, Matchstick will donate $2 to the American Red Cross.

[Native American blanket images from lunacountryweddings.com, trendyrugs.com, theoregonstore.com, and mink-blanket.com, respectively.]

INDIAN SUMMER

Growing up near the beach, I learned to really appreciate the off-season. There's nothing more relaxing than spending a day in the warm sand once the tourists head home and the temperatures drop. It's when the beach is completely desolate that you can really appreciate its artistry.

Richard Diebenkorn is an artist I've always admired for his distinctive portrayals of the coast.

A Bay Area painter, his seaside compositions verge closer and closer to abstraction, yet still completely capture the feeling of the landscape.

Somehow Diebenkorn arranges a few slivers of color around an opaque ground to achieve a perfect sense of a deserted coastal vista.

I took these pictures on the equally deserted boardwalk, but my boots were hastily removed once my feet hit the sand.

I'm wearing a vintage mohair sweater, Fashion Against AIDS necklace from H&M, Grey Antics jeans (last seen here), suede Halston boots, and Pucci sunglasses.

[Diebenkorn images from museumca.org, theartwolf.com, and thepapercrane.com, respectively.]