Silver Lining in Isolation

My hope is for everyone to find
a bit of a silver lining during this difficult time.
For me, the busy-ness of life came to a screeching halt
and has been replaced by a strange calm.
One that I am trying to embrace, I liked being busy or so I thought…
I have been able to keep working in my studio in isolation.
But my pace has slowed and I feel somehow different.
My heart breaks for those who are suffering hardship with this pandemic.
Creating is my medicine. Creating objects and details
that enhance the home is what I love to do and where I feel the most useful.
 
I felt the need to take a little break from furniture building
and spend time doing quiet (and clean) work, as in
no loud compressors, grinders, sanders, welders, etc etc…
I reworked my studio to paint, A little jazz in the background and
springtime in the Rockies was early and gorgeous.. 
Being functional, my painting needs to have a job.
These botanical paintings (ABOVE)
will become throws for the bedroom or sofa and
can also be good outside by the fireplace on cool summer nights
or possible runners or tablecloths. 
The first three are ready to be backed with linen, which also has soft washes of color.

I am so grateful for everyone’s support over the years!
and wishing you health and happiness.
xx
Andrea

PS. If you want to see more of the work I have been creating, I invite you to take a look at my portfolio at www.andi-le.com

Welding and Women

Yes I weld….
Not exactly or even close …but Jennifer Beals in Flashdance is always the first thing people think of if you were alive in 1983 (for the youngins …it was a movie where she was a welder by day dancer by night and a WOW!).
Everyone has also heard of Rosie the riveter but what about Winnie the welder?
WWII had women stepping up filling the spots of the men who went to war.
One of these women was Zaddie Johnson,
the leader of her own welding crew in Mobile, Alabama.
Her efforts helped the United States to produce one battle-ready ship every single day.

 There was even a competition for the female welders of WWII, it was all about the weld.
The contest was based on speed, workmanship, and quality.
In 1944, Vera Anderson (far right, next to the official) won the competition.
She was nineteen and working in Pascagoula when she won the title of
“World’s Champion Welder”. 

__________________________________

At 28, I was painting murals, residential and commercial, welding became my interest, and it stemmed from the pieces in my head that I wanted to create. Night classes at a tech school, with men learning refrigeration, were my option in the 80’s. I love the physicality of my work and there is an amazing amount of satisfaction in the process of welding. Really!!!

Panels and organic shaped components

Botanicals ready to weld

leafy element

figuring stuff out

For my upcoming installation,“Objects of Purpose” in June at Forre Fine Art,
I am creating a 3-panel room divider as a way to contain and openly separate the space, a combination of organic shapes, botanicals and geometric elements flowing through the panels. I am thinkin …  satiny metallic tones, silvers, pewters, and soft golds….

BTW…..
There is a shortage of welders… and… there are new programs exclusively for women,
many which are taught by female instructors. Here are a few to check out
Women Who Weld in Detroit
Women in Welding program run by Chicago Women in Trades
the Latinas Welding Guild in Indianapolis
Weld Like a Girl in Arizona.

and as always…
”LIVE CREATIVELY”
Til next time,
xx
Andrea 

Where did I put that special paint brush?

Just a small peak of supplies

Ready to fill

It could have been the cool fall weather, and a seasonal need to nest.
or maybe it is the frustrating time it has taken me to find what I am looking for.

All things considered, it was the inspiration I found at
2 very dear and talented artist friends’ studios.
A big shout out to Ingrid Magidson and her shadow boxes filed with
an array of fantastic objects and specimens.
Also, Nancy Lovendahl, who is getting ready for her first solo museum show
in Colorado Springs, CO.
Nancy is a Sculptor,
she works in stone, metal, she casts, paints etc etc :)
Click on their names and check out their sites!!!!

Mixed media can get tricky, working with so many objects, materials, and tools
to express ourselves and then one day, you have amassed
a ridiculous amount of very important “stuff”
that can potentially find its way into your art.

Common sense has been nagging me for more time than I care to say…
Nancy and Ingrid’s neat and tidy studios gave me the energy and inspiration I needed.
Labeled, combined and organized.
Yahoo!!!! I know where everything is and my workflow is free.

Happy Fall!
Til next time,
xx
Andrea

Can BESPOKE furniture change your life?

Having options can be mind changing,  NOT SETTLING ( as a consumer) is powerful!
Mass consumption might satisfy the common luxury shopper
but it doesn’t satisfy the yearning of exclusivity.

  As an artist, creating pieces in home décor that match
individual tastes and requirements the term
Bespoke Luxury speaks to me.

 Besides the perfect fit, there is a story, a soul and a sense of pride and joy
in the collaborative process for my clients and myself. 

 The credenza (above) was designed for clients in Flagstaff, AZ.
The log home is nestled in aromatic pines.
Contemporary art, as well as, western furniture and accents with
Pendleton rugs and Molesworth furniture makes this oasis cozy and warm.
The Warhol was the inspiration for the texture I carved on the doors.
Diamond shaped door pulls emulate the rugs design,
I inlaid 65 large turquoise stones and
filled carved channels with smaller ones. 
Laborious and worth it !

 Integrating art and furniture in distinctive ways that makes a statement
and perfectly complements your personality and style.…
Is that Life changing??

Yep!

Til next time,
Andrea

 

Art and Function at Forre Fine Art in Aspen, CO

Whew!!!!!
The summer in Aspen is over-the-top and filled with more events in one night,
than some people have in a year.
I was so thrilled to have an opening reception for my new work
at Forre Fine Art in the peak of the season.

“Journey’s end in lover’s meeting.”
-William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night

I start with a passage, quote or idea of what I want to say.
The first series was inspired by literary quotes that speak to me ..... 

I then reinterpret the verbiage visually in another context or time period.
Hand-painted realism or illustrated pop images are combined
with loose energetic overlays of color and words.

More hand painting in a graffiti style
with splatters and scrapes adds more expression.
Several pieces are going once.
The energy flows from one to another with many layers
until each one is balanced and speaks to the original concept.

Creating this work for a functional form
asks the viewer to look at everyday objects as a statement
and another way to incorporate art in a purposeful use. 

With many pieces heading to their new homes :) and commissions in place,
I have more to explore and say in this realm, The studio is cleaned up and ready.

To see more of the pieces from the show
CLICK HERE

Til next time,
xx
Andrea