I started the ArtFoodHome.com daily (now 4 times/week) blog 1/1/11 (easy to remember, right?) and have kept it going since then. Come back each day - I share with you:
ART: featured artists, art events, workshops, etc.
FOOD: recipes, restaurants, and good finds along the way
HOME: house plans, home design, places here in Charleston...
On year 14 of artfoodhome.com - share this site with anyone who you think might enjoy it!
I met the neatest artist the other day. This guy is going places. Fast. His name is Isaiah Ratterman. He is a outstanding painter and photographer. I thought “Death Before the Butterfly” was a brilliant painting with such a clever title. It made me smile. I’m happy to know that the little green men’s bullets can’t really shoot… therefore NO BUTTERFLY WAS HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS PAINTING, hee hee.
This is a painting of absolute beauty. Isaiah executed it so elegantly, the bottom koi seems to be dancing in the water, while the koi at the top of the painting seems to be in an elegant drift. Gorgeous! Different. Thought provoking. I look forward to watching for more of Isaiah’s work. He is one to keep an eye on! If you’re in the Charleston, SC area, you can see Isaiah’s work in person at Galerie on Broad! He’s got one piece there now and more on the way!
Did I mention that Isaiah is a nice guy on top of it? Modest, interesting, talented, and he truly loves art and it shows!
Isaiah Ratterman is an artist who is committed to working from life. He holds a MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and is currently living and working in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Artist Statement:
I hold a reverence for the Romantic painters of the past, however their ethos has been replaced in our age of excess, leaving a need for our relationship to the landscape to be redefined. Through the landscape, I find a narrative that questions the primacy of Necessity based upon my own travels. Experiences under these circumstances become important and fulfilling, offering a brief glimpse into a deeper meaning of Being. Thoughts are not processed within the moment, but collected and decrypted afterwards. My paintings act as a way of deciphering the felt experiences I hold so close.
All images via IsaiahRatterman.com – Used with permission from the artist… Note: the photograph above was taken by Isaiah. Amazing work!
I tend to be persnickety about my coffee. I don’t like it weak and I don’t like it old… I’m ok if it’s hot or not, but old coffee (you know, when you put cream in and it turns gray, eeeeeek!). I will avoid that like the plague. So every morning when the coffee finishes brewing, I pour it into a thermos (that has been preheated with boiling water). Now, you would think, that adding boiling water day after day would keep coffee from sticking to the sides of the thermos, wouldn’t you?
Well one morning, I went to rinse my thermos and it poured a ton of what looked like coffee grounds into the sink. WHAT?!?!?! So I put boiling water and soap and everything else I could try… nothing worked. It’s a tall narrow thermos, so there is no way to reach down into it. Haven’t I read something about baking soda I thought to myself? Hmmm,, well, let’s see… add boiling water about 3/4 full, because I was unsure what would happen once I added baking soda… I added 2 Tablespoons of baking soda and it start to expand. I put the top on and gave it a GENTLE SHAKE (with a towel over the top, just because I could almost feel the pressure, which kind of scared me…). I couldn’t easily unscrew the top…. hmmm, OK, better wait until it calms down before I try again. I left it alone for 4-5 hours, maybe even longer than that. When I poured it out, it looked like the strongest coffee on the planet. At first I thought AHHHHH! Pouring out good coffee?? Nope, all the black stuff on the sides of the thermos that build up over time… are now… tada….
G O N E ! ! !
Like brand new!!
Just BE CAREFUL with the boiling water! I just gave this a whirl and it worked, but I’m no expert! Did I just get lucky this one time?
Caesar Citraro is an artist (actually when you read below you’ll see that he’s a painter, printer and bookmaker)! His paintings are absolutely gorgeous! The soft blues and yellow’s make this painting above such an eye catching piece. The subtle nuances in the water add such interest. I really want to be wherever this is, sitting on the edge of the water, watching the day go by…
How is this for a dramatic painting? I grew up loving weather… loving storms. This painting is a fabulous depiction! You know how some storms can get so dark and wicked, yet bits of light shine through. Stunning!
Caesar lives in Michigan now, a state I grew up in. He is represented by Elizabeth Pollie Fine Art, a wonderful gallery in Harbor Springs, MI. Elizabeth is a wonderful artist herself, and her gallery is a collection of some of the very best artists. Check out the gallery if you’re in the area, or check it out online! I have heard nothing but great things about Caesar, and I see why!
I am a painter, printer and bookmaker who has dedicated my career to making and preserving works of art. Shortly after receiving my BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1986, I went to Chicago to further my career as an artist. I became an employee of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1987 and worked as a conservation technician in the Department of Prints and Drawings. During my tenure at the museum I had ample opportunity to explore the various collections that have informed my art making from my earliest days in Chicago. I studied traditional bookbinding methods; the materials and techniques used in medieval manuscript cuttings and volumes, and was inspired by the many exemplars that surrounded me on a daily basis. Some of my earliest work includes a number of reliquary boxes and books that are embellished in a manner that evokes the bejeweled covers of medieval books, their worn leather and time stained pages. My painting techniques were fashioned after the earliest masters of panel painting with their smooth translucent surfaces, rich colors, and incised details.
My career at the Art Institute also afforded the opportunity to travel the globe to places as far reaching as Japan and New Zealand where I was inspired by the flora indigenous to these places. The paintings that followed contained biomorphic and organic forms derived from nature, but not of this world. My painted world was one of pure imagination where tentacles, thorns, and vines intertwined. My materials included wax, colored pencils, and oils that were applied to smooth, gessoed-wood panels. My techniques included rubbing and burnishing these surfaces, incising them, and adding more colored media into the incised lines to create multi-layered images.
More recently, my relocation from Chicago to Petoskey Michigan in 2008 inspired another stylistic turn in my work. Now, I take a broader view of my surroundings and have shifted from painting the minutia of nature to painting broad expanses of land and the flora contained therein. I concern myself with the play of light through trees, across rolling hills, or on groups of leaves, branches, and even single pinecones. Small elements of the abstracted, biomorphic forms found in earlier work are subtly incorporated into these works from time to time, yet the imagery remains solidly rooted in the real world.
“The lush farmlands and mysterious forests near my home captivate me. The beauty and visual diversity in this area are amazing to me and I feel the need to somehow convey that in my art.”
I was represented by Gary Marks Gallery in Chicago. My books were shown at SOFA Chicago in 1992. I have paintings, books, and reliquaries held in a number of private collections. Most recently, my paintings have been included in four group exhibitions in 2010, Four Group exhibitions and one solo exhibition in 2011, at Three Pines Studio, Michigan.
In 2012 I was a featured artist in the Exhibition “as small as a world and as large as alone” at the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey Michigan.
Currently, I am represented by Huey’s Fine Art, Santa Fe NM& Elizabeth Pollie Fine Art, Harbor Springs MI
I was born in Cleveland, Ohio and presently reside in Petoskey, Michigan.
Fred and I have been so fortunate to always have such fabulous weather when we visit Monhegan. This wonderful Maine island that sits off the coast is so special in every single way. What makes it so beautiful (other than the surroundings)? The everyday things, from the stacked lobster traps to the colorful clothes on the line blowing in the wind.
If you’ve never been to Botany Bay (near Edisto, SC), you don’t know what you’re missing! Beautiful beach, grand old oak trees that form a canopy over the road and are a sanctuary to many birds (and snakes)… beauty everywhere!
Have a great weekend and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!
Patriot by Charles Movalli Private Collection Image: Bayview Gallery
I’m quite positive I’ve mentioned this painting by Charles Movalli in a past post… I still remember walking into Bayview Gallery in Camden, Maine – looking where there were several large Charles Movalli paintings, each so very stunning. This man is talented beyond belief. I would love to meet him one day, he looks like such a cool guy. Whenever talking with other art loving people, if you mention his name, EVERYONE agrees that he is awesome in every single way. As an artist, as a speaker, as a person. You just can’t get any better than that!
Isn’t this just the best place ever? Monhegan is stunning and beautiful and when you step off the boat this is what you see. The Island Inn sits regally at the top of the hill. It’s worth the climb, trust me! If you’ve never been to Monhegan before, it’s a treat. It isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for a golf course or a mall or to spend time watching TV, this is not the place for you. If you would like to see unspeakable beauty, meet some of the coolest people (other guests who come year after year quickly become like family) and taste some fabulous food, this is your place!
Catch you back here tomorrow! Back to my normal posts next week!
I must have Monhegan on my mind! This quaint island in Maine is just so very special. I wonder how many people it affects this way? You don’t have to live there for you to feel a deep connection. Weird but true! This is a shot taken leaving on the boat headed towards Monhegan (about 10 miles off the coast). This is Port Clyde General Store/Dip Net Restaurant, located in none other than, Port Clyde, Maine. Another fabulous place. This is also one of my very favorite places!
Catch you back here tomorrow! Back to my normal posts next week! The boss (me) gave me the week off, hee…
Stunning isn’t it? It would be nice to be in a boat on the water zooming around under the most gorgeous sunset ever! I am going to pretend to do that over the next few days, so please enjoy some of my favorite photos… and I’ll be back to my normal posts next week.
Where is the most beautiful sunset that you’ve experienced??
Day off for me so I’m treating you to a glimpse of Mackinac Island, MI. It’s a place we used to go as kids. I loved it then and I love it now. There is just nothing like getting on that ferry and heading to the island! No cars, just horses, fudge, bikes, stunning views and peace and quiet!
Catch you back here tomorrow! F L A S H B A C K !
O A K S T E A K H O U S E C H A R L E S T O N , S C
Have you been to Oak Steakhouse in Charleston, SC? I have not, but I can smell the wonderful aromas billowing out of the building. It makes me hungry! Ha ha… It’s definitely on our ever growing list of restaurants in Charleston to try! Have you been?
Oak Steakhouse is located on Broad Street. There are many wonderful galleries to check out on your way to dinner! Be sure to check them out!
Here’s a link to Oak’s menu… everything sounds fabulous!!
John David Wissler… WOW! His work is so incredible, especially if you love these types of views, which I do! This, to me, is SO MAINE. The water is fabulous with the island in the distance. Can’t you feel the movement? I love how it’s kind of abstract closer to the shore. WONDERFUL!
Setting on the Western Way by JD Wissler 18 x 37″ Oil on Panel – Image: LancasterGalleries.com
There are plenty more where this came from. JD has a great collection of paintings, each as fabulous as the next! It was torture trying to pick only two, please go check them out!
“My passion has always been the landscape. I feel a sense of history when painting… the painters I admire and study, Corot, Constable, Turner, Inness, Bonard, Resika…the history of the land itself and my own familiar connection to it. Painting comes through the study of nature…transformed, not merely copied. Seeing the immediacy of the place…what strikes me first. The way trees react to fields, colour to colour, shape to shape…pushing and pulling the plastic nature of the picture plane, creating believable space.
I find the challenge of using what I have observed, taking it to my studio, and creating a new painting invigorating. Drawing upon the memory of place and experience…using the language I have learned from nature, trying to keep the painting fresh…space, clarity, surprise…that’s painting!” – John David Wissler
Spartina Cottage designed by Allison Ramsey Architects (C0511)
Well, it’s officially summer in the South and it’s hot, hot, hot… It would be nice to have a break from the sun (something you would never hear me say in January/February). The porches on this house would really help keep that stifling heat at bay, at least keep the sun from shining directly in the windows! The Spartina Cottage is a great plan by Allison Ramsey Architects. It measures about 1,663 square feet of living space with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A great house for two people or a small family!
Great porches on both the back and the front of the house = FABULOUS! Bedrooms on the left, living space on the right, and bathrooms in the center, which comes in handy for a tornado watch! I would probably make “Bedroom Two” a study, a place to read and relax… It’s a great smaller plan, which I happen to like. When Fred retires we don’t want big…
What are your thoughts on this plan? What kind of plan are you on the lookout for? I’m happy to help you look! Big, small, cottage, modern, traditional, under 2,000, over 3,000 square feet?? Let me know!
Jeffrey Hein‘s work blows me away! Just look at this painting! Doesn’t she look like she could walk right off the canvas? Her beautiful hair against that dark background is a stunner! All of Jeffrey’s paintings are equally as incredible. I remember seeing another painting of this woman, JoAnn… here it is below… the painting below is sold, but the painting above is available! Just contact the artist! Of course Jeff paints other subjects, but I am just captivated by the way he has painted JoAnn!
JoAnn by Jeffrey Hein (SOLD)
The way JoAnn is looking right into your eyes is very soulful. I want to know more about her. Don’t you get that feeling?
If you are an artist looking to take a workshop, check out the Teaching and Workshop section of Jeffrey’s website!
Jeffrey Hein was born in 1974 in New Windsor, NY. Despite knowing early that he was interested in art, he had little exposure to it as a youth. His education was limited to numerous drawings of his childhood teachers on his schoolbook covers and on backs of handouts. After only one year of schooling, Hein left to serve a 2 year mission for his church. His missionary work ended prematurely when he was diagnosed with cancer. He battled for about a year and a half before he could return to ‘normal life.’ “After that I dated my wife for about six months in New York while I got ready for school and to come out here to do who knows what. I knew I wanted to do art; but I had no money so it was kind of, what next? So I got married and moved out here” Hein says of his move to Salt Lake City, UT. Hein believes his life experiences have helped him to reach his goals as an artist and have inspired much of his work. He completed his study at the University of Utah in 2002, and has been painting professionally and teaching ever since. Hein has been invited to participate in a variety of international shows and has been written up in numerous newspapers and national magazines. It is very rare for an artist to have both great talent and meaningful content at such an early stage in his promising career. In 2007 he opened the Hein Academy, a small atelier inspired school devoted to academic training. Hein currently lives and works in Salt Lake City with his wife and three children. He is devoted to continual growth as an artist and when not spending time with family he works in his downtown studio where he divides his time between painting, teaching, drawing, sculpting, and filmmaking. “Humanity today is one with, enhanced through, and distorted by innovation and I have embraced modernism and classicism in order to capture this complete modern picture. My goal is also to show the relevance of both classical and abstract art in the modern world by creating work that clearly demonstrates a harmony between them.” – Jeff Hein
All images via JeffHein.com – used with permission from the artist…
ARTFOODHOME.COM 