Chie Hitotsuyama: Sculpting from Old Newspapers!

 

 

It never ceases to amaze me how artists can find art media in the humblest, most common of materials. This blog is about an artist who makes wonderful animal sculptures from tightly rolled newspaper strips. Her name is Chie Hitotsuyama (1982-) As a child, her family ran a paper mill and she was quite familiar with paper processing. 

 

 After graduating with a degree in design, Hitotsuyama began her artistic career as a two-dimensional illustrator. In time, she began to follow her interest in sculpture. She was so familiar with the way her family turned old or discarded newspapers into strips. That inspired her to take it a step further and and roll the strips into "strings."

Hitotsuyama figured out that by  bending and contouring the strings, the strings begin to take on the shape or form of an animal she had sketched. Her first completed newspaper-string figure was of a rhino.She would continue to build animals, including groupings, such as monkeys and walrus.

 

She finds so much inspiration in animal sculptures, to quote: "... I have continued to sculpt forms of animals and while doing so I have become acutely aware of the life force in all beings. I admire the animals I study. I am in awe of their strength and survival in unforgiving nature.”

Below more of her finished animals. Do you have a favorite?

(You can view her processes in online videos.)

Norman Garstin: The Irish Impressionist

 It seems that the Impressionist Movement traveled far and wide. Previously, I've posted about the Russian version. Today is about the Irish version as portrayed by Norman Garstin (1847-1946), who was born in County Limerick, Ireland.

Garstin finished college and worked at architecture and engineering for a bit when the travel bug got the best of him and he began his wandering. First, to South Africa where he worked in journalism with Cecil Rhodes. However, his interest in art and learning next took him to Antwerp, Paris, Spain, Morocco and Venice.

 

He eventually settled himself and his family in Newlyn, England. However, he continued to conduct teaching plein-air to student groups in his favorite European settings.  

Garstin's influences were not only Impressionism and plein-air, but also Japonisme along with many of the other Impressionists such as Van Gogh, Mary Cassatt and Claude Monet.

 

 

His reputation was as a stimulating teacher and shrewd critic with an eye for old architecture and historic atmosphere. As an Irishman, he had his share of intense impulsiveness and opinions on many topics, especially war. Now, that's the definition of a true paddy! 

Hagino Noriko: Rare Metal Sculpting

 

What artist can do with materials often seems like a magic show. That's exactly how I felt when I saw Hagino Noriko's (1949-Japan) works. 

 

At first glance, I thought that I was looking at blown glass or glazed ceramics. Neither could be further from what material Noriko used. These stunningly beautiful vases were made of metal!

 

 

After art school, Noriko apprenticed with a master of Hagiawase. Here's the description of the technique I found online: "A hammering technique whereby metals of different kinds are soldered together to form the body of the vessel. Joining of the metals is achieved by the use of ginro (lit. 'silver wax'), which is silver mixed with traces of brass."

 

Using the natural colors of the various metals - silver=white, copper=red and an alloy of gold & copper=a red-gold - as examples. Noriko uses the arduous process of hammering, forging and welding her works into the very fluid designs shown here.   

Noriko estimates that each of these unusual flowing metal art objects takes her about 6 months to complete.  They are so beautiful and precisely made that gallery prices are about $20K.

So, when I win the lottery... LOL!