Matthew Cusick

I came across this guy's stuff the other day - and it's really stuck with me. Matthew Cusick explores a world of multimedia work, and has a slick and impressive style that I find quite delicious :) His material choices span video/sound installation, collage, acrylic paint & found objetcs.
I make collage/mixed media work myself, so when I find other artists whose work inspires me I love to keep a record of it.

Matthew Cusick 'Fiona's Wave' 2005 - inlaid maps & acrylic on panel

I love the textural quality here, and the palette ranges from an earthy burnt orange to the lightest sea-spray blue.

Cusick was born in New York & graduated from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art, in 1993. Since then he has exhibited widely on both sea-boards of the U.S. He has also been the recipient of a number of awards & scholarships - in addition to undertaking residencies. He is currently completing an MA at Meadows School of the Arts, SMU in Texas.

i ii 

 i:  'p14 (passage)' - defaced book page  ii:  'And So It Is' - defaced book page 

I'm a big fan of Re-appropriation :) There is something so captivating about the simplicity of taking a pre-existing object, and presenting it again in an alternative context. 

These are from Matthew's 'Defacement' Series, 2010 at the Free Museum Dallas, Texas. 

His description for the process he constructs for these works to undergo is, "Pages from old school books that are altered by sanding and scraping away everything except the page number, an illustration and a few chosen words".

Matthew Cusick 'Course of Empire (Mixmaster 2)', 2006 - Inlaid Maps, acrylic on panel

I think 'Course of Empire' is one of my favourite from this 'Map Works' Series - and at 48x78 inches it is quite a grand size! I would love to see a show if his work - but according to his C.V, he is at present yet to exhibit this side of the Atlantic. 

Here is a great example of Cusick's video installation work: http://mattcusick.com/video--/file-on-motor-transgression - I'd be really interested to see this.

I love it! :) What do you think...?

Matthew Cusick is represented by the Pavel Zoubok Gallery, New York NY. 

All images shown here are courtesy of www.mattcusick.com 

Free Form Jewellery

I taught myself to make jewellery - mostly with wires & beads - in 2009. I had recently returned to Co. Donegal in Ireland, where winters are exceedingly grey and grim. It rains non-stop and can get you feeling rather blue...so it is imperative to distract yourself until Spring with something shiny and cheery!

I had some basic materials to play with and got to grips with it fairly quickly. Really - the best way to learn is to get it wrong. Over and over ;)

So, here are a few examples of some crocheted wire & beaded jewellery I made...

This was made with assorted Red/Purple/Pink Glass Seed Beads & Silver Plate Wire

Earrings - Made with Sterling Silver Earwire Findings

Spring has definitely sprung in my shady little city garden here in Brighton :)

My Cabbages from last year held on in there! 

Some of these beads were found on my travels through Thailand in 2009...It was fun playing with different sized/weighted beads - this "sits" quite nicely when worn... (cue some blurry late-night & hastily posed shots..!)

The gorgeous Bird Garland in the background was a present from my English Mummy from the treasure trove - The Golden Goose in Frome, Somerset :) 

I really enjoy the tactile element of crocheting with wire. These are made with simple Chain Stitches, then re-crocheted together - you thread on your selected beads at the beginning, so it's nice to arrange them in different ways. Of course, I do these in a rather free-flow (some might say "sloppily" ...ahem...) fashion, so they never really come out symmetrical. I think this gives the pieces quite an organic, natural appearance... at the risk of sounding like a t*t.

as always...

All Commissions Welcome!

:)

Turquoise Beads bought from the beautiful Miss Anchali in Chiang Mai, Thailand - a lovely woman with a JAW DROPPING shop of gemstones and jewels!

Thanks for looking, Yay for Spring! x

Where have all the posts gone!?

Twice since Xmas I have attempted to upload a post; and twice since Xmas it DISAPPEARED! There I was, happily typing away... when suddenly everything just literally was gone. No amount of "Back"-ing "Undo"-ing, (swearing or huffing, either for that matter...) could bring 'em back. Ho Hum. 1st world problems, eh?