Friday Faves: It’s Like High School Without the Bad Hair

‘Tis a new year and with that comes all sorts of lists documenting the good, the bad and the ugly from the past 12 months.  While there’s certainly no bad or ugly here at Artsy Forager, I thought it would be a kick to award our featured art some high schoolish superlatives.  Put your mittens on your kittens and away we go!

BEST DRESSED:  Kelly Reemsten

Holding Your Attention by Kelly Reemsten, oil on panel, 36x36 ( via Skidmore Contemporary )

CUTEST COUPLE:  Maggie Taylor

Ever After by Maggie Taylor, pigmented digital print, 15x15

BEST HAIR:  Robin Williams

Tired Prince by Robin Williams

MOST THOUGHTFUL:  Susan Hall

Peace by Susan Hall, oil on panel, 27x27

LIFE OF THE PARTY:  Sarah Ashley Longshore

Last Call by Sarah Ashley Longshore, acrylic on canvas with high gloss resin 48x60 ( via Gallery Orange )

MOST ATHLETIC: Eric Zener

Love by Eric Zener, oil on canvas, 14x11

BIGGEST FLIRT:  Deborah Scott

The Girl Would Believe Anything by Deborah Scott, oil and mixed media on canvas

BEST SMILE:  Ann Marshall

Ba. by Ann Marshall, graphite on paper, 20x14

MOST LIKELY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD:  Steve Williams

Taxicab Situation with Counterfeit Results, mixed media, 48x48

Were you awarded a superlative in high school?  Let me guess, Most Creative? 🙂  Have a great weekend, Artsies!

Featured image is Books by Holly Farrell, acrylic and oil on masonite.  All images are via the artist’s websites, unless otherwise stated.

Playing Dress Up: Robin Williams

I find myself continually drawn to artists who realistically paint the human figure, but reimagine it in unique ways.  ( see:  Deborah Scott, Susan Hall, Jeff Whipple & so many more I’ve yet to share with you ).  So it goes without saying that the work of New York based painter Robin Williams ( no, not THAT Robin Williams ) got me really excited.

Party Hat by Robin Williams

You know I love work that’s just a little bit cheeky.  Williams’ paints scenes from childhood imaginations & experiences and portraits of figures dressed up in a stunning array of absurd costumes.  Her wide-eyed, willowy figures have a Norman Rockwell-ish timelessness to them.  But Williams invests in her gawky, pre-pubescent figures a darkness and absurdity missing from Rockwell’s happy-go-lucky world.

Ornamented Boy by Robin Williams

Her portrait figures pose stiffly in outlandish costumes and headresses, seemingly unsure of how they found themselves in such a situation.  Perhaps speaking to how we begin as wide-eyed children, but as we grow into adults, we find ourselves wearing the most ridiculous costumes in order to appear to fit into someone else’s conception of who we are.

Flower Cap by Robin Wiliams

Other figures find themselves in the midst of a preposterous scene, almost like a dream of a childhood memory.. the way we remember places and events from childhood in a more fantastical, exaggerated way.

Swoon At The Water Pump by Robin Williams

Tired Prince by Robin Williams

The portraits, for me, especially convey that feeling of what it was like to be a kid full of energy and vitality only to be forced to sit still, whether in school, church, etc.  That feeling of a corralled hurricane, just waiting to break free of the constraints being forced upon us.  On second thought, you don’t have to be a child to feel that way, do you?

Collar On Boy by Robin Williams

Please visit Robin Williams’ website to see more of her work online.

The featured image is titled Yellow Hat.  All images courtesy of the artist’s website.