Monday, January 27, 2014

Mineralogy

Crystals, minerals and gems have been a recurring theme in a lot of contemporary art and culture of late. This is a round up of some of those mineral inspired items that have caught my eye. You see minerals in art like the spectacular paintings by Carly Waito previously covered by magpie&whiskeyjack. You can also find artist-made minerals in all sorts of media.

http://ashleyzangle.com/index.php?/work/bubble-bath-pours/
Ashley Zangle, detail of bubble bath pour

http://ashleyzangle.com/index.php?/work/bubble-bath-pours/
Ashley Zangle, Nine Pours Spring: 2012, 44 x 60"

Ashley Zangle uses bubble bath and ink on paper to capture and sculpture the multifarious look of minerals.

http://ashleyzangle.com/index.php?/work/bubble-bath-pours/
Studio installation by Ashley Zangle
http://ashleyzangle.com/
Ashley Zangle




Rocks and minerals show up in the collages of collections by Amber Ibarreche.


Gemz, collage by Amber Ibarreche

Keetra Dean Dixon and JK Keller produced a series of layed wax sculptures with embedded text which look like giant mineral specimens.


Layered Wax Type: Become; in orange, Detail. 24" x 13" x 7", 
wax, acrylic paint and foam, 2009
by Keetra Dean Dixon and JK Keller

Layered Wax Type: Become; in orange, 24" x 13" x 7", wax, acrylic paint and foam, 2009
by Keetra Dean Dixon and JK Keller


Layered Wax Type: Become; in orange, Detail. 24" x 13" x 7", 
wax, acrylic paint and foam, 2009
by Keetra Dean Dixon and JK Keller
Tabirtha Bianca Brown, or thepairabirds, has some great mineral and gem prints on Etsy.

http://prf.hn/click/camref:10l3tr/pubref:pairabirds/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fca%2Flisting%2F75327694%2Fsoft-rock-geometric-facet-art-print
Soft Rock Geometric Facet Art Print by thepairabirds

http://prf.hn/click/camref:10l3tr/pubref:pairabirds/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fca%2Flisting%2F70496304%2Famethyst-geometric-facet-art-print
Amethyst, Geometric Facet Art Print by thepairabirds

Lindsay Jones has a whole mineral calendar.

http://prf.hn/click/camref:10l3tr/pubref:lindsayjones/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fca%2Flisting%2F119327704%2F2014-minerals-calendar
2014 Minerals Calendar by shoplindsayjones

David Scheirer has a great print of a rock collection watercolour.

http://prf.hn/click/camref:10l3tr/pubref:studiotuesday/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fca%2Flisting%2F158085828%2Frock-mineral-collection-art-print-8x10
Rock mineral collection by studiotuesday

I love the more stylized illustrations of crystals and minerals by Ryan Putnam too.

Ryan Putnam, crystals and minerals

I myself have begun making linocuts on Japanese kozo paper with iridescent chine colle of different minerals.

Quartz linocut by minouette


Minerals show up in fashion, like this 'Mineralogy' scarf by Charlotte Linton:

'Mineralogy' scarf by Charlotte Linton
Or more photorealistic silk scarves with photos from Jen Altman's Gem and Stone:

 

https://www.cisthene.com/products/dry_goods/CIS004.html
Labradorite scarf, photo by Jen Atlman

You even see minerals in street art, like the fabulous paper and resin 3D 'urban geode' works by Paige Smith of A Common Name.

http://acommonname.com/street-art-project/
A Common Name, Geode #3, DTLA 

A Common Name, Geode #10, Arts District
A Common Name, Geode #33, Uluwatu

Perhaps the most unexpected and delightful medium is soap!

http://prf.hn/click/camref:10l3tr/pubref:amethystsoap/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fca%2Flisting%2F63222747%2F2-oz-soapamethyst-crystal-soap

2 oz. Soap/Amethyst Crystal Soap by amethystsoap


2 comments:

  1. These are all too cool, but those "urban geodes" take the cake. #3 looks so much like iron pyrite...!

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    Replies
    1. Amazing what she can do with paper, isn't it? I'd love to stumble upon one of the urban geodes. They are in several cities now!

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