Painting and Perception with Artist Lina Tharsing
With a portfolio consisting primarily of painted works, Kentucky-based artist Lina Tharsing demonstrates a propensity for creating dreamy compositions that exist somewhere in-between realism and surrealism
With a portfolio consisting primarily of painted works, Kentucky-based artist Lina Tharsing demonstrates a propensity for creating dreamy compositions that exist somewhere in-between realism and surrealism.
Taking inspiration from sources including antique books, anatomical drawings, botanical illustrations and Life magazines from the 40s and 50s, Lina’s works engage with a variety of themes and ideas including nature, the loss of it, and the intersection between imagination and reality.
Exemplifying her ability to decontextualize and reconstruct situations in her work, the artist’s recent series Making a New Forest is based on a collection of old photographs depicting the construction of displays and dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History; going beyond the immediate suggestions of reconstruction of a destroyed environment that the paintings connote, Lina’s works also address the complexities of perception, inviting the viewer to look through a window onto other worlds and landscapes, across place and time, and to find their own truths:
“My paintings, like the dioramas that inspired them, manipulate our perception of reality and force us to question our own place within the confines of time and space.”
Also remarkable are some of the artist’s early mixed media works, such as the visually engaging series Collages compiled out of old polaroid photographs; the series Walgreens Film Camera demonstrates Lina’s ability to capture moments in time, the images containing much more than what is visible at first glance, alive with unknown possibilities that speak to each viewer individually.
Named a superstar of Southern art by Oxford American in 2012, Tharsing’s work has been shown widely across the South-Eastern United States; she continues to live and work in Kentucky, with some of her recent work including collaboration with the Lexington Art League community supported art project.
Named a superstar of Southern art by Oxford American in 2012, Tharsing’s work has been shown widely across the South-Eastern United States; she continues to live and work in Kentucky, with some of her recent work including collaboration with the Lexington Art League community supported art project.
Is it fashion or fruit? The story behind footwear brand Guava
Portuguese footwear line, Guava lends its inspiration from CEO and Creative Director’s, Ines Caleiro’s, passion for architectural shapes - fittingly the name was coined after Caleiro’s favourite fruit.
By Alyss Bowen
Portuguese footwear line, Guava lends its inspiration from CEO and Creative Director’s, Ines Caleiro’s, passion for architectural shapes - fittingly the name was coined after Caleiro’s favourite fruit.
Based in Oslo, Norway, Caleiro started her love affair with shoes whilst attending London College of Fashion, where she was invited to work with Jimmy Choo after winning ‘Best Student Award’. Guava was born in the USA in 2010, when Caleiro’s former boss advised her to turn a shoe-obsession into reality and start a footwear brand – after spotting Caleiro obsessively drawing shoes on every piece of paper available.
Coming from a graphic and product design background, and having extensive experience in creative areas, such as fashion and interiors, served Caleiro well when forming Guava. Driven by the emotions behind vibrant colours and asymmetries; its designs are a ‘fusion of a geometric seduction.’ The statement block heel is not only a piece art-wear for your footwear, but calculated so precisely it would be impossible to take a tumble whilst wearing these urban designs.
Priding themselves on utilising modern technologies, while still holding onto an artesian feel, Guava shoes are a quality product. Each piece is hand crafted by a team of dedicated artisans, whose refined skills enable them to create detailed, delicate shoes that embody an original vision and fresh design concept.
Guava is not only a colourful unique experience with a niche concept; they only use sustainable materials such as; bio leather and rubber made from recycled materials. The Guava team work closely on all aspects of the manufacturing, to ensure they produce a product that is creatively distinctive and environmentally green. As idea that stemmed from a love for fruit, Guava is ultimately for people who want to experiment with contemporary detailed and innovative footwear.