Lost & Found Fine Art Book

10/27/2024

Olive harvest time in northern CA. It came almost a month early this year, and what a beautiful crop. I love harvest time - grapes, walnuts, olives, figs....there is a Zen calmness to the ritual. Pick, clean, age, store....blessed by the abundance!

Thanks John at Sun Hawk Farms for the rockin tree!

09/19/2024

Just completed 'Fiores di Pianoforte'. At 44", the keys and hammers are from an 1891 Weber grand piano.

In viewing the extreme use of the black keys, one can tell that this piano was played A LOT, mostly by hobbyists, blues or jazz cats or someone who at times aggressively got their ya-yas out.

One piano at a time, that didn't end up in the dump and had another life.

, , , , , , ,

09/19/2024

Our featured book artist Sean O'Donnell Artworks will also be exhibiting work at Arc Studios & Gallery during SF Open Studios October 4-6, 2024!

09/19/2024

If you are in the SF Bay Area be sure to visit our featured book artist Dianne Hoffman Art at Arc Studios & Gallery during their Open Studio events the first weekend of October.

09/14/2024

In posting this again, I could use some help in naming this new piece. Sometimes I have a vision for what a sculpture can be, which was the case with this one, but over the weeks of putting it together, many names came and went. None stuck.

Suggestions welcomed.

, , , , , ,

09/13/2024

'Flat Earther Galliot'. This one took a while for all the parts to find their proper places.

"Look ma, it's a ship, it's a boat, it's a plane, it skates on flat surfaces, it's the ultimate yacht for flat Earthers.

, , , , , ,

09/08/2024

New piece 'Melodeon' inspired by the delightfully crafted keys from an 1850 Melodeon. On display at the Redwood Valley Savings Bank.

Pieces on it are vintage grand piano jacks, 1870's German regulating buttons, grand hammers, 1960's German harpsichord jacks, resistors, turquoise beads & 18th century Latin orbital map.

, , , ,

09/06/2024

Esther Siegel's new works currently displayed in the Redwood Valley Savings Bank. 'Adagio', 'Shift', 'The Wave' and 'The Wealth & Forces of Nature'.

09/03/2024

Harmony Gaits Outta the Box 'Assemblage Camp 12' 8/10/24

08/09/2024

'Cathartic Reckoning' is a psychodrama of my life currently.

As another life chapter turns over, new awarenesses come into focus. Ever increasing tinnitus moves into playing a lead role as my music career softly and quietly fades. The siren speaks on many levels, I listen.

Each section intimately interacts with the others, conveying history, stories, foibles, one's life journeys, and adventures.

45" x 32"

, , , ,

08/02/2024

07/11/2024

'Bird's Eye View' sold last month in it's first show in LA. It will be hung at Allegretto Vineyard Resort in Paso Robles. It was a large one at about 5' across.

The keys are from an 1838 English piano (rare as the keys were rounded instead of square), the pedal lyre was from an 1860's Steinway square grand piano, the top wood inlay was from an 1880's English Broadwood piano, the sun from an 1890's Knabe upright and the stereoscope from the 1890's as well. The brass (lightly polished) reeds were from 19th century pump organ.

I went through three sets of keys until this set worked. Wanting every part to synch with each other as well as possible, this piece was put together and taken apart over 20 times with changes each time.

07/05/2024

We will be hosting the 'Frame It' assemblage art show tonight at the Corner Gallery in Ukiah. Hope to see you there.

'Frame It' Article - TheThe Ukiah Daily Journalrk by the 18 artists of the Outta the Box Assemblage Camps
with Esther Siegel and Spencer Brewer
By Laura Fogg

Esther Siegel and Spencer Brewer have decided that it’s the right time, once again, to do a show of their assemblage students’ work in the front windows of the Corner Gallery. This year’s show, entitled “FRAME IT,” will be similar to the show they put together last summer, in that it will all be the results of the pair’s one-day assemblage workshops. However, this new show will be an entirely new group of students (with one exception) and entirely new pieces, almost all of which will be presented in some kind of frame.

Twenty students finished projects that they chose to submit for this show. A few of the students are professional artists, a couple are repeat students of Esther’s and Spencer’s, but most have never done art before. The newcomers have all fulfilled dreams that they could someday do something like this. Esther points out that it’s scary for some people to do art and show it for the first time, but that it’s a continuously fun and playful process for both the instructors and the students.

“Part of the fun,” Esther says, “is that what you make has never been made before. Unlike painting, where there are beautiful examples of almost everything that can be done, there is no expectation about the end product with this assemblage art form. So whatever you do is totally perfect… if you make it, you automatically love it.” She continues, “The students can pick any objects they like from our huge collection of stuff in our barn, and use it alone or combine it with family memorabilia or other personal objects to make something that is meaningful to them.”

“One woman,” Esther recounts, “came to the class with her 11-year-old granddaughter. They worked as a team, with the granddaughter making all the decisions and the grandmother supporting her by doing much of the actual assembling of elements. They brought materials from home, but ended up using mostly items in the barn that caught the granddaughter’s fancy. The girl was initially pretty shy but opened up with the playful quality of the process. The grandmother said it was one of the best experiences she has ever had with her granddaughter.”

Spencer and Esther plan to continue teaching these day-long assemblage classes. Having seen how rewarding it is when family members attend the class together, they especially encourage people to come as a family unit. It is a unique experience for couples, parents and kids, or grandparents and grandchildren. Information about upcoming classes can be found at www.harmonygaits.com.

The First Friday opening celebration for “FRAME IT” will be on July 5 from 5-8pm. Live music will be presented throughout the evening by Steve Winkle. The Corner Gallery is located at 201 S State Street in Ukiah.

06/28/2024

Larry Fuente, a wonderfully creative soul and one of a kind artist, just passed away. We all were blessed by the outta the box way he lived, created art and were lucky to include him as one of the 'Lost & Found' artists.... no one else like him!