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Saturday, August 08, 2009

Gallery Outing! (Eric Fortune & Nicoletta Ceccoli)

Today I got to meet up with a lovely art friend of mine who lives in Seattle and together we ventured off to see the current (and entirely sold out!) show at the eclectic Roq La Rue Gallery-

(Look at this fun space- Black floors and ceilings. Indian themed cut-outs. Crystal chandeliers.)

There was an entire wall devoted to new pieces by Italian illustrator Nicoletta Ceccoli. I first saw some of her work at the Bologna Children's Fair a couple of years ago. These were even more impressive.

Every piece was like a finely finely rendered pale pastel confection of fantastical imagery... They were absolutely beautiful.

In the back corner were these large breathtaking pieces by Eric Fortune.

I've seen his pieces in print and online, but that totally does not do them justice. They are so incredibly soft, textural and nuanced in person. (We spent a long time looking). His website describes his work thusly:

Packed with emotional nuances he creates soft yet riveting lighting and atmosphere. With uncompromising patience and discipline he slowly builds up his luminous characters and worlds until they radiate life.

And so what sometimes seems to be a simple image to the viewer becomes richer and richer as he or she becomes increasingly entranced by the emotional presences within the art. A true original, Fortune is emerging as a subtle yet powerful artistic voice.

All true. He shows several of these pieces in progress on his blog. The hours and painstakingly sensitive labor that go into them are immediately apparent in person.

And you can see nice, clear shots of all the pieces in this gorgeous show here.

And to top all that huge visual treat off, we indulged in a bit of the burgeoning market of gourmet cupcakes of awesomeness! Wow! I've heard about these specialty stores-of-tastebud-delight, but I've never really been a huge cupcake fan. Until now. I tried a Mexican chocolate, and a Lavender flavored mini cake. I think I may have actually swooned...

Thanks Rebecca for an completely delicious afternoon.

8 comments:

Gretel said...

That faint green you can see glowing on the horizon is my envy...

d. moll, l.ac. said...

The perfect day......

natural attrill said...

I love Nicolletta's work, and the gallery looks fantastic, wow!
Penny.

Helen/Spike and Drusilla OK Citizens said...

What a wonderful day!

Maren said...

I wonder how many points those cupcakes are worth. I think that way any time I see something indulgent.

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

What a fantastic exhibit. Thanks for sharing your lovely excursion - now what about those cupcakes! :)

Anonymous said...

How fun! I would love to see both artists in a gallery setting. You're right, pictures don't do justice to artwork. I've added them to my favorites so I can explore.

The Art of Kim Kincaid said...

You lucky lady. I have been a fan of Eric's for some time. His acrylic technique is amazing in its delivery. I noticed he has started offering prints to buy. Your outings are so fun to read about and very interesting. Thank you for sharing.