11 Mar From the Editor: Settling in

In this issue of WA&A, a statement that stood out to me came from artist Lee Andre: “We live in a fast-paced, attention demanding, disposable world. My intent is to produce work that counters these aspects of modern life,” (“Auction Block”).

For me, this statement served as a reminder that the creative arts offer opportunities to slow down, contemplate, and appreciate their effort and effect. When we view a painting or stand in a building and observe the lines, colors, narratives, historical context, or technicality, it brings us to the present moment, catching our attention for a few seconds, if not for an entire lifetime. 

In this issue, and in others, I often discover that sense of quiet. Take, for example, artist Ron Hicks. In addition to his work, his process gives reason to pause and think about the benefits of collaboration (“Momentum”). Through experimentation, he landed somewhere new, uniting his knowledge of portraiture with an abstract approach. Now, his work offers both the emotion of personalities, and of color, ambiguous shape, and movement.

Artist Patrick Dougherty, meanwhile, decided on tree saplings for his medium of choice. And when we interact with his large, site-specific installations, we exit our daily lives and enter imaginary landscapes, perhaps considering nature as art for the first time (“From Saplings to Sculpture”).

History, especially history that continues to influence modernity, also deserves reflection. During the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus, we revisit its influence that spread across the globe (“Rendering”). And as the Bauhaus emphasized a functional approach to art and design, Charles and Ray Eames made it mainstream. Writer Kathy Chin Leong looks at the Eameses’ lasting impact and interviews their grandchildren for a deeper understanding of their prolific careers (“The Eames Legacy”). 

Architecture can be subtle or overt, but it is certainly “felt” when one enters a space. In this issue, the homes featured feel like extensions of Wyoming and Arizona. And each design improves the homeowners’ daily lives. 

Today, as technology moves us along at a fast, if not frenzied, pace, it seems even more important to stop and appreciate the stillness that a painting or structure can offer. Even just for a lingering moment.