steve mckenzie's art Archives | Page 2 of 2 |

Augusta Wilson, of Augusta Wilson Studio, is an artistic force to be reckoned with. And we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce you to her at an upcoming showcase of her fantastic artwork, as well as this “Who you NEED to Meet” blog post…

Augusta is a southerner through and through – she currently resides in nearby Decatur with her husband and baby son. But don’t let that southern charm dissuade you. Her art is the epitome of modern sophistication. The textures, colors and imaginatively fun focus of her art leave you wanting more.

We hope you’ll join us and experience the art of Augusta Wilson for yourself at her show in the steve mckenzie’s showroom this Friday, October 23 from 5-8pm. Until then, please enjoy getting to know Augusta a bit better and in her own words:

Augusta Wilson

sm’s: Can you please share a bit about your background/how you started Augusta Wilson Studio and how you gained the courage to break out on your own?

AW: I was raised in a creative environment in Mobile, Alabama—birthplace of Hank Aaron, West Indies Salad, and all fourteen of my first cousins. My mother is a graphic designer, and as the oldest of her four children I took after her creative tendencies. Growing up my siblings and I were always involved in her projects, whether it was a photo shoot for a magazine ad or mural for the Junior League fundraiser. In hindsight this ultimately had a huge impact on my career choice—I’ve always known I wanted a creative career that allowed me to spend time with my children.

Being the oldest of my family also meant I became fiercely independent—which holds pretty true today. I chose to get my undergraduate degree at the University of Georgia for three reasons: their art school seemed credible, Athens, GA was a good distance from Mobile, AL, and they had a study abroad program that would let me live in Italy for a summer. I knew one person the day I arrived and didn’t even tour the campus until orientation.

The first reason, UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art, is how I really got into painting. Painting had always come naturally to me, but I had never taken it seriously. It was pure hobby before college. I played around with different fields of study at Lamar Dodd—graphic design (you’re welcome, Mom), photography. It wasn’t until my sophomore year that my drawing instructor, Jen Bandini (who is an awesome painter in her own right—check our her blog, Escape to New York. So good), pointed out the gestural marks I was making. “You are such a painter”, she told me. At that moment it just clicked. I signed up for my first oil painting class the next quarter and never looked back.

I love a hypothetical question, especially at a dinner party (side note: I really just love a good dinner party!). My go-to hypotheticals are: “If money were no object, what would you do?” and the slightly more morbid, “If you could choose, what would you have for your last meal on Earth?” The answer to the first, for me, has always been that I would have my own painting studio at home and paint my days away.

Of course, starting my studio was not as ideal as money being no object for me (Far from it, in fact. I’m an artist, y’all!).  I’ve been painting on the side of my day job since college. When I was pregnant with my first child a couple of years ago, my creativity went through the roof. I had to paint everyday. I suddenly had so many more ideas for paintings and couldn’t wait to get them on the canvas. I started posting images of my daily (or really, nightly) paintings on Instagram, and my followers started buying them! There were some instances when I would get up early and finish a painting before going to my day job, post it on Instagram, and it would sell by lunchtime. It was incredible, and (obviously) a huge point of encouragement towards going full-time in my studio. I couldn’t help but think that if I were to put all of my efforts towards creating and marketing my work that this could be a viable source of income and creativity for my life.

The other point, unfortunately, was that my employer at the time was not encouraging of my pregnancy.  Of course, that’s a whole other story.  Nevertheless, I found myself thinking that (as naïve as it sounds) you do only live once. I wanted my child to be proud of the profession I had chosen, I wanted to be proud of the profession I had chosen, and I knew that my contentment with what I did for a living would translate towards his attitude in life.

I started my studio shortly after the birth of my son, and it’s been one of the most challenging and best decisions I’ve made. YOLO, y’all.

sm’s: What inspires you/your art?

I’m a painter’s painter. I love the texture of oil paint, the juiciness of it, the history of it.  I love the whole process of layering oil paint, finding the right medium to mix it with, finding ways to manipulate it. The paint in itself inspires me!

Painting too, of course, is also tightly entwined in history. I find that every mark I make or color I mix is reminiscent of those who have gone before me, and thus I’m constantly reminded of my own history. Inevitably, the South, my life, and the design world around me find their way into my paintings.

My current series for my Fall collection is inspired by approaching storms on Mobile Bay. Growing up in the hurricane target zone of Mobile, Alabama, the coming of Fall also meant the coming of storms. For those of us who grew up on the water, these storms hold tight to our memories. The salt in the air, the instantaneous dropping of temperature and sweeping of winds, were all a part of the sensory overload as we watched the horizon line disappear with the onslaught of rain. For me, these memories bring a sense of solitude, which I poured onto the canvases of this series.

sm’s: What is your vision, not only for Augusta Wilson Studio, but also the individual pieces you create?

I am interested in art that is both accessible and thought provoking. I want to bridge the gap between paintings that belong in MOMA and paintings that match your sofa. I believe you can have the best of both worlds.

sm’s: What’s on the horizon for Augusta Wilson Studio?

I’m currently working with a handbag designer in Indiana to create hand-painted leather clutches for the studio! I have a weakness for fashion, so this is a perfect blend of worlds for me. They’ll be ready in time for holiday season and available for purchase on my website as well as a handful of Atlanta retail locations. Stay tuned!

sm’s: As an artist/business person how do you recharge?

Painting/Running a business is such a mental game, so I try to get in a daily long run or yoga session to get out of my head. Also, if you haven’t caught on already, I’m a huge nerd. I love to read. I’ve been trying to read a book a week, which is a total luxury. I’m currently reading ‘Fates and Furies’ by Lauren Groff. So far, so good.

All that being said, my favorite way to recharge is with a great meal and even better company. My husband and I love to cook, so a nice glass of wine (or two) as we make dinner and catch up is something I really look forward to during the week.

Cheers to relaxing with the one(s) you love over a weeknight meal and nice glass of wine! Thank you for the candid responses, Augusta!

If you didn’t fall a little in love with this wonderful artist and her unique works, we assure you, viewing them up close and in person at her upcoming show will ensure your appreciation for Augusta and her paintings.

We look forward to seeing you in the showroom soon!

Here in the steve mckenzie’s showroom, we’re currently in the midst of a fantastic art show, featuring Mississippi artist, Kristen Ley of Thimblepress! If you aren’t already following Kristen’s work and dynamic personality on social media, you should be. She’s a gal to keep an eye on for sure, and we feel so lucky to be able to showcase her art in store throughout the month of June. During the rest of the year, we typically have a wonderful selection of Kristen’s handmade, letterpress note cards, which are not only beautiful, but too cute and cheeky!

Kristen Ley

Kristen is such a creative, and fun-loving individual, we thought you’d enjoy getting to know her a little better. She graciously agreed to participate in this “Who you NEED to meet” feature, and we’re so excited to share a bit more about Kristen and her work with Thumblepress with you here…

sm’s: Can you please share a bit about your background/how you started Thimblepress and how you gained the courage to break out on your own?

K: I majored in graphic design in college and had a marketing and branding firm for 5 years with a friend of mine in Charleston, SC. I moved back to Jackson, MS in our fourth year of business and opened an office. We both ended up getting offered full time jobs that we could not turn down and at the time in the market, having an 8-5 job started to look shiny and nice. I worked at the high school I graduated from, Jackson Academy, for 2 years doing marketing, branding, and advertising work for the school. In those two years I purchased my first letterpress and began to learn and obsess over the craft after getting off work everyday. My first Thimblepress office was half of a garage I shared with my roommate at the time and my bedroom. Printing where there was no central air or heat was interesting during  the extreme seasons; from printing in barely nothing during the summer to ski gear in the winter. I learned a lot in that garage, about myself and what I wanted Thimblepress to be. My job was super supportive of my Thimblepress pursuits. I traveled for craft shows all over (i.e. Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, South Carolina, Nashville, Jackson). I really started to fall in love with printing, and the idea of making things I love; things I poured my soul into for a living. Even with a full time job, I was able to attend my first wholesale show in Chicago, and then the National Stationery Show in May of 2013. After the stationery show in NYC it was very clear where God wanted me to be. I prayed a lot about starting another business full time. I questioned it and wondered if that is where God wanted me to be. I had my mom and aunt as my little prayer team trying to see what God wanted me to do. I began asking him to slam doors shut and blow them open. Boy has he blown doors open. In June of 2013 I was able to confidently leave my full time job and go at it with Thimblepress full time. God honestly gave me that courage to take that huge leap of faith. Without Him, none of this would be possible.

sm’s: What inspires you/your designs?

K: I am constantly inspired by the colors, seasons, and places around me. Right now, I am really inspired by color and lots of it. I have always had a love of bright colors, but ever since I have been making the confetti Push-pop’s and staring at buckets of color, I have found myself painting with lots of beautiful colors all intertwining. I am also inspired by travel and getting out of my comfort zone. When you make yourself a little uncomfortable you tend to grow as a person, and ultimately as a creative individual.

sm’s: What your vision is, not only for Thimblepress, but also the individual pieces you craft?

K: I want to create work that makes people happy. I want to create work that inspires others to chase their dream. It still makes me so happy and honestly gives me chills anytime anyone buys even the smallest thing I make. Everything I create is hand-painted, hand-drawn or hand-made. There is so much soul and love that goes into every piece we make, so when someone wants to send a card to someone that they love so dearly and do it with one of my cards… that moment is special for me. My vision is a day to day vision. I try not to get so wrapped up in the future. Yes, there are things we plan for, things we create and have in waiting to get produced, but I am letting God steer this ship. Ultimately Thimblepress is about happiness, memories, family and color.

sm’s: What do you see as mainstays in your collection?

K: I think our State Flower collection is something that will stand the test of time. It is classic, unique and something I really poured my soul into.

sm’s: What are the differences in your collections – i.e. how do you create such unique designs that still work together under the Thimblepress brand?

K: I love to make things. I have always loved lots of different things. I have lots of different friends all with different personalities, walks of life, looks, and ages. A lot of people see our work and note that there is a lot of range in terms of the looks in Thimblepress, and to me that is just a reflection of me as a person. I am a very eclectic person and feel like I have different periods of creation when I’m inspired by different colors, mediums, styles, etc. I am sure I could be a little more cohesive and make things go together a bit more, but that is just not me. I am a million puzzle pieces that don’t fit together, and that is okay with me. In essence, its kind of like confetti, which we all know I love.

– What’s on the horizon for Thimblepress?

K: Hopefully to stay in business. ha! Seriously though, I have the best team ever. I am thrilled to see how our team will grow in the next year and if we have to expand and get more space.

We are hoping to create more home goods and accessories. We started searching for manufacturers in the USA to help manufacturer some of our ideas about a year ago, so we are continuing that journey. I am excited to show what we have done!

sm’s: As an artist/business person how do you recharge?

K: I love to travel and experience new cultures, people and food. The great thing about what I do is that it allows me to travel a good bit, and if my pup Willow get’s to make the journey, well that just sweetens the deal. When I am at home and have pulled all nighters, I love to paint, watch netflix or just nap in the sun. I’m pretty simple. 🙂

We just love Kristen and all of her Thimblepress designs, and we think you’ll be just as excited about her original artwork as well! Be sure to come into the steve mckenzie’s showroom and check out her beautiful and vibrant artwork that’s on display now.

And thank you so much to Kristen for sharing a bit about herself and her journey to creating fabulous handmade goodies with Thimblepress!

We’ve shared a bit about Serenbe before – it’s a fabulous, progressive community connected to nature, just southwest of Atlanta. It’s the definition of picturesque… Fresh air, farm to table, timeless architecture. But, beyond all that, Serenbe hosts a fantastic organization in their Art Farm and Artist in Residence Program.

An event with Serenbe’s Artists in Residence

It’s an amazing program really, making it possible for artists of all disciplines to reconnect with nature at Serenbe, and be gifted with uninterrupted time to create and be inspired. As an artist himself, Steve (and, of course Jill) is a big fan of Serenbe and the Artist in Residency Program.

Serenbe’s “Art Walk”

As a way to enlighten more people about Serenbe’s Artist in Residence Program, and to act as a fundraiser, Steve is organizing art and artists to participate in an auction, benefiting Serenbe’s Art Farm/Artist in Residence Program, as well as ASID Georgia’s chapter office renovation project!

The Art Farm at Serenbe

There are two events in conjunction with the art auction fundraiser – on March 12, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams will host a preview party, then the auction will take place on March 26 at ADAC… For details on the auction, click here.

The auction will feature works by:

Amy Morris Amy Wikman Bill Peace Chris Little Elayne DeLeo Gina Christman Jason Moattar Joel Kelly Julie Witzel Kerry Howard Linda LeTard Lucy Aiken Johnson Mark Williams Matthew Quinn Melanie Millner Melanie Turner Michel Boyd Patricia McLean Pipa Bradbury Rita Carson Guest Robert Grayson Scott Kirk Steve Mckenzie Terri Duffy Tish Mills

Tricia Jones

Here’s a sneak peek at a work that will be up for auction by our own Steve McKenzie…

A big thank you to Brandon Hinman, Director of Serenbe’s Artist in Residence Program, who is working with Steve to make this auction a great success – and fundraiser!

These events promise not only a good time, but also some fabulous organizations to support! What could be better than an evening of art, shopping and supporting some extremely deserving not-for-profit organizations?!?

We hope to see you there!

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