by Caztopher Johansinner
Art Critiques of America, November 2015

Hello Art Fans!  This month's featured review comes from Berkeley, CA.  While I was traveling through the bay area I stumbled upon a show held at the university.  I was surprised to see such global headliners of artists together in a group show, and wondered why I did not receive a press release about this! The crowds were thick as everyone gathered around each work, listening to the artists (those who were able to be there) talk about their featured worked.  Those who were not able to attend sent representatives to speak on their behalf.  As I dined on the glamorous buffet of appetizers, fine wine, and expensive brews, I found myself intrigued by the arrangement of artists from minimalists to those of the exotic eccentric.  This show had everything the eye wanted to see.  There were performances pieces, interactive works, video interviews, functional art, installations, sculptures, as well as the arrangement of two dimensional art displaying beautifully blended colors and textures.  Among these master works there I was specifically drawn to the crafty creations of Roxie Lane.  I could not tell you why, but perhaps it was her fine craftsmanship of her work , or it was the arousing thought of cherry scented flowers.  Lane's work seemed to be the hot topic item of this years fashion, pantie purses.  What a concept!  A sure win in all the fashion boutiques and I would not be surprised to see it appear in the runway shows this coming spring.  Her choice of detail and fine seamstress skills make this work a winner!  Unfortunately I did not get a chance to speak with Miss Lane, but her representative gave us the insight of her work, and it is easily available online at Etsy!  It seems she is doing very well with these and there are new lines in the works.  I see the craze of pantie purses taking over the country, overflowing to the European fashion markets.  I am excited for the new line in progress and will keep my readers posted when they are available.  Way to go Roxie, a sheer success!

Roxie Lane
Pantie Purses , 2015
panties, acrylic, thread, fabric

My Ideal studio would be a live work space, so I can wake up with my morning coffee and pick up where I left off the night before.  I had a studio like this before and miss it tremendously. It was around 900 square feet on a ground level in the heart of midtown Sacramento.  It had a kitchen and a bathroom (nothing special - just the amenities), but a lot of work space.  It was drafty during the winter and hot during the summer (maybe I don't miss it so much - but I do). It had a roll up door which made it easier to get projects out the door that wouldn't fit through a regular door.  It was my ideal studio. I have also had apartments which I would sacrifice my living space and kitchen to turn it into my studio space.  Studios come and go along this path of being an artist.  Sometimes you just can't pay the rent anymore and have to let it go.  Linda Geary's studio was awesome, to have a work space and a show space, would be ideal.  Ideally any space right now would be ideal.  But Ideally my Ideal studio space would have about 1000 sq feet of work space minimum, and have my own kiln for ceramics.  Have a roll up door because that is just an awesome thing to have.  Lots of windows for the natural light.  And if we want to get dreamy about it the roof would be able to open (like a convertible) for natural light and outdoor air.  And to let fumes out easier.  Wall space galore for all my works I create on the wall.  It would also have a yard space so I can have a place for my animals  as well as working outside.  Location wise it would be best maybe for exposure to the public if I was in a midtown location, though thinking about my needs of outdoor space, maybe the country would be better.  If we're dreaming here then I would have adequate transportation for my works to go to show.  If we're really dreaming then I would be successful enough that I wouldn't need to transport my works, someone will come pick them up.  Then if  I'm that successful then I wouldn't need to make work to sell because I would have enough supporters who believed in what I did to fund me completely.  So nice to dream.  But really ideally any space right now would do.  I miss my studio.