Gordon Chandler’s art starts with simple materials that might otherwise go unnoticed. In his hands, scrap metal and industrial steel drums become beautiful. He often works outside, gathering materials from salvage yards—his artworks feel at home in the open air, where the elements make the patina deeper and richer. Chandler’s art brings new energy to the […]

For 33 years, Jim Rose has cultivated the mind of a maker. He’s absorbed the practices of Ming and Shaker furniture makers, not just through study, but through the physical creation of objects that carry their influence. Instead of traditional carved wood, he uses hot-rolled and reclaimed steel — coaxing the material into clean-lined forms. […]

The work of Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson defies even the most ardent attempts at classification. He’s the kind of creative whose technique, spirit, provocation and form is always cut with a little mischief. A graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he has been prolific, expressing himself through an array of media, […]

Born in the Netherlands in 1979, Jan Pieter Fokkens is part of the last generation to have an analog childhood. His abstract art examines the effects that advancing technologies have had on our understanding of the universe and our place within it. In his work, Fokkens’ hand-paints and draws intricate, color saturated patterns inspired by […]

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1962, Patrick Fitzgerald grew up in an industrial Midwestern landscape. “It was loud, daunting and dirty,” he says, “yet it possessed a powerful beauty that is still so vivid.” As a child, he scavenged for junk and enjoyed tinkering with mechanical parts. He loved cars: “I always enjoyed the […]

Almudena Rodriguez’s paintings have long been PAGODA RED favorites — in part, because each is a rich, imagery-laden universe filled with evocative meanings. In her work, preconceived boundaries evaporate and a riotous blend of pop culture graphics, multilingual vocabulary, religious iconography and myth emerges. A disaffected couple embrace as an acrobat soars past, a lone […]

We love how the disciplines of art, architecture, music, and fashion overlap and influence one another. When we saw the first work in Cleveland Dean’s Cloth° series, it was a literal bright spot in a long, difficult year. Collectively, we are all seeking vibrancy.  Now, we’re witnessing this on a global scale as we look […]

Just as in-person events begin to return, PAGODA RED founder Betsy Nathan had the pleasure of seeing the current exhibition at The Art Center Highland Park. Follow along with her, as she views the show guided by curiosity and love of ephemeral expression. It was great to visit The Art Center Highland Park and take in artists’ thoughtful perspectives […]

A leader in the global craft resurgence, Japan-based artist Toyoharu Kii works with hand-cut Italian marble and smalti, Venetian glass handmade by the same Italian family for over 400 years. Constructed using traditional techniques, his art is nonetheless modern. Kii’s work is monochromatic, abstract, and highly textured — highlighting the intricate process in the often-overlooked art of mosaic […]