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The Thrill of the Hunt: Shea Soucie’s Meaningful Collections
In his book The Joys of Collecting, world-renowned collector J.Paul Getty writes that a collector “frequently experiences thrills and sometimes savors triumphs.” These moments—from the thrill of finding an object worth collecting to the triumph of acquiring the piece you’ve been searching for — inspire designer Shea Soucie both in her own collecting and in […]
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Gordon Chandler: Inside Out
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 […]
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Jim Rose: Ming Simplicity In Steel
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. […]
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Musings of Calm with Past + Present Chinese Art
Musings of Calm is a dynamic exploration of a timeless philosophy — that art and objects can be catalysts for creating tranquility, especially in times of disruption and turbulence. Featuring thoughtful pairings of contemporary Chinese works from Chambers Fine Art and historical pieces from PAGODA RED, Musings of Calm immerses viewers in a meditation on […]
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Michael Thompson: Studio Visit
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, […]
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Jan Pieter Fokkens: A Colorful Universe
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 […]
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Patrick Fitzgerald: The Handmade Mechanic
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 […]
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Almudena Rodriguez: Magical Ambiguity
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 […]
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Fashion & Art: A Common Spirit
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 […]
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Design Diary: The Art Center Highland Park
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 […]