HBLA Fall 2010 : Page 42

HOMEFRONT ART Artist Cecelia Webber at home in Silver Lake. Left: Two butterfly pieces that will be carried at Barneys NY. Upward Trend Design gets a leg up on the competition By Audrey Davidow Just two years ago, Cecelia Webber, a neuroscience graduate from USC, was working in the lab and indulging in photography in her spare time, shooting moody snapshots of whatever willing subject she could fi nd. T en she stumbled upon something pretty cool. “It was really an accident,” says the Silver Lake-based artist. “I shot a nude fi gure against a black background and it looked so much like a petal I just went with it.” Soon, the self-taught Photoshop junkie was layering up to 700 images in a single piece to create a collection of vibrant, highly saturated fl owers comprised entirely of the human form. T ink legs as petals, arms as stamen, the curve of a back as tiny buds poised to unfold. Her intricate picture-plays compel viewers to decode those layers of unaltered human bodies (the only thing she adjusts are the color levels) stacked 1 2 Feet-First Finds 1. Stephen Johnson’s Wonderland candle holders, $68–89, at Artecnica, 508 S. San Vicente Blvd., L.A., 323.655.6551, artecnicainc.com. 2. Blu Dot’s Rook lamp, $199, at Plushpod, 8406 Beverly Blvd., L.A., 323.951.0748, plushpod.com. 3 42 | | Fall 2010 3. Kelly Wearstler’s Brass Legs, $1,495 for the pair, at Bergdorf Goodman, 800.558.1855. together to form lilacs and dandelions, maple leaves and daisies. In fact it’s hard to stop looking at these pieces, which is why it’s no surprise that the 25-year-old Webber is stirring up buzz as an up-and-comer to watch. Luxe accessories designer Brenda Houston has teamed up with the artist to develop a butterfl y series which will debut at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills this month. (Prices start at $750.) “Her work is just so unique and she puts in so much detail, I knew I had to develop with her,” say Houston. But even with expansion underway, Webber remains razor-focused on the message. “In so many places in the world, nudity is seen as something erotic or disgusting,” she says. “I want to present it in a way that almost distracts the viewer from the fact that they’re looking at naked people.” CECELIA WEBBER PHOTO BY MELISSA VALLADARES

Home Front Art

Audrey Davidow

Upward Trend Design gets a leg up on the competition Just two years ago, Cecelia Webber, a neuroscience graduate from USC, was working in the lab and indulging in photography in her spare time, shooting moody snapshots of whatever willing subject she could fi nd. Then she stumbled upon something pretty cool. “It was really an accident,” says the Silver Lake-based artist. “I shot a nude fi gure against a black background and it looked so much like a petal I just went with it.” Soon, the self-taught Photoshop junkie was layering up to 700 images in a single piece to create a collection of vibrant, highly saturated fl owers comprised entirely of the human form. Think legs as petals, arms as stamen, the curve of a back as tiny buds poised to unfold. Her intricate picture-plays compel viewers to decode those layers of unaltered human bodies (the only thing she adjusts are the color levels) stacked together to form lilacs and dandelions, maple leaves and daisies. In fact it’s hard to stop looking at these pieces, which is why it’s no surprise that the 25-yearold Webber is stirring up buzz as an up-and-comer to watch. Luxe accessories designer Brenda Houston has teamed up with the artist to develop a butterfl y series which will debut at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills this month. (Prices start at $750.) “Her work is just so unique and she puts in so much detail, I knew I had to develop with her,” say Houston. But even with expansion underway, Webber remains razor-focused on the message. “In so many places in the world, nudity is seen as something erotic or disgusting,” she says. “I want to present it in a way that almost distracts the viewer from the fact that they’re looking at naked people.”

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