Artist: Anthony Santella
Website: http://www.santella.org/anthony/
Commentary: Wow: Take a computer science major with a longing to create and what you have is Anthony Santella’s gorgeous collection of works. His works run the gamete from dark monocolored figurative paintings, to bright illustrative works full of emotion, to lustrously carved wooden sculptures. I’m amazed by the vibrancy of his work and the myriad directions that his mind’s eye takes him. Anthony’s world is wickedly sad with a glimmer of ironic hope. The images can best be associated with Tim Burton’s movie creations. Linear, lone, and lean figures glare out at the viewer inviting a stare.
Artist: Harry Harrington
Website: http://www.bonsai4me.com/index.htm
Commentary: Harry’s work is amazing. Put simply he is a master at his art. I’ve spent the last few days absorbing as much information as I can from his collection of work. I have an image in my head of crafting deliciously large bonsai. These will be paired atop sculptures and hand carved feather rock pots. It will be a fusion of ancient and modern art forms. It will be a fusion of pop and classical. This process unfortunately will take years, but that is what makes it so great. Trees cannot be grown in a day.
Check out Harry’s work, specifically the Articles section. You won’t be disappointed, and you may become a convert.
Artist: Julie Steiner
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/OutsideTheBoxArt
Commentary:
Julie’s story is below. The way that she paints strikes me as I work in a similar manner. The difference between the two of us being that my works tend more towards destruction rather than construction, whereas here’s verge more on construction. It’s a minor point but worth noting.
Per Clarissa “I create my paintings by combining chaotic gestures with structured lines…A style that also imitates the way I live my life. I work on my paintings a little bit at a time…mostly because I am juggling many tasks that are not art related, but also because it gives me time to let the painting take shape and grow slowly, letting the personality unfold as I watch from afar. I let the painting make decisions for itself, and correct the ones that don’t work. After a painting is complete, I stand back and reflect on the process of creation, and the steps it took to get things just so. Most of the time I am just flying by the seat of my pants, but when the day is done, all the chaos finds a peaceful resting place, and I am pleased”
Clarissa’s faces are moving, haunting, and vibrant. They would fill a room with warmth. While these are great selling pieces as the general public can approach them, I’m particular fond of her tar paper painting series. I like the black, the heavy oil stick look and the randomness of artistic abstraction which has yet to devolve into a mottled mess of brown. In a series together as seen in the images below, the works are striking. They are reminiscent of primitive paintings yet at the same time extend into contemporary European modern art. I can see them originating from the artistic studios of an underground cold war era eastern bloc painter. The works have power, fury and are contemplative.
Artist: John Lee
Website: http://www.jonleestudio.com/
Commentary: John’s works are modern abstractions in that an idea is presented, deconstructed and than reconstructed throughout the piece. Numerous colors harmonious in the works. Shapes, specifically string formations pull the pieces together. Black and White focal points of easily recognizable images are superimposed on the fore and background between layers of cacophony. John’s works engage the viewer to sit and stare for awhile.
Artist Dolf James
Website: http://3rdboxdesign.com/black_box.html
Commentary: There is something to be said for an artist who can take mundane industrial objects, hardware, wood, scraps of this and that and create assembled works which claim the space that they occupy as their own. Dolf sees the potential that a dab of color and texture can provide to a work of art. He isn’t afraid to play with his medium. Flexible wires, attach orbs and rectangular shapes together. These forms are adhered to the wall, however they transcend from the wall by jutting out towards the viewer as if the wall is not their home. The space between the viewer and the work is their home. Twisted wire is juxtaposed elegantly against the austere rectangular frames drawing the viewers eyes across the works, unifying diverse colors, textures and shapes. The works are classy, engaging and approachable.
Artist: Pablo Picasso
Commentary: Pablo’s own historical record plays out as one of a man who is seen as an active artist. He moves throughout his works in furtive encompassing gestures. The female subjects remain, docile and submissive. His art is composed of a jumble of artistic imagery inclusive of art history, ethnology, popular culture, philosophy and contemporary art. These images played against each other are what make Picasso’s work so enduring. While cubism and may be Picasso’s most lasting artistic image, his works evokes similarities to others working at the same time such as Matisse and Cezanne. Picasso’s works portray life in a separate reality. A vivid life full of emotion, action, intrigue, beauty, but all the still a life of disjointed and juxtaposed realities.
Artist: Ryan Rowozski
Website: http://www.ryanmrozowski.com/
Commentary: Ryan’s world is one of muted warm colors. Indistinguishable human forms interact in surreal landscapes, taking part in imaginative and evocative actions. His works are worth the mental enigma that they pose. They are warm, inviting, and appealing to the viewer. The color palette and themes are reminiscent of the early 1920’s era. Painted on canvas the works absorb into the linen rather than bounce from it. These pieces would hang exceptionally well in a gallery, or as a figure piece in a nested room.
Artist: Kat Zinn
Website: http://www.katzinn.com/
Commentary: Whimsical swirls, colors and geometric shapes collide in symmetrical portraitures of visionary landscapes. Nature in all its glory is on display. Lakes, mountains, trees, fields – the splendid terra is drawn in pen and ink, and accented with color washes. Kat has a number of original prints for sale on her website.
Artist: Molly Trezise
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MollyTrezise
Commentary: Molly Trezise
Molly’s style offers a modern take on Americana by combining hand-drawn images with graphic patterns, and a strong pop-art reference. Portraits are created by hand on glass using permanent ink and spray paint. Molly’s works are worth checking out. They are a great example of modern iconoclasm. Her work is detail oriented, rich in color and depth. All of her works remain true to her style and would sit well paired together.
Artist: One Love Art
Website:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/OneLoveArt/227724555551
Check out my new blog:
http://one-love-art.blogspot.com/
I love Nan’s work. Pure inspiration, mood, randomness with a balance. The piece above is examplary of his style. This is the closest to Jackson Polluck that I have seen without diverging into chaos. The prices on etsy are reasonable. The works would suit an open space extremely well. I can also fully agree with the one love mantra.
Artist: Michelle Daisley Moffitt
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MDaisleyMoffitt
Commentary: Michelle Daisley Moffit works in vibrant patches of unadulterated color. Her works are cacophonous collaborations of brush/knife strokes, impasto techniques, and texture. Primary and Secondary colors dance from the canvas in unadulterated joy. Repetitive forms interact upon the canvas – moving from top to bottom or side to side. These shapes are often familiar and easily recognizable, consisting of circles, squares, hearts, etc. Michelle’s works are bright and vibrant. They would well accent a kitchen or other well lit living space.
Artist: Sam the Dot Man
Website: http://npaper-wehaa.com/yes-weekly/2009/12/01/#?article=671157
Commentary: Sam McMillan the 83 year old painter Winston Salem native is a beacon of light for those of us who hope to remain artistically inspired during our golden years. His works inspire scores of children and adults yearly. To put it simply, the Sam is retired, driven, full of artistic vision and driven. He speaks with a wisdom which only comes through experience “If I go tonight, I’ve lived a life that most people don’t live it because I love everybody in the world, everybody. If you do that, somebody’s going to love you.” Sam’s love can be seen in his work, each piece an object of passion, an object of resplendent childhood impulse, a collection of dots linked through color, and repetitive automation. As an artist working in a folk medium, Sam has carved out a niche for his work. The vibrant dots blend well with the American southern cultural landscape. If you are lucky enough to have purchased or been given one of Sam’s works, the highly lacquered aspect will allow them to last for generations.
Artist: Corry at Silver City Iron
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SilverCityIron
Commentary: Once in awhile it is worth noting an artist who works in forms other than paint and canvas. Corry is one of those artists. I have been following his work for the last few months, and slowly watched the rise in his product line. Corry builds beautiful hand forged furniture and sculpture using traditional blacksmithing techniques. I am particularly fond of his joinery skills and the apparent craftsmanship of each piece. The wine barrel side table he made reminds me of a similar piece that I finished myself a few years back. His work however is better. The works function as both artistic centerpieces and functional sculpture. If you are in the mood for some modern day furniture with an eclectic appeal than his works are worth viewing.
Artist: N. Lambert
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/AtelierLambert
Commentary: N. Lambert is a life-long fine artist, former graphic designer, and an art educator at the middle school level. N. Lambert works primarily with bees wax and acrylic pigments. The works are tactile in nature, often comprised of a three dimensional element. Box and circle shapes are prevalent in the abstract works. Pieces created exhibit a refined primitive element similar to new age modern South American art. The works evoke a sense of grown up artistic play, doodling with form and color as opposed to pen and paper. On the creativity scale, these works are original. They would look well, paired or set up in a display for comparison in a calm inviting room. N. Lambert’s works demand attention and would simply look too cluttered in a space where they visually had to compete.
Artist: Stuart Pearson Wright
Website: http://stuartpearsonwright.com
Commentary: Stuart Pearson Wright paints with the hand of a man who knows his abilities and has honed them into a cohesive and compelling vision. Unlike runners, painters must find their own path to success. Success for a painter is not as easy as being the fastest man on the field. Stuart has managed to find success, despite the less than obvious path to it. His work possesses the qualities of seduction, nudity, death, and decay. The color choices are often muted with an aged appearance. Graphic elements are highlighted through darker hues contained within the paintings. Women engaged in various actions are often his primary subject matter. Each work appears to have the qualities of a classic created before its time.
Artist: Cheryl Molner
Website:http://www.cherylmolnar.com/
Commentary: I found Cheryl’s work through www.artistaday.com which is an excellent resource which profiles emerging and talented artist. There was an art movement in the 70’s and 80’s in California where artist painted in a realistic yet boxy style. Images and subject matter often included perfectly manicured lawns and American dream homes. Cheryl’s work reminds me of that movement. Her subjects are collections of homes inclusive of their lawns and formal facades. She uses muted lighter tones often working in springtime colors balanced by earth hues. She works in various media forms from collaged paper, to oil, to painting atop building blueprints. Her work is intriguing and in series would allow for amble comparison. Her website and work history are worth a view.
Artist: Jill Moser
Website: http://www.jillmoser.net/
Commentary: Jill Moser’s work is reminiscent of silent statues gazing out at a changing world. Her works are created using monotone or black/white color palates which capture the solemnity of the works. Jill works on paper and canvas, creating her forms through silkscreen, printing and painting techniques. In the center of white negative space, slightly skewed to one side forms emerge. These forms often appear pre -complete in that the viewer is compelled to determine their final shape. The pieces are left abstract. Circles or lines jump from one side of the page to the other connecting and intertwining the forms. Jill’s work is austere, solemn and profound. One can view the pieces and uncover the beauty of winter. I would like to own one of her prints. I would place it in a calm room, a room for thought, a room for making decisions. 
Artist: Able Parris
Website: http://ableparris.com/
I have been following Able’s work for the last two years. Able Parris was one of the first “web 2.0″ creators of content that I found. Thus, his work and process has been an inspiration for the work that I produce. If you are in need of a company logo, a website graphic redesign, a collage with artistic appeal or a view into social cultural-ism than Able Parris should be on your list of people to contact. Simply put, anything that you receive or buy from him should be treasured lovingly as a family heirloom. His work will stand the test of time. Subject matter for his collages include surreal realists works similar to those painted by Neo Rauch, Animals in odd planned interactions, themes of life and death, and historical remembrances to name a few. His color palettes vary widely from blue, red, yellow, green, white and black, however always remain well balanced. Able enjoys the act of drawing and frequently sketches in moleskin journals similar to those created by Hugh McLeod from gaping void. Video flashthroughs of his sketches can be found on youtube and Able’s website. Able is a master of Typography and has created a wide variety of corporate level work inclusive of collage and typography design aspects. Simply put, he is prolific. For me, Able’s work is comparable to a modern “digital” version of Magritte. Creating is Able’s passion. His work causes one to question the realities that our eyes perceive daily.
I found the below poem from Arthur O’Shaughnessy on Able’s website. For those familiar with Roald Dahl, you may remember this from “Charlie and the Chocolate factory”. Regardless, the poem is appropriate as a description of Able Parris, a mover and shaker.
We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;—
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.
Artist: Igor Koutsenko
Website: http://igorkoutsenkoart.com/
Commentary:
Igor Koutsenko’s work is simply amazing. Igor is a prolific, awe inspiring creator of the modern age. He works in the mediums of linocuts, woodcuts, paintings, and drawings. His works range from colorful effervescent in the style of Matisse, to monotone prints colored in themes which mirror the subject matter of the work. Frequent images include picturesque European landscapes and scenery, human figures often with a musical or literature based religious theme, and still life compositions. I love his work. It will stand the test of time simply based on his hands virtuosity.
Artist: Robert Mihaly
Website: http://www.robertmihaly.com/
Commentary: There is a castle located in Rouge Mont, N.C. designed of stone, copper and wood. It is fabricated as a summer residence and artist study for Robert Mihaly. The fame of this oddly situated castle is how I came to discover Robert Mihaly as an artist. He works primarily in stone, however I have seen some of his wooden and medal sculptures which hold their weight when compared to some of his more traditional works. His stone sculptures are monumental, decorative in the Italian form. They are quite simply stunning. His paintings are less, formal in presentation and subject matter verging on modern realism with a pop twist. They are bright, intricately detailed works which comment on society at large. His work and website are worth checking out especially if you are located in the Durham, N.C. area.
Artist: My Mom
Website: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=701399196
My mother Janet Williams made this extra large quilt for me. It is hand sewn, stuffed with warmth, composed of some of my old triathlon race t-shirts and spare fabric. It is large enough to cover an entire king bed. It is well constructed, full of sentimental value, and a labor of love. I’ll always treasure this work. The cats love it unfortunately – fleece and fluff help with that.
Artist: Michael Johansson
Website: http://www.michaeljohansson.com/
White framed by off white and black negative space. Cushion and wooden frames. Metal and smooth. Linear, vertical and horizontal. Abstract, functional and categorized. Cement and wood, with pipes. Random yet with pattern. Planned and unplanned. I love it.
Artist: Pretty Random Objects
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/prettyrandomobjects
I am focusing on an etsy artist today namely because her work is modern, functional, and elegant. You should check out the etsy shop available through the link above. This is collectible one of a kind stoneware created for specific purposes. Each piece is unique, charming and entirely handmade – thus it retains its value. It is rare that I find a potter who creates functional work that I admire – as I am often drawn to the abstracted, however in this case Pretty Random Object’s work is captivating. In the example to the left a figurative animal vessel is shown. The vessel is described as a bear however, the viewer could easily determine this to be representative of any number of animals. Bottom line, the etsy store is worth checking out for the warm homely feelings that the images and creations produce in the viewer. These works would fit any lifestyle, and any person. They are vessels waiting to be filled with life.
Artist: Richard Salcido
Website: http://richardsalcido.com
Commentary: Richard Salcido’s creations are captivating, haunting and fleeting. Human female forms emerge from densely laid patterns and loose threads. The female forms are clad, seductive in nature, eyes staring directly at the viewer. Heavy impasto techniques applied with and over the forms add to the ethereal affect of the painting. Richard’s subjects evoke a feelings of personal revolution. His figures possess a religious mythological base, often evoking qualities reminiscent of the Virgin Mary or mother Teresa in somewhat desolate or unnerved states.
Artist: B.J. Stevenson
Website: http://www.bjstevenson.com/public.shtml
Commentary: I discovered B.J. Stevenson’s work while searching out stone sculptors who worked in the Feather Rock medium. There are not many who work in Feather Rock due to its coarse and potentially flawed nature. The rock is often filled with pockets of air which could prove to be a hindrance to an artist working to create a specific shape. Many stone sculptors thus choose to work in either limestone, marble, alabaster or some other traditional rock medium. The benefits of feather rock however should be considered before outweighing it as a potential medium. Its weight to volume is easily half that of denser rocks. It can be carved without dulling tools and once a rough shape has been formed it can further be enhanced through sanding with an orbital or palm sander.
B.J. Stevenson forms large boulders of feather rock into delicate and inticrate seashell like designs. They are abstract in nature however they have rhythmic elements which unite the sculptures. The viewer’s eye is thus forced around the object being drawn into the view of alternating negative and positive forms. His works are left unpainted and are not polished, thus there is an earthy quality that the feather rock sculptures convey.
Artist: Gustav Klimt
Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Klimt
Commentary: I did not study art history until my college and high school years were completed. Thus, as with most “famous” artist I only learned about Gustav after seeing the works of ‘lesser” artist in galleries and museums. Gustav work for me surpasses many contemporary and historical artists. He was one of the first modern artist that I studied and years later, he still remains high on my list of favorites despite the fact that I have viewed thousands of works. His work is unified through a style that is distinctly his. Gustav’s subject matter normally involves human male and female figures entwined in a close embrace or landscape scenes. His work bridges the gap between impressionism and pointillism. Squares and circles of colors unify and adhere to one another forming a patchwork of brilliant color. His works are large, stunning and captivating. They would bejewel any location with their presence. I would hypothetically of course, loose a pinky finger or more to own one.
Artist: Norman Rockwell
Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Rockwell
Commentary: Norman Rockwell’s work began in the 1920’s and continued through the 1970’s. I am a child of the eighties. His work was so prolific, so consumed by American culture and so approachable that children from later generations such as myself have grown up with his images and have come to see them as part of the American cultural landscape. His images of boy scouts engaged in manly activities are still in use today by numerous publications. His images of Rosy the Riveter are an icon of the WWII generation of American workers. Norman Rockwell was an artist, an illustrator, and a husband. He married three times during his life and suffered from mental instability during the later stages. Through all of this, he continued to work as a full time painter. His works reflected the stylized ideals of American life, despite the fact that his life was anything but stable or ideal. His technique especially regarding the presentation of the human form was masterful. His chosen subject matter unfortunately in most works was unappealing from an artistic sense in that he chose to portray illustrated staged scenes of idealized life rather than reality or hyper reality. Similar to Nazi wartime sponsored propaganda; Rockwell’s work straddled the line between art and artistic propaganda. Regardless, Normal Rockwell was a masterful painter whose work has endured the test of time to date. He has made his mark on the American art scene. His work spoke to a generation of people searching for the American Dream. Only time will tell if his work will speak so elegantly to those who view it in the future, or if it will simply be seen as a stalwart of false hope from our nations past.
Artist: Charmaine Olivia
Website: www.charbage.deviantart.com
Commentry : Charmaine Olivia portrays people and animals as her primary subject matter. Her colors are warm and soft, evocotave of water colors or light pastels. This is a unique effect in that the works are primarily created using oil paints. Her works are medium to small in scale, often being painted on 10 by 12 inch blocks of canvas. Her figures are realistic portrayals, slightly seductive with an emphasis on celebrating youth. Whimsical feathers, birds or unique patterns adorn some of her works. These detailed regions of the paintings highlight the fact that Charmaine Olivia has a well honed painter’s hand. Every brushstroke is placed with a purpose. Her works are planned, however they retain a painterly quality which other realistic artist sometimes loose as the works approach photorealism. Charmaine’s works are happy celebrations portraying the beauty in life.
Artist: Neo Rauch
Website: http://wapedia.mobi/en/Neo_Rauch
Commentary:Neo Rauch for me is in imposing figure in the art world. He walks the fine line between old and new. He is irrefutably German in subject matter. His paintings appear to alway shave a political agenda. His characters originate from desolate tortured scenes. Soldiers from WWI and WWII allied and axis dominate his works. Maidens can be seen engaged in various forms of work. Paint tubes grotesquely large occupy many of the works spilling their colored fluid across the canvas. His color choices are often muted, and dulled browns accented with glints of green, blue, red and yellow. His works are entirely realistic stylized and figurative with an emphasis on narrative painting. Particular attention is paid to motion in the works as well as shadowing and location of light sources.
Neo Rauch is a modern master. if I could afford his works they would hang in every room of my house.
Artist: Faune Yerby
Website: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39276271&ref=sc_25
Commentary:
Black and White hand colored photos of New York city architecture and icons collaged on canvas. The images are easily recognizable as being from New York. The monotone nature of the coloring adds to the affect of faded age, vintage glory and unified cohesion.
Artist: Micheal Banks
Website: http://www.mikesarttruck.com/banks.html
Commentary: I discovered Micheal Banks while visiting “the krumpleton” a local dive bar in Chapel Hill, N.C. The walls are covered in numerous works by Banks. The pub master told me that he was personal friends with Micheal Banks and that the pictures were on display for the benefit of Mr. Banks. I being under the impression of a good scotch, enjoying a night out, dutifully walked around the large bar inspecting all of the works.
Micheal Banks works are composed of tar, plywood, and oil. His work is unique in that few artist have found a way to work with tar in such a new and dynamic method. Micheal applies tar to wood and while it is still wet, he carves his subject matter, humans, flowers and animals. Once the initial tar layer has dried, Micheal reworks the paintings with lustrous color applications.
Micheal Banks redefined the possibilities of oil painting.
Artist: Sophie Blackall
Website:
www.sophieblackall.com
www.sophieblackall.blogspot.com
http://missedconnectionsny.blogspot.com/
Commentary:
Sophie Blackall is an illustrator living and working in Brooklyn, New York. She is an accomplished and well known artist and illustrator. I have chosen to highlight her, namely because it is rare for such an accomplished artist to post original paintings for sale on etsy. Her works often include figures as the subject matter engaged in daily routines. Often figures are conversing or interacting in some routine expected way with one another. The subjects are drawn in an expressive yet figurative artistic manner. The figures are characterized in order to highlight aspects that the painter deems as important, such as seemingly excessive flowing hair.
Her color palate is often flat and muted, with tone build through rounded shading. Her works do not use texture and are 2D in pictorial design. This gives each work a look similar to that evoked by the clay animation of Tim Burton in works such as “A Nightmare before Christmas.” This effect is most likely due to Sophie’s illustrator background. It allows for the focus of the viewer to remain on the subjects face and actions rather than for the focus to spread across the viewing plane. Thus each work draws the viewer in without overwhelming their senses in needless detail or aesthetic disharmony.
Artist: Donna Gotlib
Websites:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/DGotlib
http://twitter.com/DGotlib
http://brainzapart.blogspot.com
Commentary:
Donna Gotlib’s work available through her etsy shop is reminiscent of raindrop dissections, cellular biology and musical scores. Her works are vibrant, busy and expounding with motion. Colorful spheres and geometric shapes cut across, emerge from and dissect the canvas. The subjects of her works are the interaction of these shapes. One is reminded of the anatomy of insects presented inches from the eye or the conglomeration of disparate flowers joined together through distant fields. Her works are composed using artist paper, paint pens, acrylic and gouche. Red, yellow and purple are the primary color choices with color delineated by black line outlines, which are often surrounded by white negative space. Her works are abstract, yet approachable, and unintimidating.
Artist: Nick Gentry
Website: http://www.nickgentry.co.uk/
Commentary:
Nick Genry’s work is simply put a modern breakthrough. His painting style is choppy and unsubtle in the works presented thus far. This is not to say however, that they are inglorious. Instead, his style mirrors the dissonance associated with discarded computer memorabilia. Busts and facial portraitures erupt from a facade of discarded VHS tapes and computer floppy discs. These found objects are placed into unique positions throughout the works and the color and form of the works highlights the specific orientation of the included objects. In one piece a VHS tape is subdued behind the eye’s of the portrait. Nick Gentry uses the plastic turn knobs on the VHS tape as the subjects eyeballs. In other works, floppy disc compose the background. They have been made neutral through an application of white paint and the subject has been painted on top of them as if the discs where once the property of the subject or more earily as if the disc contain a historical record of the subject. Yellow/Blue are the primary colors used, augmented by heavy layers of black and white. A sober Picasso meets the computer age.
Artist: Emily Jeffords
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/EmilyJeffords
Commentary: Emily Jeffords works merge the artistic mediums of photography and painting. Painting mediums include water and oils on artist quality paper. Subject matter often involves ubiquitous springtime flowers and other familiar compositions such as a house or car lining a street. Emily often uses vibrant, bright single toned colors which are balanced through delicate layering. Her photographic works focus on arranged wooden compositions which have texture as well as color. These compositions maintain an incredible tactile sense of depth. Colors for her works are often red/green based with hints of yellow and blue. Black also plays a predominate role especially when compared to the relative lack of white in her works. Her photographs would well suit a small room with the aim of making it more inviting and adding subtle warmth. Her watercolors would suit any room with bright lighting and open spaces.
Artist: Lisa Congdon
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lisacongdon
Commentary: Lone animals and tree scenes dominate Lisa’s work. The color schemes are muted, well balanced, yet full of life. Paintings are predominated by blue, red, green, and white. Forms are seperated by color and texture rather than black lines. Most images have a sense of depth created through shadowing and a general rounding of figures. Lisa’s works are painterly in the color application techniques used.
Artist: Sricther
Website: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35636871
Commentary: Doodles layered into a strikingly complex composition surmise the style which Srichter’s work conveys. Most works are smaller scale in nature 11 inches by 14inches, perhaps due to the complexity and time demands of the painting style. All works are completed on a white ground with positive space filled out in black doodles often through the use of oil pastel or marker. These doodles appear to dive into and emerge from each other. White spaces are then subsequently filled into to complete a patchwork of color. Red, yellow, orange. blue and green dominate the color palate, each radiating its warmth against the surrounding colors. The images are complex in nature reminiscent of style composition from both M.C. Escher and Pollock.
Artist: Tali
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/tushtush?section_id=5745516
Commentary: Tali is an artist whom I found while scouring etsy. He sells a large number of smaller prints along with works in oil color and acrylic. Many use black/white grounding juxtaposed against light vibrant color schemes. Human figures dominate the subject matter. Yellow, Red and Blue reside as the primary color scheme.
Artist: Lucy V
Website: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lucyvnz
Commentary
The above dress is my second purchase from Lucy V etsy shop. When the first dress that I purchased (for my wife) arrived a few months back, it was laced with an aromatic perfume and wrapped in fine tissue paper. Customer service and going the extra mile are key selling points for Lucy V. On a whim, and simply because I admire Lucy’s style of dress making as does my wife, I decided to purchase another one of her dresses. Coincidentally, I realized that she, like many Etsy sellers is an artist whom I admire.
Her primary medium is cloth with a leaning towards vintage fabrics, bright and/or muted colors, silk and lace. She weaves these disparate components into one of kind wardrobe compositions. Articles created primarily include, dresses, aprons, and handbags. Each article is handmade and well balanced in that it functions as a work of art as well as a functional article of clothing. Simply put, I love her work; I’ll come back to her store for years to come as long as she is still producing. Oh, I forgot to mention one of the best points; that her prices are comparable to mass produced clothing from a traditional brick and mortar store.
Artist: Chris Roberts
Website: www.Deadclownart.com
Commentary:
Chris Roberts is a younger, angrier Andy Warhol; that is in terms of the byproduct of his mind and the product of his hand. His paintings are dominated by compacted space filled with either lone figures or distorted facial visages. His figures are separated from the background solely through the use of colored lines which creates a haunting affect. The figures meld and merge with the background, thus creating a highly unified composition. The majority of images are produced in yellow, red, blue and green hues with minimal use of black or white for balancing. Works include photography collages, mixed media, acrylic, spray paint and ink predominantly. These paintings are not of a style which one would necessarily want to place in a refined living room, however they do have a place within the home of an art lover. Perhaps, a cozy warm breakfast nook or hidden reading retreat would be the best location for showcasing them. Chris Roberts paintings demand attention and should thus be placed in a location where the viewer can stumble and reflect upon them without their presence distracting from other objects of interest in the surrounding room.
Chris Roberts images are simple, nostalgic in nature and compelling in subject matter. The subject matter is readily approachable by masses of people due to the use of easily recognizable forms. For instance, his works include images of Mao, Michael Jackson and Napoleon Dynamite. Chris Roberts is an artist worth watching in the coming years. As a semi abstract figurative artist he has a bright future.
Artist: Rodgy Roundy
Website: http://www.rodgerroundy.com
Commentary:
I found Rodgy Roundy through an RSS subscription to Artistaday.com. Artistaday is a well designed user interactive forum/blogging site which has the aim of highlighting one artist a day. The good folks there have been doing this for years, and have built up an extensive collection of searchable artist. The format is such that an artist is highlighted using his/her bio alongside a picture of their work. Artistday.com focuses on sculpture artist, photography artist and painters. In short, every medium is accepted so long as the end result of the artistic process is a tangible object or image.
I am primarily interested in the painters and sculptors presented on the site. Rodgy Roundy in particular arrested my scrolling hand as my RSS feeds rolled down the page. His work has been to date a gleeful fusion of “Where’s Waldo and M.C. Escher”. The focus of many of Rodgy Roundy’s work remains the interaction between many seemingly identical characters. These figures interact with one another in such activities as swimming through a sea of letters, horse back riding, archery, building strange structural monoliths. The figures are often female, often of a generic hair color (blonde, brown or red) and often wearing catholic school girl outfits. Color is not the primary focus of the works. In later works color was an accent to the composition. In present day it has been eliminated entirely from the palette. Earlier works from ten years previous are less complex in subject material and composition compared to those being produced today. The viewer can readily see the progressive style that Rodge Roundy has cultivated over the years.
Artist: Sylvia Grantins
Website: http://sylviagrantins.blogspot.com/
Commentary:
Sylvia’s Grantins paintings contain the “terroir” of her home. Sylvia’s paintings evoke the rich textures of Ontario erupting with springtime joy. Her works are bright, produced in a flurry of seemingly spontaneous yet purposeful action. Her images evoke the mood of a sparsely populated meandering land of lonesome nestled hilltops, fields of pulsating flours, and trees blown through the wind.
Her art is primarily produced on mounted canvas. Dimensions vary between 4 inches square to larger museum sized panels. Prices for her work are extremely reasonable given that they are one of a kind works. The tonal value of the color of Sylvia’s work is high, in that when compared to a peacock feather her works would hold their own weight. This does not mean, however that they are gaudy or ill conceived. Instead, Sylvia manages to find a rich harmonious balance through the combination of brilliant liquid hues. Often forms are created in a waving manner, through white infused paint, creating lava like texture. Once this layer has dried, subsequent layers of paint are applied to create forms such as poppy flowers or tree branches. This process is repeated until the image is complete. I am particularly fond of her smaller works when combined into a series of related frames. These images 4 inches square when mounted as Sylvia does on wooden supports create a quilt like appearance which would warm any room painted in a muted earth tone.
Artist: Andrea Le Beau
Website: http://www.andrealebeau.com/
Commentary:
From Andrea Le Beau’s work, one can perceive that she is an artist who continually experiments with her technique. Without inhibition she attacks the object of her focus with an artistic passion. Her body of work includes traditional mounted linen with flowers as the main subject matter, clothing, works on found objects and encaustic creations. When compared alongside one another, these works all convey the sense of originating from the same hand. Primary similarities include an earth toned base coat with sparing applications of complimentary color applied. Andrea Le Beau’s creations are simplistic in design, thus the images created are not overwhelming to the viewer. They could be positioned in any space without fear of overburdening the room which they inhabit. I have chosen to profile her work, namely because there is a vibrant painterly quality to her encaustic work. For those of you unfamiliar with the term encaustic, it is an artistic application form whereby hot beeswax infused with color or left unadulterated is applied to canvas. This technique has the ability to create window like semi translucent glazes or in the case of Andrea le Beau the entire composition of a work. In the image above, yellow golden organic shapes emerge and dissipate from the ethereal canvas. The monotone color palette adds rather than distracts from the complexity of the piece by further highlighting the color gradients.
Artist: Karl Greaves
Website: www.Karlgreaves.com
Commentary:
Think Jackson Pollock distilled into a purified essence. Karl Greaves work can be categorized as refined entropy. Quickly shaped semi organic forms emerge and dissipate into the canvas. Separation between the “subject” and background is minimal however remains apparent in most work. Delineation between forms is created by differences in color applications. Human like forms often with a ghostly and disjointed appearance pervade Karl Greaves work. The shadowing on these figures is reminiscent of that used by Salvador Dali on his surrealist renditions of human subjects. The colors are vibrant; however remain harmonious throughout each piece. Clashes of yellow, red, green and blue dominate with a preference for black over white. The entire canvases are filled with color, thus making it harder to discern the “subject” from the image as a whole. Forms and figures thus appear to spring from the canvas rather than being distanced from it. The colors in most works appear to be layered and compounded to develop or enhance chosen areas of the works. This technique is labor intensive in that Karl must work with a random unknowing right mind and an informed left mind, with the ultimate goal of finding a balance between chaos and form.
Artist: Jenny Watts
Website: http://www.friendsinmay.com
Commentary:
Jenny Watts is an artist that I have chosen to profile, namely because I admire her work – specifically her use of color. Her work is reminiscent of early Marc Chagall, at least so much in the choice of color palette. Her works are smaller in scale and synergize well when displayed in series. Color schemes and style thus transfer well when comparing images side by side. The color palette chosen primarily involves blue/green juxtaposed against hollow white/black figures or yellow/red juxtaposed against hollow white/black figures. The backgrounds of most works have distorted rhythmic appearances which convey a weathered and antique appearance.
Animal forms and figures are the primary focal point of Jenny’s work. The figures appear whimsical yet resolute, as if they are aware that one is watching their movements. They are drawn in a stencil/pop fashion in that most are white/off white with roundness achieved through the use of black lines outlining the counters. The relative lack of color separates the figures from the background, thus giving the images a sense of depth.
Personally, I would like to see larger scale paintings produced, with the characters interacting together. This concept would produce a painting with potentially less visual impact at first due to the inclusion of more white from the figures; however it would be fun for the viewer to untangle the actions of the characters on display. A painting of this style would require the viewer to actively engage in the painting. Being said, the works as they stand now hold value and are unique and noteworthy on their own merit. Jenny is a young artist with a bright future.
Artist: Jessica Doyle
Website: http://jessicadoyle.com/
Commentary
I set up a Google reader account about a year and a half ago. For some of you, this is late in the game. For others, I am ahead of the curve. I discovered Jessica Doyle while using Google image search to find artists work I liked. I signed up for her RSS feed available at her blog and have been receiving regular blog updates for the last year. A paramount goal for any blogger is to provide regular updates with desirable content. Jessica Doyle has always provide regular and juicy content. Her personality shines through the written word on her blog. Jessica Doyle is an artist who sells prints, original paintings, cards, and functional objects through etsy and other online venues. She is also heavily active in the online blogging world and has a number of side projects which she willingly details on her website. These include her vintage article blog, her home remodeling projects and personal details regarding her life. I admire her forthcoming personal disclosures. For an artist, selling art work can be as much about the impression of oneself as an artist that prospective buyers see as it is about the actual artwork itself. When a buyer purchases art, they are not only purchasing the art itself, they are purchasing a persona, an image, and perhaps a perceived artistic legacy.
Jessica Doyle has done well to create a web persona as an artist. Those who purchase her work can rest assured that her artistic images will endure, and hence the value of her work will increase as it ages. Jessica draws/paints primarily figurative and representational forms. The images are normally composed of muted color and the compositions are well balanced. Most images convey a sense of negative and positive space created by the intertwining of whimsical forms. Trees, flowers and animals are prominent in her work.
Artist: Hugh Macleod
Website: www.gapingvoid.com
Commentary Hugh would describe himself as a cartoonist. I would describe him as a marketer. The two terms are not entirely distinct, in that one can be a cartoonist as well as a marketer. He is unique in that many artists lack the desire or knowledge to promote their own work. While artist often cultivate their own style and thus progress artistically, they often fail in the realm of progressive marketing. Hugh Macleod has succeeded, and is continuing to succeed at both. From his extensive blog, one can gather that he spent years in New York drawing small cartoons on the back of business cards. Those were Hugh’s “seven years” – the theoretical learning curve whereby one learns and becomes competent in any desired skill. Those seven years were the backbone for Hugh overcoming what Seth Godin another great marketer and author of business related books would describe as “The Dip”.
Hugh’s cartoons are simplistic in design, often black and white, full of seemingly random forms, often containing figurative shapes which are used along with words to create an insightful joke. Additionally, Hugh Macleod has authored a book titled “Ignore Everbody” which is a motivational conglomeration of some of his prized cartoons along with reprocessed and synthesized thoughts from his frequent business/marketing related blogging. Hugh Macleod is now working on his second book “Evil Plans”. Furthermore, Hugh has experimented with some larger canvases as well as journal pages as an artistic medium.
He is the first artist that I am profiling, namely because his website and purpose have been an inspirational force behind my own planned blogging pursuits as an artist. I am fond of some of his larger scale works as they evoke a sense of loneliness and emptiness within the viewer. His smaller work on the back of business cards however will most likely be the vehicle of his notoriety. There are few if any artist working in the same medium with such an available and prodigious body of work. See for yourself by clicking her which will take you to a google image search for GapingVoid Hugh’s “brand”.
Blog Purpose
I am restarting blogging with a renewed and focused subject matter. I took a break from blogging in mid 2009 in order to redesign the sight and focus on some sculpture projects. I plan to keep those projects moving forward, however at the same time, I also would like to contribute to the blogging world.
As normal, posts will include progress of my own projects which will be listed in the “painting” or “sculpture” categories. Posts will also be focused on artists who I discover through research. These posts will be categorized under the “Critique” category. Sources will most likely include eTsy, Artistaday.com, Flickr and other collaborative artist’s sites.
I commit to distributing two feed updates a week. Most likely this will occur on Monday and Thursdays however occasionally variances will occur.
A Bit About Me.
Daniel was born on Sept 28th, 1982 in Durham, N.C. He played in the woods building forts and pioneering through high school. He graduated from Durham School of the Arts in 2001. In 2005 Daniel graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a degree in Political Science and Economics. Daniel raced as a professional cyclist and as a professional triathlete through his collegiate years. Daniel no longer races professionally however he can still be seen at occasional marathons, cycling events or ultra-runs. He would describe himself as an intellectual hippie. Daniel’s vice’s include Espresso, Red Wine, Chocolates, Whiskey and Good Greens. Daniel lives with his Wife Lindsey and their two cats Alibaster and Maeve at their home in Durham, NC. Daniel graduated with an MBA from Campbell University in the fall of 2009. Daniel Is an Artist.
D.B. Williams
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