Brown Paper Bag

Anna Queen

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:37:00 EDT

On Monday, I was walking around campus and took a peek inside a student gallery in the Bunting Center, the Pinkard Gallery. There, I saw Anna Queen's solo exhibition, Structure. Anna's work resides in a den of simplicity, with ceramic triangles and cubes installed in the space. Devoid of color, her installations rely on form and light, which Anna has clearly considered. It seems she is both aware of their power alone as well as in a group.

All images via her website.

Time Travel Tuesday // Peruvian Artifacts

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:58:00 EDT

It�s Tues�day, and another install�ment of Time Travel Tues�day with Rebecca of Big Things! I'm really excited about the images that she is presenting! Check out what she's got to say about Peruvian Artifacts below!

Recently, I decided it would be worthwhile to scan some of my books and share the images online. These are from a 1968 catalog from an exhibition at the Guggenheim called Mastercraftsmen of Ancient Peru. It was the largest exhibition of Peruvian artifacts ever shown outside of Peru and included over 700 objects from private and public collections.

The history behind these objects fascinates me- not only the original maker, purpose, technique and materials, but also the provenance of each piece. How is it possible that these fragile ceramics and textiles have survived thousands of years of environmental stress, colonial pillaging, archaeological excavations, and black market dealings to finally arrive in various museums or private collections? What a long and mysterious journey!

Some of these textiles, namely from the Paracas Necropolis (c. 500-200 B.C.), are considered to be some of the most intricate and impressive examples of ancient embroidery and weaving. They were discovered wrapped in layers around bodies entombed in the ruins of a hillside community. I love the rich colors and geometric qualities.

While researching the show a bit more, I also found this photo of art handlers unpacking some of the ceramics from the show! You can view the rest of the catalogue online here.

Vikki Chu

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:00:01 EDT

Vikki Chu is an illustrator based out of Virginia. While her rather extensive client list requires her to tackle a myriad of subjects, my initial excitement of her work came from the sprawling landscapes she has drawn. Here, Vikki made her work very detailed, and I'm partially reminded of the Where's Waldo book series. Remembering this, I get a similar feeling when looking at these pieces out of Vikki's portfolio - something that I could view over and over again, finding new details every time.

All images via her blog and website. Last image is from her inPRNT shop, where you can purchase her work!

Aris Moore

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:59:00 EDT

I first saw the work of Aris Moore on The Jealous Curator, and more recently Art Hound. Each time I've been really taken by her work, which most notably uses facial features and proportion in an interesting and rather uncanny way.

The muted, aged feeling of a lot of Aris's work adds to its uncanniness, and feels like it could be out of a scary tale.

All images via her blog.

Rebecca Chaperon

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:32:00 EDT

I very recently received an email from Rebecca Chaperon, alerting me that she currently has a show at Elissa Cristall Gallery in Vancouver until February 25th. Not knowing her work previously, I was really intrigued upon viewing her paintings. They are dark and eerie, and we are guided by a cast of characters that seem equally unsure of the landscape.

More about her work (from her website):

Chaperon's work sometimes seem to parallel the misadventures of various heroines from literary works; her current paintings often portray the narrative of a female protagonist within a slightly surreal landscape. Her work entertains the mind with possible narratives, while haunting with another, emotive undercurrent.

All images via her website.

Lauren Humphrey

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:29:00 EDT

I found the work of Lauren Humphrey on Art Cake, a fairly newish art blog out of Portland.

Lauren is a student of illustration, and her hand-drawn and hand-colored works playing into a folk-art aesthetic. The combination of accented saturated color and ink comprises a lot of her stronger pieces. I like the push and pull.

All images via her Tumblr.

Lisa Perrin // Harpy

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:29:00 EDT

Recently in my graduate program, we had a stop-motion animation workshop with animator Willy Hartland. It was a lot of fun! Very time consuming, but the nine of us in the department each created short stop-motion animation films. I've presented one below and will post more as I can get them.

Harpy by Lisa Perrin includes a hand-painted harpy with other surroundings. I helped out by moving the water!

Shara Hughes

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:42:00 EDT

I am really enjoying the spaces that Shara Hughes paints. I'm always intrigued by personal, interior spaces, as you often learn more about someone from just viewing their room rather than speaking with them. I sort of feel the same way about Shara's paintings - I am especially curious how the arrangement of objects in these types of spaces relates to her own personality.

All images via her website.

Infomaniacs // Matthew Thurber

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:00:02 EDT

I really enjoy reading web comics, and recent came across Infomaniacs, drawn by Matthew Thurber. Infomaniacs is a funny yet somewhat strange story of social media and the neuroses and implications that arise from it. Once I saw the term "global chillin" used, I knew I was going to enjoy Infomanics on a multiple levels.

It looks like it is updated between a week and 10 days. Check some of it out below and the rest on PictureBox, where Matthew, along Rebecca Bird, they form Muk-Luk.

All images via PictureBox.

Jenni Sparks

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:12:00 EDT

Jenni Sparks is a designer that loves hand-drawn type, and it is clearly something that she excels in. Her type is bold and its own way illustrative, focusing a lot on popular culture and pop music. If you visit her blog, you'll see her post music videos and talk about The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. You will also see her trip to Kenya - it is obvious that as a typophile, you really notice lettering all around. Throughout pictures of safari and villages are pictures of signage, too.

Jenni's work matches the vibe of what she is illustrating, which she describes as "fun," to which I'd agree - the hand-drawn quality she infuses in her work gives it a casual yet well drafted feel.

All images via her Flickr. Check out her blog and website.

Seripop

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:12:00 EDT

Seripop is the collaboration between Yannick Desranleau and Chloe Lum who started Seripop in 2002. Hailing from Canada, the duo seems to create a lot of screen printed works that then make their way to into massive installations and other large scale displays.

Extremely playful, Seripop's focus on paper is an interesting one, especially in What Should Have Been and Would Not (first four images), which the papered pieces in the net seem at once both light and hold much visual weight.

All images via their website.

Leah Durant

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:00:03 EDT

Based in Leeds, Leah Durant states that her primary passion is photography, which is melded with printmaking, collage, and drawing.

In collaged pieces, Leah's photography is often non-specific and enlarged to highlight texture. Aesthetically, I love the diffused nature of her mark-making and photos, which speaks to the larger scope of her work. She writes:

The intention of my work is to visually record the subtleties in everyday life that we do not always notice or appreciate. For example, the idea of pausing and enjoying a moment that is right there in front of our eyes, such as a shadow on a wall, a piece of paper in the wind, or a reflection in a window. Through capturing details of things that may seem insignificant in our daily lives, the fragmented beauty of the subject is brought to the forefront and chaos is pushed back. Ultimately, the raw purity and fragility of the image is unravelled.

All images via her website/Tumblr.

Studio Visit // Jowita Wyszomirska

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:08:00 EDT

If you were to walk by MICA's Studio Center on North Avenue (close to what I am told is the slowest McDonald's in the world) during the month of January, then you most likely saw the work of Jowita Wyszomirska through the window of MICA's Curatorial Studies gallery, The Temporary. Three site-specific installations were featured in her solo show, Tenuous Connection. I met Jowita in her studio that is housed in School 33, an art space in downtown Baltimore. The space itself has wonderful views of the city and a lot of room for her and her husband to share their work space.

Jowita's recent endeavors take shape in installations (such as the one in her studio) and drawings. Pen, gouache, and tape are all used to create intricate works that are meticulous yet minimal in detail. Citing architecture and maps as inspiration, a recent set of drawings reflect the routes of the Purple Line, a bus line of the Charm City Circulator in Baltimore.

It was nice to see the progression that Jowita's work has taken. In a relatively short period of time, her work went from three dimensional paintings of buildings, to a focus on the folded forms of those buildings, to the installation on the wall. Always wanting to challenge herself, Jowita told me it was to fueled by the desire to speed up her working process. Tape is faster than paint - more immediate results and exercises ideas quickly.

Below: An example of the boxes Jowita made after painting architecture. Image via website.

Overall, I liked Jowita's way of working juxtaposed with the result of her work (installations, specfically). Although she tends not to sketch before she starts working, her years of being an exhibition fabricator have made her process-oriented and it seems to have keep her attuned to refining her artistic process. So far, this has been working - her work continues to move on an interesting path of abstracted observations. I'll be excited to see the work she has coming up for an exhibition in June, and how it is a continuation of where she is working now.

Thanks Jowita!

Sarah Williamson

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:00:01 EDT

The illustration and paintings of Sarah Williamson are simply wonderful, utilizing a few different techniques to bring forth her visual language. There is a major emphasis on the freedom of media (as she paints with wet-on-wet) and a love the figure and landscape. Inspired by what's around her, the Brooklynite writes:

I used to work, but one day I picked up a pen and images came, I began to see all of the dreams the decay and the excess around me. Around all of us. I once read in a very famous book, "All things are full of labor, man cannot utter it..." But I don't think of what I do now as labor. My work feels like a natural product of curiosity about our surroundings: people and things disintegrating, dreaming, living, not living. The world is full of color, I cannot utter.

All images via her website.

Gina Dawson

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:08:00 EDT

I first spoke of the work of Gina Dawson when I saw it as part of a group show, Boundry Proof, at the Guest Spot Art Space in Baltimore. She created these amazing miniature funeral wreathes made out of paper. The text on the banners were extracted from rejection letters, which Gina had embroidered:

Checking in on Gina's work, I found discovered her newest endeavor - the creation of flowers out of paper and placement in unexpected places. Small wildflowers placed in the cracks of buildings, and greenery installed on rocks. These small additions to the landscape really make the passerby more aware and conscious of the space and make it feel a bit more precious. I'm reminded of the Dispatchwork project but with an organic twist.

All images via Gina's blog.

Jenny Harp

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:27:00 EDT

Jenny Harp is an artist living and working in San Francisco. Her mixed media work is an examination of our inner workings in relationship to culture. From her artist statement:

My present work stems from tensions and comforts that reflect feelings of anxiety, celebration, power and control and the boundaries between them. Culturally I investigate the emotional relationships that dwell in the intermediate space between the natural world and the domestic world by way of choice materials and images from American Subcultures. I explore relationships of color, composition and objects within these contexts.

All images via her website.

Lisette Berndt aka Thoka Maer

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:00:01 EDT

I first saw the work of Lisette Berndt, aka Thoka Maer, through her Tumblr, It's No Biggie. I think I've mentioned how much I love animated GIFs, and was especially delighted to see the element of the hand in Lisette's animations. It's No Biggie, she writes, is a "satirical comment about our daily life obstacles in form of looping gif animation." All images via her Tumblr.

Lisette's other illustrations (and animations!) share similar qualities to her GIFs. Stylistically, she uses a light hand with minimal line work to tell a story or describe a place. With colored pencil, graphite, or ink, Lisette communicates a feeling of introspection and a tinge of sadness.

All images via her website.

infra 6 from Thoka Maer on Vimeo.

infra 7 from Thoka Maer on Vimeo.

Matt Leines

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:11:00 EDT

Matt Leines is an artist whose work I have covered here before, and whose work I like very much. His paintings (especially the interior scenes) suggest an odd future, a primitive yet modern world referencing art movements past.

All images via his website.

Matt has an Etsy store where he is selling prints, paper dolls, and t-shirts. I am especially excited for the unique, hand-colored paper dolls and the You Are Forgiven color print:

All images via Etsy.

Casey Roberts

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:03 EDT

I've only recently begun to learn about cyanotype, which is photographic printing process that creates a cyan-blue print. Photosensitive solution is applied to a surface (such as paper or fabric), and left to dry in a dark place. Based on the intensity of the ingredients in a solution, different tones of blues can be acheived. Casey Robert's work experiments with this process, using it as an conceptual element of her work. She writes:

My work illustrates a fantastic landscape. It represents nature's subtle way of dealing with the peculiar aspects in the relationship with mankind. A giant glow-in-the-dark heart, or a pile of precious gems tells us that we are loved, just as blood squirting from an oak tree trunk says, all is not well. I am inspired by my conversation with the landscape, I imagine long monologues when pine forests make me laugh and mountains test my patience.

All images via her website.

Laura Gee

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:05:00 EDT

Laura Gee introduced herself to me, and upon visiting her website I found an illustrator who not only illustrates, but creates installations and curates as well.

Laura's own work utilizes simple, bold images and supporting text that's often short and sweet. I especially liked this one:

Paper is also something that Laura explores in the three-dimensional sense, creating popup letters and hand cut and assembled. She curated an exhibition, Toy Shop where she made miniature houses to promote the show.

All images via her website.

Ky Anderson

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:12:00 EDT

It has been a while since I have talked about the work of Ky Anderson, but I love it all the same. I enjoy Ky's use of color, and despite their more muted characteristics, they are not muddled. And, if they are muddled, Ky explains in her statement that they are that way by their very nature:

If you stop what you are doing and look as far away as you can, even if it is just in the other room, or if you are lucky enough to be outside, look as far away as you can. There are so many things/stuff/objects in your way of seeing far into the distance. Those distractions, objects, patterns and the smallest opening that lets you see even further are what my paintings are about. They are about the things in the way of seeing as far as you can. Sometimes these objects in my paintings are from memories, memories of the color of a room or shape of a hill. The combination of the struggle to see in the distance and flashes of memories make up the stories within my paintings. Out of these thoughts comes work that looks almost abstract, but in my eyes the combination of shapes and colors have stories.

All images via her website. Ky also has a blog detailing her art collection, which I really enjoyed viewing as well.

Cornelia O'Donovan

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:00:01 EDT

Printmaker and illustrator, I first saw the work of Cornelia O'Donovan on one of my favorite Tumblrs, F Yeah Women Artists. Her drawing style is loose but together as she focuses much of her prints on natural life, references to historical dress, and pattern. What's interesting to me is the juxtaposition of elements in her prints - not necessarily an interaction of a flower and lady, for example, just the implication of it based on how Cornelia has arranged the composition.

All images via Flickr. Check out her blog/website as well!

Also, for the curious, Cornelia has provided us with a glimpse into her studio space:

Brecht Vandenbroucke

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:28:00 EDT

New work by the Belgium artist/illustrator, Brecht Vandenbroucke, below. I am continually amused by Brecht's illustrations. They are truthful and weird with a nice sense of irony to them. His characterization is inherently funny with all-too-flexible limbs and disproportional bodies.

Also, the lush, full color and full bleed illustrations are lush and extremely satisfying to view.

All images via Flickr. Check out his blog as well.

Search Engine // Lou Joseph: 1998 - 2012

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:00:01 EDT

Since I will miss the reception tomorrow, I took the liberty of viewing Search Engine: Lou Joseph 1998-2012 at the North Ave. Market on my own. I was blown away by amount of work on the walls, also enjoyed navigating through the space with the Search Engine Field Guide (available as a pamphlet upon entering the gallery).

A retrospective of work over the past 14 years, the exhibition (put on by the Institute of Contemporary Art Baltimore) explores the varied work that Lou has produced. Personal history reveals that he has lived many places (Tuscon, Venice, and Philadelphia to name a few) before coming to Baltimore in 2008. The exhibition highlights this fact by layering every available piece made by Lou since 1998.

What was most successful about this exhibition was its sheer volume. Every piece hung on the wall (or on the floor) was apart of Lou's history, good or bad. Individually, some pieces work better than others, but seeing them all together creates interesting juxtapositions that help to elevate what might be weaker.

In the Search Engine Field Guide, it highlights the themes present in Lou's work:

Battles and conflicts predominate. Some pieces are cartoonish and bizarre visually - as fights waged between reproductive organs or tentacled breasts- while other allude to situations that are equally bizarre but increasingly common sights culled from the news, like drones, cars on fire and tent cities. There is a steady preoccupation with repitition, not just of line and pattern, but as a way of understanding futility and failure.

The reception for this show will be tomorrow, Friday the 20th, from 6PM-9M at the North Ave. Market. It is located at 16 W. North Avenue in the Station North Arts District. If you are artistically inclined, you wil also walk around the show imagining what all of your work would look like displayed in this way. I know I did.

For more information on Lou Joseph, check out his website. Also take a look at his Tumblr, too.

Fanny Rose

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:39:00 EDT

Fanny Rose is an artist working out of Brussels. Via her website, she studies textiles, likes to draw, and take pictures. This is very evident on her Flickr, and I, of course, am attracted to her drawings, which include short bursts of color and varying types of line.

What she photographs (flowers) often translates into drawing, or some other variation on the natural world.

All images via her Flickr. Check out her website, too!

Misaki Kawai

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:18:00 EDT

The bright and colorful works of Misaki Kawai intrigued and excited me. I wanted to know more about her installation, sculptures and drawings. Via Rove TV, I learned that:

Like many other adolescent Japanese girls, she [Misaki] was influenced by western pop culture to a fanatical degree. She was greatly fascinated with 60�s fashion and hippie culture, often following her mother�s example and hand making clothes for herself. Although her mother�s needlework was impeccable, Misaki favored a more haphazard handmade look.

Later, they go on to say that Misaki still strives to keep an innocence of adolscent, but at the same time to be on a more sophisticated level. If you look below, you'll see evidence of that through large installations and sculptures.

All images via her website.

Jordan Bernier // New Waves

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:03 EDT

Last Saturday at the Nudashank Gallery was the opening of Jordan Bernier's solo show, New Waves. I was having camera issues and only had my cell phone with me, but I absolutely loved the show. I'm always a fan of Jordan's work, and was excited to see the large graphite drawings he produced.

One element of Jordan's work is through simplicity, he is able to entrance you to soak in the details of his work. Below, a couple of videos (shot on my cell phone, so sorry for the quality) of his pieces. Check out Nudashank's Facebook for more detailed (and clear) documentation of his work.

Jordan Bernier, 'New Waves' at the Nudashank Gallery from Sara Barnes on Vimeo.

Yelena Bryksenkova // Studio Visit

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:51:00 EDT

Last week, I visited the lovely studio (and home) of illustrator Yelena Bryksenkova. Yelena's illustrations have gained traction since she has graduated from MICA, and she's quickly becoming known for her elegant drawings of women and images adorned with patterns referencing Eastern European folk art.

Images via Yelena's website.
Image via Yelena's blog.

Yelena uses a combination of watercolor paint, gouache, and pen to create her illustrations. There is an emphasis on the handcrafted, as she lamented that her knowledge of how to navigate Photoshop is not as great as how to yield a brush. It is exactly this, however, that draws people to her work.

Watercolor paints that only Yelena can tell their color.

Yelena and I studied through the same department while at MICA - illustration. It was fun to hear about her experience in the program, and we spoke quite a bit about how she developed her style. Like myself, she found that her junior year was the hardest of undergrad - she couldn't seem to create work that satisfied her. Studying abroad, however, was a turning point for Yelena. Living in Prague for five months, she took in the culture, the books, and the way in which folk art was preserved. It lead her to create sketchbooks of her time there, which helped push forward the style in which she works today.

Presently, Yelena works with clients and art directors, and enjoys the process of working commercially. She sees herself as a pragmatic person, and appreciates that illustration is part image and part problem solving. Working with an art director, she mentioned, can push her illustrations beyond what she might have first imagined.

Yelena's space was a great complement to her work. Full of tiny details, she collects work from artists and illustrators she admires, in addition to books. She showed me a couple of books she picked up while in Prague, and has started a collection of children's books from other countries. Her space is charming, with a beautiful view of downtown Baltimore. I used to live in Yelena's neighborhood, and seeing the view made me miss it!

One of the advantages to working as a freelance illustrator is the ability to travel and relocate. Having little to keep her in Baltimore, Yelena expressed her desire to move and to travel, locations unknown. Through social media, she's been able to connect with people around the world, making it seem not quite as large.

Thanks, Yelena!

Philipp Dornbierer

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:01:00 EDT

I shared an image by Philipp Dornbierer on my Tumblr the other day, and people really responded to his work. So, more! More below. Marvel in the beautiful shapes, mythical creatures, and smart use of positive and negative space.

All images via his website.

Beth Hoeckel // Studio Visit

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:10:00 EDT

Beth Hoeckel's studio lies in beautiful, tree-lined neighborhood in Baltimore. Light and airy, the space is home to Beth's collage and mixed media work. As someone who works in collage, I was impressed by Beth's way of working and organization. Seeing this space and hearing her speak really informed the work for me, which is comprised of photographs from old magazines and sometimes paired with painting.

Three images via Beth's website.

Beth works through feeling and intuition. Pairing parts of collages and paintings, she works until something feels done. She listens to her inner voice, and allows for things to develop organically.

Beth describes her collages, which use vintage imagery and a meticulous hand, as looking like regular photographs, but surreal. Her attention to craft is what helps to make her compositions look so believable. They feel extremely cohesive, but at the same time they could not exist anywhere - part of the beauty of using photographs in collage.

Working in collage (and seeing other collage-centric studios), I was extremely impressed with how Beth has set up her space. Things are labeled! They are separated and tacked up on on a wall! She's organized cut outs by subjects, color, and ready-made pieces to stick.

Colored plastic folders hold already-cut backgrounds, ready for collage.

The cut outs tacked on her wall gave a good indication of colors, shapes, and imagery that Beth is interested in at the moment. Over the years, she said, these things tend to change, with some reoccurring themes. It's not surprising, these changes, because they complement the way that Beth likes to work. There is a sense of growth and experimentation present in her space, and she's willing to take risks if it feels right.

Right now, Beth is working on five album covers, and participates in zines (such as Mild Vilnc) and interviews. Despite her analog way of working, she's also very active on the internet - something we talked about at length. She's tapped into using sites like Tumblr and Flickr, which has helped to shape her career and what people are responding to in her body of work.

Thanks, Beth!

Hillery Rebeka Sproatt

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:48:00 EDT

I first featured Hillery Rebeka Sproatt's work less than a month after I launched Brown Paper Bag. At that time, I featured prints by Hillery. While I still really enjoy them (I bought one for my brother a couple of years ago), I am now looking more towards her objects and embroidered pieces, specifically, her series of handmade dolls. Reminiscent of folk dolls, each have a different story, and are all made with same attention to detail and care.

All images via Specks & Keepings, which Hillery runs and where she sells her dolls . Visit her website, too!

Ken Garduno

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:53:00 EDT

Ken Garduno has quite a few portraits on his Flickr account, and I personally am more attracted to the more offbeat, loosely-defined portraits. They experiment with washes and patterns, and are not as tightly rendered as some of Ken's other pieces. I like to imagine them as a shroud with a life of its own.

All images via Flickr. Ken also has an Etsy store that you can check out.

Never Press Publications

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:59:00 EDT

Just after I returned from my Christmas vacation, I received an unexpected package. Upon opening it, it was a trove from Never Press.

Never Press is an independent publishing house that is based in Pasadena, California. They boast art books that feed the curiosity of the artists involved with the projects. From the works I saw, that is most definitely the case.

While the titles and styles of the individual books in Never Press vary, their stories weave around an abstracted reality. Tangibly, there is an impeccable craftsmanship of their books.

Never Press has rethought the idea of a book with some special touches. Fold-out covers, DVD accompaniments, and the format of a story is challenged and produced.

I really enjoyed the illustrations and animations with Saejean Oh and Anna Topuriya. Gingerly drawn, Life Tips From a Man Who is Very Afraid of Life tells a story of fears and situations that can debilitate someone's existence. From this book, the man who is very afraid of life is scared of many things, smiling crowds included.

It's a nice contrast... the idea of being afraid paired with these beautiful and rather unassuming drawings.

Core Samples by Nick Arciaga is a really nice book to look at. The pages are lush, full of color and texture with a handpulled silkscreen cover. As a viewer, you experience the adventurers' view of space, operations, and tools of the trade. It is a lot of fun.

I thought Home by James Chong was a unique way to experience a story and also lent itself to experiencing it over and over again. The 12 pages are not bound, but prints! You can leaf through or hang them on your wall. If you choose the latter option, you could reread and re-experience every time you pass by.

A Singer Songwriter by Gabe Gonzales contains a myriad of portraits with a silver holographic-esque cover that folds out!

Post Compost, with contributions from artists James Chong, Nick Arciaga, Gabe Gonzales, Mark Ingram, and Jesse Fillingham plays on the idea of the title. Despite different visual languages, overall the book speaks to a future world and how it has shifted and deals with things left behind. Some of it is pretty grotesque, in which I would not expect anything less.

Thanks to Never Press for sending me so much great stuff to look and read!

Jeremy Tinder

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:21:00 EDT

I love the new paintings by Jeremy Tinder, completed for his solo show (coming up, I presume?). His block characters, with their hulking figures and hollow insides, are still emotional, emitting joy and sorrow. I care about them and their well-being.

Jeremy also is good at likenesses, with much of his work a play on popular culture.

All images via his Flickr. Check out his website, too.

(For the 10th anniversary Wet Hot American Summer! I love. If you have not seen that movie, you should. I think it is on Instant Netflix.)

Max-O-Matic

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:13:00 EDT

Max-O-Matic, aka M�ximo Tuja, is a collage artist working to create slick, quasi-minimalist pieces pairing color with vintage imagery. My favorite of his portfolio includes the Cream series, which, according to Max, was created "...during three feverish summer nights. Obvious links to hot, beach, surreal creatures and pop lyrics..." They are lively, strange, and fresh.

All images via his website.

The Collage Scrap Exchange now has a home!

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:31:00 EDT

If you participated in the Collage Scrap Exchange and made something with your scraps, I have create a place where you can show it off!

I've received collages from a few folks and am very excited about what ya'll have been making. I'd love to see more. So, submit through the website or email me and I can post them on the Collage Scrap Exchange website.

And, for those that didn't get to participate this round, early spring (Marchish) I'll be working on Round 2, so stay tuned!

Dabs Myla

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:08:00 EDT

The walls and paintings of duo Dabs Myla fixates on the idea of innocence gone astray. Using characters whose facial features scream vintage cartooning, the feeling of nostalgia and of childlike merriment are juxtaposed with a harder edge. Cigarettes, sex, and grotesque situations adorn walls for an amusing mix of the two worlds.

All images via their website.

My Time Travel Tuesday post on Big Things!

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:33:00 EDT

Check out my post over on Big Things today! I write about my disdain for the comic Cathy. Read some and you might see why.

Also, if you like 30 Rock, this exists (about Cathy):

Time Travel Tuesday // Morris Louis

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EDT

It�s Tues�day, and another install�ment of Time Travel Tues�day with Rebecca of Big Things! Today we take a look at Morris Louis:

After Helen Frankenthaler died last week, I started reading more about the Color Field painters and became intrigued by Morris Louis and his enormous canvases of rich color. Originally from Baltimore, he lived and worked in Washington D.C. during most of his painting career. As the story goes, Clement Greenberg, a famous art critic, brought Louis and Kenneth Noland, a friend and also a painter, to Frankenthaler�s studio in 1953. She was staining canvases with thinned out paint and Louis was so impressed by her technique that he immediately went back to Washington and adopted it for his own work.

Louis is known for his �Veils� and �Unfurleds,� massive paintings that play with the possibilities of the canvas using color and space. He experimented with pigment application and poured colors down canvases, guiding the streams or just letting the paint flow across the canvas naturally. But no one was ever allowed to see how he created his paintings and he actually destroyed much of what he made. Most of the canvases he worked on were larger than his studio, leaving art historians guessing as to how they were actually created.

He died in 1962 at age 50 from lung cancer, which was caused by inhaling the fumes from the paints he worked so closely with. Although his fame is mainly posthumous (he never even saw his paintings hung in a gallery or museum), he was a defining contributor to the Color Field school, part of Abstract Expressionism, and is considered one of the precursors to Minimalism.

Images via contemporary smart, secret little gem, & the met.

Chad Wys

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:48:00 EDT

Chad Wys is an artist schooling and working in Illinois. His recent work looks at the nature of the object and the theoretical weight it carries. From his artist statement:

A major strand throughout much of my work, beyond the broader inquirers into what art means socially, is the notion of object: object ownership, objectification of history, objectification of people, objectification of artwork and its many mediums; etc. I often explore/exploit the idea of objecthood: how we decorate our lives with arbitrary, as well as meaningful, things; how we objectify the ones we love and the strangers we see; how we objectify pain and death; how we objectify complex and sensitive cultural histories.

All images via his website. Thanks to drawdrawdraw on Pinterest for sharing his work with me.

Brown Paper Bag... Now on Tumblr!

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:50:00 EDT

I made a Tumblr to supplement what I am doing here on Brown Paper Bag! It will include stuff not featured on this blog (as well as a few things that are). Follow me and look for artists, videos, and more!

Kyle James Dunn

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:46:00 EDT

Kyle James Dunn is a senior at MICA and sent me some of his work, which includes both drawing and sculptures. The sculptures include intricate plasma-cut steel, which is stunning. Kyle has an upcoming solo exhibition, Because It Is Bitter, in Baltimore in January, and he has some words about his own work:

I am interested in the grotesque and the feelings of unease it elicits, especially through the meeting of two opposites, such as beauty and decay, or morbidity and humor. The series of drawings and sculptures proposed for Because It Is Bitter were produced through repetitive activity--be it dense cut paper drawings, or solid metal surfaces reduced to lace-like structures. This repetition, paired with baroque elements, is designed to be aesthetically appealing to place the viewer at ease, until darker elements emerge: the chin and girlish bow of Jon Benet Ramsey, doomed beauty pageant star and subsequent tabloid fodder, replaces a chipping angel in an after-drawing of a fresco by Piero Della Francesca (J.B.R.); the Romantic palace interior is in fact now a ruin and squatter's den (Ruins); the faces made of vegetated islands hide skulls in their flowers (Memento Mori Lui, Elle); the foreboding scale of the decorative metal work dwarves bystanders and casts them in shadow (Smoke Screens, Exit Wounds, Cloak & Dagger).

All images via his website.

Nelio and THTF

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:27:00 EDT

I've been looking at the combined efforts of Nelio and THTF, an artist and artist collective, respectively, who have produced an exhibtion, Transition, that exists both inside and out. From Gallery All-Over:

For this project, they will try to combine these two procedures. With a facility that will take shape in the gallery Shared flavors and spread on the walls of the rue Camille Jordan, they will try to create links between the enclosure and the public space. The exhibition will also be a testing ground between the private world of artists. The aim will be to showcase their particular work and then build a homogeneous and uniform around the same thought.

All images via Nelio's Flickr. Check out the website showcasing the exhibition.

Denise Schatz

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:56:00 EDT

When viewing Denise Schatz's website, her works and projects are broken down individually. Looking at the content and titles, it is clear that she really relates and expresses her view of the world through the act of recording and organization into books, libraries, and other visual histories.

All images via her website.

Picture Library

Apartment

Plants

Stacks

Craig Bowers's sketchbook

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:35:00 EDT

I keep a pretty poor excuse for a sketchbook - it is a disjointed combination of notes, bad thumbnail sketches and assorted loose papers. That's why, when I look at Craig Bowers's sketchbook, I can't help but feel pangs of jealousy:

There is an amount of beauty and restraint to these pages that I love. Graphite is beautiful.

All images via his blog/website.

Collage Scrap Exchange: What I've Made So Far

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:34:00 EDT

Remember the Collage Scrap Exchange I organized? Well, I exchanged with two people and finally got around to playing with the scraps I was sent.

Here is what I've made so far, challenging myself to work with a limited pallette and think about texture through weaving. Overall, it got my brain working another way and was a good exercise.

So, those involved in the Collage Scrap Exchange, do you have any thing to show? Send me what you've created! I'm going to be working on a place to display images!

With Shelia Howell:

With Janien Prummel:

Xuan Alyfe

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:19:00 EDT

I feel that the details of large murals can often get lost, and so I impressed to see the work of Xuan Alyfe. The small details (people, dashed lines, stippling) he has depicted pair well with the large, bold shapes. They all seem to work together in its own world, a system.

All images via Flickr.

Goyte // Somebody That I Used to Know

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:00:01 EDT

Driving around Kansas City, MO this past weekend, I heard this song on the radio. Looking it up on Youtube, I was able to watch the official music video. I like the song and like the stop-motion painting and body painting that is utilized.

Malin Gabriella Nordin

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:00:01 EDT

I follow OCW's Tumblr, and I found the work of Malin Gabriella Nordin through it. Her website, divided by years and subject matter. There is an exploration of shapes and collages yet very cohesive. A smattering of her work is below.

The stone or shape similar to it is very present in Malin's work. Sometimes literally, other times merely implied. Either way, it has an organic and pleasing feel to me.

All images via her website.

Happy Holidays // Treat Studios

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:00:02 EDT

If you celebrate them, happy holidays! I am currently in Kansas City, Missouri celebrating Christmas with my family.

If you are not overcome with the holiday spirit (much like I am), then perhaps you can appreciate these short animations from Treat Studios. A bit "anti Christmas," with some nice surprises.

Check out Treat Studios for animations by Julia Pott, Alex Robinson, and Daniel Boyle, and more.

Reindeer from Treat on Vimeo.

Carol Singers from Treat on Vimeo.

Christmas Trees from Treat on Vimeo.

Workshop from Treat on Vimeo.

Pole Dance from Treat on Vimeo.

Javier Olivares

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:09:00 EDT

I really love they way Javier Olivares uses contrast in his work. Every time I've tried to use black in such a ubiquitous manner, it has ended badly. Here, Javier uses it as an opportunity to create interesting shapes and a cohesion to his illustrations.

All images via his blog.

Mario Zoots

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:00:02 EDT

There is a certain amount of joy that I get from old but newly manipulated photographs, especially the ones that Mario Zoots has used. Glamour shots and school portraits can be so silly (did anyone have a background with LASERS in it?) so I enjoy the subversive nature of what Mario is doing. It is all apart of his portfolio, which also includes collage works.

All images via his Flickr.

Alex DaCorte

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:41:00 EDT

Alex DaCorte uses materials within popular culture and turns them over on their head. Sometimes, quite literally, as he covers them in glue, tape, paint, resin, and more. It transforms them into grotesque sculptures that are both amusing and cynical.

All images via his website.

Fuco Ueda

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:00:02 EDT

Infusing the sea into many of her paintings, Fuco Ueda's surreal works are beautiful in their color and handling. There seems to be a visual splendor that Fuco is tapping into, implying that at times, the natural beauty of the setting sun and the blues of the ocean have this dizzying power to render us nearly powerless.

All images via her website.

Rosie Gainsborough

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EDT

I saw Rose Gainsborough's work on Poolga yesterday, a site where you can download artist iPhone, iPad, and iPhone4 backgrounds. It's my go-to whenever I want to change up the images on my phone or iPad. Anyways, I now have this as my phone background:

Rosie is an illustrator whose drawings are of objects, people, and places that have a familiarity to them. Aside from static 2D drawings, Rosie also creates animations, also very drawing centric.

All images via her website. All videos via Vimeo.

Post War Years - All Eyes // Tobias Stretch

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EDT

Tobias Stretch recently shared with me the newest video he directed, the Post War Years's All Eyes. The music video mixes the real with animatronics and puppetry which feels a bit bizarre but an interesting watch. Also, I really like the song. Check it out below!

POST WAR YEARS - ALL EYES from Tobias Stretch on Vimeo.

Upon checking out more of Tobias's work, I saw he also directed a video for Radiohead's Weird Fishes. It also makes use of puppetry and captures the essence of the song very nicely.

Henry St. John Newell

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:00:01 EDT

I was blown away by the drawings of Henry St. John Newell upon first view. The long name is fitting for his drawings, which are extremely detailed (at times, perhaps over?) and beg careful examination.

Henry calls his each of his works a "Mystical Inquiry," and are loaded with patterns and symbols, nautical, spiritual, among others. Loving tattoos, I am especially partial to the first image of the tattooed man and lady.

All images via his website. I am only able to present you with 500 pixel images on Brown Paper Bag - I would recommend visiting his website too and clicking the larger versions of these images so you can look at more details.

Television

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:00:01 EDT

I am done with finals! I am done with making presentations and writing papers! During winter break I can focus on Brown Paper Bag and art making again! Hooray!

Now that I can really watch things on the internet again, here's what I will be catching up on:

// Little Paper Planes TV

The Little Paper Planes crew does an awesome job of reaching out to different facets of the internet to interact with them. Most recently, they've created LPP TV, which is a series of videos highlighting the artists featured in the first LPP 2012 Calendar. Artists give insight to their practice, show us their work and studio. Great! I've watched a few so far (Kelly Lynn Jones, Mara Caffarone, Museums Press) and can't wait to see the others.

Mara Caffarone:
Jeremy Miranda:
Kelly Lynn Jones:

// The Shock of the New

I have recently come upon this video series. Watching, I don't explicit remember it, but this eight part documentary series with Robert Hughes was produced in 1980 and addresses modern art starting with the impressionists. It should be really interesting to watch - art has obviously changed from that time with the advent of the internet and all. You can watch off them on Youtube.

Remake // Booooooom!

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:00:02 EDT

By now you've heard of Boooooom's Remake project, yes? If not, it is recreating a famous work of art using photography. Sounds fairly simple, referencing classic art, but there are so many ways you can take the project! It's wonderful to see all of the different interpretations. Jeff from Booooooom had me pick some of my favorites from Remake. Here they are!

All images via Boooooom.

Creation of Adam remake by Ward Swan
Creation of Adam by Michelangelo
Bedroom in Arles remake by Joshua Louis Simon
Bedroom in Arles by Van Gogh
Girl with Ice Cream Cone remake by Stephanie Gonot
Girl with Ice Cream Cone by Wayne Thiebaud
The Two Fridas remake by Claire Ball
The Two Fridas by Frida Kahlo
Composition With Red, Blue and Yellow remake by Katie Jackson
Composition With Red, Blue and Yellow by Mondrian

Ryan Stewart Nault

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:33:00 EDT

Upon first glance, there is a certain level of banality to Ryan Stewart Nault's work. With the muted colors and sparse compositions, it is worth looking a little longer to contemplate the still lifes he's painted. The objects placement seem extremely deliberate, and resonate as something that can exist as both a painting and site-specific installation.

All images via Flickr. Check out Ryan's website as well!

Time Travel Tuesday - Pochoir

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:39:00 EDT

It's Tuesday, and another installment of Time Travel Tuesday with Rebecca of Big Things! Today we take a look at Pochoir:

Pochoir was a technique of color illustration that originated in China, was employed in Japanese prints in the 19th century, and was used widely in publications in 1920s Paris. The beautiful, richly colored plates were created with stencils, hand-painted, one color at a time using watercolor and gouache. The predecessor of screen printing, the process layered color upon color to create depth and dimension in the image. Fashion plates, postcards, and book plates were all printed using this method. E.A. Seguy's incredible textile designs and butterfly and insect patterns are some great examples of the effect this technique can have on the image- bold and bright and alive!

Images via University of Cincinnati Libraries and I Desire Vintage Posters.

Violet Lopiz

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:00:01 EDT

I saw Violet Lopiz via Mallory's Pinterest last week and went crazy for her work. I love the glazing effect that Violet has achieved with the cover of Les Poing Sur Les Iles and subsequent illustrations. It feels like we're looking at sheets of velum-not a book cover- with the richness and softness of the color but an ever-so-slight diffusion to it as well.

In her work, especially with the book, there is a push and pull of the highly rendered but curbed with sharp lines and a neutral space to accompany it.

All images via her blog/website. Thanks to Mallory for sharing.

Eva Vermeiren

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:17:00 EDT

I love textures, and that is a large part why I am so attracted to collage and hand crafted work. Paper just feels so good! The work of Eva Vermeiren uses papers, line, brush strokes, and more to create non-representational pieces that study the marriage of line and paper.

All images via her Flickr. Check out her website, too!

Pip and Pop

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:20:00 EDT

Yes, I know I tweeted about Pip and Pop yesterday, and that their show might be old news to some of you now, but it isn't to me! Thanks to Amy for Facebooking this.

I love the idea of entire piece on the floor - this miniature world that the viewer must crouch down to take in. The detail of this piece and exhibition are incredible. And to think it's all a few inches tall...

All images via Flickr.

Pawel Mildner

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:00:02 EDT

Pawel Mildner is an illustrator and graphic designer living and working in Wroclaw, Poland. He is, "Inspired by the flavour of non-digital mid-century classic design and the international graffiti scene" (via him). Pawel's work feels youthful (especially the fox in the car - reminds me of Richard Scarry), but a bit less cheery (especially Martina Hingis in the first three images!). I like less cheery.

All images via his Flickr. Check out his website, too!

Monument(al)

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:23:00 EDT

I wish I could attend all of the exhibitions that I wanted. Unfortunately, I am in Baltimore. While convienent, its location does not always make it possible to see all that I want. When I learned about the exhibition, Monument(al): Monument and its Democracy Reconsidered that was at the East Van Studio in Van Couver, British Columbia, I was sad I couldn't see it. Already knowing the works of Jessica Bell and Aaron Moran, I knew it would be a great show.

I was fortunate enough to be sent a copy of the exhibition catalog by Jessica. Monument(al) is a show that explores and considers the idea of a monument (think Maya Linn's Vietnam War Memorial), reconsidering and reinterpreting it. In the curatorial statement from Denise Liu and Linus Lam, they write, "Monuments are not merely enduring markers of collective humanity; they ought to truthfully express our conditions and values." Later, when talking about the artists in the show, Jessica Bell, Aaron Moran, and Sarah Gee, they also write, "Bell, Gee, and Moran's definition of monuments is rooted in evoking an emotional response that allows for a personal connection: they are meditative and abstract in form and space, pulling in the viewers own experiential perspective. They make subtle yet profound gestures to capture the ethereal moments of the present, simultaneously becoming our past."

Below are images from the show. Beautiful work from all three. All very different but evokes the same feelings.

Jessica Bell. All images via her website.

Aaron Moran. All images via his Tumblr.

Sarah Gee. All images via her Flickr.

Baltimore, tonight: Balmoral Books debut at Atomic Books

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:11:00 EDT

So ya'll know I am in grad school? It's finals time, and I've had to cut back posts to one a day to deal with the large ends that need to be tied.

Moving on, though! This past semester in MICA's Illustration Practice program, the Advanced Publishing Workshop with Jaime Zollars came together to create Balmoral Books, a small press that embraces the eccentric and unconventional book.

Everyone involved in the class was responsible for conceiving of a book and producing 25 copies. Whew! To showcase these books, our class is having a debut party at Atomic Books, apart of Hampden's First Fridays. If you are around, come by and see the books and chat with us! I produced Collage in a Box. Then, go eat at Golden West or Grano!

Atomic Books 3620 Falls Rd, Baltimore, MD 21211 Graduate Students in MICA's Advanced Publishing course have come together under the name Balmoral Books to produce a collection of unique, unconventional publications. Using the concept of 're-imagining books' as a springboard, each artist produced an edition of 25 hand-constructed books. From animations to accordion books, the surprising variety of approaches highlights the creative diversity of the group. As mainstream publishing shifts away from experimental projects, Balmoral Books embraces the impractical and indulges the eccentric, believing that the most interesting ideas are always a little off-center. Free, Refreshments Served Artists: Nargol Arefi Sara Barnes Cheng Cao DingDing Hu Cen Jun Luiz Ludwig Lisa Perrin Branden Rush Aehee Shin Jess Somers Su Tong Yuanjin Wei Jennifer Yoo

Allyson Mellberg Taylor

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:00:01 EDT

I've always liked Allyson Mellberg Taylor's drawings, with their beautiful grotesqueness. Below, some recent drawings by Allyson. The wilting flora and fauna don't strike me as sad - they feel lyrical and have a sense of their own mortality.

Allyson often collaborates with her husband, Jeremy. For a show at the Together Gallery (titled So Happy Together, a group show featuring husband and wife art makers), she produced these drawings for it. Below:

All images via her Tumblr.

Chelsea Wong

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:25:00 EDT

Chelsea Wong is an artist living in San Francisco, drawing tigers, jump roping, and people under spells. She also is a print maker and zine producer, utilizing screen printing in both areas.

Her drawings seem light upon first glance, but once you really start to look at them they have a bit of darkness to them. It would be pretty awful to be under a spell!

All images via her website. Also, check out her Flickr.

Geran Knol

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:14:00 EDT

I am sort of surprised that I haven't featured the work on Geran Knol on Brown Paper Bag before. Stylistically, his work is right up my alley - hand crafted, abstracted with a bit of folk influence. I am especially a fan of Geran's collages - I love the mixture of textures and subtlies among his shape-driven works.

All images via Geran's website. Also take a look at his Flickr - you'll see that he's working on his first children's book, De Tuinwedstrijd and a zine collaboration with Lie Dirkx (previously featured here!) .

Casey Gray

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:11:00 EDT

The few times that I have used spray paint, it has been a bit unwieldy for me. So, it makes me doubly impressed with the work of Casey Gray, who works with spray paint and stencils to create large, colored works. From his website:

Casey Gray�s work is a manifestation of personal experience within the context of contemporary digital perspective. His desire is to create a visual language that explores the relationship between the fluidity of personal experience that is today�s contemporary social landscape and the affect that has on the way he perceives events and memories. Utilizing primarily spraypaint and hand-cut stencils, his work combines complex color schemes, graphic imagery, geometry and decorative traditions into meticulously layered hyperbolic moments of order and chaos.

All images via his website.

Nick White

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:00:02 EDT

Nick White, an illustrator living in the UK, has a great website. Easy to use, it has a lot of subtle touches that seem to speak to his work - influenced and patched together by a number of styles and techniques. On his website:

Nick combines found imagery with drawing & painting to create myriad surfaces of faces, eyes, pattern and texture. Motifs mingle with symbols and signs, plucked from their original contexts, in unexpected combinations.

All images via his website.

Alison Worman

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:00:01 EDT

Alison Worman is in her last year at MICA, working in Fibers with a concentration in Book Arts. I really enjoy her recent book that she's made, with illustrations using gouache. They include die cuts, my favorite!

While one could get weirded out by the headless people, her paintings are super charming and far enough out of the realm of realism to be normal in her painted world.

I really want to hold this book in my hands and spend some time with it, inches away from my face.

All images via her Flickr. Check out her blog as well.

Thanksgiving and the Collage Scrap Exchange

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:30:00 EDT

As you might know, today in the US is Thanksgiving. I just wanted to say a quick Happy Thanksgiving to those celebrating. I flew into Kansas City, Missouri last night to be with my family, so I'll be taking a long weekend from Brown Paper Bag. In the meantime, check out some more works done through Brown Paper Bag's Collage Scrap Exchange! I can't thank ya'll enough for participating. It is really exciting to see what you have done.

Nicola Haigh: Scraps

Collages!
Kieran Sperring (AKA Captain Spezzo): Scraps

Collages!

Remote // Homo Faber

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:50:00 EDT

Remote is an online arts space as well as publication. Impressively, they host online shows featuring guest curators and artists. I'm really interested in the curating of online space - another frontier to be explored for sure.

A show online lasts for six months, during the time it evolves with new works added. After the time for the show has passed, it is made into a publication then available for sale.

The current show is Homo Faber: Man as Maker, curated by Anna Gleeson. Here's what she has to say about the show:

I'm interested in making as an activity in its own right. I like tangible things - objects, installations or buildings. I like that they can contain a small aesthetic universe with their own vocabulary of materials, shapes, colours and surfaces. I like to trace the series of decisions the maker has made and to notice the mark of the hand, machine or process that made it. I enjoy these objects in the same way my brothers enjoyed watching skating videos before they went skating. I'm thinking, phwaorrrr.

All images via Remote. Check out Homo Faber in its entirety.

Brion Nuda Rosch:

S.E. Nash:

Courtney Price:

Ana Serrano

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:42:00 EDT

Ana Serrano is an artist most recently creating site-specific works. Her newest series, Salon of Beauty (installed at the Rice Gallery), creates a whole city complete with store fronts. Ana is a first-generation Mexican-American, which brings inspiration into her work. From her artist statement:

Inspired by both of the cultural contexts in her life, she creates work utilizing a variety of mediums including drawing, collage, sculpture, and motion. Her work bears reference to those in low socioeconomic positions, with particular interest in the customs and beliefs, as well as the architecture, fashion, and informal economies present within this segment of society. A current theme explored in her work is the socio-cultural aspects of drug trafficking, and the branding and acceptance of the drug lord lifestyle.

All images via her website.

Jeffrey Vincent

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:00:03 EDT

At the Multiplicity opening last Friday, there were tiny plates etched with figures and lines on the ground for all to look at and take. The artist, Jeffrey Vincent, was signing the back of them, too! I later found his Flickr with other works, including paintings.

The paintings are really beautiful - they have a wonderful application of paint with a real push and pull of figure and ground. At times, the object is hidden among abstracted fields of color. Blinding splendor is in some of my favorite pieces.

All images via his Flickr.

The Shrine / An Argument

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:49:00 EDT

This is a few weeks old by now, but recently I saw the newest video for Fleet Foxes off their Helplessness Blues album. Stacy Rozich (previously featured here) has created the character illustrations for The Shrine/An Argument, an epic song that's both haunting with a bit of heartbreak.

The hazy, diffused coloring in the animation was a different way of looking at Stacy's work, which usually features her characters against a white background. I had always wondered what they would look like in an environment, and now I would love to see more of her pieces in this vein post animation.

Video below. Enjoy! (Watch fullscreen for full effect.)

Over the weekend: Multiplicity, Paper Chasers, Gulp Yarn Bang!, Dead Reckoning

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:49:00 EDT

Despite spending upwards of 20 hours in my studio this weekend (in a flurry of paper scraps to say the least), I was able to check out several shows this weekend. Ranging from miniatures to yarn, paper to painting, shows at Gallery 500, Nudashank, and School 33 demonstrated a varied aesthetic throughout Baltimore.

Multiplicity, at Gallery 500, was a show that featured miniatures. Each piece was no larger than 1"x1"x1", and in the middle of the gallery housed a giant gumball machine where viewers could buy artist works for $1. Having the gumball machine made for a light, fun atmosphere.

Monica Stroik:
Chelsea Ragen:
Delilah Knuckley Mong:
Kate Smith-Morse:
Jeffrey Vincent:

See more photos of the Multiplicity opening here.

I am always impressed with the shows at Nudashank - Alex and Seth have a really fresh way of curating and installing work. Paperchasers included 90(!) works on paper by varying artists. That much work could have been overwhelming, but the way in which works were grouped broke up the myriad of styles and sizes throughout this show.

Brion Nuda Rosch:
Matt Leines:
Max Guy (top work), armacost/Plank (bottom piece):

View more photos of Paper Chasers here.

School 33 included two shows - Gulp Yarn Bang! in the lower gallery, main gallery and Paul Jeanes: Dead Reckoning in the member gallery upstairs. Gulp Yarn Bang! is a show featuring artists that use yarn in their work. Yarn made for an interesting show choice- it obviously has its roots in a craft tradition, and I enjoyed seeing it in gallery context in different ways.

Alex Ebstein:

Jo Hamilton:

Ellen Nielsen:
Sarah Maston

See more photos of Gulp Yarn Bang! here.

Paul Jeanes: Dead Reckoning is a show that features luciosus, large, non-representational paintings exploring a gesture through color and light. The finish is beautiful up close.

Lizzy Stewart's visual diary

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:31:00 EDT

I know tweeted about this yesterday, but I wanted to share it on here because I think Lizzy Stewart's online drawn diary is so wonderful. I have written about her work before, most recently Toska. And, if I am not mistaken, Lizzy has recently gone back to school for her graduate degree, so maybe that is why I extra-like these works. As a fellow grad student (albeit across the pond), there are a lot of similar situations we have to deal with. I get it! Especially this particular entry:

All images via her Tumblr.

Process Painting Videos

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:00:02 EDT

If you're like me, you might enjoy seeing the process of work and how it is made. Tyson Anthony Roberts recently sent me a couple of videos that document his painting:

Below, an oldie but a goodie. I've never done digital painting, but Jeremy Enecio is a pro. I am continually mesmerized:

Watching painting is so much more fun and active than watching someone collage (and subsequently be hunched over at their desk).

Amy Lincoln

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:00:01 EDT

When I first saw it Amy Lincoln's paintings, I was immediately flooded with associations of their formalist qualities, and the intertextuality of her work. Her artist statement makes reference to this and the ideas and vast visual images that exist in our world:

My paintings take place in a world that represents both my unconscious and a recollection of art history and myth. Still lifes, portraits, and interiors correspond to people and things in the real world, but in the paintings they are represented in a timeless space reminiscent of a stage. The young women, potted plants, flowers and non-living things are arranged self-consciously toward the viewer. Images of curtains, windows and frames emphasize an ocular point of entry into this space. The plants, furniture and interior spaces are borrowed from things I see in my home, but they also recall Dutch still lifes, and works by Matisse and Manet. Similarly, the women in the paintings are portraits of friends, but they are made with works by northern Renaissance artists like Jan Van Eyck and Petrus Christus in mind. The paintings recall an idealized, simplified landscape, or an archetype of femininity, as seen through the mind�s eye.

All images via her website.

Collage Scrap Exchange // First finished!

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:55:00 EDT

I got the most delightful email on Monday from Pixelirious, a participant in the Brown Paper Bag Collage Scrap Exchange. Not only had she received scraps from Captain Spezzo in the UK, but had already created a piece from said scraps!

Scraps: Finished piece:

This piece was made through hand assemblage with some color layers added later. (All images via Pixelirious. Thanks for sending these over!)

Scrap Exchange participants: How's it going? Have you sent scraps or received them? If you have any problems or are finished with your piece, email me! I'd love to hear about it.

High Line: The Inside Story of New York City's Park in the Sky

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:52:00 EDT

It seems that most times I visit New York City, I find myself on the lower west side of the city, which is coincidentally near the High Line, an elevated linear park that is a redeveloped former elevated freight railroad. I have visited the park several times, and each time enjoyed myself. The park boasts wonderful views of the city, fun food, and a landscaping job that feels like an oasis from the industrial landscape. Farrar, Straus & Giroux publishers sent me a copy of High Line: The Inside Story of New York City's Park in the Sky to read. It was co-written by the guys that started High Line, Joshua David and Robert Hammond. In 1999, they formed Friends of the High Line, whose initial intent was to save the railroad from total destruction. But, once the potential of the space was realized, High Line planning slowly got underway.

The actual book (which features a nice proportion of text to color photos) has been designed by Pentagram, and the look and feel of High Line is rich one. The photographs are vibrant and capture all aspects of the park, from construction to implemention to the park in action. I was excited to see that there were some night shots included, which seems to transform High Line, and one that I had not seen before.

I sort of fell into the reading of the book. Conversational and causal in tone, it recounts the development of High Line from Joshua David and Robert Hammond and its struggles as the two, having no former experience with urban planning, attempted to get this project off the ground. The story alternates between Joshua and Robert's voice, and while reading I felt like I was meandering through the park. The writing flows easily, and is interesting if you enjoy urban planning and learning about how a grass roots project turned into something so successful. It's not only informative, but an inspirational book to read.

Some of the spreads that I enjoyed. Like I mentioned before, I loved the color and feel of the book:

Time Travel Tuesday // Mark Kistler and his Draw Squad

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:00:02 EDT

As a kid I loved Mark Kistler and his Draw Squad. Head on over to BIG THINGS to read about this weird personal phenomena. Below is a video lesson (a sampling), complete with awesome intro song.

Time Travel Tuesday // Nathalija Gontcharova

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 10:00:01 EDT

Without planning, Rebecca of BIG THINGS and I traded our Time Travel Tuesday posts of an artist and cartoonist that we both enjoyed as children and later rediscovered. Check out what Rebecca has to say about the Russian artist, Nathalija Gontcharova! (And, read more of our Time Travel Tuesday posts!)

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Last week at the Chicago Art Institute, I noticed a painting that I had always liked as a kid- a tall, vertical portrait of a lacey Spanish dancer. I went home and googled the artist, Nathalija Gontcharova, and after respelling her name several times, I finally came across this prolific artist who is relatively unknown in the states.

An active member of the Russian Avant-Garde, Natalia (the most agreed-upon spelling), worked in many different styles of painting- cubism, fauvism, futurism- in addition to printmaking. Like many of her German Blue Rider contemporaries, she was enthralled by the peasant class of Russia, their traditional folk art paintings, woodworking, embroidery and religious icons. She also went through a phase of painting Spanish dancers and even designed costumes and sets for the infamous Ballet Russes, all the while incorporating the styles and themes of the Russian people.

In 1990, one of her paintings sold for $9.8 million, a mere fraction of Jackson Pollock�s $156.8 million whopper, but still the most expensive painting by a female artist!

Maryland Art Place // IMPACT

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:00:02 EDT

This past Friday, I had the pleasure of attending the after party of IMPACT at the Maryland Art Place. IMPACT was a two-fold event; earlier in the evening, there was a gala with a silent auction while later then turned into the after party. IMPACT honors twelve women who have made an impact on Baltimore's cultural community.

The party was in the gallery, and upon walking in you were greeted by paintings of the late Grace Hartigan, given to MAP. I didn't have my usual DSLR with me, just my little point-and-shoot. But, I enjoyed much of the work and had to share!

Grace Hartigan (three out of the five given to MAP):

The silent auction included work from artists that were both local to Baltimore and from also from around the country. Technique and subject of the work varied, but here were some pieces I really enjoyed:

Mina Cheon:

Deborah Kass:
Dawn Gavin:

Amy Boone-McCreesh:

Cara Ober:

Hasan Elahi:
Katherine Mann:
Jo Smail:

Bean Finneran:

It looks like if you go the IMPACT website, you can still bid on works not yet sold.

Talking to Sofia Rutka, program manager for MAP, it sounds like the event was a success. Thanks for inviting me!

Jee-Shaun Wang

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:49:00 EDT

I walked through the MICA Juried Undergraduate Exhibition, and I noticed this work by illustrator Jee-Shaun Wang right off the bat:

Jee-Shaun doesn't have a website, and much his blog is comprised of sketches and in progress works. From here, you can see a wide range of influences, including a recent trip to Taiwan, Ansel Adams, fashion, and television.

All images via his blog.

Jockum Nordstr�m

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:00:02 EDT

Its nice having friends look out for you. In this case, Steven Riddle passed along to me the work of Jockum Nordstr�m. Jockum's work has a delicate hand, with flattened space and scenes of time passing, but in an abstracted and non-linear fashion. Collage is prominent in his work, but it is integrated almost seamlessly with other drawing techniques. I think it is lovely.

All images via the David Zwirner gallery.

Sean Lewis

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:00:02 EDT

Nowadays, I spend a lot of time with my Instant Netflix. Lately, I've been opting to watch documentaries and movies about serial killers and criminals (but only during the day! It would normally give me nightmares!). Needless to say when I saw that Sean Lewis's illustrations for his Spring 2011 thesis show was about criminals and outlaws, I was intrigued.

Below are some of my favorites. If you visit his blog, you can see more, plus a little bit about them and their crimes. I would say visit his website too, but everytime I try to do that, a virus detector rings its alarm bells.

All images via his blog.

Ed Gein:
Andrea Yates:
The Kray Twins:
Aileen Wuornos:
George Gordon:
Ted Kaczynski (Unabomber):

Arnaud Loumeau

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:07:00 EDT

Arnaud Loumeau leaves no part of his images untouched by their medium, as his colorful works literally cover every inch of the composition. There is a certain amount of anixety I get from Arnaud's works - the forms, with their jagged edges, seem to conjure the idea that there is an urgency or a threat immenent.

All images via Flickr. Check out Arnaud's blog as well.

Letha Wilson

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:21:00 EDT

Letha Wilson's photo sculptures are a combination of C-Print photography and other elements such as cement, joint compound, and wood. Letha create pieces that are steeped in multiple realities, and a challenge on photography offers.

She presents a real place in her photographs (as it actually exists, but we are not there), then alters what we understand by adding to the photograph- cement, wood, among other materials. These things exist in a our space, and can be have a physical interaction with the viewer. Unlike the photographed space (that simply makes us feel like we were there), this is tangible and fully present.

All images via her website.

At MICA tonight: DB Dowd Lecture

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EDT

Baltimore: If you are around MICA tonight and want to listen to an interesting lecture on illustration and the role of the illustrator reporter, then I'd suggest coming to hear DB Dowd speak!

7PM - 8:30PM Main Building, Rm. 110 Maryland Institute College of Art

DB Dowd is currently teaching in my department (MFA Illustration Practice) in the class Critical Seminar. Each session with him has been thoughtful, informative, and really altered how I see illustration fitting into our world. Interesting stuff, and I expect nothing less from the lecture tonight!

Charlie Immer

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:08:00 EDT

I am falling in love with Charlie Immer's work. It is both beautiful and grotesque, vibrant yet a sinister (in a really non-threatening way). I am continually getting lost in the rich details of his paintings, which are mostly oil on panel.

First image via his blog, the rest via his website.

Ian Carpenter

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:54:00 EDT

Ian Carpenter is a painter out of Brooklyn, New York. His work utilizes large fields of color coupled with smaller details. Imaginary landscapes float in an ethereal abyss.

Art Muse recently posted a print of his painting,Tengboche for sale:

All images via his blog/website.

Kristen Schiele

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:52:00 EDT

This past Saturday, I was in NYC and stopped by a number of galleries in Chelsea. One of gallery in particular was Freight + Volume, where artist Kristen Schiele's work is currently on view. The exhibition, Beyond the Rocks is a show comprised of painted oil on board, silkscreen, and transfers.

What initially struck me about the work was the juxtaposition of color, landscape, and other fragmented content. Reading about the show later, from Freight + Volume:

...Certainly, many of these works were made at Schiele's studio upstate, where she sequestered herself for months before the show, steeped in nature. Organic energy and sensation bristle within Schiele's work. Her raw dissection of 60's and 70's pop consumerism and kitsch culture from that era are evident in her tongue-in-cheek juxtapositions. Couples with picture-perfect hair are depicted locked in carnal embrace beside a Brylcreem ad or tropical travel brochure, and against silkscreened slogans like "FAT GIRLS' DIET" or "NEED MONEY." There are some interiors, small moments, video games, TV excerpts, details such as beer bottles, beach blankets, board games, scenes from movies, and other assorted media references.

View Kristen's website. Beyond the Rocks is up until December 3.

Paper Chasers at Nudashank this Saturday!

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:00:02 EDT

If I weren't going to be out of town this weekend, I would most definitely be attending the opening of Paper Chasers at Nudashank this Saturday night (6PM-10PM). Works on paper! So many great artists!

Nudashank 405 W. Franklin Street 3rd Floor Baltimore, MD 21201 Image via Nudashank's website.

Paper Chasers at Nudashank this Saturday!

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:00:01 EDT

Nudashank 405 W. Franklin Street 3rd Floor Baltimore, MD 21201 Image via Nudashank's website.

Crist�bal Schmal

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EDT

Illustrations by Crist�bal Schmal (AKA Nomono) are below. I really enjoy the full scope of these pieces - all are realized but handled in a slightly different manner. Crist�bal creates full bleed, full color illustrations for some projects; but, he also utilizes pen, ink, and washes (my favorite!) for other works.

If you are fascinated with watching other people work, then you will enjoy this video of Crist�bal as he draws using both wet and dry media:

All images via his website. Check out his Flickr for some great sketching.

Aimee Lusty

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:42:00 EDT

A couple of nights ago, I almost uncontrollably kept drawing vases and decanters. During this act, I was reminded of the work of Aimee Lusty, whom I had written about on Brown Paper Bag nearly a year ago. I loved her artifacts, using vases and other similar forms that reference a given period of time.

In 2011, Aimee has continued with this theme, combining natural and man-made artifacts. They work themselves into still life compositions, while other times are more abstractly presented.

All images via Flickr. Check out her website as well.

Pieter Van Eenoge

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:42:00 EDT

Looking at the portfolio of Pieter Van Eenoge, there is a definite pattern to which he composes an image. Elongated compositions are comprised of both the rendered figure and flattened space.

The overall feeling hearkens a bit to the now-vintage Golden Books and even some beginning 20th century painting.

All images via Flickr.

Dawn Gardner

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:55:00 EDT

Dawn Gardner, a recent graphic design graduate, uses digital collage and a clean use of typography to compose images that have several dichotomies to them. Compositions are both structural yet playful. They are abstract in their arrangement, but comprised of photographs. There is both focus and diffusion.

There is a certain amount of ease with Dawn's work, and coming from someone drawn to images more than type, I enjoy that way that type is working with the text. It is readable, yet both componets of the image and composition can breathe.

All images via Dawn's website.

Miniatures // Sabine Timm

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:28:00 EDT

Miniatures have reentered my orbit over the past several months, and I've especially taken notice of Sabine Timm's miniature work since that time.

I have written about my love for Sabine Timm's Flickr before. It is updated frequently and I am often envious of how she views the world.

This can most definitely be said for the scenes and situations made from vegetables, combs, doll house furniture, and other odds and ends. Miniature can seem like a youthful thing at times, but it doesn't have to be, and is infact not.

All images via Flickr.

Studio Visit // Hermonie Only

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EDT

Last week, I made a visit to the studio of Hermonie Only. Housed in the basement of the house in which she lives, it is dark and a bit haunting, but also serene and authentic feeling to the work she makes. Hermonie, a b-grant award winner, uses both sculpture and painting to explore ideas prevalent in her current work; the stripping down of something to its base, revealing and make sense of the potentially very complex.

Hermonie's studio is a combination of her current work - paintings, small sculptures, etc., but also a place for past installations as well. Her recent solo show, Big Deal is in pieces, peppered throughout her space.

Actual installation:
(Previous two images via Hermonie's website.)

In Big Deal Hermonie references the dramatistic pentad as a framework of narrative interpretation, and finding meaning in combinations of the following elements: act, scene, agent, agency, and purpose.

During my visit, Hermonie had a couple of paintings in progress, and a myriad of other drawings. They all shared similar formalist and thematic qualities, translating an idea without a lot of noise. At times, they vibrate and become hypnotizing. They are highly designed. She mentioned that cognitive geometry was something she was researching - it is perhaps well known for consumer purposes - the way in which things are arranged creates associative properties and relations.

Hermonie's work was recently installed at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA), which was a large wall painted with the same repetitive shapes seen in her paintings. She witnessed people taking their picture in front of it - something she had not anticipated. As I met with Hermonie, she was getting ready to travel to Maine for several months, where she will use it as time to reflect upon the direction in which her work and career is headed. The BMA experience will be great fodder for it.

In addition to drawings and paintings, Hermonie was also working on a smaller sculpture involving carpet and plexiglass. It is playing on the idea of things that are supposed to be invisible, a bit innocuous. I was really excited to see these and what kind of meaning to be taken from them when produced on a larger scale.

Thanks, Hermonie! Have a wonderful trip!

Joseph Parra

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:01 EDT

Joseph Parra, an artist residing in Baltimore (and student at MICA, might I add) creates portraits with the cavet that not all of the subject is revealed. According to Joseph:

There is an innate desire to replicate an individual through artistic production. Traditionally, as an artist works to render the human figure in any medium, they come to face specific requirements that can often be constraining. For the figure to become more than a combination of forms, one must dive deeper and reveal something that is otherwise unseen. In challenging conventional portraiture, I expel the physical features of an appropriated individual and expose layers to reflect the varied constructs of what it is to be human. These layers can be abstracted, acting as reminders that we are merely a union of ideas. Exposure and concealment are my tools, carried out via printmaking, digital printing, drawing, and painting. Sanding techniques also come into play, to reveal an image beneath multiple opaque and transparent layers or to rid the figure of its physical information altogether, obscuring identity. There are no signifiers to time or place, yielding greater emphasis on the figure. In my charcoal drawings more anatomically correct layering of bodily interior is included as well as moments of landscape, textures, mark making, and cellular structures. This generates a push and pull as the abstract marks create the figure while also diffusing it into abstraction.

If you are in Milwaukee, WI, check out Joseph's solo show, Surface Void at Gallerie M. Opening November 4.

All images via his website.

Collage Scrap Exchange // Partners!

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 11:29:00 EDT

Hey those participating the Collage Scrap Exchange! You should have gotten an email from me TODAY containing your scrap exchange partner. Please let me know if you did not by emailing me. Thanks and have fun! Can't wait to see what you guys create.

Carla Barth

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:44:00 EDT

Carla Barth is an artist I featured long ago and still keep up with her work. Perusing my Flickr, my eye was caught with these pieces:

Carla's work stems around relationships, with her characters in positions that suggest an intimate partnership with a certain level of uncanniness.

All images via her Flickr. Check out her website as well.

Allison Schulnik // Mound

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:25:00 EDT

I've written about Allison Schulnik before and had no idea she made videos! Thanks to Alex for posting this amazing and face melting (literally) stop-motion animation. It is hypnotic and a bit haunting. I love it.

GIVEAWAY // Win a poster from UPrinting.com!

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:25:00 EDT

Hey image makers! Itching to get some of your work printed? UPrinting.com is giving away one poster print to a lucky Brown Paper Bag reader! (US readers only, sorry!)

What would you get printed? Online printing offers a variety of services and products, including poster printing for your artwork or photo enlargements.

To enter this giveaway simply leave a comment below with a link to what you'd get printed (I'm curious!). I'll select the winner at random. Deadline is next Friday, November 4th. I'm excited to see what ya'll show me.

Please note: This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given and I will receive a poster for hosting.

Time Travel Tuesday //My post on Big Things!

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:00:01 EDT

Many thanks to Rebecca for sharing the beautiful Chinese shadow puppets today! Check out what I had to say about the photography of Bernd and Hilla Becher over on Big Things!

Time Travel Tuesday // Chinese Shadow Puppets

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:00:03 EDT

By now it�s safe to say that Time Travel Tues�day has really turned into a collaboration with Rebecca of Big Things. I love trad�ing artists/posts with her, and today she�s cho�sen to write about Chinese Shadow Puppets. Take it away, Rebecca!

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For this week�s Time Travel Tuesday, we head over to China to explore the ancient tradition of shadow puppets! According to legend, shadow puppetry originated in the Han dynasty to help console an emperor mourning a lost concubine. The performers brought the image of his beloved back to life with two elements: leather shapes and light!

Since then, shadow puppetry has developed a deep-rooted history all over Asia, especially in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, where it still plays an important cultural role of storytelling integrated with religion, music, community, and performance. The puppets themselves, like these Chinese examples, are often constructed of perforated animal skin and are elaborately painted and stained with colors that can be seen through the thin screen.

Even though humans, gods, and animals are the central players, I found the inanimate objects, sets, and background imagery to be equally as interesting and beautiful. From temples to lotus gardens, the location and props add a certain reality to the performances. Look at all those intricate cuts and details!

Read more about shadow puppets here. All images via the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.

Collage Scrap Exchange

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:00:01 EDT

A quick note - if you are participating in Brown Paper Bag's Collage Scrap Exchange, look for an email from me by the end of this week! There has been a great response from this, and I'm excited to the scraps exchanged and what ya'll come up with!

Jennifer Hennesy

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:00:01 EDT

Last week in my posts I explored quite a bit about stroke - featuring artists that employed a confident and direct stroke that echos throughout their work. Jennifer Hennesy, a graphic designer and artist has work in the same vein. Her projects, drawings, and even typefaces employ a line and shapes that evoke a carefree nature yet decisive.

What I really enjoy about her overall portfolio is the unity and how by doing this, it can help blur the line between artist and designer.

All images via her website. (Thanks to Rebecca for turning me on to her work!)

Over the weekend

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:00:01 EDT

This past Friday, I was able to make it out to a couple of art events. One was the opening of Boundary Proof at Guest Spot. An intimate space, it featured works by Gina Dawson, Carl Gunhouse, and Cyle Metzger. I enjoyed the show, and was especially fond of Gina Dawson's tiny funeral wreaths. I was mesmerized by the miniature size and the incredible detailed quilling in each piece. Stitched on ribbons were rejections of some sort.

Gina Dawson:

(completely stitched)
Cyle Metzger:

Carl Gunhouse:

The closing of CART was at the Current Gallery. I snagged another piece by Chiara Keeling-Gonzalez because I couldn't resist! I was also able to check out Painting on Walls, which were large scale paintings that would later be reinstalled outside as murals. The works engulfed the walls of the gallery, leaving room for nothing but the work (and socializing). Pieces in this show share edges, but don't seem to relate. Obviously, though, that is not the intent. I am not sure how these paintings will be installed outside, but they will certainly brighten up an often-drab block on city streets.

Jordan Kasey:
Josh Van Horne:
I did not catch who did the following three works. If you know, tell me!

Rosie Eveleigh

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:25:00 EDT

The work of Rosie Eveleigh below. I enjoy seeing the way in which she engages a square composition, which can be tricky. Choosing to keep things flattened, the images vary but use many same elements. I enjoy the repetition - some pieces work better than others, but there is definitely more than one way to design a square.

All images via Flickr. Check out her blog as well.

And now I want to learn to pile weave:

Andreas Knag-Danielsen

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:16:00 EDT

A variation on shape and format, Andreas Knag-Danielsen's large paintings all have a very satisfying stroke to them.

All images via Flickr. Check out his website, too.

Aar�n Julian

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:00:01 EDT

I first saw this by Aar�n Julian, and was a bit terrified:

With no skin and an eye intact, my mind fills in the blanks to make sense of that image. Other collages by Aar�n use some element of the human that's been subtracted and/or misplaced. It really shows that small things, such as simply cutting the eyes out of something have a large impact on the mood and content of the piece.

All images via Flickr.

Virginia Whipple

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:33:00 EDT

Virgina Whipple's collages are 100% analog. They use photographs, colored paper, and strategically placed cuts.

Viriginia has different ways in which she utilizes the photograph in her work. Sometimes, elements of a picture are extracted for their color and texture. Other times, the photograph itself is kept nearly intact, but fractured by smallest cuts and movement. And, Viriginia creates a whole new story when objects are out of the composition of the photograph.

All images via her website. Check out her Flickr as well.

Joris Goulenok

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:52:00 EDT

I've previously featured the work of Joris Goulenok here, but since that time he's been at work that's a slight departure from what I had seen before. Still extremely shape driven, he has started to employ the use of shading, or at the very least a feathering of color. I am especially a fan of this piece:

The extreme angle gives way for the tender patterning of the plate, juxtaposed with something much more abrasive - a knife.

All images via Flickr.

Robert Hardgrave

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:50:00 EDT

I cannot get enough of these Robert Hardgrave works. Using varying brush techniques, he creates paintings that are effervescent. I am reminded of the works of surrealist and cubist painters. A statement on his work:

My paintings are meditations on the unpredictability of life. Despite all the information we are given, I believe much is unknown to us in the moment, with clarity only achieved upon later reflection. My working process parallels this belief. There is never an overall plan or formula in my work, but allowing the imagery to manifest itself, it becomes an exercise in movement and a dedication to discovery. It is about the excitement in each evolving moment in life be it minute or grand and savoring it.

All images via Flickr. Be sure to check out his website as well.

Hannah Waldron

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:48:00 EDT

Hannah Waldron (previously written about here!) took a trip to New York City this past May. Some of her latest work, including weaving and screenprinting, are inspired by the city and an experience she had while looking over Manhattan from the roof of the Museum of Modern Art. She writes:

Mapping is something we all do. Our minds are full of visual projections of our treaded past, every map evolving alongside our experiences. I was interested in freezing that moment of perception, to create a sort of map that reflected my view of the city at that point of experience. Before that trip, New York has existed to me only through songs, books and films, but never had that information gathered as a whole but remained only as disconnected fragments.

I love the elongated format of these pieces, and their ability to intersect. All images via her blog. Check out her website, too.

Kristin Farr // Hecksagons

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:04:00 EDT

Happy Monday, all! Check out the dizzying Hecksagons by Kristin Farr, below:

The rapid-fire presentation of these hexagons are entrancing. I've hit replay multiple times (and pause as well) to study the different patterns and color combination.

hecksagons from kristin farr on Vimeo.

Collage Scrap Exchange - Now Live! Round 1!

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:20:00 EDT

So I've been talking about this for a little while, and now it's for reals.

The Collage Scrap Exchange on Brown Paper Bag is now happening!

Sign up here if you are a collage artist and interested in trading your scraps with other artists! Deadline to do this is next Friday, October 21!

Allison Miller

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:45:00 EDT

Allison Miller's nonrepresentational paintings have no planning beforehand, no sketches made before she starts. They are, in a sense, streams of consciousness that straddle the line between drawing and painting and challenge the idea of landscapes.

Allison's beautiful paintings showcase fields of color, delicate line application, and repetition of similar shapes and ideas. I especially like that parts of the painting respond to each other as she is working.

Be sure to read this great interview with Allison on ArtSlant. All images via ACME Los Angeles.

The first printed issue of Blanket Magazine

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 23:15:00 EDT

Today, I am in New York City all day with my class, Advanced Publishing. We're headed to places around Manhattan and Brooklyn, including a stop at Etsy (!!). In honor of this day, how about talking about a publication? Blanket Magazine used to be entirely online, but they have released their first printed issue! Very exciting. The creative director, Bec Brown tells me:

Since first released on the Internet in December 2006, Blanket Magazine has uncovered hundreds of artists, designers and photographers from around the world. After 25 online issues, I am proud to release the very first printed edition! The Blanket print edition is a compendium of ideas, knowledge and experience pertaining to the creative process of art, design and photography. The content has been carefully considered and curated to include features, projects, profiles and, of course, beautiful art, design and photography. Designed to be a limited edition keepsake of just 500 copies every detail has been meticulously considered to accentuate the tangible quality of the magazine including a Pantone Metallic cover illustrated by Daren Newman, a hand-embossed logo and hand-numbering of each copy. Inside features include typefaces by renowned designer Kris Sowersby from the Klim Foundry, a profile on poster designer Jason Munn (aka The Small Stakes) and commissioned artworks by illustrators Lizzy Stewart, Sarah McNeil and Paul X. Johnson. This printed Blanket compendium is designed to be kept, treasured and referenced for years to come. I hope you like it.

Get your copy here!

Images via Bec at Blanket Magazine.

Matteo De Colle

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:17:00 EDT

Matteo De Colle contacted me recently. His blog, Light Trash Design displays his lighting solutions and other items fashioned from things discarded. I loved his poetic description of discovering things in a recycling bin:

Opening a recycling bin for plastic reminds me of a soap opera: familiar characters, different combinations each day. In fact, most of the plastic bottles you see in a bin are very common: you are well acquainted with them from countless occasional encounters. Seeing them down there, in the dark, still beautiful and ripe with possibilities...

All images via his blog.

Jacob Whibley

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:36:00 EDT

Jacob Whibley creates collages and sculptures, sometimes sculptural collages. Made out of paper ephemera and wood, I love the combination when the two are paired. It feels like an interior of miniature proportions, sometimes a cross-section of of a world.

All images via his website. Additional photos on his Flickr.

Oli-B

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:00:01 EDT

Oli-B is a Belgium-based street artist. He loves the hustle and bustle of large crowds and the urban landscape, which is evident in his work. In his street work, he arranges groups of characters and places, with an almost visual overload of shapes and saturated colors.

There are eyes always watching you. A bit eerie, yes?

All images via Flickr. Check out his website, too.

Lynda Benglis

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EDT

Lynda Benglis has been creating artwork over the past 40 years, but I am just now discovering her brightly colored poured sculptures. Created in the late 1960's and into the 1970's, the images below reflect the period in which she worked as well as her contemporaries. Her recent retrospective was at the New Museum in New York City. From the New Museum site:

In 1968, she [Lynda Benglis] began creating her �Fallen Paintings� by pouring brightly colored latex in overlapping flows directly onto the floor, critically engaging with earlier painters like Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler. Benglis would gradually expand the range of her sculptural materials to include polyurethane foam, beeswax, plaster, cast aluminum, and bronze to name just a few. She moved effortlessly from floor to corner to wall and back again creating objects with palpable ties to her body and its potential actions, which have often been described as �frozen gestures.� Resisting the characterization as a process-based artist, Benglis equally embraced symbolism and decoration, confounding expectations and transforming the relationship between the viewer and the sculptural object.

This work still holds up today and attempts to tackle what other modern-day artists still struggle with on a daily basis.

All images via the New Museum website.

Piers Faccini // Tribe

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:57:00 EDT

Check out this stop-motion music video made by No-Mad films for the musical artist Piers Faccini. It's comprised entirely out of maps. I am amazed by the subtly that exists between different maps, especially when you consider the detailing put into the faces of the men featured in the video.

An interesting video with a nice song to boot. Happy Tuesday!

Ashlie Chavez

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:00:02 EDT

While breezing through my Pinterest over the weekend, I saw a pin by Jen Collins featuring the work of Ashlie Chavez. Struck by the meticulously-arranged collage with its recognizable elements, I stopped to take a longer look at the pairings and relationships within her pieces.

Many of her compositions move in a circular pattern and have a rhythm to them, such as animal-building-landscape, repeated. This arrangement allows for an easy maneuvering of the eye.

Another aspect to Ashlie's work is its journalistic aspect. Looking at it, her pieces feel like they document a day or a trip - animals seen, places visited, the sights she saw.

All images via Flickr. Check out her website as well.

Baltimore this weekend

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:47:00 EDT

Just a few things going on this weekend in Baltimore... although I know there are more! Tweetor email me if there is something I'm missing!

TODAY:

Current Gallery, Fresh Coat Fest 6PM - 11PM, music starts at 8PM!

EMP Collective's breaking in their new venue! FDS by Nolan Cartwright 7PM - on, $5 at the door
SUNDAY, October 9:

Open Space, Disorderly Construct closing show, 6-9PM Don't miss the chance to see the work of David J. Armacost and Nikholis R. Planck! Bands starting at 9PM.

How about we trade some scraps?

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:00:01 EDT

Do you work in collage? I do! Recently, Steven Riddle and I traded our scraps and made work that merges both of our papers. It was a lot of fun and a good challenge to apply the way you typically work with somebody else's sensibilities.

So, my question to you collage artists out there (all of you, I'm going global on this one), would you be interested in trading scraps? A scrap-trade network, perhaps? Let me know by filling out the form below. You don't have to commit to the project by just filling out the form. I am just trying to gauge interest at this point.

Be sure to pass this along to anyone who might be interested! The more, the merrier!

Mara Caffarone

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:51:00 EDT

Shapes are always on my brain. I love looking at different objects, photographs, and, well... shapes to get more ideas for my work. It's one reason why I am enjoying Mara Caffarone's recent paintings, which emphasize shape as well as color.

Relationships seem to be important in Mara's work. The often dense colors are affected by what they are paired with, which can make them look brighter or more dull. Similarly, a shape has a different feel paired with a complementing or opposing form.

All images via Flickr.

ESH

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:01:00 EDT

ESH is an artist from Bosnia and Herzegovina who is currently working in street art and digital collages, in addition to installation work.

I love the giant rug that's been displayed outside of the building. The opposite of where it should be! It's a nod to the giant bear rugs that accompany cozy, fire-lit settings. Again, not the same place.

I find ESH's collages bizarre with a disorienting mixture of textures, which tends to make them unidentifiable. They vibrate.

All images via his Flickr. Check out his website as well.

Andy Warhol's TV // John Waters and Divine

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:24:00 EDT

Last Sunday I took a short trip to the National Gallery to Washington, DC and viewed their latest exhibition, Warhol: Headlines. The show chronicles Warhol's use of the news in his work, largely based on tabloids. In the latter part of his career, he moved from using news to help making news, producing a couple of TV shows. One was titled Andy Warhol's TV. An interview show, it featured guests such as filmmaker John Waters and the late Divine, as shown below.

In a way, I am mystified by the 1980's and 1990's; they feel recent enough, but I do not infact remember a number of those years because I was too young (or in the case of pre-1985, not alive). So, I enjoy watching pieces from that period of time to learn more. I especially like that this episode features John Waters - his films are entertaining and a bit dirty. It's interesting to hear his influences along side Divine, who appeared in may of Waters's films.

(Also, John Waters is a Baltimore native whom I have met a couple of times at the Lithuanian Dance hall. He likes to hold court in the swivel chairs at the bar.)

Video via Network Awesome.

Betsy Odom

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:24:00 EDT

Betsy Odom is a Chicago-based artist working with a variety of materials to create small and large sculptures. Conceptually loaded works, the beauty is in the details of these pieces, as Betsy uses her different skills (such as tooling leather!) to make these works both thought-provoking and exquisite. From her artist statement:

My work explores the ephemera surrounding displays of identity. I work with specific materials like tooled leather, sporty fabrics, chunky silver, automotive finishes, and airbrushed paints. Seen in the right context these materials become signifiers of the cultural phenomena that have surrounded my own development: Southern culture, women�s athletics, queer lifestyles, car enthusiasts, hobbyists, fantasy, or camp. The aesthetics of these groups, although rooted in functionality, often serve to reinforce embedded messages about gender, class, race, and sexuality. I attempt to use a combination of earnest craftsmanship and humor to extract and subvert these messages, creating objects that entertain a fantasy of moving freely among social groups and confronting the contradictions therein.

Later this month, Betsy has a show with Kelli Connell at the Riverside Arts Center. The exhibit, Parallel Play, runs from October 21 - November 19, with the opening reception on October 30 from 3-6PM.

All images via Betsy's website.

Anna Topuriya and Saejean Oh // "Life Tips from a Man Who is Very Afraid of Life"

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:12:00 EDT

Despite the long title of this post, check out these fairly short and beautiful stop-motion animations by Anna Topuriya and Saejean Oh.

The animations accompany the zine Life Tips from a Man Who is Very Afraid of Life. They have been made with two Ikea frames, painted dots, watercolor, cut paper, foam core, masking tape, Canon powershot, photoshop, iMovie. Music with Tenori-On Yamaha monome.

Their zine to be published by Never Press.

OCW Magazine // Counterparts

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:09:00 EDT

The kind folks over at OCW Magazine sent me their latest issue, Counterparts. OCW Magazine is a biannually-produced publication whose focus is the cultivation of art and culture.

This issue marks the transtion into a biannual interdiscipliary art project. On page nine of the visuals booklet (the white, heavier bound book), the curatorial vision for OCW Magazine is outlined. The theme counterparts is described:

The "counterparts" theme was inspired by our choice to abandon a one-format-fits-all approach and publish the visual artwork and the literary work in separate booklets. This allowed us more influence on the ways in which readers would experience each discipline, as written and visual work privilege different types of interaction - reading versus looking.

In each book, the idea of the complement is explored in different ways. With prose (in the smaller bound book), there is a key (guide) at the front of the book to help the viewer match which writing is related to another. In the artwork's case, it is the pairing of the images in individual spreads, and how you transition through the book.

In terms of visuals, OCW features artists that I love - Andrea Wan, Jessica Bell, and Tom Moglu all make work I find inspiring and always welcome to see. It also showcased other artists I was not familiar with, such as Patrick Cruz and Niky Roehreke, that I will be doing a bit more research on.

Andrea Wan and Malin Bergstrom

Tom Moglu and Brendan George Ko

The choice of the colored paper was an interesting one, and made a nice surprise upon opening the book. It put the images on a level playing field, and manipulated them in a sense - the way in which images were printed stripped them of their obvious media choices - some works what I thought might be paintings were actually c-prints upon closer examination!

Hannah Putz
Jessica Bell
Patrick Cruz
Niky Roehreke

OCW is produced out of Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. I would recommend picking up a copy through their online store! They also run Project Space, which is a book shop, publisher, programming space, and studio. It's another thing I will have to check out if I am ever in Vancouver.

Kickstarter // Baltimore Annex Theatre

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:36:00 EDT

The Baltimore Annex Theatre is (from their website): We are an ever-shifting company of friends, composed of a core group of board members and a multitude of volunteers.

Since 2008, the Baltimore Annex Theatre has been producing and hosting performances, often collaborating and experimenting beyond the normal theatre setting. For their upcoming play season, more ambitious productions are planned, starting with an original adaptation of Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. Showing in the newly-reopened Autograph Playhouse, Threepenny Opera will include mammoth projections and a synth orchestra.

Check out more information below, and join the many backers to this exciting project!

Liam Barrett

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:44:00 EDT

Illustrations by Liam Barrett. His work ranges in color schemes and subject matter, as my favorite are when he references the antiquated - there is some medieval thrown in there, as well as a glimmer of the Victorian era. Of course, it is made modern by technique,and distortion.

All images via his Flickr. Check out his Tumblr, too.

In the past, Liam has made totems. Hand-painted and really fun:

Zoran Pungerčar

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:59:00 EDT

Slovenian artist/illustrator Zoran Pungerčar's work is below. I like the hand he's applied to the characters. Their bodies are obviously dispportionate, but I much prefer this interpretation of the human figure than a more realistic one, especially in the case of his portfolio. The stylized images are prefect for what Zoran is communicating with us- posters and illustrations for zines and magazines. Eye catching and makes you want to spend a bit more time with it.

All images via Flickr. Check out his website too.

Josephin Ritschel

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:14:00 EDT

Graphite is quickly after my heart (and it has won it). After being estranged from it for many years, I have really loved the both the soft and decisive marks made. Josephin Ritschel's drawings are warm yet fantastical, as she draws not only single images but focuses her energies on sequential art as well.

A lot of times while looking at art, I appreciate things because I am unable to do them well. If I were completing drawings like Josephin's, there would be smudges all over the place - not intentionally of course. Craftsmanship is certainly not my strong suit.

All images via her Flickr. Check out her website as well.

And one for my friends that love the X-Files (you know who you are):

Christian Herr

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:27:00 EDT

Steven introduced me to Christian Herr, and I am very glad he did! I've been obsessing over interior scenes and landscapes as of late, and Christian's work has both a lyrical quality to it, as well as the overarching sense of the strange.

I am especially a fan of the way Christian has utilized trees as both a compositional element and as a character in his paintings. Branches that engulf an entire room is, to me, the defintion of abandonment and desloation.

All images via his website.

Ashley Goldberg

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:25:00 EDT

I've seen the patterns of Ashely Goldberg floating around my Pinterest over the past couple of days, and with good reason. Her patterns are really energetic and gestural, and don't necessarily feel like what she says they are. Also, I think they are very pretty.

What make Ashley's work successful is in the whirlwind of movement, shape, and layers. I especially love the subtle repetition that occurs beneath the surface.

All images via her Flickr. Check out her website, Kitty Genius.

Time Travel Tuesday // Norman Zammitt

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:49:00 EDT

By now it's safe to say that Time Travel Tuesday has really turned into a collaboration with Rebecca of Big Things. I love trading artists/posts with her, and today she's chosen to write about the works of Norman Zammitt. Take it away, Rebecca!

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Norman Zammitt�s melt-in-your-mouth color-scapes are the perfect poster child for California art in the 1960s and 1970s. The colors evoke late evening sunsets, desert landscapes, and the cool blue ocean, yet the idea behind them digs deeper into experimental abstraction and color theory. His color bar paintings have the same mesmerizing effects of Rothko�s canvases, creating an emotional, Zen-like experience for the viewer who can easily be lost in their surface simplicity and slow-revealed depth.

After pioneering the use of acrylics and colored plastic in sculpture in the 1960s, Zammitt began to create these mathematically calculated paintings of color gradations, precisely measuring distances and marking off stripes on canvases. I love these photographs of him working on North Wall in 1976 and his beautiful worktable full of colored pots of paint! The process itself appears so meditative, which lends to the peaceful quality of the finished works.

Pacific Standard Time, a comprehensive look back at the Los Angeles art scene from 1945-1980, opens this weekend at the Getty Center, which includes these photos of Zammitt at work! Check it out!

Images via The Getty and David Richard Contemporary.

Thanks, Rebecca!

Photos from 'Strange Grip' at the Nudashank Gallery

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:40:00 EDT

When a gallery has a great turnout for their opening, it can be hard to snap photos. This is exactly what I experienced last Saturday at the Nudashank Gallery for their latest exhibition, Strange Grip! I really enjoyed the show and how the space was transformed. The three artists featured in the show - Bonnie Brenda Scott, John Bohl, and Andrew Liang, all differed in their approaches to fabrication and subject matter, but whose site-specific installations were inherently energetic and have a familiar peculiarity.

Nudashank always transforms their space a bit differently with every show. Walking in, your line of sight was directed at Bonnie Brenda Scott's work.

Walking into the larger part of the gallery, Andrew Liang's wall installation was really mesmerizing. A large, stuff cat was attached to the wall (which was playful and great interpretation to Andrew's paintings, which I already loved), in addition to the plush pieces to the left of it. Painted black, this wall was like looking at the night sky.

Sorry for the poor image, but this is the best I could do:

John Bohl's work was actually the first work I saw. While walking to the gallery, his wallpaper was illuminated and visible from the street. It was the brightest thing in the building! A lot of the work I saw in the show I had seen in John's studio. The wallpaper, however, was something that I had only heard about, and it was electric and vibrated. John's work was largely self-contained, so there was a nice juxtaposition between experiencing the work as a whole (wallpaper included) and taking a closer look to his framed works and sculptures. Looking at those pieces were a breath of fresh air.

'Strange Grip' opening at Nudashank

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:03:00 EDT

Baltimore! Tomorrow, Saturday, September 24th is the opening for Strange Grip at the Nudashank Gallery. John Bohl, Andrew Liang, and Bonnie Brenda Scott will be showing their works. Great gallery, great artists... you should head on over to the H&H building!

Image via Nudashank's blog.

Respublica Bookstore Reel and GIFs

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EDT

Yesterday, Anthony Zinonos tweeted about "smart GIFs". Intrigued (as I tend to be drawn to the not-so-smart variety), I clicked the link. I was not disappointed. Made for the Respublica Bookstore Reel, the GIFs themselves are animations of posters, designed by Stas Leontev and animated by Pavel Paratov. Simple, clean, and fluid, these small GIFs convey a sense of calm and tranquility to the brand.

Watch the reel (music by Vasiliy Filatov) for all of the GIFs. Some of my favorites below (all GIFs via Pavel Paratov's Behance page)!

Andrea Kearney

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:02:00 EDT

London-based illustrator and graphic designer Andrea Kearney makes very good use of ink and ink washes, which happens to be a soft spot for me. Her illustrative style is a push and pull- it is both tight within the scope of it's renderings, but she creates texture by allowing the ink to freely bleed.

Headless characters, shrunken heads and distorted figures makes Andrea's work a bit dark. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of her paint brush.

All images via her website. Check out her Flickr as well.

The images below are from Andrea's zine, The Gentleman Caller. Read more about it and purchase here.

Roman Klonek

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:57:00 EDT

Printmaking has reentered my radar as of late. While not very adept (especially letterpress! wow! I am awful!), I still enjoy looking at it in terms of aesthetics and knowledge of the process.

Roman Klonek utilizes wood cut to create his full of color, full of energy prints. Coming from someone who understands the logistics multiple color prints... I am impressed. I am also impressed with the character design. There are some sinister looking creatures that Roman has printed. They look as though they all belong to the same gang.

All images via his Flickr. Check out his website.

Sretan Bor

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:54:00 EDT

I really love these beautiful, large-scale, gestural murals painted by Sretan Bor. Produced for MUU Dugrave 2011 (in Zagreb, Dugave) the purpose of which is to bring art into culturally-neglected areas of the city.

I am amused by Sretan's subjects as they marvel at things small and dive head-first towards the ground. Their rotund bodies and tiny feet are endearing.

All images via Flickr. Check out Cargo Collective as well.

Judy Rushin

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:25:00 EDT

Judy Rushin creates large-scale installation works. They combine elements of the detached, industrial-use material yet are infused with a warmth in their handling. The unfinished wooden infrastructures are paired with paintings and the hand-crafted, giving it the unique feeling of a sort of intimacy.

I always enjoy reading artist statements (if provided), and I really liked the style of Judy's statement. It's conversational and even a bit humorous, which adds to what she's already saying about her work. One of my favorite parts:

I lied. Not about the work. That part is completely true. And I do drive a lot from town to town, because that�s what installation artists do. But I�m not a drifter. I�m a middle-class, middle-aged suburban mother who likes nothing more than a comfy nest and a hot shower, but who has made a career out of entertaining ideas. Sometimes they start as a small activity, like the idea I had to build a fort with my kids. That idea got me thinking about how comfortable (like a nest) a small space is, but also that similar structures can serve very different purposes. Here I was using my kids� fort as my sanctuary while they were at school, but if it were my only shelter � arising out of poverty or disaster, I�d have a different relationship with that space. And then, I thought, oh but wouldn�t it be absurd if a wealthy art collector lost her house and was left only with a collection of paintings? Those paintings might become the walls of a makeshift safe house. They�d lose their status as art and go back to just being materials. They would be nothing more than walls, but walls become so much more important than art when you don�t have them!

Read more of that statement here. You won't regret it.

All images via her website.

Reversible:

Modular:

MAP // Painting in Parts opening

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:56:00 EDT

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of attending Maryland Art Place's opening of their latest show, Painting in Parts. The exhibition focuses on paintings born from the Minimalist art movement, and works in the show span a generation of painters. Included are works from the 1960's up to the 2000's.

Admittedly, I don't look at a ton of Minimalist art, as my work (and the work that I feature on this blog) tends to have a bit of a narrative structure to it. I did, however, immensely enjoy Painting in Parts. Conceptually, it comes from a different place that I'm used to, and spending time with these works in the context of the movement was rewarding.

The curator for the show, Michael Klein, wrote a helpful overview of Minimalist art, giving a background to the artists selected. I used it as a bit of a guide as I walked around the Maryland Art Place, whose setting and space seemed to be the right place to house these works.

Thomas Downing
Luke Frost

A couple of excerpts from Michael's writing, which were my favorite parts of the essay (and also the most informative to me):

Historically, the Minimal movement began in the 1960s. Its proponents and practitioners such as Carl Andre, Robert Morris and Donald Judd, mostly sculptors, were a younger generation of artists mainly based in New York whose paradigm was built on the rejection of any of the tenets of Abstract Expressionism. For them feelings, emotions and biography characteristic of Abstract Expressionism were unnecessary add-ons, concepts that still clung to what were for this new generation, an outdated and outmoded European model; a model that they felt that was long devoid of energy or prospects and did not represent the needs or desires of this next generation of artists.

Alan Charlton

Certainly some historic precedents exists that serve to indicate how the idea of painting in parts came into being. While the character of Abstract Expressionist painting of the 1950's is typified by grand self-expression; large-scale, panoramic canvases and overall painterliness, there are painters who explored structural ideas within this school.

Yunhee Min
Jake Berthot
Don Dudley
Daniel Buren

What stuck with me as I left the show is the sort of timelessness of this body of Minimalist work. It was not immediately apparent what time each piece was produced.

Go check out Painting in Parts, up until October 29th at the Maryland Art Place.

Tadaaki Kuwayama

Ana Bidart

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:29:00 EDT

Earlier this week I updated you on Nathalie Chikhi's work, which utlizies everyday objects in her sculptures and installations. Working in the same vein, Ana Bidart carves and creates forms out of rolls of paper, foam, and wooden sticks.

Ana's work is uses both natural and unnatural materials, and what I find the more compelling is her use of foam sheets to create this giant, flowing sculpture.

All images via her Flickr.

Levi Jacobs

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:23:00 EDT

I've mentioned before that I tend not to go for purely digital work, but I love the content of Levi Jacobs's pieces, so I am more than willing to feature them on Brown Paper Bag.

Even though Levi's work is extremely stylized, it still has an element of motion to it. Wafting smoke, a noodle man, and draining pool are all featured in his images.

I got a second cat this week, a Maine Coon kitten named Marjorie. The last image in this set, a tiger using a man as a rug, is exactly how I feel in trying to make my older cat loved and comfortable in my now two-cat household.

All images via Flickr. Check out Levi's website as well.

Valerie Brennan

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:42:00 EDT

Valerie Brennan has a number of new paintings on her website that are primarily acrylic paintings on panel. They are non-representational, but at the same time there is a very clear subject matter to me, while there is not necessarily a narrative. I see these paintings as abstracted still lifes.

The panel is a good choice for Valerie, as its smoother surface allows for the scraping and layering of paint. Her pieces look labored, and part of the joy of viewing her work is implied give and take that results from the gestural, subtle textures that are present.

All images via her website. Check out her blog as well.

Nathalie Chikhi

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:07:00 EDT

Nathalie Chikhi (previously featured here) creates sculptures and wall hangings out of things that are in our everyday life. She combines and transforms colored paper, bamboo sticks, polystyrene balls, among other things into large scale work.

Who knew polystyrene balls could look elegant with a little transformation? Context and consideration for the handling of materials goes a long way.

All images via Nathalie's Flickr. Check out her website and Tumblr as well!

Paul Paetzel and the Keyman Universe

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:33:00 EDT

The manipulated photographs by Paul Paetzel are pretty entertaining. Paul's painting within the photographs take the originals from banality and elevates them into something much more imaginative and, well, epic. He calls them the Keyman Universe, which is inhabited by giant bugs, reptiles, and terrified residents.

All images via Flickr. Check out his website/blog as well.

Kickstarter// Jaime Bennati // Viva Arte em Goi�nia, Brasil

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:30:00 EDT

I've posted about other Kickstarter projects on Brown Paper Bag before, and this one involves a friend (and former classmate, roommate), Jaime Bennati!

I've known Jaime since our first days at MICA, which now seems so long ago! It's been really amazing to see her progression as an artist, making the most of the opportunities that she's been given. I have mentioned Jaime on the blog before - senior year she created amazing paper sculptures:

(images via Jaime)

And earlier this year she and May Wilson completed a collaborative piece at the Baltimore Creative Alliance about fave�las in Rio de Janerio, Brazil:

Jaime's obsession with Brazil has been a driving force in her work and life, and she's been given the chance to work in Goiania, Brazil next month, in a partnership with the University Federal of Goias. Check out the Kickstarter video below and back her! Jaime is one of the hardest working people I know, and I expect great things to come out of this visit.

My Little Drama

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:04:00 EDT

My Little Drama is the brainchild of product designer Eva Schildt and illustrator Maja Sten. Together, they make jewelry out of 925 sterling silver and 18 carat gold.

The pieces by My Little Drama are rather simple, and really focus on the beauty of the metal and the shapes made by negative space. They feel extremely illustrative, a quality which I especially love - how much I would love to wear the The Little Pierrot (first image below) around my neck. Clever!

All images via their website.

Daniel Frost

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:22:00 EDT

Daniel Frost is an illustrator living in London. His work employs a beautiful stylization of characters, and especially love the elongated, grandiose shapes that are present throughout his portfolio.

From Daniel's website:

His work draws inspiration from the magical, weird and wonderful to create strange and playful characters (usually caught in a moment of action). His practice includes both 2D image-making and 3D objects which are all coherent with his playful imagination.

All images via his website.

Travess Smalley

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:19:00 EDT

Travess Smalley creates trippy and neo-psychadellic works, both out of collaged paper and digitally. The non-representational works are saturated with color and almost dizzying in their compositions.

Check out an interview that Travess did earlier this year on Future Shipwreck. My favorite part of the exchange:

Is there ever such a thing as too much or not enough in your images? Is there a line where thing become too overwhelming or minimalist? That�s something I always consider. I perpetually overkill. The computer helps that, though. I just keep saving states of things. I overkill drawings much more often than digital files. With the digital, I can undo and go back to earlier versions. My friend and fellow artist Harm van den Dorpel has offered me one solution for this problem. He created a program called symbolicbehavior that allows me to take screen captures in the midst of working and they are directly uploaded to a private online portfolio to look through. So even if I �overkill� there is a chance that a state of the work is out there that I do like.

All images via his website.

http://www.travesssmalley.com

This weekend // Baltimore show openings

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:42:00 EDT

The past couple of Fridays have been about show openings in Baltimore, no? I apologize if you aren't from Baltimore (but perhaps it is a sign you need to visit Charm City!). Here are a couple of things going on this weekend:

Remember when I wrote that I was headed back to school? Well, our department (MFA Illustration Practice, ILP for short) is having our first show! There are 11 of us in the program with a wide range of backgrounds, styles, and work. The opening is TONIGHT, from 5PM-7PM in MICA's Fox Thesis 3 Gallery. (Also, if you are reading this while at the opening, HELLO!)

My setup last night.

We've been working with QR codes for this opening, so if you have a smart phone, you should definitely use it. You can see a couple of videos made by yours truly. More information here.

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The Nomad Gallery is hosting a three day event, Holy Shit. The transient gallery is this time located at 11 W. Chase St. in Baltimore, which will be home to musical performances and art. Artists included in the show are: James Bouch�, Benjamin Briere, Flora Choi, Michael Farley, Kyle Freeman, Maude Kasperzak, Hanna Kim, Minku Kim, Linling Lu, Hermonie Only, Aaron Pennington, and Nick Clifford Simko.

Show is September 8th, 9th, and 10th. Gallery hours are noon to 1AM. Musical performances are all nights, with a $5 cover. Complete lineup here.

Joanne Sherrow // Jo-Jo // Captcha

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:12:00 EDT

Today in my Advanced Publishing class with Jaime Zollars, we took a trip to local Baltimore bookstore, Atomic Books. Perusing the self-published selection, I came across the comic Captcha by Joanne Sherrow, AKA Jo-Jo.

I thought it was great! From Jo-Jo/Joanne's Etsy, she describes the comic as, "The mini-comics chronicle her relationships and adventures with the space ship cat and her friends, Life Vest and V.Ramp." The story is entertaining and sassy, with the character design matching perfectly with the looks and quips that are exchanged.

All images via Etsy. Check out Joanne's website as well.

Nanook

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:34:00 EDT

Nanook is a street artist whom I've seen running around Baltimore. His wheat pastes often pair the dizzying use of contour-lined figures with flattened drawings or blocks of color, often breaking up the more detailed elements.

I am especially liking what Nanook has been doing as of late. He's given his subjects a posture, making them feel as though they have a sense of purpose or a duty. Of course, he also does birds and livestock as well. The large, looming birds fit into the Baltimore landscape quite nicely.

All images via Flickr. Check out his website too.

(Gaia's work in the foreground. This piece is a collaboration that took place in Decatur, Georgia.)

Studio Visit // John Bohl

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:06:00 EDT

Last week I ventured to John Bohl's home/studio, nestled on a tree-lined street in Baltimore. I've seen his work again and again around town, most noteably at Baltimore Liste earlier this summer, put on by the Contemporary Museum. It was there that I was able to view an installation of John's objects, a combination of found and self-made items. In addition to the 3D, John also works in 2D in a number of different manners- painting, collage, as well as digitally.

What comprised a large part of John's studio space were his own works, stacked against the wall and tucked away in storage. We pulled out some of his prints, which are at the same time non-representational and very object-driven.

I feel that as John works in multiple dimensions, it informs his work as a whole. Arrangement and grouping are an overarching theme his work, as is the exploration of manipulation. Evident in his prints and his work included in Baltimore Liste, he's collected and harvested images and objects, creating relationships amongst them. One piece we discussed in particular was this printed piece, which was combination of Google Image searches, then extracted and take out of context. (Image courtesy of the artist)

It's strange how uncanny these parts are separated form their whole. While some are 3D renderings, others are the product of shadows.

John's objects bring me a lot of delight in their individual and peculiarity as a whole. When I asked him about their creation, I felt he was very nonchalant about their origins. While some are found objects, others are made on a whim (when he has some downtime), or things filed away in his brain to make some day. He said that he's always making something, which has been with him since he was a kid. (Following images courtesy of the artist.)

There is definitely a sense of humor to what John does, like the deflated basketball or comical severed arm. Also, his choice of material aids him. Using clay that is air dry, there is this feeling of nostalgia, of toys and of childhood when examining.

On September 24, John will have work with Andrew Liang and Bonnie Scott at the Nudashank Gallery, in a show titled Strange Grip. I'll definitely be checking that out!

Thanks, John!

Time Travel Tuesday with Rebecca // Anna Atkins

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 10:05:00 EDT

Another edition of Time Travel Tuesday with Rebecca Goldschmidt of Big Things! She has chosen to write about Anna Atkins. Check out what she has to say below. Beautiful work!

Check back later today for a link to my post!

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Photographs of British Algae is a multi-volume book of photographs by Anna Atkins created between 1843 and 1853. The New York Public Library collection contains one of the most complete of the only 13 known copies in the world! Not only is it a stunning scientific and artistic documentation of sea life, it also, according to the NYPL, �is a landmark in the histories both of photography and of publishing: the first photographic work by a woman, and the first book produced entirely by photographic means.�

Anna was an amateur botanist and daughter of scientist, John George Children. William Henry Fox Talbot and Sir John Herschel, both acquaintances of her father�s, had developed different forms of early photography, including the �photogenic drawing� (photogram) and blueprint process (cyanotype), respectively. Anna employed both processes to make her prints. Without using a camera, she arranged her specimens on a glass plate over pieces of chemically treated paper and exposed them to light. She printed every page of every copy by hand!

I particularly love how her technique captures the texture and translucence of certain pieces of algae. And that magnificent blue color!!! What a wonderful historical treasure!

You can make your own cyanotypes (aka sunprints) with these kits produced by UC Berkeley!

Images and info from the NYPL.

Future Islands // Balance

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:17:00 EDT

Monday is a holiday here in the US, and I don't know about you, but this weekend will include a cookout! Anyways, before I leave you for the long weekend, here is a new music video by Future Islands, one of my favorite Baltimore-based bands. Their new album, On the Water comes out the 10th of October. View Balance below.

Baltimore // Narrative Liminal Opening at Guest Spot

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:16:00 EDT

(image via Guest Spot)

Hey, Baltimore! Narrative Liminal is opening tonight from 7PM to 11PM at Guest Spot. The show will feature work by two artists, John Bohl and Mike Peter Smith. Here is some vital information:

Show runs September 2 � October 15, 2011 Curated by Rod Malin, Director of Guest Spot Location: 1826 Fleet Street, Baltimore, MD 21231

From the press release:

Narrative Liminal features the work of John Bohl and Mike Peter Smith. Both Artists� concepts refer to the in-between states and conditions that allude to disarray. Their work is critical of the discontinuity of traditional narrative while contributing to the dissolution of order. At the same time, the work is informative of the continuity of tradition.

I personally am really excited to see John's work in this show, as I just visited his studio the other day (look for that visit next week). It's also worth mentioning that the gallery, Guest Spot, is a new gallery to Baltimore, independently run. The gallery writes, "The core programmatic theme is a re-appropriation of rigid societal norms of space utilization to more thoroughly examine the concept of the �American Home�. Its program will include artists whose works deals with concepts relating to impermanence, ephemerality, and liminality."

David Gilbert

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:59:00 EDT

It's a double David day (say that five times fast), this time with the work of David Gilbert. Creating installations using objects that have been maniuplated separately (so it seems) and later assembled, it seems like the emphasis is on the process and not as much on the final product.

I love seeing his work installed and the relationship of the objects once together. Some pieces have clearly been transformed, while others are made by the artist in an intense and almost gestural manner.

All images via David's website. For more, check out his Tumblr as well.

David Jien

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:58:00 EDT

Using minimal color and emphasizing the use of graphite, David Jien's work ties together with its narrative structure and unique cast of characters.

Beautifully and realistically shaded but clearly imagined, David weaves the tales of robots, webbed-feet creatures, and other mutants as they attempt to exist in a place in which they are at odds. It creates tension to works that would otherwise seem so at peace. At times, it is not clear who the victor is - only that there is a winner and loser.

All images via his website.

8 bit Fashionary

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:29:00 EDT

My graduate program (MFA Illustration Practice, MFA ILP for short!) has an exhibition coming up next week. Everyone is hanging several pieces of work, all in varying media and techniques. To really tie the show together, we are using QR codes (square bar codes you see on magazines,fliers, etc.), making the show interactive as well. To customize our own QR codes, we are integrating them with pixelated avatars. Needless to say, I have pixels on the brain.

I came upon 8 bit Fashionary at a perfect time. A fashion blogger junkie, I was excited to see high-fashion outfits imagined into simplified shapes. Sort of makes you realize how boxy current trends are (no pun intended).

All images via Fashionary.

Zachary Leener

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:11:00 EDT

I love looking at new shapes and adding them to my visual vocabulary. Zachary Leener creates 3D objects that are all about shapes, with abstraction focusing on their form.

Dynamic alone, I enjoy when Zachary's work is grouped together. While each piece is unique, they all share a peculiarity and big of darkness to them. It's easy to look at work that has a folk-art aesthetic to it and think it is all lighthearted. Zachary's work goes beyond this upon closer look.

All images via Bullet Magazine. Check out his website for some contact info.

Darin Shuler

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:10:00 EDT

More drawings today! This time, work by Darin Shuler. I enjoy his colorful, yet grotesque drawings of demigod-esque creatures. Looking through his Flickr, the drawings are really loaded with imagery, all presented to us with the same visual hierarchy. Darin's black and white drawings are full of details worth seeing, so I enjoy the longer journey that my eye takes to get through those works.

Darin's work is oddly nostalgic for me, as I find myself sometimes grossed out by what he draws. It reminds me of cartoons that, as a child, loved to watch yet had to turn a blind eye to at times. Shows like Ren and Stimpy, for instance! It made me squirm.

All images via Flickr. Darin is revamping his website.

Hrefna Sigur�ard�ttir

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:26:00 EDT

Thanks for all the well wishes about school! I'll keep you updated on the program - especially if some of you are interested in applying yourselves!

I saw this painting by Hrefna Sigur�ard�ttir, and I will admit that I obsessed over it for a little bit:

That drawing really combines some of my interests in art right now- I enjoy the clean, minimalist approach but with a painterly, gestural feel, as well as the focus on pattern and adornment.

More drawings below. All images via Flickr. Check out her Behance profile (she's a student!).

Ricardo Garc�a Gonz�lez

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:49:00 EDT

Ricardo Garc�a Gonz�lez has very elaborate names for his paintings. My instinct upon looking at work is to read the title as a cue from the artist of what their concept may be; it gives my mind a starting point for interpretation. Embarrassingly enough, I was googling parts of Ricardo's titles to understand what the descriptors meant.

For example, his painting (directly below), Morphogenesis of amulets in traffic flow. What is morphogenesis you may ask? It is the biological process that causes an organism to develop its shape. These titles add another layer to Ricardo's abstracted and colorful works, which are further supported by explorations into different plastic processes, or building three dimensional sculptures that serve as fodder for his two dimensional paintings. His artist statement:

My art practice focuses, for some years now, the investigation of different plastic processes that provide intermediate vision between representation and abstraction, object and subject, and content and the mainland. This brings me to the realization of different series organized around a conceptual framework that structures the presentation and that leads me to adopt different strategies for transforming these premises prior to plastic expressions of two or three dimensions. Thus, working from an optical multi-disciplinary, since the failure to rule out in advance any technique gives me the choice between different possible ways that I have, or I can discover, to curb the same subject, which enriches the code and helps me open up different paths by which to advance my creation.

All images (with their titles!) via Ricardo's website.

Morphogenesis of amulets in traffic flow
genetic combination cage
frozen amoeboid Capsule for French mutants
Robot psicoportraits
Child
New encounter with the hateful mocking paparazzi
Descarado

First day of school

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 08:45:00 EDT

On a little more personal (than usual) note, today is my first day of my graduate program at the Maryland Institute, College of Art, where I will be working to obtain my MFA in Illustration Practice. It's a completely new program this year, and should be a very exciting one to be in.

The program boasts prototyping and research, and Brown Paper Bag will be a big part of my schooling. I am planning on using my research and ideas in the program to integrate into the blog. Expect some changes down the road (exciting ones, of course)!

Clay Hickson

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EDT

I love buildings, the creation of environments, post modern decay. Weird, unidentifiable shapes and patterns everywhere is also great too.

Clay Hickson's drawings leave me pondering about the juxtaposition of objects of utility and psychedelicesque shapes. A copier, houseplant, and clock seem a lot more entertaining and interesting in his world.

All images via his website.

Kickstarter // Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez One-Man Show

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:32:00 EDT

I've written about the work of Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez before. I met with him to talk about his poetry and work nearly a year ago, and am generally a fan of what he creates - whether it be music, writing, or visual art.

Lesser recently posted a project on Kickstarter to help raise money for his one-man show. It will be comprised of both 2D and 3D works, with some video work as well. Check out a walk through here:

Backing the project $25 can get you a limited-edition silk screened print of his work, which is such a steal for how great his work is! Backing more will get you prints of work in the show and selected objects from the show.

If you're living in Baltimore, this is a great way to support a local artist. Below are some pieces that I find particularly great. His work deals with themes of decay, transition, and transcendence in popular culture. All images via his website.

Ludovic Boulard Le Fur

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:37:00 EDT

I came across these wall paintings/installations by Ludovic Boulard Le Fur. I love how he uses both the wall as well as putting part of his piece in our space. The bold colors and heavy lines are hard to take your eyes from.

In an interview with Foggy Grizzly, Ludovic says that he is inspired by toys, cartoons, super heros, and trading cards. He mentions that the wood part of his pieces are meant to mimic the holographic images on a card. Read the rest of the interview here.

All images via Flickr.

Paul X. Johnson

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:13:00 EDT

The quiet restraint of English illustrator Paul X. Johnson's paintings are perhaps their biggest strength. In both style and content, these pieces command attention despite the subtle tones and offset stares.

His works are ominous, as if not far off there is something going terribly awry (and in some paintings, it is right there. Within his portfolio, it's nice to see the rare moments of joy peppered among these events.

All images via Flickr. Check out his website as well.

Kate Prior

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:23:00 EDT

A few years ago, I tried my hand (literally and figuratively) at hand lettering. My lack of attention to detail was not conducive to successfully and neatly illustrating text itself. Kate Prior, however, has it right. Her inventive and creative solutions to the standard posters and sinage boast the text as a focal point, not just a way of transmitting information.

All images via her Flickr. Check out her Tumblr, too.

New Otecki

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EDT

Otecki (previously written about here) is an artist I keep up with though Flickr. The Polish artist collaborates on murals and other street art projects in a pretty awe-inspiring way. Look at the height! And the way that the art engulfs you as you stand before the structure or wall. (All images via Flickr.)

Otecki also creates smaller works such as covers for vinyl records and he also does linoleum prints. Here's a video of the carving process:

blockprinting process from otecki on Vimeo.

Angie Wang

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:45:00 EDT

I don't normally go for the entirely digital approach to illustration, but I am totally admiring the work of Angie Wang. The dreamy, morning-lit illustrations of women and nature depict a dichotomy of both strong and surrender.

The beauty is in the details as well - Angie's gestural line and sense of texture works especially well in fur and hair. It feels muted, but golden at the same time.

All images via her website. Check out her blog, Wangie (although it is currently on hiatus).

Sophia Martineck

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 08:03:00 EDT

Artist/illustrator Sophia Martineck creates for her viewer conceptual illustrations (with such topics as ethic, health care, the real estate market) as well as a sequential art and small series of drawings.

One thing I like about Sophia's drawing style is the line work. The weight of her line does not change from perception of depth or detail - everything is the same. It's especially apparent when I am looking upon the faces of older people she's drawn. Their wrinkles carry the same visual weight as the edge of their faces, as the background.

All images via her website. Check out her blog as well.

Recommended weekend viewing: Herb and Dorothy

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:44:00 EDT

Hey! Do you have Instant Netflix and want to watch a documentary about a couple who steadily built their impressive art collection over the last half of the 21st century? Then I would say that Herb and Dorothy(2008) is the movie for you.

HERB & DOROTHY Trailer from Herb & Dorothy on Vimeo.

The film, now nearly three years old, and a bit of an oldie but definitely a goody. It tells the story of Herb and Dorothy Vogel, two New Yorkers with modest incomes but interested in collecting art. When little attention was paid to Minimalist and Conceptual art in the 1960's, they began purchasing art from unknown artists such as Sol LeWitt and Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Their collection was simply based on their own personal aesthetic and what they liked, not what was popular.

What you really get out of this movie is that you don't need to be a millionaire to purchase original art. Living on Dorothy's salary alone, the couple purchased a myriad of works and cultivated relationships with the artists they were supporting. How wonderful. Definitely an inspiration film for me about collecting original art and supporting emerging artists. Everyone should watch!

Baubles and animals

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:19:00 EDT

More often than not, I am using the interwebs to look at things for sale. Mostly to dream, but occasionally to buy. Something I love to look at on the regular are necklaces.

Kristina Klarin is queen of the baubles for me. I love the varied beads, often oversized with a nod towards novelty. The coloring is tasteful. Eye catching, but not overly distracting. (All images via her shop.)

I love the small, precious, handmade necklaces, brooches, and figures of Danielle Pedersen, also known as HandyMaiden. I have a thing for tigers (see here), and I wish it was a necklace too! (All images via her shop.)

Evelyn Ackerman // Wall Hangings

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:53:00 EDT

Evelyn Ackerman started creating wall hangings in the late 1950's. Content ranged from simply shape and color to more identifiable scenes of people or animals. I find myself more partial to the

Originally interested in the rug market, Evelyn realized that it was overcrowded and experimented with smaller hand-hooked wall hangings that varied in loop sizes. I love the first hanging because they colors are so sickeningly saturated. It makes for a beautiful putrid.

All images via the Ackerman website.

Miju Lee

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:28:00 EDT

Mallory over at Where the Lovely Things Are acquainted me with the illustrator Miju Lee. I am really enjoying the minimalist drawings, utilizing colored pencil.

The content of Miju's work is really fun and celebratory. Emphasis is on scale, as treats are human-sized, and yetis are not as big as you'd expect them to be. I'd want to travel to this world for a day or two!

All images via Miju Lee's website.

Rajni Perera

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:14:00 EDT

Rajni Perera is the painter of exquisite works, focusing heavily on the female form and using that as a base to communicate her ideas. As she has described so adeptly on her website, she and her work are; "...exploring issues of hybridity, sacrilege, irreverence, indexical sciences and ethnography, sexuality, popular culture, deities and monsters." She goes on to say, "Intensely labored and immaculately conceived. Spiritual and whimsical, a pooja and a porno at the same time."

I love the beauty and mystique of these paintings! All images via her Tumblr/website.

Jaakko Pallasvuo

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:35:00 EDT

I have this board on Pinterest where I post old buildings, caves, gems, and more - objects that inspire me. Images like that inform my work and challenge my imagination, as I am sure they do others.

Jaakko Pallasvuo's drawings seem like something that could sprout from this sort of inspiration board. His drawings are a bit east-meets-west, and seem to depict men of power or wealth. They are adorned with specific references to uniform or costuming, sometimes seeming muddled together.

Jaakko pens much sequential art in addition to other illustrations, so I look at these drawings as character studies for more developed work. I love them all the same.

Check out his website. All images via Flickr.

Nous Vous // New website

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:27:00 EDT

The guys over at Nous Vous have recently launched their new website, which is delightfully interactive. Using a clean layout with a smart use of rollovers, it really shows off all the work Nous Vous (which, by the way, is made up of Jay Cover, William Edmonds, and Nicolas Burrows) have done. Ranging from print to products to sculpture, there is an impressive selection.

My most favorite part of their new website is the "add to collection" feature. You can hover your mouse over any of their works, and click "add to collection". A button will then pop up on the right hand side of the screen and you can click to view what you've added. Here's my collection!

All images via Nous Vous's NEW, shiny website.

Studio Visit // Christine Buckton Tillman

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:54:00 EDT

Last week I had the immense pleasure of meeting with Christine Buckton Tillman in her home studio in Baltimore. Upon entering Christine's house (which she shares with husband Robert), there is a sense of fun and pleasure that permeates the walls. Upstairs, her studio space is colorful and celebratory, as the walls are adorned with objects of nostalgia, things from students, party accessories, and more.

This photo was taken by Christine, in a better light than I had.

Christine's studio was tidy (due to my visit, she said) and non-toxic for the sake of her two cats that often accompany her while she's working. The gem of her studio, for me, was really her large flat file and it's contents. Spanning years, she's organized each drawer with a specific purpose, including things in the works, pieces that have previously been shown together, and some surprises too! She showed me years worth of her hand-drawn calendars, which was a real treat to see (it's amazing to look at all of them in retrospect).

The above works are included in Little Paper Planes The Big Exclusives. Pen is for scale.

Photo via Christine's Flickr.

Objects of kitsch have been a focus of Christine's work since her graduate school days. The idea of transforming objects interests her, and been a fodder for her work and practice. Lately, she's been creating paper chains... but swapping the paper for clay:

Photo via Christine's Flickr.
Photo via Christine's Flickr.

I unfortunately was unable to see chains in person as she's installed them in an off-site exhibition space. Christine was able to show me earlier projects, one of which was woven Mylar strips.

Originally displayed on tables, these pieces were woven together using a loom with double stick tape. The larger idea and scope of the Mylar weavings, clay paper chain, and her latch-hook paintings are to change the material is to change the meaning. Paper chains are nostalgic, and personally remind me of my elementary school days. Once they are removed from this context and not even made out of paper anymore, it changes what these chains mean to me. I develop a new relationship with this object. Despite this, there is an inherent level of comfort with Chrstine's work - it is a really great dichotomy.

I left my visit with Christine feeling that her life is wonderfully connected to the spirit of her work. Another large part of her life is school; she is a teacher at a Baltimore-area private school, and the facilities and environment allow her to further her practice while inspiring students. Christine's attitude towards art and life are upbeat, joyful, with careful contemplation, which is inherent upon her creations.

Thanks, Christine!

Julianna Brion

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:01:00 EDT

Happy Friday, all! Before we descend upon the weekend, how about a peek at the work of Julianna Brion? The recent (MICA) college grad has developed a small series that I really enjoy - pin up girls. They are not the expected 1950's, Gil Elvgren-esque works, but graceful, elongated figures, simplified. The spare use of line coupled with the bold choices enhances softness of graphite. Beautiful! Images below via her blog.

Julianna's website and blog are filled with other illustrative and painting endeavors. A few more of my favorites below. Images below via her website.

El Grio

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:54:00 EDT

I grew up drawing everyday objects around my house, so I have a certain affinity towards paintings that depict just that. El Grio has painted a variety of ubiquitous subjects, some more dangerous than others.

I enjoy the simplicity of El Grio's paintings, and personally love shapes of bottles, vases, and other things that he has chosen to make obtuse. Seeing these paintings make me wish that life was a little more simplified like them.

All images via Flickr.

Miguel Arias

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:36:00 EDT

Good morning, all! Not a lot of time to write this morning... touring the new MICA MFA Illustration Practice studios soon (it's where I'll be starting my MFA this year)!

Before I depart, however, I will leave you with the work of Miguel Arias. I am really enjoying his quick, gestural sketches, in addition to his garment drawings (first two drawings below). Bask in the sometimes chaotic harmony of his color and line.

All images via Flickr. Check out his website as well!

Rimon Guimar�es

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:34:00 EDT

There is an evident push and pull in Rimon Guimar�es's work. It comes from his bold colors and shapes, broken up by the carefully place details, which themselves tell their own story.

Rimon's graceful figures glide through his compositions, and I'm reminded of Henri Matisse's cut outs. Coupled with the details included over bodies and clothing (love the tiger on the swimsuit!), I am totally in love.

All images via Flickr.

Thomas Howes

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:48:00 EDT

I am really amused by Thomas Howes's portraiture. Exaggerated in nearly every scope, Thomas portrays his subjects with accuracy - I was able to recognize his subjects even if I didn't understand the hand-lettered reference. He captures their essence, which is essential in obtaining any sort of resemblance.

All images via Flickr. Check out his website and Tumblr.

This, I assume, is a self portrait. On Flickr, Thomas has titled it Beyonce is Stuck in My Head. I laughed (out loud).

Rob Hodgson

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:57:00 EDT

This morning I am really enjoying the illustrative works of Rob Hodgson. Painterly with a keen attention to details, I find his work often times humorous. He's thinking as a sequential artist, often breaking up his work into panels or cross sectioning it to give the viewer more information.

Rob references history in his work, from decorative urns to tribal masks to King Kong, all presented in a casual yet very aesthetically pleasing manner.

All images via Flickr.

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Timothy Karpinski

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:33:00 EDT

The work of Timothy Karpinski was something that I had seen long ago and admired, and this past weekend Steven reminded me of his sublime and very personal works.

Timothy is represented by the Together Gallery in Portland Oregon, and the works there revolve around a handful of characters. What I like about Timothy's work is that it feels small - not in size, but it in the scope of its world. The small cast allows for a more intimate experience of his work.

Timothy says, "Art for me is very personal and everything i make is a direct reflection on my feelings about this world and my struggle and fascination with trying to understand it and find my purpose within it."

All images via the Together Gallery. Check out Timothy's website here.

Erik J. Sommer

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:29:00 EDT

Erik J. Sommer emailed me his work, and wrote a brief but very important description of it. "...I am a painter. I paint with cement."

Had I not known, I am not sure that I would have ever known. My previous notions of cement were of cement blocks - heavy, rough, utilitarian. Erik has this great way of making cement look organic - like white birch tree bark. More natural than the work horse we know it to be. Mixed with other elements, it's transformed!

I would love to see the process of these works.

All images via his website.

Zippora Lux // Celestial Cats

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:48:00 EDT

On Twitter, I shared a picture of the kitten I got last week, Pauline. Having not had a cat for 7+ years, it's been a really interesting (and sometimes frustrating) experience to have a pet again. I had to take her to the vet on Wednesday, have her get shots, spayed... the works. Needless to say, she was happy to come home this morning.

So what is more appropriate, then, than to feature the Celestial Cats by Zippora Lux, aka Boya Latumahina? The graphic designer not only has an impressive website and work to boot, but has a self-initiated series of cats made of celestial bodies. The stunning photographs that make up the cats are photographs by the Hubble Tellescope.

Cats and the cosmos are a deadly combination of cute and awe-inspiring.

Check out Zippora's website. All images via Society6.

Dispatchwork // Jan Vormann

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:14:00 EDT

If you're anything like me, you might stumble on cracks and craters in the sidewalk. Everytime this happens I inwardly lament a the condition of the city sidewalks. Well, Jan Vormann and his project Dispatchwork has attempted to solve this. Visiting cities around the globe, he and others have placed Legos where the chips and holes exist. They breathe new life into dilapidated elements and are wildly nostalgic (for me, at least). The best part? He lets the casual passerby help him out!

Jan Vormann has been doing this for quite some time, and I would recommend subscribing to his mailing list to keep updated.

All images via his website.

New York City

Tel Aviv

Amsterdam

Pablo Boffeli, a year later

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:41:00 EDT

Nearly a year ago, I featured the work of Pablo Boffeli:

Pablo's Flickr is a great indication of how busy he keeps himself as an artist. His work has evolved over the past year. Where it was once very character driven, less emphasis is now on that and more on the setting. In a psychadellic way, Pablo creates scenes that are a bit askew from what we understand - somewhat desolate, sometimes feeling lonely - like the rainbow cone, for instance, shining on by itself!

All images via his Flickr. Check out his Tumblr as well.

Little Paper Planes // The BIG Exclusives

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:06:00 EDT

I'm always a fan of the endeavors by Little Paper Planes, a website supporting the art community by way selling prints, apparel, publications, online exhibitions, and more! Yesterday, they launched the first of a new collection, The Big Exclusives. Curated by Kelly Lynn Jones, the collection, aptly titled, The Summer Collection, includes large format prints by ten different artists. They are: Alyson Fox, Matthew Bowers, Caitlin Keegan, Tchmo, Christopher David Ryan, Christine Tillman, Josh Peters, Jen Renninger, Lulu Wolf and Jessica Cannon.

Little Paper Planes has this to say about the collection, which includes two prints from each artist, each print in an edition of fifty:

We wanted to offer prints as a curated collection so that each work is its own entity as well as creating a dialogue with one of the other pieces. We worked with each artist to choose both a color and black and white piece. As we began to receive the work, small connections actualized with underlying similarities. There is the obvious spatial qualities, however a deeper feeling about place or the search of finding ones place seem to be both as a literal notation and an abstracted moment. There is a sense of searching for our own private retreat whether it be within a quiet pause between thoughts, watching the sunset, gazing at the stars or hoping and wishing for miracles. They each highlight in their own way a non-linear navigation throughout the everyday.

I am in love with big prints, so these really appeal to me. Here are some that I enjoy. Check out the complete Summer Collection on Little Paper Planes for more (all images via).

Matthew Bowers

Christine Tillman

Jessica Cannon

Bozka

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:35:00 EDT

I am particularly struck by the beauty of Bozka's work this morning, as it is a cloudy, dreary day in Baltimore. Her work, by contrast, is dreamy, romantic, and idyllic - all things enviable after high temperatures and excessive humidity on the Eastern seaboard!

Looking at Bozka's work, it reads as an aesthetic guide to nature, playing with scale to emphasize color and composition over actual size and texture of flowers, animals, and reptiles. It really communicates a splendor of the physical world.

All images via her website.

My Time Travel Tuesday post on Big Things

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:25:00 EDT

Brown Paper Bag on Big Things!

Mosey on over to Rebecca's blog, Big Things to read my post about USSR buildings. They look out of this world!

Time Travel Tuesday with Rebecca Goldschmidt of Big Things (x4!)

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:36:00 EDT

Rebecca Goldschmidt of Big Things and I can't stop doing these Time Travel Tuesday guest posts! They are a lot of fun and I'm always inspired by what she choses. Rebecca has a great eye and really takes advantage of where ever she may be to look at the local art, or take in a museum. Today she's writing about Clifton Karhu. Take it away, Rebecca: ---------

I found a hand-printed postcard for a steak restaurant in Kyoto at a thrift store a long time ago- the colors were incredible and I always admired the thick lines and geometry of the building in the image. One day, while looking through a book of contemporary Japanese printmakers, I noticed some prints that had a similar style. Turns out the postcard was the work of Clifton Karhu, an American-born artist that spent most of his career in Japan as one of the most renowned contemporary printmakers.

Born in Minnesota in 1927, he first went to Japan in 1946 while in the military and moved there in 1955 as a missionary. He had studied painting in Minnesota and after becoming disillusioned with his work with the church, he began painting again with oils and watercolors. In 1963 he created his first woodblock prints in Kyoto and from there studied with several artists to perfect his technique. Clifton became quite popular in Japan- a tall, blonde American man wearing kimono, speaking Japanese, and working with traditional printing methods. His predecessors, the ukiyo-e masters, would usually leave the technical work to their assistants, but Clifton managed to master all steps of the process, from cutting the blocks to printing.

What I find so exciting about Clifton is his love and dedication for a culture so foreign to his own. He understood the nuances of Japanese culture and tried to portray them through his work: quiet, unassuming moments and views into doorways and windows that are nostalgic, romantic, and essentially Japanese.

Images via Ren Brown, Japanese Closet, Isadore Gallery, and Robyn Buntin.

Thanks, Rebecca!

Alexey Luka

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:41:00 EDT

It's been awhile since I've posted any street-art-related items on this blog. I'm noticing them all the time around Baltimore, and happen to live by this great block of murals on Howard street. Do you notice all of the little tags, stickers, and pastings in your city?

Below are the beautiful, lively, and the type of murals that swallow-you-up-whole by Alexey Luka. Shape and color driven, I feel that Alexey probably uses these tools to create work that is many different things all at once. Sometimes I see a face, while other times I view a rooster. Either way, he is engaging the viewer on a number of levels.

All images via Flickr. Check out his website as well.

Andr� Azevedo

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EDT

Andr� Azevedo is an artist manipulating drawing, fabric, and sewing to create pieces that heavily reflect the manipulation of the of the human form, and serves as reminder for the emotion that can be conveyed by simple body language.

Andr�'s new series, Raf Simons # 15 Years uses bold colors and operates with a heavier hand. It's a different taste from his older series this year, which is extremely subtle, using layers to highlight nuances of shape and line.

All images via his blog/website.

Danielle Mysliwiec

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:45:00 EDT

When I first saw the paintings of Danielle Mysliwiec, I thought they were string on wood panel, painted over. But, according to the description of her work, my eyes have deceived me. They are simply oil on wood. I keep looking at the detail shots, figuring out how it's all done... I am going to continue looking. Beautiful and subtle, I love these!

All images via her website.

Art Together // Jessica Bell

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:13:00 EDT

I am very excited to share the lat�est install�ment of Art Together, a col�lab�o�ra�tive inter�view. It works like this: I cre�ate a piece of work and then mail it to the par�tic�i�pat�ing artist. They, in turn, respond to it some how� this could be: adding, sub�tract�ing, cut�ting, past�ing, paint�ing. What�ever they see fit to what I�ve started. After that, I write some ques�tions based on our collaboration.

Jessica Bell is a Canadian artist whose works focus on screen print, collages, and fabric. I think her pieces are simply light and beautiful, and I'm delighted to have complete this round of Art Together with me!

Here is what I sent to Jessica (at the time I think the Canadian post were on strike!):

First off, an icebreaker! Tell me a little bit about yourself and your artistic background.

Iʼm 34 years old, I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Iʼm married to a science guy who has the complete antithesis of my brain, and Iʼm the owner of an 11 year old labrador retriever cross who drags me to the beach every chance she gets. I would say that while I studied art in university, I am largely self-taught. I went to university to study painting and got distracted immediately. I ended up hopping about from printmaking to photography to drawing, all while sewing at home and eventually I graduated a BA Art History with emphasis on architecture. I have been exhibiting my work only since 2008.

After Jessica's work - our collaboration!:

What is your general process for the creation of a piece? Did this project cause you to stray from that?

I have realized just recently that the things I am making are more about responsiveness to materials than anything else. I am in awe of artists who have materials do their bidding. I feel like I am a slave to them. I will start with a single colour of paper, or fabric, or even the edge of a scrap and that will dictate the entire evolution of a piece or project. This project with you was right up my alley in that sense. I got your contribution in the mail and it called the shots for me. However, it was the ﬁrst time I have used a component for collage that contained marks made by someone elseʼs hand. It made me really reverent of the starting point in a way that I havenʼt experienced before.

Can you tell me a bit more about the narrative or the idea behind the collaboration of our piece?

The piece you made for me had such a strong emotive element for me. When it arrived in the mail, we had been pinned beneath a stubborn mass of cloud in Vancouver for what felt like decades. That sort of thing can happen here because we are perched on this slip of land between a mountain range and the water. I saw this topographical strata in the piece you made for me; I think the ﬁnal piece, while possessing landscape language, is blurry in terms of is and what we feel a place to be.

Collaboration details

To me, there is an interesting dichotomy to this work - my part is void of the computer, while your additions remind me of the lost data that Photoshop can sometimes make with the magic wand tool. Am I totally off base here? And was this intentional?

No, youʼre right on track and Iʼm surprised and pleased with the way this dichotomy has played out. I have never, ever worked digitally until a month or so ago. We both deal with our works digitally on a daily basis because of documentation and the need to share our work on the Internet and via email. It struck me that while the images we make of our work are reﬂections of our work, they arenʼt actually the same work in this documented form. They become something new, and can in fact, become something else. In working on our piece I went through piles of images of collage pieces I have made on paper in the past year and used Photoshop, (magic eraser, lasso tool, etc.), to remove speciﬁc elements. I was surprised at breadth of information that revealed itself in looking at the pieces this way. Inconsequential marks became completely outspoken. I actually documented your piece with my camera and made it into a digital element. Suddenly the edges of your piece became so important! I would liken the whole process to looking at a sentence and removing a couple of words. I then took all of these words from different sentences and assembled them in new sentences and paragraphs.

East, 2011 30� x 30� Hand screen printed textile assemblage on ﬁr frame Image courtesy of the artist.
West, 2011 30� x 36� Hand screen printed textile assemblage on ﬁr frame Image courtesy of the artist.

Your work is a beautiful mixture of media - it is abstract but inherently familiar and organic. What would you say is the overarching theme of your work?

There is deﬁnitely an overarching theme of place; thinking about that now though, I wonder if that would be the case if I were not living in a place where the geography is such a big player in every day life. Vancouver is kind of bizarre that way; it is heartbreakingly beautiful and yet the geography is always demanding something of us, for better or for worse. On the days where the weather is perfect we walk around in raptures and when we have been buried in cloud for days on end it is an oppressor and we are all crying out for mercy. I would like to think, for some reason, that I am not as affected by it as I am but I am so subject to how my immediate environment permeates my daily existence and that extends to my work.

A Necessary Etiquette 2, 2011 38� x 50� Mixed media on paper Image courtesy of the artist.

Have you done many other collaborations?

I have done a couple of informal collaborative works in the past with artist friends here in Vancouver. Most recently I have been working with Hannah Stephenson, better known online as The Storialist. Hannah crafts one poem per day based on a piece of visual art and posts it online. I am crazy about her work; her site is one of handful that I go to every day. She writes poetry that I love living with. I was put in touch with her through a mutual friend on Twitter because she has wanted to try to go in the opposite direction, that is to have an artist create a work based on one of her poems. I got to select a piece to work on that is pretty spectacular and we are currently working through how we will present this collaboration. I am so, so pleased with the way it has come out so look for it soon.

This Cloud is Variable 2, 2011 38� x 50� Mixed media on paper
Images courtesy of the artist.

Lastly, what is on the horizon for you?

I am actually supposed to be taking a self-imposed break right now; itʼs not working very well! In addition to the collaborative project I am working on with Hannah, my ﬁrst public art project with Richmond Art Gallery is currently on display until September 13 in Richmond, British Columbia, (just outside Vancouver). I am also working on a graphic for Vancouverʼs Lululemon Lab and am planning a fall show with fellow Vancouver collage artist, Sarah Gee. I have also been trying to decide when to launch a new photo-based project. I guess that means I will get around to that break in 2012. Maybe.

This Cloud is Variable 5, 2011 38� x 50� Mixed media on paper

This Cloud is Variable 6, 2011 38� x 50� Mixed media on paper Images courtesy of the artist.

Thanks Jessica!!

My interview with Baltimore Fishbowl

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:13:00 EDT

If you have a few extra minutes, why not check out my interview with Baltimore Fishbowl? They interviewed me about Brown Paper Bag and my personal art work!

Many thanks to Susan and Betsy for this feature!

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:03:00 EDT

Reading one of my favorite fashion-related Tumblrs today, I was introduced to the clothing designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. I was blown away by his pieces. They transcend conventional fashion into wearable, sculptural art. The graphic and playful aesthetic combines all elements of the outfit to create a narrative on the body (take, for instance, the leaf skirt with a bird necklace).

All images via NY Mag.

Nudashank Online Shop

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EDT

Alex Ebstein and Seth Adelsberger of Nudashank (previously featured here) have really impeccable taste when it comes to choosing artists and selecting work to be displayed in their gallery. During my visit, Alex and Seth mentioned that they were in the process of opening up an online store, and I am so excited to see that it's been launched! I am, of course, drooling over many of the works, which includes artists Bonner Sale, Christian Herr, Steven Riddle, Michael Dotson, Jordan Bernier, Jess Somers, and more. Here are just a few of the pieces they have. Be sure you check out what else their shop has to offer.

All images via their online store!

Benjamin Edmiston, Summer Dunk
Bonner Sale, 01
Christian Herr, Broken Teeth
D'Metrius Rice, Untitled 01
Michael Dotson, Pyramid Power

Patrick Costello

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:29:00 EDT

Patrick Costello is an artist and gardener living in Charlottesville, VA. His work is permeated with the earth. It is in the motifs he uses, which are remaniscent of rolling hills, gentle waves, and the night sky. It is also in his characters - they seem to have their hands in the earth, or somehow be connected with the natural world.

If you like the real life, natural world, be sure you check out Patrick's blog. I am envious of those that are able to have land to grow actual food! Love his boat planters:

All images via his Flickr. Check out his blog as well.

Jesse Treece and Jeffrey Meyer Collaboration

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:11:00 EDT

I am terribly behind in looking at submissions and looking through all of the awesome works on Brown Paper Bag's Flickr pool. For that, I am sorry, everyone! I know there is some great stuff I am missing... such as the collaboration between Jesse Treece and Jeffrey Meyer (aka Goofbutton).

Jesse explains, "Jeffrey had a bunch of duplicate images that he had collected and had the idea to use them for a sort of collaboration. We have randomly chosen groups of 3 to 5 of the same images for each of us to work from and started creating collages without any knowledge of what the other person is doing."

It's really interesting to see the results, especially knowing that both artists start at the same place. One artist does not seem to fill a certain role- their works both vary, sometimes using more texture or color, or creating a story using the shoes, stairs, etc., that they've been provided.

You can check out more of their collaboration on their individual Flickrs. All images via Jesse and Jeffrey's Flickrs.

Jesse:
Jeffrey:

Jesse:
Jeffrey:

Jesse:
Jeffrey:

Jesse:
Jeffrey:

Tugboat Printshop

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:18:00 EDT

I've long been a fan of Tugboat Printshop - the operation of husband and wife team Paul Roden and Valerie Lueth. Their Pittsburgh, PA shop specializes in block printing, with the focus on nature and the great outdoors, often idyllic settings.

Checking out their website is really a treat- not only do you look at gorgeous, hand-cut and printed works, but you are also able to see the original woodblocks and get some idea of their process. I am in awe of their larger works, which are both beautifully carved and extremely detailed in their compositions.

Tugboat Printshop is turning five! To celebrate, this, all print orders now through the end of their promotional limited edition stockpiles will receive a free mini golden mystery woodcut print! Perhaps this is the push I need to order one of their gorgeous works!

All images via their website.

Mia Christopher

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:27:00 EDT

If you follow me on Twitter, you might have seen my tweets about moving. This event pretty much consumed my life over the past month, and I am happy to say that as of last weekend, I am all moved in. Sunday I was hanging stuff on my walls and came across a print by Mia Christopher. If you aren't familiar with her work, she has some pretty fantastic drawings and paintings, ranging from headless people to cats, houses, and landscapes.

The ground tends to swallow up Mia's subjects as the play with scale is a major component to her work. I love the minimalist feel to her newest work, with bits of humor peppered throughout.

All images via her website. Last year, Mia participated in Art Together, a collaborative interview, with me. Check it out!

Studio Visit // Steven Riddle

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:13:00 EDT

Steven Riddle's studio is one after my own heart. The Baltimore-based artist is currently in his second year of the Towson MFA program. Upon entering his space, I was greeted by paper, color, and collage works. It was a bit overwhelming (as collage studios can be... so may scraps!) but I loved seeing the nuts and bolts of Steven's multifaceted work, and left feeling inspired by what he's working on and his attitude and ideas towards creating.

In terms of his current work, Steven has been working for the past couple of months on richly layered collages that he referred drew his inspiration from still lifes. His inspiration for this new direction was the show he will be in Philadelphia this fall, at space 1026. Titled simply Painting Show, Steven used this as a catalyst to explore one of the oldest and most recognized form of paintings- the still life. Other artists have put a contemporary spin on it, and using paint, an airbrush, prin-making techniques, his old drawings, and more, Steven re-imagines vases of flowers (among other things) in a unique way. Spending some time looking at his work allows you to see the complexity of its layers, which require a keen eye to match the sometimes conflicting color and texture.

I could probably talk shop on art supplies for hours, and Steven and I spent a fair amount of time looking through two large bins of paper scraps. What I really loved was his use of unexpected materials, including this old paint palette:

When creating a piece, Steven seems to have a good sense of when to step back from it. He has no qualms with making something totally over the top - playing around with materials at hand, then returning to his original task. The beauty of collage is that you (often) have time to move things around, add and subtract without anyone being the wiser.

Steven has lined up a couple of other shows this fall, including one with me in Baltimore and another in DC. He will certainly be keeping himself busy. Check out his Tumblr to see more of what he's up to. Thanks, Steven!

Echo Eggebrecht

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:19:00 EDT

Interior paintings by Echo Eggebrecht, represented by the Horton Gallery in New York City. I'm always interested in seeing interiors - studies have shown that you're able to learn more about a single person by simply examining their bedroom rather than getting to know them as a person. The people inhabiting Echo's spaces exude a quiet opulence as they showcase some exquisiteness things.

The muted colors leave me to think that something more might be desired as in addition to the detail comes banality.

All images via Horton Gallery.

Yago Hortal

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:20:00 EDT

The paintings of Yago Hortal stand still. What looks like a giant monsoon of color is caught in action, displaying drama and beauty! Unmuddled and marbled with long, graceful movements.

I'm moving and my studio has been packed for a few days now - but lately I've been itching to use the type of colors that Yago has incorporated in his work.

All images via his website.

Sufjan Stevens // Get Real, Get Right

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:38:00 EDT

So I know that Sufjan Stevens came out with Age of Adz last year. But, a listen to the album during a long bus ride reminded me of how much I love this song.

Animated by Sufjan himself with original artwork by Royal Robertson. I love the element of play in this video, and the references to comics and pinups despite their religious overtones. (Royal was self-proclaimed Prophet Royal Robertson).

Jason Nelson // Scraper Scraperteeth

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:44:00 EDT

Jason Nelson is a digital and hypermedia artist. The more I learn about him (as he's gained notoriety with his online works), the more I am intrigued by his aesthetic. His interactive pieces are made to enhance poetry or other art, which is evident in his approach.

Scraper Scraperteeth: Or the crushing punch/slap/stab of real estate madness is a bizarre but new way in which I enjoyed the written word, piecing together the bits of words from the game to create poem or narrative. Jason told me about the game, saying, "My notion was to deviate from the clean lines and computer generated design of most new media artworks. To create a messy, paper centred world inside a game engine."

Play the game here!

Screenshots below (courtesy of the artist):

Check out Jason's other works.

JR // Inside Out Project

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:45:00 EDT

Street artist JR was this year's TED Prize winner (I wrote about him on Brown Paper Bag, remember?). What is the TED Prize, you ask? Not only is it $100,000, but it allows you resources to carry out your wish for the world. Past winners have used this prize to help combat poverty, tackle obesity, improve global health, among other things.

JR's TED wish has taken the form of the Inside Out Project, a large-scale participatory art project. If you'd like the participate, you simply need to log on to the website, upload a personal statement and portrait. Then, paste them on the streets! Document yourself!

Director Alastair Siddons has began to make a series of short films based on the actions of the project (all to available on the YouTube Channel), with the first one just being released. So good and so inspiring. Below:

Carnosky

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:59:00 EDT

Carnosky is the collaboration between Francesco Rugi and Silvia Quintanilla. Their popular installation, RGB, was an incredible use of light, images, and color. From Carnosky's website:

RGB is a work about the exploration of the �surface�s deepness�. RGB designs create surfaces that mutate and interact with different chromatic stimulus. RGB�s technique consists in the overlapping of three different images, each one in a primary color. The resulting images from this three level�s superimposition are unexpected and disorienting. The colors mix up, the lines and shapes entwine becoming oneiric and not completely clear. Through a colored filter (a light or a transparent material) it is possible to see clearly the layers in which the image is composed. The filter�s colors are red, green and blue, each one of them serves to reveal one of the three layers.

I wish I could have been able to experience RGB. It seems like the type of work that would completely engulf you and be a bit disorienting as well.

All images via Carnosky's website.

Dieter Geisler

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:22:00 EDT

Dieter Geisler in an artist based in Texas, expressing himself through painting, drawing, video, and sculpture. Upon looking at his work, I was really interested in what he's been drawing!

His drawings are active. In some, there look like there is fun to be had - one being titled "Theme Park", while others are a mixture of chaotic elements. In these works, I am not entirely sure of what I'm looking at. It's almost as if the systems that Dieter has drawn, what he has created on paper, is going haywire. I would love to see more of his colored-pencils explorations.

All images via his website.

Jaqueline Cedar

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:04:00 EDT

Earlier, I mentioned that Jacob Cohen created large-scale collages that were taller than me (which, at being 5'1", is not hard to do). Jaqueline Cedar is also in that club. Her paintings are beautiful work in great porportions - sometimes being as tall as 114 inches.

Imagery in her work is hazy and a bit lucid. It rides the line between being conscious and not. I get the sense that there is always an understanding of what is happening, much like in a dream - sometimes the words aren't quite spelled out for you, but the message is ingrained in you and becomes your reality.

One element of Jaqueline's paintings that I enjoy is the process I see beneath. Unfinished limbs show the building blocks of strokes, giving the work gesture and a bit of freshness.

All images via her website. Jaqueline currently has a show at Fredericks & Freiser Gallery in NYC, up until July 29.

Jacob Cohen

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:57:00 EDT

Last Saturday, while at the Nudashank Gallery's opening of Street Level, I was able to view the work of Jacob Cohen. His massive pieces- some 80 inches tall (which is about 20 inches taller than I am!) were texture-rich collages on paper. These works are very satisfying to view in person, as the subtle changes in texture plays gives his 2D work a more 3D feel.

I love the chaos that is inherent in the mash up of textures and lines, but is quelled with monochrome.

Pictures from Street Level:

More of Jacob's work (via his website):

Allie Schmeltz

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:06:00 EDT

I came across the sculptures of Allie Schmeltz and they immediately commanded my attention. The gesture of the forms is reminiscent of a fall or disaster - something large enough to shake the core of something so large.

Allie describes her work as a "love/hate relationship with Los Angeles", as she writes in her statement:

My studio practice includes a constant process of research and response to natural events and phenomena that I am captivated by that serve as an impetus to weave these seemingly isolated events into a larger contextual tale. I am especially interested in how the landscape and weather systems are altered by the human hand, the driving social attitudes that guide those decisions and the aftermath of those alterations in terms of natural hybridization and human lifestyle shifts. This process of research began with an interest in the history of the midwestern suburban landscape and culture from my youth, where the middle class idea of �the good life� fueled a massive overhaul of the American landscape that would drastically alter how we live for generations to come. The mid century era continues to influence my work through cultural artifacts and materials such as string art and nogahide that address the triumph of the artificial, the antiseptic and the arcane as the anthropological totems of our times while serving as emblems that speak to the dualities inherent in the suburban landscape as hideous and seductive, kitsch and homey, humorous and heartbreaking. My most recent body of work examines my fascination and love/hate relationship with the city of Los Angeles, where I currently live. Los Angeles has a sordid environmental history as a strange apocalyptic theme park. It's plush, manicured landscape is a reminder of both a forced growth in an otherwise desert geography and as a monument to man's ingenuity made possible by diverting an unfathomable amount of water from distant sources. I am fascinated by the hybridized structures and blatant artifice of the city in both it's natural and man made environments where hill top homes float precariously overhead on earth that has a topographical complexity of embedded catastrophe.

All images via her website.

Colleen Heslin

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:26:00 EDT

The square can be a challenging format to work in. It's easier to create the "bulls eye" effect in this shape, and leaves less overall room for a dynamic composition.

Colleen Heslin's paintings do not fall in this category. They are colorful and have movement, using subtle tones to create optical illusions. She often works with a square inside a square, so the composition is broken up into triangles, using a strong shape as the building blocks for her paintings.

All images via her website.

Chiara Keeling-Gonzalez

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:15:00 EDT

On Saturday I went to an event in Downtown Baltimore, C A R T. It was really great! The Current Gallery was transformed into a mini-super market, with everything in a small space for sale. There were small sculptures, drawings, zines, plushes, and more. I went without the intent to buy, to just admire, but couldn't not buy this lovely item by Chiara Keeling-Gonzalez upon first sight:

Just having this object in my possession made me happier- every time I glance at it, I am excited by the combination of color, material, and shape. After looking at a bit more of Chiara's work, it looks like this is how she has wanted to make me feel. (Her artist statement):

My practice is to redefine materials and strip them of original purpose and cultural significance, reducing them to objects qua objects. Through the recalibration of these objects I intend to illicit pure aesthetic seduction. The objects avoid didacticism and social critique, but my impulse is not anti-intellectual; rather, it is indifferent towards intellect. By presenting streamers and bedsheets without origin, context, or function, the work�s intent is to highlight their inherent beauty. They are feral forms, practical items that escape the domestic sphere. Wholly superficial and unconcerned with wit or place, they lean instead toward an existential happiness, an emotional zone where the pieces� essential nothingness is in fact its content. And, grouped together, the pieces play against each other, exhibiting an even stronger, more congenial emptiness that defies both original and new milieux; they emphasize that an accumulation of everything is still nothing.

All images below via her website.

Baltimore Art Openings // Artscape Gallery Network

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 10:34:00 EDT

Next weekend may be Artscape in Baltimore, the largest free arts festival in the country, but let's focus on what's happening this coming Saturday. There are ton of art openings that day, with the prestigious Sondeim Artscape Prize announced that night at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Fun!

A few openings I don't plan on missing:

Medium of Exchange at the Center for the Arts Gallery at Towson University 4PM to 6PM Includes work by: Mark Cameron Boyd, Amanda Burnham, Anne Chan, Seth Crawford, Dawn Gavin, Skye Gilkerson, Lucy Hogg, Jason Hughes, Christopher LaVoie, Kate MacDonnell, Patrick McDonough, James Rieck, R.L. Tillman, Shannon Young

C A R T at the Current Gallery 7PM to 10PM Curated by Michael Benevento, Monique Crabb, and Andrew Liang, this exhibition transforms the gallery into a mini-supermarket, and via the Current: "...in an attempt to explore the exchange of artists� labor for profit in a familiar, everyday setting."

Street Level at the Nudashank Gallery 8PM to 11PM Includes work by: Jamie Felton, Andrew Laumann, Elaine Cameron-Weir, Leanne Eisen, Jacob Cohen Via Nudashank: "Street Level is a group exhibition that explores the raw materiality and aesthetics of the street in the form of minimalist paintings, photography, and sculpture."

Some of photos I took at Nudashank last week, which will be in the show:

Leanne Eisen
Jamie Fenton

Check out a complete list of more off-site galley shows on the Artscape website.

If you're in Baltimore, hopefully I'll see you around this weekend (I'll be the person with glasses and a tiger on my leg)!

Nudashank Gallery // Alex Ebstein and Seth Adelsberger

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:56:00 EDT

Over the holiday weekend, I visited with Alex Ebstein in the Seton Hill neighborhood of Baltimore. We met at Nudashank, a gallery where she is the co-founder/director with Seth Adelsberger.

After seeing Alex's work at a visit to the Penthouse Gallery earlier this year, I was really interested in the way she was using yarn. What stood out to me was the way it was used like you would a pencil, to create a line for which the eye follows. Coupled with wax, wood paneling, and even adhesive road tape, her work conjured up these feelings of a home, yet appropriated to align with an aesthetic that I really enjoy.

Alex explained that the background of this piece was made using lines of yarn...

Which the yarn was then used in this piece:

More of Alex's work:

I will say that my knowledge of the Nudashank Gallery preceded what I knew of Alex's work. Nudashank is housed in the H&H Building, which also is host to artist studios/residences and other galleries as well. The location itself is a ways off from the Station North Arts District, which I really enjoy- it stands alone yet has a really strong sense of self and community.

Alex and Seth started Nudashank in 2009, and from there it has grown into a name that is synonymous with showcasing emerging artists and an evolving aesthetic. Alex and Seth take pride showing artists that might not be as well known, or that Nudashank is one of their first shows. They also expressed to me a strong interest in local art, and exhibiting work that Baltimore needs to see, made by Baltimore-based artist or in the surrounding areas. I really enjoyed hearing them both speak with excitement about how Nudashank has helped young artists sell some of their first works. There is a fluidity to the way the gallery is run - Alex and Seth don't represent artists, which gives them the freedom to change and expand they type of work they show.

The gallery has wonderful natural light and is on the 3rd floor of a large building.
Work from a past show, Radiant Fields

Nudashank's blog is regularly updated with plenty of pictures of installation and openings. This too is priority of the gallery - to keep Baltimore connected and well documented. A past show, Radiant Fields was mentioned on the New American Paintings blog.

Seth Adelsberger is the other half of Nudashank, and both he and Alex were equally as vocal about the gallery. Seth is also an artist, his work ranges from painting to sculpture to curating. A skilled craftsman (as well as painter), he was currently working on pieces to be mounted on the wall, and to give an idea that they have been crated.

Deconstruction and found elements currently make up some of his newest pieces. They are taken from things discarded. I like the idea that making a space (such as faux crate) for them gives them a whole new context and life.

Overall, I had a wonderful time talking with Seth and Alex. Nearing the end of my visit, Alex mentioned they like to work with artists (and exhibit work) that has like-minded humor. I felt that was a great way of describing the feeling I get when looking at many of their exhibitions, and experience of being with them in the gallery.

Thanks guys!

Oscar Pastarus

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:42:00 EDT

Right now, present to me a work that has rounded, amoeba-like shapes, and I'm in love. There is something about them that is a bit cartoonish to me, a bit of a blast from the past with my childhood. Inserting them into any project instantly adds a bit of humor and playful nature to it.

Take the work of Oscar Pastarus, for example. An illustrator and graphic designer out of Sweden, his often typographic pieces are ripe with these shapes. Oscar also uses these elements of design in his portraits as well, which has me imagine that Lil' Wayne is in some science experiment.

All images via his Flickr. Check out his website as well!

Ki Yoong

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:39:00 EDT

Today, from the Brown Paper Bag Flickr Group, I have the work of Ki Yoong to feature. He uses graphite to create his work, often depicting portraits done in great detail. They are ethereal and at times a little strange, pairing people with a myriad of symbols using the blank paper to exist in a desert of white or cream. I am taken by the beautiful way in which Ki Yoong handles all of the subtleties that graphite has to offer, and especially how they translate on to the web (not an easy feat if you've ever attempted this).

All images via his Flickr. Check out his blog as well!

Swoon's Musical Architecture for New Orleans

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:42:00 EDT

I came across this today, and it looks to be pretty amazing (if it reaches proper funding!). The Brooklyn-based artist Swoon is propsing to install a permanent, musical interactive sculpture in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans. Here's a description of the project (from the Kickstarter site):

It will look like a house, but it will function like a musical instrument. A growing group of local and national sound artists are working towards interactive instruments that can be built into its walls and floorboards so that visitors can bring the house to life through their touch. Ultimately, musicians will be invited to play the house, performing orchestrated works at block parties for their friends and neighbors. This project is for the love of New Orleans - its architecture, music, culture and its people.

Over the past year (as the five year anniversary of Katrina was last year), I've heard a lot of interesting new stories and comments from residents about New Orleans, the primary idea being to rebuild the city creatively. There is potential in what's been destroyed, and Swoon's idea for the abandoned spaces turns them into a place that can not only reach out to the community, but to a larger greater audience.

Watch the video, see her talk about the model and project. Donate if you feel so inclined!

Marcus Kenney

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:36:00 EDT

Happy Tuesday, all! I hope those in the States had a nice Fourth of July that was relaxing. (Sadly, Baltimore's ended tragically.)

Let's get to the art, shall we? Marcus Kenney is an artist working with a myriad of materials, including reclaimed taxidermy, sticks, beads, money, doll parts, and more. I see the taxidermy as a way for the viewer to initially understand Marcus's work - the idea of conquering, masculine adornment - and he only adds to this by also including the vices and things of importance to the modern day. Wine corks, glitz, cigarettes are all there for us as well. Together, he brings in the absurd making his pieces somewhat humorous.

All images via his website.

Wall hangings

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:52:00 EDT

Originally I saw these hangings on The Brick House, and I haven't been able to forget them. The chunkiness and variation of materials, the craft and skill that goes into their production - I am continually amazed by these pieces.

These 1970's-inspired pieces are bursting with... materials. They are fairly visceral and almost too tacky for me, but that's partially why I love them so.

All images via The Brick House.

I will leave you with the wall hangings to think about over the long weekend. Monday is the Forth of July here in the US of A, so I will be taking that day off. I will be back on Tuesday! I will probably be pinning and tweeting, so check me out there if you aren't already privy.

Hollie Chastain

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:58:00 EDT

More collage today, this time by Hollie Chastain! Hollie's work utilizes old text and weathered paper. I love the soft, romantic feel to these works, as Hollie plays with muted colors and subtle tones.

Some of the text is not distorted and allows for reading. Having this visible with the collage elements plays into this grandiose fantasy I get upon viewing these works.

All images via her Flickr. Check out her Etsy!

Beth Hoeckel

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:29:00 EDT

The carefully-constructed collage series Point of View by Beth Hoeckel take us on a journey with their subjects as they survey the land, no matter how odd or scary it might appear. What is impressive to me is that these collages are not digitally manipulated at all, but everything feels seamless. The tinge of time leaves me with the feeling that the landscapes are from an old science fiction of the 50's and 60's.

Face Less is another body of work that literally extracts the face from more of Beth's found paper collages. It creates a whole new being, sometimes fashionable yet also vapid.

All images via her website.

Point of View:

Face Less:

Esther Stocker

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:21:00 EDT

The installations of Esther Stocker start where her paintings stop. Her 2D paintings are monochromatic abstract pieces, heavily focused on both the abstract and the askew. Esther's installations are these paintings coming off the walls, interacting with our physical space.

Our perception is challenged just as it is in Esther's paintings. While that work is peppered with optical illusions, so is the space that she has installed. I would imagine, at times, that it would feel as though you were in an alternate universe.

All images via her website.

Paintings:

Installations:

Jonathan Zawada

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:41:00 EDT

With my obsession with cats, you know that I love this piece by Jonathan Zawada:

Binding Jonathan's work is this feeling of askew. Where the cat has a twist, other drawings or objects are marred by distortion. It's a clean, almost calculated use of this visual quirk.

All images via his Flickr. Check out his website as well!

Irene Alvarez

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:14:00 EDT

Irene Alvarez is an artist based out of Belgium. A background in sculpture, Irene creates pieces that explore the clashing of symbols in popular culture with earlier civilizations.

Irene's work is a visual exploration of the new meaning created - old vs. new, and how this translates once paired with the other.

Her portfolio includes five series. Read a Q&A with her over on Sight Unseen.

All images via her website.

TURN ME OP: Via Irene: "Turn Me Op is a serie meant to give tapestry a contemporary twist. My illustrations mix op-art with ethnic art and pop culture bringing visual effects that have their reference in optical illusions."

Inti Altar: Via Irene: "My collaboration with RA is the creation of a metaphoric altar composed by a carpet and a sculpture in relief. The whole is inspired by Inca Art, where I have transformed their daily life using cultural references of our time. Animals and beasts melt into science. Drawings of Inca microchips climb up the antennas finishing in electricity icon engravings decorated as the god of the sun. Escher-esque bird/planes embellish the wings. In addition, I incorporated a message where superficiality and consumerism make us loose our relationship with Nature."

Jennifer Booher // Quercus Design

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EDT

I mentioned in a post yesterday that I love looking at collections. There is such beauty specimens grouped and presented in a quasi-analytic way. Expanding upon this notion, Jennifer Booher (aka Quercus Design) photographs and documents a series titled Beachcombing, which features items found on the beach. Some collections prove sillier than others, but I love the story that each of Jennifer's photos tell.

I am also amazed that sometimes these things look so perfect that they don't seem real.

All images via her Flickr. Check out her website and blog, too!

Jordan Sondler

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:06:00 EDT

Jordan Sondler is still a student at MICA, but I think she's found her niche in terms illustration subjects. Her unconventional portraits feature geometric shapes in place of features, most notably the nose. What I really like to see in Jordan's work is the way the features of the face and body are intertwined with backgrounds, in both pattern and general mark making.

I am thinking these characters would make a great sequential series!

All images via her blog and website .

Emilia Forstreuter

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:35:00 EDT

Emilia Forstreuter is graphic and motion designer based in Berlin. Her 2D work is slick, and I am especially enjoying how electric it feels. Right now, I am loving pieces that make me feel as though I'm look at a collection. (See one of my favorite Tumblrs -Things Organized Neatly.)

The dark ground not only makes Emilia's line and color choices pop, but really saturate the eyes and make viewing, at times, an intense experience.

All images via Mini Title. Check out Emilia's website.

Ariel Braverman

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:18:00 EDT

No poster, by Ariel Braverman, has better described the start of this day:

In addition to this clever (and truthful poster), Ariel is a multidisciplinary artist fresh out of grad school. Her thesis exhibition is a series of 6 drawings using pen, ink, and gouache. She writes about the concept behind her work:

My work deals with the relationship between human intuition and scientific hypothesis. Borrowing from the conventions of sequential art and data informatics, I am developing a new form of graphic narrative in which storytelling is layered within a network of tangential information and visual errata. My most recent series of drawings is an attempt to reconcile the rational nature of scientific exploration with the emotional and physical limitations of our human-ness. We can know, factually, that Earth spins at a rate of just over 1000 miles per hour, but we as human beings cannot feel this spin. A person can know that the atom is mostly comprised of empty space, but a person can�t put their hand through a sheet of iron and feel what atomic space feels like. We, as human beings, can comprehend the rational data that tells us how the physics of our universe operate, but we cannot feel these principles on a sensory, intuitive, or emotional level.

All images via her website.

Clare Grill

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:25:00 EDT

When I first came upon the work of Clare Grill's work, this was the image I saw:

I thought it was really striking, and I wanted to see more of her portfolio! Her work teeters between the know an unknown, using her chosen media to manipulate a particular scene or situation. It's heavy and beautiful.

All images via her website.

Louise Despont

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:38:00 EDT

I saw Louise Despont's work in person this past winter at the Los Angeles Arts Contemporary. Using yellowed, antique ledger paper as her ground, her work is a complex network of patterns and symmetrical elements.

Louise received her BA in Art Semiotics. Once I knew this fact, her work really seemed to open up further for me. I was not only drawn to the softness and aesthetically pleasing nature of the work, but how the the idea of pattern, repetition, and communication existent in this work compares with the meaning I construct during my viewing of it. I enjoy pondering what her intentions might be, and how they similar or different from my own.

All images via her website. She is also on Tumblr.

Eunsil Chun

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:27:00 EDT

I love the serenity of Eunsil Chun's work. An illustrator from Korea, her work is painted almost exclusively in watercolor paint.

Eunsil reimagines fairy tales such as Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood, but they are not so literal, and these images can stand on their own. Her fully-flushed-out paintings are both stylized and fantastical, with delightfully rotund and/or elongated figures. They are fluid and overall soothing to the eye.

All images via her website and Flickr.

Claire Loder

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:03:00 EDT

Poking around on Art Hound the other day led me to discover Claire Loder's work. Heads and faces is the name of Claire's game. On her website (which is interactive, but not in way that's obnoxious), she writes about the allure of the face and the influence on her work:

I make heads and faces. Some people have great faces on the first look; other people�s faces grow on me. Some faces have a particularly interesting composition or outline. Faces are surprisingly different and I like the sensation of change that I get when I look from one face to another. Lived in faces hold more of a fascination for me than the sparsely populated faces of perfection. There�s no one place that I start, each piece of work is an amalgamation of influences - people I meet, faces in print, previous works, sketches and drawings. Narrative is significant; I collect words, sayings and pieces of conversations, quotes, poetry and the wording of adverts. It all goes into the work, either conspicuously as a title or as an idea when I�m planning the piece. Some days I have all these things in my head when I sit down to work. Other days I start with no particular intention and just see who or what emerges from the clay.

All images via New Craftsman Gallery. Check out her website and blog.

Justin D. Bailey

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:20:00 EDT

Justin D. Bailey takes 3D topographical maps you might see in a text book and isolates them from their original context. Now lacking descriptions, I don't know where these mountains, valleys, and water bodies came from, especially when paired with other maps to create a super map. I can simply enjoy the titled landscapes and how they relate to one another

I've always found topographical maps fun to look at, and enjoy that through Flickr, Justin breaks down a bit of his process of these works. I especially enjoy the muddled landscapes - as if all of the elements collided. It would be messy, that's for sure.

All images via Flickr.

Lili Scratchy Ceramics

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:49:00 EDT

You may have noticed that lately, I've been featuring a few artists that have previously been written about on Brown Paper Bag. It's not out of laziness, but these artists have been creating some exciting work too great not too feature!

I am a big fan of Pinterest. Not only do I use it to catalog artwork, but since I am moving next month, I have made a board about my new apartment. I've been scouring the internet for inspiration and fun things. Lili Scratchy creates charming pots, pottery, and ceramic utensils. My heart melts just imagining these things in my place. Not only are they one of a kind, but Lili's style is at the same time charming and a bit subversive.

All images via Flickr. Check out the blog!

Booooooom + Poketo wallets // Andrea Wan

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EDT

Don't you love it when people that you like team up to do something super cool? Boooooom, one of my favorite art blogs, has teamed up with a favorite retailer of mine, Poketo, to launch a series of wallets (a well-known and popular Poketo item) titled Afterlife. The series features Canadian artists, including one of my all-time favorites, Andrea Wan.

Images via Poketo:

Just for fun, let's look at some of Andrea's new work. I am so intrigued by her paintings, especially the scenes that exist in a space devoid of any sort of reality.

All images via her website.

Lesley Barnes - I Didn't See It Coming

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:35:00 EDT

Here's a nice tune and even nicer animation by Lesley Barnes. Belle and Sebastian's song, I Didn't See It Coming has been remixed by Richard X, with Lesley creating a music video to accompany (see where I have written about her previously on Brown Paper Bag!).

I love the facets of Lesley's animation - the charming character design, and the details of outfits with emphasis on pattern and repetition. The flow and general feel of the animation fits the song so well.

My memories of Belle and Sebastian are all very warm, because I always seem to gravitate towards then when doing something I enjoy - baking, art, etc. The essence of this video speaks to me in that way.

Check out Lesley's website!

I Didn't See it Coming from Lesley Barnes on Vimeo.

Katie Bell

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EDT

Katie Bell is graduate student at RISD, with a real focus on materials in her work. Her pieces look as though the materials have plucked from the construction of a building. Using flooring, blinds, plaster, wood, and paint, she combines these items to create pieces that are nostalgic and emotional.

When I view her work, instantly I am reminded of the materials used to create a home, and my childhood residence. From there, memories not associated with construction come flooding back. I think that's a powerful part of Katie's work.

This is without mentioning, also, that the materials Katie chooses to use are really interesting - especially the application of plaster. It is a bit visceral and very satisfying to view.

All images via her website. Check out her blog as well (for in-progress works)!

NoBrow Wrapping Paper

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:55:00 EDT

Can we talk about how much I hate wrapping things? I loathe it. But, I also think gift bags are the easy way out. So, it's quite the conundrum. I always go with the wrapping option.

My disdain for the paper is now not so great, especially when I saw that NoBrow had turned seven of their 30 patterns from NoBrow 5: A Few of our Favourite Things into gift wrap! The images make lively and fun paper. With festive paper, I might be more inclined to focus on the craftsmanship of my gift adornment.

All images via NoBrow.

Ben Newman:

Kellie Str�m:
Jill Green:

Meg Hunt:

Jessica Higgins

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:20:00 EDT

This is not my first mention of Jessica Higgins on Brown Paper Bag. I've written about her project, Museums Press, before.

Jessica makes wonderful work in her own right, looking nearly effortless as she pairs painted shapes with collage paper. My favorites of her work have to be straight painting, which are reminiscent to me of cubist paintings and other early abstract works.

All images via her website. Be sure to check out Museums Press as well!

Moroccan Rugs

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:04:00 EDT

I was poking around Kristina Klarin's website (look at her awesome jewelry!) and blog, and stumbled upon Moroccan rugs that she had posted. Personally, I have always been enthralled with the process of rug creation. Most often, it's very time consuming and rather difficult!

That is partially what draws me to these rugs. They are not only ripe with color, but the different textures. I love the imperfections of pattern, how it tends to skew the rug, creating optical illusions a long the way.

All images via Kristina's blog. Again, check out what she's made. Her necklaces are perfect for summer.

Becca Stadtlander

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:55:00 EDT

Beautiful, beautiful detail in the illustrations painted by Becca Stadtlander. Working with gouache and other water-based media, she creates illustrations that are stylized and sophisticated.

I get a very romantic feeling for Becca's work, as well as a focus on the past or old world. That juxtaposition is partially the draw of her work. The modernity in the approach, yet often illustrating scenes that could have taken place long ago.

Becca's sketchbooks were recently featured on Book By Its Cover. Go there to check them out! I, personally, am jealous by her ability to keep them so lovely. My sketchbooks are a mess!

All images via her website.

Jen Stark

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:41:00 EDT

This is not the first time Jen Stark has appeared on Brown Paper Bag. It's hard to not want to post about her more often. Her work is complex and beautiful, and since I first saw it in a student gallery at MICA, it's only grown in scope and ambitiousness.

If you ever have the opportunity to see her work in person, do it. You will spend hours staring at the individual layers and pondering the construction as I have done many times.

All images via her website.

Jen also does animations. This one has music by Dan Deacon.

"Believer" by Jen Stark / Music by Dan Deacon from Jen Stark on Vimeo.

Brandi Strickland - New Work

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:40:00 EDT

Before working with Brandi Strickland in WAFA Collective, I was admiring her work. When I learned that she was creating new work for an upcoming show, I was excited to see the fruits of her labor.

And, as expected, her series The Other Is Looking In On You is a wonderful mix of painting and collage, with the splendor of color and adventure. Each piece is exciting and bit mystical, existing in different realms, including fantasy and realism.

One thing that I've always liked about Brandi's work is the way she is able to integrate photographic elements so seamlessly with gouache, acrylic paint, etc. It's difficult to make this work, but Brandi does it like a pro.

The Other Is Looking In On You is currently on show at The BellJar in San Francisco. You have until July 7th to go and see it!

The following images via her website:

Astrid Florentinus

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:25:00 EDT

Astrid Florentinus is an almost-to-be (her words!) illustrator from the Netherlands. She makes use of pen and pencil, really working with the media to create depth to each piece. Astrid introduced me to her latest project, as she is on the cusp of graduation:

It's about three different people, three different object makers who dedicated their lives into making their specific objects. One girl is fixed into making and transforming bikes, another girl spends her days knitting all the time, and there is a boy who has been making electronic instruments since his teens. I made three different journals about each of them, with drawings on original paper about their lives in making these objects. And I made one big drawing (1m x 1,5m) that summarizes the journals somewhat together into one landscape.

From that series (all images via her blog):

Other images I enjoy:

The Blank Sheet Project

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:37:00 EDT

I don't know about you, but I love to listen to artists explain their creative process, talk about inspiration, and their struggles to get to where they are today. Ira Glass gives a great talk on this, and it's very motivating for someone who identifies as a creative type.

The Blank Sheet Project is described as, "Over the coming months four creatives of global renown will share the way they approach a blank sheet of paper. They will talk about the whole process of creativity, from inspiration to finished idea."

Although I was not familiar with the work of graphic designer Neville Brody, I found his work interesting and enjoyed hearing him talk about his process. The Blank Sheet Project will showcase additional creatives on their site in the coming months.

Nadia Moss

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:28:00 EDT

Nadia Moss is a visual artist that, among other things, is working with acetate. Attached to a wall, figures seem to float in the air and cast beautiful and oft-eerie shadows.

All images via Flickr:

I love these washes. The wet-on-wet technique can be a little unpredictable, but that is really the beauty of it.

Happy Friday, ya'll!

Clark Goolsby

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:19:00 EDT

Clark Goolsby is a multi-disciplinary artist who explores a variety of themes in sculptural form as well as painted pieces.

There is a lot going on in Clark's work, and it references many things - pop art, religion, architecture, and more. The color palette binds them, and is as bold as the as the shapes and content of the work.

All images via his website.

A video of Clark installing Dead Man:

Clark Goolsby Installing Dead Man from Clark Goolsby on Vimeo.

Matias Santa Maria

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EDT

I am thoroughly enjoying the paintings of Matias Santa Maria this morning. The Chilean-based painter tells some colorful stories with help from silhouetted figures and big cats.

Matias's paintings make little sense to me most of the time, but that's partly why I like them so much. Their absurdity is charming, and as one comment on Flickr described, "funkyyy".

All images via Flickr.

Hern�n Paganini

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:16:00 EDT

Argentinian based artist, Hern�n Paganini, has been working on a new series, Mapa de Viaje / Travel Map. The oil pastel and acrylic pieces are based on readings from the sky and motions of stars.

There is beautiful use of mark-making in Hern�n's works. A mixture of bold and meek lines, there is a lot for my eye to take in. Oftentimes, I am unsure of what to look at first! The color or implied texture?

A few prints out of Mapa de Viaje / Travel Map are exclusive to Little Paper Planes (check out their new website - seriously - it looks GREAT!).

All images via Flickr.

Fine Line Magazine, issue 3

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 10:37:00 EDT

I've been a fan of Fine Line Magazine since issue one (see here and here). Cassandra was kind enough to send me a peek at issue 3, This Is a Theory. They (Cassandra Smith and Jessica Steeber, editors) have done it again. This Is a Theory includes not only striking imagery, but is beautifully designed - both staples of the magazine.

This Is a Theory has a very esoteric feel to it, as one of the opening spreads poses the thought, "It is a theory that decides what can be observed." For me, this really sets the tone for the rest of the issue, which is peppered with other writings including quotes and poetry. Thought provoking, the imagery is quiet and almost meditative, as it shows us splendor, loss, and a juxtaposition between man and nature.

Contributors for issue 3 include: Raphael Halin Anna Paola Guerra Jelle Martens Amira Fritz Theo Firmo Masako Miki Alexander Harding Greg Eason Matthias Heiderich Jonathan Zawada Noel and Gary Sloboda Travis Cebula Emily Jern-Miller

Some of my favorite spreads/images from the new issue. (Thanks again, Cassandra!) Buy it here! Only $10!

Anthony Iacono

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:58:00 EDT

Artist Anthony Iacono has his first solo show currently up (and up until the 26th of June) at Sloan Fine Art in New York City. At times disorienting, I was first drawn to his photographs that are at times disorienting, colorful, and a bit phallic as well.

It's no secret my love of toys, and I enjoy Anthony's potrayal of miniatures. From the Sloan Fine Art press release:

Anthony Iacono's interest in miniatures began as a boy. Gazing into his grandmother's China Cabinet, he became infatuated with her collection of porcelain figures and decorative party favors. With his new body of work, "Victor Victoria," the artist repurposes inherently androgynous Victorian miniatures, incorporating a variety of found and handmade elements to create fetishized, narrative portraits. The use of Play-Doh acknowledges the artist's painterly hand, while the plasticity of the medium suggests ideas of the sensual. Fragments of toys, craft supplies and collectibles interrupt the gestural quality of the sculpted elements with gaudy embellishment. The artist�s formal concerns with baroque lighting and decor saturate the compositions with insistent indulgence. The unconventional quality of Iacono�s chosen mediums refreshes his traditional influences, paying tribute to classical references through a contemporary vocabulary. And his apparent fixation with obsessive collecting and staging, paired with a fascination with theatrical performance and impersonation through costume and disguise become seamless partners within each decadent, ambiguous sculpture.

All images via his website.

Heidi Norton

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:25:00 EDT

Yesterday I wrote about Stephen Eichhorn's collaged plant arrangements. Today, let's take a look at plants in 3D form!

Heidi Norton has heavily utilized wax in her recent work, using it as a way to contain plants, pigment, and other materials. Plants and roots are trapped amongst the beautiful chaos that is present within the wax and resin.

I am mesmerized by the construction of Heidi's work. Not only from the logistics of placing plants in wax, but the surface painting and color! Beautiful.

All images via her website.

Stephen Eichhorn

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:58:00 EDT

Anthony Zinonos, (who graciously wrote a guest post for me while I was on vacation!) introduced me to the work of Stephen Eichhorn, a collage artist living and working in Chicago.

Stephen's collage technique creates new out of the arrangement of carefully (and cleanly!) hand-cut elements. Much of his recent work is the juxtaposition of two things, such as cats and plants.

Stephen is a 2D florist as he rearranges plants into beautiful new arrangements. My appetite for cat-themed art is also whetted when looking at the partially covered cat faces, nearly buried in flora (I witnessed this in real life, yesterday). Joy.

All images via Flickr. You can also check out his blog!

Jason Traeger

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:59:00 EDT

In my personal work, I've really been interested in the creating of cities, societies, and environments, specifically thinking about architecture and construction.

Jason Traeger is an artist painting scenes of what I'm interested in! I love the mixture of both organic and industrial, showing the inner and outer workings of what appears to be a cross between man and machine. There is a connectedness to it all, and a feeling that I can't properly place where these things exist.

All images via his website.

LOOP Arts Fair

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:41:00 EDT

I wish I was taking another vacation. Specifically, across the pond to Leeds on June 17th through the 19th. What's there, you ask? The LOOP Arts Fair will be going on, and it looks to be pretty great. Talented illustrators, graphic designers, and applied artists will be on hand to transform the area of transforming Marshalls Mill, Holbeck Urban Village into studios, print shops, publishing houses and workshops. There will also be things to buy.

Check out the events. If I were going, I would love to see the TOY Roundtable or Lizzy Stewart's talk!

Some of the featured artists:

Chris Gray
David Sparshott
Jez Burrows
Jon Boam
Lizzy Stewart
Matt Hodson
Nicholas Saunders
Nous Vous

Ryan Sarah Murphy

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:15:00 EDT

Ryan Sarah Murphy sent me her work recently. My attention was immediately caught when looking through her cardboard sculptures, which don't look like cardboard at all. The construction of them is refined and restrained, which after reading Ryan Sarah's artist statement, it is of no surprise. From her website:

I make collages using cardboard and construct objects made of discarded remnants. I�m driven by process & repetition (collecting, sorting, sectioning, deconstructing). My work deals with issues of containment, identity, landscape and the boundaries between the private and the public self.

Personally, I am a list maker, get stressed out with a too-messy desk, and try not to let my clothes pile up. I find these sculptures to be cathartic. Although abstract, I can make sense of them.

All images via her website.

Jessie Horning

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:08:00 EDT

Printmaking has always intrigued me. It is an area of art in which I have never had the chance to experiment, and its processes are something of a mystery to me.

Jessie Horning is a newly graduated printmaker whose interest lie in Lithography and block printing. I enjoyed looking at her lithographs and her "printstallation", which reflects an interests in shrines and rituals.

Jessie's statement:

I want to explore the human craving for physical and spiritual nourishment. Growing up without a religious foundation led to my non-denomentational fascination with creation mythology, specifically the shrines, objects, and rituals that emerge from these stories. Aesthetically, I am drawn to the vivid colors and textures of harvest festivals. These gatherings entice individuals to indulge their visual and physical appetites as they gather around a common intangible belief. In this body of work, I attempt to insert my life into the human history of worship and veneration. Working from photos of family members, I assign familiar forms to the spirit that brings these groups together. Utilizing appetizing colors and vegetal imagery, I hope that these works compel the viewer to visually consume the image. Inspired by the cannibal rituals outlined in the writings of Joseph Campbell, I construct parts of the work out of print studio debris. Old work is sacrificed, dismembered, and transformed in the endless search for new forms. New images devour past materials, but a distinctive vocabulary of mark making and personal history carries throughout each piece. The images become strange foods: a picture and a product of their creation and consumption.

All images via her website

Helen Davies

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:05:00 EDT

Simplified, obtuse shapes dot Helen Davies's work with conceptualized situations focusing on topics such a race relation and cults in America.

I enjoy the dichotomy of Helen's illustrations. They accompany words that describe complex and oft-loaded situations, which would be ineffective to have illustrated literally. Helen takes the essence of what has been said and creates an image based on that. The result is an illustration that can stand on its own or with copy.

All images via her website.

Alessandro Pagani

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:55:00 EDT

While exploring the galleries on Saatchi Online, I came across the work of Alessandro Pagani. I actually tweeted about him upon initial view, but I just can't stop looking at the paintings, with vibrant use of color and jarring mix of realism and abstraction.

The docile application of Alessandro's realistic painting is shaken by expression distortion of faces, animals, among other things. There is simultaneous feeling I have towards the inflicted- that they have earned their punishment yet are victims as well.

All images via Saatchi Online.

Chyrum Lambert

Tue, 31 May 2011 13:40:00 EDT

Chyrum Lambert's collages (or, are they prints?) have a very painterly approach to them. While there are hard edges involved in the composition, there is a certain amount of softness to his work that creates a nice juxtaposition. It makes everything a bit hazy and diffused.

The series, Territorial Disputes and Give Me One Look... seem to communicate a story and to me- the idea of colonization. I see Territorial Disputes as different scenarios, battles, etc., while I imagine Give Me One Look... as a product of a tribe or culture that has varying influences.

All images via his website.

Jessalyn Aaland

Tue, 31 May 2011 10:47:00 EDT

Jessalyn Aaland's work was brought attention to me by Rebecca, and I'm so glad. Jessalyn's work is so painstakingly assembled, with a mixture of oddity and familiarity that I wanted to know more! And she was very (kindly) forthcoming. Read below what Jessalyn has to say:

All of the work I do is by hand (nothing digital) using an Xacto knife. In some pieces, I build layers from the bottom up, filling in with stickers. In the gouache pieces, I stretch and and paint the paper first, then collage after. Since I'm mostly working on watercolor paper these days, I don't coat the final product with anything (I have used gel medium with wood and canvas, but I'm not really a fan of how it flattens the textures).

For images, lately I've been mostly using magazines from the 1920's-1960's; specifically, National Geographic (particularly 1940's/50's because of the high color saturation) and home magazines and decorating guides like Better Homes and Gardens. I also use a lot of nature and travel guides along with instructional art books and children's books. I keep a lot of these books whole, but I also store images in a flat file according to type. When I begin a piece, I usually start by pulling out imagery I want to use and organize it according to some weird personal classification scheme - lately, I'm using a lot of imagery of consumer goods, furniture, and the like. Other times, I'll begin with an image I'm inspired by and work from there to build a scene. My work also tends to be very landscape-y, so I might pull imagery that would fit in the specific landscape I'm making.

I'm really big on color and texture and I tend to look at the piece while I'm working on it as whether or not it looks "balanced" to me (another weird personal criteria). I like using the stickers because they add reflectiveness and shininess that to me, "evens" out the piece in some weird way and makes it feel kind of dynamic, which magazines alone don't do (this is also why I like to use illustrations along with photographs).

I tend to have a lot of negative space in my work - a lot of collage artist seem to be of the philosophy of "let's fill the page with everything." I'm really opposed to this approach as it kind of makes everything blend together like a big mush. I have the same criticism of a lot of music. Another issue I have with most collage that impacts my work is that many artists seem to rely heavily on the idea of "hey, check out this wacky image from the past!" So the work then becomes about highlighting some image solely because it's old, rather than arranging old images into something new and different. Creating vs. replicating?

Thanks, Jessalyn!

Ryan Woodward

Mon, 30 May 2011 10:59:00 EDT

Many thanks to Claire Tucker for rounding out my guest posts! And, of course, a big thank you to all (Rebecca, Jordan, Anthony, Steph) who wrote over the past week!

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It�s not often you come across on YouTube which speaks volumes despite being so simple. I�ve been meaning to share this for a long time, and I think Sara�s blog is a great place to chat about it while she�s away.

Of course, this guy probably doesn�t need any extra exposure having had his work greet millions on 11 May in the form of a Google Doodle (his animation, much in the same style, showed dancing legend Martha Graham pirouette through the logo). While Ryan Woodward is an exceptionally experienced and talented artist/animator, it can be argued that �Thought of You� is his most accomplished piece to date. What�s refreshing is how stripped back it is � in an age where just about everything is overlooked unless it has a $1m CGI budget, Ryan uses just enough digital technology to make it look awesome but at the crux it�s all about the great choreography and hand-drawn art (each frame was drawn individually from a video of real dancers). It�s a perfect marriage of two distinct disciplines� or three, if you count the music choice which was a top pick for the whole concept. I won�t comment on the actual �story� behind it, as it�s left wonderfully open to interpretation (visit the YouTube comments if you�d interested in hearing a few). Ryan has also announced that he�ll be selling exclusive prints of each frame in the film, though it remains to be seen how much he�ll charge for these ($20? $2000?) and there�s been no news on this front since he said they would be available almost six months ago. Lastly, here�s a fun piece of whimsy by the same chap, though perhaps the credit should really go to his adorable 4-year-old daughter�

BIO: Claire Tucker usually writes for Tripbase (when she isn�t being distracted by videos on the Internet).

Illustrated Memories

Fri, 27 May 2011 09:12:00 EDT

Howdy! I'm Steph and I'm going to write a blog post for my buddy Sara E Barnes while she's on her vacation. I like to send her internet links and animal pictures through email. ---------- How do you describe the earliest visual memories you have? I've been recently thinking about some of these memories, like the illustrations from books that I read and reread as a kid. Or how I used to sit in the car and stare at the scenery going by or watch the rain drops slip down the glass and make blobs. I even recall staring at the wood grain in the kitchen and bathroom cabinets and making out little characters or faces. I'm going to bring up some of the books that influenced me as kid. It's the strangest thing how the images from these books are still embedded in my brain! Now if only I had kept the books... If You Made a Million by David M Schwartz, illustrated by Steven Kellogg Lon Po Po by Ed Young Tikki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel, illustrated by Blair Lent The Magic School Bus: Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen

My summary of these books and their imagery on me? Exploratory, sinister, unknown, chaotic, silliness, and bizarre!

Nikholis R. Planck

Wed, 25 May 2011 12:01:00 EDT

Nik is awesome. He lives in Baltimore and makes tons of drawings. When Nik isn't drawing it's because he is at Kinkos printing a new zine. This happens just about every day. He even set-up a zine-making booth at the Artscape festival last year. He rented a big Xerox machine and people stopped by to make zines in the summer heat. It was rad.

Nik talks about art all the time. He doesn't stop. It's good.

He's going to have a show at Open-Space later this year. There is going to be lots of paper and zines and staples, I'm sure of it.

I've decided to post a bunch of photos from Nik's zines (though he also makes rad paintings). Check out Nik's Tumlbr sometime and see what he's been making. -Jordan

(all images via Planck's Tumblr)

Time Travel Tuesday // Romare Bearden

Tue, 24 May 2011 09:59:00 EDT

Rebecca of Big Things and I are continuing Time Travel Tuesday this week as she presents the work of Romare Bearden (see what else she's written about here and here!)

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Romare Bearden's work is an essential part of American art and cultural history. Born in 1911 in North Carolina, his family moved to Harlem while he was a toddler and became deeply involved in the culture of the Harlem Renaissance. Attending high school in Pittsburgh and New York, Bearden studied science and education in college, philosophy in Paris, and started his art career as a cartoonist and painter.

It wasn't until the 1960s that he began collaging, pulling images from his wife's magazines and newspapers and recombining them to create works that aligned with and supported the Civil Rights Movement. With these scenes from his experiences as an African-American male growing up in the South and in Harlem, Bearden weaves tales and myths with a unique style inspired by sources as disparate as Cubism, Chinese calligraphy, the Dutch masters, and African tribal masks. Music, particularly jazz, also played an integral role in his work. He saw a strong connection between jazz and collage, both improvising, interchanging forms, patching together jarring masterpieces with bits and pieces of material.

Ralph Ellison wrote of Bearden in 1968: "Bearden's combinations of technique is eloquent of the sharp breaks, leaps in consciousness, distortions, paradoxes, reversals, telescoping of time and surreal blending of styles, values, hopes and dreams which characterize much of the Negro American history."

What is also so admirable about Bearden was his life-long commitment to social activism and the arts. He worked as a social worker in the New York City Department of Social Services for several decades and helped establish many arts organizations, including the Studio Museum in Harlem and programs to support young minority artists.

2011 marks the centennial of his birth and several museums and galleries are celebrating with exhibitions of his work. The Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco currently has a show of Bearden's work that is not to be missed!

Images via ineedartandcoffee & all-art.org

My vacation // Guest posts!!

Mon, 23 May 2011 19:27:00 EDT

Pack Daddy's Suitcases by Michael Johansson

Hey all! For the rest of the week I will be taking a break from the blog as I am on vacation (!!). But, that doesn't mean Brown Paper Bag is going to be quiet. I've lined up some guest bloggers to share some great art/artists with you. I am excited to see what they have to say! I'll return on Tuesday, May 31 with new artists to share and more fun stuff.

Art Together // Amy Ng

Mon, 23 May 2011 10:22:00 EDT

Amy Ng is an artist, illustrator, and creator of the illustration-based blog, Pikaland. I was a reader of Pikaland before I realized that Amy was an illustrator in her own right! With her own freelance career and all of the endeavors of Pikaland, I am really happy that Amy was able to complete this round of Art Together with me.

Amy is based in Malaysia, so my part of the piece had quite the trek:

First, tell us a little bit about yourself. Before your career as an artist, you held a different job. How is the lifestyle different? Do you think this has informed you in Pikaland and and your freelance illustration career?

I started Pikaland when I was still working as an architecture and design magazine editor 4 years ago, and I left my job after a year of working on Pikaland. It got a little too hectic for me to handle by then -- I was working from 9am to 7pm on my day job and from 8pm to 3 am on Pikaland. It was exhausting! Something had to give and I chose to pursue my blog. My lifestyle isn't that much different from when I was a magazine editor. The loss of a steady paycheck needed some getting used to, but I've always been frugal anyway, so it wasn't that much of an adjustment. Also in many ways, I've transferred my knowledge of media, marketing and PR into my experience as a blogger and freelance illustrator/writer.

Amy additions to my work: I think that you are one of the few people in this project that have collaged as a response. Is there anything in particular that draws you to the collage style? For me, it's because I'm too indecisive and love being awarded the freedom to move things around and play with shape design.

Actually, this is the first time I've actually made a digital collage! Truthfully, I chickened out at the thought of drawing something on your work -- it felt so wrong! So I scanned it, and then used digital collage as a way to mirror your style, while adding elements of my own. Your collage piece was really strong, that any line work would pale in comparison � so that's why I chose the collage method to build on your already-strong foundation.

You run the wildly popular blog, Pikaland and you are also an illustrator in your own right. Do you find that your two worlds overlap? Do you find yourself influenced by all of the artists you feature?

Aaaww I wouldn't call it wildly popular, haha! But thank you for the kind words anyway! ;) While the two do overlap, it's not in the way one might think -- working on Pikaland, I get to be exposed to a lot of artists and also get a glimpse into the way they work. But on the other hand, I find that I am not easily influenced by them. Rather, I am inspired that they keep on making and creating; and that has inspired me to do the same. This is easier said than done though, because I spend a lot of time on freelance writing and working on Pikaland projects that sometimes my own illustration work will fall way behind.

Images via her website.
How would you say that working in a collaboration effected your own style? Was there something you learned by working this way?

I'd say that this type of collaboration got me nervous at the beginning. I've never really had a fair attempt at collaging, so I was a little hesitant! But I'm really glad that I challenged myself to give it a go. I still retained my style in there, but changed it up to gel with yours.

One thing I love to do when I look at work is figure out how it has been made. How did you go about constructing your part of this collaboration?

For my part, I first scanned your original picture into Adobe Photoshop. I touched it up a little, brightened the colors, etc. After that, I took out my Wacom and started doodling on the picture (in Photoshop, of course!) Once I had a sketch, I started to work on the collage elements. I blocked out shapes and made a backdrop, with the help of some nifty brushes.� The next was the lady owl -- If you notice, I've actually picked out the pattern from your original picture, and worked it into the lady owl; forming a pattern that suggested that she had folded her wings. After that, I tweaked the colors so that it took on a warmer hue. I placed triangles to represent her feet (mirroring your fella!) and added shadows here and there to make it look like a collage. I spent a lot of time on the eyes, and making them look natural to yours -- my husband actually gave me some ideas on that part!

How did you come to the�decision�to give my creature a companion? I love seeing how the mood of the piece changed from my part to your part. What inspired you?

When I look at images, my brain completes them. There's something about the way your fella's arm was folded, and the look in his eyes. I could imagine him professing his love to someone. When I start formulating these stories in my mind, I treat the piece as a narrative that I could complete!

Lastly, what's on the horizon for you?

I'm working on several projects at the moment, and one of them is Camp Pikaland that will launch in a few months time. It's going to be a online learning hub where other artists and illustrators can take classes from specially invited teachers.�(There's a�mailing list�for those who are interested!) Sharing and education is very important to me, and I'd like to make the world a little smaller so that we as artists can continue learning no matter where we are.

Images via her website.

Thanks, Amy!!

Hine Mizushima

Fri, 20 May 2011 11:14:00 EDT

I am repeatedly told that I like cute things. Growing up I had a large stuffed animal collection and now have an increasing number of vinyl toys at my home. (Plus several Ugly Dolls.)

I am programmed to enjoy the work of Hine Mizushima. Her felted pieces, namely Anatomical Females are at the same time both adorable and slightly repulsive, which is what I love about plushes. They can ride that delicate line. Given our (mine, at least) experience with dolls and other plushes, we make exceptions for the ones whose innards are hanging out, attached to a pet snail. It might seem ridiculous, but anything goes! There are less rules to follow.

All images via Flickr.

And this one just because it's Friday and it's adorable:

David M�ndez Alonso

Thu, 19 May 2011 14:38:00 EDT

I first found David M�ndez Alonso via his Flickr, and was enthralled by all the color, street scenes, and general mayhem within his and his cohorts' work.

Upon visiting David's website, he dabbles in illustration, street art, felt projects, among other things. I am very fond of his self portrait, which is felt over canvas:

What I really like about David's other work are the collections. There is a peculiarity about what is grouped together in drawings and paintings. I spend my time wondering the connections and admiring elements rather than the whole.

All images via Flickr. Check out his website as well (its nicely organized).

Pencil Mountain

Thu, 19 May 2011 10:17:00 EDT

Pencil Mountain, AKA Jessi from Australia, has lately been drawing some tall, rather lanky men. These guys range from heroes to villains to just ordinary men. While Jessi's line quality clearly dictates the present of these characters, the demeanor of these figures is not always so clear. For me, that's what takes these past simple line drawings into a story that my mind can expand upon.

All images Flickr. Website coming soon.

Noper

Wed, 18 May 2011 13:19:00 EDT

I find Noper's series, The Hidden Bucharest both eerie and cinematic. The Bucharest-based illustrator and graphic design created the series for the Grolsch Beer campaign, Bucharest by Hand. He took photos of the city and illustrated fantastical creatures into the landscape.

It wasn't immediate that I realized these were partially photographs. Noper does an excellent job of integrating his fantasy into the reality of the city. The result is an elegant and almost melancholy feel. Despite how these characters are larger than life, they still feel sort of small.

All images via his website. Check out the other work he's done. It also includes animations!

Matthew Palladino

Wed, 18 May 2011 10:34:00 EDT

When I first wrote about Matthew Palladino, I presented works that were influenced by the likes of Jim Jones and gang relations. His current work, while not as grounded to reality, still explore similar relationships that his older work references.

Looking at Matthew's new series (currently showing at Fredericks & Freiser Gallery in NYC), it feels like he's set us up as voyeurs to a rather peculiar old computer game. The flattened composition, repetivite elements, and "game gliches" take us through a quasi-narrative courtesy of...the devil(s)? Very interesting and engaging new work. Matthew always has me looking at his work with more than a passing glance.

All images via his website.

Studio Visit // Amy Boone-McCreesh

Tue, 17 May 2011 09:32:00 EDT

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Amy Boone-McCreesh in her studio near Baltimore. Seeing her workspace was quite a treat. While I had rather casually perused her studio a year earlier, I now got to spend extended time with her, her objects, and both 2D and 3D works. Discussions on art and process were were interspersed with talks of tattoos, vegetarianism, and living in Baltimore.

When I arrived, Amy was working on her drawings, which themselves are of abstracted forms and repetitive shapes. She draws both directly on the paper and collages materials to the it. There is a link between 2D and 3D, she explained to me, as often she is working simultaneously on drawings and tangible forms. The two tend to feed off of each other, one informing the other. Amy told me her drawings started to really make sense once she started to replicate the forms on paper that were made by hand.

By working in a non-linear fashion, Amy is given the ability to work based on how the mood strikes her which, as we spoke of, is an important part of your practice- realizing when you are at your best and capitalizing when you can be the most productive, especially if you have limited time.

Image via her website.
Here, a drawing is cut up and used in a sculpture.

The scalloped shape is something very prevalent in her work and personally a shape I am also very drawn to. Amy explained that it was a shape that was always sort of "hers", and that the benefit of the repetition was two fold. Visually, it not only breaks up the space, but personally allows her to pull back and understand the direction that a particular piece is headed.

Some people are "makers", and Amy sounds like she has always been one. Currently, she is researching functional items that were important to tribal societies, such as the Native Americans. Attracted to both ceremonial and practical items, the intricacies (and often ostentatious nature) of things such as the papoose have a sincerity that can't be denied. Especially when considering that the painstaking work taken to adorn something was not meant to be viewed as art. Her sculptural forms, inspired by these societies, place them in the context of contemporary art, exploring the difference between both function and decoration.

Ceremonial Splendor is still up at School 33 until June 17. Check it out if you haven't already, it is beautiful!

Thanks, Amy!

More Gaia around Baltimore

Mon, 16 May 2011 15:24:00 EDT

It is double edged sword, these abandoned buildings around Baltimore. On one (very heavy hand), they signify poverty, distress, and a lack of resources. On the other hand, however, they often become home to beautiful pieces like this. I had read from Meighan that Gaia had some new work up and around Baltimore.

What a nice surprise it was to be walking down Howard street (gnawing on post-lunch munchies) and to see this!

I love this bird. Justin Nethercut, who took the photo below, documents it elsewhere, where two are mirroring each other. I am always so impressed at the ambitiousness of Gaia's work and am so happy to see him continuing to make his mark around the city.

That is Edgar Allen Poe's house. Fitting, no? Ravens are truly frightening creatures.

Jazm�n Berakha // New Work

Mon, 16 May 2011 10:35:00 EDT

Waaayyy back in Brown Paper Bag's infancy, (seriously, I think this was one of the first entries I ever wrote!) I posted the work of Jazm�n Berakha.

When I wrote about her work, I was in awe of the stitching and meticiulousness of the details. And, I still am. Probably even more so! As someone who has tried out sewing (and pricked myself with many-a-needles), the craftmanship can sometimes be a tough thing to keep up. Jazm�n's work looks flawless and graceful, just like the women she is depicting.

In addition to grace, there is also a bit more abstraction in her latest works. She mixes pattern and color a bit more boldly.

At the end of this month, May 26th, Jazm�n will have a solo show opening in New York at the Heskin Contemporary Gallery. Vanishing Park will run until July 2nd.

All images via the artist.

Contemporary Museum// Baltimore Liste

Fri, 13 May 2011 14:07:00 EDT

Hey Baltimore. Where are you going to be tonight? I'll be at the Contemporary Museum for the opening of Baltimore Liste, a three show exhibition that combines artists from seven local galleries (Area 405, Open Space, Current Gallery, Gallery Four, Nudashank, Subbasement Gallery, and Jordan Faye Contemporary Art) and allows them to have solo exhibitions in the Contemporary's four side galleries. All artists are nominated by the respective galleries and selected by Executive Director Sue Spaid.

The three shows only run for a week each, so catch them while you can! Opening is from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. The following artists will have their work shown:

John Bohl (Current) Shaun Flynn (Gallery Four) Stewart Watson (Area 405) Jordan Bernier (Nudashank)

The Contemporary Museum is located at 100 West Centre Street, between Cathedral and Howard Street in Mount Vernon.

Jordan Bernier (via his website)
John Bohl (via his website)
Shaun Flynn (via Flickr)
Stewart Watson (via her Baker Awards website)

Gallery Nucleus // Illustrated Type

Fri, 13 May 2011 10:17:00 EDT

Are you in Los Angeles? Are you close? If so, you should definitely head on over to the Gallery Nucleus for their Illustrated Type show, opening this Saturday, May 14th. From 7PM to 11PM, you can look at some illustrated typography by some of your favorite artists, including Mike Perry, Jared Andrew Schorr, and Jessica Hische.

From the Gallery:

Parallel to increasingly computer-driven imagery, it is both refreshing and encouraging to see the resurgence of working by hand�as well as an expanding community that finds value in this practice. We have invited over 30 illustrators, graphic designers, sculptors, printmakers, and painters to interpret the alphabet, and are thrilled to showcase work at which art and design intersect. This collection explores how typography (even when reduced to a single letterform!) can be whimsical and bizarre, innovative and thought-provoking, and most importantly, downright fun!

I wish I could see this show, that is up until the 6th of June. Get some more information on this event.

All images courtesy of Gallery Nucleus.

Jared Andrew Schorr
Julene Harrison
Sean Chao
Takashi Iwasaki
Yellena James

Danny Espinoza

Thu, 12 May 2011 15:42:00 EDT

The simplicity in Danny Espinoza's work is beautiful. Using limited color, he creates quiet yet exciting work.

With all the activity that is going on in my world and the world at large, Danny's work is really calming to me. It's clean, with an interesting push and pull of mark-making, with elements of tension in their compositions. Things fit together, and are logical. His work seems to make sense, unlike so many other things in comparison.

All images via his website. See more on Flickr.

Brenna Murphy

Thu, 12 May 2011 11:30:00 EDT

Both the video and stills of Brenna Murphy's work create a dizzying and disorienting effect when viewed. It is an aspect of her work I really enjoy.

There is complexity to Brenna's work that is showcased different whether in still or motion. With renderings, I can really understand the objects that are given motion in her videos. While the videos are playing, I am mesmerized by the movement and their almost hypnotic qualities.

All images via Flickr. All videos via Vimeo. Check out Brenna's website.

Untitled from Brenna Murphy on Vimeo.

Spare Death Icon - Quest from Brenna Murphy on Vimeo.

NoseGo

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:53:00 EDT

NoseGo has plenty to look at on his site. It's almost overwhelming with the myriad of choices presented to us. 3D! Paintings! Design! Murals! Moar!

NoseGo's (AKA Yisrawayl Goodwin) portfolio feels coherent despite existing in many different forms. With paintings a mixture of realism, abstraction, and current street/designer toy culture, I think his work is colorful and playful, with a bit of subversive elements thrown in there as well. Not all of his characters play nice, which is always much more entertaining to me as a viewer.

Check out NoseGo's site for time lapse videos of his work,such as this one:

Grindstone Splash Time Lapse from Bryan Green on Vimeo.

All images via the artist.

2501

Tue, 10 May 2011 15:29:00 EDT

Just a quick post for this afternoon; I came across these awesome murals by 2501. The are feats in of itself, with some nearly five stories off the ground!

These pops of color brighten up a dilapidated area, and I am also amazed by the consistency in the black and white stripes that are seen throughout 2501's work.

All images via Flickr.

Manuel Donada // mDonada

Tue, 10 May 2011 10:47:00 EDT

Manuel Donada, AKA mDonada is an illustrator and graphic designer from Madrid, Spain. A self-taught artist originally involved with the DIY art scene, mDonada now works with magazines, commercials, and even the Spanish Embassy in Ethiopia!

My favorite part of mDonada's work are the way he uses his brush. I love how he uses the side of the brush to do his hand lettering, specifically. There is slightly less control, and its great to see that implemented in work that could otherwise feel not so spontaneous.

All images via his website.

Ludovica Gioscia

Mon, 09 May 2011 14:42:00 EDT

The collages by Ludovica Gioscia are a rather humorous take (to me, at least) on high fashion editorials. And, makeup editorials too! As someone who likes fashion but too poor (and often apathetic) to afford the best or try out the latest trends, I love that Ludovica combines the two in an almost visceral and abstracted manner.

I think that Ludovica does an excellent job at pairing shapes and it seems to be no coincidence that shapes of smears and products mimic the features on a face.

All images via her website.

Antoine Caecke

Mon, 09 May 2011 10:19:00 EDT

Some great drawing by French artist Antoine Caecke. With carefully drawn lines and the imperfections that come from print making, he seems to diagram his subjects for us. But, it's in a weirdly more emotional manner, with bursts of a heavy hand.

All images via his Flickr.

NEWWORDS: ILLTOCK

Fri, 06 May 2011 11:51:00 EDT

For your Friday, another video from Joe and Chad over at the NEWWORDS project. Remember when I wrote about this project? Not so long ago! And, Chad told me that they just released ILLTOCK online for free viewing pleasure:

Illtock from NEWWORDS on Vimeo.

The song for that film was produced in about 2 hours. I am not a musician, and I am amazed with how quickly Sam Cook-Parrott (musician) can formulate a song. I like seeing the process of the song building. It is both similar and different to how I work on my visual pieces.

Jos� Lerma

Thu, 05 May 2011 13:26:00 EDT

First of all... How delightfully wrong would it have felt to be walking on this floor, simultaneiously stepping on Jos� Lerma's work?

(From his website)

I think it would have been pretty amazing. While looking through Jos�'s work, I sense the theme of dominance, or perhaps of encroachment. Elements of his work use shapes, colors, and media that are different from the ground the tread. It's not that the newly-introduced fabric, paper, color is detrimental to the piece, but just adds a level of visual tension and psychological layer to Jos�'s work.

All images below from his Flickr.

Jesse Tise

Thu, 05 May 2011 11:15:00 EDT

I love the imagined lands and characters by Jesse Tise. A student at Art Center in Pasadena, California, he has already produced a great body of work that includes not only paintings but toys as well.

Gloombah and Zaarlak are just a couple of Jesse's creations. They seem to show themselves in much of Jesse's current work, such as paintings and comics. At times, the patterns, colors, and shapes that define Gloombah and Zaarlak show up elsewhere in Jesse's portfolio, as just part of his visual language, permeating his work. I also believe this shows an intimate understanding of his creatures, making his stories and narratives more informed and interesting.

All images via Flickr. Check out his website, too!

Baltimore // Current Space: C A R T // Call for Proposals

Wed, 04 May 2011 13:52:00 EDT

Hey, Baltimore! And those around Baltimore! And those not in or around Baltimore! The Current Space, located in the downtown part of the city, is seeking proposals for their new show, C A R T. The details below, from the Current Space:

The average American makes two trips to buy groceries each week, making supermarkets, mini-marts, and corner stores essential and incredibly influential parts of our everyday lives. All items are bought and sold at these stores using money. Money is earned through labor, and labor comes in countless different packages, much like our food. Through our labor we are inspired and we are exploited. We progress and we are repressed. We survive. Art is created through labor, but unlike some of the more negative forms labor takes, art stimulates our minds, challenges our imaginations, and expands our vision for the world. Art is at the center of humanity�s continuous evolution, but it remains extraordinarily undervalued by mainstream American society, which is almost solely focused on the seemingly endless cycle of labor and consumption. This limited view of life is slowly eliminating our ability to imagine, dream, and think freely. Through C A R T, Current Space is positing that art is not optional, but essential. It affects all of us internally, whether we are aware of it or not, and it should therefore be considered as fundamental to our daily lives as the products we purchase at grocery stores every week. Therefore, Current Space will be transformed into a fully functional mini-supermarket, complete with aisles, window displays, shopping baskets, and cash registers in an attempt to explore the exchange of artists� labor for profit in a familiar, everyday setting. We are accepting proposals of products in all formats to serve as merchandise in the store that either creatively mimics a product that already exists, or to create a new product. Proposals should include clear statements regarding format of work, quantity, type of packaging to be used, and estimated cost to �consumers.� Artists should keep in mind that it is our intention for the work in the show to be affordable, and should therefore be priced accordingly. Examples: Items in check out lane, i.e. magazines, candy, drinks, produce section, Dry foods (real or not real), toy and supply isle, Medicine

To apply, email cart@currentspace.com with attached documents that include: Statement, Resume (optional), Work Samples.

Deadline is May 15. Exhibition will be in July of this year.

Miss Lotion

Wed, 04 May 2011 10:46:00 EDT

Louise Rosenkrands, better known under her moniker Miss Lotion, is a graphic artist and illustrator working in Copenhagen. She works with a number of freelance clients, but also has some personal work I am totally crazy about.

Her figure drawings, with their regal-looking clothing and adornments, are what I really find interesting. Some of them, with their hats, tassels, and instruments, remind me of a jester or entertainer. I would love to see these characters draw and painted into some sort of environment.

All images via Miss Lotion's website.

My Time Travel Tuesday post: up on Big Things!

Tue, 03 May 2011 13:35:00 EDT

Head on over to Big Things to read my post about Joseph Cornell, specifically focusing on his boxes! Also be sure to take a look around the Big Things shop. I am in love with this turban!

Guest Post: Time Travel Tuesday with Big Things (again!)

Tue, 03 May 2011 10:32:00 EDT

Remember when Rebecca of Big Things and I traded Time Travel Tuesday posts? Well, it was so nice we decided to do it twice! Rebecca has written about the artist Mart�n Ramirez for Brown Paper Bag today, and I in turn have written about Joseph Cornell over on Big Things blog. Check out what Rebecca has to say below, and be sure to check out her site. It's really wonderful!

While looking through an auction catalog of outsider and self-taught artists, I noticed that the most expensive work sold, at $95,000, was a drawing by schizophrenic artist, Mart�n Ramirez. I had to know more about this intriguing drawing of mesmerizing trains and tunnels!

Ramirez left his native Jalisco, Mexico in 1925, as many immigrants do, to find better work in the states. With the devastation of the Great Depression, he wound up homeless and was committed to a mental institution in California, where he spent the entire second half of his life, dying in 1963.

Using what was accessible in the hospital, he made small drawings on pieced-together paper and larger ones on examining table paper. His palette consisted of crushed paints and colored pencils mixed with saliva in small pots made of leftover oatmeal and applied to the �canvas� with a matchstick.

In 2007, the American Folk Art Museum held a retrospective of some of his 300+ works and invited his extended family. Ramirez�s granddaughter and great-granddaughters came out from LA to see the work of their long-lost relative for the first time! Read the article from the New York Times here.

Although whether or not he was mentally ill remains questionable (some suppose he was just confused and unable to speak English), we can still take one terrific lesson from the rhythm and symbolism in his work�it�s therapeutic. From trains, tunnels, cars, Madonnas, cowboys, and animals, Ramirez�s repetitive lines, figural motifs, and spatial arrangements are a vivid interpretation of the world he knew. The mish-mash of Mexican roots, Depression-Era America, immigrant life, and institutions was probably very confusing and drawing seems to have been his way to organize these experiences.

All images via Christies and the American Folk Art Museum.

Thanks Rebecca!!

Kristopher Polly

Mon, 02 May 2011 15:17:00 EDT

I am really liking the drawings of Kristopher Polly. Simple, monochromatic pieces with interestingly drawn portraits and figures.

Kristopher presents to us the drawings of fictional hip-hop characters. Some are what you've come to expect out of hip-hop artists, while other portraits come more unexpected. He plays with scale in a comical way, suggesting that larger-than-life personalities are not necessarily consistent with physical appearance.

Kristopher's style doesn't really rely on accent lines, but more on a play of negative and positive space.

All images via his website. Be sure to check out Facebook as well!

Amy Boone-McCreesh

Mon, 02 May 2011 11:29:00 EDT

Amy Boone-McCreesh is an artist living and working in Baltimore, Maryland. I first saw her work while viewing the Towson University MFA open studios back in 2010.

Via her website, "Taking inspiration from celebratory and funerary displays in various cultures, Amy aims to explore decoration and human relationships." I find our relationship to objects a very interesting one, and the ritual and oftentimes comfort associated with adornment.

Amy's use of repetition, materials, and her installation of sculptural work gave me the feeling of an altar or memorial. The individual elements are completely different, yet they are all arranged in a meticulous manner, as if it is an arrangement built by not one person, but many.

All images via her website.

Baltimore // Transmodern Festival this weekend!

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:12:00 EDT

Hey Baltimoreans! The 8th annual Transmodern Festival started Thursday night, and the rest of the festival looks to have a bunch of great stuff going on. The Baltimore-born event delivers four days of avant-garde performance, installation, film, and exciting multi-disciplinary work.

A lot of the festival takes place near or in the Current Gallery and H&H building. It also takes place OUTSIDE as it livens up the alleyways of downtown Baltimore. Last night's opening reception included the Howard Street Murals, eight new murals are going up on the 400 block of Howard Street:

Artists include Caitlin Cunningham, Gary Kachadourian, Josh Van-Horne, Emily CD, Shana Palmer, and Jordan Bernier.

Check out the schedule for this event.

Ray Sohn // Wonder Fair

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:51:00 EDT

As you may or may not be aware, I'm originally from Kansas City, Missouri. I'm headed back there near the end of May for a bit, and the Wonder Fair (actually located in Lawrence, Kansas) is definitely one of the places I need to go during my trip. Their newest exhibition, starting tomorrow, is Pyramid Lake: An exhibition of new work and a book release by Ray Sohn.

Ray has spent the past year and a half combining ink drawing, painting, and collaging to create over 80 works for the exhibition. All said and done, he selected 40 works to actually appear in the book and show.

There is a fascinating explanation to the time spent on this work and the results that were yielded. In short, Ray made a conscious decision create work from a dip pen on 12" x 12" pieces of paper. There was no planning or other preparatory work done, an everything was free handed. After completing drawing after drawing, he came to realize that there were inherent patterns and themes within the scope of his work. He began to question "Why am I an artist?" and as Ray writes, "To put it simply, art is an ingenious expression of an ever developing visual language that has existed since before I was born and will continue on after my death." You can read the rest of his thoughts here. I would highly recommended it.

All images via his website.

NEWWORDS

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:23:00 EDT

Chad emailed me recently to tell me about a project he's been working on, NEWWORDS.

An independent film project of Joe Kolean and Chad Vickery, it consists of 26 short films, one for each letter of the alphabet. With each title, Joe and Chad create a new word. Check out on of their films, "Gavv" below. Very beautiful, but it also made my skin crawl.

GAVV from NEWWORDS on Vimeo.

Digital downloads of the 26 films are available, as well as in DVD format. Chad explained, "Despite having virtually no budget, after 3 intensive years of production the filmmakers insisted on self-releasing, distributing, and promoting the project. Having wrestled with the costs and benefits of making physical copies of the films, they [he and Joe] decided to do an extremely limited DVD release in addition to online distribution."

The cases for NEWWORDS are design by Trevor Edmonds and constructed by Meghann Rader. Each case is made of maple veneer and is hand made, assembled, and stamped. A 24-page booklet is also included. All images via Chad Vickery.

Nathalie Boutt�

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:54:00 EDT

As I was poking around on Aprile's site, Notpaper, I came across the work of Nathalie Boutt�. I was impressed by Nathalie's use of paper as medium, which it does not follow my normal conventions for it. Strips of different papers are are cut out, layered, sometimes sculptural. I especially like the textural qualities that arise from simply from cutting and pairing different pieces and types of paper.

All images via her website

Megan Charland

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:22:00 EDT

I was looking through the Brown Paper Bag Flickr group (have you joined yet?) and found the work of Megan Charland, a graduate student at Visual Studies Workshop in the Visual Studies MFA program.

Megan writes about her project she's been working on, Drive By, on her blog:

Drive By is a series of photographs I shot while sitting in the back seat of a car. As a passenger my gaze naturally went out the window watching this unfamiliar neighborhood pass in a blur. My eyes focused in on the houses. My work in general deals with my desire to settle down. Own my own house. Construct my own home. I�m constantly on the move for one reason or another. What I�m left with is an idea. The ideal house. This perfect house, this idea, this constructed shape I used as a viewfinder on the landscape. This shape, a mental picture in my head, I digitally constructed post drive-by for this series. What you�re left with is the result of my personal obsession: a single form representing both possibility and limitation.

I find the shapes of Megan's houses to personally be both comforting and a source of discontent. Having grown up in the suburbs, the warmth of my parents' home is quite nostalgic, yet the banality of the suburbs makes me never want to build my life there.

All images via Flickr. Check out her blog and website.

Also liking these pieces as well (not from Drive By):

Sish-tick

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:19:00 EDT

Did you ever craft as a kid? Specifically, those iron beads (AKA Perler Beads)? I did, and I loved them! I actually still have remenants of this childhood past time, using them as a coaster for my desk.

Sish-tick takes these iron beads to a much more grown up level, as he creates wall hangings of beasts, lettering, and other creatures.

That's not all his work is comprised of; he also paints expressive and extremely colorful works. They fade in and out of a narrative, sometimes reminding me of a place, but other times I see his large-scale works as a person. Regardless, Sish-tick introduces a conflict and tension in his work that I really enjoy.

All images via Flickr.

Dimitris Polychroniadis: Superheros

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:22:00 EDT

Dimitris Polychroniadis has created a series he's titled Superheros. In short, Dimitris calls it the "Superheroes of modernity meet with Superheroes of pop culture."

Also from his site: "This series of five maquette sculptures seeks to establish a humorous conversation between early 20th century masters of art and design that shaped modernity, with contemporay icons of pop culture. It's all about interrelation and continuity." Photography by both Dimitris Polychroniadis and Michalis Dalanikas. All images via Dimitris's Behance page.

The sculptures themselves are great, and the photographs really enhance the project. It is what is modern: clean yet colorful, eye catching, yet not too busy or sloppy. Be sure to visit the site for Dimitris's funny and interesting tidbits about both modern design and popular culture.

Superman & Wonderwoman and the De Stijl art movement

Lady Gaga and Bauhaus

Ronald McDonald and Gustav Klucis

Andreas Emenius

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:46:00 EDT

Take a look at some of these paintings by Andreas Emenius. They were in his solo show, Pull Me Apart,, Tear Me Back Together in Copenhagen earlier this month. I thought the explanation of the work was an interesting one, so I'd like to share. From Andreas's website (all images from there):

"Mankinds longing for simplicity in life and subsequent attempt to construct order and meaning is what Andreas Emenius is exploring as an artist."

"He's interested in the idea that a person can drift into a vibrating fictious condition, caused by for example loneliness, angst, or trauma, where it is hard to differentiate betwen reality and fantasy."

"Andreas Emenius's unclear, but densly organised images, objects, and physical installations have three reoccuring references in common: Forces of nature representing something immediate, but also desperate and forced, the need of a waterfall, of gravity, of weather, or of a volcano eruption to steadily continue. Secondly, the hallucinating, staged condition that is Hollywood, attracts Emenius as the historic 'mothership' of visual languages that indirectly describes the absurdity of our societies, and also todays collaps of visual hierarchies. Last comes science, representing something that is ideal and unobtainable, not a utopia as such, but rather the notion of something being solid, unattached and absolute."

William Goldsmith

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:38:00 EDT

William Goldsmith is an illustrator working in Scotland. He is currently working on a graphic novel Vignettes of Ystov, which is a collection of short stories all set in the fictional city of Ystov. In addition to this venture, William also works on a number of other freelance ventures.

I love William's style as it has a great movement, almost fleeting nature to it. Emphasis tends to be on imagery that is not terribly labored over, but is more concerned with moving a story forward.

All images via his website.

0331

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:18:00 EDT

Happy Friday! In case you weren't aware, today is Earth Day! So, how about a nature-themed post? I don't think that 0031's series titled Tree's Soul is harmful to the trees, and it's really fun. I appreciate that the imperfection of the trees is worked into the expression of faces or rather, "souls."

All images via Flickr. Check out 0331's website as well.

Vigilante Vigilante: The Battle for Expression

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EDT

So my post below was discussing my love for street art in its various forms. I think that often this genre can get a bad rap,t but is really compelling when done correctly.

A couple of months ago I saw the trailer for this documentary film on Kickstarter. At the time it was still looking for donations, and I am happy to see that it has since reached its goal. Vigilatne Vigilante: The Battle for Expression follows a group of people dedicated to the covering up of graffiti, stickers, and anything else put on property, public or not. Using neutral colors such as black or gray, they completely cover what has been originally tagged.

The trailer for the movie raises a few interesting points about this group of vigilantes. While it doesn't seem that it is exactly sympathetic to them, it at least sheds light on how they fit into the equation of street art in its various forms.

The trailer is below. I, for one, am excited to see this once it's released!

BUFFdiss

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 10:55:00 EDT

I love seeing the simple application of line being thrown into everyday life via BUFFdiss. This is tape, cleverly integrated into shops, train stations, among other places. Had I been in the market and saw the first piece (below), it would have definitely brightened my day.

What I love about this (as well as other public and street art) is that it's showing that drawings on buildings don't always have to be "graffiti" or a nuisance. I think we've all seen what the profound effect street art can have on a society. Take this year's TED winner, JR, for example.

All images via Flickr.

Unrelated: I started a Flickr group yesterday. Join and add your images to the pool!

Museums Press

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:27:00 EDT

The lovely folks at Museums Press contacted me recently to introduce themselves, and I am so glad they did. Museums Press is a Manchester-based independent publishing house that prints zines, books, and also offers individual prints from artists on an international level.

Matthew and Jessica of Museums Press are excited about what they put forth, and it shows in the quality of what they published. They seem to be equally jazzed about everything that comes out, and what a great attitude to have, no? A lot of the artists whose work they publish has been featured on Brown Paper Bag before, too!

Upcoming releases include Kelly Lynn Jones's book (of Little Paper Planes fame) and a book by the awesome Keith Jones. (Both available for preorder at this time).

All images via the Museums Press website.
Ryan de la Hoz

Matthew Feyld

Matthew Walkerdine and Jessica Higgins

Brown Paper Bag: Now with added Flickr group!

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:18:00 EDT

So, I really don't know why I dragged my feet so long on a Flickr group. I see others around, and they are great! Lots of interesting stuff gets added everyday. I FINALLY made a group that you can join, too: Brown Paper Bag: works on paper and beyond! It's another way for you to share your work with me and the other readers of Brown Paper Bag. What are you waiting for?.

Aino-Maija Metsola

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:43:00 EDT

Thanks to Mallory's blog, I came across the work of Aino-Maija Metsola. The color! The shapes! I love it all! The cubist approach that Aino has taken to her work yields adorable and whimsical characters that dazzle my eyes.

I really like the format of a lot of Aino's work. It uses a lot of grids and tight organization, offset by the saturated colors and patterns and characters. There is a nice balance of rigidity with playful.

All images via her website.

Alan Brown

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:11:00 EDT

This morning I am enjoying the work of Alan Brown. His specialty seems to be water-based media such a ink and water color paint. Using them, he creates portraits and small scenes of a weird world.

The Internet loves cats, and of course my personal favorites are his paintings of cats (pumas and other cat-like creatures included) with magical powers. Alan's Etsy profile says that he grew up near the woods, and discovered the world was strange. He also lives with two cats that hate each other, so perhaps another reason why some of his paintings seem like they are on the defensive.

All images via his Etsy.

Reid Jenkins

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:10:00 EDT

Reid Jenkins emailed me recently with his work, and instantly I was intrigued by his bold, expressive portraits. Stylistically, they range from lino cuts to ink on paper renderings. I asked Reid to give me a little more information on his work:

"Most of my work is about interpersonal relationships and creating ironic tensions. The reference for some work [images directly below] is selected from photographs I have taken, and provides a commentary on personal perceptions of each subject."

"References for most of the others [images below] is drawn from newspapers, the internet, and books. These pieces present juxtaposing or disconcerting imagery ( violent criminals w/ cartoons, Mel Gibson as Jesus, cartoon coyote w/ coyote skull) and attempt to lure the viewer into creating a dialogue between combination of these images. "Most of the reference material I use is poor quality (grainy photos, small clippings, low-res images) which informs the way I draw. I emphasize the textures of the face in an effort to bring a new life into the portrait--reviving it from the cold flatness of the reference images. It's really hard to define which medium I work in specifically because I am a bit all over the place."

All images via the artist.

Jessica Bell

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:04:00 EDT

website.

James Nizam

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:51:00 EDT

Happy Friday, everyone! I don't have much time to blog today as I'm headed to the airport soon - going to meet up with some of my family this weekend (and run a race!). Before I go though, how about the work of James Nizam?

The beauty, for me, is in the careful arrangement of chairs, doors, and other items. These items, when separated, do not mean much to us, but together really create a commanding presence. I am in awe of how some of these structures stay upright.

In addition to their pleasing aesthetic nature, they also have a concept that I love - all were constructed inside an old public housing development in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. I can just imagine what this project would look like if it were in Baltimore.

All images via Gallery Jones.

Annie Larson // All Knitwear

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:47:00 EDT

I know, I know. People are tired of winter. I get it! But, that still doesn't stop me from admiring knitted garments.

The work of Annie Larson, AKA All Knitwear is super bright, colorful, and fun. She mixes pattern and color like a fruit salad as sleeves, legs, arms, etc. all don different elements and design. I love how playful her clothing is, and how Annie is not afraid of NOT matching. It feels fresh and carefree. That sweater might be made for winter, but it definitely has the exuberance and energy of spring or summer!

All images via her website.

Wye Oak: Fish

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:03:00 EDT

Despite how you might perceive it based on your viewing of The Wire, I think Baltimore is pretty great. Two things from here that I like? The band Wye Oak (whose new album just came out!) and the Patterson Park Lantern Parade. Wye Oak and the Lantern Parade have shared a connection: they both employed artist Katherine Fahey's shadow puppets.

The new video for the band is below. I started to watch it and instantly knew the shadows, lighting, and cut outs. I first saw Katherine's work at the Lantern Parade in 2007 - after Baltimoreans' handmade lanterns had finished their march, a live show put on by projectors was shown to everyone that came to the festival. Fish is obviously a much more ambitious and complex project, and uses multiple paper cutters and puppeteers make it all happen.

Wye Oak - Fish from Merge Records on Vimeo.

Mayumi Otero

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:02:00 EDT

I saw Mayumi Otero's work on Booooooom! a bit ago and fell in love instantly. There are illustrations for childrens' stories, etchings, and various drawings included in her portfolio.

A running theme in Mayumi's work includes some form of danger. Whether there be threats from beasts or humans, drawings and prints deal with this idea in multiple ways. Sometimes, it's imagined danger, a fantasy children might imagine. Other times, it's of a more physical nature, and not necessarily as innocent.

All images via her website.

Terrence Payne

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:12:00 EDT

Terrence Payne is a Minnesota-based artist who uses pastels to create his portraits, which upon first glance, paint his subjects as looking rather regal. That description of the people in his portraits could be rather fleeting, however, as their astute postures and facial expressions are often made ridiculous with text and ostentatious accessories. A little bit from Terrence's artist statement:

...the earnest beauty ensuing from the clumsy actions of his subjects as they stumble through life in pursuit of their ideal existence inspires him. Whether or not they ever reach their prescribed potential is irrelevant to Terrence, it is the fleeting and universal experiences that happen along the way, which truly define their humanity.

Terrence has a show at the Rosalux Gallery in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Opening reception this Saturday, April 16th.

All images via his website.

Richard Saja

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:18:00 EDT

I often find the printed patterns depicting the 18th century kind of a snore. Their idyllic scenes just don't capture my interest. But, this all changes with the work of Richard Saja! His embroidery of the taboos of the time (including a condition of excessive hair growth) are very entertaining, especially when you consider how restrained the source images are.

I especially love those pair of Keds!

All images via his blog/website.

Melissa Murray

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:26:00 EDT

I am throughly enjoying the complexity of Melissa Murray's work. Her drawings are a ebb and flow of information, as we are presented with partially rendered elements, some visual information more forthcoming than others. The multifaceted scenes are sometimes nonsensical, which Melissa explains below:

My work stems from a deep interest in psychoanalytical interpretation and the conscious and unconscious effects of human action. In my drawings, animals symbolize sincerity in life, a seemingly degenerative trait in our current human consciousness. These creatures represent purity, and personify my dreams and fears for our collective future. When placed amongst our refuse or shown imitating human cutthroat tendencies, my work aims to procure a heartbreaking realization of just how far we have fallen off the natural path. The scenes are taken directly from a daily documentation of my dreams and collaged childhood memories. Combined, the images act as a catalyst for a shared metaphor, much like the reveries of our slumber. My drawings are based on moments. Energy, movement or lack there of is important to express a passing instance, a fleeting thought still moving through time. Much like the music that inspires the majority of my waking life, I aspire to create an image that will walk with the viewer through a moment in time, capturing a multitude of emotions and sensations.

Melissa has a show at the Causey Contemporary from April 15th through May 15th. Check it out if you are in Williamsburg, Brooklyn!

All images via her website.

Laura Carlin

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:22:00 EDT

Today is super busy for me (including officially accepting an MFA program for next semester. Yay!!!!), so I am just going to show you some awesome ceramics by Laura Carlin. Her drawing style translate nicely onto plates, bowls, and ceramic figures. Observe below.

All images via her blog.

Nicholas Vokey

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:35:00 EDT

Nicholas Vokey's drawings, while simple in style, are very considered and show that he is well-aware of the work in which we live. Nicholas sent me some of his drawings, and I asked him to shed a bit more life on his content and style:

"I find humour in personal conflict, awkward situations, affectations, power, arrogance, celebrity, and greed. I try to show that stuff with art."

"Right now I'm focusing mostly on subtly humorous portraits of conservative-male politicians and businessmen and romantic comedy/80s movies celebrities. I just finished a drawing of John Boehner, the Speaker of the House, and Mitch McConnell, the United States Senate Minority Leader. You'll also see Hugh Grant's mugshot on there and Arnold Schwarzenegger snuggling up to a deer. Other things, like the steak and the porsche, revolve around rich-guy culture."

"Most of the animations that you see on there are supposed to be funny and sweet. Drug Rug is more my other interest which is about weariness, fear, monotony, strangeness, alienation, and death."

"I'm fairly new to drawing as a medium. Although I grew up drawing all the time, I really didn't start focusing on it till about a year-and-a-half ago. I was a sculpture and design major in college and my career has been in design and art-direction in the wild world of magazines. "I draw mostly everything with colored pencils on smooth, thick stock paper. I like the way the pencil glides across the paper."

All images were from Nicholas's website. Check out more of his animations- those were my favorite part!

A big thanks to Nick for talking to me about his work!

Tyson Anthony Roberts

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 10:47:00 EDT

Tyson Anthony Roberts is a painter living in Seattle, Washington. His college degree not only includes art, but biology as well! This seems to have influenced the way in which he creates work, as his abstract forms are reminiscent of organisms, the makings of a cell. His statement about his work:

As I visualize the world around me morphing into fragments of digitized color, the abstract harmony of our environment simultaneously resists. Our ecosystems change, our environments change and we change. I believe my job as a painter is to capture this change as it is occurring. In my work, elements of abstract layering, color theory and spontaneity are merged to form rural and urban scenes that appear to be in constant transition, taking the viewer from what was to what may be. It is through this idea of continual movement that my paintings suggest the places we know are always changing, whether we are ready for them to or not...

I am a fan of Tyson's colors. I especially love looking at the intersection of shapes - as the two glazed colors overlap to create not only a new shape, but color.

All images via his website.

Genadii Berёzkin

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:31:00 EDT

A lot of photographic collages work with a certain degree of absurdity. Elements of photos, textures, and other papers are paired with the idea that removed from original context, they won't completely make sense. The work of Genadii Berёzkin runs in the same vein.

There is a semblance of reality as different recognizable elements are introduced to the viewer. Here, the emphasis tends to be more on texture and overall design than trying to create a narrative. There is definitely some restraint given in terms of design and placement across the composition.

All images via Flickr.

Nate Burbeck

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:08:00 EDT

Nate Burbeck's panoramic oil paintings introduce us to characters who seem like they are on a journey. At the same, however, there feels like much meandering involved- that these people (and spaces) aren't necessarily looking for anything in particular... just yet. Nate's statement on his work:

My current series of paintings combine various landscapes, visual metaphor, and figures to construct a visual narrative, which alludes to the surreal or supernatural in the context of contemporary sensibility. This is achieved by a process of melding various photographic references to create a cohesive visual narrative that is at once contingent and paradoxical, whose reality only exists within the bounds of image and imagination. Through the guise of the painted image these works also aim to project a sense of wonder and illusion, drawing on concepts of the sublime, paranormal, spiritual revelation, contemplation and cinematic grandeur.

All images via his website.

Fave Tumblr: Things Organized Neatly

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:02:00 EDT

Do you use Tumblr? You have no doubt seen some of the great Tumblrs out there. They spawn some of the great memes of our time! I've started using one (non Brown Paper Bag related), and I have an ever-growing dashboard of Tumblogs.

Things Organized Neatly has long been a favorite of mine. It is exactly as it sounds: different objects (sometimes people) organized in a visually pleasing manner. They take submissions, so some are more interesting than others. A few of my favorites:

Lizz Hickey

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:56:00 EDT

I wish I was funny enough to draw sequential art that others found amusing. Since that is not my prowess, I will continue to enjoy others' work instead. Lizz Hickey, for instance!

Lizz's recent sequential work tends to revolve around the character "Carol", a manifestation of a self conscious. Generally disagreeable, there is a bit of Carol inside me, as I am sure inside the rest of you as well.

In addition to comics, Lizz also does printmaking. Etchings, monoprints... all wonderfully detailed. Especially the etching. If you visit her website, you can click to zoom in on all of the great things that she's drawn on her plates.

All images via her website.

Anna Higgie

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:01:00 EDT

Anna Higgie is another artist today whose work focuses on the portrait. Stark contrast, fractured space, and meticulous mark-making are a few elements present in her work.

Anna has worked for a number of different clients, including Nordstrom's, Bloomingdales, and other fashion-based enterprises. Her illustrations definitely illustrate the essence of a lifestyle, with good looking people and interesting patterns.

All images via her website.

Liisa Kruusm�gi

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 10:48:00 EDT

These drawings by Liisa Kruusm�gi are mixed media pieces that I really enjoy. There is a heavy emphasis on the face, with other lines simply indicating the body and clothing. It creates a nice push and pull of compositions. I think treating the whole piece with the same attention to detail would be overkill for the eye.

I personally love the stark, heavy line alone on paper. I am reminded of the work of Egon Schiele.

All images via her website.

Jay Cover

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:11:00 EDT

I really love Jay Cover's work. Bold, graphic, and shape driven, his work transitions to different media and dimensions flawlessly. His work is so flat and very stylized, and that is what I love most. Just look at his animals- their snouts exist on an entirely different plane than their eyes. Something that could never make sense in real life, but is just one of the many beauties of art - interpreting the world in your own way.

All images via his Flickr. Check out his website.

Amanda Gehin

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:28:00 EDT

I am sorry for the delayed post today! My brain is currently working at half capacity, as I am suffering from a nasty sinus infection. Have you ever popped your ear and it's made your jaw ache? I have, last night. Not fun.

Enough with my whining. Onward! Amanda Gehin describes herself a fantasy architecture engineer working in goauche. Amanda's use of color and media, in addition to her background, give these pieces a unique feel. They have, simultaneously, a feeling of a patchwork quilt and a 8-bit video game.

I really enjoy how Amanda has designed these pieces.The bricks, stair patterns, and rugs give these paintings a Tetris-like movement to me.

All images via Flickr.

Process Reprocess // May Yang: Behind the Scenes

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:31:00 EDT

Process Reprocess is a series all about what it takes to cre�ate work. For this install�ment, May Yang has been kind enough to enlighten us all as she begins a print�mak�ing series. At one time, she was call�ing her cur�rent series the �The Tiger and the Ram�, but has since scrapped that. Read the first and second posts here!

When May last checked in, she was at a bit of cross roads with her newest series. She had done research, preliminary work, even printed a little bit. The direction she started to head, however, was not the right path. Realizing this, May scrapped her original idea of Zodiac signs and began to focus on the use of her hands in the series, referencing work prior.

Now, May is still moving forward. Using the same hands, she tells me:

I've started making the film work for the first couple of pieces in series. They're all India ink and sumi ink on clear duralar. There's a little more info on the process of making the films on the individual pictures. These films will be what I use to burn the screens. I'm trying to minimize using digitally outputted films for this series, mainly because I've had a lot of problems getting good (and decently priced) films locally. Besides that, most of the work has been "behind the scenes." A lot of sketches, writing and a lot of reading. I'm going to apply for a grant to help pay for some of the materials. I'm going to keep working on these first two pieces so I'll have some examples of what the rest of the body of work will look like, but for the most part, it's going to be pretty slow.

If you recall, here is what May's hands looked like last time:

Now, using sumi ink on duralar:
May writes, "There's a full size print out of the "key image" on the bottom, just taped to a 22x30" piece of paper for reference. Duralar is laid over the image and then I can begin painting. The ink is Higgins Black Magic, which works really well but smells awful."
"After painting a basic form, I go back in, reductively and outline the hand. I very lightly spray the film with window cleaner, which makes it easier to remove the ink and leaves some pretty neat textures."
"All cleaned up and ready to go. The dots that you see are from the window cleaner."

In addition to this series, May has also made a video of her working in her studio (on a different project) to promote the Tulsa Art Studio Tour. Check it out - it gives you a better idea not only the labor involved in printing, but the space May works in. Also, the music she's set the video (by YACHT) to is perfect for a Friday!
Ah, I love a good "haters gonna hate"...
Thanks as always, May!!

Vanesa Zendejas

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:33:00 EDT

Vanesa Zendejas is an artist living and working in Chicago. She works on paper and with objects to create sculptures, and has an upcoming show with Katy Keefe (who I have written about previously). The show is titled Living With Them, and is Roots & Culture Contemporary Art Center from April 1st through April 29th. The idea behind her work is looking at how the past still resonates with modern culture:

Looking to the objects that surround us, the work of Vanesa Zendejas deals with the reconstructed modernism we live with and that which is present in our common knowledge of art history. Sculptures and works on paper resonate between classical abstract forms and familiar furniture, arrangements and textures. The work also looks to the more obscure American geometric abstractionists and their direct influences, always keeping in mind our modernist lineage and how that effects us.

All images via her website.

Stella Lee

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:16:00 EDT

I used to have hair that was pretty long. You could do all the fun things with it, like braid it, putting a bun on the top of your head, brush it a satisfying 100 strokes...but then I decided to chop eight inches (maybe more!) off. While I don't often regret my decision, it's looking at work like Stella Lee's that makes me miss having longer locks.

The graphite against the soft tone of the paper is entrancing and soothing. Stella's drawing style has a gentle motion to it, and does a wonderful job of rendering hair. Hair can be drawn many different ways, but often times it can be hard to get the shading just right to make it seem that it is simultaneously one body but many individual strands as well.

All images via her website.

Also, I love the die cut that Stella has done to her sketchbook! Leaves me wishing I was a bit more thoughtful with mine.

Andreas Ragnar Kasapis

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:54:00 EDT

I know that these murals are nothing new (but new to me!!), but I recently came across the work of Andreas Ragnar Kasapis. His paintings, which are painted on both wood and on walls, are beautifully rendered. Color is gradually layered, as is mark making, and Andreas is not shy to show us how an individual piece progresses. I love the traditional, painterly approach, and its pairing with an art form that has really only taken off quite recently in comparison.

All images via Flickr. Check out Andreas's website too.

Leah Tacha

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:27:00 EDT

Leah Tacha, an artist living and working in Brooklyn, New York emailed me recently with her work. Specifically, she turned me on to her collages, which often juxtapose basketball players with glitter, and isolates over-the-top gesture of fashion photography. Leah's artist statement gives us some insight into this:

I was raised by a mother who was obsessed with color, glitter, and the shine of success, and a father who was inherently practical, hardworking, had a pointed sense of humor, and never missed a Kansas basketball game. The soundtrack to my morning breakfast was the ESPN theme song coinciding with my mother's blaring Broadway Musicals. I have always had an interest in these two polar opposites of fame, not necessarily for who these people represent in our society, but for the images that they create, their confidence in their steps, and people's belief in their powers. I am drawn to create sculptures and drawings that over exaggerate all of these conditions: ridiculousness, alienation, athleticism, adoration, plasticity, and mysticism.

All images via her website.

LLCoolJo

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:21:00 EDT

I am really enjoying the style of LLCoolJo today. His style, a bit of alternative comic look to it, works really well with portraits. I love how dark they are, which makes me sort of uneasy. Ever since watching Ren and Stimpy as a child, I've had an aversion to bugs, worms, and things of general sliminess. These drawings remind me of young Sara, watching the show and feeling totally grossed out by it. Fond memories.

All images via Flickr.

Jillian Tamaki: Penguin Book Covers

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:45:00 EDT

I know I tweeted about this yesterday, but I wanted to share this on the blog because it made my day! These Penguin book covers, as sewn by Jillian Tamaki.

Working on my own sewing project, these covers are great inspiration. So beautiful and refined, I am entranced by the meticulousness and neatness of Jillian's stitching. It's a good thing I don't own these books already - I would have to buy doubles when these are released on the shelves.

All images via Jillian's blog.

I am also very excited to see more of the in-progress shots for these pieces.

Andrea Burgay

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:05:00 EDT

Visceral is one word I would use to describe the work of Andrea Burgay. She works in both 2D and 3D, creating works that ooze the remnants of what's been left behind.

I especially love looking at Andrea's 3D works - the mixture of texture, size, and proportion is interesting and at the same time has a very organic feel to it. I think of her collages the same way as well. Andrea employs natural textures (albeit photographs), so I feel a lot of times as though I am looking at the growth of a whole new being.

All images via Flickr.

Alika Cooper

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:48:00 EDT

Happy Monday! I hope you are all feeling better than I am! I was sick all weekend and am still feeling a bit under the weather. Onward though, to one of today's featured artists!

It is no secret my affinity for both collage and fabric. That's why I am really enjoying the work of Alika Cooper, who creates collages using fabric, mimicking the human form. I enjoy seeing her paint with the fabric, abstracting shapes into narratives with only a few colors or textures.

All images via her website.

Olivier Vrancken

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:23:00 EDT

I love making connections, understanding how small the world really is by just a few degrees of separation. So, it is no surprise that my eyes favor compositions where it can move with fluidity around the image. Olivier Vrancken, an artist based in the Netherlands, exemplifies this. His figures and colors work in harmony to build a bridge within the relationships. Although Olivier has abstracted the figures, shapes, and patterns in his work, there is still this feeling of tenderness that I get from these images.

All images via his Flickr. Check out his website as well.

NewVillager: LightHouse

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:02:00 EDT

Thanks to Beth over at IAMSOUND for turning me on to this music video by NewVillager.

The guys in NewVillager, Ben Bromley and Ross Simonini, see themselves as a multi-media group, and produce not only music, but drawings, animations, performances, films, lectures, and also write.

While the video was directed by Ben Dickinson (who has directed a bunch of videos by The Rapture), the concept and visuals for LightHouse came from the band itself.

Check it below. Love the costumes - a lot of the quasi-subversive, alternative-comic aesthetic I enjoy, translated into three dimensions.

Brian Vu

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 10:32:00 EDT

Brian Vu is a collage artist, photographer, and blogger (he runs the blog Rebel). For my purposes, I'll be sharing his collage work with you.

Brian has a succinct way of describing his art, mapped out to us in equations: live + death, love + hate, religion = afterlife. And really, his collages do embody these ideas. I especially enjoy the shrouded figures in a few of his pieces. They remind me of death hovering.

All images via his website.

Augustina Woodgate

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:20:00 EDT

While perusing Lost At E Minor, I came across the work of Agustina Woodgate. More specifically, I found her rugs, which are hand design and sewn from recycled stuffed animal skins.

I have always been intrigued by oriental rugs, and the intricate techniques used to construct them. Via her website, there is explanation to her project:
The rugs not only reference the personal histories of the toy's owners, but investigate the rug as an object organizing and displaying memories and lineages. In Eastern Cultures, the oriental rug centralizes the living space in pattern, operating beyond utility to depict the spiritual and mental world in woven form. Woodgate is particularly drawn to the specific meanings in the arrangement of rug designs, and how different histories of the rug represent stories of the past and ways of tracing archetypes in physical and material forms.

Augustina's use of old toys adds another level to the act of rug construction. She is taking discarded items, ones with history, and creating a whole other chapter in the life of these old toys. It's also making something that could be silly (like a stuffed bear) and suddenly turning it into something that is very utilitarian, and toning down the playful nature of what it once was.

All images from her website.

Jordan Kasey

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:14:00 EDT

If you live in Baltimore, you've no doubt seen the paintings of Jordan Kasey. Her large paintings on canvas command your attention and their content keeps you looking.

The last few years of Jordan's work seems to explore a land that's full of light. That, to me, is the most striking thing about her paintings. Blue skies always present. Even when it's dark, the implied light nearly silhouettes the figures. I like looking at these work and thinking that the idyllic settings are setting the viewer (and follower of Jordan's work!) for some sort slow demise of this place and people.

All images via her website. Be sure to check out all of her work!

Leslie Martinez

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:04:00 EDT

I am not sure where or who inhabits the paintings of Leslie Martinez, but they seem to be a mixture of the dead and undead, determine to keep order or destroy it. Small creatures hover around a larger being, with very little interaction between the two. It leaves me to wonder what the motive is as I am dazzled by the pattern and saturated colors.

Leslie also has a side project, the Martinez Design Project. It features quick, intuitive drawings, hand-painted onto t-shirts and totebags, striving to provide the consumer with affordable and original art.

All images via her website.

Malin Bergstr�m

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:28:00 EDT

Malin Bergstr�m is an Swedish-based artist and illustrator. She creates collages that suggest they might run parallel with the natural world, but not intersect.

With one series of collages, Malin titles them Purely Coincidental, with the explanation, "Any resemblance to any other world, known or unknown, is purely coincidental". That idea stayed with me as I viewed her work. While Malin sets up systems, and mimics shapes and textures found in the natural world, her collages never quite literally resemble anything I know.

All images via her website.

The Mammoth Collection &Doctors Without Borders

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:04:00 EDT

I don't need to tell you how devastating, disheartening, and sad the situation in Japan is and continues to be. It's a really helpless feeling to be so far away, especially when the scope of the destruction is so great.

I've written about The Mammoth Collection before. Ben and Troy are some great guys that run it, and incredible generous as well. They passed this bit of info along to me today:

So go ahead (now until Friday), buy a print for that spot on your wall that's been hanging bare for months! I know I will. Not only is Mammoth helping you beautify your life, but they are helping a crisis of epic proportions, benefiting Doctors Without Borders.

I have this Carolin Loebbert print hanging on my wall:

...And I am totally in love with it. Here are some others I am considering, but Mammoth has so many more, with variety for anyone to find something they'll love. What do you like?
Northern Lights by Tom Edwards
Earthquake Bird by Saejean Oh
Middle Class Utopia #21 by Klaus Pichler

Morgan Blair

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:44:00 EDT

The work of Brooklyn-based illustrator Morgan Blair is inspired by motion graphics on VHS tapes from the 80's and 90's (oddly specific, but I know exactly what she speaks of), Lisa Frank, and Tetris.

To further her work with nostalgia (at least my nostalgia), she also implements holograms into her work. I feel like I'm back in 1992, at the movie rental section of the IGA grocery store, waiting for my mom to finish her shopping. I love it.
Morgan also does work on walls and murals. Below is one that she painted in a private residence in New York City.
All images via her website.

Toska by Lizzy Stewart

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:22:00 EDT

I always knew that Lizzy Stewart could draw. But, when she was kind enough to send me one of her latest endeavors, Toska, I really got to see her drawing prowess first hand, not just on the interwebs. Her beautiful style has been translated into a black and white litho printed, 20 page book that is staple bound.

Lizzy completed the illustrations for Toska after two weeks in January spent with inhuman activity. The concept for the book is based on a quote by Vladimir Nabokov:

No single word in English renders all the shades of 'Toska'. At its deepest and most painful, it is a sensation of great spiritual anguish often without any specific cause. At less morbid levels it is a dull ache of the soul, a longing with nothing to long for, a sick pining, a vauge restlessness, mental throes, yearning. In particular cases it may be the desire for something, of something specific, nostalgia, love-sickness. At the lowest levels it grades into ennui, boredom." -Vladimir Nabokov

Lizzy started her book off with this quote, and upon reading it really set the tone for the entire thing. Looking at the images she had drawn, one does really get the feeling of toska. I spent some serious time with this during a gray morning, and the feelings conveyed in Lizzy's illustrations were something that I could relate to. Isolation, meandering, contemplation - all what I gathered from this beautiful book.

There was some serious care taken into the construction of this book. Heavy weighted paper and high printing quality make this something precious. Below are some of my favorite spreads out of 'Toska':

I found Lizzy's work so relatable that my original intention with this entry was to take sort of my own form of toska, but to juxtapose her drawings with my urban neighborhood, matching photos with images in the book. Unfortunately it just couldn't come together, but one image (of my supplies) is a take on a spread:

You can buy the book in Lizzy's Etsy store. I would highly recommend you do this!

Thanks, Lizzy!

If you have a pub�li�ca�tion, book, etc., that you�d like me to review, email me! I�d love to talk.

Caitlin Ducey

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:28:00 EDT

Rebecca introduced me to the work of Caitlin Ducey, and I'm really taken by her exploration in the use of plastic straws in sculptural forms. Caitlin has used them to create work that is pleasing on many different levels. She writes a bit about her series:

These three sculptures represent an exploration of material, process, and pattern. They are made primarily from plastic drinking straws. The abundance and accessibility of straws were initially attractive to me, as well as how common, yet disregarded they are in everyday life. The project evolved from this initial curiosity as well as an interest in the aesthetic potential they possess. The straws were cut in half and then stacked in the frame. There is no glue or adhesive holding the pieces together; they simply rest on top of one another. As the frame is filled, the weight of the thousands of individual straws gives the pieces more stability, but they are still very fragile. The technique is a reflection of older forms of art making. I like to think of it as pointillist sculpture, as it is made up of many small parts that make a cohesive image together and it exhibits a similar tension of being perceived very differently up close and at a distance. It is also undeniably influenced by craft traditions such as quilting, which uses pattern and brings together different pieces to make a larger pattern, and weaving, which starts from one end and creates a pattern in a linear progression from one end to the other. There is also a connection in the obsessive quality of the work and the time required.

All images via her website.

Nicholas Stevenson

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EDT

Nicholas Stevenson's work includes two things that I love. One, gouache. It is a medium is something that I never fully understood how to manipulate, so I always like to see the chalkiness of gouache exposed on paper. Nicholas's work also features mystical characters and with exaggeration on form and emphasis on blocky shapes. I love the color blocking, and enjoy the minimal line work with his style.

Nicholas has recently contributed to Fairy Tale, consistently one of my favorite Tumblrs. Check out the collaborative fairy tale for other awesome works/artists.

All images via his website.

Ryan Mauskopf and Professor Soap

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:24:00 EDT

This video from Ryan Mauskopf sat in my inbox for too long. I finally watched it the other day and smiled the whole way through. The concept is simple, but the characters and music are so delightful and work so well together. I couldn't stop watching the spirit quest journey- a building up to something more grand.

Animation and music both by Ryan.
Professor Soap - Spirit Quest Journey from Professor Soap on Vimeo.

Amber Kempthorn

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:25:00 EDT

Amber Kempthorn's work employs the use of mythical creatures and birds to convey a narrative that is often times a quest, the beginning or end of it. Absurd situations and characters help to make their stories believable and endearing.

I really enjoy her carefully collaged works, which use graphite, ink, pastel, and other papers. The works, while huge are extremely detailed in scope and construction. Amber has clearly considered each piece of her images, which range but can be as large as 60 inches in length! If you look closely, you can see that the paper comes off its surface a bit, giving a nice and subtle three dimensional effect.

All images via her website.

Time Travel Tuesday and My Guest Post!

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:29:00 EDT

So you read Rebecca's post about Hans Hofmann, now check out what I wrote on her blog!

Time Travel Tuesday: Hilma af Klint on BIG THINGS!

Time Travel Tuesday with BIG THINGS

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:30:00 EDT

As I mentioned on Twitter, today will be a return of Time Travel Tuesday. Remember that feature? It showcases work throughout history and hopefully brings some insight to today's current trends.

When I connected with the wonderful Rebecca of BIG THINGS, she suggested us each doing a guest post on the other's blog with Time Travel Tuesday as the theme. So, without further ado, here is Rebecca's chosen artist, Hans Hofmann!

Hans Hofmann�s paintings from the late 50s/early 60s gained fame for their brilliant, dynamic use of color, enormous, skillfully layered planes and explosive brush strokes. The shapes and forms are a compelling combination of the vivid palettes of the German Expressionists and the energy of post-war trailblazers like Pollock and de Kooning. And they�re exceptionally inspirational because he made them well into his 70s! Despite the fame gained from the bright canvases and association with the Abstract Expressionists, it is Hofmann�s career as a teacher that made him essential to the development of Modernism in America. A lifelong educator and founder of several schools, Hofmann was a liaison for European modernism in the states. Born in 1880 in Bavaria, his art studies took him to Paris in 1904, where he observed the revolutionary works and techniques of Picasso, Matisse, Braque, and the Delaunays. Back in Munich during WWI, he opened his own art school and shared his Parisian treasures with his students. In 1930, he was invited by a former student to teach at Berkeley, where he continued to spread the radical art concepts of his peers. After teaching in California, he moved to New York in 1932 and established two more schools, one in New York City and another in Provincetown, MA. He continued to share the style and attitude of the Europeans, and through his exceptional teaching skills, influenced the next generation of American students looking for a new way to express themselves and their ideas. Hofmann�s dedication to teaching, art theory, and of course, painting, has paved the way for so many artists, including former students Frank Stella, Red Grooms, Helen Frankenthaler, and Wolf Kahn. His influence is even seen in the abstract work of artists like Stas Volovik, Charlene von Heyl, & Inga Dalrymple, all featured right here on Brown Paper Bag! All images via BAMPFA�s huge collection of Hofmann works!

Thanks Rebecca!! Be sure to check out BIG THINGS. It's a lovely site (awesome, beautiful design) and full of fun stuff to look at and read about. Check out the store as well. I want it all!

Venn Diagram

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:19:00 EDT

Last Thursday I had a great time taking in the Venn Diagram show at the Pent House of the Copy Cat building in Baltimore. Jordan was kind enough to let me take a look at the show since I missed the opening!

Venn Diagram refers to the overlapping of materials, themes, and media by a number of different artists. The show had a really nice mixture of sculpture, 2D works, and interactive pieces. Shown in a large warehouse space, there was ample space to not only view the work, but to play too. This piece by Sal Farina (in a short video, demonstrated by Jordan), allows you to create a design using light, aided by a computer and sensors.

Venn Diagram from Sara Barnes on Vimeo.

Sal had many pieces in the show, including many prints and computer aided (not to mention technically more complex than I could ever do) pieces. He set up a television and used colors to transmit patterns on the screen. Different strips of color were arranged to create different and varying pattens.

Photographs and textures (such as fibers) were manipulated and used to create a pattern. It was a quadruple pattern, and could be broken up into smaller bits. They were complex and mesmerizing. Details:

There were really so many pieces that I enjoyed. Alex Epstein had a number of collaged works, including both paper and other materials.

Lesser Gonzalez Alverez:

John Bohl:

Jordan Bernier's posters (check out previous entry for his animations!)

I felt that overall, the show brought together a number of different artists that had their own point of view and way of working. There was a cohesion to the pieces in terms of themes - repetition, a sense of play amongst the elements within the works.

Thanks again Jordan, Sal, and Caitlin for letting me come take a look!

Jordan Bernier Animations

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:36:00 EDT

Last night I went to check out the show Venn Diagram at the Pent House Gallery at the Copy Cat building in Baltimore. I'm still working on getting the images (and a video) together for the post (look for it on Monday), but I thought I'd show animations I really enjoyed from the show. Jordan Bernier created stop motion animations that ran simultaneously.

Up With Sound from Jordan Bernier on Vimeo.

Diagonal With Sound from Jordan Bernier on Vimeo.

Center With Sound from Jordan Bernier on Vimeo.

I wish I could have these play at all once. They could be really overwhelming (visually), but are quite the opposite. The music accompanying them and the rate of the animation is alluring and tranquil. I can watch these over and over again.

See more of Jordan on Brown Paper Bag.

Wayne White

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:50:00 EDT

Continuing a bit of typography on Brown Paper Bag today, I am really enjoying the word paintings of Wayne White. Wayne is not new to the art scene, as he's had a fairly long career, starting out as an illustrator in New York City and later becoming a designer for Pee Wee's Playhouse. After moving to Los Angeles, he continued to design sets for TV shows.

More recently in his work, he has created Word Paintings that are, according to his website, "...world paintings featuring oversized, three-dimensional text painstakingly integrated into vintage landscape reproductions. The message of the paintings is often thought-provoking and almost always humorous, with Wayne pointing a finger at vanity, ego, and his memories of the South."

All images via his website.

Do It

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 10:19:00 EDT

Do It has been painting graffiti since 1996, mostly focusing his energy towards tagging freight trains. Since that time, his work has evolved to the exploration of typography itself, and the stripping down of letters into basic forms.

By doing this, Do It has abstracted these letters into fragmented works that highlight color and shape. You don't necessarily need to know the concept behind the paintings to enjoy their aesthetic quality, but I love how he's pushed letter forms. I think it is sort of illustrative of the idea that if you say something too much, it doesn't even seem like a real word anymore.

All images via Flickr.

Mazzarella Thomas

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:48:00 EDT

Would you want to live in Mazzarella Thomas's world? While I like his work, I wonder if I could hack it. It's the application of paint that gets me. While his paintings don bright colors and open space, there is also a chalkiness to his work, and leaves me feeling like I was in Los Angeles. A sunny place with haze and smog abound.

I especially like his open fields of color set against minuscule figures. It's a reminder of just how small we are now matter how important we may think.

All images via his website.

Adam Weir

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:33:00 EDT

My friend and fellow artist Amanda turned me on to the work of Adam Weir. Using gouache and watercolor, he paints disjointed environments. His statement:

Through works on paper, I explore ideas of displacement, consumption, and the environments in which we live. By combining everyday experience, nostalgia, and urban visual cues I create absurd constructions within my paintings to try and understand the complex interactions between people, spaces, and things. Recognizable imagery surrounded by a vast expanse of white creates a dreamlike space that may or may not exist. The placement of such quotidian objects in unnatural or fantastic situations questions the reality of the world in which they reside.

All images via his website.

art together // ethan hayes-chute

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 10:21:00 EDT

I am very excited to share the lat�est install�ment of Art Together, a col�lab�o�ra�tive inter�view. It works like this: I cre�ate a piece of work and then mail it to the par�tic�i�pat�ing artist. They, in turn, respond to it some how� this could be: adding, sub�tract�ing, cut�ting, past�ing, paint�ing. What�ever they see fit to what I�ve started. After that, I write some ques�tions based on our collaboration.

Ethan Hayes-Chute was an artist that I met while at the Vermont Studio Center last fall. Always up for an adventure, Ethan was a lot of fun to get to know, and I'm really happy that he was able to participate in this with me!

Without further ado, here is the piece I sent Ethan:

And, here is what he sent back to me:

Firstly, have you done any exploring recently?

I spent nearly three months this winter in Iceland, on the east coast at an artists residency program (www.skaftfell.is), and there was a bit of exploring going on there. Wintery weather and lack of access to a car stymied that a bit, but I still saw some great things. I plan to swing by Iceland again for a bit this summer. I'm also going to be exploring a bit of the west coast of Norway in a few weeks, and hopefully I'll be able to be a bit more mobile there- though I'll be pretty busy, so perhaps that's a bit overly optimistic.

How was the decision made to respond to my piece with something a bit less abstract?

Well, indeed, I don't really work abstractly, at least not lately, but I wanted to make something that tied into what I am working on now. I tried out a few more solutions before I settled on what I ended up with, some more abstract. A few were abandoned mostly on a material level, meaning I didn't have access to the right media to do what I initially wanted while I was working on this in Iceland.

(The following images courtesy of Ethan.) "Homestead (Turnbuckle) " Graphite on Paper, 15 x 10.5 cm, 2010
"Homestead (One Channel)" Graphite on Paper, 15 x 10.5 cm, 2010
Do you see our pieces as having a continuing narrative? Do you think they exist in the same world?

I do. What I saw in your piece was some sort of storm, perhaps enveloping, or shrouding, the scene I eventually pulled out of it. When the storm died down, you were able to see what it had been covering up.
"Suggested Wormhouse" Graphite on Paper, 7.5 x 10.5 cm, 2010
Your piece has a feeling of desperation - depression, Grapes of Wrath feel to it. Is this a theme you see in your other work?
Certainly, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I suppose I was a bit taken aback at the looseness of it- At first I had a hard time thinking what I could do other than use it as a background for something else. I looked further, of course, and found some shapes and forms that I responded to. The stitching immediately brought to mind an old needle-point that was always in the bedroom I slept in at my grandparents' house. I think my mom made it when she was young. It was of an old wooden post sticking out of the ground, with grasses and weeds around it �I need to ask where that ended up� I knew I wanted to use your careful stitching in my response; the colors evoked wood and boards, as well as those dried weeds in my mom's needle-point. I also responded quickly to this triangle-shaped portion you stitched, on the left hand side. It reminded me of a bulkhead used to get down into a cellar, and I knew I was going to incorporate that as well. The colors of paint you used are also familiar to me, so I decided to take those materials, forms and colors out (in the case of the stitching, literally) of the original piece and incorporate them into a new piece. I had started sketching out some things on this old piece of paper and left it on my desk for a few days. Apparently there was an oily spot on the desk and it soaked into the paper. The splotch was reminiscent of the stitched shapes you had made on the original piece, so I decided to continue with that paper. The oily splotches acted as a marshy area for the thread-plants to grow in. I imagined that the structure I drew has a cellar- and that entering through the bulkhead is the only way into the rest of the house as well. The small pebbles littering the scene are painted, matched from various colors in the background, and there are two collaged ones, cut from the purple-y color you had collage into the piece.
"went to get wood" Wood, found objects, 300 x 250 x 260 cm, 2008
Your body of work involves a lot of different living spaces. Some are 2D, but you construct other spaces as well. What draws you to this? Do you think your travels influence the way you think about home and structure, both literally and figuratively?

I've gotten very interested in the idea of someone building their habitation the way they want it to be- not simply content with moving into a pre-designed space. I imagine people who have decided to start from scratch, using their own ideas of what a house or a home should be, and investigating what possible forms may come up as a result. I suppose my travels must have influence in such ideas, but they also do make me go back and think about how it is 'back home' and I find I recenter my thoughts on those ideas and structures. My drawings, which I view as stand-alone works, but also as 'sketches' for 3D structures I'd like to build as well. In many ways I wish I could be simply living the life these buildings are created for, but that might also way-lay my investigations into other structures and architectural interpretations. That is, unless I can get a big tract of land and build my own town on it.
"Fragmented Cabin Study in 1:10 scale" wood, paper, plastic, metal, fabric, foam, paint, 15 x 14 x 2 cm, 2010
Art-wise, what's on the horizon for you?
From April till July I'll be artist-in-residence in Norway at the NORDISK KUNSTNARSENTER DALS�SEN (nkdale.no), which I am looking forward to greatly, and while I am there, I'll have a solo-show in May and June in Bergen, Norway at a great space called Entre�, where I'll make a fully-interactive cabin structure, furthering the ideas of another piece I did a few years ago in Berlin, went to get wood. (http://entree-visningsrom.blogspot.com) Also in May, I'm showing a selection of drawings from my series "Several Examples of Homesteading" at Maison des Arts, Malakoff, France in a group show with some great artists themed around the idea of houses and homes. (http://maisondesarts.malakoff.fr/ ) After all that, I'll have a show in August at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockport, Maine which will feature drawings and installations through out the building, a converted barn and fire station. It's a great space and institution, so I can't wait. (http://cmcanow.org/)

Thank you, Ethan!

Ted Talks : JR

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:32:00 EDT

Today has been a crazy day, so I leave you with this video. You are probably familiar with TED Talks, an annual conference that is devoted to the notion of "Ideas Worth Spreading". It's generally a pretty amazing conference that really leaves you thankful that people are still willing to think outside the box.

Annually, one individual is awarded $100,000 to help achieve their wish to save the world. This year, a semi-anonymous French street artist, JR, won. Using a camera, wheat-pasting, and a crew to help him, he pastes photos on massive canvases throughout the world. It is pretty incredible and worth the 24 minute viewing. Check it out below:

Conectado: Connecting

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:38:00 EDT

This past Saturday I attended the opening for Conectado: Connecting at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore. I personally know the artists collaborating on the piece, Jaime Bennati and May Wilson, and I was really impressed with the installation they had put together. Jaime and May had really transformed the space, with a totem-like structure of cement cylinders (casted by May) and shipping pallets, intertwined with wire. Not only was this a visually compelling piece to view, but also was interesting to look at the individual assemblage.

Both artists have spent time in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, (with Jaime spending upwards of a year there), and Conectado: Connecting is a reflection on the vibrant street culture present in this city. Wires present in the favelas, candy and fruit sold on the street - Jaime and May have referenced it in their installation. The large pallet and cylinder structure felt monumental, lumbering over the attendees of the show, a remark on the rapid speed of Brazil's growing economy. Also, projected on one wall (which I failed to capture), were bus routes on Google Maps, flipping through different streets at a rapid, almost dizzying pace.

Cast out of resin.

Marie Glaize

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:56:00 EDT

I am loving these ethereal, dreamy landscapes by French artist Marie Glaize. They feel weightless, yet hold their own in the space.

Marie minimalizes our world by abruptly adding hard edges to trees, fields, and mountains. They are akin to topographic maps, but have a much more romantic feel to them with their jewel-toned colors and soft marks.

Check out Marie's Tumblr. All images via her Flickr.

peter taylor

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 10:44:00 EDT

I don't know about you, but my day has started out with a bit of stress. My moment of zen for the morning thus far is Peter Taylor's work. His website features 10 different drawings of the same figure in different poses. I think it's the combination of soft handling and tranquil expression and poses of Peter's character(s) that is very soothing to me. The drawings are very fluid and my eye travels around the compositions, never tiring.

Here are some of my favorites. I wish I was doing some yoga right now! All images via his website.

Faif

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:27:00 EDT

I am loving the playfulness and subversive aesthetic of Barcelona-based Faif. On street projects, he collaborates with other artists, but you can still pick out his part. It's helpful that he makes prints, which gives a better idea of his style. So, in awesome murals like this one, you can see some of Faif in there:

All images (one above and others below) all via Flickr.

Amazing:

erica mahinay

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:33:00 EDT

I met Erica Mahinay this past fall at the Vermont Studio Center while we were resident artists. I thought her work was amazing in person, and so this morning I was very excited to see a press release from her in my inbox.

Erica's work is play between painting and sculpture, and what I really love about it is how ambitious it is. Ambition cannot always be met, but her pieces - a combination of painting on canvas supported by physical objects and installation, really create an environment for the viewer. A portion of Erica's artist statement:
As an emerging artist, it is my ambition to amplify the scope of my work through compelling visual play, extensive dialogue, and examining my relationship to the history of painting. In my work, I explore the psychological and emotional weight inherent in our construction of �home�. My painting-constructions utilize the familiarity of the home to explore notions of longing, displacement, inversion, truth, self-deception, and perseverance. By combining a variety of materials, I am allowed to create a system of clues that create an immediate sense of familiarity, but in a way that is shifted and uncanny. Dense layers of subtly colored paint and stripped away portions act in conjunction with found objects and painted representations to create visual play between history and invention, dreams and memory, and the past, present, and future.

If you are local to Kansas City, Missouri, Erica has a show at the Cocoon Gallery from March 4th to the 26th.

First three images via her website. Last image via the Cocoon Gallery

Michael C. Hsiung

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:33:00 EDT

Often times, context is what gives things meaning, or gives us license to express proper emotion about something. In Michael C. Hsiung's drawings, it's not only the drawings I love, but his titles and explanations for his work as well - the writing element helps to give his work the context to properly appreciate and respond to his work.

All images via his website. Check out his Bio page for an awesome FAQ.

His titles really added to the experience of viewing his work, so I am pairing them with each drawing!

What really happened in the bunker.
Scenes from Hitler's Childhood Doodle.
On the teachableness of certain air tosses
In which the crew and captain exchange harsh words and how the sad fate of the rowboat HMS Goliath
Examples of persons who have been defeated and how they come back

Daniel Zender

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:14:00 EDT

In college, I took a class centered around the films of Alfred Hitchcock. We watched some of his classics, and it fostered my love for his films. When I saw Daniel Zender's Hitchcock movie posters, it instantly had me adding the films to my Netflix queue (again).

Daniel has really pulled off these screen-printed posters very nicely. They have an eerie yet cool feel to them, which I think compliments Hitchcock's films. He famously builds his plots on suspense rather than surprise, as does Daniel in these posters. The essence of the films has been captured without giving too much away. I'm glad this film series included Vertigo, which I find to be most disturbing Hitchcock work!

All images via his website.

Oh, and just because I am dreaming of warm weather, here are some additional Daniel Zender illustrations from a summer fun guide. Wish I was riding my bike right now...

process reprocess // may yang: conflict &resolution

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:16:00 EDT

Process Reprocess is a series all about what it takes to create work. For this installment, May Yang has been kind enough to enlighten us all as she begins a printmaking series. At one time, she was calling her current series the "The Tiger and the Ram", but has since scrapped that. Read the first post here!

May explains below:

It probably seems like a complete 180 from where I was. I really hit a wall after I finished the pieces that I sent you. I was feeling pretty conflicted about the direction I wanted to go in, but in the end decided to put the original zodiac based idea (and origin for the working title, the Tiger and the Ram) on the back burner.

I think part of the creative process is not only figuring out what works for you, but figuring out what doesn't work for you while creating, and not being afraid to abandon something that doesn't feel right. May continues:

I decided to use my hands as the main figures in the series of prints. This references back to a couple pieces that I worked on for my Momentum Tulsa Spotlight project, American Dreaming. I took all of these photos myself with my camera on a tripod, which must have looked hilarious because of how contorted I was. Wish I could have gotten a photo of that!

All images via May's Flickr, courtesy of May. Check out the entire series.

Reference photos May mentioned:

Love the color of her studio walls!
May writes that she will most likely incorporate text into this new series.

Fine Line, Issue 2

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:34:00 EDT

Psst... The second issue of Fine Line 2 is launched today. The lovely ladies behind it, Jessica and Cassandra, have crafted a 50-page perfect bound book showcasing some wonderful artists in Act Accordingly. Get a copy here.

All images via Fine Line.

Nancy Aguilar.
Javier Pinon.

Gaia's New Work in Baltimore

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:05:00 EDT

Always a fan of Gaia's work, he recently emailed me with some new work that's up around Baltimore. Happening upon his work is always great - it's like finding money in your pocket. His newest pieces are large and ambitious, with even some documentation of the actual application of work.

The following process shots were taken by Larry Cohen:

The following pictures are all from Gaia's photostream:

Gaia writes that the rooster cradling the head of St. John is as depicted by Guido Reni. Another location:

Studio Visit // Elena Johnston

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:09:00 EDT

Last weekend I had the delight of meeting with Elena Johnston, an artist based in my home city of Baltimore. Upon meeting her, I was instantly excited by not only her work and work space, but beautiful, light-filled apartment (and her cat). Her home is nestled in a neighborhood with some beautiful old houses, like this one:

A couple of weeks prior, I sent Elena the first half of a collaborative piece, with the intention of a real-life Art Together project. Unfortunately, I forgot to document my half, but here is what she came up with:

My half mostly consisted of the background colors with a few shapes. Elena explained that my shapes gave her the inspiration to try and mimic what I had done (in her own way of course). She also added that the background colors reminded her of the Fall season, which influenced some of the imagery used as well.

During my visit, the topic of seasons, memories, and play came up in conversation. Elena has been using collage in her work for about two years, using old magazines such as National Geographic to drum up imagery. Sometimes, she simply cuts out textures, other times it is elements from the spreads themselves. I love Elena's most recent paintings, which are a combination of both collage and painting with acrylic ink. They are bright and lively, with a feeling of ease about them.

Elena told me the color of her walls are the same color she had in her room growing up.
The base of this piece was made by rubbing a rough paper (out of an old paper-sample booklet) onto the paper used in painting.
A couple of pieces that Elena has completed recently. A zine and the album cover for Adventure.
We discussed how the act of experimentation and play is important in any artistic practice. Near the end of our time spent together, she showed me collages that she had created with others. Their process is simple as flipping through old magazines and cutting out shapes and patterns. But, as we both agreed, the new ideas that can be discovered from these exercises is priceless.

Elena is currently working on a new body of work that she hopes to show this summer. She is also work on a music project, BAMBOO, with Jordan Bernier (previously featured on Brown Paper Bag!)
I am jealous of that flat file. Thanks Elena, for letting me visit!

Irana Douer

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:45:00 EDT

Today? More portraits! Or, maybe not exactly portraits, but depictions of people. It's Irana Douer's work,and I like it.

Irana's rather simple line drawings are complimented by accents of color and shape, interjecting symbols and coupling that with nudity. I don't think lack of clothing is an issue for these women, as they seem neither amused nor ashamed. It's just how it is.

The connection made with nature reminds me a bit of Eve.

Irana also runs Ruby Magazine, an online publication promoting artist's work every month. Look to that for some great inspiration! (Also, I love seeing the personal work of people who run online magazine and blogs!).

All images via her website.

Lou Ros

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:04:00 EDT

I enjoy these portraits by Lou Ros because they are a skew on the standard portrait. While they don't offer a different angle to the human face, Lou has made his work visually interesting by fracturing the features, repeating lines and shapes, and using expressive mark-making.

There is just enough information given about the subjects that we can start to understand their personalities, which I think is indicative of a successful portrait. There is a certain light in the eyes.

All images via his website.

masha rumyantseva

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:14:00 EDT

With photographic collages, you can expect a certain level of absurdism. That quality can go either direction - it can be humorous or a bit more introspective, using symbols to communicate a larger, more serious theme. I think that Masha Rumyantseva's works lean a bit more on the humorous end of the spectrum, as she plays with scale to create situations that are rather light hearted.

It's nice to see a bit of color interjected in her work as well!

All images via Flickr.

Mike Lay

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:20:00 EDT

I find these drawings by Mike Lay to be an interesting example of lifestyle illustration. They are conscious of trends and fashion, expressive at the same time, encompassing a certain feeling from drawing to drawing.

The use of bright, electric accent colors highlights a hyperactive, high energy, yet deteriorating lifestyle. The subjects of Mike's drawings seem worn out but not interested in giving up what they have. This is especially apparent in the eyes - blank stares like they are possessed.

All images via his Flickr.

Review // Fluoro8

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 10:09:00 EDT
Why yes, those are Legos on the cover.

The nice folks at Fluoro sent over their newest issue, Fluoro8 for me to take a look. Designed and printed in Melbourne, Australia, it covers fashion, arts, design, and culture. Aesthetically very pleasing, the 18-spread magazine is printed on gorgeous, smooth paper giving it a nice weight as well as a feeling of preciousness - the quality of printing and inks had me handling it with care.

Fluoro8 boasts several longer articles (this issue featuring an interview with Sacha Walckhoff, Creative Director Christian Lacroix and street artists Anthony Lister and Meggs) peppered amongst shorter, more fashion-conscious and culture-focused spreads. There were products of interest and pages of inspiring artwork. I especially enjoyed the collage work featured in this issue (some highlighted below).

This being an Australian magazine, there were some things specific to the culture that left me to question and later research (like the Stolen Generation of the Australian Aboriginal).

Overall, there was a feeling of connectedness about this publication - it is privy to the rest of the world and recognizes trends extending beyond its home base. But, throughout my reading of Fluoro, I never forgot where I was and enjoyed the perspective offered. I also found this issue to be inspiring from a young creative's standpoint, and appreciated the interviews with insight from those at the top of the field. They still struggle from the same things we all do - identity, direction, and perception. It's really nice to be reminded of that sometimes.

Thanks Fluoro!
If you have a publication, book, etc., that you'd like me to review, email me! I'd love to talk.

Tom Moglu

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:49:00 EDT

Tom Moglu has been pretty prolific in his collage making. Each day he creates collages out of bills, books, among other things, using a variety of colors and papers.

Tom's Flickr set includes more than 130 collages, often arranging them into small groups of five or six smaller collages. They look great as a set, which you can view here.

I look at these and think "landscape". What about you?

Julie Dru

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:07:00 EDT

This afternoon, I am really enjoying the seemingly quick, effortless drawings of London-based artist Julie Dru.

She writes that she loves the beauty of imperfections, which complements her hand-drawn, graphic and collaged work. Julie also completes monoprints as well!

All images via her website.

Luciano Scherer

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 10:37:00 EDT

Luciano Scherer has two descriptors in his Flickr profile that I think sum up his work: post-naive and gothic. Themes in his work are a bit dark, with creatures looming over the landscape. They are in contrast to an otherwise idyllic landscape, only adding to the feeling of uneasiness.

In addition, Luciano does paint in a flat, almost naive manner, reminding me of Henri Rousseau, a prominent folk painter. The contrast between the endearing forest and the evil lurking within is a compelling part of Luciano's work.

All images via Flickr.

Joakim Ojanen

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:58:00 EDT

I first featured Joakim Ojanen last year. A student living in Stockholm, Joakim shot me a link to his website with new work on it. I am a big fan of his drawings, with their visceral quality. I also and really enjoying the tactile quality of his paintings. I love these characters! I think I would really enjoy a mask with a duck bill attached.

All images via his website.

Shelby DiMarco

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:17:00 EDT

Yesterday, Kelly of Little Paper Planes suggested that I look at their current featured artist, Shelby DiMarco. Kelly told me that she was only 19, and making great work already. I'd have to agree with her!

A collage artist, Shelby depicts dreamy landscapes, hazy in their coloring and floating in space. Little Paper Planes features an interview with the artist and definitely worth the read.

All images are via her blog. Her blog is a good to look at. She clearly has an aesthetic she is attracted to (one that I also love).

Happy Birthday ASCII Art

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:11:00 EDT

It's Brown Paper Bag's first birthday! To celebrate, I thought I would post some birthday ASCII art from Chris.com. I love the lost art form known as ASCII. Unfortunately it is all more than 140 characters, so I have to share it on here.

All ASCII via Chris.com.

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* ( + *. . ) ) . ____+ ( * . ( \|| (//\_ \.\|/ . + .-"-\ \ `a,a `/ / | + ( / \ \ \O_ / / / ) + . |# |\ \_) (_/ / * .-"-. ) \___/ \ / /# \ ( * /^ \.&&&./ . | | ( * | & |* \___/ . \ |__&__| ' ^\ + ) | \_/ | ) . ) * . @%@%@%@%@%@%@ ( ( ( { happy } ) * ) * { birthday! } + ( ( @%@%@%@%@%@%@%@%@ ) ' + { } * ( { ......... } jgs { } ( *(jrei)@%@%@%@%@%@%@%@%@%@ +

Niky Roehreke

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:16:00 EDT

There is so much good stuff on Niky Roehreke's website that it's hard to pick what to feature on Brown Paper Bag.

Niky is very talented and lends her skills to a myriad of projects. This includes animation, drawing, painting, illustrations, and design. Although she utilizes the computer for a lot of her work, Niky always provides a hand-drawn touch to whatever she is doing.

All images via her website.

LOVE WILL GUIDE YOU FULL VERSION from Niky Roehreke on Vimeo.

Kathy Bouthier

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:35:00 EDT

I tweeted last week about the work of Katty Bouthier. She is an artist working in collage, using photographs and accent color to make her work pop.

The content of Katty's work tends to be fantastical and almost mystic. There is the exploration of the unknown and a emphasis on consciousness, especially in the cropping of her pieces - they feel like vignettes, small and intimate, as if we are taking a glimpse into the inner thoughts of someone else.

All images via her website/blog.

Chelsea Brown

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:25:00 EDT

Here is some beautiful work by Chelsea Brown. An artist based in San Francisco, her drawings and paintings are based around the supernatural, Native American and animals.

I asked Chelsea to tell me about her work, which she happily obliged:
Most of my work deals with supernatural themes inspired by myths, legends, spirits, cosmology and rituals. I am especially amazed by Native American spiritual culture and a lot of the research that informs my work begins there. There are so many interesting intricacies to their culture. For one thing, there is no separation between humans, animals and the earth. In some Native American languages, there is no word to differentiate 'humans' and 'animals' because they are in essence the very same thing. I find it fascinating that in many cosmology myths, it is an animal or a non-human phenomena that is responsible for creating the universe for all beings, instead of in many other 'religions' the creator is a man or some image of man creating the universe specifically for man. Although each tribe has its own unique culture, there are some interesting ways in which tribes across North America are similar in their spiritual culture. Most tribes have some variation of a Vision Quest, which is a process wherein an individual seeks out their connection to the spiritual world. This process would yield a 'spirit animal,' or some kind of phenomena that became very personal, and would give that person strength and purpose through their lives.

Chelsea's work is clearly informed, and shows without her explanation. The complex, multifaceted imagery has a beautiful sorrow to it.

All images via her website.

Revamped!

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:46:00 EDT
I�ve been dream�ing about revamp�ing the look of Brown Paper Bag for months now. And, well, I finally did it! There are def�i�nitely still some kinks to work out and some things to be tweaked, but for the most part I am happy with the redesign. I hope you are, too! I have opted for a 3-column theme that allows for less scrolling and hope�fully cleans things up a bit. You can also eas�ily access some of the fun, semi-regular features. In attempts to cre�ate a bet�ter RSS feed, I�ve started to man�age my feeds through Rapid Feeds, and I�d encour�age you all to update your Brown Paper Bag feed to this address: http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/42234/. I am striv�ing to make Brown Paper Bag bet�ter, and within the next week or so I�m going to have a quick reader sur�vey avail�able for you to help give your input to what you see here! I started this blog a year ago on Feb�ru�ary 15th, and it�s been a great year. I�m excited for the next one! Sara

Erik Winkowski

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:53:00 EDT
Today I am enjoy�ing the mim�i�mal�ist, Matisse-esque, cut-outs from Erik Winkowski.

process reprocess // may yang

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:51:00 EDT
Some�times, the jour�ney to cre�ate work is as com�pelling as the fin�ished product.