In 2003 Andrew Faris graduated from Kent State University and promptly moved to New York City. He worked during the week as a web designer but over the weekend he would hit the streets with his parents Polaroid camera in hand. Everything NYC was new to Faris and he captured the city in a raw series of images that he decided he would share via NYCPP (the New York City Polaroid Project).
Billy & Hells have amassed a stunning body of portrait photography. Each image has been meticulously composed and portrays a unique personality from each subject. Sprinkled within the portraits are a few landscape shots that are equally wonderful and as much as I loved the portraits, I felt the landscape shots were high art.
German photographer Bettina Lauck has captured several muted, contemplative and sometimes serene images that have the power to stay with you long after viewing.
‘Pingzoo‘ is the work of Ping Zhu, a Los Angeles-based illustrator who paints in gouache on BFK Rives printmaking paper.
There is something pinup retro about Rui Ricardo’s slick and sexy illustrations but they could only exist in a post modern digital pop art world.
I stumbled across the Flickrfolio of Colorado artist Lucong today and was once again totally blown away by his work but also delighted in being treated to some extra-large examples of his beautiful paintings. He is a true talent and I need to make it to one of his shows. His work is absolutely stunning.
Remember all the way back in 2009 when the Omega Code poster craze swept the net and everyone jumped on board to create their own (including myself)? Well a few of those posters are now actually available for purchase at Society 6. I have to admit that I my personal favorite (out of the grouping for sale) belongs to Tom Muller.
I am sure for the die-hard creative blog circuit tourists Andy Gilmore needs no introduction but I stumbled across his Flickrfolio today and noticed he had several new things in his book for 2010. As always, all of the latest examples are a study in color and geometry resulting in pure modern art eye candy. If I could share a little secret with you, and in absolutely no way, shape or form am I belittling Andy’s work (especially because I am a big fan and frequently check back at his website to see what is new) but his images make for the coolest wallpaper tiles and iPhone wallpapers. They have been adorning my scree for well over a year now and I never tire of looking at them.
On the surface, you first have to pay homage to the great wordplay in the name ‘Satansmothers‘ but then you can get into some fantastic candid photography captured by Julio R. Rocha using tinted washed out hues leaving you with a feeling of hip 70’s nostalgia.
Photo-artist Julia Peirone was born 1973 and currently lives and works in Stockholm. She is fearless with her camera painting introspective and contemplative imagery that she also translates into video and sculpture installations.
French art duo Petra Mrzyk & Jean-François Moriceau live in Chatillon, Indre where they work on generating some fascinating graphic illustrations 365 days a year. Their commitment to art has lead them to exhibit around the world.
Ryan Schude has spent the last ten years moving between Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego and LA. All the while he has been building a tremendous portfolio of photography including some amazing set piece imagery that turn everyday environments into unique works of art.
“Alexa Meade’s innovative use of paint on the three dimensional surfaces of found objects, live models, and architectural spaces has been incorporated into a series of installations that create a perceptual shift in how we experience and interpret spatial relationships.”
Alexa Meade is a 23-year-old artist based in Washington, DC. She graduated with a degree in Political Science from Vassar College in May of 2009. She spent several summers interning on Capitol Hill and in 2008 was a press staffer on the Obama Campaign.
Her painting techniques push the boundary of perception by compressing three dimensional subjects into two dimensional planes. Essentially, Meade wraps live subjects (people) and objects in paint reversing the normal approach of an artist painting from a source subject and instead painting directly onto the source subject.
I wanted to apologize for getting to this one late. I actually saw this a week back, had it logged in a document somewhere and just never got around to having the time to post it this week. Do check out Meade’s work as it is definitely a fascinating approach to the accepted approach to paint and canvas.
‘It Was On Earth That I Knew Joy’ is the recent art film directed by Jean-Baptiste de Laubier and presented by the ever-inpiring Sixpack France. The film premiered on February 20th at the SCION Gallery in Los Angeles in an exhibition curated by Sixpack France. The trailer alone is a thought provoking bit of short film.
If you haven’t visited Sixpack France lately, now is a good time to do so. They have recently relaunched and stocked up with a really amazing new collection of apparel. I was and always have been a big fan of their t-shirts, especially considering the caliber of artists, designers and illustrators they work with but they are growing into an inspiring brand. I try to steer from being a free PR engine here but my admiration for what they do is sincere. They seem to have genuinely rooted their company in a passion for the arts and that’s an inspiring model for all of us in this business.
I am a long time fan and lover of all that grafitti artist Mike Giant does and here is a nice little snapshot of him doing what he does best.
Zachary Zezima is from Long Island but has lived in New York, Italy and Japan (how nice). He attended Parsons School of Design where he earned a BFA in Illustration. He has some excellent pen and ink work in his portfolio that is highly emotional and occasionally a touch psychedelic.
Here is what artist Alexis Anne Mackenzie has to say about her work:
“All of my collages are composed by hand – cut from books I’ve been collecting for years, and painstakingly pieced together as seamlessly as possible. They create themselves through a process beginning with a loose concept, followed by a series of trials and errors, subtle maneuvers, selection/elimination, harmonious unions, and happy accidents. It is a meditative process, and there is a lot of decision-making behind each element involved.
My general intent, throughout all my work, is to portray the world as a flawed thing of beauty – a place that shines brightly, but has a dark side to match.
You can view her ‘typographic collages’ at both her website and see some of her more recent efforts at the POVevolving Gallery.
Artist and illustrator Tom French was born in 1982, and raised in the North East of England. He attended the Newcastle school of Art & Design and went on to receive First Class Honors in Graphic Design from the Sheffield Institute of Art and Design. Since then he has continued his discipline by painting and experimenting with spray paint, stencil and collage work.
