Weekly Interview #10 - Jen Ray

Tell us about yourself and your work.

I create large-scale paper works featuring Amazonian women in dystopian landscapes. That's the short version. I also create performances based on the drawings and occasionally make sculptural works and video which is shown in conjunction with the performances. 

The works are focused on women who exhibit "bad behavior". They are rebels and revolutionaries making their own world on top of the ruins of other worlds. There is always a building up and a pulling down. And always wreckage of some sort, representing a smashing of the old order.

James Prochnik - Object Poems

I feel there's something special about assemblages. Collections of found our ready-made objects put together in a kind of art that lies between sculpture and installation, doused with a lot of coneptualism. The meeting of originally unconnected items can bring out memories and feelings that you thought weren't there anymore.

And that is the case with the works of James Prochnik (and several other artists co-working with him in some cases) - the man wanders around antique stores looking for things that evoke something in him, striving to create "sculptural haikus - concise and precise artworks that reflect on time, aging, dreams, and mysteries of the spirit (...)". Exceptional art, something that, through initially weird, reaches deep within us. Something perceived as ugly, yet somehow beautiful.

Nicolas Bohac - Paintings

Have you imagined the Earth without humanity? Well, you probably have, just like everyone else. But why do we have to imagine it? It's the civilization that is unique and somehow intrusive to the system, not other way around, as we tend to perceive it. Californian artist Nicolas Bohac intends to counter this misconception by examining how humans live by - and with - natural environment. How we change it and how we adapt to it. After all, it's a pretty odd relationship, isn't it?

Kiwilicious Jewelry #11 - Danielle Gori-Montanelli

 Woolen fleece seems to be quite popular in jewelry made by amateurs and laymen. Danielle Gori-Montanelli chose it too, creating innovative, dimensional sculptures with slightly pop-art-ish feeling. Colourful or in greyscale - either way, this kind of jewelry is heavy and garish cannot be only added to an outfit - it creates it and therefore tolerates only minimalistic clothing.

Kevin Bierbaum - Paintings

Just yesterday we wrote about a classic abstract expressionist. This day we keep the style, but focus on a young German-American artist, Kevin Bierbaum. His minimalistic mixed media paintings are clearly inspired by the famous Rothko's composition and so popular dripping technique. Yet he doesn't copy the "old masters" of twentieth century - Bierbaum's works are original and fascinating. Flashy, but somehow calming. Interesting, minimal compositions and bright, diluted neon colours render his art truly remarkable.

Classic Artist of the Week #11 - Helen Frankenthaler

If abstract expressionists were drinks, Motherwell would be scotch, Pollock moonshine, Rothko lager and Frankenthaler a tequila sunrise cocktail. Smooth, light, refreshing, tasty and girly, but men like them too (they're just too afraid of being spotted).

Timothy John-Luke Smith - Paintings

Timothy John-Luke Smith started his adventure with art at the age of fifteen. Inspired by both French neo-classicists and ancient art he creates these works - portraits of women in... quite strange environments.  Artist's page.

Weekly interview #9 - Scott Mitchell

I was born in Derby, England and graduated with a BA Hons in Illustration from Lincoln University in 2010. Since graduating I have been focusing on selling portraits both of celebrities and people’s family members along side my illustration paintings.

I work almost exclusively with acrylic paint, either on canvas for the portraits, or wood for the illustrations. 

Andreas Kuhn - Urban Patterns

Often we regard art as something carefully prepared and thoughtful, made with an intention to spark an emotion within the viewer-recipient. But we forget that art is all around us - most of the time unintentional art that acquires this status by being stimulating to our senses. "Neither they want to please nor make a point. they’re just there: findings »en passant« collected passing by." as writes Andreas Kuhn, a photographer who decided to hunt those little things in form of patterns that happen to be all around us - but from a right angle, they become much more.

Urban Patterns tumblr

About inspiration

What is an inspiration? The work „inspiration” itself seems to be the power word of sites like Pinterest or Etsy – even this blog promises to „inspire”. But many people misunderstand – and, therefore – misuse the word, to the point where it became nearly meaningless.

Connie Imboden - Photography

Connie Imboden is one of the most known artistic photographer in the world - most of the major museums of modern art has at least one of her work. While we tend to feature young and relatively unknown creators, let's take a look at someone with over twenty-five years of experience.

Imboden photographs people - naked bodies in surreal motions, cut in half, disappearing and twisting into abstract shapes. Her earlier work focuses on those figures and correlations that enter our subconsciousness upon seeing it - the shots are much more distorted and edited. On the other hand, the work from 2011 and newer, while staying true to the style she worked on her whole life, introduces colour red and is more about straightforward emotion rather than mind tricks.

Toginis - what is it and what do you eat it with?

This post is an introduction for everyone who has any questions about the site - or just wonders who are the wonderful people behind it.

Kiwilicious Jewelry #10 - Katherine Wheeler

Katherine Wheeler is an Australian artist with degree in fine arts and silversmiths who deals with ceramics and jewelry. Her works remind me of deep ocean treasures, coral structures created by crocheting and soaking the designs in liquid enamel.  As she said herself, the method is very spontaneous as it strives to preserve an energy of a quick sketch.
Through rich open-work and perforations the jewelry gains exceptionally light and organic look, further reinforced by natural colours. Wheeler works both alone and with Abbey Seymour, with whom she formed Golden Ink.

Frank Paul - Drawings

Yesterday we wrote about the art of Lucian Freud. This post will be a kind of follow-up - Frank Paul is his son and an artist himself. Not a painter through - Paul prefers drawing enigmatic, surreal characters wandering around dreamy wastelands. The choice of featured artworks was very hard as there are lots of drawings and most of them are very good. And all of them are promising a wonderful artistic future to Frank Paul.

Classic Artist of the Week #10 - Lucian Freud

Lucian Freud inherited much more than a surname from his grandfather - it is the deep fascination with human psyche, lying on the border of science and philosophy. He avoided the "Expressionist" label and indeed, Freud did not paint like Dix or Schiele, but it is impossible to not the the expression in his portraits. One of the rare occasions when upon seeing a piece we think we know it all - and yet we stare at it, discovering more and more layers of human emotion and the seemingly futile existence that we dread.

Dale Frank - paintings

Through the last several months writing this blog I've seen something curious - the better the art is, the simpler means the artist takes to promote it. Dale Frank is an Australian artist who doesn't have a website and sells very well. Not unique technique, but mastery in it and a great ability to feel colour has led him to the point where his art speaks for itself. For me at least the fluidity of colour is much harder to use than shapes - and much more subtle in its message.

Source.

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Weekly Interview #8 - Andrew Tong

Tell us about yourself and your work.

Let's start at the beginning, with the things that really influenced my artistic side. I was born in
1966, the only child to Doreen and Ronald Tong in Croydon, South London, England. Both my
parents served during WW2, my dad as an anti-aircraft gunner in the navy in Burma and my mum
was a worker in a munitions factory during the Blitz in South London. I grew up around WW2
veterans, heard their stories and that always had a large influence on my work. I developed a big
interest in history quite early and how it repeats itself.

In my mid-teens I discovered the joys of alcohol and getting into trouble with the police. I
developed alcoholism, also later drug addiction and I was working with some very shady
characters indeed, ending up in a place that could only be described as pure hell for many years.
On the upside, surviving this time in my life very much influenced who I am as an artist. Coming
out of it somewhat healthy has made me a stronger person.

My work always has a certain amount of an autobiographic touch to it. There is a sense of
nostalgia to it no matter how small. Then there are the parts of my life I have struggled to
overcome but as time goes on and that life gets further away, so does the subject matter. I don't
paint so many guns anymore. I have mellowed and that is a nice feeling. There was nothing
glorious about that lifestyle.

Aisha Zeijpveld - Photography

Aisha Zeijpveld is a photographer who recreates themes from Picasso and Schiele using Escher-esque perspective with surreal atmosphere. I don't think there could be possible more to these minimalistic shots that with great imagination reflect various themes. A bit morbid, a bit fabulous her pictures are thoughtful, artistic and draw you into them, whether you are willing to enter or not.

Artist's page.

Kiwilicious Jewelry #9 - Marta Szafraniec

Jewelry light and humorous, just hits the spot for summer holidays. Marta Szafraniec, a Polish designer with fresh approach and original ideas, creates her every project with a sketch and then searches a way to transform the abstract form into the reality. The goal here is to make the wearer or the viewer reflect, smile, perhaps be surprised. Szafraniec's newest creation is the site saffa.pl where two new collections are being presented: Dance and Pióra (Feathers).

Slinkachu - Little people

A young British street artist with international fame. No, not Banksy. Not today at least. Slinkachu's works resemble those of Liliana Porter's with the little difference of being on a street and other themes. Slinkachu tries to represent the loneliness of a big city inhabitant - but with some optimistic humour beneath it. And for me, the humour is what I see here. Funny, little people with giant objects right in the middle of a street and their tininess that reminds us how tiny are our own problems.

Artist's page.

Classic Artist of the Week #9 - Yves Klein

On this site, we like people who think differently. Those who have the bravery to do something the "wrong" way only to find that there exist no right or wrong ways anyway. And Yves Klein was in his craft so innovative that he founded minimal art, laid grounds for pop-art and, began performance art started the whole conceptual movement.

Stina Petersson - Illustration

If we were to tell you that someone worked for Vogue, Coca-Cola, Sony, DKNY and at least dozen of other well-known corporations, you'd think that person was a full-time professional. And you wouldn't be wrong, as Stina Petersson, a Swedish illustrator is one of the most known and successful artists of our age. Today we shall show some of her watercolours and typography - enjoy!

Source: http://www.stinapersson.com

Marcus Payzant - Paintings

There seems to be nothing noble in torn wallpapers and dead birds. And there's none. Yet in Payzant's representations we can certainly feel more than that. Hardly begun, half-ended scenarios slip from the consciousness of the canvas and leave us, the viewers to decide whether we want to end them. Or even if we consider then to be began. Payzant's art is like melting on a porch on a hot day when you find yourself half asleep or that time of the night when you think over your memories.

Source: http://marcuspayzant.com/home.html

Will Sears - Collages

A painter, designer and sign painter from Portland, Will Sears enchanted me with his both innovative and traditional approach to art. Combining elements from different sources he creates emotions, such as lust, longing for a better world or a sense of lost past. I particularly like Sears' work with wood - genuinely capturing the warmth of the material, combined with his imagination.

Source: http://willsearsfineart.com/Will_Sears_Fine_Art/Home.html

Kiwilicious Jewelry #9 - Jamajka

Jamajka is an artistic pseudonym of Maria Rągowska, an artist specializing in jewelry living in Wrocław.  Interested in shape, form, colour and combinations of different materials, she continues seeking and doesn't stubbornly stay with one style. Yet, her characteristics include intricate wire-wrapping with strong minerals.
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7435569@N03/

Seymour Chwast - Packaging and illustration

A founder of Push Pin Studios, widely recognized lecturer, recipient of the most prestigious awards, designer. I start to feel bad featuring suck a character on my lowly site. His masterful technique connects frivolous drawings, rich hues and escapes gaudiness. I would buy anything in these packages!

Source: http://www.pushpininc.com/index.html