Jason LaFerrera

Two big reasons why he's the artist of the day: 1) I've already gotten 2 emails about him, and to get even 1 in a day is a big deal. 2) He's from Richmond, which automatically bumps him up a notch in my book. Other reasons include his use of maps (which I am a HUGE fan of and use many maps in my work as well), along with his complex use of collage and paper to create creatures that jump off the page with simplicity of shape, yet intricacy of detail. Jason LaFerrera's work effortlessly achieves everything that I wish my work would embody; subtle pallete tones tie each image together with ongoing detail in each animal that keeps the eye on a continuous train around their forms. It's a delight to consider the travel and geography of the earth shaping these beautiful beasts, and his Etsy shop is open and available for you to bring one of these great pieces home today!

Here's some of my favorites from his Bird Series, followed by some work from his Fauna series- I didn't alter the size on some of them so you can click on each one to fully appreciate the scope of detail present in each individual work.

Allison Schulnik

Enter a world where the grotesque meets the natural, thick layers mask shape, and the despair overwhelms the seemingly joyful faces presented as sculptures, drawings, and paintings so thick they take on a 3 dimensional life of their own. Allison Schulnik, an LA artist with a BFA in Experimental Animation from CalArts who works in EVERY DIMENSION... EVEN THE TWILIGHT ZONE PERHAPS?!?!

Her work explored the forlorn, abandoned, those who wish to be loved and when rejected present themselves as fierce, beaten, or dejected. Although she studied animation, her paintings, drawings, and sculpture add to her portfolio along with her films. It's a tightrope of disgusting and delicate that pulls the viewer to experience with eyes open and stomach clenched. Check out the interview by FecalFace here, and check back for several show openings in the coming months.





All images copyright Allison Schulnik.

Benjamin Jones at Quirk

Every city with any sort of arts community has their version of First Fridays- the nights when wine flows, friends gather, and galleries open their doors for monthly openings and small shows. Quirk is always the toast of the town in Richmond with their ongoing commitment to unknown artists and big names alike, as long as they are innovative and bright stars in their niche.

Friday, September 4th from 6-10 Quirk opens their Main Gallery to Benjamin Jones, "an internationally acclaimed artist whose small drawings are full of deep emotion and intricate, yet ambiguous, story lines. The images walk a line between humor and horror, seducing the viewer as he sees bits of themselves, the artist, and the fictional collide." His show of small works runs until October 17th, so there is no reason why you should miss this great show.

Olaf Bruening

First of all, GREAT intro to the site! I love when artists share their space to the public, even if it is via internet. It is such a helpful peek into their world, which is a huge insight into their work. Regardless, this was brought to my attention via VAFROMVA's tweets, and I am instantly in love. Kitschy, slightly NSFW drawings, and a multitude of twisted links showing random things like the location of her studio via Google maps, a refreshing page with "Click Me" appearing endlessly, and "Scroll Downs" which reveal nothing but a picture of a man holding a bottle of Orangina. However, there are some serious links as well, such as her blog, shop (just kidding!), photos, installations, drawings, and more. Just the site itself is a delight, so once you actually maneuver to her portfolio the happiness only grows. Line drawings exploring the seemingly innocent figure in perhaps innocuous situations, sometimes dangerous, silly, risque, and more. Great quick work by an artist that I can describe as "fun." There might not be a lot of serious "work" behind it, but who needs it to bring a smile to your face?

MY GOD... I'M DELICIOUS!

I have a Twitter account. Believe me, I was a HUGE skeptic when it first came out, and when even now when I sit down and try to grasp the actual concept it still seems ridiculous. That being said, I follow Rainn Wilson's Twitter (Dwight from the Office) and his posts are always silly antics of online taunting with a few worthwhile links thrown in. His new background is courtesy of Mike Mitchell, an artist I'd never heard of- he hails from Los Angeles (where else) and a is self-proclaimed cat enthusiast. His work largely deals with animals, comic book characters, mixed in with a dash of silly, a splash of ridiculous, and some adorable grotesquerie. Take a peek at a few of his pieces (all used directly from his site)







These are just a couple of my favorites (wow, I like bunny art and a zombie ice cream- how totally unlike me!!!) Mike is also a brother in blogging! Check out his blog and shop for even more stuff from this darkly original artist. Shirts, prints, the works! He seems like a fun guy. Mike, if you ever see this, come on down to San Diego and we'll discuss important topics, like crime fighting slugs and spontaneously combusting kittens.

Souther Salazar and Megan Whitmarsh

First of all, I LOVE studio tours. It's such a great glimpse into the reality of the working artist. Fecal Face is really good about updating them on the reg, and the latest one was the LA studio of Souther Salazar and Megan Whitmarsh. I think collaborations or even shared spaces is an excellent idea, because even though the personal space is affected, the bouncing and sharing of ideas is a fabulous marriage. One day I would love to have a seperate studio from home; I kind of got a taste of that in the Honors Studio at VCU and it gave me the bug. I won't even bother posting images of their actual work (you can go to their websites for that) but I love the following things about their studio:
1) Exposed brick walls
2) Lots of weird nooks and corners
3) FLAT FILES. SO AMAZING.
4) Lots of light
5) Tons of books and other reference materials
6) An influx of neon. Superb.

Anyway, here's the studio. Maybe the next time I'm in LA I'll be a creep and lurk outside.

Kill Pixie

Mondays are sometimes difficult for me, and today was no exception. Getting up early has never been an easy task, especially over a long period of time. Just ask Momma D- I assure you that even the mention of the phrase "morning person" around her will ignite her into such a frenzy of explanation about how I am simply NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE that your ears will literally bleed at the montage. Still, somehow after our debaucherous weekend filled with cooking spaghetti and re-planting our herb garden I managed to ooze my way out of bed this morning to get to work by 7 sharp. It takes me longer than usual to get into my normal work mode on Mondays after actively atrophy-ing my brain into mush over the weekend, so I was perusing some of my personal emails and came across Fecal Face's Kill Pixie interview. I'm sure that at one time or another I've come across his work, but the vivid colors really struck a chord with my addled brain cells not quite functioning on 100%. Also I am very jealous of his LA pad. I would hate to live in LA for any other reason besides art, but I think I would thrive there as an artist. Then again, that's what everyone says.

Regardless, here's some of his drool-inspiring work.




These are all taken directly from Fecal Face. He's got a few shows coming up, one in LA and one currently in Australia. Some life, right?!?

Marcos Chin

Sometimes when I read articles by or interviews with professional artists it's hard for me to grasp the concept that their lives can be true. This interview with illustrator Marcos Chin was one of the most refreshing reads from a professional in a long while. I especially liked the part where he talks about brunch! Anyway, it's a very clear article that outlines his metamorphosis from student to professional and all the steps he takes to maintain his life. PS. I am VERY jealous of his studio. It's nice having a studio in our apartment, but I bet it's REALLY nice to have a totally seperate space dedicated to creation. Regardless, the article is a winner. Read it.

Japanese Young Artists' Book Fair

Last year I was lucky enough to be at Printed Matter in NYC for the 2nd annual Japanese Young Artists' Book Fair, and let me just tell you there are some SHARP book artists coming out of there right now. I picked up a few gems, and I'm sure this year is going to be just as spectacular. I actually caught it at 2 locations, the second being Spoonbill and Sugartown in Brooklyn, and this year it'll be in a variety of locations across the city as well (Kinokuniya Bookstore and St. Marks Book Shop along with the two aforementioned). Over 100 artists are participating, and it's going on from February 15 – March 8, 2009.

If you plan on being in the NYC area during the show, be sure to stop by one of the four locations. Book art is underappreciated and overwhelmingly beautiful to anyone who hasn't really experienced anything like it. I took a class about Book Arts at VCU last year, and it really opened my eyes to the entire world of tangible art that can be held and appreciated physically. There's definitely something to be said about the ability to hold something created in your hands. It's a great feeling.

NOWHERE Skateboards

Barf is a Richmond art icon who has got his tentacles wrapped up in most aspects of Richmond life. His work includes Barf Comics, Nowhere Skateboards, Municipal Waste, and a plethora of other underground independent things. I'm happy to say that his print of a cat vomiting a stream of undesirable objects graces the wall in our kitchen next to the refrigerator. It pleases me to stumble in blindly before work, attempting to get some orange juice before facing the day to look up and constantly be startled by the intensity feline face.

Anyway, Barf's got some new jamz going on, with his new Nowhere "Stab Bat" decks, available here for $45.




My only encounter with Barf was at a Municipal Waste show at the Canal Club, where I proceeded to take shots of whiskey with him since I always forget Anica's inability to consume the deadly beverage and continued to buy unwanted shots. It was a good night.

Paul Urich - Gone But Not Forgotten

The last time I was in SF, I made it a point to go to Fecal Face Dot Gallery, traveling across town, up hills and down wind tunnels, to try and grasp the experience that seems so in touch the the contemporary art world today. Of course, when we finally reached our destination, over hill and dale, it was CLOSED! This major disappointment has not dampened my enthusiasm for all things Fecal, though. They still are coming up with some of the best shows in the country pretty consistently.

This show of Paul Ulrich's should be one of the more interesting ones, and a great kickoff for 2009. Contemporary, so relevant, yet hints towards the old drawing masters, with subtle lines, shades, and papers blended with washes and portraits. A stellar SF based artist who I had not personally heard of before. It's exciting to find new guys like this, and then to discover that they've actually been around for years!

He takes portraits of the dead and breathes color into them, taking their faces to a ghostly place that only a few brave viewers can venture to. Beyond the aesthetics of his work, there are many layers of meaning that are fascinating in their exploration of life and death and what happens after. He explores the decomposition of human existence both physically and mentally. This show seems to be a must-see for anyone in the area. Many a good conversation to be had. It's also nice to see someone "contemporary" explore meaning beyond the aesthetic. I confess, I've dabbled with the idea of "meaningless" art, or art for arts sake. It's another school of thought, and almost a requirement for any artist to experience at one stage or another. But it's when one moves beyond the obvious to the complex when the REAL conversation starts, and that's an exciting transition to make.





So go see the show.