John William Waterhouse

 

J. W. Waterhouse. His paintings will grab you by the balls. He painted various women from famous myths and legends. The imagery is always powerful, which is so refreshing after studying so much artwork depicting women as wimps.

Artist Review: Jake Parker

Welcome to the delightful world of Jake Parker. His artwork is warm and wonderful. Upon exploring his website, you will find robots taming birds, a boy with antlers, and rather impressive concept art. I had the pleasure of stumbling upon his comic Hugo Earhart from Vol. 1 of the graphic novel of short stories Flight, which is also available to read at his website (and I highly recommend that you go read it). Parker's imagination is rich with fantasy scenarios that tap into a dreamlike world. Enjoy and share.

 

 

Interview with Artist Robin Richardson

If you enjoy intricate illustrations of animals and people with a morbid storybook feel, then Robin Richardson's artwork would be right up your alley.  Not only does she sell original pen and ink drawings in her Etsy shop, but she also sells prints and incorporates her work into jewelry pieces.  I recently had the privilege to interview Robin and learn more about herself and her work.  Enjoy! 

Where are you from?

I'm from Toronto.

Do you live with family (significant other, kids, pets, houseplants, etc)?

I live with my boyfriend in a charming little attic apartment.

What made you want to be an artist?

I love to make things and I really like the idea of having a career that allows me to move around and make my own hours. That’s one of the biggest perks of any art in my opinion.

Where do you get ideas for an artwork?

I get ideas from everything: film, books, and other artists…. Usually when I start a new project I surround myself with reference photos and nature books that I’ve collected over the years. I also tend to start a drawing without any specific idea in mind just to see where it takes me.

Walk us through a typical day for you.

The first thing I do in a day is head out to a café and do about two to three hours of work on various projects. The rest of the day goes to whatever part time job I have at the time.

What do you like to do when you're not making art?

When I’m not making art I’m writing. I just graduate from OCAD with my BA in illustration only to decide to go ahead and get my MFA in poetry of al things. I’ll be leaving Toronto this Fall to attend Sarah Lawrence College, where I will hopefully be able to get a lot of writing and art done. I’m really hoping that my Etsy sales might help subsidize the whole thing. My hope is to one day combine my art and writing somehow, maybe an illustrated book…

Name two of your favorite artists (living or dead).

1. Aubrey Beardsely
2. Arthur Rackham

What advice do you have for new artists?

My only real piece of advice to young artists would be to work hard. Never settle for something when you know you can do better. Almost everyone I know who has any real success got it through sheer determination and had relentlessly high expectations of themselves.

Interview with Artist Jessica Torrant

I am pleased to introduce you to Jessica Torrant, one hell of an artist!  If you fancy expressionistic paintings full of life and color, I highly recommend you check out her website, blog, and Etsy store.

Enough blathering, on with the interview!

Where are you from?

I'm from a town in northern Connecticut called Enfield. I currently live in a neighboring town that you could call a small "cow town" (visit me in the Spring, and you'll know why! Bring your nose plugs!).

Do you live with family (significant other, kids, pets, houseplants, etc)?

Yes I do! I live with my wonderful husband and my three step children stay with us on the weekends. We also have a yellow lab who we like to call the one eyed wonder dog, named Leo. He lost his eye a few years back to a tumor but he is healthy, happy and my best buddy. We are all a pretty goofy bunch living in our little cozy home on a hill.

What made you want to be an artist?

I almost feel like I didn't have a choice. It's something that came natural to me, it was always my favorite subject in school, and I just can't picture myself doing anything else. I was lucky to have a creative and supportive family that nurtured my dreams, no matter how outlandish it may have seemed at the time.

Describe the type of work you do.
I'm an abstract painter but I don't want to ever limit myself from exploring other subjects such as figures and landscapes. Abstract art is freeing for me and an ongoing adventure. I'm never really sure what to expect when I paint and I love the sense of spontaneity blended with intuitive guidance that happens. On a very basic level, I want to make work that is visually appealing and engaging. On a deeper level, I enjoy the idea that every single viewer will have their own reaction and response to my paintings. I think once a painting is complete you set it free and it belongs to everyone else from that point on.  

Do you work exclusively with acrylics?

For the most part yes, though I was trained in oils. I have enjoyed experimenting with mixed media collages, oil pastels, watercolor and pen and ink to name a few. 

Walk us through a typical day for you.
Every day is a new day and I tend to live in the moment as far as what I'll do next. My days include, in no particular order, walks and playing fetch with Leo, painting in my studio, carving rubber stamps, working online, maybe a visit to my flower garden for some weeding or admiring what's newly in bloom, and always a healthy dose of family fun time. 

Is selling your art your only means of income?
It is and it wouldn't be possible without my husband's income. I've been doing this full time since 2005 and it's been a bit of a roller coaster ride - moments of great success and big dips on the track. I'm always working hard with big goals in mind and I'm more committed right now than ever. I'd like to imagine what lies ahead is a slow and steady climb instead of the more erratic ride I've been on in the last five years. That's my goal!

What do you like to do when you're not making art?
I like working in my flower garden and enjoying other relative's gardens, going to the farmer's market, and experimenting with cooking. I'm not much of a baker, I'm more interested in ways to prepare an artichoke or make the perfect stir fry sauce. I love having down time with friends, laughing, sharing some drinks and supporting local music. Vacation time camping or at the beach is the best. I love hiking, swimming in lakes, tubing down rivers and body surfing is probably my most favorite pastime. If I lived by the beach I'd do it every day. 

Name two of your favorite artists (living and/or dead).

I'm going to say two contemporary painters that I also consider friends, Kendra Zvonik and Mary Ann Wakeley. I relate to them both with their own strong painterly voices and styles.

What advice do you have for new artists?

You're going to get a lot of advice from all different sources about how you should approach your art, how you need to work, how you will be able to get your work out there and the best methods to do so. I want you to take it all in, understand what that source is telling you and why, and put it all together in a big pot of knowledge that you can pick and choose from. In my twenties I was stubbornly independent and defensive. I took things too personally. It used to really irk me when my father told me his ideas about things I could paint thinking "he doesn't respect what I do!" but he did, he does and he was just sharing an idea. I had a professor for advanced painting in college that I wrestled with and I decided he was an arrogant jerk and pretty much ignored everything he said from that point on. There was a lot I could have learned from him if I hadn't been so stubborn, whether he was an arrogant jerk or not. My ULTIMATE advice is to be yourself, find what works for you, and don't limit yourself or worry about being the "perfect little artist that plays by all the rules" BUT I also want to advise young artists to be open to it all. There's something to be learned by every artist, so don't just limit yourself to any one box of definition. The guy on the boardwalk selling his seascapes has as much to teach you as the artist you most admire. Take it all in, don't take it personally, be true to yourself and keep an open mind for who you are and will be. We are ever changing, and art changes right along with you on the journey. 

Artist Review: John Brosio

Fatigue

John Brosio's work is nothing short of breath-taking.  He chooses frightening subjects such as tornadoes or over-sized creatures and juxtaposes them with everyday folk who appear undaunted by their presence.  Likewise, he will contrast a fun-loving ferris wheel with an oncoming storm which almost seems like a reminder of how even with our fancy man-made equipment, we are vulnerable to nature's fiercest elements.  His style of painting is expressive and full of life.

After School

Two Earthlings

Fatigue 2

Rides 2

To see more of John's art, visit his web page: http://www.johnbrosio.com/

*Many thanks to John for permission to use his images!

10 Artists That Will Give You a Toothache

Mmm... sugar.  I love it when an artist captures that mouthwatering image of sinfully sweet delicacies.  Enjoy these scrumptious artworks.

Candy Apple by Kristine Kainer 

Birthday Cake by John Vander Stelt

 

Ice Cream Sundae by Jason Castillo

Sprinkled Donut by Abbey Ryan

Pie by Karen Fincannon

Pastry from Strik  by Jos van Riswick

 Rainbow Sprinkle Ice Cream Cone by D Sharon Pruitt

Waffle by Martha Friedman

Cupcake by Craig Stephens

 

Stacked by Leelu and Piggy

Pigs in Art

Who doesn't love pigs?  A certain element of humor is connected with the roly-poly oinkers, and you can't help smiling when you see them depicted in art (at least I can't).

PIGGY by Susan Van Sant

Pig Family Portrait by Dale Ziemianski

Medieval Pig Slaughter by Unknown

South Korean sculpture, photo credited to Jinho.Jung on flickr

The Piggy Bank by mtungate 

The Talented Dancing Pigs Wood Silhouette by mountainbrook

Artist Review: Ryan Allen

Ryan Allen is pretty amazing in my book.  At first glance, you may take him as a sort of bizarre cartoonist from the wide mouthed, oddly shaped characters in his work.  However, after browsing through Allen's collection, his talent and originality shine through. His paintings have a simple quality to them, drawing your eye in with the contrast of solid, bright color and stark black lines. The twisted facial expressions will make you cringe and smile at the same time, while the flat perspective gives you no where to hide.

 

 Check him out at http://ryanallen.com and get your surrealism fix.