artist of the week :: michael weiss

michael weiss is a baltimore-based painter who is a professor at MICA.
i am struck by the meditative nature of his work. its easy to get lost in the layers of lines and subdued glazes of color.

ap art show closing reception this sunday!

dont forget!
we'd love to see you all there.
i mean, how can you pass up free food and delicious coffee?

new artist links!

i just updated the artist links section on the right side of the page with tons of new contemporary artists for you to check out.

these artists are featured:
robert bellm, hsin-hsi chen, marco cibola, chloe early, regino gonzales, frank gonzalez, david hochbaum, matthew hollings, cody hoyt, sylvia ji, jon kassan, alex lukas, gerardo monterrubio, stina persson, bryan schutmaat, yuri shimojo, yuken teruya, jon todd, ebony truscott, word to mother, and zevs.

happy browsing!

friday wisdom.

BOOOOOOOM!

how have i never heard of this website?
its amazing.

herakut :: 'streetart' in the gallery (video)

this artist collective (2 artists who work together on their paintings) is creating a truly new visual vocabulary. check out how they create their painting surfaces - its about more than just painting something that looks nice. it really builds up from nothing.


here is a video of finished work from the same gallery show:


you can find many more videos of them working on youtube.

new t-shirt on threadless.

"sometimes i get bored"
hilarious because we've all been there...

found on threadless

artist of the week :: sylvia ji

while looking through my newest juxtapoz magazine, it was nice to find some actual good art... i found it in the add for the corey helford gallery (thank you!) in the form of sylvia ji.
ji's art is brimming with history. you can easily see the influence of both alfonse mucha's art nouveau, maxfield parrish's illustrations, and the art of spain and the day of the dead.
they are haunting and beautiful.
check her out on the web at :: sylviaji.com

new artwork :: digital painting

as many of you know, i have a student teacher, jackie sullivan.

she is quite an digital illustrator - but not in the traditional sense. she has been working with the ap students on a digital painting, and i was inspired and did one of my own.

the technique is as follows: start with an ink wash painting (b/w). scan it. paint the colors using photoshop and a wacom drawing tablet. add textures (in my case, pieces of my circle paintings and spray paint splatters). tweak.

jackie's knowledge of photoshop tricks and techniques was inspiring and excited the students as well as me.

the subject of this painting is the ornette coleman quartet (l-r): don cherry, charlie haden, coleman, and ed blackwell.

the title is "the shape of jazz to come". signed and numbered archival digital prints (on rives bfk) are available for sale. contact me for prices.

spraygraphic poster contest.

spraygraphic.com is sponsoring a poster contest and show in conjunction with hoodlums records in tempe, az. i know many of you that read this are designers or artists (if you are a student, you still count!), and love independent, local music... you should think about entering ::


SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BANDS POSTER SHOW

Spraygraphic.com is calling for designers and artists to submit original POSTERS for your favorite LOCAL BANDS from around the world. This show wants to showcase both the artist and the musicians they love by asking designers and artists to create a poster for their favorite Local Band. We expect to end up with a gallery full of diverse, compelling, and fresh posters from all over the world. More importanly, each poster helps support and spread the word about the hardworking Local Bands out their trying to make ends meet with their love for music.

The show will be at Hoodlums Records in Tempe, AZ on March 28th, 2009

artist of the week :: yozu suzuki

yozu suzuki's paintings contain layers upon layers of glazed and wiped-away paint, creating a subtle depth over the portraits that are painted within.
suzuki then adds other linear elements on the top of the pieces, referencing chromosomes, bar codes, and other elements that define something or someone. these not only add an interesting visual element to the pieces, but add layers of subtle meaning.
thanks to mr. stephens for the heads up on this great contemporary artist.

friday wisdom.

community arts day slideshows.

webster's community arts day was held on saturday... as always, it was a great event, showing one of the many facets of what makes webster a great district.

the day was filled with the arts - both visual and performing.

if you want to see the artwork that was hung there (grades 1-12), check out the WTHS art department website and click on 'student art gallery' on the left side.

friday wisdom.

ap art alumni slideshow.

i have updated our new art department website with a slideshow of artwork from my AP art alumni. i am constantly amazed at the work they create.

if you have a second - take a look.

ap art show 2009.

the show is up now, and looks great - it stunning to see so much great student artwork up in one place, all from 2 schools.

thanks goes out to all the webster art teachers for their continued support and education of all our ap students. without all of you, these artists would not be who they are today.

2 examples of the thomas artwork are below: