ISSUE 05 - OCTOBER 2009
a short convo with
outstanding Australian artists and more
JULIAN CALLOS see what de v elops
04 Jesse Balmer 08 Julian Callos 12 Helen Eady 18 David Serna 20 EAMO 24 Paul White 26 Jeremy Geddes 28 Rik Lee 30 Juliana Neufeld
(on the cover) Julian Callos “What Develops” Ink and acrylic on board 24”x18” (detail) (right) Helen Eady “So Long So Long” acrylic and pencil on wood 24”x36”
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You may have noticed a brand new look for the cover of this edition. Officially marked as the re-brand issue twenty2wo magazine will now be known as 22 Zine. The abbreviated moniker does not mean a slimming of the content and the focus on highlighting great artwork is still here. The redesign is meant to open us up to experimentation and publishing more diverse projects from new and exciting artists. A special thank you goes out to Adam Fuhrer from PICDIT and Daniel Hadiwibawa of The Grafik Museum for being contributors to this issue. As always enjoy and be inspired. Adam Beneke editor twenty2wo http://mag.twenty2wo.com/
Š2009 by twenty2wo magazine all artworks presented in this issue are used with permission and are subject to full ownership and copyright of the respective artists. do not reproduce without permission from the artists.
opposite page “Animal Collective” Exclaim Magazine Watercolour with Digital illustrations 8 x 12” 2009 this page “Forest” Element Skateboards T shirt design Digital Illustration 8 x 8” 2008
Juliana Neufeld Self proclaimed Queen of the wild things, Illustrator and graphic Artist, Juliana Neufeld spent her childhood in the country building forts, scouting for Bigfoot and hunting for buried treasure. Today, Juliana spends her time exploring the concrete jungle of Toronto, claiming territory and fraternizing with other creative animals while striving to create a body of work that reflects the optimism and adventurous spirit of her youth. Juliana was recently promoted as Element skateboard’s first ever Canadian Advocate, giving her the opportunity to design for the company worldwide as well as travel and promote her art abroad. Juliana’s artwork was also recently featured in the Bruce McDonald directed episode “The rawside of Brendan Canning” for IFC Canada. Her work has been featured various magazines including The Globe and Mail, Colour, Driven, SBC Surf, Pound and Exclaim! She was also kind enough to tell us about her inspirations and future plans.
My inspirations are pretty broad, I guess. Ranging from other artist’s work to things I see everyday. Curious children. funny lively animals. art brute, graffiti, Basquiat, Sendak. Other peoples journals. There is so much amazing art out there that blows me away everyday. It can be intimidating, but also so, so inspiring. In terms of media and mediums I use, I like starting with watercolour or india ink. The looseness in line that it affords. And then I might scan the sketches or artwork along with other bits and pieces and assemble them together in a digital collage or I might add below “Silence” Digital Photograph with digital illustrations. Photo: Sammy Rawal 8 x 11” 2009
right “Boo” Digital Photograph with digital illustrations. Photo: Sammy Rawal 8 x 11” 2009
or change colours, add some line work in illustrator or photoshop. I try not to think about the process each time. I go with what comes to mind, or what allows for flexibility in the design. I got into the creative field of illustration and design because it was all I felt really confident doing. I drew on orange peels and napkins when I was two years old. And I’m still drawing 25 years later. I kind of just followed my nose. It helped that I had an amazing support system of friends and family, who never discouraged me from trying art as a career. Goals for the future include, book cover design, lots more interesting editorial opportunities, gallery shows, childrens book illustration. I’ve recently been given opportunities to illustrate sets for music videos and commercials and I want to continue to explore how I can use my art on different surfaces, different mediums. http://www.juliananeufeld.com/
right “Zap Crack Boom” Digital Photograph with digital illustrations. Photo: Sammy Rawal 8 x 11” 2009
A Conversation with Artist Jesse Balmer Q’s by Adam Fuhrer http://picdit.wordpress.com/ A’s by Jesse Balmer http://www.jessebalmer.com/ Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I grew up in Orange County and have been drawing since before I was born, which as you might have guessed, is where cave painting originated. I don’t believe in God, really. I believe in the boundless complexity of the universe. I’m currently living in San Francisco but I don’t think I’ll live here forever. What would the average day for you consist of? Many of my less than ideal days consist of working at the San Remo Hotel in the North Beach district of San Francisco. There aren’t many notable things about it apart from the daily reinforcement of the fact that people from all over the world complain about the exact same things. An ideal day involves sunshine and art-making, simultaneously if possible.
Tell us about the process behind the creation of your work.
People often ask: Do you have an idea in your head or do you just start drawing? And the answer is: Either - depending on the temperature. Sometimes I like to work with layers and color... other times I like to keep things very simple black and white. Sometimes I catch myself drawing for no other reason than that I have no life outside of drawing. What materials do you use? Unfortunately my current process is dependent on paper which is becoming harder and harder to justify to myself given the state of things. Otherwise I use prismacolor pencils, gouache, sumi ink and microns. I never use my own blood or anything fancy like that. Where do you find inspiration? The realistic part of me draws inspiration from the absurdities (good, bad, happy, and sad) of our culture, and the fine-tunedness of the natural world. As a part of a near-sighted civilization severely in denial of its collective situation, it is only right to be making work that draws attention to humanity’s dependence on the biosphere. The part of me that’s just as in denial as everybody else draws inspiration from comics and dinosaurs and all the same things I drew inspiration from when I was a kid. Thanks Jesse!
left Protector of Heaven
above Parasitic Relationship
left Whats Mine is Yours right Marvin O’Ryan below Lock and Key
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JULIAN CALLOS Quiver II - Mixed media on board (cradled) 24” x 24” x 2”
SEE WHAT DEVELOPS Sink or Swim Ink - Acrylic, and colored pencil on paper (mounted on cradled board) 16” x 16”
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Los Angeles based illustrator Julian Callos has a colorful dreamy style that captivates and brings the viewer into this imaginary world. I was lucky enough to talk to Julian about his art and the busy gallery schedule that has him producing a fantastic portfolio of work at a very quick pace. Your style brings me back to my cartoon days as a kid, has drawing always been something you were involved with? Where do you draw inspirations from now?
I’ve been drawing ever since I was a little kid. It’s just always something I did in my spare time (and when you’re a kid, what else do you have but spare time?). I would often draw while watching cartoons, so at first I was always trying to copy the characters I saw on TV. Eventually I started creating my own characters, but I think, in one way or another, they’ve always carried the influence of those cartoons I loved when I was younger. These days I draw inspiration from a larger pool. I was never really into comics when I was younger, but I’ve been introduced to a lot of indie comics over the past couple of years and I’ve fallen in love; Jordan Crane, Paul Pope, Sammy Harkham, and Jason are just a few inspirational comic artists that come to mind. It’s also been really important to me to see what’s been done in the past and what’s going on now in the illustration world. Standing out in a market saturated with so many wonderfully talented illustrators is tough, so I think seeing what others have done and what others are doing to stand out is crucial; I can learn from them, and hopefully build upon that knowledge to develop my own unique voice and hold my own in the art community. left Deep ThoughtsInk and acrylic on paper (mounted on cradled board) 16” x 16”
below Electricity(triptych; from left to right: “The Line,””Electricity,” and “The Key”) Ink and acrylic on cradled boards (each 8” x 10”)
There are a lot of contemporary artists I admire, such as the ones I’ve already mentioned, as well as illustrators like the Hanuka brothers and James Jean, who definitely stand out. I’m a huge fan of James Jean, and a lot of my work has been compared to his, but I’m trying to veer away from being so heavily influenced by a single artist in order to avoid being labeled a mere “imitator.” I think the best artists are the ones who synthesize all their loves and influences and inspirations into one unique voice. I’m still growing and trying to find my voice. Can you describe your experience being part of the Kids Are Alright show? It seems like a great show to get your feet wet so to speak as an emerging artist. The Kids Are Alright tour is a great experience. It keeps me on my feet, because there’s a show practically every month for a few months and each show requires new work based on certain restrictions in size or media. It’s also excellent exposure, as the tour takes us to galleries across the US and a couple galleries outside the country. It’s definitely bulked up my portfolio! For more visit, http://juliancallos.blogspot.com/ Thanks Jules!
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Power, or a Pride of Lions Ink and acrylic 16” x 16”
Fall of the Forest King Ink and acrylic on 12” x 12” paper
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HELEN EADY Helen Eady is a designer and illustrator living in Canada. Working mainly in fashion she has a few shows this year and a film showing in an art festival in Sapporo, Japan called Magic Camp. Eady will also spend some time as artist in residence at Blim Gallery in Vancouver.
http://www.crossmyhart.com/
both pages Algonquin Media: pencil and watercolour on watercolour paper (detail of a 5’x5’ piece)
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David Serna is currently an art student in Florida who is showing some great talent. He was kind enough to tell us about his work and where he hopes to take it. I go to Ringling where I’m majoring in illustration and graduating this year. My preferred medium would be to put it simple traditional, I know it’s very general but I don’t single out any medium I start everything traditionally its what I’m most comfortable with. At the moment I work a lot in oils and digital painting. The two paintings shown here are oils. They reflect something I’m just getting in touch with right now which would be life. Showing more confidence in texture and color. The most enjoyable thing about traditional paint is that I get into a zone where time stops. I really don’t like to limit myself to any medium. I’m still a student and still experimenting. What type of work I do revolves around what I like. I don’t try to be like some other artist. I just admire art for what it is. I have been listening to a lot of hip hop while I work and just like in the 80s I see a lot of color and that is something I’m trying to get in touch with. I also love movies and the art of story telling cinematically, so that would explain the contrast in my work. My aim is to incorporate my traditional art with my digital art more and more as I grow.
D A V I D S E R N A
Thanks David and best of luck. http://webspace.ringling.edu/ ~dserna1/portfolio.html
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by EAMO. Jacky Winter Mixie, 2008, ink and brush, digital colour.
From Down Under A selection of Australian artists curated by Daniel Hadiwibawa from The Grafik Museum h t t p : / / w w w. t h e g r a f i k m u s e u m . c o m /
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EAMO Eamo Donnelly is an Australian based illustrator who is best known for his intricately hand inked, character driven illustrations, infused with an eclectically dynamic colour palette. His love affair for Australian eighties nostalgia prompted him to create works that reflected the beauty and uniqueness of the culture he grew up in. His work has been seen on Jeeps, wallets, shoes, t-shirts, esky’s (ice coolers), stubby holders (drink coolers), clocks, in exhibitions in Melbourne, Sydney and in the U.S and the U.K, bar walls, street posters, magazine covers and editorials.
Eamo is a regular illustrator for publications PLAYBOY, Maxim, Complex, Blender, ESPN and King magazines. Mid 2009 caught the attention of New York agency Gerald & Cullen Rapp, who now represent him exclusively in North America. His other clients include VH1, Nike, Mountain Dew, GQ, Men’s Health, Redbull, Y & R New York, Harris Publications, Radar, Ripcurl, Golden Plains, Jmag, Monument, Is Not Magazine, Don’t Panic, Lifelounge, Hungry Jacks, Owl Movement, String Republic, Poketo. His work has been featured in Computer Arts, Desktop, EMPTY, Acclaim, Attitude, Jmag, Monument, KING, The Age. above Softcore Muppets, Blender Magazine 2008, ink and brush, digital colour.
http://www.eamo.com.au/
above Final Destination 3D, COMPLEX Magazine 2009, ink and brush digital colour.
left Blue Blazer, PLAYBOY Magazine 2009, ink and brush, digital colour.
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LAPD Hollywood (Hollywood Blvd & Highland Ave) Pencil on paper 65 x 90 cm
Drawn from a photograph taken whilst at a protest in Hollywood when the war in Iraq was started.
PA U L W H I T E
Paul White is a visual artist currently living in Melbourne Australia. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Western Sydney in Sydney Australia and his postgraduate degree at CalArts in Los Angeles California. His artistic practice is multi disciplined, incorporating at times elements of drawing, sewing, installation, painting, sound works and found objects. Artist Statement: I am interested in objects and images that are part of the everyday and popular culture. I am particularly interested in those that are suggestive of notions of obsolescence and decay—once thriving objects or elements that have succumbed (or will inevitably) to a process of history and time. Objects of comfort, desire, dreams and necessity often become altered, transformed or lost through time. They often survive numerous individuals’ interactions, becoming signifiers or remnants for a time gone and these interactions. In relation to this, aesthetics, styles, and fashions are constantly recycled, re-evaluated and re-used through time and in relation to the ‘now’. They become a measure for the body/self via the various physical and conceptual structures of the everyday that contain/surround it. This examination of notions revolving around evolution, extinction and the ever-changing nature of the universe, becomes a celebration of the cyclical, constantly evolving, recycled and tenuous nature of culture and the ‘everyday’. This in turn leads to a hope for transformation, growth and renewal as much as an act of remembering or nostalgia for the past. http://www.paulwhiteart.com/
Just Off Sunset Pencil on paper 40 x 40 cm
‘Just Off Sunset’ is from a series of photographs I took in Los Angeles and New York of delivery vans that had been covered in graffiti (presumably illegally), in a way becoming mobile artworks or canvasses. This particular Ford van was found on a side street off Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles. Literally just off ‘Sunset’ but also metaphorically just off sunset, in the sense of an imagined impending apocalypse, signaled in the brash display of lawlessness and disregard for property or prosecution. The defacing of this bright yellow object with random individuals marks or ‘tags’, some may consider it as either symbolic of a gradual decline in modern civilization or representative of trying to have a voice or presence in a modern day metropolis.
Downtown LA (LAPD Graveyard) Pencil on paper 74 x 100 cm
Under an overpass on the edge of Chinatown in Downtown LA is an allotment where wounded and out of service LAPD vehicles are rested. Rows upon rows revealing varying signs of altercations and stripped of their sirens, stickers and other police department paraphernalia. Alongside them lay civilian vehicles, perhaps innocently or not caught up in battle, wrapped up in grey sheets like Christos’ preserving their decency or signs of criminal activity. One imagines this could be a film set, not real. Frozen in time, once furious in the heat of the moment they now lay silently in this open graveyard.
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“Cosmonaut 6” Oil on board 33x34cm
JEREMY GEDDES
Jeremy Geddes is a Melbourne based painter. He has been published in several books and magazines, including a Spectrum Gold Award for his comic cover Doomed #4 and several shortlist awards for illustration work on The Mystrey of Eilian Mor childrens book written by Gary Crew. http://www.jeremygeddesart.com/
below “Alley” Oil on linen 79 x 27cm
bottom of page “There is Glory in Our Failure” Oil on linen 91.5x152cm
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“Fullerton, California� - 2009, pencil, ink and photoshop.
“Mount Heart Attack” - 2009, pencil, ink, pastel and photoshop.
“Funeral” - 2009, pencil, ink and photoshop.
Rik Lee Rik Lee lives and draws in Melbourne. He is a founding member of And Collective, which has released four publications. He finds deadlines inspiring. He has worked for Nylon USA, Vibe, Vice Australia, Girlfriend, The Sunday Telegraph, Graniph, Clandestine Industries, T-Bar, Mooks, Stussy and Oyster Magazine. He works with grey lead pencils, textas, watercolours and his computer. He enjoys the radar on the Bureau of Meteorology website. In the future he intends to draw more, travel more, get more tattoos, drive a ‘67 Chevy Impala and move down the coast with his girl and his dog. http://riklee.wordpress.com/
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