Florence 2012
EDGE
“CUTTING EDGE”
Masters of ContemPorary ART
CUTTING
www.vividartsnetwork.net
Masters of ContemPorary ART
2012
All content appearing on this catalogue is the property of Vivid Arts Network & Vivid Arts Network artists Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
Vivid Arts Network 601 W 174th St. New York, NY 10033 Tel 1(347) 321-8017
www.vividartsnetwork.net
Masters of ContemPorary ART
2012
“CUTTING EDGE” Vivid Arts Network in collaboration with
Arttour International Magazine™ Auditorium Al Duomo, Florence Exhibit Curated by Viviana Puello Directed by Alan Grimandi Viviana Puello Organization & Marketing Direction Vivid Arts Network Life Beyond Tourism Auditorium al Duomo Graphic Design by GrimArte Exhibit Set Up & Installation by Vivid Arts Network Special thanks to the Vivid Arts Network team for their efforts, loyalty and commitment
ARTISTS
Aldo Alex Anna Antonio Arnold Cécile Cheri Ciara Cicily E Daniel Darlene Dawn Donna Douglas Erin Fernando Frans Fredrik Grace Ingrid Jose Ko-‐Hey! Lawrence Liesel Maev Mark Nosmas Rachel Roula Sharon Sirkka Suly Sung Suzanne Tania Tina Viggo Virginia Wendy Young Sam
Basili Italy Slingenberg Netherlands Manoukian Armenia Marraffa Italy Gonzales USA Guicheteau France MiBermaier USA Duffy USA Bäckström Sweden Victor USA Adams Canada Whitehand Australia Bonin Canada Ross Ireland Zerbe USA Braune Brazil Frengen Belgium Sköld Sweden Arledge USA Roth Sweden Mendes De Almeida Portugal Arikawa Japan Armstrong USA Beukes South Africa Marchini Canada Tomczak USA France Simonson USA Chreim Lebanon Ross United Kingdom Laakkonen Finland B.wolff Israel Eung Park South Korea Anan USA Doucet Canada Dadouch Canada Carlsen Sweden Arregui Australia Cohen Australia Kim USA
“CUTTING EDGE� Artists Shaping the history of today’s
ART world
by Viviana Puello Passion and inspiration have been the catalysts for the most precious works of art throughout history; we all cherish the legacies left behind by masters we admire, and we look back to their creations and dedication with awe. They consolidated the links existing between each other, developed new relationships, sought out new inspirations and pictorial means and began movements that shaped the history of art as we now know it. Except for those who had a comfortable financial situation, many of them faced periods of bitter poverty; they painted in the open air, researching the optical phenomena of light and color which enamored them, and rustically developed techniques for the creation of high quality materials that would become the creative elements of their masterpieces. There is so much left for us - the artists of today - to learn from. We are now in a whole new era, the time of information and technology. Computer use has changed the way most people do business, including those in the art field. Artists, animators, photographers and filmmakers use computers to create their art, as well as implementing the resources for much more. With the advent of computer technology came the ability to preserve artworks in digital format, as well as speeding up art distribution and professional promotion via the world-wide web. The wonder of the internet and the magic of social media have been my allies as a curator - to discover and follow a group of fantastic artists whose careers I have seen emerge and whose techniques have developed to a master level. The group of artists we are presenting at the "Cutting Edge" Masters of Contemporary Art exhibition will be taking part in and helping to shape the art history of our generation. We will be presenting to you a variety of artistic excellence, from video performance, digital paintings, mixed media works and installation, to sculptures and oil paintings reflecting a diverse and wide spectrum of media and techniques. To harness the flexibility and power of these rapidly evolving creative systems, there is a need for radically new foundational ideas and principles. There is a need to develop effective principles for building and analyzing such systems, along with the necessity to open up our minds and explore beyond what we have traditionally recognized as art. The artist of today is the perfect creator the one I see with awe and admiration and the one creating a new legacy for the generation of tomorrow. No limitations, no competition, no need to be better than the other, but just the need to be - no need to overachieve, just a need to create - no need to sacrifice, just the need to enjoy the process. The artists of today are versatile, using everything and anything that comes to mind or to their hands that triggers the fountain of their inspiration: a lot of times even using recycled materials or choosing specific subjects to convey a message that would serve as a contribution to better our society, to improve the environment and the world we all live in. Above all, we are mysteriously connected to a whole, like light bulbs that are all plugged in to a single source of energy and emanate different colors of light. If you go deep and explore, you will find a unique message - a song that is sang in unison. This art you will find is truly cutting edge.
Director Vivid Arts Network
Arttour International Magazine targets 50,000 readers around the globe. Founded in January 2011 with its first publication going out on December 2011 to 1015 readers, Arttour International Magazine is one of the fasted growing art magazine’s in the international market. Its readership of 26,000 in 55 countries includes art schools, collectors, dealers, historians, artists, museum directors, curators, connoisseurs, and enthusiasts. JANUARY 2013
Published four times a year, Arttour International Magazine brings articles of exceptional interest on, personalities, trends and events shaping the international art world in a visually stimulating package full of vibrant images in a stunning design. With the most up to date information in the art industry, providing reviews, previews and an insight into traditional and modern/abstract art from established and emerging artists, ranging from 18th Century to young Artists and beyond. Arttour International Magazine’s huge distribution network includes the best galleries and five start hotels, shops, theaters and art venues throughout Europe, America, Asia, Australia and Africa. We are dedicated to exposing contemporary art offering an international platform for professional and emerging artists looking for the right exposure.
US $ 11,59 - € 8.00
www.arttourinternational.com
ANDY WARHOL & TAKASHI MURAKAMI Pop Art Masters Show at BYU MUSEUM OF ART
ARTIST
PROFILE:
MASAE
SATOUCHI
YAYOI KUSAMA Between A Dot And An Art Place
SHUFFLING THROUGH FLORENCE
Cover Story: FERNANDO BOTERO Colombia's Great Master Painter & Sculptor
Art on the cover: “Pedro” 1974 Oil on Canvas, 194.5 x 150.5 cm. by Fernando Botero. Permanent collection of the Museum of Antioquia in Colombia. - Photography Museo de Antioquia © Copyrights, All rights reserved.
Arttour International Magazine started in December 2011 with the firts publication going to 734 readers. Today, Arttour International Magazine is read in more than 55 countries by 28 thousand readers. The fast growth has been ccomplished thanks to the magazine’s unique distribution channels both on the print and online. By utilizing multimedia advertising, we spread our message to every corner of the globe and effectively reach all of our targeted audience.among the local, national and international audience.
See us in action! Log on to: www.youtube.com/user/ ArtTourIntMAGAZINE And watch the online broadcast of this eventWatch artists interviews, art collections, press conference and much more . As of December 22, 2013
Aldo Basili Italy
Until today he covered all the different areas of photography, from the black&white to the colour technique, from the coverage to the artistic photography, always searching in every image the artistic and creative potential that are in the picture itself. Therefore it happens that pictures of common people shot in their quotidian acts show themselves as funny or ironic. Also it happens that a urban landscape via the in-shooting elaboration reveals itself perfect as a surrealistic paint. Also it happens that the colours of the Nature via the digital imaging processing become as shapes. I believe this to be the unitary feature of his works and what he wants to pursue: the quest of what every single image can become through the artistic act, the looking for the art that can be showed and revealed through the shoot and in the in-shooting elaboration or in the post-production processing, the search of the photographic interpretation of abstract concepts.
Http://www.aldobasili.eu
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“L'apparenza” Lambda Print 120x80 cm
“Ritratto Extra” Lambda Print 39x60 cm
Alex Slingenberg Netherlands Http://www.natureartists.com/ alex_slingenberg.asp
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“My passion for art and wildlife in particular has come from many sources and influences it is an on going journey of self discovery a joyful learning process that fires and feeds my soul, and that which I hope to share with others.” Nature, beauty and art have always been part of Alex's life. As a child she traveled throughout the Far East Middle-America and the U.S. with her Diplomat parents, who were also avid art collectors. Surrounded by the lush vegetation of the tropics with its bright colored wildlife combined with the exquisite antiques her parents collected, beauty was everywhere. China, Thailand, The USA and Mexico, the different cultures and native wildlife instilled in her a love of al things beautiful and a strong desire to express her self creatively. As a child she drew instinctively and later won prizes in school competitions with her natural talent. All this made an indelible impression upon her mind, thus shaping the future artist. Trained initially as a Goldsmith, she graduated as a Designer Craftsman in the UK, and then moved on to work as a photography stylist. Native American culture and art captivated her to the extent that it became a serious interest and subject of study. Silk being her favorite fabric, she started researching ways to paint on it and soon developed her own formula, medium and technique to suit that specific textile. From there on, she started experimenting with painting on leather.
“Polar Son” Oil on Canvas 60x80 cm
“Windows of Silent” Fired Oils on Porcelain
Born in Armenia, Yerevan Lives and works in Los Angeles, USA 2012 Dublin Biennial
Anoushka Armenia Http://www.anoushkaart.com
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SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2011 Gallery Godo, LA, CA 2009 Gallery Godo, LA, CA 2006 Paul Joseph Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada 2000 3rd Millennium Gallery De'Fine, West Hollywood, CA GROUP EXHIBITIONS Participated in several Group Exhibitions
“Opus 25” Digital Art 102x132 cm
“My boot” Digital Art 102x130 cm
Antonio Marraffa Italy Http://www.antoniomarraffa.it
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“My artistic pathway started with the first important experiences in drawing with pencil and ink for advertising graphics,newspaper and magazines ten years after. In ’80 years I started to paint with oil, acrylic and other several technics (tempera and watercolors) on canvas,paper ,wood panel ,etc.; I began to exhibit in art galleries in my country. The late 90’s , I began to exhibit in several events in Italy and I have attended courses and workshops in engraving on copper plates and sculpture. Also,I worked with important Italian engravers ;and together we work to this days , but the work in advertising graphic design still continues. The most recent personal exhibits have been : Comune di Palermo-Hall, 2005 ,Biennale di Firenze 2007, Trapani hall ,spazio expo 2008 , EriceErice Hall 2009,Cefalu’ 2010, galleria Artem - Palermo 2011, Romagalleria /libreria Bibli 2011.” Many Artworks of the artist are present in Italy and Europe and were used also for covers of books and Italian magazines.
“Suburban” Mixed Media 70x100 cm
“Paese 2” Smalti Su Legno 90X90 cm
Arnold Gonzales USA
“My paintings represent a blend of personal feelings and memories connected to my family and culture which inspire me to evoke serenity and capture simplicity. Sometimes I’m moved to create work vibrant with expression and energy. Yet I always follow the same process, concentrating on keeping the image simple, honest and real. With every brushstroke, my aim is to create work that will produce and experience for the viewer that will bring them into my art, to feel the emotion and perhaps make a personal connection as they explore the image. With my portraits, I want the viewer to walk away wondering and reflecting not only about the artistic technique, but also about the lives of the subjects, their stories and their way of life. In short, my deepest hope is that viewers will find my art simple, honest and timeless, and that it will bring joy to people’s lives.”
Http://arnoldgonzalesart.com
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“Mazanas” Acrylic on Canvas 20x20 cm
“Still Life” Acrylic on Canvas 20x20 cm
Cécile Guicheteau France Http://cecile.guicheteau.free.fr/
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Born in 1974, I majored in Literature and Philosophy in High School. After studying Language and International Trade for three years in college, I was admitted to the Pivault School of Applied Arts and obtained my diploma in 1998. I then began my career as an artist painting sets for theater and television. In 2004, I quit television and devoted myself to my paintings, which I have exhibited since 2000 in parisian art galleries. In 2006, the poems of Charles Baudelaire inspired her to create images for ten of his poems in Les Fleurs du Mal. This allowed me to publish a book of interviews with Michel Archimbaud (Editor and Author of The Last Talks with Francis Bacon). Exhibitions: November 2010 "Art en Capitale" Grand Palais Paris November 2011 "On The Edge Exhibition" Bologna, Italy Since April 2011 Agora Gallery New York From 6th july until 31st July 2012 The French Perspective, Contemporary Art from France November 2012 Grand Palais 2013 Centre Pompidou Paris
Folle époque” Oil and collage on rusty steel 120x50 cm
“The fox and the Crow” Oil and collage on rusty steel
Cheri Mittermaier USA Http://www.cherimittermaier.com
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“I was born and grew up in the state of Indiana, USA. I graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelors degree in Psychology with a concentration in Fine Arts and Humanities. While in Paris and Florence I studied sculpture under Peter Rubino and Martine Vaugel. In a four year period I studied under more than twenty different artists. I have had work shown in the Boca Raton Fine Art Museum two years in a row. A sculpture called "Eve" and a sculpture called "Trophy Wife" were accepted into this juried exhibition. The pallet I use in my work has been inspired by my many trips to the Caribbean. I look forward to the future and what it may bring to me and my art.”
“Hangin Vaginas” Bronze Sculpture 217x71x56 cm
“Penis on Wheels” Bronze Sculpture 20x15x8 cm
Ciara Duffy USA Http://ciaraduffy.virb.com
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Ciara Duffy was born in 1989. She attended Savannah College of Art and Design from 2008-2012 graduating with a BFA in Photography. Ciara shoots predominantly in black and white and always with film. Distortion, motion blur, shadows, human nature, pictorials, religious iconography, body language, and alcohol are huge influences on the work she does. Ciara enjoys collecting antique photographs of albinos, stillborn babies, and Catholic iconography. Such artists as Artemisia Gentileschi, Emmet Gowin, Francis Bacon, Sophie Calle, Jacques Henri Lartigue, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, and Mario Giacomelli have influenced her throughout time. Raised in an Irish Catholic family, Ms. Duffy was deeply instilled with the burden of original sin and Catholic guilt. No matter how fervently Ms. Duffy has attempted to reject and disown these beliefs, and Catholicism as a whole, she continues to grapple with the beliefs per se and to find peace with their effect on her life. These diptych-like images, taken from her larger work entitled “Feticide,” are one just one attempt at such a search for understanding and peace. Discovered through travel, selfexploration, and several guilt-ridden experiences, these images narrate her most recent encounters with sin, guilt, and self-absolution.
“Song of the Orphan” Archival Ink jet Print 24x29 cm
“The Third Elegy” Archival Ink jet Print 23x28 cm
Cicily Elenor Bäckström Sweden Http://www.svenskakonstnarer.se/ galleri/cicily8
As a painter, Cicily Elenor Bäckström is unsparing. This Swedish artist possesses the wonderful quality of commitment, in art as well as in life. To give oneself means to be free, and the painter-whose works are displayed worldwide-lives for freedom; as she herself declares, that is her creed. Her paintings are impressive for the very intensity, and passion they exude. They are the result of an instinctive, primeval gesture; yet, as happens with the best examples of abstract painting, they also experience the gentleness and abandon of the liberating pleasure of surrendering to creativity without formalisms, in complete rapture. Bäckström´s relation to colour is almost a dance; as if led by her unconscious, she allows lines, trajectories and reverberations to lift off from the canvas, with astonishing light, depth and power effects. Despite displaying at times an enchanting lightness, Cicily does not shirk her destiny. So, whereas the atmospheres and chromatic choices of some such works as “Volf Wram” and “Pallas Thunduri” remind of the cold and rigid climates of her native Sweden, others, like Uniform Husar and Rose garden can involve with the warmth of their colours, rather distant from the icy atmospheres familiar to the artist. When the impulse is authentic, it knows no limits, for it talks to the soul. Michela Turra
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“Denim Blue” Acrylic on Canvas 80x80 cm
Acrylic on Canvas 80x80 cm
Daniel J. Victor USA Http://www.djvfineart.com
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The product of a tradition of family artists – from my grandmother, Sally Victor, a famous milliner who designed beautiful, iconic hats for everyone from First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt, Mamie Eisenhower and Bess Truman, to Princess Grace of Monaco; to my mother, acclaimed artist, author and illustrator, Joan Berg Victor - my work, in it’s Representational, Abstract and Abstract Expressionist forms, was the product of art as a cradle language, incubated in the distillation of these two important artistic influences. From these two organic influences I discovered precision and fineness from my mother’s representational drawings and paintings, and creative whimsy and powerful abstractions of my grandmother’s hats. My Representational work, in its celebration of authenticity, sensory subtlety, and profound discovery. My Abstract and Abstract Expressionist photographs, unlike my Representational images, are inspired not by the work of Siskind, Callahan and Weston, but in rather stark contrast to that perspective I seek to stalk a new photographic path inspired by the works of abstract expressionists like Mark Rothko. My Abstract and Abstract Expressionist works share a unique vision of movement and color; a personal perspective where motion is sensed and color and texture are unearthed where there seems to exist only stillness and unimaginative repetition.
“Smith Tire, Bywater,New Orleans” Photography 76x102 cm
“Tracks Across The Delaware” Photography 76x102 cm
Darlene Adams Canada Http://www.artwerksbydarlene.com
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“I was born and raised in Edmonton and have spent many an hour painting and drawing. After graduating from Victoria Composite High School with a Commercial Arts Degree, I spent some of my time traveling and dabbling in many art projects. Although painting was my passion, so was raising my son. Getting back into my art was very rewarding for me. I love bright colors and am inspired by what I see around me. I am currently a member of the Edmonton Arts Council, PACE (Professional Arts Coalition of Edmonton) and involved with The Canadian Artists for the Poor, Art-walk Artists, Artscapes Canada , The Visual Arts Alberta Association, and CARFAC . My paintings have been shown in various places around Edmonton, Calgary, California and are displayed in homes throughout North America and as far away as New Zealand. I continue to grow with my passion for art. I have had a show at the Artist's Alley Gallery in San Francisco and the Agora Gallery of New York City. I am also involved in a book project called Artscapes Canada/Pays-Art”
“New York, New York” Oil on Canvas 51x79 cm
“Look to the Skies” Oil on Canvas 61x91 cm
Dawn Whitehand Australia Http:// www.dawnwhitehand.wordpress.com
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Dawn Whitehand has been a practicing artist for approximately twenty years, and during this time her medium of choice has been clay. Most of her art practice has centered around creating sculpture that reflects the natural environment in both form and texture. Whitehand has exhibited her sculpture nationally and internationally, and is held in several public and private collections. She has post graduate qualifications in fine art, and has images of her sculpture published in several books. Whitehand maintains a studio on the outskirts of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia where she also teaches classes to adults and children and runs skills based workshops. My studio practice explores humanity’s relationship to the environment through the sculptural possibilities of organic materials, such as clay, natural debris and textured found objects. I try to use textured surfaces to capture the vulnerable essence of the landscape. The organic and textual properties of rusty found objects, crackly glazes, and twigs and branches portray the landscape's natural essence, which I hope draws the viewer’s instinctive self closer to their innate belonging within the organic world. This reawakening of humanity's holistic connection to the natural world is imperative in today's context of climate change and the exploitation of the Earth which has led society to this outcome.
“Collage” Mixed Media 25x19 cm
“Planet Earth” Ceramic 23x31x18cm
Donna Bonin Canada Http://www.donnabonin.ca
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A native of Hamilton On., and a graduate of Queen's University, Donna taught Physical Education, English, and Art at Moira Secondary School in Belleville for 34 years. Since retirement in 1999, she has become a full time artist, watercolor instructor, avid traveller, and leader of artists' travel vacation workshops. Donna's paintings have been shown to critical acclaim in numerous juried shows, galleries, and art festivals throughout Eastern Ontario. Her style gives the impression of realism and is best known for attention to detail and bold use of colour. Subject matter is inspired by many life-long passions. She has been "Artist-in-the Park" at both Sandbanks and Presqu'ile Provincial Parks and loves to paint in Algonquin as well as in the tranquility of her garden. Travel has inspired many paintings from Europe to the High Arctic. Years of experience with boats and horses allows for accurate rendering of these within a composition. Horse and pet portraits are a specialty. In some of her more recent paintings, Donna has emphasized pattern and design bordering on semi-abstract through use of unusual colours and juxtapositions. This allows the viewers a flight into fantasy and individual interpretation.
“Boccadasse, Genova” Watercolor 78x58 cm
“The Unfurling” Watercolor 72x90 cm
Douglas Ross Ireland
“Life is an epic experience. For most of us there is love and heartbreak; friendship and betrayal; deep longings and a search for meaning; and the ubiquitous presence of death. Fortunately, accompanying the grief and strife is wonder, magic and ecstasy. This is the stuff of myths and legends and also the lives of every man and woman. This is the lens that I see the world through and it seems only fitting to tell the stories of our lives with the poetry and drama that we associate with mythic story telling. The story telling is collaborative, intimately involving the people I make these images of. The first stage of the process is to discover things in each other’s lives that evoke a shared sense of wonder and passion. The next stage is to bring together our varied creative skills and insights and merge them through improvisation and exploration. I love this collaborative process and I hope that some of this joy and passion shows through in the work I’ve made with some extra-ordinary people.”
Http://www.dougrossart.com
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“Intution” Photography 75x59 cm
“Secret II” Photography 59x78 cm
Erin Zerbe USA Http://zerbetron.com
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" Erin Zerbe was born and raised in Virginia Beach, VA. She earned her BFA in Communication Arts and Design with an emphasis in Kinetic Imaging from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond VA. During her time here, she was an exemplary student and community member, and received such honors as The Kinetic Imaging Department Award of Excellence, as well as being selected the Student Ambassador for the Arts at the Tasmeem Design Conference in Doha, Qatar, 2006. After graduating, she stayed on to teach adjunct as well as work as a news editor for Channel 12 News, Richmond, VA. After earning her BFA, Erin worked as a freelance multimedia artist, doing extensive work for such clients as The Chrysler Museum of Art. " After working with The Chrysler Museum of Art, Erin applied her knowledge and skills with web media to the competitive business of Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization. Using her design skills, Erin worked to help clients develop strongly designed websites that rank well within the highly competitive search results of Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Taking this knowledge even further, Erin helped to develop instructional blogs and workshops focusing on Social Media Marketing, SEO, and Web 2.0 techniques for businesses and individuals alike. " In 2009, Erin began pursuing her MFA in Photographic and Electronic Media from Maryland Institute, College of Art. Here, she spent much of her time in the studio and in the classroom, teaching courses such as Animation, Video, and Electronic Media. Her work as a time based artist focuses on human interactions and social relationships with sexuality, the body, and technology. She tackles issues of body image, size acceptance, and food abuse. Erin received her MFA from MICA in May, of 2011. " Erin spent a year teaching at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. She taught classes in the Art Foundations and Kinetic Imaging Departments, including Media Theory, Web for Media Artists, Animation, Video, and Time Studio. Recently, Erin took a position as Assistant Professor of Digital Art at Siena Heights University, in Adrian Michigan. " In her free time, Erin works as a plus size model, and make up artist. She enjoys the opportunity to promote size acceptance through fashion, photography, and art. When she’s not making new work, Erin loves watching Nicolas Cage movies, reading comic books, and playing video games. She currently resides in Tecumseh, MI with her husband Steven, and their cat, Koiya.
Still from the video performance “Control�
Still from the video performance "It could be worse you could be fat"
Fernando Braune Brazil Http://www.fernandobraune.com.br
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Brazilian artist Fernando Braune creates an entirely new surrealistic photographic vistas out of black-and-white images of people captured in everyday contest. Drawing on his extensive cultural, social, psychological and artistic background, Braune infuses each photograph with levels of reference and meaning that help to define the new world he strives to create. Indeed, his intense and unexpected use of color, combined with his masterful sense of composition, results in edge images of people who seems to dwell at the borderland of reality: between this realm and a world suffused with dreams and the fantastic. Braune takes a unique approach to photography, literally constructing another universe out of his images. Black and white photograph are worked over by hand using various media ant then digitalized before being printed onto cloth, canvases or cotton paper. In his artistic process, Braune integrates old techniques used in the earliest stages of photography to achieve a contemporary effect. By adding watercolors, pastels, and crayons over the images, he introduces a surrealistic element, completely decontextualizing his subjects from their assumed reality. Often, he embroiders elements on the canvases as well – another old technique that he uses to transform and add depth to the photographic images. What makes Braune’s work so fascinating is the way he is able to integrate a diversity of concept and go deep beyond the surface to transform the everyday into something extraordinary. As he explains, “I think art should be seen as something holistic, wherein all kinds of concepts should be interconnected to provide a supportive artwork.”
“Elemento VII” Photo worked by hand on Hannemuller paper 55x65 cm
“Elemento III� Photo worked by hand on Hannemuller paper 65x55 cm
Frans Frengen Belgium Http://www.allart-frengen.be
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"Fumagine” To paint with a flame is Frans Frengen's unique style. He paint as a magician this contemporary forms and dreamscapes, “paintings-drawings” of a fascinating world of monochrome shades soaked in uncomplicated life on canvas, paper and other. Not so easy to describe intense feelings but just exceptionally plastic. Fumagine style combines painting with casual nuances of smoke, each with their individuality and sculptural way. These hesitant forms, akin to structures on computer and in photography give to Frans Frengen a metaphor of possibilities that implies that his oeuvre is molding to every spectator a deep reaction about our endless world and worries. You may ask whether or not it is figurative or abstract. It remains of feelings, of experience and skill in drawing and painting. Often by only white acrylic paint spread on a white canvas incensed with that brown-gray precipitation of his burning flame Frans Frengen gets a spectrum of complementary blue. Is it "gestural" action painting? Frans Frengen, however, find the role of his brain is too large. Playing spaces on these sophisticated sculptures – layers of soot - result in a unique pattern of surprising beauty. With his portable square or geometrical figures in color the artist asks the spectator to commit, or to go in discussion. This dynamic expressionistic style, you could describe as if the gesture has created, combined with topical content opens new contemporary perspectives. With a second place in “conscious creations” it‘s as "Cutting Edge".
“I, the raincoat” fumagine on canvas 100x70 cm
“The graces” fumagine on foamboard 100x70 cm
Fredrik Sköld Sweden Http://www.Soundofwater.se
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Fredrik Sköld has been working and living in his home-country Sweden for the last six years. Previously he lived in New York City and Japan for twelve years, working as a photographer while exploring different mediums in art. These mixed medium paintings with inlays of various materials is the result of that experimentation and is what he’s been focusing on for several years. The early years as a photographer shows in the work through carefully built composition and balance of color. In his own words: “The Fragments Series is an extension of my earlier work with acid on copper-sheet. Inspiration comes from the same place: the texture, colors and design from nature and earth itself. All lot of ideas came to me when living in Japan; Wabi-Sabi was a great inspiration to me. The beauty of imperfection, of patina, the simple, and that of decay. The timeless and the ageless. The actual fragments consist of things I collected from various places on earth; like wood bored by shipworm, rocks, dead coral, a piece of rusty barbed wire, black lava-sand from the volcano Etna, nuts and stones from the Amazons, a disintegrated bible washed up during a storm on Coney Island, piece of a computer logic-board I found when diving etc. With composition and selection of combined pieces I give these a fragments a second life, creating mysteries and questions. Like an archeological dig site or a time-capsule.” All organic material is archivally treated and will withstand light and air. The paintings are framed with an extra sturdy screw-on backing and measure 86x65 cm, with a glass front.
“Desolation Row” Mixed Media 85x65 cm
“Twist” Mixed Media 85x65 cm
Grace Arledge USA Http:// Www.gracearledgefinearts.com
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Grace Arledge is an interpretive realist who works with recognizable subjects and a wide variety of media. She approaches each piece with a fresh eye, unafraid to use new techniques if that is what fits the subject best. Arledge employs a method of expressionism that stays true to her subject while still leaving room for artistic interpretation. "I use representational art so that the subject is 'in your face,'" she explains, and she adds to the intensity of the visual experience by always choosing objects, landscapes and people in which she is interested, conveying that fascination through her art. Arledge prefers mixed media because it gives her the freedom to pick and choose exactly which aspects of the piece would work best with each medium. The result exhibits a delicate handling of light and varied textures with a strong focus on form, structure, shape, and contrast. Grace Arledge was a commercial artist in Chicago and Atlanta for ten years, and has shown her work in numerous exhibits in Chicago, Atlanta, Florida, and New York.
“The Beach” Mixed Media 50x40 cm
“Swan Pond” Chalk Pastel 40x50 cm
Ingrid Roth Sweden Https://www.ingridroth.se
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Joyous interactions are at the heart of all of Ingrid Roth’s works, built as much into the tender gaze of her couples and families as in her affectionate use of her medium. Roth builds her works in acrylic paint on canvas, revealing her passionate love of color as she pairs together layers of vibrantly illuminated pigments with a soft, airy stroke. Within her whimsically bright and expressive paintings a playfully skewed take on reality intuitively emerges, inspiration for her unconventional spectrum drawn from memories of her mother’s weaving. “People often tell me that my art gives them joy and hope,” Roth says. “To me, happiness is life itself, my friends, animals and nature. I feel a great reverence and gratitude for my artist’s life and the humanity it has given me.” Ingrid Roth was born in a small village in northwest Sweden where she now lives and works after many years spent outside the country. She studied Classic art in Östersund and later Expressive Art Therapy at Expressive Arts AB in Stockholm, a subject she now teaches seasonally in both Sweden and Norway. Roth continues to receive international recognition for her art.
“Out door picnic” Acrylic on Canvas 74x91 cm
“Magic Moment” Acrylic on Canvas 74x91 cm
Jose Mendes de Almeida Portugal Http://www.mendesdealmeida.com
In it’s essence, photography is an act of voyeurism. To catch reality by stealing it’s light is an indiscretion made with sensibility. Recording an image transforms a transient ray of light into a permanent object that, by it’s nature, may induce feelings or ideas that give a meaning to it’s own existence. Photography is fascinating because it keeps the moment an image impressed us, induced a thought, stayed in our memory, and thus entered our own individual culture. This gratifying record of life, so dear to photographers, is largely responsible for the effect induced in the observer. And it mostly starts with serendipity. Whether images or ideas, it is through this quest for something that touches your mind that the process begins. This initial impression usually evolves into a project that will take time to mature and, finally, will come to shape in a series of images. It may be shot in half an hour or take years of careful and, sometimes, occasional capture. But, in the end, it all will be around a unifying concept, a personal evolution of an idea. Still all these series of images are constructed around a central perspective. They try to show the unseen, mostly what was so near but nevertheless so distant. Unawareness may be the definition. From a room with a history in it’s walls, to a tale of life and death, these images try to disclose what you might have glimpsed but never fully seen. Mendes de Almeida 2012
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“Theater #13” Digital Aluminum Print 90x60 cm
“Thorn #16” Digital Aluminum Print 90x60 cm
KO-HEY! ARIKAWA was born in JAPAN in 1978. At the age of 24, he became conscious of his color sensation and his interest in drawing pictures and
Ko-Hey! Arikawa Japan Http://www.happyclover528.com/
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suddenly decided to venture into the uncharted art world. His exhibitions are called “HAPPY FANTASIA” Not only displaying his artwork on the gallery walls but he also gives high priority in directing the whole gallery space with his unique sense of art. You’ll feel as if you have wandered into a fantasyland. He always relates that he would like to offer his services as a mediator between art and people so that they could feel art familiar as they enjoy music in their daily lives. “This is my first time to exhibit my work in Italy. 10 years have passed since I ventured into the world of art and I am so excited to seize the chance to show my artwork in Florence. I can assure you that I am one of the most influential artists in Japan. I catch and express delight, anger, sorrow and comfort which directly reach to people's emotional depth, therefore a lot of people stand still and shed tears in front of my artwork. You'll perceive happiness via smiling faces in the canvas. And also you'll be able to feel healing power and hope beyond the artwork full of sadness. It was my long-cherished dream to exhibit my artwork in Italy and I can hardly wait to participate in this great event.”
“Amazing Grace” Acrylic, craypas on Canvas 36x36 cm
“Find happiness on your own” Acrylic, craypas on Canvas 53x53 cm
Lawrence Armstrong USA Http://www.lraart.com
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Flashes of light appear to me spontaneously, involuntarily, provoked by sensory influences. Unannounced initial thought may derive from music, written text, built or natural environment, person, mood, event or any combination of the above. A concept gestates for days or weeks, until the appropriate media becomes clear. I create a sketch, and try to understand it for a period of time. The piece then comes out of me very quickly. Several pieces result, produced in rapid succession. Much of my work is done in a small series, and normally executes very closely to the first flash of light that appeared. I have noticed that the many passions in my life manifest through me in a similar way. A formally trained architect, I received my Bachelor of Architecture Degree from Kent State University. My work, both in Art and Architecture, is an ongoing exploration of the concept of Layers. I have always been aware of, and fascinated by Layers in the Natural and Built Environment. Layers in Space and Time. Layers in Intellect, in Emotion. Synthesis and Interpenetration of Form, of Solid and Void, of Chaos and Order, of Simplicity and Complexity. I am intrigued by the natural tension between opposing forces along the following themes: Chaos/Order, Free Form/Precision, Random/Planned, Solid/Void. My influences come from the modern architecture and art world, and include Corbusier, Meier, Eisenman, Pollack, Chihulley, Warhol, Arnoldi.
“Gust” Layered Canvas 137x183 cm
“Marana AM” Print On Metal 56x71 cm
Liesel Beukes South Africa Http://lieselbeukes.com
In order to partake successfully in the interconnectedness of the world, one must first become a fully functional part of the whole. This is how I approach my art: First the piece has to draw the viewer in by itself, then create awareness that it forms part of a larger collaboration. I am inspired by my surroundings – by who I meet, what I see, feel and hear. I work in mixed media on canvas – using collage, acrylics, oil, charcoal, and varnishes. The piece itself decides the medium that I use. My work is conceptual, and every piece represents a journey of its own. I love incorporating symbolism, picking up details from mythology and tribal stories. I like to hide things in my works and connect different parts, so that there is always more to see, however many times you have looked at it. I am inspired by my surroundings, who I meet, what I see, what I feel, what I hear, how things are connected. I am fascinated by the obvious but not so visible idea that we are all soul carriers. While I was studying in London I took the bus to class and I suddenly became aware of the people around me. How there were so many, most of them deep in thought avoiding each other. Completely lost in their own lives, being unaware that they make up part of the whole. The constant factor in the equation is that despite the complexity of our individual existence, the journey is a mutual one. We sometimes tend to ignore that we are connected in this way. Every person that crosses your path is on a journey carrying a soul. I would like my work to be satisfying on the eye and then even more interesting when the viewer learns that there is a story behind it. I also like to hide things in my work and connect pieces to each other, with the intention that there is always more to see than when you look at it for the first time. I would love to keep doing art for a living and in this way be enabled to follow my inner calling.
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I am a South African artist living in Munich. I studied Art and Graphic Design at the Vaal University of Technology in Gauteng, South Africa. Afterwards I was a partner in a small Graphic Design firm for six years. Nothing creates a creativity block like working with small business clients. I moved to England and studied Management Accounting to sharpen up my decision-making skills. I met my husband, whilst working as an accountant. After his expatriate-contract ended we moved back to Munich. Before I could work here, I had to of course learn German. This provided me with some time and time was what I needed to work through my artist's block. I worked through Julia Cameron's book - The Artist's Way and it all came back.
“Telling Time” Mixed Media 100x100 cm
“Regret” Mixed Media on Canvas 60x100 cm
“I would describe myself as a transrealist-contemporary artist. This style, which I have conceived, defines my copper artworks which are the pure reflections of my imagination. They transport you into fantastic worlds where life would be more pleasant. The copper by its eclat and brightness conveys the observer to go deeper than reality. Painting and creating for pleasure, and searching for other realities within life to be and obtain what the outside world cannot offer: Freedom. To describe myself in simplest terms: Painting for me brings me joy.”
Maev Marchini Canada Http://www.atelierloiseaubleu.com
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“Dream Spirit” Varnish on Copper 76x 94cm
“Dragon woman” Varnish on Copper 76x94cm
Mark Tomczak USA Http://www.marktomczak.com
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“I have always been enchanted by the masters of art history, and art has been a vital part of my life for a long time. I enjoy creating both realism and abstract art, and in both I try to leave room for the viewer’s imagination to run free – to experience and escape into the moment of my artistic vision. I would like my art to provide the viewer with a kind of getaway, a personal place of enjoyment to which they could escape the everyday journey of life. I love to be free with my color palette and blend this with textures and patterns that give each painting scope as a whole world of inspiration and delight.” “In my art,” says Mark Tomczak, “I always try to leave room for the viewer’s imagination to run free,” and certainly his paintings vividly embody that freedom. The artist says that he enjoys being unrestricted with his color palette, textures and blend methods, and the results are paintings that always carry an element of surprise, whether in the form of an unexpected color or a texture that gives a canvas an extra degree of motion and interest. Tomczak often uses unconventional tools to produce his paintings, a strategy that lends his works a freshness of approach that carries over into their open, inviting ambience. The painter, who lives and works in Hawaii, says that he wants to create “a personal place of enjoyment” for viewers, and his works embody that pleasure.
“August Garden” Acrylic 61x76 cm
“Summer Party” Acrylic 51x76 cm
Nosmas France Http://www.nosmas.fr
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“After an atypical course which began with the Fine arts (School of Fine Arts) and the drawing, I entered the world of the media and the graphics arts where I managed several companies. While working in the business world, I found that my eyes was constantly caught by the graffiti and torn posters that adorned the walls i passes. These things are often called « visual pollution » but to me they said « photography » and photograph them, first i did. In time, in front of the programmed disappearance, with the arrival of the digital era and the digital display, I began to take some of the old posters as well, and this interest has blossomed into a theme of my work. I want to make something creative and different out of these aspects of everyday life which we so often overlook, and yet which form a part of our lives that cannot be ignored. All the emotions, layers and context of the originals make it into my pieces, with some added understanding that comes from my personal vision. In this way I communicate with, and encourage my audience to engage with, an aspect of life which we often ignore, in the form of modern and accessible art which stirs our emotions and interest.”
“Walk away” mixed media atworks 81x60 cm
“Chevreuse-Culture-Week” mixed media atworks 100x100 cm
Rachel Simonson USA Http://www.rachelsimonson.com
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My current series of works, the Cityscapes, started as an exploration of the technical challenge of combining palladium print photos and oil paint media. This evolved into layering images from various places in the world I have visited to create my own landscapes to reflect an emotional state or feeling. This is part of my way of dealing with identity, coming from one place, from being born into one culture and growing up in another and fitting into to both but at the same time, fitting into neither. My Cityscapes create an integrated emotional milieu from disparate sources that have meaning to me, but my goal is for others to develop their own synthesis of meaning and emotion from these works. Living spaces, the environment in which we live influence us as we influence them; we alter our environment as it alters us in a feedback and feedforward transaction. I hope those viewing my work can see parts of their own lives and environment in my work.
“Cityscape series 2 Op.2” Palladium print photographs and oil on canvas 36x43 cm
“Cityscape series 2 Op.1” Palladium print photographs and oil on canvas 36x43 cm
Roula Chreim Lebanon Http://www.roulachreim.com
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Lebanese artist Roula Chreim explains that between extensive traveling in her previous career, and being displaced after her house was destroyed, ''home'' has become a crucial place and idea in her life and work.... As a young artist, she began painting small houses and meadows from her former inspiring town, Salhieh. Throughout her life, Roula has visited more than 135 cities and communities in 37 different countries. This gave her the opportunity to blend with the local cultures and explore the origins of the ART they produce. Accordingly, many of her mixed-media canvas, which frequently incorporate objects found during her extensive travels, portray homes, or inhabitants of other cultures. She paints her figures, interior scenes and cityscapes with an aesthetic that evokes both Symbolism and German Expressionism with fleeting hints of Primitivism, but retains many unique characteristics, such as a preference for rectilinear human figures, buildings and balanced compositions. Roula's passion for colors is reflected in her art. Each of her Abstract works is incredibly elemental having a sublime quality shedding sensuous, romantic composure which convey a rich passion that is compelling. Collectively, her contemporary works are vivid, expressionist paintings that communicate profound feelings to the viewer.
“Sakura” Oil on Canvas 50x60 cm
“Utopia” oil on canvas 55X65 cm
Sharon Ross United Kingdom Http://www.sharonross.co.uk
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“After a 30 year career as a Nurse, my life has took a new path, as an Artist. Recently graduated with a Ba Fine art from Wirral Metropolitan College UK, July 2011. Since then I have been working hard to establish and emerge as a professional artist, with representation with a New York art gallery, Lloyd Gill Contemporary Art Gallery, and the Vivid Arts Network. My figurative works are literal and abstract. They concern dissimulation, and how true feelings can be hidden behind a mask. The masks hide any form of identity. Who is behind the mask? The masks enable the wearer to act more freely. I can relate the concept of the masks to everyday life, as everyone wears a mask of some description to hide their feelings, emotions, they wear a mask in a professional capacity or to interact with different people and family. My work reflects my feelings and emotions on life and I hope that this transmits itself to the viewer. On the other hand, interaction is key to my work and what a viewer gets out of a work will vary each time he looks at a painting, depending on what has been happening that day and his emotional state. Every time is slightly different; every time is newly fresh and relevant.”
“Hmmm!” Oil on Canvas 80x60 cm
“Anya's Rose” Oil on Canvas 80x100 cm
“I paint with various media, these days mostly with oils on canvas. I love colours and like to have them in my paintings, yet not forgetting how effective and beautiful black and white are. I like to make visual art. I tell stories to spectators about everything in my world. I paint people and pots, flowers and fruits. I try to play with my brush on canvas but still take my work seriously which is not a very easy combination. My training in Chinese Brush Painting effects the composition in my works as well as I identify feelings of animals and plants to feelings of people. I paint with my heart and soul.”
Sirkka Laakkonen Finland Http://www.sirkkalaakkonen.fi
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“Armony” Oil on Canvas 40x40 cm
“In the Night” Oil on Canvas 85x85 cm
Suly B.Wolff Israel Http://www.sulybw.com/
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My creative work is marked and affected by my being an immigrant who has been uprooted from one country (Brazil) to another (Israel). While trying to accommodate myself to a new place, a new language and a new culture, I found myself attracted by certain species of trees which seemed to me alien to this new landscape, mainly tropical palm trees and Eucalyptuses. These trees where themselves imported from other places for different reasons: the palm trees were meant to decorate and enrich Israeli gardens, visually and aesthetically, while the Eucalyptus played a major role in cultivating the wild land of Israel, as they used to absorb the waters of the many swamps, thus fighting against the Malaria mosquitoes. These trees, mainly Eucalyptus, became a major theme in my paintings, as well as a kind of consolation and encouragement. This is an ongoing source of creation for me, in which I find endless possibilities. S. Bornstein Wolff
“Untitled” Oil on Canvas 120x100 cm
“Autumn” Oil on Canvas 130x130 cm
Sung Eun Park South Korea Http://domeuse0905@yahoo.com/
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“I find that the only path to my fullest expression of the nature of life can only be expressed in the immaculate brush strokes used in the creation of painting birds. The nature of these fascinating creatures is found in their true beauty in that they are constantly moving; their movements are never shy nor are they temperamental. Their constant and unpredictable movements make painting them inevitably intriguing and although all types of birds possess this characteristic, I have found the most passion in expressing my feelings through the specialization of the heron, crane and the goose. Communication is our way of life, but it does not always have to be related to verbal communication. These birds, through their boastful snaps in their wings, communicate power and energy that I emulate onto a canvas. This communication ability, which these majestic creatures have conveyed to me, is the message that I want my viewers to feel and experience when capturing the essence of my paintings.”
“Dreaming of flight” Mixed Media on Paper 90x45 cm
“Dreaming of flight” Mixed Media on Paper 30x90 cm
Suzanne Anan USA Http://www.suzanneanan.com
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Suzanne Anan is an American artist who creates figurative compositions primarily reflecting women as her subject. She creates in all mediums, but prefers the unpredictable results that painting serves to project the humility and vulnerability created with every stroke of oil onto canvas. Her work is inspired by great works of poetry and literature, and her raw material comes from real life and musings. These evocative images resonate moods and memories and question what it means to feel human. Suzanne’s work was selected for inclusion in the Honoring Women’s Rights: Visual Voices Together exhibition to be held at National Steinbeck Center. Anan’s work has recently been shown in a group exhibition at the 80WSE Gallery in New York and was included in a contemporary portrait exhibition in Lecce, Italy featuring the work of Andy Warhol and Xiao Lu. Her work titled “Hard Work Never Killed Anyone” was awarded the President’s Award, by juror Shiva Amadi, titled “From Our Perspective” for a National Arts Exhibition. Anan’s work was also selected by juror, Daniel Shay of the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., titled “Strokes of Genius” for her painting titled “Ain’t I A Woman?” Suzanne studied abroad in Venice, Italy and received her Master’s Degree of Art from New York University. She is an Artist Member of the American Artists Professional League of New York and the Salmagundi Club. Her work has been recently added to the private collection of Sir Paul McCartney and Lady Nancy in Sussex, England.
“Slowly Like Venice I Am Sinking” Oil on Canvas 66x40 cm
“Hard work never killed anyone� Oil on Canvas 51x76 cm
Tania Doucet Canada Http://www.gggallery.ca
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Drawing upon the visual symbols of Canada’s east coast in a new and unexpected way, Tania Doucet creates a world of curiosity, fantasy, and refuge as her otherworldly visions in acrylic paints come alive with blooming vibrancy. As she bends reality with her playful use of surrealism, the artist revitalizes the symbols of the past still proudly remembered by inhabitants of the small island on which she resides. Rather than mourn the erosion of this heritage, Doucet imparts an infectiously whimsical joy that expresses itself as lighthouses gracefully dip, buildings gently sway, and sailboats indulge in a sunset embrace. In so doing, she creates a sanctuary of simplicity and whimsy, where beauty never fades and magic is tangible. Doucet began her artistic career with a style firmly rooted in realism, but found herself unsatisfied and abandoned her work for several years. Later, she returned to art with a renewed vigor as she discovered a more liberated creative vision. Born in New Brunswick, Canada, Tania Doucet now lives and works in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and seasonally in Venice, Florida
“Caught in the Act” Acrylic on Canvas 61x76 cm
“The Embrace” Acrylic on Canvas 61x76 cm
Tina Dadouch Canada Http://www.dadouchstudio.com
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Born and raised in Toronto Ontario, Tina Dadouch is a contemporary and abstract artist. My paintings are acrylic based; I have been painting most of my life, beginning from an early age. My works are usually colorful bright hues, at times reflecting my surroundings and experimentation with objects. After Earning a Bachelor degree at York University, then went on to Parson in New York City. My technique involves spatial and abstract thinking. “I Reason the painting, where I continuously ask myself, question within questions, a process by "connecting and calculative measuring the possibilities "I am trying to solve", in the pursuit of gaining a final result,” that links Form, color, emotions that joins together. My purpose for interpreting object at different angles is to gain a variety of Views, to build abstraction with figures, at times tells a story. In other works” I captures moments. Whether it is for a short time or long period of concentration, painting allows me to pursue ideas without limitations.
“Sleeping cat on Mosiac Blanket” Acrylic on Canvas 61x91 cm
“Abstractions of Complication” Acrylic on Canvas 76x76 cm
Viggo Carlsen Sweden Http://www.viggos.se
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Viggo Carlsen began his career as a young boy when he and a friend drew Cowboys and Indians with real empathy. Nowadays, they would like human figures with their absence in his artwork. His inspiration, he draws from nature. As often as he can Viggo is out and about in the woods and fields. Tåkern and Omberg are places that he visits often. On his walks he always has his camera with him and often sketch pad and pencil. “My grandfather who lived in Denmark was also an artist. He taught me many things including the way I would put a shadow image. One has only to follow their own intuitions if you want results and a deviation from the already found can often lead one into the new track. Although if I have to do less successful experiments, the nature of painting lessons as a basis, however, I have gone against the renewal both in form and color, and my study of nature let me now make even more powerful abstract experiments. Excerpts from Eric Olson, a seeker's journey I would like to have with the nice lines that Erik Olson wrote, I can recognize myself in his assertion. “
“Explosion of color” Oil on Canvas 50x35 cm
“Past Times” Oil on Canvas 50x50 cm
Virginia Arregui Australia Http://www.virginiaarregui.com.au
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“I have been a ceramic artist for over 15 years, initially creating designer home wares. My recent work has concentrated on a varied range of ceramic tile paintings. These paintings have really been inspired by the amazing tile murals that I’ve admired throughout Europe. I feel that my work is a modern day version of this old world ceramic art. I love travel and different cultures, I’m always dreaming of far off places, and creating these artworks takes me away to my favorite places around the world. I am really captivated by an urban landscape, the charming old buildings, beautiful colours and pretty streets. They lead me to wonder about the history of a place, the people who have been there before and events that have taken place. I think that is one reason why I really love the charm of the old buildings and lovely streets and towns in countries like France, Italy or Spain. I also think Sydney, Australia (where I am from) has some beautiful old Terrace houses which have inspired a number of my recent works. I try to create bright, happy and beautiful paintings that reflect wonderful memories and happy times, I hope that other people see that too and it makes them feel good. I have been exhibiting my work in numerous group exhibitions in Australia, as well as a number of solo exhibitions. I’ve been really thrilled with how well my work has been received and this has encouraged me to keep going forward to create larger and more detailed works.”
“Bistro” Ceramic Tile 82 x 67cm
“Red Bike and Blossoms” Ceramic Tile 67x52 cm
Wendy Cohen Australia Http://www.wendycohen.com.au
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Committed to creativity and individuality, Wendy Cohen’s whimsical paintings are inspired by her passionate gusto for life. Cohen’s paintings, boldly colored and elaborately textured, embody her imaginative, nuanced experience of the people, places and nature surrounding her. Through her vivacious abstraction, Cohen whisks the viewer away on a mystical journey into a sensuous, jubilant world. Cohen’s foremost motif is the human face, which she shapes with an animated, lyrical line. Influenced by traditional African masks, as well as modern masters such as Picasso and Pollock, these abstracted human faces come alive through Cohen’s symphony of brushstrokes and saturated color. Cohen states that her “paintings are an authentic journey of all that is fantastical and adventurous.” Undeniably, Cohen’s euphoric imagery urges the viewer to embrace life’s rich experiences. Like a cacophony of laughter, Cohen’s profusely textured canvases compel us to take notice of the pleasures and beauty that surrounds us. A native of Cape Town, South Africa, Cohen lives and works in Sydney, Australia.
“Luminos Lights” Mixed Media on Canvas
“Rising Plateau” Mixed Media on Canvas
Young Sam Kim USA Http://www.youngsamkim.com
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Kim Young Sam is a photographer, living both in Long Island City, New York and Busan, Korea. He was born in Busan, Korea in 1978. With unknown etiology, his hearing became profoundly impaired at two years of age. At age three, he began drawing and painting lessons, using visual language as a form of communication. After graduating from high school in Korea, he moved to the New York City to study photography at the School of Visual Arts, graduating in 2002. While working as a commercial photographer in the fashion and advertising industries after graduation, he continued refining his artistic vision and developing his own work. He began exhibiting his work in numerous venues in both the United States and in Korea. Exhibitions in the United States include shows at Emmanuel Fremin Gallery, New York(Chelsea); Sol Art Gallery, Dublin, Ireland; Viridian Gallery, New York, NY; LaGuardia Community College Performing Art Center, New York, NY; Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY; Hun Gallery, New York, NY; and the KCC Gallery in New Jersey. Korean exhibitions include the Won Gallery, Kwanju; Woobong Art Museum, Daegu; the Incheon Korea and China Art Culture Center, Incheon and the Milal Museum, Seoul among others. Kim traveled to Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi to participate with the Korea International Organization to help hungry children worldwide in 2011 and 2010. In 2012, he was awarded in the competition of ‘Exhibitions Without Walls for Photographers and Digital Artist’ in the U.S.
“A World in the City III-03” Digital Print 76x127 cm
“A World in the City I-01” Digital Print 76x117 cm
Florence 2012
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“CUTTING EDGE”
Masters of ContemPorary ART
CUTTING
www.vividartsnetwork.net
Masters of ContemPorary ART
2012