Stephanie Rew says she has always been creative. As a child, she was constantly drawing or creating. Of her family, she was the only one blessed with an artistic ability so almost everything she created was museum worthy in their eyes. Though she did not know it then, the Scottish-based painter developed a sense of fearlessness from the praise of her parents and grandparents. She was able to appreciate the visual beauty of the works she created, a trait she was taught by her mother which helped make her decision to make art a career an unconscious one.

I tend to work on 5 or 6 paintings at the same time, this give the series of works a harmony. I can work on one while another is drying so it has a practical benefit, but I work this way mainly because as I like to fully explore the concept by painting multiples.

Exclusive Interview with Stephanie Rew

What encouraged or inspired you to pursue visual arts?

I have always been creative – as a child I was always drawing or making things. I was the only one of my family with an artistic side, which meant that, to my parents and grandparents, everything I did was seen as amazing! I was always encouraged and praised and this, I realise now, made me fearless. I didn’t worry about getting things wrong at this early stage (that came later). My mum may have not been able to draw but she has terrific taste in general so I was taught by her to appreciate the visual beauty in things. My decision to make art my career was not a conscious one– it’s just a thing I’ve always loved doing and find it impossible to stop.

What are some of the most important things you have learned from your time at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art?

I learned to treat painting as a 9 to 5 profession. They taught me that you had to put in the hours to get better. Also being around so many other, far more talented people, made me learn that, rather than being intimidated by it, I had to raise my bar and get better. When I was at college, in the early 90’s, figurative art was not popular and a more conceptual approach to teaching art was preferred. This left me a little out at sea, as all I wanted to do was paint the figure and I naively expected to be taught how to paint like Rembrandt! I decided to dig my heels in though and stick with it, realising I was a lot more determined that I thought I was. I came out of college a bit deflated with an average degree, which made it impossible to take my studies to a Masters level. This in hindsight was the best thing that could have happened to me as I started to teach myself the technique I was lacking and approached the commercial gallery world at an earlier stage in my career.

I am interested in expressing the human condition in my work and for me the portrait is the best way to do this.

Tell me about your artistic process. What sort of headspace do you find is the most inspiring for you? Do you have any superstitions regarding new pieces?

I tend to work on 5 or 6 paintings at the same time, this give the series of works a harmony. I can work on one while another is drying so it has a practical benefit, but I work this way mainly because as I like to fully explore the concept by painting multiples. It gives the body of work a cohesion. I don’t do sketches or colour studies first. I like to go straight into the painting stage as quickly as possible. I may do drawings of the same pose but these drawings tend to be finished works in their own right and not preparation or supporting sketches to the painting. I feel if I spend a lot of time doing studies, I fear the final work will lose its energy and magic. I always have a clear idea in my head of what I am going to do each day and I’ve been known to walk into my studio in the morning, and start painting with my coat on and my bag still on my shoulder. I work quickly and when I approach the easel, I hit the ground running so to speak.

You appear to have an affinity towards portrait pieces, but you also do amazing things with landscapes. Do you have any interest in expanding more on these?

I love painting landscapes for my own enjoyment mainly. I don’t paint them very often but I find that I do when I am needing a break from the other work. The nature of figurative painting means you have to achieve a certain accuracy with scale, tone, colour etc. to make it believable. If you get it wrong everyone knows about it, but with a landscape it is much more free; I can relax and paint a place from my imagination without any pressure. It’s like art therapy for me so the works are quite personal. I can’t see myself ever turning away completely from the figure towards the landscape as I feel a face or a gesture can convey so much more emotions than a landscape. I am interested in expressing the human condition in my work and for me the portrait is the best way to do this.

Which of your various mediums do you like working with the most? It seems that when you work with

Kimonos – there tends to be a lot of gold used, which pairs very well with your various mediums. I love working in oil paint, and recently I enjoy combining traditional oil painted portraits with gold leaf. I started working with gold a few years ago – but in the last year or so, it has become a very important part of my creative process. I use traditional early renaissance technique of water gilding to achieve the texture and pattern in this beautiful medium. There is so much you can do with it and the decorative affects you can achieve are endless so I can’t see myself getting bored with it for a while. And I bore quickly.

I have always been a frustrated sculptor, I wanted to study it at college but found that I was better at paintings and loved colour too much to give it up. The practical aspect of working with gesso…building up low relief pattern, engraving and hammering and the polishing and burnishing of the gold satisfies that side of my personality. Kimonos have been an inspiration and were what got me incorporating colour and pattern into my work. Drapery and textiles are a joy to paint and the kimono is a work of art in its own right – every design is unique, so for me its very much like painting a portrait. Recently the shapes and patterns of historical costume have become a new passion for me. I find they help to tell a story and give my figures a place both in this time but also from another.

In my multiple figure paintings, I look to convey the empathy, support and love that can be shown by gesture alone – the silent conversations we all have with our mothers, friends, sisters and daughters.

Tell me about your decisions to paint multiple women in your works. Since so many of your pieces focus on the designs of the costume and the solo model, the pieces featuring more than one woman really stand out.

I am fascinated by the way people communicate, and as woman I see how females are so good at expressing themselves nonverbally. In my multiple figure paintings, I look to convey the empathy, support and love that can be shown by gesture alone – the silent conversations we all have with our mothers, friends, sisters and daughters.

You work with various sizes of canvas. Do you have a preference between working large or small?

I like working both large and small, with the gold panels it is very difficult to work big as the gesso would make more wooden panels warp if they are over a certain size. I’m currently trying to work that problem out as I would love to do some huge panels in this medium. Recently, I have been experimenting with gilding technique called sgraffito, which involves a very fine pattern being etched into egg tempera on gold leaf and this is work that suits the miniature format so I’m happy working at any scale.

Describe your art space.

I work in Coburg House Studios in the Leith area of Edinburgh. There are 70 artists, designers and makers in the building some sharing studio, some hotdesking. We are a close community and have open studio weekends, which helps to keep all the artists connected and working together. We even have Christmas parties, which as an self-employed artist is a total bonus. Being an artist can be a very solitary profession and it is easy to become isolated and lonely, so having a work place with other creatives is incredibly important to me. My studio is a place where I can keep all the things that I can’t have or won’t fit in my home – it is full costumes, kimonos, hats, antique frames, a chaise longue and other lovely looking things – it is a physical extension of my personality and I absolutely love it.

How long does an image usually take you to complete?

As I work on a few paintings at a time it is difficult to say how long a painting can take. A series of oil paintings can take 4 months but a series of gold panels can take a lot longer as the gessoing and gilding takes a long time to do properly. A drawing with gold leaf will take approx. 20-30 hours working time. My last solo show took the best part of 18 months to complete with 28 works included. The majority of my time is spent on conception, planning, finding models, arranging photos shoots, editing photographs, preparing substrates and generally problem solving and planning the work. The actual painting process is quite straight forward in comparison. There is no off button on an artist – we are always working!

I see my job as an artist is to uplift the viewer and make the world a more beautiful place, what influence that has in the wider art scene is probably minimal but if it connects to a few I’m satisfied with that.

How did your interest in kimonos, and costumes in general, come about?

Most of the art I admire is from a previous time, be it the Victorian painters to Holbein’s Tudor portraits and Utamaro’s geishas…I’ve always looked to the past for inspiration. I wanted to incorporate pattern into my work after painting draped nudes for a long time, mainly in monochrome, and found a kimono on eBay. There was no going back after that. I found that a traditionally painted portrait could be brought to life with a graphic element and the kimono has both the design element as well as the timeless quality I look for in my art.

Who or what has been the single most important influence for your work today? Who are some of the other artists that have influenced you?

I love the drama of the baroque artists – especially Caravaggio and Artemisia Gentileschi. The decorative arts of the Secession artists such as Mucha and the Scottish Arts and crafts movement, naming Margaret McDonald and Phoebe Anna Traquair as two of the most inspirational, have a lasting influence on my work. I also love the photographers of the late 19thC, such as Margaret Cameron, and the tonalist photographers Steichen and Steiglitz also have a place in my heart. I went to college when Jenny Saville and Alison Watt hit the big time and I believe it was their success that made me believe that it was possible for me to be a successful figurative artist if I put the work in.

How do you see your work influencing the art scene on a wider scale?

I just don’t think about that kind of thing at all. I paint what makes me happy and I try to find beauty in all things. I see my job as an artist is to uplift the viewer and make the world a more beautiful place, what influence that has in the wider art scene is probably minimal but if it connects to a few I’m satisfied with that.

Do you have any interest in branching away from your mediums? With you interest in costumes, have you created any of your own textiles?

I would love to try sculpture. It’s a dream of mine to bring my figures into 3 dimensions. It’s a tall order though. Maybe one day.

Tell me about your favourite piece.

My favourite piece is usually the most recent one! I guess this year (2021) the painting ‘Narcissus’ (below) would be that one. It was the painting that started the whole series of gold panels at the start of lockdown. It began as in idea I had when a studio friend gave me a lens from a binocular she had acquired. I had the idea to set it into a panel but didn’t know how I would do it and what the story of the piece would be. I had been working with glass gilding and thought about turning the lens into a tiny mirror by gilding them back. The idea of ‘Narcissus’ came from that. The idea of having the viewer looking at the painting and seeing yourself looking back out in the reflection appealed to me. I gilded and painting the panel then had the trauma if having to drill a hole into the middle of it to fit the lens into the wood. It was like conducting a tracheotomy on the painting as the lens was in the middle of her throat. It was one of the scariest things I have done as a painter, as I could have ruined months of work. It won the BBM People’s Choice Award so it ended up being worth the risk.

When you are not engaged in creating art, what sort of things hold your attention?

I like upcycling, diy and building things. Also gardening.

Stephanie Rew Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Instagram

The post Stephanie Rew: The Philosopher’s Stone of Oil Paints appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Embraced by a passionate vision of sculpture and fashion design, Xu Yu Ting, also known as Dolly Dolly Anne (DD-Anne), breathes life into her thought-provoking ball jointed doll sculptures. Contemplative and profoundly visionary, a graceful silhouette balances the essence of emotion and energy. Like Venus rising from her sea, the reflection of DD-Anne’s dedication undulates as if gentle waves through ever-present locks of doll hair, and we grow curious about their existence. Shaped of porcelain, each of them is a dreamer – we turn the page eagerly to become part of their intimate story.

A self-taught artist from Shanghai, the hallmark of distinct style speaks to the soul…and from the depths of DD-Anne’s artistic prowess, she continues to impress us with her creative ideations. Delve deep into artist’s work as she gives us a glimpse of her life, her journey as an artist, and various projects on the horizon.

Introduction written by Bella Harris. Interview conducted by Aniketh Chakraborty, prepared by Bella Harris.

About the Artist //

DD-Anne was born in Shanghai, and after studying Bioinformatics at university decided this career choice wasn’t for her, so in 2006 became a self-taught doll artist. She does all of the work herself from sculpting to fashion design. DD-Anne does not have a long arts biography, and has not yet exhibit her work in an art gallery. However, she recently won the Pandora Platinum Art Doll Prize in Russia, and was the first person to receive all of the judges’ votes in the history of the Prize.

Becoming an artist, and then a doll artist, is a way of manifesting my creativity into physical form.

Exclusive Interview with DD-Anne

When did you decide of becoming a doll artist or be an artist? 

Since I was a child, I have always liked drawing, and making clothes for dolls was my dream. However, I wasn’t supported by my family members, so it only stayed as a dream. Then, when I was in my junior year at university, by chance I ‘restarted’ to pursue my dreams. At first, I thought it was interesting but I couldn’t afford to buy a ball-jointed doll. So I started to make my one. I found this was something I like and something I was good at. Then, I decided to become a doll artist! I don’t have an artistic background – I studied bioinformatics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. But, yes, I loved working on my dolls and slowly became a part of the art community. Becoming an artist, and then a doll artist, is a way of manifesting my creativity into physical form.

What’s the biggest misconception about your work? 

Ummm misconception? I never thought about it earlier but let’s say one of the major misconceptions is that I’m a miniature artist…but I’m a doll artist. I’m not offended by it, honestly. My work includes miniatures too. Strictly speaking, I am not a miniature artist, I am a doll artist. I just like to create a world of dolls so making miniatures is almost a part of it. Because, I love to match the settings, accessories, and other decorative pieces with the dolls and the theme I’m working on. Sometimes, I make dolls of animals too.

Can you please mention the various ‘highlights’ or a particular memory of your life as an artist? 

I don’t think I have any highlights, to be honest. All my projects have always been very special to me. Some of my works have received much appreciation while some didn’t. But the ones which didn’t, are also very dear to me. Maybe people think winning a prize or finishing a masterpiece is a highlight, but to me…when the moments passed, they were gone – because they are past events. I always focus on the present and keep an eye on the future. If I focus too much on the past, specifically as an artist, my life and creative endeavors will always remain the same. So, I appreciate all the love – and recently this award – but I want to put it in the past and focus on future projects to upgrade myself and my work.

In life, and as an artist, we should never stop learning!

Have you faced any drawbacks in your art career? 

To be honest, a lot since the beginning. In the early years of my life, and as an artist, it was my family problems that most people face and then the lack of guidance I faced as an artist. Now, it seems the same problems are still there and the new ones keep coming. Because, you know, that’s a part of life. There will be challenges and there will be bittersweet moments. We have to embrace everything and move on to succeed in all aspects. Sometimes there are personal problems and then there are social problems that disturb you, but I always tell myself to not let anything bring me down or have any bad impact on my creativity. More than a decade into my career as an artist, I still have doubts about art and life. I still need some time before I can think it through. In life, and as an artist, we should never stop learning!

Can you give a short account of your various art projects? Maybe some of your best series that you want everyone to know about?

Yes! Some of my art projects, ‘Alice In Underland’ and ‘A Song To Myself ‘, are my best series by far. The ‘Alice In Underland’ series was inspired by the real social events and ‘A Song To Myself ‘ series was inspired by my personal experience since I became a doll artist. My next project is Chapter 6 of ‘Alice in Underland’. It will be the last piece of this series. So, I’m working on it. I also have been working on some miniature furniture and have been selling art prints. I also have been making birds.

I choose the Venus flytrap to represent the Queen’s face, not only because of the heart shape but also because it evolved the carnivorous ability in a very infertile environment, just like those people during a famine.

Please explain your work, which won the Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize.

The work that won the Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is Chapter 5 of the ‘Alice In Underland’ series. Queen of Hearts is a doll from my doll series ‘Alice in Underland’, which was based on Alice in Wonderland, but I add my own story with a hidden theme, ‘famine and cannibalism’. The inspiration came from what I have heard hundreds of times from my parents about their childhood memories, and the books I read about famine in history. I choose the Venus flytrap to represent the Queen’s face, not only because of the heart shape but also because it evolved the carnivorous ability in a very infertile environment, just like the people during a famine. I don’t blame those people, they were victims too.

From another perspective, the Queen Of Hearts represents a narcissistic leader of a country with sociopathic tendencies who traps people with his/her charisma, false promises, and virtue signaling just to take benefit of the citizens and ultimately drag them to their death. The people can see they are being exploited but still admire the leader just like insects that keep coming back to the Venus flytrap even when they can see how the plant devours many among them.

The Venus flytrap symbolizes someone who trapped innocent souls, and no amount of screaming for escape will be successful if the evil individual is not killed or removed. I think we should not forget the tragic global and historical events, and never let it happen again in the future. However, it took me eight years from its conception, in 2010, to its completion in 2018. Meanwhile, I grew up from my 20s to my 30s with this project in mind because I always wanted to manifest my feelings into art through this project. At first, I thought to put it aside and focus on other projects because I was an anxious and non-experienced artist. I was afraid that I would never be able to bear the weight of history and sociopolitical issues with just a fashion doll. As an untrained self-taught artist, I needed to overcome many difficulties both in design and technique – challenging myself to do things that no one had thought of and done before. During that time, I was treated like an underdog – and as if I was not talented enough – by a fellow doll makers. I was not supported by my family because they had no clue about my art and my ideas. 

Every time I thought about how it would look when the whole ‘chapter’ was finished, it felt so exciting that my heart almost lost a beat. However, this kind of hope eventually became heavy stress, which made me disappointed and anxious because I was not motivated enough and had little to no confidence. I feared I could not make it work, fearing all the years of hard work would be useless. Luckily, I got support from friends and they liked how the project was developing. Then I received appreciation from the expert collectors too, and I finally understood this art project was not only my work but people’s expectations as well. When people, who started to follow me on social media and other artists, asked me how the project was going, I felt appreciated and grateful to everyone who cared about my work. I suddenly made up my mind and soon it became an art project or a series.

Now, back to the topic of the ‘Venus Fly Trap’, the silent scream of the Queen of Hearts may also represent those victims, perhaps it is just a mapping of my inner feelings. I wanted to dive deep into the mind of the Queen of Hearts and project it into my work. But, people can interpret this work in various ways and give it a new perspective.

I mostly draw inspiration for my art from my inner thoughts, what I see, what I think, and what I feel.

How was your experience with Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Art Prize? You must have been excited when your work won this award! 

I was thrilled! One afternoon, when I learned that I was the winner of this award, I was feeling that all good things will eventually happen because I felt appreciated. Also, I’m grateful to the panel of judges. Then I reminded myself, life has to be continued as an artist and as an individual. I have to work harder and improve my ability to portray my feelings, ideas, and opinions in my art projects. After all the various social issues globally, I feel like I want to put them into my work. 

I quietly submitted my work on the last day before the Art Prize entry deadline. At the time, I didn’t expect to win because I knew that technically, I wasn’t a ‘master’ sculptor. If I didn’t win, I could finally give up and say that I had done my level best. At least I had the opportunity to show my work to the professional jury. Whatever the outcome, I felt I must first create a possibility to make it happen…because if I don’t do anything or take a step forward, it’s never going to happen. After submitting my work, I went back to my busy daily life. After a month or so, I received an email that I was a finalist. I was so happy, but at the same time, I still didn’t think I could win. All the other finalist’s works were so good and their photographs were highly professional in comparison. I was figuring out how to take photos of my work more aesthetically and professionally. Therefore, when I received the internal notification email that I was the winner and received the first prize, I had to read it several times to make sure I had understood it correctly! That afternoon, I was so thrilled that I was dancing for joy at home alone. To me, it means a lot to compete beyond the confine of dolls, with artists using other forms of expression, and win. I’m grateful to the jury who selected my work as being worthy enough to win. Also, I’m thankful to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and Yasha Young Projects. I hope I get to work with more amazing artists after this and that my art receives more recognition.

What are your life goals apart from being an artist?

If you asked me early last year, I probably would have said live a happy life. But now my answer, after two-three years, is to not live in pain. This is all I want. Maybe, a better world for everyone and if I could help others out there to make their lives better.

Can you please give any advice to aspiring doll artists, or all the artists, and to our readers? Any message?

Being a doll artist requires you to master a wide variety of skills – from painting, sculpting, fashion design, sewing, wig & shoe making, and even furniture making. Keep being creative and don’t be afraid of taking risks while working on a project. I mostly draw inspiration for my art from my inner thoughts, what I see, what I think, and what I feel.

I think, as an artist, we should focus on our inner feelings and thoughts. Even if you’re not an artist, I hope all of you pursue your dreams no matter how difficult it seems – and enjoy your life to the fullest. Sometimes when we think all doors are closed, maybe there’s a door out there left open to pursue your career. Look for that door…and if there’s none left open, maybe break the door open because you’ll be helping others in the future too. These are some pieces of advice I’d like to give from my personal experience.

DD-Anne Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram

The post A Graceful Silhouette: The Fine Art Dolls of DD-Anne appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Roland Mikhail is a man with deep insight and intuition. The care with which he speaks about his life and his art – two highly intertwined fundamentals – can leave you sitting a little straighter, feeling more positively aware about your own surroundings and the way in which you respond to the world around you. Visually, there is a gentleness to his art which can settle you into a meditative space as you take the time to absorb all of the many details. And many details there are. Like waking from a dream or a long-lost memory, staring at Roland Mikhail’s creations pushes the brain to bring up fragments of scenes and ideas. It can be hard to make out exactly what it is you are seeing within the tumbled shapes. These are scenes within scenes. Yet, is one layer of imagery more important than the other? Perhaps that is in the eye of the beholder.

It’s no revelation that we each interpret art through the lens of our own experiences, and Roland’s ability to merge multiple cultures amalgamates a universal essence of ancient knowledge which we are all, on some level, familiar with. In a way, his works invite us to connect with something deeper within ourselves. We are encouraged to enjoy his imagery and symbolism without a single message being forced upon us by the artist himself.

The idea that myth, dream, fantasy and art come from the same unconscious dimension of the human experience really grabbed me.

Look inward and see what comes to the surface. True self-awareness can be a terrifying psychological state, yet the way that Roland approaches his art encourages gentle practice into this philosophy too. The concept of care and devotion comes up again and again. Care and devotion to one’s art and to one’s self is a welcome notion, but in a world where many of us are overworked and always plugged in, it can feel more fanciful than reality. If any of the above touches close to home, you may find special interest in my interview with Roland Mikhail. His low-pressure, high-rumination approach towards his art goes against the overarching modern-day mentality of producing outcomes fast and ready. Rather than feeding the impatient beast of social media and its interlinked demons, Roland stays in a fascinating creative space bound within “long signatures of time”.

Naturally, this has its impracticalities. But I found when speaking with Roland, it was a feeling of positivity which grew in me. Here is a man whose deep connection to his art goes far into our historical past. He creates art because it fulfills something within the soul. Because it is the language harking back to that our ancestors used to communicate experiences and emotions, beyond words and even cultures. It is a process to better understand oneself. Fundamentally, all of these reasons dig deep into the beautiful roots of our creative culture. And perhaps now, more than ever, we need to be reminded of the true reasons human beings create art.

Hi Roland, thank you for agreeing to be interviewed and congratulations again on winning the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize! How does it feel?

It was a really incredible surprise! It means so much to me. I’m excited and grateful that this amazing prize exists and that my work was chosen from so many incredible artists.

Your works really intrigue me; the subtle surrealism that you create ensures that the viewer will continue to find new things the more they look. Moreover, you imbue your works with your interest in multicultural symbology and mythology. I’m sure we could publish a whole feature on this element alone, but can you give me an overview of your journey into these fields?

I suppose my journey into these fields began when I was about 19 and I came across the depth psychologists and Joseph Campbell. These were my mentors in understanding symbolic language, and the power it has to go around the intellect to speak directly to the whole being. The idea that myth, dream, fantasy, and art come from the same unconscious dimension of the human experience really grabbed me. Under these different expressions lie a universal language of the psyche: metaphor. My experience of this language is that it gives form to the unseen. It has the ability to act as a threshold between the unconscious and consciousness; there is a mystery around how deep the medium of metaphor can touch us that it seems is hard to fully appreciate. This understanding of metaphor has been a guiding star in my hope to make something that can really touch others.

The way you speak about your art reminds me a lot of the visionary artists. I admit, I personally adore the versatility within this circle of art; there is so much to unpack from within the subconscious and to portray through symbolism. It’s interesting though that your works are more subtle than the usual ideas that float to mind when thinking of this genre…do you consider yourself a ‘visionary artist’?

I see why you would ask, because there are crossovers in influence. I don’t consider myself a visionary artist. I don’t really even think of genre that often in order to frame the work for myself. Don’t get me wrong: I do reference different genres when I make the work, but the foundation that informs everything else is the process of unravelling and discovering new metaphors.

That makes sense. On the note of unravelling and discovering, I saw from one of your Instagram posts last year that you have spent hundreds of hours experimenting with clearcoat varnish to find the perfect mix and process which really shows off the details in your paintings. That’s real dedication to the cause!

Many years ago, I began an investigation into the character of sacred objects. I came away with an understanding of a universal quality in these objects that eventually became the foundation of my methods. No matter how simple or sophisticated the materials and means of creation, sacred objects are made with a care and devotion as though its author’s life and even their communities’ lives depended on it. Love and care are words of devotion that became more and more pronounced in the creation of my works.

Would you say this level of “Love and care” reflects you as an artist overall?

Completely. This attitude informs all my works. Everything I make is created over the course of months and years. It’s definitely an impractical relationship I have to the work, but one that I haven’t shaken. I believe this devotion and these long signatures of time are felt in the presence of these objects. They are important ingredients in making something that has the power to touch someone. I would also say that there is more to why I spare no expense in time with my works besides technical perfection. The sense of devotion also extends to the poetry of the image. I usually vet an image for a while before I commit, because then it becomes an image of contemplation for potentially years. These images are entwined with my psychic life in a way that is hard to believe.

As the weeks and months go by with these works, more and more awareness collects around the image that began only as an intuition. There have been many times when I’ve put a painting out of rotation. It can’t be resolved. Then, there is some relevant psychological change or threshold that’s passed, and suddenly the corresponding portion of the image reveals how it should be finished. It’s mysterious. There is a very utilitarian part of me that hates this explanation. When I’m in the middle of these experiences I’m pessimistic and completely skeptical, but when I finish them it’s always absolutely astonishing.

What I love about the reductive process is that no matter what mistakes you make, it asks you to still find a way to beauty.

Sometimes when I’m writing, the experience is an uphill struggle as I try to unravel and process my thoughts. The strangest part is that I can look back at a piece and be impressed – but swear I didn’t create it! It’s like my active recollection of the writing experience isn’t there. I’ve put this down to being very much in the ‘creative zone’. Do I sound totally insane, or have you ever experienced anything like this?

Haha! No, not insane. This sounds like such a universal experience of creativity, it’s probably always been this way around the creative act. I will repeat something I’ve heard said in many different ways. On the one hand there is the part of you that doesn’t feel like you did anything, and on the other hand, the part that does the work through discipline, focus and then gets exhausted from stretching itself. One part gets tired while the other seems like it did nothing at all. And I love that it gives the sense of conversation or collaboration between an aspect of ourselves we know and one we don’t. This is definitely my experience of the imagination and creativity too.

Now, as well as being the overall winner of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize with your painting memory’s descent, you were also a finalist in the Yasha Young Projects Sculpture category with your sculpture even gods have to be born. Being a finalist in two separate categories is a feat in itself. But what gets me even more is that this was your first finished sculpture ever, is that right?

Thank you! This is my first finished figurative sculpture. But because my method of approaching a work is so lengthy, I got lots of experience with materials before I got to finish any; so it’s definitely not magic. I had some clay that a good friend lent me sitting around for months. When I finally picked it up, I fell in love. I played with that clay all day. I learned how to sculpt clay very rapidly using YouTube, which is how I learned to sculpt the study for this sculpture. As for learning to carve marble, the thing people don’t realise is that it’s incredibly slow, methodical work. So by the time you’ve removed the material it takes to get to the surface of the sculpture, you’ve already had so many repetitions in with the chisel. You really get a feeling for the material even on the first sculpture.

Even Gods Have To Be Born: that’s a powerful title. How did the narrative for this piece evolve?

The narrative for this piece began like all of my works, with an intuition. The elements of the images usually slowly collect together by intuition and feeling. For the years before this image was started the symbols of pregnancy and infancy had become very potent metaphors around my inner world and dreams, and were already present in other works. This image was entangled with my inner life in away I hadn’t experienced before. Its creation shadowed a great inner change, which I couldn’t comprehend. What I did understand though, was that my life felt pregnant with grief and the feeling of something new coming to my life that I felt somehow resembled the image I was making. It was a long period of both grief and joy. I don’t think I ever lived so much in the creation of something. It was one of the great experiences of my life.

What is it about marble that enticed you to work with this pretty unforgiving material?

About 10 years ago I found I wasn’t looking at painting for inspiration and found myself completely preoccupied by ancient stone carving from all over the world. It took almost 10 years for me to understand and admit that this wasn’t just about inspiration. I felt a deep calling to work in this medium. Immediately, I felt connected to the material in a way that I can’t express. Working in stone must have deep taproots in our ancestry. It’s archetypal, and I feel that from the medium. You feel connected to an ancient experience. Just the process of working a piece of stone has so much symbolism and poetry. It is so well suited to my temperament. There is a combination of violence and delicacy that it takes to carve a piece of stone, and I love that.

You mentioned unforgiving. You’d be surprised. What I love about the reductive process is that no matter what mistakes you make, it asks you to still find a way to beauty. This was a huge change in my thinking and attitude to working. It was a bit of a revelation to see how choosing to work with stone could change the shape of your mind.

Looking at your work, I’ve noticed a certain affinity with children coming up again and again in your works, and you’ve mentioned the “Double Nature” of the symbol of the child. Can you tell me more about this?

I guess you could say there is a universal image of the child, and then our own personal image. When we see an image of a child, a reflection of our own personal past with all its limitations is implied. On the other hand, the archetype of the child is the great image of future and unbound potential. This unbound potential is embodied as the divine child that is found throughout the world’s mythologies and art. It seems the symbol of the child can bridge both of those worlds.

Through all of this research and experimentation, where do you feel you are heading to next as an artist?

Well, I try to let my curiosity and creative energy lead the way, so I can’t really be sure. But I can say I feel like a new opening is starting in my creative life. I love the process of carving and sculpting. It suits me. There will be more, at greater scale, and I’m beginning to turn my attention more and more to the idea of public work. I’m always trying to push my creative capacity. Other than that, I can say I have a large piece of marble in the works and about three paintings in rotation. I expect it will probably be a couple of years before these projects are all finished. In the meantime, more will be started.

Roland Mikhail Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram | Facebook

The post Roland Mikhail: The Long Signature of Time and Devotion appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Her world is a cloud of delicacy, full of whimsy. Portraits of young ingenues staged with precision, adorn the real world with unique creativity. Indeed, precision is part of the motto of this young artist for whom structure goes hand in hand with inventiveness. Inspired by the belles of the Renaissance and the cottagecore aesthetic popularized by Gen Z kids on TikTok, Lucy Havard offers a revisited romantic vision of classic codes. As a result, her cottagecore influence serves as a contemporary adornment for baroque portraiture of a new genre.

It is a nostalgic aesthetic, that of a life in the countryside – preferably British, like Jane Austen – completely idyllic. In fact, we find idealized versions of rural isolation and traditional manual occupations such as pottery, watercolor, or wicker basket making. A kind of Little House in the Prairie focused on bringing simple-life nostalgia back to current days. By adapting to both the spirit of the times and the specificity of photography, she creates photo portraits which resemblance with real paintings, is astonishing.

Lucy Havard incorporates some of these elements into her photography by carefully setting the scene for the subjects of her portraits. The young women wear soft pastel makeup and specific vintage clothing. They appear next to accessories that seem to be straight out of the olden times. In a universe full of flowers and vegetation, these young women are either pensive, melancholic, or charmingly mischievous like contemporary nymphs.

The young (and busy) artist accepted to chat with us and walk us through her very detailed artistic process.

I love for the audience to appreciate the image as a whole with a quick glance.

Interview with Lucy Havard

If you could describe Lucy Havard’s artistic approach in 5 words, which words would you choose?

Calculated. I invest a good amount of time before every shoot planning and figuring out all the logistics.  I always have a clear vision of the image I am trying to create so start with mood boards and then draw out storyboards before I scout locations and collate outfit choices, props, etc. I use call sheets to ensure everyone involved in a shoot also has a clear idea of what I am trying to achieve and when and where they need to be.

Collaborative. If my idea is elaborately staged I will work with a team of models, makeup artists, assistants, and costumiers/stylists. We all lean on one another to achieve a good outcome.

Inspired. I take inspiration from my own work but also from the work of many others, even if this is just color stories or lighting. I spend time in galleries, looking at magazines and fine art literature as well as on social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. I can spend days going down the rabbit hole to find inspiration for concepts I have although I do tend to do this predominantly to help my team see my vision.

Detailed. My approach to projects like “All the Little Things” was to include an abundance of details. I love for the audience to appreciate the image as a whole with a quick glance. If I do manage to catch their attention, what I really want is for them to lose themselves in the detail of the image, finding something new each time they look.

Whimsical. The juxtaposition of old and new, the addition of narrative elements, making a photographic image in a painterly style, adding small elements that perhaps don’t quite make sense to the overall theme – all these things I enjoy including in my images as they add whimsy.  I like my art to be a little magical and surreal.

When did you realize that art and photography were something you wanted to pursue? 

I am dyslexic and academic subjects have always been a struggle and come very unnaturally to me. Art was my escape. I have always reached towards activities and skills on the creative side as I found at an early age that no one minds if you are not academically bright if you can express yourself artistically! I never felt my drawing and painting skills allowed me to create exactly what I wanted but the photography medium absolutely did.  

I love every aspect of the photographic process from choosing the lens and setting up the lighting to selecting just the right angle and then working in Photoshop post-production to adjust mood, add elements and work on color grading. There is nothing about photography that I don’t enjoy.

Walk us through your artistic process for a piece like “Ophelia”? 

Initially, I had the idea of taking a picture where the subject was floating in a pool of lily pads but there were logistical issues with that concept. I was also playing at this time with iconography and building a narrative within the image by the addition of objects. This led me to redevelop my original concept and amend it to a forest scene where I could add apples to symbolize the fall of masculinity, contrasted with ladybirds who signify happiness, positivity, and good luck from a feminine source.

My images may superficially look to be recreating a particular era but on closer inspection will often use very modern fabrics, shoes, jewelry, etc.

For some of your pieces, you seem to be working with other people whether they are your assistants, costume designers, or make-up artists. How do you all interact with each other? 

Whilst I am always meticulous with my planning and start with a clear idea of the kind of image I want to create, I also find it important during the collaborative process to let makeup artists and stylists pitch their own concepts for the shoot as this opens me up to other creative ideas.

However, it backfired in the past when a model arrived in a shoot in an awful white wig, way too small for her, that the makeup artist had decided on – when I cast that model specifically for her hair! I then proceeded to tell the make-up artist I loved the wig as I found myself unable to assert dominance over my own photoshoot/concept. I used this as a “teaching moment for Lucy Havard, the artist” and now ensure I have discussions with my collaborators well in advance of a shoot and remain clear by shoot day of what I am expecting/trying to achieve.

There is something deeply delicate about the atmosphere that surrounds your models. Is it intentional? 

Whilst this was not a deliberate intent at the start of this particular project, I found myself casting models with a particular look and then selecting images from my contact sheets to develop where that was the look and feel.

How do you make a very internet-born concept such as cottagecore work with more traditional forms of Renaissance-adjacent representation? 

I feel that to remain relevant, as well as constantly inspired as an artist, that you must to an extent cater to current trends. I take inspiration from traditional work but choose to create it through a very digital and modern method of image production. I want the subjects in my work to take on the cottagecore aesthetic – the idealistic, simplistic life that is not limited to only one era of fashion or lifestyle. My images may superficially look to be recreating a particular era but on closer inspection will often use very modern fabrics, shoes, jewelry, etc.

What is your affinity with female representation in art? Why is it important to you? 

In my first year of Uni, I independently studied the “male gaze” and Simone de Beauvoir’s thoughts on feminist existentialism and feminist theory. Before this, I was adamant that I just wanted to be Lucy Havard, the photographer that takes “pretty pictures” without thinking about representation or the long-term impact of stylized images of women. It is very important to me now when creating images that I consider how my subjects may be perceived. I always like to check in with my model to see what they are comfortable with and to work collaboratively to ensure the images I create affirm how they wish to be represented.

Would you be comfortable exploring other mediums in-depth in the future? 

I have studied sculpture, still life, life drawing, and other mediums for multiple years but often felt unable to bring to life my vision via these avenues. I strongly believe that if you have an eye for composition, paired with drive and creativity – but do not feel talented enough at drawing or painting that photography is the art form in which you can technically advance such that you are able to create your vision for an audience.

How do you conciliate life as a student and life as an artist? 

My degree is in Commercial Photography and my studies are therefore geared towards allowing me to prepare for life in the industry. Learning about factors such as legal standing within copyright and professionalism within my practice is so valuable. If I had chosen to pursue a fine art degree I don’t think I would be nearly so well prepared for the reality of trying to work as an artist after graduation. I appreciate that I can use this time to experiment with my ideas, extend my technical knowledge and meet and collaborate with other creatives.

Are there any upcoming projects you want to talk to us about? 

I am now in my final year of study and looking into areas where I can apply my work to profitable contexts. I have moved into an advertising group and I am looking at how I can apply my own photographic style to such things as movie posters, advertisements for the ballet/opera, and even insurance products, as my work has a strong narrative. The majority of my upcoming projects are therefore focused on achieving my educational goals. On a personal level, I am working as the unit photographer for a comedic historical short film and improving my portraiture.

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

At the beginning of the year, I told my family that one of my goals was for my work to be re-posted on the Beautiful Bizarre Instagram feed. I then set forward the proposal within my last Uni project, that the context of my work was intended to be printed in the Beautiful Bizarre quarterly magazine. This was my aspiration.

The reason I chose Beautiful Bizarre was that I am constantly inspired by the work that they introduce me to via their social feeds and the breath-taking quarterly magazine. I felt like I had finally found a place where my work belonged. I entered the Art Prize with my self-portrait with no expectations as it is the only competition that I have ever entered and was absolutely floored when I was informed I had made the top 25. To then be placed 3^rd in the INPRNT Photography Award by judge Ingrid Baars, who I am in awe of, was beyond validating.  

For the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, I would encourage artists who create very surreal or narrative-based work to enter.

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

I feel that I have found a context in which my work can fit within the industry and I have had to quickly learn the ins and outs of having my work printed, framed, packaged, and shipped internationally! Thankfully, I have been well supported in this process by the magazine, Haven Gallery, and my Uni (Arts University Bournemouth). I have also learned how to price my work and what factors into that process. I have gained a greater audience of like-minded artists and collectors as well as broadened my own horizons by being introduced to another artist whose work I may not otherwise have found.

Would you recommend it and encourage others to enter? If so, why?

I would absolutely recommend others to look for the right fit for their work, to seek the aesthetic that appeals to and inspires them, and enter competitions for which their work can then reach the right audience. For example, for the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, I would encourage artists who create very surreal or narrative-based work to enter. I never imagined myself in this position and will be forever grateful to the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and the amazing team for their help and support.

Lucy Havard Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram | Tumblr

The post Cottagecore and Renaissance Belles: An Interview With Lucy Havard appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Brodie Colbourne’s digital illustrations, which often begin as hand-drawn sketches, explode with lucid colors and exude psychedelic energy. Even as still images, they vibrate with movement. Each work is a symphony of organic forms and stylized figures that coalesce into a kaleidoscopic composition. His pieces have a patterned, collage-like aspect to them due to his penchant for leaving limited negative space. When your eyes wander across an image, they discover new details in every corner. Yet, his motifs and palette preferences are more than simple aesthetic decisions. His work has a strong narrative component in that these characteristics make symbolic references to his personal life experiences including relationships, travels, or the artist’s love of surfing and the ocean. 

“Psychedelic Dreaming” earned him the title of 3rd Prize Winner of the iCanvas Digital Art Award this year. Building from his roots in graphic design, Colbourne has shifted his focus to illustration art in recent years. For him, winning the award presented by Beautiful Bizarre in conjunction with iCanvas reaffirmed his decision to embark on this path, encouraged him to reflect on the progress he’s made thus far, and motivated him to continue pushing forward in his illustration career.

Interview with Brodie Colbourne

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

I’ve been a fan and following Beautiful Bizarre Magazine for a while now. Earlier this year, I saw a post about the art prize and kept it in the back of my mind. I was finishing up a big illustration I’d been slowly chipping away at and by the time I finished it, entries opened up. The timing lined up pretty well. I was quite happy with how the piece turned out and quite happy with the quality of the work that I had been producing recently. So I entered my illustration to see if others thought that I was at a good standard too.

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

It’s definitely boosted my confidence in myself and my illustration work. Having that validation is really rewarding. I’m at the very early stages of my illustration career. At the moment, my circle is pretty small, and sometimes, illustrating can feel a little isolating. So to have a well-respected magazine congratulate me on my entry opens my eyes and helps remind me of where I started, how far I’ve come, and where I’m currently at. I’ve been striving for a while now to reach that next stage of quality in my skills to start reaching out and sharing my work, and now I feel like I’m at that point.

Would you recommend it and encourage others to enter? If so, why?

Yes, of course :)

How long have you been working in the medium of illustration? What initially drew you to it? 

I’ve been illustrating for about six years. I started drawing back in 2016 (wow, time flies) as a hobby, then slowly started taking it a little more seriously, and as time went on, I started to dedicate more and more time to it. I initially studied graphic design and have been working as a designer. It’s been fun, but it can also feel very restrictive because there are so many rules, standards, and guidelines to follow – you’re always working in someone else’s image. In illustration, on the other hand, there’s none of that. It has a lot more freedom and you can really express yourself with it. I’m still honestly finding my way, but so far, the people I’ve worked with and the projects I’ve worked on have been so much fun and rewarding. 

I use a color palette that I like to call my “bubblegum colors.” They’re a mix of pastel-like colors and sometimes are really saturated and bright.

Your style has a foundation in a cartoon-like aesthetic with a clear emphasis on color palettes. Is this inspired by specific characters/televisions shows or from other artists you admire? Both?

Color would have to be one of my favorite parts of illustrating. Color really talks to me. I find that it can be really expressive, you can really capture a mood and feeling, or a moment with it, and it’s super fun to experiment with and play around with! I use a color palette that I like to call my “bubblegum colors,” they’re a mix of pastel-like colors and sometimes are really saturated and bright, like bubblegum. Those pinks and oranges I often use are inspired by sunrises and sunsets. 

I grew up watching a heap of cartoons and playing a few video games, which I feel has definitely inspired me to pursue my cartoon-like drawings. I’m still watching cartoons now. I also particularly love psychedelic and lofi art because they heavily rely on their use of color. They’re nice to look at from time to time to help give you a few ideas.

In what ways would you say your style has evolved over the years? I notice that whereas earlier work was almost collage-like in how you grouped your subjects together, now there is a more defined separation between the main figure and the background. 

Drawing characters has always been a focus for me. I guess in the beginning, it was nice to focus on just the characters and practice my form, getting postures right, and drawing those awkward body parts like hands and faces. As I’ve become more confident, I’ve started bringing a single character to the spotlight and adding a scene around them to add a bit of context and help build a narrative.

How do you select the colors in each piece – is it intuitive or do you have a method behind the various colorways you use in your work? 

I usually have an idea from the very beginning of what sort of colors I’d like to use. It’s usually in the back of my mind while I’m sketching too if I haven’t decided yet. For example, when I was working on a small series of surfing illustrations, it was inspired by an afternoon surf with some friends. The sun was burning red and we watched it set over the water’s edge. So I wanted to use really vibrant reds and oranges to capture the mood of the sun and the timing of the day that the story is set in too.

I’ve noticed you start illustrations by sketching with graphite in your notebook before eventually generating the final image in Illustrator. What do you get from beginning the process by hand rather than digitally? 

I just need to see something on paper first, whether it’s a scribble or a proper sketch. Nothing beats good old-fashioned paper. However, I am noticing that it can become a little time-consuming since I am finishing things digitally. Scoring the Wacom drawing tablet from the art prize has been really awesome. I’m very much looking forward to teaching myself how to draw with this and hopefully improving my workflow.

On your website, you’ve taken the time to explain the inspiration behind much of your work: feelings, people you know or have met, memories of a trip, or symbols tied to your love of surfing. For example, one entry even goes so far as to provide a breakdown of the meaning behind each subject on your surfboard illustration entitled “Sunset Over Sea” and another details every step of the process of painting custom artwork on a balalaika. Do you think your work necessitates this explanation or is it more about simply wanting to make it accessible to as many people as possible?

I like to think of myself as a bit of a storyteller. As I’ve started to figure out where I want to go with my illustration work I’ve started to realize that. I’m very interested in pursuing character design and storyboarding in the field of animation. Storytelling, or my silly ramblings, has been my way of creating a narrative of what I’m putting on paper. 

Do you find your audience has a deeper connection with your work once they know more about the ‘why’ behind it? How so?

Yes, especially when I’m creating a piece for someone. I think people really appreciate the time and thought that goes into the piece. It makes it personal and special. When I’m working on my own projects too, I think people enjoy the explanation of who the character is, and why they’re carrying weird and wacky things in their backpack, or what rabbit hole a character has stumbled into. It helps bring a drawing to life. 

What challenges did sizing up your work to mural scale present? How about when designing commercially for logos or package design? 

Painting the mural was a very different experience from drawing in a small sketchbook. When I started, I actually had no idea how I was going to do it. I was lucky enough to make friends with a local artist who is an experienced mural artist. She was very kind to share some great tips and advice, and she really helped me wrap my head around it. It was a bit overwhelming at first, having such a big project, but once I had a plan, it was much easier to manage, and it ended up being a really fun project to work on. 

Finally, what are you currently focused on creatively? Are there any exciting projects or exhibitions coming up that you’d like to share with our readers? 

I’ve decided that I want to pursue character design and storyboarding with my illustrations. I think with my eagerness for storytelling, the two go hand in hand. So I’m taking the next steps to get myself there. I’ll be working on a portfolio and focusing on developing a couple of earlier characters I’ve created into short narratives, and familiarizing myself with my new Wacom drawing tablet along the way. Hopefully, I’ll have a solid body of work that I can present to the world and seek out my next adventure. 

Brodie Colbourne Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram | Behance

The post Brodie Colbourne Explores Storytelling Through Candy-Colored Illustrations appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Melis Buyruk sows every monochromatic millimeter of her textural clay tapestries with botanically diverse, incredulously fragile life forms that are invitingly familiar and – indeed – intriguingly alien. One imagines that the gilded treasures dotting the Gölcük, Turkey-based sculptor’s lippy-nipple-studded porcelain topographies serve as a shimmering lure that captures the attention of every keen-eyed pollinator within a 100-mile radius. Don’t ask how – let’s just go with it.

Each of Melis Buyruk’s individually sculpted golden orbs and – yikes…are those…talons? – presumably enjoy some sort of telepathic and/or wingman symbiosis with the blooms that broadcast their ambrosial fragrance into the swirling winds above. Because…ahhhh, yes – we’ve made a love match! Happy hummingbird, meet deliciously scented, utterly elated flower that will now be able to gracefully expire, knowing that its DNA destiny is fulfilled. Oh…of course…we’ll just give you two some privacy…

Porcelain Nature works in mysterious ways, doesn’t it? You see what just happened, though, don’t you? Study Melis Buyruk’s coral reef-esque microcosms for a hot minute and up, up, and awaaayyyy we go! Any art viewing experience that triggers cerebral synapse fireworks – intellectually, spiritually, or even wackadoodle-narratively – probably boosts our health at a cellular level, but the most irresistible kind is that which piques our curiosity/desire to understand why…and how.

Whatever type of inspiration is surging through your brain at this very moment, Melis’ art is certainly a conversation starter…and indeed we had a lovely one with her. Curious? Then please read on!

If I am not satisfied with my work, I am a perfectionist who will break sections of my sculpture with a hammer. I am also a patient person who will spend many, many hours fixing those areas.

Exclusive Interview with Melis Buyruk

Your childhood affection for creating doll accessories led to a lifelong passion for working with your hands. How did it occur to you that things like that could be made rather than purchased from a store? 

Today, those types of items can be found in countless stores, but they were very hard to find in Turkey during the 1980s. When my father would return home from international business trips, he gave me doll accessories, but I always wanted more of them…so I just decided to make them myself!

No one taught you how to make the clothing and accessories for your dolls? You just figured it all out by yourself?

Yes, I created the designs entirely without guidance from others. Sometimes the fashions that I saw actresses wearing in movies served as the inspiration for my own creations. I recall spending many amazing days in the peaceful environment of my grandmother’s house while creating tiny dresses and accessories.

During your formative years, did that specific hobby foretell your destiny as an artist, or did you engage in other creative stepping stones? Could you have just as easily become an oil painter or a digital collagist?

Yes, that hobby was absolutely a huge neon sign that pointed toward my future path! When I was a child, my main desire was to be a fashion designer ‘when I grew up’. Although I didn’t follow that particular career, I always knew that I would end up creating something as my life’s work. In my third year at university, I had a pretty good idea that sculpture was my calling, which is why I decided to focus specifically on ceramics.

What is the best way to describe what you do? Are you a sculptor? A ceramicist? A potter? Or an artist?

I understand why it is so confusing. Since I use clay as my main medium and I create conventional and wall sculptures, does that make me a ceramicist or a sculptor? I always describe myself as an artist who happens to work with porcelain clay.

I always want to explain my artistic narrative in a way that underscores the importance of beauty in my works. That is why I always use 18k gold luster in my sculpture, which makes it significantly more costly, imbuing it with added value.

You’ve worked with various types of sculptural mediums throughout the years, including Audrey Blackman clay and Limoges. Why is porcelain the material that you find so consistently appealing?

I started to work with ceramics but then I discovered just how much I appreciated rendering details, which can be more easily achievable with porcelain clay. Even though that material is approximately ten times more expensive than conventional clay (since it is imported from France), I like its delicacy. The forms that I tend to create are quite fragile though, so that’s why I contain them in protective frames made of glass or plexiglass. That’s really the main reason why I began working with epoxy clay – it is much more durable.

Since porcelain is made with kaolin – and kaolin is a very popular ingredient in natural skincare – are your hands always silky smooth?

The answer to this question is a big NO ?! If only I could show you my hands so you can see what I’m talking about. Clay absorbs the moisture from skin, so sadly, my hands are getting drier day by day. I need to use special hand masks and extra hydrating moisturizers like shea butter to restore my skin.

Your three dimensional floral and fauna microcosms are quite complex, bursting with other-worldly (and earthly) life thanks to a dizzying tapestry of details. Are you a creative perfectionist? A naturally patient person?? Both?

:) I think I am both! If I am not satisfied with my work, I am a perfectionist who will break sections of my sculpture with a hammer. I am also a patient person who will spend many, many hours fixing those areas.

You fill every one of your rectangular sculptural panels – which generally measure 1 square meter/10.76 square foot – with extraordinarily lush elegance. It is obvious that they share one thing in common with Rome – they were clearly not built within a day. What does it take to bring one work of art to fruition? 

I work in my studio a minimum of 8 hours a day – every day – and the average sculpture takes approximately 1 to 1 ½ months to complete.

I think that juxtaposing our age-old, biologically rendered fear with our socially conditioned admiration for flowers is an interesting notion. 

It seems hard to fathom how fingers and hands can manifest the minute details that are a hallmark of your botanical flourishes. Now that we understand how long an entire sculpture takes to complete, what time commitment is necessary to create thousands of hand-rolled spheres or fluttery petals?

My fingers are on autopilot – they are like machines that dominate the clay – so it actually takes me just a few hours.

One might imagine that after a while, even the most creative individual might run out of unique ways to make porcelain plant matter look fresh. How do you ensure that you don’t end up repeating yourself?

I work really hard trying to find new details, shapes, forms and displaying methods so that my sculptures always look original rather than repetitive. Lately, I’ve been integrating new colour details which I believe will create some positive changes to my aesthetic.

I am very sorry that there is not much I can do beyond highlighting environmental issues with my creative output and making small, well-intentioned modifications to my personal lifestyle.

When you methodically place individual hairs onto the face of a porcelain tiger or hand-rolled feathers onto a hawk’s body, is that a tedious task or is it creatively cathartic? Where does your mind go in those moments?

That is actually my favourite part! When I work on those details, I typically listen to podcasts or tv series at the same time. It is like a form of meditation for me.

In order to ensure that all of the fine details in your compositions grip your sculptural topography, you use tools that might seem at home in a surgeon’s office. With all of the practice you’ve had throughout the years exercising such a steady hand, has that skill paid off in other areas of your life (fake eyelash application comes to mind)?? 

I’ve never tried that, but I am sure that I would be able to use my special skills to make traditional Turkish stuffed meatballs, which is a challenging food to prepare!

Some of your porcelain fields look so fragile that it’s hard to imagine how they make it to the firing stage without accidentally smashing to smithereens. How do you ensure that your work makes it through to completion?

Like a puzzle, I number and then fire each component of my sculpture. The next step is to assemble the individual pieces one by one into a cohesive work of art. Finally, I anchor all of the sculptural elements inside of my frames.

I distort botanical and wildlife components, producing hybrid forms that look somewhat familiar but don’t exist.

Do any of your sculptural works come together simply through spur of the moment creation, or do you always pre-sketch them first? 

I always pre-sketch them first, but during the creation process, the details inevitably change.

While engaged in the sculptural process, have you ever had an abrupt change of heart and completely strayed from your initial concept? If so, do you prefer those sculptures more or less than works that consistently adhere to your creative framework?

One time, I created some sketches of a rabbit-themed wall sculpture for a show in Istanbul. When I started to work on it, though, I loved the rabbit so much and decided that I really didn’t want to crop it. That’s why I ended up creating a freestanding rabbit sculpture, instead.

Your sculptural subject matter is largely inspired by realistic (as well as imagined) flora and fauna species. Do the botanical and wildlife components in your sculptures emerge from your mind’s eye or do you generally use visual references? 

I think both. I distort the botanical and wildlife components, producing hybrid forms that look somewhat familiar but don’t exist.

In the past, your flora and fauna topographies were intentionally devoid in color. Non-hierarchical hybridity was your reason. Did consistently working in white cause you to become a color addict outside of the studio?

No, in fact, my wardrobe is generally all black with just a small bit of white :) However, lately, I’ve been very eager to make a pink sculpture. Perhaps that creative exercise will bring more colour into my life.

I like including very unexpected and surprising body parts underneath flowers and leaves for the viewer – who thinks they’re looking at a beautiful porcelain wall sculpture – to discover.

What motivated your decision to inject your typically neutral sculptural fields with gold accents?

I always want to explain my artistic narrative in a way that underscores the importance of beauty in my works. That is why I always use 18k gold luster in my sculpture, which makes it significantly more costly, imbuing it with added value.

Some of the elements you’ve included in your sculptures trigger humanity’s innate fear response. Those with a trained eye can detect – among many other curious discoveries – tarantulas, curling talons, fangs, and tusks jutting out of your porcelain landscapes. There is probably a deeper reason for those sculptural flourishes than merely just shock value, right?

Certain animals pose a serious threat to human evolution, which has been engraved in our DNA. We find some creatures uncomfortable or frightening because of their shape or color, and that engages our flight response. I think that juxtaposing our age-old, biologically rendered fear with our socially conditioned admiration for flowers is an interesting notion. 

Exotic blossoms with puckered human lip and nipple centers generally aren’t a common sight in porcelain. You mentioned your intent to reference fertility, but – by offering the beholder so many unexpected objects to discover in your art – are you also inviting them to play a game?

Yes, that is the point and my main goal! I like including very unexpected and surprising body parts underneath flowers and leaves for the viewer – who thinks they’re looking at a beautiful porcelain wall sculpture – to discover.

Is this subject matter so deeply embedded into your practice that you can’t imagine sculpting anything else?

I certainly have new ideas about how I might move my artistic practice in the future – who knows – maybe I’ll go in a radical direction! For now though, yes, I am very connected to my current creative themes.

What do your closest family members think about your sculptures? Do they think that you’re a bit of an oddball?

I am so lucky that my family has always been very encouraging of my unconventional creative expression – especially my husband! – but still, he definitely thinks that I’m weird.

Your extraordinary porcelain worlds seduce the beholder to lean in closer and explore. Beyond the sheer beauty of your craft, however, it seems like your work is designed to be a visual eco-icebreaker. Do you hope that beholders – upon experiencing your sculptures – will think about what they might personally do to become a part of the solution?

There is a pervasive injustice in the climate crisis. Underdeveloped countries that have contributed the least to the problem, and – of course, wildlife – are paying the real price rather than the global regions that focused on profit rather than consequence. By using the internet, air conditioning, and consuming meat, I realize that I am contributing to the problem, too.

I am very sorry that there is not much I can do beyond highlighting environmental issues with my creative output and making small, well-intentioned modifications to my personal lifestyle. But I hope that does inspire thought.

I work really hard trying to find new details, shapes, forms and displaying methods so that my sculptures always look original rather than repetitive.

You seem to care a great deal about shining light on ecological subject matter. When you worked on your 2007 dissertation, you even focused on the far-reaching consequences of marine pollution. Does that make you an eco-artivist? 

I regard myself as an artist who is interested in the relationship between humankind and nature. My dissertation work – which is included in Istanbul’s Rahmi M. Koç Museum – enabled me to comprehend the devastating impacts of climate change and pollution upon the ocean and marine-based lifeforms. It solidified my connection to nature and my realization that I am a part of nature. We tend to forget that we really do belong to nature. As a human, it makes me sad to think about what we’ve done to our planet.

So many of your works look like shallow graves. What are your porcelain creatures saying to the beholder?

Please remember us. We look beautiful, don’t we?

It certainly seems as though you possess an unwavering passion for your craft. Is clay the greatest thing that ever happened to your life?

There is no plan B for me. I am really at the beginning of my career but am extremely self-motivated. I am working so hard on multiple projects, exhibitions, and international art fairs among many other things. I love it.

Congratulations on winning Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s 2021 Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award (2^nd Prize)! We were thrilled that our judges selected you and definitely approve of their good taste. What motivated your decision to enter our annual Art Prize?

I have been such a huge fan of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine for years. I’ve loved discovering so many new, interesting artists! I thought that by entering Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Art Prize, perhaps my work might reach more people.

We are always interested in learning what our participants think of the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize experience. Have you gained anything in particular?

It was a honour to be selected and I believe that this award is really important for any working artist.

Do you believe that other artists might benefit from entering the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize? If so, why?

YES! This is such a great opportunity to show your art to a much wider audience – all you need is a cellphone and internet service!

Melis Buyruk Social Media Accounts

Instagram

The post Porcelain Peculiarities: Melis Buyruk’s Sculpturally Elegant Floral Phantasms appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Unpretentious curls such as these – in shades of silver frost, honey champagne, burnished amber, and dark chestnut – might normally be forgotten in an instant. Curiously, however, we linger on the soft buoyancy of each wave before slowly trailing down the bridge of an alluringly sculpted retroussé nose. We recognize that the quickening of our pulse is grounded entirely in creative admiration, for the object of our affection – manifested on canvas by 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize winner Elizabeth Wakou myriad times throughout 2021 – is but a poetically painterly apparition.  

Not exactly. The New York City-based artist’s golden-ratio nosed muse is a famous film and stage actor.

Yeah, sure…and my cat just taught me how to say, “Please sir, may I have another bowl of porridge, sir?” in Latin.

Joke all you like, but the inexplicably intriguing proboscis (and various other recognizable facial features) that Elizabeth Wakou continues to capture on canvas belongs to real life stage and screen powerhouse, Michael Sheen.

You mean the father of the Two and a Half Men tiger blood dude?

No, you’re thinking of Martin Sheen and his hot-mess-of-a-son, Charlie. I’m referring to the surprisingly comely apple of Elizabeth’s artistic eye, the Welsh actor who played a werewolf in the Underworld film series and a vamp…

Omigosh, he portrayed Aro in the Twilight Saga?!??!?!

Yes, he did. Part of what makes Elizabeth Wakou’s ongoing portraiture series such a blast is that she transforms Michael Sheen’s perfectly normal, ‘real life mug’ into a surprisingly comely, art-history-hopping Adonis, and – occasionally – an Adonis-ette, too.

Tell me more, tell me more!

Well it just so happens that our exclusive interview with Elizabeth reveals all….so kick back and enjoy the fun.

Ooo, I always nose good art when I see it…

This is a pun-free zone, mm-kayyy?

Oh sure, nose problem.

Michael Sheen has a unique face that compliments almost all period painting styles wonderfully. I find his versatility as an actor – and his nose (lol) – fascinating.

It seems like you have a great affection for British culture and very specific UK-born thespians.?Are you an anglophile, a Michael Sheen-ophile, or another type of ‘phile’?

British culture is fascinating, for sure! I lived in Guildford, Surrey for a few years when I was a little girl, and I guess my tastes were formed at that time and just never really changed. I spent most of my time at university writing papers on British satire.

Your academic training in English literature, visual arts, and classical oil painting leads one to believe that you are drawn to the poetic communication of beauty, love, truth, and the human condition. Why are those visual and literary aesthetics so impactful to you?

I appreciate the moderation, delicacy, and aesthetics of the old world, which isn’t nearly as present in the modern world. That’s why I always try to elegantly execute my art utilizing beauty and temperance.

There is a quote by Mozart that particularly appeals to me: “Nevertheless the passions, whether violent or not, should never be so expressed as to reach the point of disgust; and music, even in situations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear but should flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music.”  

I come across old paintings that challenge the modern gender norm quite often in my studies and like using androgyny as an artistic motif. The genderlessness of my muses is a perfect blank canvas and enables me to faithfully reflect the fashions of the time as I understand them.

Why does painting in the 19^th century French Academy manner resonate so strongly with you?

Contemporary art tends to focus on the artist’s self-expression, whereas I am way more interested in making other people look good. The French Academy manner focuses solely on the sitters, their unique features, and classical ideals of beauty.

Is there a symbiosis between your traditional and digital painting skills? Did the classical oil painting skills that you acquired during your Art Students League/atelier training make you a better digital painter?

Every step of my creative process, I utilize academic techniques that I learned from ateliers. I definitely use my oil painting background and knowledge to imbue my digital paintings with a handmade feel. I always think about how I’d do something with oil first, and then I figure out how to achieve a similar effect in Photoshop.

I am 100% percent an artist. Creating art really means the world to me. I need beauty in my life! There is always a skill that needs to be improved, or a new technique to try.

Are there particular aspects of each discipline that are especially irresistible to you?

It’s endlessly fun to stretch canvases, select pigments and test out different effects with mediums, brushes and varnishes! Some aspects of oil painting, however, can be very time-consuming. The average digital painting takes me about five hours – and of course much longer if I want to refine certain elements – but trying to accomplish the same thing in oil would probably take ten times longer. Digital painting is simply just a convenient way to achieve the aesthetic I am striving for without the arduous wait. I can add or delete an effect with one click, which is unimaginable with oil.

How do you make your digital portraits look as though they are so convincingly rendered in oil?

In my atelier days, I spent several days a week at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and I still go there as often as I can. When you’re well-versed in classical oil painting techniques and you become very familiar with how old oil paintings actually look, that’s when you can create “oil-like” digital works of art.

I appreciate the moderation, delicacy, and aesthetics of the old world, which isn’t nearly as present in the modern world. That’s why I always try to elegantly execute my art utilizing beauty and temperance.

Back in October 2020, you digitally immortalized Michael Sheen for the very first time as Miles from Bright Young Things. What made that particular cinematic look so art-worthy to you?

Michael Sheen’s character in Bright Young Things is a very nice example androgyny as an artistic motif, which appeals to me. My painting “The Evirato” is a good example of that?.

You’ve created numerous digital portraits of Michael Sheen throughout the past year. Is your admiration based on his acting skills? His appearance? His personality?

Michael Sheen has a unique face that compliments almost all period painting styles wonderfully. I find his versatility as an actor – and his nose (lol) – fascinating.

When the television version of Good Omens with Michael Sheen and David Tennant aired, you decided to pull the time-traveling threads of that narrative into your portraiture. What inspired you to build a body of work around that show and the characters that they portray?

Initially, it was just a lockdown distraction. Immortality as an art/literature motif has always appealed to me. Given Aziraphale and Crowley’s immortality and affection towards humanity, I realized that they would be the perfect sitters. That enabled me to continue being creative during a time when it was impossible to use live models.

Each new rendering of Michael and David’s faces takes the beholder on an aesthetic joy ride through art history. How did it occur to you to render them in the style of Sargent, Leyendecker, etc.?

I thought it would be interesting to experiment with various historical artistic styles so I could expand my portraiture skills.

Without this series, I probably wouldn’t have had the determination to really sit down and examine historical works of art in such a painstakingly detailed manner.

Which artist – classic or contemporary – might Crowley and Aziraphale favor?

Crowley would enjoy something poetic and slightly chaotic, so William Blake for him. Aziraphale might like Ingres, since his portraits are very calm and exquisite at first glance, but have a lot of interesting, or even unsettling details upon closer inspection.

Have any of your Aziraphale and Crowley experiments ended up being great in theory but terrible in execution?

I’ve always wanted to paint them in the style of Van Dyck, but no matter how closely I study his original works, my attempts fall flat. There is something truly magical in Van Dyck’s paintings – I even read museum reports analyzing X-ray scans of his work, but still failed to recreate the ethereal quality in the skin tones and the flowy brushworks in the textiles to a satisfactory level. But I will try again!!

Your Good Omens portraiture brings to mind Sally Potter’s 1992 film adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, starring Tilda Swinton. Have others made this observation?

Not yet, but I can see the similarity. Visually, Orlando is a very beautiful film.

How did the gender fluidity of your two muses come about?

I come across old paintings that challenge the modern gender norm quite often in my studies and like using androgyny as an artistic motif. The genderlessness of my muses is a perfect blank canvas and enables me to faithfully reflect the fashions of the time as I understand them.

When you’re well-versed in classical oil painting techniques and you become very familiar with how old oil paintings actually look, that’s when you can create “oil-like” digital works of art.

In what ways has depicting Aziraphale and Crowley dancing through the timeline of art history positively impacted your creative practice?

Without this series, I probably wouldn’t have had the determination to really sit down and examine historical works of art in such a painstakingly detailed manner. I’ve learned so much more about the technical aspects of painting. I am now far more able to construct forms with value and colour, plus I’ve been inspired to experiment with many new colour palettes.

What is your strongest motivation for continuing your Good Omens romp through art history? Why do you think that the beholder’s curiosity continues to so consistently be piqued?

I have two motivations – learning from different masters throughout history and – of course – my love for Aziraphale and Crowley. I think my viewers are interested in continually discovering classical art styles, and perhaps they like that I tend to pick artists who are not Rembrandt-level famous but have very distinctive styles, like Nicholas Hilliard.

Aesthetically, what is on the horizon for Aziraphale and Crowley?

I hope to carve time out of my schedule to paint Aziraphale and Crowley in a highly rendered style such as Sir Herbert James Gunn and Pietro Annigoni, etc.  

Do you intend to create future works for this series in oil?

Nope – it takes too long. I wouldn’t be able to achieve some of the weathering and cracking effects in a short span of time.

Has any of your Good Omens-themed digital portraiture ever reached the eyes of Michael Sheen, David Tennant, or Neil Gaiman?

Fans tweeted some of my portraits to Michael Sheen, and he used two or three of them as his profile picture for a while. Neil Gaiman has also retweeted some of my pieces, too.

Has your series led to any big celebrity commissions or other entertainment-based work?

Oh, that is a secret for now ;)

Quite a few of your non-Good Omens portraits – such as “The Elvirato”, “Madame D”, your Harry Potter fan art, and “The Regent” – all seem to possess Michael Sheen’s DNA? Do you see that?

That’s very interesting – I haven’t realised that! Maybe his face has subconsciously become the “base” for my portraiture!

Do you have any concern that you’re typecasting yourself as a creator of fan art, or have you received far more diverse creative commissions as a direct result?

My fan art highlights my technical ability as a classical portraitist, which is mainly how I see myself. I’m very comfortable rendering works in multiple styles, and people have been approaching me to create very interesting portrait commissions of all kinds.

Is being an artist your entire identity, or is it a small part of who you are?

I am 100% percent an artist. Creating art really means the world to me. I need beauty in my life! There is always a skill that needs to be improved, or a new technique to try. I am currently just too immersed in the world of painting to do anything else.

What is the craziest thing that you’ve ever done during the creation process? Is there one thing that you would never ever do?

Once in a while, I’ve been crazy enough to painting with just a palette knife only, which – trust me! – is definitely very daring. And I would never use modern replacements for lead white.

Every step of my creative process, I utilize academic techniques that I learned from ateliers. I definitely use my oil painting background and knowledge to imbue my digital paintings with a handmade feel.

A hearty congratulations for winning one of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s 2021 Art Prizes (iCanvas Digital Art Award, 2nd Prize for “The Evirato“)! Is this your first time winning an art competition? Had you ever submitted your art to another contest?

While attending art school, I had no time to create non-academic works for contests. I’m sort of fresh out of atelier, so this will probably change very soon.

What does winning Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s annual art competition mean to you?

I am extremely honoured to receive this recognition from the professionals. I’m also very delighted to see that classical portraiture still piques people’s interest, which certainly boosts my confidence in pursuing this path further.

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize and what do you feel you have gained from this experience?

I saw several previous Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize winning entries online and thought they were wonderful. Additionally, as far as I know there really aren’t many art prizes that celebrate both realism and digital art. So I decided to try my own luck.

As someone who’s just starting out, this entire experience has been extremely rewarding. I’ve gained much more exposure than I previously had, and that is the gateway to opportunities!

Do you feel that entering the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize is worth recommending to others?

I think that the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize is unique in that it focuses on both classical realism and modern techniques, such as digital painting and sculpture. Yes, artists should definitely seize this opportunity.

Elizabeth Wakou Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram | Twitter

The post Elizabeth Wakou’s Aesthetically Addictive Classical Fan Art Portraiture appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Softness radiates from the women sailing on their voyage. Their delicate features and elegant clothing are enhanced with the silky smooth finesse of coloured pencils and acrylic to create organic, whimsical characters which take center stage. Across the water, sit angular homes crafted with a technical precision that melt into the tree as nature consumes the manmade structures. A golden cage holds marble-like worlds entwined in a miniature solar system. The women propel forward on the hunt for more as their animal companion, a crane, serves to aid them on their journey as “Star Collectors”.

Tran Nguyen is an award-winning illustrator and fine artist. Originally born in Can Tho in Vietnam, Nguyen moved to the United States when she was three years old and currently lives in the state of Georgia. She developed a love for art from her exposer to anime, American animation, and video game art during the 90s. In 2009 she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree specialising in illustration at Savannah College of Art & Design.

Every piece in Tran Nguyen’s extensive catalogue of work is described as having a “soft, delicate quality” to it. She uses a mixed media approach of mixing acrylic paint and coloured pencils within her work. The main focal points include gorgeously whimsical women, beautiful animals, and the natural world and she encases these themes in haute couture. Her artwork has featured on books, wine and beer bottle packaging, magazines, murals and animation. She’s done a variety of client work and has collaborated with companies including Netflix, McDonald’s, Hasbro, World Wildlife Fund and Wizards of the Coast. Alongside her clientele, she has won many awards including multiple Awards of Excellence with Communication Arts, two gold medals with Spectrum Fantastic Art, and many more.

Alongside her many other accomplishments, Tran Nguyen recently came first place in Beautiful Bizarre’s very own Art Prize. Her piece titled “Star Collectors” won her the number one spot in the RAYMAR Traditional Art Award category. The piece is a large-scale 48″ x 48″ painting on watercolour paper using acrylic and coloured pencils which Nguyen painted over the span of two years.

I know it’s typical to say, but I didn’t enter with hopes of winning an award. At most, I was shooting for 3rd place in the traditional art category.

Interview with Tran Nguyen

First of all, congratulations! What was your first reaction when you found out you’d won the Traditional Art Award?

Surprised! I know it’s typical to say, but I didn’t enter with hopes of winning an award. At most, I was shooting for 3^rd place in the traditional art category, especially with fierce competitions such as Chie Yoshii and Ed Binkley in the running. 

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

The competition has been on my peripheral for some time now. I noticed many of my colleagues entering the competition. I found it infectious so I entered my work alongside.

Who are some of the artists who inspire you and your work?  

I absolutely love the works of Gustav Klimt, Hayao Miyazaki, Amano Yoshitaka, and Kay  Nielsen. So many aspects of their art influences my paintings — their character/ creature designs, approach to composition, and sublime capture of organic shapes and environments.  I’m also inspired by other art forms such as fashion design and photography, film, sculpture, and Anime. 

I read that “Star Collectors” was created over the span of two years, how do you approach doing such a large and detailed piece of art? 

This is my largest painting on paper, and I worked with one of the most patient clients on this commission. It was completed in tandem with other projects throughout the years. At times, I was able to dedicate weeks to it, while in others instances, I would have to go back and forth between project deadlines. Instead of using just my regular 8 round brushes, I switched to much larger-sized brushes and put my wrist into action rather than just my fingers. I would take a step back every so often to make sure the piece worked as a whole. The painting required a lot of patience as I resolved issues that I usually don’t encounter when working smaller. 

What’s your favourite part of the painting process and why?

The few days leading up to completion is my favorite part. This is when I wrap everything up and finalize the painting. At this point, I’ve overcome the “ugly phase,” and the remaining task is finessing small details and conducting the last bit of quality control before I sign the piece.

What was the most challenging part of creating “Star Collectors” and why? 

I’m not used to spending more than 2 months on a painting, let alone 2 years. There is a lot going on in the piece, which means a lot of time is needed for rendering forms. Keeping myself passionate about it was difficult mid-way through the painting when progress wasn’t as apparent as it was in the early stage. Once I could see that form was starting to take place, my feelings of overwhelm ceased and I was able to tackle each component pragmatically. 

What do you love most about using acrylic and coloured pencils in your work? 

The two media are the best of both worlds. Acrylics are a versatile medium that can be diluted heavily with water for light washes. I’m very light-handed so this worked perfectly for me. In regard to colored pencil, I would say I’m intuitively a drawer more than a painter.  I enjoy having control and precision so the colored pencils fulfill this aspect. 

The curve of a woman’s hip, the billowing tail of a snow leopard, or the snake-like formation of a branch. I enjoy manipulating these whimsical forms and accoutrements to illustrate a narrative that bridges all of the above.

Who are some of your favourite brands for acrylic and coloured pencils?  

For acrylics, I enjoy using the Golden brand. They also offer acrylic paint in three varying levels of viscosity – heavy body, fluid, and hi-flow. With coloured pencils, I prefer  Prismacolor’s Verithins and Premiere pencils. I’m currently trying out more of the Caran d’Ache pencils as well.

Your work focuses on strong, beautiful and whimsical women often paired with animals and nature. What draws you to painting these themes? 

They all possess organic, delicate lines in their shape – the curve of a woman’s hip, the billowing tail of a snow leopard, or snake-like formation of a branch. I enjoy manipulating these whimsical forms and accoutrements to illustrate a narrative that bridges all of the above.

What has been a career-defining moment for you as an artist so far? 

I recently worked with Magic: the Gathering this past year. As a kid, I played Magic in the early 2000s when Rebecca Guay, Brom, and many other artists, were illustrating the cards. I  didn’t know who they were at the time, I was just absolutely enamoured with the art which influenced me to play the game. As an adult, I’m now illustrating my own cards and it feels surreal in the best way possible.

I’m not used to spending more than 2 months on a painting, let alone 2 years. There is a lot going on in the piece.

What do you feel you have gained from participating in the Art Prize?

It’s such a delight to know Brom enjoyed my work who is the judge for the traditional art category. I knew of his art when I used to play Magic: the Gathering as a kid so this is a full circle for my art journey.

Would you recommend the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and encourage others to enter? If so, why?

If you’re financially able to afford the entry fee, I think why not? It would only benefit the artist in many ways such as presenting their work in front of an audience that may have never seen their work before.

When you’re not painting, what do you get up to?

I love to travel, but of course, the pandemic hasn’t been conducive to this hobby as of late. I  did have the privilege of visiting Iceland for the first time a few weeks ago and it was magical! I also started playing Magic again and am on the hunt for new anime cels to add to my mini-collection. 

What’s next for you as an artist? Any big or exciting projects on the horizon? 

I’m branching out into the fashion industry and creating luxury apparel items. I have an item that I’m hoping to release sometime next year. I’m also currently working on my second art book. Other than that, be on the lookout for more Magic cards and book covers!

Tran Nguyen social media links

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

The post Tran Nguyen: A Two Year Journey Crafting “Star Collectors” appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Bella Kotak, winner of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize INPRNT Photography Award, creates enchanting photographs with a cornucopia of sensory details. Evoking the full range of human emotions, Kotak’s images pull the viewer into dazzling fantasy realms. Bella Kotak draws on the textures and colors of the natural world, creating imagery alive with color and light. Each image is carefully crafted first in front of a mood board, then behind the lens of a camera, and finally, from behind the screen of a computer where Kotak edits her fairy tale visions to capture their peak vibrancy and wonder.

Highly skilled color and editing techniques give Kotak’s work their signature enchantment. The thoughtfully crafted color schemes enhance the beauty of Kotak’s raw imagery while delivering their own clear message about the emotion or story the photo conveys. Beyond using these techniques in her own work, Bella Kotak shares her passion for fantasy photography via lessons and Photoshop actions from The Color Lab, a resource created in partnership with her partner, high end photo retoucher Pratik Naik. The Color Lab was created to make color toning processes accessible to artists around the world and give aspiring fantasy photographers the tools to create their own ethereal glamour shots.

Bella Kotak’s work has been featured in exhibitions in New York, London, and Paris. She’s an ambassador for Phase One, SmugMug, Canson Paper, and Vanguard. Her INPRNT Photography Award winning piece, The Kiss, uses the colors and textures of a forest floor contrasted with pops of bright, vivid gold to highlight the intimacy of a tender moment. The elegant surrealist image gives the viewer a sense of romance and intimacy intertwined with fantasy and nature. In this exclusive interview, we explore Kotak’s inspirations and process to find out what makes her beguiling imagery a joy to behold.

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

I’m a huge fan of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and all that they do to promote the arts and artists themselves. I entered the prize thinking that it would just be a fun thing to do, a way to connect with the BB community. Never would I have imagined to actually win! It was an incredible moment when they told me. I’ll never forget that.

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

To be more confident in my work (and the direction of my life). That my art has value and connects with others. 

Would you recommend it and encourage others to enter? If so, why?

I would 100% recommend every artist to enter! You have to be in it to have a chance, so take the leap. It’s also a good motivator that can inspire us to push ourselves further.

I use the camera as a tool to bring together all the things I love in life and the results are the images you see.

What inspires your imagery?

Inspiration for me really comes from everywhere, from my wild, barefooted childhood growing up under the african sun to the lush floral gardens, seasons, and soft colors that I discovered when I moved to the English countryside. As an avid reader of high fantasy stories that featured strong women living bravely while on adventures, and a consumer of beautiful drawn anime and manga with ornate costuming, all my passions seemed to finally come together and click when I discovered photography. I use the camera as a tool to bring together all the things I love in life and the results are the images you see.

You work with designers on the outstanding costumes which are featured in your images. What do those collaborations look like? How do you find designers to work with and what is your process when collaborating to create a character?

I usually find designers online via Facebook, Instagram, or Etsy. It’s always a joy to collaborate with artists that channel their passions into their designs and craft. Together I feel like our shared passions add and enhance the stories I want to tell. My process of creating is very much like putting together a puzzle. I try to have pieces around me (clothes, headpieces, props) that then come together in interesting ways when it comes to creating a concept or character on shoot days.

What role does nature play in your shoots?

To me nature is everything that’s wonderful, free and wild in this world. It can be tamed but give it a moment and it will burst free to live vivaciously. This spirit is something that I’m drawn to as a person and artist and it shows up literally and figuratively in my work. Nature reminds me to check the reins that I’ve unconsciously placed on myself via societal, peer, or familial pressure. It takes a lot of bravery to look at yourself objectively and release the lease to see who and what you are when you allow yourself to live entirely on your own terms. It’s this energy that I channel into the pictures and characters that I create. I explore, play, create freely, while reminding myself (and hopefully others) of the joy of discovering and being entirely yourself.

Shooting in nature, the wild world that we trample and destroy to build buildings and parking lots, is also my way of immortalising this beauty while we have it, reminding people to look up from their phones and look around, notice the beauty around them too and recognise that it is worth protecting

Nature reminds me to check the reins that I’ve unconsciously placed on myself via societal, peer, or familial pressure. It takes a lot of bravery to look at yourself objectively and release the lease to see who and what you are when you allow yourself to live entirely on your own terms.

What technology do you use to create your images?

I use a Phase One medium format camera to capture my images. For light shaping I’ll reach for the Elinchrom One light or the Profoto A1 (both lights are small and portable), I also really enjoy creating with natural light, shooting at twilight time is my favourite. After which I’ll process my images in Capture One and later the whole piece will come together often piece by piece in Photoshop.

How much work happens behind the camera at a shoot versus in the editing process using software and a computer?

I’m a very attention to detail driven person when it comes to the creative process so lots of thought is placed on the concept, location, styling, model, color toning, etc prior to the shoot. Once it is captured that is it, so it’s important to get it right on the day. My post processing goal is to enhance what I felt and could “see” on the shoot , so I would say there’s equal amount of work before and after the shoot.

What stories do you hope to tell through photography?

The stories in my personal art tend to reflect where I usually am at that point in time. Times where I feel a little lost, a little less brave, discovering confidence, owning the power when one comes into their own, I collect those feelings and try my best to translate that into a visual that reflects me but also leaves space for the viewer to imprint their own stories allowing them to create their own connections to the art.

What is your process for creating an image from start to finish?

It usually starts off with a spark of an  idea, inspired by either the model, the location, or styling, that then is the center of which the rest of the pieces come together to fit the narrative that I’d like to tell. For me the process is organic and free flowing. I sketch ideas, make props, and try to work quickly before I lose interest and move on from the idea. One of my daily mantras is “done is better than perfect”. As a perfectionist I could (and do) easily lose time overthinking and over planning. So reminding myself of this takes the edge of pressure off and allows me to create a space where I can relax, trust the process, and have fun along the way!

…once we’re on set the energy of that day, the location, the colors, the lighting would influence and inspire what we capture together.

What are the most challenging aspects of your chosen medium?

The time it takes in post production! I have ADHD which makes it difficult for me to settle and really focus on a task. Photoshopping for hours can be quite difficult to navigate and my mind (and body) tend to wander away a lot! But once it’s all done and I look back and see what I’ve achieved and created, well, there’s no greater feeling! It’s always worth it.

What kind of preparation is necessary for a successful shoot?

Communication. It’s important to me that the model, the team, and I are on the same page and share the same positive creative energy. We would usually have a shared chat either on IG or Whatsapp where inspiration images and ideas would be offered and built on. That way when it comes to shoot day everyone knows what their job is.

When you start a shoot, do you have an idea of the final image in mind or is it shaped by the model and the shots you achieve together?

Often when it comes to a shoot I would have a vague idea of the image I’d like to capture. Nothing concrete as usually once we’re on set the energy of that day, the location, the colors, the lighting would influence and inspire what we capture together.

What training have you undergone in photography?

I’m pretty much self taught in photography. The training I have is from all the lessons I’ve learnt from my photoshoots and the mistakes I’ve made. With each shoot I grow, as is the way when one practices over and over at their craft. Doing it this way has taken me longer to develop but it’s allowed me to grow at my own pace, to learn what I’m naturally drawn to, to develop my style, and bring my incredibly supportive social audience along with me for the ride. 

What images have challenged you the most and helped you to expand your skill set?

“Eve” was a challenging piece. It was captured remotely while we were in lockdown here in the UK. I worked closely with model Ivory Flame to set up the idea and concept. Since the camera was on her end it was a little tricky to explore perspectives but overall it was a great experience where I learnt to let go and work within the boundaries that remote shooting set. I’m really proud of what we created together.

What advice would you give to a new photographer who aspires to create fantasy imagery?
Just start! Don’t hold yourself back with excuses of lack of models or styling. Just look around and use what you have around you. Learn basic photoshop skills as they will help you go far. There are lots of classes and courses out there but ultimately it’s up to you to forge your own path. Keep a book of ideas, be experimental, connect with local creatives, keep shooting and analyse yourself and your shoots to see what you can do better next time. That’s how you will grow. 

We interviewed you back in 2017. What do you feel you’ve learned in the years since then? How has your artistic expression grown and changed?

I’ve learnt that I’m much more knowledgeable and capable than I give myself credit for. It’s been a journey to cultivate the inner trust in myself that now allows me to embark on shoots with excitement and a lot less anxiety. Artistically I’ve always been evolving and it’s interesting for me too to see where the art style flows. Right now I’m exploring the empowerment of womanhood, coming into our own, supporting each other, unabashedly bold, unapologetic, and seeing how that translates into a fine art aesthetic.

What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?

More evolution, I’ve started to expand into animation and have a collection of art available as NFTs. That’s been really inspiring to me lately and I’ll be focused on that for a while to come.

Bella Kotak Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

The post Bella Kotak: Enchanted Realms and Floral Dreams appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Glistening mermaids and sparkling centaurs, cloud bunnies and rainbow candy. A kaleidoscopic circus of characters awaits as you tumble down the rabbit hole into the dream world of Tina Yu. Mystical mythology and fairies of fable unite in this cast of hybrid humans, animals and otherworldly creatures.

Unlike anything you’ve seen or even imagined before, Tina’s sculptures are truly unique. Cute, creepy and sickly sweet – her enchanted artworks cast a trance-like spell on the viewer. Adorned with beautifully intricate and mysterious details, we can only watch in wonder at the secrets they conceal. Jump on a cloud, drink the magic potion and take a leap into the unknown.

About the Artist // Tina Yu is a Chinese-raised, New York-based sculptor and artist. After developing an interest in sculpting in college, she decided to pursue her passion after graduating from Pratt Institute. Drawing inspiration from movies, animals, nature, Chinese culture, family and childhood memories, Tina brings her imaginary characters to life through sculpture.

Working primarily with epoxy clay, Tina has developed an incredible level of technical skill, with the ability to sculpt even the most intricate details of human and animal anatomy. Over the years her fantastical artwork has attracted a huge following on Instagram, YouTube and Patreon, where she shares her skills via tutorials and time-lapse work in progress videos.

Recurring motifs include signs and symbols of Chinese culture alongside feminine sensuality, metamorphosis, and mysticism. Her artwork could be described as a spiritual successor to the famous Roman poet Ovid, whose poetry charted the transformation of humans, animals and objects into other forms. His mission statement “I intend to speak of forms changed into new entities” sums up the shape-shifting shenanigans we see in these fascinating sculptures.

Although there is still so much to learn about sculpting, I haven’t lost my passion. It brings me so much joy that I can connect with people from all over the world with my art.

Exclusive Interview with Tina Yu

You have achieved so much in your career in a very short time, with a number of solo and group exhibitions behind you already. Can you talk about your journey to becoming a freelance artist? How did you get started and what inspired you to try sculpture?

Growing up in China, I’ve been studying pretty much my whole life. Going to weekend art classes was a norm for me as a child, and I learned still life painting and photorealistic pencil drawing. After high school, I moved overseas to attend art school in NYC. During my four years in art school, I explored different mediums such as watercolour, acrylics, and oil paint.

I started dabbling in sculpting during my senior year purely out of interest and curiosity. Also, I felt a little lost at the time because I couldn’t picture myself working in the graphic design field, which is what I majored in. I feel like I can truly express myself through sculpting, and turning my imagination into actual 3D forms is so exciting! The first sculpture I made was for my senior project. Although there is still so much to learn about sculpting, I haven’t lost my passion. It brings me so much joy that I can connect with people from all over the world with my art.

I think everything in life can become an inspiration if it means something to you. It can be as small as the colour of the leaves starting to change outside your window or an unforgettable childhood memory.

Your work shows boundless imagination. It’s surreal, dreamlike and always intriguing. Where do you get your inspiration?

I like to observe the small good things around me, and I think everything in life can become an inspiration if it means something to you. It can be as small as the colour of the leaves starting to change outside your window or an unforgettable childhood memory that always brings you joy. My inspiration comes from my life and culture, memories and imagination, nature and animals, movies and TV shows, etc.

With your Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize piece SHUI, we see a defiant figure emerging from a sea of what seems to be tears. Can you talk more about this piece and the meaning behind it?

As a teenager, my biggest challenge in life was not knowing who I was or who I wanted to be. I felt like I lived up to other people’s expectations. By creating an emotion that contrasts with the joyful elements of lion dancing, I want to reflect on the complex feelings I had growing up.

There seems to be a theme of mythical metamorphosis in your work, with human figures transforming into animals and magical hybrid creatures, or from one state to another. What is the significance of transformation to you and your work?

I was always fascinated by the mythical creatures in ancient history, folklore, and legends. But also I think it represents the love and bond between humans and animals, and when they live happily and peacefully together in this world.

You have a unique style that is really unlike anything else in today’s contemporary art scene. Which artists have you been influenced by over the years?

I grew up watching Studio Ghibli animation movies, so Hayao Miyazaki. James Jean is another favourite artist of mine.

Hands are often featured in your work, and they are notoriously one of the most difficult parts of human anatomy to draw or sculpt! All of your sculpture shows an incredible level of technical skill. How did you learn about working with clay, and are there any challenges in working with this medium?

In the beginning, I was working with polymer clay, which is an excellent medium for practising sculpting skills. Later on, in 2019, to be specific, I switched to epoxy clay. There are pros and cons to each medium. The biggest challenge with polymer clay is that it requires baking, thus limiting the sculpture size. But you can work on polymer clay as long as you wish.

Sometimes, I like to use polymer clay to sculpt faces, mould them, and cast them using epoxy clay. Since epoxy clay is a self-hardening clay, it allows me to work on bigger sculptures, but in the meantime, you only have about three hours of working time before the clay becomes too stiff. I’ve also become more familiar with how the texture of epoxy clay changes over time. I would work on larger areas during the first hour and work on the small details after two hours when the clay becomes a bit hardened, so it holds shape better. As for the finished result, epoxy clay is more durable and sturdy, and it works with the majority of paint mediums and varnishes when polymer clay has some limitations.

I feel like each medium has its own “personality.” You need to work with them long enough to become more familiar with their traits. Then you can pick which one works the best for you, kind of like a relationship.

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

I was honoured to get invited by Beautiful Bizarre Magazine on Instagram. I didn’t expect to get selected or anything, so I told myself, “it’s just for fun” because I hadn’t entered any contests before the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, not since I was little. I think it’s a great opportunity, so why not!

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

A boost of encouragement and motivation. As a self-taught sculptor, it means a lot to me to be selected as one of the finalists, let alone winning the 3rd prize.

Would you recommend it and encourage others to enter?

Yes, because, why not?

What are you looking forward to doing next? Can you say anything about any new projects or challenges?

I’m currently designing and producing my original limited edition collectible character, which has been quite stressful while working on art shows and creating consistent video content. Still, it has been a dream of mine, and it’s all coming together. I can’t wait to share it with everyone!

Tina Yu Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram | YouTube

The post Tina Yu: Sculpting a Mythical Dreamworld appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Sadly due to ongoing COVID restrictions myself and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Co-Founder were once again unable to attend in person. However, I am deeply grateful to the 80+ artists that have contributed work to this exhibition, particularly during yet another very challenging year, including of course the winners of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize. I am beyond thrilled with the unique vision and caliber of the work.

If you missed the opening reception of ‘Animalia’, you can take a peek at the fabulous video [below] that Haven Gallery and @bennissenart prepared showcasing the exhibition below. How incredibly beautiful does the gallery and hang look?

I am also very grateful to Gallery Director’s Erica Berkowitz and Joseph Weinreb for their continued support of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, and their incredible passion and dedication to the arts. You are both a huge inspiration – thank you!

Danijela curates some of the most premier talents of today and challenges their artistic styles and narratives with her thoughtful and engaging exhibition concepts. “Animalia” is an especially noteworthy topic as it pertains to our current environmental climate, and reminds both artist and viewer of the importance in the preserving of biodiversity on our shared planet. The exhibition unifies artistry on a worldwide scale as the theme inspires both personal and universal axioms that connect us as individuals to all living beings on both the individual and mass level.

Erica Berkowitz, Owner, Haven Gallery

Congratulations once again to the brilliant Winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize.

• Grand Prize Winner: Roland Mikhail
• RAYMAR Traditional Art Award Winner: Tran Nguyen
• INPRNT Photography Award Winner: Bella Kotak
• iCanvas Digital Art Award Winner: Jisu
• Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award Winner: DD-Anne

If you would like to enter the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize for your chance to win amazing cash and product prizes, plus participate in our prestigious curated exhibitions. Please join our email mailing list so you dont miss out. We will notify our mailing list first when entries open for next year’s Prize in February.

If you haven’t yet, you can take a look at each of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Winners artworks here.

Thank you, thank you, a million thank you’s to everyone involved in bringing this exhibition to life, including my amazing Beautiful Bizarre Magazine team. Another huge success – I feel so incredibly grateful! If you are interested in seeing the entire exhibition online or purchasing any of the works you can do so via the Haven Gallery website now.

The exhibition closes on 28 November. If you can make it to the gallery, I highly recommend seeing all the inspiring work in person.

Participating artists including the Winners of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize: Adam Alaniz, Alessandra Pisano, Alex Louisa, Alpay Efe, Amahi Mori, Andi Soto, Annie Montgomerie, Bella Kotak [1^st Prize Winner INPRNT Photography Award, 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Bill Mayer, Brad Woodfin, Brian Mashburn, Brian Viveros, Brittany Markert [2^nd Prize Winner INPRNT Photography Award, 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Brodie Colbourne [3^rd Prize Winner iCanvas Digital Art Award, 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Caia Koopman, Crystal Morey, David Rice, DD-Anne [1^st Prize Winner Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award, 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Dewi Plass, DULK, Ed Binkley, El Gato Chimney, Elizabeth Wakou [2^nd Prize Winner iCanvas Digital Art Award, 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Ellen Jewett, Erika Sanada, Ewa Prończuk-Kuziak, Forest Rogers, Gail Potocki, Hope Doe, Howard Lyon, Ian Francis, Jisu [1^st Prize Winner iCanvas Digital Art Award, 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Jana Brike, Jason Mowry, Jesus Inglés, Jon Ching, Joseph Weinreb, Julio Reyes, Kate MacDowell, Kelsey Bowen, Kevin Peterson, Kevin Sloan, Kim Slate, Koh KiSung, Kris Lewis, Kristin Kwan, Kristine & Colin Poole, Kseniia Boko, Laura Colors, Lavely Miller [3^rd Prize Winner RAYMAR Traditional Art Award, 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Lesley Thiel, Lindsey Carr, Lucia Heffernan, Lucy Havard [3^rd Prize Winner INPRNT Photography Award, 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Madeline von Foerster, Margo Selski, Mary Jane Ansell, Mathieu Nozieres, Matt Dangler, Michael Bergt, Miho Hirano, Naoto Hattori, Nicole Evans, ONEQ, Phillip Singer [Winner of the 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Rachael Bridge, Richard Ahnert, Roland Mikhail [Winner of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Rose Freymuth-Frazier, Ross Jaylo, Ruth Speer, Sana Yoshida, Scott Brooks, Scott Musgrove, Scott Radke, Stephanie Law, Steven Kenny, Sui Yumeshima, Susan McDonnell, Susannah Martin, Thomas Ascott, Tina Yu [3^rd Prize Winner Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award, 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Tran Nguyen [1^st Prize Winner RAYMAR Traditional Art Award, 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize], Travis Louie, Vanessa Foley, Victor Grasso.

Here are just a few of our favourites from the exhibition.

The post Animalia – Where The Wild Things Are appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Find yourself in the midst of the emotional action, where subjects, an emblem of their mysterious sentiments, take on the physical expression of their inner turmoil. With chilling hints of motion achieved by layers of glazes and color, the subjects seemingly gaze out at their spectators, as though matching the irrefutable following stare of the Mona Lisa herself. Full of sensation, depth, and the peculiar, there is a softness flowing in an undertow of blackness; a light fighting against the inevitable dark. This fine balance between the figurative and the literal, of straddling the confines of interpretation, is where you’ll find the sweet spot of Miller’s work. Allow yourself to dive headfirst into Lavely Miller’s world of hauntingly beautiful and ageless emotional encounters, conflict, and release.

About the artist // Lavely Miller is a realist contemporary painter working with large-scale compositions. Miller builds layers of acrylic and thick gel medium by painting with her fingers and adopting the Flemish Method. Art Martin, writing for the Muskegon Museum of Art, elaborates,

This sense of movement is translated through transparent layers of glazes, sometimes upward of 100 separate applications of color combining to create the final surface. The quality of layering is heightened by the use of paper, as it moves and crinkles during its application to create physical depth.

Awards for Miller’s painting include a top prize at 2013’s Art Basel and fellowships at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Dacia Gallery in New York City. Her work has been published in interviews, reviews, and textbooks worldwide.

You can paint anything with a finger that you can with a brush.

Firstly, it’s an absolute delight to have the opportunity to talk to you! Congratulations on being the 3rd prize winner of Beautiful Bizarre’s RAYMAR Traditional Art Award (and thank you for taking the time to speak with us!)

On your Instagram bio, you write, “I paint with my right index finger, and that is it. Basically.” Can you expand on your artistic process and how you achieve such fine lines and intricate details with your index finger? 

The long answer: 

I paint with acrylics and adapt a kind of Flemish Method. It goes basically like this: 

1. Seal and glue paper down onto canvas. (This creates the wrinkled textures in the background of my recent work.)
2. Paint/draw in paint a very basic outline of the reference image I’m working from. 
3. Start blocking in shapes with glazing layers (very small amounts of paint mixed with an acrylic gel medium.) I usually do this one color at a time, waiting for each to dry before starting the next one. 
4. Cycle through steps 2-3, gradually refining lines and details between layers of glaze.
5. Realize I’ve cycled 20 times more than any reasonable person would have and that the painting looks ridiculous.
6. Paint over the entire thing and start again.
7. Typically repeat steps 2-6 far more frequently than I care to admit. 

Short answer:

You can paint anything with a finger that you can with a brush. I should probably take that detail off my profile.

How long does it take to complete a piece and what are your favorite tools or materials to use and why?

It sort of depends on the size and how lucky I get with it, I guess. I paint every single day that it is practically possible and usually work fairly long hours. There’s not much I paint that couldn’t be finished in a week. The only materials I use are paper, canvas, acrylic gel medium, and red, yellow, blue, black, white, and brown acrylic paint. Sometimes I paint on wood. 

Who are the subjects of your paintings? What do you want people to experience while looking at them?

Years ago, I mainly painted people I knew; I spent a couple of decades painting my brother and his close friend as they grew up. When I started painting full-time several years ago I eventually started to run out of people. Most of the time now I just make them up. I kind of amalgamate various human features together and manipulate stuff around until somebody unique and vaguely familiar emerges.  

As to the second part of your question, I don’t really know; I’ve never thought about that before.

I kind of amalgamate various human features together and manipulate stuff around until somebody unique and vaguely familiar emerges.

How do you capture the ethereal quality of your paintings and subjects? 

(I guess my answer to your first question is the same thing I’d say here?)

What keeps you occupied when you aren’t working on your art?

I like to investigate new things. I’ve gotten into tracking airplanes and learning about them from air control radios and real-time flight websites. I made removable veneers for my teeth that nobody lets me wear out of the house. I have a bit of an eBay situation happening right now that I prefer to classify as a “hobby”. 

Who are your biggest artistic inspirations? What about their work inspires your own?

My grandmother, who taught me how to paint, and my aunt and uncle who are also painters, because each of them built their work around their lives, and their lives were (and are) fascinating. Sally Mann, because Sally Mann is the greatest artist who has ever existed on earth throughout the entire course of time (obviously).

What direction do you see your art taking in the future?

I really don’t know. I just hope very much that I can continue making it.

Do you have any advice for other women pursuing contemporary art?

Nope. I don’t really have any for men, either, for that matter. 

I suppose it could be helpful for anyone to expect to encounter failure on a regular basis. And to not measure your satisfaction or success based upon anyone else’s opinion, good or bad. 

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

I aim high! :)

Would you recommend it and encourage others to enter? If so, why?

Absolutely! Beautiful Bizarre Magazine has a strong presence in the contemporary art world along with an enormous social media following. The organizers of the prize are also some of the nicest, most approachable people in the field, which makes a great difference to me personally. 

Lavely Miller Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram

The post Lavely Miller: Painting the Haunting Encounters of Emotion appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The pink-haired beauty stares up at you. Her crooked blissful smile trying to convince you she’s okay while her bright eyes glaze over with overwhelming fear and sadness from the chaos surrounding her. Her hands clasp around her cheeks, framing her fragile expression with a mixture of comfort and madness. Pill bottles litter the floor seeping into a colourful splatter of rainbows and an overwhelming feeling washes over you as you’re plunged into her chaotic world.

Emotions are an extremely powerful tool, particularly negative ones. Often these negative feelings and experiences can be so impactful on a person that they can be manifested into positive bodies of work. These creations resonate with others helping both artist and viewer to feel a little less lonely and a lot more understood by the world. These are the kinds of feelings that are evoked when viewing a Jisu painting.

Jacqueline Choe better known online under her artist name ‘Jisu’ is a 23-year-old Korean-American artist currently living in Southern California. Originally from the Midwest, Jisu grew a following in the Smash and eSports community as a content creator before helping to bring to light many of the injustices within the community along with her #MeToo story. Moving forward, Jisu decided to pursue a career as a full-time artist with a particular focus on digital illustration. Jisu is currently attending ArtCenter to continue her journey as a budding young artist.

Alongside her studies, Jisu decided to enter the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Award entering the iCanvas Digital Award. She won 1st place with her piece titled ‘DrUgZ’ which is a digital painting created with Photoshop and Blender. As an artist, Jisu hopes to create real social change around important topics through her art using her own experiences as inspiration. ‘DrUgZ’ was created during a difficult period in Jisu’s life as she struggled with the side effects of antidepressants alongside other substance abuse. The overwhelming feelings she experienced at the time manifested into this painting. Now possessing the help and support she needs, Jisu looks to a bright future where her art and story can help others who may be struggling with their mental health.

Art is such a powerful tool and connects people in ways that we cannot describe. When it comes to mental health, I think people feel alone in their struggles – so when they see something that relates to that they feel a very strong connection.

Interview with Jisu

First of all, I want to say a big congratulations to you on winning the Digital Art Prize! What was running through your mind when you found out that you’d won? 

I was honestly shocked. I’ve never won an art prize on this scale before, and was surprised that my style was received so well on a contemporary, mainstream platform.

Why did you decide to enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

Why not? It’s a great chance to share your work and see the work of others. I was also curious how my work would be perceived by the larger art community, since I’ve always stayed in small internet communities.

Who are some artists who inspire you and what do you find inspiring about them? 

Honestly, I am inspired by everything. If I had to choose, I obviously take a lot of influence from anime and manga, but a lot of my recent inspiration has been from contemporary arts such as computer-generated visuals. My painting style is influenced by comic artists such as Jo Chen, Stanley “Artgerm” Wu, and Alex Ross, and of course, you can’t have good paintings without studying the old masters and their painting techniques. In my daily life though, I take a lot of inspiration from my hobbies. I love observing fashion from designers like Thierry Mugler or AVAVAV Firenze. And my interest in music has led to finding very inspiring individuals like Sophie or LSDXOXO. I also can’t forget to mention all the inspiring artists I randomly find all over the internet. There’s talent and genius everywhere, and it would be impossible to name them all. 

I’d love to know more about how you approach paintings like ‘DrUgz’ from a technical standpoint. What’s your method for conceptualising and crafting your paintings? 

So ‘DrUgz’ is actually a combination of digital painting, photo bashing, and 3D. I wanted the picture to feel alive, almost like a Polaroid. In order to achieve this, I would need to emulate photorealistic lighting. I achieved that by referencing a lot of similar photos and then generating it in Blender (3D software). I used a really rudimentary mannequin model for the pose then drew and painted over it. All the drugs and different items scattered around her are a combination of the same methods, with everything eventually feeling more 2D as I add more layers of painting. Not all of my artwork follows the same method. I only use 3D or photos if I feel it’s necessary. It’s a lot of work, but I am generally a 2D artist through and through.

What is your favourite thing about creating digital art? 

Accessibility. I became obsessed with digital art when I was 12, and without the internet or digital painting technology — I wouldn’t be where I am. It’s given me an outlet that school or normal life otherwise could not offer, as I grew up very isolated as one of the few Asians in a small Midwestern town. The digital art community is almost like the open-source community as well – building, sharing, and innovating upon one another, all for a passion of art. But, despite all this, I still prefer the act of drawing traditionally haha. I was a chronic doodler in school so the tactile feeling of pen and paper is like home to me – but everything after the sketch, I take it digital.

Art is such a powerful tool and connects people in ways that we cannot describe. When it comes to mental health, I think people feel alone in their struggles — so when they see something that relates to that they feel a very strong connection.

What was the most challenging part about creating ‘DrUgZ’ and why?

Evoking the correct emotion. I think the pose and subject matter could make the image go in a very different way if not done correctly. Her expression is the focal point of the piece and combining the right ratio of bliss and almost insanity — while still looking aesthetically pleasing— can be very difficult. 

Paintings such as ‘Anxiety’, ‘Stress’, and ‘DrUgZ’ feature serious themes accompanied by bright and vivid colours. How do you approach your colour palette? 

Honestly, I wish I had a more complex answer to this beyond that I’m just going with my instincts. I try to keep my original art as expressive as possible, so I just let myself go loose. I grew up pretty reserved so using bright colors feels like a way I am able to express myself. I also want the images to be striking, and what better way than to incorporate loud, bright colors. There are probably deeper reasons, but really I’m just going with what feels right. 

Do you think art can help create positive change when it comes to topics such as mental health? For example, fighting stigma on certain illnesses. 

Yes! Of course. Art is such a powerful tool and connects people in ways that we cannot describe. When it comes to mental health, I think people feel alone in their struggles — so when they see something that relates to that they feel a very strong connection. We are already seeing a generational shift where younger people are acknowledging their mental health more and more, and you can see that exemplified through a lot of modern artwork. The more people realize they are not alone, the more people will speak out and seek help, and hopefully, my art can help people in that way as well.

You sell apparel on your online store and your Patreon features a project where you create concepts for hypothetical high-fashion lines. Are fashion and apparel something you hope to pursue more in the future?

Yes. I always joke to my friends that in another life I would be a fashion designer. I spend so much time looking at stylists, judging runway shows, and eye shopping. I even have my own personal aesthetic Instagram feed that I share my newest finds on. I have a lot of ideas, and sometimes I do think about pursuing fashion school – but for now, I’m happy styling my own outfits and drawing out my visions. 

I try to keep my original art as expressive as possible, so I just let myself go loose. I grew up pretty reserved so using bright colors feels like a way I am able to express myself.

Alongside creating and sharing your art, you’re also learning as a student yourself, how has your art school journey been going so far?

I was a pretty good student growing up, minus the skipping classes and never paying attention haha. But really school has been cool. I just started again after almost 7 years in my last class. I’ve been self-taught up until now so I’m excited to see where formal education takes me. I have been considering dropping out just because I’ve been getting a lot of work and I’m so busy, but it honestly makes me more productive due to the structure it gives me.

When you aren’t making art, what do you get up to in your spare time?

I like to go hiking, skating, and exploring around town. I grew up in a pretty desolate area so almost everything is exciting to me. My friends and I are always looking for new experiences, so we’ll try a new restaurant or activity all the time. Usually, we’ll start off doing something mild, but end up at a party or some underground music show haha. When I’m just winding down, I like to read and browse fashion and music. When I was younger, I used to stay inside and play a lot of video games, but as I grow older I think I’m more attracted to experiencing what life has to offer.

What do you feel you have gained from participating in the Art Prize?

I feel a new sense of confidence. It’s always scary creating work from your soul since it’s like you’re putting your true self on display. But, knowing that a highly-acclaimed panel of judges saw my vision and appreciated it enough to award me a prize means so much and really gives me the confidence to keep pushing forward. 

Would you recommend it and encourage others to enter the Art Prize? If so, why?

Of course! It’s a great experience and you have nothing to lose.

What’s next for you and your artistic journey? 

Hopefully something badass. My life has been taking so many twists and turns lately it’s hard to pinpoint where I’ll end up. Even winning the digital art prize is one of many exciting events I’ve been having. I think I’m going to focus on creating my original work, while balancing school (somehow) since I feel that a lot of people are connecting with my vision. I could never sit down and do a normal job, so I’m grateful for the opportunities. I hope the exciting opportunities continue and wherever I’m going — it’s probably sick. 

Jisu social media links

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

The post Jisu: Mental Health and the Power of Art appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Well, now it’s time for the biggest reveal yet! The Winner of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, the six Honourable Mentions selected by each of this year’s wonderful sponsors, Directors of Haven Gallery in Long Island New York, and our Editor-in-Chief Danijela Krha Purssey, plus the Winner of the People’s Choice Award, which saw our amazing community contribute over 13,406 votes from 98 different countries!

Thank you to everyone that voted for the People’s Choice Award, we really appreciate your thoughts and opinions!

As an international ambassador of the arts, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s long term vision for the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is to make contemporary representational art accepted, valued and respected, alongside traditional “high brow art” in homes and cultures around the world. Now it its 4th year, the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize already surpasses all known Australian and many international prizes both in volume and caliber of entries!

Our Thanks

I would like to once again sincerely thank the 2021 Jury Panel: Gerald Brom (Traditional Art juror), Ingrid Baars, (Photography juror), Kristine Poole (Sculpture juror), and Stanley Artgerm Lau (Digital Art juror) and Directors of Haven Gallery, Erica Berkowitz and Joseph Weinreb for contributing their valuable time and expertise to the Jury Panel. I would also like to thank our amazing major partners: INPRNT, RAYMAR, Yasha Young Projects and iCanvas for their support of this year’s Prize, It is through their valuable contributions that we are able to assist the Winners to grow and develop their practice through cash and amazing product and service prizes, and of course receive the visibility their work deserves. Finally I would like to thank the Beautiful Bizarre team for their dedication and hard work over the many months it takes to put the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize together and administer it.

On behalf of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and the global arts community: thank you for championing the Arts. This kind of support and backing of the representational visual arts is important now more than ever – so thank you, we are deeply grateful!

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine will continue our work to ensure that the 2022 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize adds even more value to artists globally. The 2022 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize will open on 1 February 2022, so to ensure you don’t miss the news, please join the email mailing list here.

‘Animalia’ Exhibition

We look forward to sharing the artworks that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prize Winners in each Award category, and of course the overall Winner of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize create for the upcoming Beautiful Bizarre exhibition ‘Animalia’. ‘Animalia’ opens on 23 October at Haven Gallery in Long Island, New York, USA. These works will be shared in the coming weeks leading up to the opening. If you happen to be in New York, please drop in to see the exhibition in person. It’s going to be an amazing show!

The entire exhibition will also be available to enjoy online. If you would like to be added to the Collector’s Preview, please email Gallery Director Erica Berkowitz at info@havengallery.com.

Winner of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

The overall 1st Prize Winner will receive:

• US$10,000 cash prize! Generously donated by sponsors RAYMAR, INPRNT, iCanvas, and Yasha Young Projects
• Receive a beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• Editorial in Beautiful Bizarre print and digital Magazine
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared on social media
• 12 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all social platforms)
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

Winners

So without further ado, it is with great pleasure and much pride that we share with you the Winner of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, the Honourable Mentions, and the Winner of the People’s Choice Award.

Winner of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

Roland Mikhail

“Memory’s Descent”, Airbrushed Acrylic on Wood Panel, 40″ x 30″.

Roland Mikhail is the son of first generation Egyptian immigrants and lives in Sunset Park Brooklyn. He is a painter, sculptor, anatomy instructor at Pratt Institute, and artist in residence at the North American Sculpture Center. He is an expert in Jujitsu, mythology, and symbolism, and has spent the better part of the last decade excavating his childhood allowing him to unearth the hidden parts of psyche. This journey and all of these inquiries are reflected in his work.

“Memory’s Descent”: If images contain a potential glimpse of our own veiled soul, I like to think the bridal suggests the relationship between the mind and our own animal body; like horse and rider. Between head and torso, is a ruin of bodies unseen by the subject. What do our bodies carry that the mind can’t see.

Honourable Mentions

Juli About

“To Our Pains”, porcelain, embroidery thread, metal frame, gold wire, 94cm x 61cm x 24cm.

Awarded by Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Danijela Krha Purssey.

Carla Paine

“Before the Bath”, Oil on Linen, 32″ x 30″.

Awarded by RAYMAR.

Nina Luca

“Reflective Desire”, Digital photography (Canon eos 5d, f2.8 24-70, 1 Flashlight/Softbox and a reflector). Photo, Concept, Edit: Nina Luca // Model: Model Daliah.

Awarded by INPRNT.

Ransom & Mitchell

“It Will Be Ours”, Photomanipulation (Nikon D800 50mm f1.4). Model: Alexzandria Compton; MUA: Jihyun Kim; Wardrobe: Kaytee Papusa.

Awarded by iCanvas.

Sadhdh Mowlds

“The Suffering”, Silcone, fiberglass, resin, glass, steel, bronze, hair, 30cm x 70cm x 65cm

Awarded by Yasha Young Projects.

Ben Howe

“Passage”, Oil on panel, 92cm x 87cm.

Awarded by Haven Gallery.

People’s Choice Award Winner

Stephanie Rew

“Narcissus”, Oil, egg tempera, gold leaf and optical lens on panel, 40″ x 66″.

The 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is proudly sponsored by

MAJOR PARTNERS

SILVER SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

The post Winner of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Announced + People’s Choice Winner & Honourable Mentions! appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

3rd Prize Winner

Lavely Miller

“God Shot Me in the Face and Then I Saw”, Acrylic on paper on canvas, 40″ x 30″.

Lavely Miller (b. 1978, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina) is a contemporary realist painter who works in large scale. Mark Jenkins, writing for the Washington Post, describes her work as containing depths that are “both metaphorical and literal. That the format evokes Renaissance art seems apt… her paintings have an eerie timelessness.” Miller draws reference from faces she observes around her, close members of her family and friends, found images in the media and film stills. She paints with her fingers, building layers and layers of acrylic and thick gel medium. Awards for Miller’s painting include a top prize at 2013’s Art Basel and fellowships at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Dacia Gallery in New York City. Her work has been published in interviews, reviews and textbooks worldwide.

“God Shot Me in the Face and Then I Saw”: For the past 20 years I’ve painted in acrylic with my fingers. Recently, I’ve begun incorporating glazing layers and painting on paper which is glued to either canvas or wood. The paper I use contracts and expands in reaction to being affixed to another surface, creating a crinkling effect.

2nd Prize Winner: Henrik Uldalen

2nd Prize Winner

Henrik Uldalen

“Abrade”, Oil on canvas, 150cm x 120cm.

Henrik Aarrestad Uldalen (1986) is a Norwegian self-taught artist whose creative production revolves around classic figurative painting, presented in a contemporary manner. Henrik explores the dark sides of life, nihilism, existentialism, longing and loneliness, juxtaposed with fragile beauty. Though a figurative painter, his focus has always been the emotional content rather than narratives. The atmospheres in his work is often presented in a dream or limbo-like state, with elements of surrealism and expressionism.

“Abrade”: “Abrade” was made to function as a personal cathartic release, in reaction to the hardships of life as a person prone to melancholia, confusion and hopelessness.

1st Prize Winner: Tran Nguyen

1st Prize Winner

Tran Nguyen

“Star Collectors”, Acrylic and coloured pencil on watercolour paper, 48″ x 48″.

Tran Nguyen is an award-winning illustrator, fine artist, and muralist. Born in Can Tho, Vietnam, she currently resides in the peachy state of Georgia. Nguyen’s paintings are created with a soft, delicate quality using coloured pencil and acrylic on paper. She’s most known for her paintings of whimsical women and their melancholic landscapes, which often possess an air of fantasy and surrealism. She creates illustrations for published media such as magazines, books, wine & beer packaging, animation, advertising, and mural work. Her clients include VH1, Tiger Beer, World Wildlife Fund, and she has showcased with galleries across the world.

“Star Collectors”: This is a large-scale painting created over the span of two years. It depicts two wandering voyagers who travel through galaxies collecting misplaced or fallen stars so that they can be returned to their proper home within the universe.

Thank you & Acknowledgements

Congratulations to the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize RAYMAR Traditional Art Award Winners, Tran Nguyen, Henrik Uldalen, and Lavely Miller!

Once again, we would like to thank all of the artists that entered, sharing their work and their artistic passion with us. It was such a pleasure to immerse myself in the work of so many creatives from all corners of the globe and read their inspirational stories.

As Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief I have the pleasure and honour of curating each issue of the magazine and our yearly exhibitions. The many wonderful and talented Art Prize entries we received have given me a plethora of new ideas and choices to pursue in future. So thank you again for your interest in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, I very much hope to see how your work has grown and developed in next year’s Prize.

I would also like to sincerely thank the 2021 Jury Panel, particularly the Traditional Art Category Judge Gerald Brom, who gave his time and expertise to the panel, the other Category Judges: Ingrid Baars, (Photography juror), Kristine Poole (Sculpture juror), and Stanley Artgerm Lau (Digital Art juror) and Directors of Haven Gallery, Erica Berkowitz and Joseph Weinreb. I would also like to thank our major partners: INPRNT, RAYMAR, Yasha Young Projects and iCanvas; the Beautiful Bizarre team for their dedication and hard work on behalf of the prize and winners, and of course to my partner, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine‘s Co-Founder Richard Purssey. The judging process was extremely difficult with many noteworthy entries, so thank you again!

Our sincere thanks to this year’s Traditional Art Award sponsors listed below. It is through their generosity that the Traditional Art Award Winners will be able to enrich their practice.

RAYMAR Traditional Art Award

The RAYMAR Traditional Art Award 1st prize winner will receive:

• $3,000 cash, generously donated by sponsor RAYMAR, creators of the finest panels! Panels are their passion. They craft their panels with the world’s finest materials to serve as the foundation for your artwork. 
• $1,500 cash, generously donated by SmArt School, providing superior online art mentorships since 2011, where you learn from professional artists. 
• Receive a beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• US$500 worth of Gift Certificates from Trekell Art Supplies, makers of some of the finest art supplies for artists of all levels.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all social platforms)
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared on social media
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive:

• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• 2nd Prize – US$250 Gift Certificates from Trekell Art Supplies, makers of some of the finest art supplies for artists of all levels.
• 3rd Prize – US$150 Gift Certificates from Trekell Art Supplies, makers of some of the finest art supplies for artists of all levels.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• An exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites.
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

The 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is proudly sponsored by

MAJOR PARTNERS

SILVER SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

The post Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2021: RAYMAR Traditional Art Award Winners 2021 appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

3rd Prize Winner

Brodie Colbourne

“Psychedelic Dreaming”, Vector (Illustrator & Photoshop).

Brodie Colbourne is a self-taught illustrator based in Thornbury, Victoria, Australia. He enjoys drawing dreamy characters and storytelling, always using strong and vibrant colours. Brodie draws his inspiration from trips down the coast, sunrise surfs, and his love for animation and cartoons. He has painted murals around his local community and has featured work in group shows and exhibitions. Brodie aims to pursue animation and storyboarding with his illustrations in the near future.

“Psychedelic Dreaming”: My illustration ‘Psychedelic Dreaming’ features characters in different worlds that, while separate, blend into one another. My aim was to create a fun psychedelic inspired illustration full of wonder and bright colours.

2nd Prize Winner: Elizabeth Wakou

2nd Prize Winner

Elizabeth Wakou

“The Evirato”, Digital Painting & Drawing (Wacom Intuos Pro & Photoshop).

Elizabeth Wakou is a classically trained painter based in New York City. She studied English and Visual Arts at Columbia University. Her works are distinctively modern in methods, but staunchly classical in taste. Her inspiration is mainly sourced from “grand style” portraitists such as Anthony Van Dyck and Joshua Reynolds. Her subjects are always presented as their larger-than-life personas: brilliant, timeless, and detached. Some may view it as a dated view of portraiture, but she unapologetically clings on to what she sees as classical beauty. However, she is not so much of a traditionalist concerning methods. Her works are painted with graphic programmes in a way that is intensely aware of elements of real oil paint. She strives to bring a taste of classicism into the modern world of digital painting.

“The Evirato”: This is a portrait of an evirato – a male singer whose heavenly voice is preserved by the cruelty of castration. His fair, contemplative complexion is troubled with a hint of moroseness carefully adorned with flamboyance and grace.

1st Prize Winner: Jisu

1st Prize Winner

Jisu

“DruGz”, Digital Painting & Drawing (Photoshop & Blender).

Jacqueline ‘Jisu’ Choe is from the Midwest of the United States. A high school-dropout turned young aspiring illustrator, now residing in southern California. She takes inspiration from her experiences to add a certain edge, and strives to enact real social change through commentary and critical analysis of certain topics through her work.

“DruGz”: This work was created at a very difficult time in my life when I was prescribed very strong SSRIs (antidepressants), which caused terrible side-effects, including suicidal thoughts and actions. I immediately went off the drug, but sadly turned towards other substances. The result was a feeling of overwhelm and chaos, which inspired this piece. I am very grateful that this period in my life is over, because self-medicating is not the answer! I thankfully now have the help I need and see a therapist regularly. I am now in a much better place, and hope that my story, experience and art can inspire others who are struggling with depression and other mental illnesses, to take steps towards a healthy recovery.”

Thank you & Acknowledgements

Congratulations to the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize iCanvas Digital Art Award Winners, Jisu, Elizabeth Wakou, and Brodie Colbourne!

Once again, we would like to thank all of the artists that entered, sharing their work and their artistic passion with us. It was such a pleasure to immerse myself in the work of so many creatives from all corners of the globe and read their inspirational stories.

As Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief I have the pleasure and honour of curating each issue of the magazine and our yearly exhibitions. The many wonderful and talented Art Prize entries we received have given me a plethora of new ideas and choices to pursue in future. So thank you again for your interest in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, I very much hope to see how your work has grown and developed in next year’s Prize.

I would also like to sincerely thank the 2021 Jury Panel, particularly the Digital Art Category Judge Stanley Artgerm Lau, who gave his time and expertise to the panel, the other Category Judges: Gerald Brom (Traditional Art juror), Kristine Poole (Sculpture juror), and Ingrid Baars, (Photography juror) and Directors of Haven Gallery, Erica Berkowitz and Joseph Weinreb. I would also like to thank our major partners: INPRNT, RAYMAR, Yasha Young Projects and iCanvas; the Beautiful Bizarre team for their dedication and hard work on behalf of the prize and winners, and of course to my partner, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine‘s Co-Founder Richard Purssey. The judging process was extremely difficult with many noteworthy entries, so thank you again!

Our sincere thanks to this year’s Digital Art Award sponsors listed below. It is through their generosity that the Digital Art Award Winners will be able to enrich their practice.

iCanvas Digital Art Award

The iCanvas Digital Art Award 1st prize winner will receive:

• US$3,000 cash, generously donated by sponsor iCanvas, printers of high quality canvas art prints, priced for every lover of art.
• Receive a beautiful, specially commissioned glass art Award trophy
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• An annual ArtStation Pro subscription + a US$100 gift card. ArtStation provides you with a simple, yet powerful way to show your portfolio and be seen by the right people in the industry. Host your website, sell your products and learn.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all socials platforms)
• A Wacom One, Creative Pen Display.  It comes with all the essentials to spice up your digital life. There’s the natural pen feel on the 13.3” screen, the included creative software – even the ability to connect to certain Android devices.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared on social media
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive:

• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• 2nd Prize: Wacom Intuos Pro Medium which offers you more natural creative control than ever before. Combined with the super-sensitive Wacom Pro Pen 2, Wacom’s sleek new tablet looks and feels amazing.
• 3rd Prize: Wacom Intuos Medium with a light, super-accurate pen and free downloadable software to suit your style; Wacom Intuos is built to bring your wildest ideas to life.
• Annual ArtStation Pro subscription + a US$50 gift cards. ArtStation provides you with a simple, yet powerful way to show your portfolio and be seen by the right people in the industry. Host your website, sell your products and learn.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• An exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites.
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

The 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is proudly sponsored by

MAJOR PARTNERS

SILVER SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

The post Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2021: iCanvas Digital Art Award Winners appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

3rd Prize Winner

Lucy Havard

“All the Little Things, Self Portrait”, digital photograph (Canon EOS R, 24mm – 105mm EF Lens).

Lucy Havard is a Freelance Photographer and Re-toucher based in Hampshire & Dorset in the UK. She is currently studying Commercial Photography at the Arts University Bournemouth, with a vision for creating images that are full of details in which you can lose yourself. “I love to collaborate and am a people person, full of creative ideas whilst working to my client’s brief.” She works both in the studio and on location, creating photographs that are visually appealing and that are rarely as simple as they appear at first glance.

“All the Little Things, Self Portrait“: I have compared myself to unattainable trending beauty standards. Shooting this self-portrait allowed me to find a style where my features became the beauty standard and all the things I didn’t like about myself before, I began to appreciate as this is what made the image beautiful.

2nd Prize Winner: Brittany Markert

2nd Prize Winner

Brittany Markert

“The Lie She Told Herself, Self Portrait” analogue photograph (Hasselblad 500C / 40mm/ Kodak Tmax 400 / Ilford Warmtone Fiber Paper).

Brittany Markert (b.1987, USA) is a traditional black and white photographer, darkroom printer, bookmaker and educator. In Rooms has been exhibited in the USA, France, Denmark, & Belgium including Brandts Museum, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, The Untitled Space (NY) & Stephen Romano Gallery (NY). Her work is held in private collections in 20 countries across the globe. In 2017 Brittany broadened her focus to curating artists and working with 16mm filmmaking to continue a dialogue on mental health, our inner dialogue and Jungian’s shadow work.

“The Lie She Told Herself”: ‘The Lie She Told Herself’ is part of artist Brittany Markert’s ongoing photographic series, In Rooms. Each print is made in the darkroom by the artist herself, the images feature both in camera techniques of multiple exposures and darkroom techniques of sandwiching and cutting negatives.

1st Prize Winner: Bella Kotak

1st Prize Winner

Bella Kotak

“The Kiss”, Digital photograph (Camera used: Phase One IQ3 100MP Lens used: Schneider Kreuznach 55mm LS f/2.8).

Bella Kotak is a fine art, fashion and portrait photographer living in the UK. Inspired by fairytales and nature, Bella’s storytelling pictures lift the veil of the overlooked and reminds us that there’s beauty and adventure in the most ordinary of spaces. Her art is an escapism from real life, a place where magic and wonder lives and exists alongside us. She shares it in hope that it can be an escapism for you too, even if only for a moment.

“The Kiss”: Just as the pastel hues of spring reminds me of Monet, and summer’s vibrant tones of Frida, the golden leaves of autumn reminds me of Klimt’s, ‘The Kiss’, a romantic portrait of two lovers in a sweet embrace. This piece was born and infused with the romantic love blossoming in my own personal life.

Thank you & Acknowledgements

Congratulations to the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize INPRNT Photography Award Winners, Bella Kotak, Brittany Markert, and Lucy Havard!

Once again, we would like to thank all of the artists that entered, sharing their work and their artistic passion with us. It was such a pleasure to immerse myself in the work of so many creatives from all corners of the globe and read their inspirational stories.

As Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief I have the pleasure and honour of curating each issue of the magazine and our yearly exhibitions. The many wonderful and talented Art Prize entries we received have given me a plethora of new ideas and choices to pursue in future. So thank you again for your interest in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, I very much hope to see how your work has grown and developed in next year’s Prize.

I would also like to sincerely thank the 2021 Jury Panel, particularly the Photography Category Judge Ingrid Baars, who gave her time and expertise to the panel, the other Category Judges: Gerald Brom (Traditional Art juror), Kristine Poole (Sculpture juror), and Stanley Artgerm Lau (Digital Art juror) and Directors of Haven Gallery, Erica Berkowitz and Joseph Weinreb. I would also like to thank our major partners: INPRNT, RAYMAR, Yasha Young Projects and iCanvas; the Beautiful Bizarre team for their dedication and hard work on behalf of the prize and winners, and of course to my partner, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine‘s Co-Founder Richard Purssey. The judging process was extremely difficult with many noteworthy entries, so thank you again!

Our sincere thanks to this year’s Photography Award sponsors listed below. It is through their generosity that the Photography Award Winners will be able to enrich their practice.

INPRNT Photography Award

The INPRNT Photography Award 1st prize winner will receive:

• $3,000 cash, generously donated by sponsor INPRNT, printers of high quality art prints. INPRNT is run by artists, for artists.
• Receive a beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• US$1,500 worth of art photography and/or Fine Art archival print reproduction from Static Medium
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all socials platforms)
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared on social media
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive:

• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• An exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites.
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

The 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is proudly sponsored by

MAJOR PARTNERS

SILVER SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

The post Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2021: INPRNT Photography Award Winners 2021 appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

3rd Prize Winner

Tina Yu

“SHUI”, Epoxy clay, polymer clay, acrylic paint, epoxy resin, 10″ x 20″ x 20″

Tina Yu is a Chinese-raised New York-based sculptor/artist. After developing an interest in sculpting in college, she decided to pursue her passion after graduating from Pratt Institute. Drawing inspiration from movies, animals, nature, Chinese culture, family, childhood memories, and imagination, Tina brings her imaginary characters to life through sculpting. Education Pratt Institute. B.A., Communication Design, 2016. She has exhibited in many solo exhibitions across the USA.

“SHUI”: As a teenager, my biggest challenge in life was not knowing who I was or who I wanted to be. I felt like I lived up to other people’s expectations. By creating an emotion that contrasts with the joyful elements of lion dancing, I want to reflect on the complex feelings I had growing up.

2nd Prize Winner: Melis Buyruk

2nd Prize Winner

Melis Buyruk

“The Rabbit / Habitat”, Porcelain, 124cm x 124cm x 10cm.

Melis Buyruk is a Turkish artist born in Golcuk in 1984. Her large-scale floral ceramic sculptures depart from contained, categorical forms of pottery, and celebrate the traditionally feminized discipline. Buyruk graduated from the Ceramic Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Selcuk University in 2007, and has exhibited across Turkey and Dubai.

“The Rabbit / Habitat”: I began to engage with these organic forms, after mediating on the relationship of humankind with nature, and our current inclination of irreversibly harming the environment. I wanted to create something new, and create spaces where all species live together without hierarchy.

1st Prize Winner: DD-Anne

1st Prize Winner

DD-Anne

“Queen of Hearts”, Porcelain, silk, clay, pearls, 48cm x 25cm x 25cm.

DD-Anne was born in Shanghai, and after studying Bioinformatics at university decided this career choice wasn’t for her, so in 2006 became a self-taught doll artist. She does all of the work herself from sculpting to fashion design. DD-Anne does not have a long arts biography, and has not yet exhibit her work in an art gallery. However, she recently won the Pandora Platinum Art Doll Prize in Russia, and was the first person to receive all of the judges’ votes in the history of the Prize.

“Although a lot of people tell me “you are a true artist”, coming from a non-art background and without the support from my family, it has been difficult to open the door to the art world.”

“Queen of Hearts”: She is from my doll series ‘Alice in Underland’. The initial inspiration was ‘famine and cannibalism’ which came from my parents’ childhood memories.

Thank you & Acknowledgements

Congratulations to the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award Winners, DD-Anne, Melis Buyruk, and Tina Yu !

Once again, we would like to thank all of the artists that entered, sharing their work and their artistic passion with us. It was such a pleasure to immerse myself in the work of so many creatives from all corners of the globe and read their inspirational stories.

As Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief I have the pleasure and honour of curating each issue of the magazine and our yearly exhibitions. The many wonderful and talented Art Prize entries we received have given me a plethora of new ideas and choices to pursue in future. So thank you again for your interest in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, I very much hope to see how your work has grown and developed in next year’s Prize.

I would also like to sincerely thank the 2021 Jury Panel, particularly the Sculpture Category Judge Kristine Poole, who gave her time and expertise to the panel, the other Category Judges: Gerald Brom (Traditional Art juror), Ingrid Baars (Photography juror), and Stanley Artgerm Lau (Digital Art juror) and Directors of Haven Gallery, Erica Berkowitz and Joseph Weinreb. I would also like to thank our major partners: INPRNT, RAYMAR, Yasha Young Projects and iCanvas; the Beautiful Bizarre team for their dedication and hard work on behalf of the prize and winners, and of course to my partner, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine‘s Co-Founder Richard Purssey. The judging process was extremely difficult with many noteworthy entries, so thank you again!

Our sincere thanks to this year’s Sculpture Award sponsors listed below. It is through their generosity that the Sculpture Award Winners will be able to enrich their practice.

Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award

The Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award 1st prize winner will receive:

• US$3,000 cash, generously donated by Yasha Young Projects, arts philanthropist and Executive Curatorial Director for the FOR_M, a new institution currently being developed in New York city.
• Receive a beautiful, specially commissioned glass art Award trophy
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• US$250 worth of supplies of your choice from Sculpey, making polymer oven-bake clays for over 50 years
• 1 year unlimited subscription to the Stan Winston School, includes unlimited access to our Course library by The Masters of FX, with new courses added every month. Also includes exclusive access to the Stan Winston Studio Behind-the-Scenes Documentary stream.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all socials platforms)
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared on social media
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive:

• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• 2nd Prize – A 3 month subscription to Stan Winston School, including full access to the entire Course library. Also, exclusive access to the Stan Winston Studio Behind-the-Scenes Documentary stream.
• 3rd Prize – A 1 month subscription to Stan Winston School, including full access to the entire Course library. Also, exclusive access to the Stan Winston Studio Behind-the-Scenes Documentary stream.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• An exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites.
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

The 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is proudly sponsored by

MAJOR PARTNERS

SILVER SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

The post Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award Winners 2021 appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Our sincere thanks to all the artists that took the time to enter this year, we understand it has been tough year, with the ongoing stress and anxiety caused by the global pandemic!

Judging the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize has not been easy for our Jury Panel with so many excellent entries from countries all over the world.

Last but not least, however, we can’t wait to present to you the RAYMAR Traditional Art Award Finalists below! You can take also a peek at the Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award Finalists here, the INPRNT Photography Award Finalists here, and the iCanvas Digital Art Award Finalists here.

From the 110 Finalists, the Winners in each category and the overall 1st Prize Winner will participate in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine curated exhibition at Haven Gallery, alongside 70+ of the best contemporary artists from around the world. Additionally, the Winners will share in over USD$45,000 in cash and prizes including: a non acquisitive cash prize, product prizes, advertising packages, editorial in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, exclusive interviews published on the Beautiful Bizarre website, exposure to our 1 million+ social media community, and much more!!

The overall Winner and the Winners [1st, 2nd and 3rd Prize] in each Award category will be announced during the week of 1st September. You can take a peek at all of the prizes for each Award category, and for the Winner of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize here.

Honourable Mentions

In addition, each of this year’s amazing sponsors will choose one outstanding work from their Award category to receive an Honourable Mention. Stay tuned to learn more!

People’s Choice Award Voting

The People’s Choice winner will be selected by popular vote from the 110 Finalists, and will receive a year’s worth of social media advertising through the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine socials to ensure they are able to connect with the right audience of engaged creatives, collectors and gallerists, raise their profile, associate their work with other leading creatives, and of course to grow their social media following. A 12 month Beautiful Bizarre Magazine print subscription, and an in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize websites, giving readers an insight into their vision and practice. Voting will open on 24 August. To ensure you don’t miss your chance to vote, please join our email mailing list here.

RAYMAR Traditional Art Award

Winner will receive:

• $3,000 cash, generously donated by sponsor RAYMAR, creators of the finest panels! Panels are their passion. They craft their panels with the world’s finest materials to serve as the foundation for your artwork. 
• $1,500 cash, generously donated by SmArt School, providing superior online art mentorships since 2011, where you learn from professional artists. 
• Receive a beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• US$500 worth of Gift Certificates from Trekell Art Supplies, makers of some of the finest art supplies for artists of all levels.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all social platforms)
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared on social media
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive:

• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• 2nd Prize – US$250 Gift Certificates from Trekell Art Supplies, makers of some of the finest art supplies for artists of all levels.
• 3rd Prize – US$150 Gift Certificates from Trekell Art Supplies, makers of some of the finest art supplies for artists of all levels.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• An exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites.
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

So without further ado we are proud to announce the 35 RAYMAR Traditional Art Award Finalists of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize…

RAYMAR Traditional Art Award Finalists

2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

The post RAYMAR Traditional Art Award 2021: Finalists Announced appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

We received entries from artists creating digital paintings and drawings, digital 3D art, vector, digital collage and photomanipulations. The plethora of software apps used include: Adobe Creative Suite; Wacom Cintiq 24 Pro; Keyshot; Maya; Zbrush; Procreate; Redshift; Cinema 4D; Daz; Substance Designer; Marvellous Designer; Sidefx Houdini; V-ray; 3dsmax; Corona Renderer; Octane; Corel Painter; Affinity Photo; GiMP; RunwayML; Nuke; Krita; Lightroom; Blender; Microsoft Paint 3D; Daz Studio; PicsArt; Poser Pro 11; Marmoset Toolbag 3 and Pixelsquid 360.

Hardware was just as diverse including: Alienware PC; Android and Apple mobile phones; Apple iMac, Macbook Pro, iPad Pro, Apple Pencil; Wacom Cintiq; Huion Kamvas Pro; Microsoft Surface Pro; Microsoft Windows 10; Dell; HP; Samsung Chromebook; Huion Ink Tablet; Canon; Nikon; Sony; Pentax; Zeiss; Fijufilm; Black Pen.

The Digital Art Award Finalists are all exceptional examples of the diverse digital art creation methods, and provide a fascinating snapshot of the many different styles digital artists are currently working in.

Stay tuned, the RAYMAR Traditional Art Finalists will be announced tomorrow. You can take a peek at the Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award Finalists here, and the INPRNT Photography Award Finalists here.

Prizes

From the 110 Finalists [yes we have increased the number this year – more news on this later], the Winners in each category, and overall 1st Prize Winner will participate in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine curated exhibition at Haven Gallery alongside 70+ of the best contemporary artists from around the world. Additionally, the winners will share in over USD$45,000 in cash and prizes including: a non acquisitive cash prize, product prizes, advertising packages, editorial in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, exclusive interviews published on the Beautiful Bizarre website, exposure to our 1M+ social media community, and much more!!

Plus in addition, each sponsor will choose one outstanding work from their Award category to receive an Honourable Mention. Stay tuned to learn more!

The People’s Choice Award winner will be selected by popular vote from the 110 Finalists, and will receive a year’s worth of social media advertising through the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine socials. This will ensure they are able to connect with the right audience of engaged creatives, collectors and gallerists, raise their profile, associate their work with other leading creatives, and of course to grow their social media following. The People’s Choice Award winner will also enjoy a 12 month Beautiful Bizarre Magazine print subscription, and an in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize websites, giving readers an insight into their vision and practice. Voting will open on 24 August. To ensure you don’t miss your chance to vote, please join our email mailing list here.

iCanvas Digital Art Award

Winner will receive:

• US$3,000 cash, generously donated by sponsor iCanvas, printers of high quality canvas art prints, priced for every lover of art.
• Receive a beautiful, specially commissioned glass art Award trophy
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• An annual ArtStation Pro subscription + a US$100 gift card. ArtStation provides you with a simple, yet powerful way to show your portfolio and be seen by the right people in the industry. Host your website, sell your products and learn.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all socials platforms)
• A Wacom One, Creative Pen Display.  It comes with all the essentials to spice up your digital life. There’s the natural pen feel on the 13.3” screen, the included creative software – even the ability to connect to certain Android devices.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared on social media
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive:

• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery [Long Island, New York] alongside 70+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work
• 2nd Prize: Wacom Intuos Pro Medium which offers you more natural creative control than ever before. Combined with the super-sensitive Wacom Pro Pen 2, Wacom’s sleek new tablet looks and feels amazing.
• 3rd Prize: Wacom Intuos Medium with a light, super-accurate pen and free downloadable software to suit your style; Wacom Intuos is built to bring your wildest ideas to life.
• Annual ArtStation Pro subscription + a US$50 gift cards. ArtStation provides you with a simple, yet powerful way to show your portfolio and be seen by the right people in the industry. Host your website, sell your products and learn.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
• An exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites.
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure!

So without further ado we are proud to announce the 25 iCanvas Digital Art Award Finalists of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize…

iCanvas Digital Art Award Finalists

2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

The post iCanvas Digital Art Award 2021: Finalists Announced appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.