If you’re asking yourself, “what sort of person comes up with this horrifying stuff?”, the answer is: someone willing to bring the viewer to the edge of what is socially acceptable and then kick them over the side. Dear viewer, you have now arrived in the place where horror and beauty collide. Pablo Picasso’s quote “everything you can imagine is real” seems to be perfectly in tune with the way children conjure the wildest creations from their active imagination. Whether it’s through chalk art or clay, Lego or fingerpaints, creativity appears to flow easily at a young age and the artist Emil Melmoth is no exception.

Emil began using his hands to create tangible representations of his imagination using both Lego and clay. His initial focus was shape as he engrossed himself in the discovery of those material mediums. As a teenager, his shapes turne into video game and comic book characters. Finding himself immersed in his inventiveness, the Mexican artist dedicated himself to his studies at La Esmerelda, the National School of Painting, Sculpture and Engraving in Mexico City.

During his time there, Emil built up a considerable wealth of knowledge regarding art from various mediums and techniques and was able to begin his search to find his own style. At first, the sculptor described his work as kitschy, and he focused a lot on dark humour. “I believe we all have a knack for something, and in my case, I found modelling easy”. Emil believes he has a stronger connection with his audience through sculpture by creating something palpable.

“Sculpture acquires a certain breath of life because of its existence in the third dimension. The viewer can open up a dialogue with this creation whose soul lives elsewhere”. To explain further, the sculptures are part of a macabre parallel universe full of symbolism where they exist as mute beings in need of salvation.

The religiosity of the creatures is based on pain and fear. After taking on their corporeal form in our plane, the clay creations lie dormant in their creator’s home, soaking up the energy around them, including that of their creator. As a final act of both consecration and baptism, their creator lights incense so that the cleansing smoke and aroma permeates the porous earthy skin. This ritual would never have been possible if it wasn’t for Emil’s wife Fernanda, who helped him find his own spirituality.

This extravagant dance between worlds is not something the Mexican artist can create with ease. Even his starting process varies depending on how he is feeling. While he doesn’t always begin with a sketch, he prefers to jump into his medium and make adjustments along the way. “I love that uncertainty; it’s as if I were going to meet a person with whom I have only spoken to”.

With that sort of mindset, each piece has both a unique story and birth into the world.
Curiously, a large sculpture requires more material but allows quick work because of the space the creation takes up. Contrasting this, a small sculpture can take more time as there is less space to work with.

However, Emil recognises the fact that less materials are used on smaller sculptures which can sometimes reduce the modelling time though he usually prefers to work big. He also sometimes works on several sculptures at a time. Some artworks can take several months to complete, whereas others just a few weeks. The chaos of it all is reflected in his workspace where a long table full of unfinished monstrosities lie in wait.

They are accompanied by a variety of antiques and picture frames that help enrich some of his creations. The walls of his space are adorned by the tools of his trade including blackboards and sketches of human proportions, which would make a mad scientist feel right at home. To add to the horror, Emil’s home is full of movies and literature dedicated to the genre. Ghastly artwork adorns his walls and at times the home is filled with spooky and gloomy music. For some artists, their work is merely a facet or an extension. For Emil, it is the blood that gushes through his veins.

Emil’s sculptures are part of a macabre parallel universe full of symbolism where
they exist as mute beings in need of salvation. The religiosity of the creatures is based
on pain and fear.

Addison Devereux

Though nearly all of Emil’s sculptures reflect a certain amount of pain, he explains the theme as an appreciation for life through the eternal words of memento mori. “I believe that if we are truly aware that death can come at any moment, it can help us to make the most of every moment and push us to enrich our experience in this life”, he adds. Pain appears to be another sort of transformative energy that can also provide enlightenment and ascension.

This philosophical train of thought becomes clearer when viewed under the lens of penance, grief, and sorrow. This ties in as well to the religious iconography ever-present in Emil’s work. Religion contains dissonant elements that can make its followers uneasy, which is usually intended to push them towards the divine and stay on the righteous path. “Sacred art is a perfect mix between terror, the macabre, and the beauty of the divine”.

This sacred art can be traced to Emil’s influences which span across the ages from French baroque art, Renaissance sculpture, the medical studies of Specola di Firenze, and Victorian death rituals but also include sacred art and the vast intricacies of Catholicism. Artists like Santiago Caruso, Takato Yamamoto, and Forest Rogers are among the clay sculptor’s favourite artists, which understandably share similarities to his own work.

Additionally, his pieces incorporate the immortal dichotomy of life and death in their gruesome and often horrifying depictions. Other dualities are represented as well: light and dark, good and evil, creation and destruction. In these pairs, beauty is often found and has been the subject of countless discussions and portrayals. While Emil’s sculptures may depict disturbing imagery, the work often exists in the delicate balance of two opposing sides.

While the reader of this magazine may not be able to enjoy the depth and dimension of these macabre sculptures in person, Emil assures us he takes great care to capture the thousands of faces in a two-dimensional environment. The elements of his sculpture are vital to the message conveyed and because of this, the pictures taken are done from perspectives with plenty of drama. Because of his success with both the second dimension as well as the third, the cadaverous figures have become influential for other artists and create a bit of a legacy for Emil. “It is a compliment and an honour that other artists are inspired by my work to create their art” he states proudly.”

One of his greatest fears is being left behind in the art world. With galleries redefining their version of contemporary art as well as putting a higher value on new technologies and digital art, Emil is worried his style will be viewed as archaic. He appreciates the many years he has spent carving his name into the art world and feels that he will never give up or modify his style to fit in. However, he does want to expand on his influence into video games and multimedia. With his fame growing, he has found a few situations where he has been recognised in public and sees people getting tattoos of his work.

His creations have been used for several album covers for musicians, been featured in films and music videos, and even been written about as a muse. One experience he cherishes deeply was seeing a painting of his work. He went to purchase the painting from the artist who must have been incredulous. When asked about his favourite piece, the sculptor gave a direct answer. Arcane XIII (Transfiguration) is a surrealist self-portrait.

The bust of a man who has undergone an autopsy, along his thorax, head, and neck is depicted. His brain is in the middle of a metamorphosis and merging with the skull positioned on the opposite side of the face. The skull is a timeless symbol of death and incidentally, the XIII symbolises death, the
thirteenth card in the major arcana of a tarot deck.

The figure has a tongue-like structure which turns into the sternocleidomastoid, which are the muscles that turn and nod the head. This transformed tongue rests on the heart and acts as a conduit connecting life, passion and shows the symbiotic relationship between head and heart. Emil’s final summary of these pieces explains both how his ideas encourage him to live with greater intensity and how the theme of death thrives in his unconscious and conscious thoughts. Emil reiterates he doesn’t want to change his style, but he is curious about playing in other media.

Considering his eye for capturing the astounding angles of his sculptures, photography and illustration are a no-brainer. He also suggests installation art could easily enrich the universe he constructs, and working with other materials such as bronze and resin would give his works a new life, or more aptly, death.

Emil Melmoth Social Media Accounts

Instagram | Facebook

The post Emil Melmoth: An Accumulation Of Anguish Brings Life appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

What makes up a face? While many might answer that the eyes and mouth make a basic face, other parts are needed for a more realistic face. In fact from a scientific standpoint, newborns understand a face by having the correct presentation of eyes and mouths where they should be. But what about the presentation of these parts on a head? Our genetics dictate where these will end up, and surgeries can alter them, but leave it to the real artists to create faces based not on beauty standards but by artistic standards.

With the myriad of combinations of facial features, the human face becomes a constellation of possibilities and that is exactly what Ingrid Baars does in her pieces. Sorting through pictures of models, the Dutch artist plucks mouths, noses, eyes, among other aspects to create faces that offer an ethereal visage that captivates the viewer. But don’t just take my word for it when Ingrid can tell you herself!

Exclusive Interview with Ingrid Baars

Why did you pursue art as a career? What made you want to graduate from Willem de Kooning Academy?

During my childhood, my love for artistic expression was evident. Drawing and crafting things with clay was what I loved most. I found myself sketching girls and shaping animal figures from clay. Receiving encouragement from others, like my grandfather and parents instilled a sense of confidence in my artistic abilities. However, it wasn’t until I reached the age of sixteen or seventeen that I experienced a profound sense of passion and excitement.

It was during this period that I delved into photography for the first time. I captured images of friends and family, with my mother, who was a model at the time, being one of my early subjects. Simultaneously, I embarked on my journey at the Academy of Arts, where I developed a deep-seated enthusiasm for drawing. Both photography and drawing evoked a sense of magic within me, and I vividly remember the intense focus that enveloped me during those moments.

I guess it’s always been clear to me that art was my calling because I loved it from the beginning. I’m glad I followed the path of doing what I loved, and still love most.

It’s not enough to be talented. You need to persevere and believe in yourself.

Ingrid Baars

Tell me about the moment you realized you no longer wanted do commercial assignments and shifted your focus on your artistic career. Were you worried about failure? Did you have to break ties with anyone to pursue your own interests?

After completing my education at the Academy of Arts at the age of 22, I embarked on a career as a freelance illustrator and photographer, dedicating a decade to this journey. At the same time, I continued to work on my personal projects and began showcasing in group exhibitions. As my body of work gained strength, I started having solo exhibitions alongside my commercial stuff.

During this time, I couldn’t handle the loneliness and financial insecurity that can come with being an autonomous artist with total freedom, so I held onto my commercial assignments. But in 2010, I naturally transitioned into the next phase and stopped with all commercial activities. I never gave it much thought. It was just the next logical step.

I got more and more annoyed by the assignments I had to do and just wanted to make my own work. I was very eager to work on my own series and didn’t feel nervous about anything anymore. The time was just right. As an illustrator, I always worked with an agent so I had to break ties with the agency but this was a smooth process.

It’s not easy to be an independent artist though. It’s not enough to be talented. You need to persevere and believe in yourself. You must be able to cope with many setbacks and just keep going. But I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Tell me about your artistic process. I understand your process begins with taking photos.

Each new piece represents a unique journey. I avoid recurring patterns, continually exploring new territories. After completing a piece, retracing the steps that led to the final result can be challenging, but reflects my commitment to avoiding artistic monotony.

I usually start by gathering a diverse range of photographic materials, often fragments from prior images I’ve photographed. I keep these rough shots untouched in my archive until I start a new portrait. This assortment includes subjects such as studio-shot eyes, noses and other facial features of models, fragments of sculptures, and anything inspiring from a wide spectrum of sources like flowers and plants, stuffed birds or jewellery, textures, fabrics, patterns, even Egyptian artifacts. [it is] a ‘mishmash’ of things I tend to bring together in my computer when I create a series of portraits with these ingredients.

I recently spent a whole day at The Louvre, taking pictures of anything that caught my eye and took hundreds of pictures at the Field Museum when I was in Chicago. It is these elements I combine on my computer to start building a face.

During this first phase of the process, it’s mostly a matter of searching. As a portrait slowly comes to life, I try to be as open and experimental as possible, tuning in on what seems like a failure and then responding to that. During this process, I keep screenshots of the moments in-between.

Sometimes this phase takes days and there’s usually a moment where I lose faith in the positive outcome. I always get the feeling somehow this time it just sucks, until suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a combination of all the above-mentioned elements seem to fit and I feel a connection with my subject. I don’t have another way to describe it other than magic. It’s so rewarding.

Throughout the process, I find myself operating in a dimension, where emotions and practical considerations engage in an ongoing dialogue where emotions and pragmatic thoughts try to make something good together. This process of harmonizing the conscious and unconscious aspects of my creative mind is integral to my work, and I believe, to all artists.

How long does an image usually take you to complete? How many steps are involved?

Usually about a month. Sometimes much faster, sometimes slower.
I can’t say how many steps, but it always involves taking pictures either at my studio or in a museum or just anywhere. Then the rough search and eventually when a portrait arises from the chaos I spent a lot of time in, finalizing and working on all details in depth.

I’ve read that you seek out lavish artifacts from curio collectors to inspire your pieces. Tell me about one of your favorite objects you’ve included, or been inspired by, in your pieces.

I don’t have a singular favourite object that stands out above the rest, but I’m deeply fascinated by several categories of artifacts that have consistently inspired my work. Among these, Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures have a timeless allure. I’ve often incorporated elements of their aesthetic into my pieces. Similarly, Fang sculptures have been a wellspring of inspiration for me.

How would you describe your art style? Your pieces range from appearing as sculptures to photo collages. Even the way your figures are depicted is set in an array of different techniques and styles.

I’d classify my work as digital collage. The women depicted in my art are not real; each portrait is a fusion, a synthesis of many different people. For instance, when creating the face, especially the eyes, I use small parts from different eyes. It’s not a matter of overlaying different eyes on top of one another; rather, I construct a new, unified face from these individual components, resulting in a visage that not existed previously.

I create two-dimensional artwork, but my aspiration is to imbue my portraits with the potential to be perceived as three-dimensional sculptures.

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?

In all honesty, I’ve never really had role models, but I can’t deny the impact of several artists, designers, and musicians, especially during my early years. Artists like Bjork, Erwin Olaf and the early photo manipulations of Inez van Lamsweerde left me inspired and influenced.

Fashion-wise, the unconventional designs of Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood, along with Alexander McQueen’s creations, have always fascinated me. Although in the past some associated my work with Guy Bourdin, I’ve never considered him a role model. My true influences came from artists like Pierre & Gilles, Marlene Dumas and Man Ray to name but a few.

I have great admiration for some of the Northern Renaissance artists, Lucas Cranach, Jan van Eyck, Hans Memling, and Rogier van der Weyden. The emotional depth in their work have certainly left their mark on my creative journey. And I can’t forget the greats like Da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli – they will always be inspiring to me.

Tell me about “Rose”. What inspired this piece and how long did it take you to complete?

I found myself gravitating more and more towards the image of the (black) Madonna and I decided to explore this phenomena in the Christian context as well as in the context of a more primeval mother figure; a probable precursor to the Christian Mary/Maria Magdalene.

My interest lies in the powers vested in them as I see the analogy to what I imbue in my images. The Madonna’s I create harbor the suffering, the beauty, the power and the comfort.

‘Rose’ is my most recent Black Madonna.

‘Rose’, as with my other Black Madonna pieces, is meant to take heart from, to give strength and provide consolation, to be receptive to our suffering and our pain, she is compassionate and empathetic.

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

I participated in the BB Art Prize because I find the quality of the entries to be high, and because BB always generates a lot of publicity. Moreover, it’s a very well-organized and highly dedicated, friendly organization.

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

Many positive responses and increased recognition and appreciation for my work.

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

Yes, I would. Because it helps on the journey as an artist.

Ingrid Baars Social Media Accounts

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

The post The Constellation of Possibilities: An Interview with Ingrid Baars appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The funny thing about duos, is that the sidekick tends to be just as memorable as the main character. In many iconic duos, its hard to tell who is who sometimes and the two distinct individual become one inseparable team. Such a conjoining of personality and imagination can produce extraordinary results and and the dynamic duo of sculptors Kristine and Colin Poole is no exception.

Two artists, husband and wife, creating together with style and composition that matches one another brings to life these exquisite pieces. Diving into mythology and folklore, mapping the intricacies of the human figure, and making the intangible tangible, this prodigious pair produce yet another stellar sculpture for the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and capture the second place award with their entry “Dove Dreams of Flying”.

Without diving too deeply into your past, tell me about the first piece you created that helped encourage you to pursue art.

K: One of the first finished pieces I can remember was a drawing of the circus I did when I was in first grade. From edge to edge, it was chockablock with the wonder, delight, and vibrancy of this magical world with its fantastical characters and animals, as seen through a child’s eye. My mom entered my drawing in a Shrine Circus competition, and it was awarded Second Place from 1400 entries – solid encouragement for a youngster. I won a pair of walkie-talkies, which in the days long before cell phones, was most splendiferous.

C: I’ve been creating for as long as I can remember, certainly well before age five. My grandmother made several bronze sculptures of me as a very small child sculpting in a corner of her studio. I’ve never been anything but an artist.

Colin, much of your work includes renderings of mythical creatures. Tell me about the importance of this theme to you.

As a child, I was invited to work in the studio of an old Greek icon painter. For the many years that I sculpted in his studio, he delighted me with tales of the Greek myths. These formative moments were a thread linking storytelling and art that has since woven through the tapestry of my creative life.

Expanding on this foundational love of traditional world mythologies, for the last several years I have been writing an original mythology featuring characters, creatures and stories of my own imaginings. These tales come to life through the series of paintings and bronze sculptures that I am concurrently working on. As the stories give rise to art, the art also inspires the tales.

Inspiration and curiosity go hand-in-hand and we are inspired by all sorts of people and things that cause us to marvel. Influence, though… to be able to see the thread of someone’s inspiration blossoming with your own voice into your own work is quite extraordinary.

Kristine, what inspired you to use the skin of your creations as a second canvas? How do you plan out some of the ways you have text wrapped around your figures?

From some of my earliest childhood sketches where I filled the contours of animals with their names through high school where I concealed text within the woodgrain in drawings of interiors, I’ve long been smitten with words.

At university, I thought a lot about the stories we weave and the power words have to create and define the realities we live in. I watched people and wondered about our ability to “read” someone’s story in their face, their expression, their posture. These reflections led me to inscribe text on the surface of my sculpture – the stories about how we come to be who we are. The patterns simultaneously obscured and highlighted the forms of the body; the juxtaposition of a visceral reaction to body language with a cerebral response to text added layers of meaning and interest. My new fascination was born.

I choose the patterns for the text instinctively based on how the nature of the story works with the body position. Some patterns symbolize the blossoming of the self, others create feelings of confinement and may call to mind ancient human practices like tattooing or scarification. I use the design motifs to draw attention and lead the eye around the sculpture.

The piece you submitted is under both your names. Can you explain the process of collaboratively constructing this piece? How much planning was involved beforehand and how did you handle any conflicts that came up with the creative process?

We often know the conceptual direction of a collaborative piece when we start. One of us will have an idea and, like two kids building a sandcastle, a tumble of excited conversation follows where we throw in anything that comes to mind, refining the concept. The process on Dove though, was quite fluid. We both loved the pose but didn’t originally have a direction beyond that. 

Kristine began with the figure. As Dove progressed, she looked so contented, confident and swept up in a daydream that she pretty much told us she was on a mind flight. The bird and bird wings then came to be quite naturally a part of her. As to how our creative process develops, we have total trust and confidence in each other’s instincts, talents and skills so if one of us feels strongly about a particular element or adjustment, we go with it. The pieces are stronger for that dynamic.

We are fortunate that our individual voices accentuate and harmonize with each other.

How often do the two of you collaborate? Do you find your styles diverging or converging the more you work together?

It varies. We each have our own individual bodies of work but we share the same studio space so whether we’re both physically working on a piece or just bouncing ideas off each other, most of what we do has something of both of us in it. We both have our own creative visions, so while we do influence each other, we maintain our own distinctive styles. We are fortunate that our individual voices accentuate and harmonize with each other.

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?

Inspiration and curiosity go hand-in-hand and we are inspired by all sorts of people and things that cause us to marvel. Influence, though… to be able to see the thread of someone’s inspiration blossoming with your own voice into your own work is quite extraordinary. We hope you can see the influence of our art heroes and heroines in our work: Bernini, Carpeaux, Carrier-Belleuse, Hyatt-Huntington, Bouguereau, Bonheur, Gentileschi, Mucha, to name a precious few.

K: My biggest influence is, without a doubt, Colin. He is the hero of my life: my teacher, my inspiration – the influence of his creative spirit, generous being and loving encouragement can be seen in everything I do.

C: Outside the immeasurable significance of each other, some of my greatest influences have been in the realm of the life I choose to live. My Greek friend, Christosomos’s lifestyle, sweetness of heart and loving relationship with his wife, had an enormous impact on my path and choices. The precision and generosity of one of my first mentors, Lou Stovall, is manifest in much of what I do today. My Grandmother, the renowned sculptor Una Hanbury, was the foundation for my gestural sculpting textures and “all art, all the time” approach to my days.

How do you see your art changing over the next five years?

K: Going bigger (and smaller) and better! I’ve been working out the details for a new series incorporating several sculptural installations for some time. I’m looking forward to bringing them into fruition and partnering with organizations to present them to the public. We’re developing several new series of smaller scale/miniature works including a jewelry line that we’re super excited about. And, of course, Colin is going to publish his book!

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine has emerged in the last decade as one of the world’s premier champions of dynamic and imaginative representational visual art as well as creatives of all kinds. In our experience, they promote artists and creative works with a level of devotion that few others have matched, contributing immeasurably to the global art community. We are epic fans and want to do what we can to encourage that drive and energy. Part of promoting the work of Beautiful Bizarre is to participate in the Art Prize competition each year.

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

There is so much; where to start? The Beautiful Bizarre international art community is populated with an enormous array of crazy talented artists from all provinces of the creative rainbow. To have our work selected for recognition in this group is an incredible honor that validates and encourages our creative directions. The increased visibility and connections created by Beautiful Bizarre’s marketing and promotion of our work is exceptional. Being invited to create works for the curated shows inspires and stretches our imaginations. The prizes are generous and helpful in developing our art practice.

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

Yes, absolutely, and we do. For artists new to competitions, there are many benefits to entering: it is an opportunity to look at your work critically and assess what you think is the strongest. It is a chance to up your game in photographing and presenting your work, especially if it’s a competition for publication. And, if you get in, it provides great exposure and promotion. Your work will come to be associated with the level of work of other artists in the competition.

For artists familiar with competitions, they are a great way to keep you moving forward with your work, setting goals and continually challenging yourself to new and greater levels of technical and creative mastery. If you’ve entered and not been selected as a Finalist, remember that the juries change each year – it’s not unusual to not be selected for one competition and be an award winner in another. Most of us have stories like that. The benefits are well worth entering each year.

Kristine & Colin’s Social Media Accounts

Website Kristine |  Instagram | Website Colin

The post Kristine and Colin Poole: The Topographers of Mythology appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Many of the Japanese painter’s pieces include some rather grotesque images. An almost obsessive amount of skulls can be found in his work in addition to humans in various states of decay or ascension, depending on how one interprets it. Other pieces include Kinbaku-bi, which refers to the beauty of Japanese bondage in a BDSM sense. These incapacitated figures often find themselves in a dangerous situation and just as often are portrayed in the aftermath. While the pieces themselves are not explicitly sexual, the message is clear. However, there is a bright side to all of this, as anyone who appreciates Takato’s work has already experienced. Takato Yamamoto focuses less on the vulgar and macabre and more of the beauty and appreciation behind the scenes.

Elegant curves and splashes make their way around his pieces in a similar way that Alphonse Mucha and Aubrey Beardsley used art nouveau to bring both movement and delicacy to their pieces. Intricate floral compositions can be seen intertwined into his paintings to gracefully marry gore with charm.

Similarly, his pieces blend in other exotic and otherworldly objects. Eyeballs can be seen delicately in woven between viscera and Gothic motifs. His color choices are often dark and morose which pair with his porcelain white figures to create a stunning contrast. His line work feels wild. When brought into focus however, they convey both texture and movement and capture fine detailed elements such as scales, flower petals, and motifs.

Interestingly, Takato Yamamoto background work almost exclusively excludes any detailed scenery. Rather, his figures appear against textured atmospheres of design or hue and more than a few times are depicted against nothingness. The lack of cohesion in the scene emphasizes the graphic nature of the pieces but always demonstrate tender care and affection, and more often than one might think, a curiosity for the unobtainable.

Takato Yamamoto Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Instagram

The post Takato Yamamoto: The Pending Violence of Petals and Viscera appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

When it comes to sculpture, what comes to mind? Is it the sculptures of antiquity adorning marble temples with the faces of the Roman and Greek pantheon? There is a very rich history of sculpture and unlike many forms of art, holds up very well against the effects of time. There is also the terra cotta army of Qin Shi Huang, which is undoubtedly a phenomenal site to see. But maybe when one thinks of sculpture, something more modern like the work of Michelangelo or Donatello comes to mind, as each have a large number of sculptures graces religious sites across Europe. Sculpture has long been a way to physically represent an artist’s ideas in a tangible form. It is work in the third dimension that brings completely new values to appreciate. One artist that does this exceedingly well is Brian Booth Craig.

As Beautiful Bizarre’s second place prize winner of the Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award, his art is truly something to behold. His pieces, almost exclusively in bronze, feature nude figures almost realistically detailed that stand (or sit) at a life size ratio. His sculptures play on various aspects of human-ness in a way to bring action to stillness. His figures, though frozen in time, speak of oppression, struggle, grace, and chaos. In addition to being an artist, Brian also teaches at his studio and travels the globe for workshops. Beautiful Bizarre set up an interview with the sculptor so without further ado…

I am a big believer in letting the process of moving material around as a means of finding ideas and concepts to pursue. Meaning comes through making, and my process is all about letting the inspiration come to me during that process.

What is your preferred medium to work with and why? What are some of the difficulties with working with that material?

My work is primarily sculpted in plastilina and cast in bronze. I prefer bronze because of the compositional freedom it permits due to its high tensile strength. For example, I can make a large figure supported on only one hand, or just the toes of one foot without additional support. Bronze is very difficult to master, is very time consuming and expensive, but it is extremely durable and will maintain its archival value over time.

You have been sculpting since you were very young. What interested you in sculpture specifically?

I started making art and knew I was an artist when I was just five years old. However, it wasn’t until I was an adult that I tried sculpting. I had an immediate affinity for sculpting. It felt like a very natural way to express myself. Sculpting engages and requires many skills. The complexity and challenge of sculpting appealed to me. It is wide open with material possibilities, and that expansiveness has kept me intrigued.

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, do you work alone or listen to specific music?

I am a big believer in letting the process of moving material around as a means of finding ideas and concepts to pursue. Meaning comes through making, and my process is all about letting the inspiration come to me during that process. I rarely conceive an idea prior to putting pencil on paper or molding clay with my hands. It is a form of work-play that I try to enter into as a way of receiving questions to be pursued or inspiration. This process opens me to asking ‘why?’ I am making something, which will inevitably lead me to the answer of ‘how?’ to make it. I don’t ask for answers, only new lines of inquiry through artmaking. I don’t have any superstitions about new pieces, but I do feel like there is something seeking a form to embody. Ideas are looking for an art form to enter into, and my job to be open to that voice, to get out of the way and let it flow.

I prefer to do creative work alone, sometimes for days or weeks without much interaction with people. Once the creative part is finished and I am in the production phase of sculpture such as molding and casting, then I like to work with others. 

Whether I listen to music or not, and what kind of music I listen to is dependent on the stage of the sculpting process. If I am in the development and creative flow stage of sculpting I prefer silence, but once I am working on bronze I like to have music on.

How long does an image usually take you to complete? How many steps are involved?

This is entirely dependent on the size and complexity of a piece. The clay sculpting can take anywhere from three hours (for a terracotta sketch) to 100 hours (for a life size figure). There are far too many steps to explain briefly here!

You appear to be very busy with multiple projects including your involvement with your studio, you had a documentary done about you recently, and you host workshops all over the world it seems. What do you do in any free time you might have?  

I have about thirty projects going right now at varying states of development and completion. In addition, I have workshops planned for Rome in May 2023, at my home studio in June/July and many other places beyond that. My busy schedule leaves me little time for much else, but I like to read in my free time. I try to read a little every day, even if it is just one poem, which is a daily habit. When I have time, I will attend openings in NYC, go to museums, and occasionally watch a film. There is little time for much else!

Out of some of those projects, and I’m sure others that I didn’t mention, what are some of your favourite things to be engaged in?

As I said above, I enjoy reading poetry. I find that it opens my mind to creative pathways and imagery when I am working in the studio. It puts me in a state of mind that is mentally flexible and non-linear. I also like going for walks in nature, especially with my dog. On the flip side, engaging with culture in cities as a flaneur or observer is also essential for me to feel rejuvenated and fed. Having a balanced connection between nature and culture helps to keep my creative momentum.

Ideas are looking for an art form to enter into, and my job to be open to that voice, to get out of the way and let it flow.

Tell me about the themes you have chosen to depict. How does your artwork represent you and your values?

Primarily, I am interested in discovering  the various ways in which the human form can communicate states of being and ask questions about the mystery of what it means to be human, if there is any meaning. My work usually employs methods of verisimilitude within ambiguous contexts precisely to jolt the viewer out of their preconceived notion of what actions can narrate what it means to be an embodied consciousness. I seek ways to conjoin the human form with ambiguity of action or gesture in such a way that it feels both recognizable and mysterious in equal measure, which is how I experience life.

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?

This is a nearly impossible question to answer, not because I don’t know some of the answer, but because it would take me an entire book to properly and fairly explain who and what has influenced me, and even then that book would be incomplete. There is no single most important influence, and I intentionally keep it that way. I don’t ever want to feel like there is one salient influence on my creative process. It is constantly shifting and growing due to the constant accumulation and accretion of newly discovered thoughts, ideas, cultures, artists, experiences, people, etc. Perhaps it would be fair to say that insatiable curiosity is my biggest single influence. 

Tell me about your personal workspace. How big is it and what does it look like?

I live about 100 KM from NYC, on what used to be a small farm. There are multiple work spaces for sculpting clay, drawing, and bronze work. The bronze working spaces are in the old barn, but my primary space for sculpting and drawing is in a building specifically designed for that purpose. It is about 93 square meters with 6 meter high ceilings and a wall of north facing windows. The walls are covered with artwork, shelves for storage, bookshelves, tool cabinets and supplies. 

How has COVID-19 affected your work?

My work was beginning to change just prior to covid-19, but because of the isolation it may have accelerated that process. Covid-19 hit me hard financially, and the stress was an impetus for me to pursue the new ideas I was finding in my work. That might seem like a contradiction, but I find that major life shifts can be viewed as signs that you need to make changes, at least that is how I see those times in my life. When things look like they are falling apart, or might fall apart, I tend to throw caution to the wind a bit more and try things I have been putting off, or do something entirely new.

Tell me about “Exotherm”. What is the message behind this beautiful piece? How long did it take you to complete?

Exotherm emerged through the experience of working with a friend of mine. When I am working with female models I have one personal rule: they must exude agency and a sense of self-determination that confronts the viewer/voyeur. Margarita has a physical demeanor and presence that is commanding, so all I had to do was find a way to deploy her attributes. She and I had a lot of conversations about how to represent individual characteristics through limited means. For example, she has red hair, but I was working in a monochromatic material. Chromatic limitation forced me to seek ways to describe her attributes metaphorically, hence the idea of making her hair ‘flaming’. From there it followed that an emotional counterweight might add a layer of meaning, which is how the fire extinguisher came to mind. I have no specific message to impart, but I do intend it to communicate the feeling that she is in control, and her intensity is combustible. The extinguisher is not for herself, but for whoever or whatever might become inflamed, so that heat is under her command, not ours.

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

I entered because I have a few friends that have won the prize, and they encouraged me to enter because my latest work fits in well with the personality of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

I’ve gained insight into another part of the art world ecosystem, which I am sure will influence me and my work.

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

Absolutely! It is a very effective way to see how one’s work converses with other artwork being made around the world. It is also a great way to expand one’s community and network of people working in the artworld. 

Brian Booth Craig Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Instagram

The post Brian Booth Craig: The Human Shapes of Molten Liquid appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Art is something anyone can appreciate, and everyone can create for themselves. Whether it is a paintbrush, a chisel, or a pencil there are a variety of tools to use. Alex Peter Idoko chooses some of the more dangerous tools of the trade. For the Nigerian artist, its razor blades and fire. To be clear, Alex does not use a hot tool to burn and score the wood, instead relying primarily on a blowtorch to scorch the wood.

The Lagos based artist takes takes a slab of wood and both burns and cuts into the sylvan surface with such a refined method as to produce the hyper-realistic images featured here. Sandpaper and charcoal help him along the way, but his tools remain very basic. He strives to capture ideas that make his audience think more than “what a lovely piece”. Alex’s art is powerful and there is clearly a message about black lives and living in Africa. His process is extensive, which seems apparent from the first image below depicting Alex at the bottom right using a razorblade on a piece that is rather large.

My [greatest] source of inspiration has been God, but also my environment and the things happening around me.

Please tell me more about how you began creating your art.

It was baby steps that grew to become giant strides. I harness my God given talent through the corridors of passion and personal development. I was drawing cartoons and my family members and it got better by the day – and we are here. I am still getting better. 

Are you using models for your images or are you creating your figures from your imagination

Well, both. I use models and re-create what I want to see.

What encouraged or inspired you to pursue visual arts, especially in the form that you do?

My own passion and the happenings around my society; these occurrences present topics for a visual form and allow me to pass the message on to others. 

Tell me about your artistic process. What sort of headspace do you find is the most inspiring for you?

My artistic process comes in stages. First, I get an inspiration then get a model that will best present the idea. Next, I prepare my tools and carve my wood. After all is set, I start using fire and a razorblade to start drawing my pieces into reality.

My themes are based on African realities, the freedom, advocacy for change, and solutions to challenges. Art is a language that people can read. As long as you connect and interpret your heart, people will always understand that language.

Do you have any superstitions regarding new pieces?

I’m usually on the calm side so I just ensure my environment is quiet and I’m good. I don’t have any superstitions, I just pray and listen to inspirational music.

How long does an image usually take you to complete? How many steps are involved?

Depends on the piece I’m drawing. It takes a month, sometimes two. They are couple of steps in putting my pieces together, a lot of [individual] processes. I sincerely haven’t calculated the number of steps, but there are surely more than 10 steps.

Can you tell me more about how you use light values to make glossy effects of droplets and the whites of your figures’ eyes?

Hmm, how can I explain this? It depends on the piece I am trying to create. If it’s a piece with droplets, I go slowly by following all the patterns and highlights of the droplets to bring it to reality. I scrape the eyes very well with a razorblade after burning it with fire to make the eyes white – and sometimes add a little touch of white charcoal.

Tell me about the themes you have chosen to depict. How does your artwork represent you and your values?

My themes are based on African realities, the freedom, advocacy for change, and solutions to challenges. Art is a language that people can read. As long as you connect and interpret your heart, people will always understand that language.

Aside from wood, have you worked on other mediums to burn?

No, haven’t worked on any other medium to burn yet, but let’s see how the journey goes.

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?

My [greatest] source of inspiration has been God, but also my environment and the things happening around me. I’ve been influenced by artists like Arinze, Salvador Dali, and Asiko. 

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

There is so much about my art that I’m still unveiling. I trust that the language will be more global than it is right now. 

Tell me about the piece you submitted entitled Freedom’s Rhythm. What is the message behind this beautiful piece? How long did it take you to complete?

Freedom’s Rhythm captures not only the idea of one finally breaking free, [but it also] captures one’s total surrender to authority that would in return command the freedom desired. It also shows [both] the flow and impact power has from its source to its destination when decrees are made. The portrait showcases a bound woman who has finally decided to rely on a stronger external force; the crown signifies royalty and authority to help her out of her predicament. The bruises on her shoulder and feet show a previous struggle to break free on her own accord. While the crown is above her head like a covering, it is gradually flowing over her body like a volcano and setting her free. This flow represents a sent word or decree that has the power to break chains.

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

One of my art collectors shared the link with me and said he believed that I’d do well. 

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

A lot. It made me appreciate my own art [along with] other genres of art.

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

Yes, I would. The process will build your confidence and boost your art process.

Alex Peter Idoko Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Instagram

The post An Inferno Starts With a Single Flame: Pyrography by Alex Peter Idoko appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

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.

João’s characters are teeming with stories as they both pose and parade in gallant uniforms or drapes of intricately patterned textiles. Typically appearing female, the figures in his paintings show anything but traditional beauty. There appears to be a darkness to these figures. Sullen eyes, haunted but alert with milky white skin fading against the backdrop; these characters are mythical in their own way, the things of legends and folklore.

Gazing at João’s work one can see a formidable color palette form, especially in his older works. Saturated hues run rampant across his canvases cast in shades of cooler colors. Highlights play a huge role in his pieces bringing out even more emphasis on the eerie forms. Most of the figures portrayed are static, sullen and lack movement. They haunt their surroundings as if discovered for the first time in a millennia. Animals show up in some of his pieces to offer a wildness. The creatures mirror the humans depicted as they stalk the paintings with a regal dignity. Overall, they bring a sense of mystery to the pieces and pull in their own myths and lore to the scenes.

Looking closer at the Brazilian’s pieces shows a great amount of texture. His skill shows up in different mediums and more than a few of his artworks consist of mixed media. His pieces can appear as rough as charcoal and chalk or as smooth as acrylic. João is both an avid illustrator and graphic designer and sketches out beautiful pieces in a sketchbook. Some of his sketches appear to be rough drafts for painted pieces while others are spectacular handheld showcase pieces. In addition to his original artwork, he has crafted a portfolio of art pieces based on other media. He has done several commissions for big named companies including Amazon Studios, Tor Books, Playboy, and DC Vertigo comics. All around, João is a big deal, and a well earned one at that.

João Ruas has previously been featured on Beautiful Bizarre and more of his work can be seen here.

João Ruas Social Media Accounts

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

The post João Ruas: In the Shadow of Myth and Mystery appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Though her floral figures lack detail in their simple linework, Sara is not without the ability to create more. She has taken a fascination to painting mouths and eyes showing elegance in her skill. The focus on these parts are captures moments of intimacy either from the stranger across the room or one’s own lips approaching another pair. The colours flow and shine with radiance that only a painter can hope to convey. Without further ado, get ready to meet Sara Weintraub.

Interview with Sara Weintraub

What encouraged or inspired you to pursue visual arts, especially in the form that you do?

I’ve always drawn and painted, since I was little. It’s something that has been woven into the way I process things and clear my head. I have been doodling in the corners of papers for as long as I can remember. When I’m making art I feel connected to myself in the deepest way.  

Are you formally trained or self taught?

I’m mostly self taught. I’ve taken an art class here or there growing up but most of what I’ve learned has been from trial and error. I love experimenting with technique and process. I try to get in a headspace that allows me to shed self-doubt and self-criticism so I can make mistakes widely and often. Just on the other side of a mistake, is the really good space of creativity and freedom I crave. So I sort of roll up my sleeves and commit to making a mess. 

It can be challenging sometimes to get in a zone with the busyness of family life around me, but I love leaving pieces out to walk by and look at throughout the day.

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?

To expand on what I was saying above; I try to get into a headspace where I’m free to create without the fear of ruining it. That requires me to submit to the idea that it’s about the process and not necessarily the end result – that whatever I’m about to make can’t be treated as precious or I’m bound to overthink it. I settle into that headspace by putting on some music that feels like the soundtrack of whatever I’m feeling at the moment. Pouring myself some coffee or wine and sinking into it. It feels very meditative once I’m in that place. 

Whether it’s a custom built art studio or corner of the kitchen, tell me about your work space.

I typically paint at my dining room table. I have a little corner shelf where I store all of my art supplies that way I can put away and pull things out as needed. I like when I can set aside specific time to paint, but that’s not always possible. I have a husband and two daughters so I try to steal moments to sketch or paint when we are all together. I remember starting my mushy girl sketch at the breakfast table and asking my kids if I should add mushrooms to her hair. Now when I look at their input it makes me smile. It can be challenging sometimes to get in a zone with the busyness of family life around me, but I love leaving pieces out to walk by and look at throughout the day. Sometimes I sit down for ten minutes and add a detail and then move on. In the evenings I like to put on headphones and get lost in a piece. 

Just on the other side of a mistake, is the really good space of creativity and freedom I crave. So I sort of roll up my sleeves and commit to making a mess.

You incorporate growth in the form of plant life into your figures in a very symbolic way. What else can you tell me about the figures you portray?

When I started the series called ‘Thirst Trap”, I wanted to use plants and flower to express growth and change in the way we view and appreciate our bodies, especially for women who are taught from birth to find flaws in our bodies. I also love the asymmetry and crooked lines we find in nature that we only see beauty in (unlike what we tend to do when looking at ourselves). I want the figures I paint to feel like an extension of that. 

As countless artists over the history of humankind have leaned towards depicting women as an art form, you often leave out the faces/head of your figures and focus more on objectifying features. What can you tell me about this choice?

I am painting portraits from reference photos of real people and I want there to be a little anonymity to the pieces for a few reasons. My goal was to help people see their bodies as art. It can be hard to do when looking in a mirror, or even a photo of ourselves. I was hoping that showing them their own body in watercolour form, without the distraction of their face as their identity, but instead as beautiful flowers it would help them do that. That little bit of distance helps us see our own objective beauty. I know because it started with me taking reference photos of myself and painting them. It was hard not to be tempted to alter my features or change things I don’t love about my body, but instead I painted what I actually saw and started working toward accepting and cherishing the unique details of myself. I wanted to share that. The responses I’ve gotten from people who have struggled with body image issues, divorce, changes in their relationship with their bodies due to breast cancer, pregnancy, or illness telling me how much their portrait meant to them is so amazing. I feel so honoured to be trusted in that way. 

Eyes and mouths. Just for fun or is there more of a theme?

So much can be communicated with a mouth. I find them so beautiful. We use them for kissing and talking. We smile and express emotion. It feels so intimate to focus on lips. I worked as a makeup artist for years and I also think some of it is leftover from loving a good lipstick.

Do you work with other mediums than watercolour?

I also use acrylic and ink. But I love the look and ease of watercolour, it’s so fast in terms of layering and drying quickly. I use waterproof ink to line my watercolour pieces and that takes time and a steady hand. I definitely save that stage for when I have some time to make smooth clean lines. 

Other than selling your paintings, it looks like you have done some album art for a music label. What other fun projects occupy your time?

I have! My husband runs an awesome cassette tape label called ‘Memorable But Not Honourable’ and I’ve painted his logo and some fun skull designs for stickers and shirts. I’ve also done some commission work for for a tea company called Tumalo Tea, a skin bar spa called Fleurt, and a handful of tattoo designs that were so fun. 

What do you want to accomplish with your art? What influence do you see your work having on the larger art scene, or even your own community?

My hope is that my art will feel like a love letter to women or anyone who has struggled to see the beauty and strength in their body. I want paint people “hot, headless and thriving!” Haha

Sara Weintraub Social Media Account

Instagram

The post Anything but Delicate: An Interview With Sara Weintraub appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

At first glance, many of the images Josh Dykgraaf produces appear to be of animals. On closer inspection, the animals are anything but. Many of them are conglomerations of materials and textures. Some are even incorporated from landscapes. Josh uses stone, leaf, petal, and machine to show just how interconnected things are.

Majestic elephants carved from snowcapped peaks, towering colossi formed from historical buildings, and even fantastical cities afloat among the clouds. We hope you enjoy our exclusive interview with Josh Dykgraaf, 2nd Prize Winner of the Digital Award in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2020.

Who are some of the artists that have inspired you and what is inspiring about their work? What are some of your favorite pieces from them?

MC Escher has always been a lifelong inspiration for me. I have been fascinated by his experimentation with perception and perspective for as long as I can remember. The Australian artist Justin Maller inspired me to enter the field of photomanipulation. This piece by him had a lasting impact on me.

I was recently introduced to the work of Raku Inoue, who creates animal forms from natural elements like I do, except with a totally analogue process. It’s gorgeous work.

I studied a double major in photography and graphic design at Uni, before finishing with post-grad in Communication Design and majoring in Illustration, rather than a formal art school. This combination gave me a set of skills and interests that made my work possible.

Do you prefer working with clients or working freelance?

To be honest, I’m not sure I can properly answer that. I’ve worked full time freelance for about 8 years now and haven’t worked in-house for years. It’s hard to imagine working for someone else. Though, I definitely enjoy the camaraderie you get working in a small, tight-knit team from time to time. Freelancing can be a lonely experience. I compensate for that with the sense of community I get from the great co-working space of Framework, in Carlton, Melbourne.

I was originally studying architecture and that was my first passion – I loved it. But to be honest, I wasn’t great at it. I was also pretty terrified of the hyper-competitive job market that I started learning about on placements. The industry produces far more graduates than it needs… at least, back then, in the middle of the 2008 Financial Crisis. Meanwhile, I was taking a design elective and fell in love with image making; I decided to make a career switch. I started freelancing while making art on the side but I only decided to get serious about my art in early 2019.

What was one of the most important lessons you learned from art school?

I studied a double major in photography and graphic design at Uni, before finishing with post-grad in Communication Design and majoring in Illustration, rather than a formal art school. This combination gave me a set of skills and interests that made my work possible. Technical skills in photography combined with lessons in effective image making from graphic design and an understanding of the viewer’s experience in Communication Design.

My creative process is a lot like lying on the grass and staring up at the clouds to make out different shapes in them.

What sort of things keep you occupied when you aren’t working on art?

My main hobby since COVID has been gardening, maybe as a response to not being able to get out and explore nature. I also read quite a bit of fiction and play games, especially those that involve world building and escapism. When I’m not making art, I also work in brand development and image making for advertising.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

I usually find inspiration in everyday objects by paying attention to forms and shapes in objects that look like totally different things. For example, in the Terraform series, I noticed that certain rock formations in some holiday photography looked like the hide of an elephant. My creative process is a lot like lying on the grass and staring up at the clouds to make out different shapes in them.

I match angles and lighting to the relevant part of the animal, building up as I go. The process takes anywhere from 30 to 60 hours per image and anywhere between 1,500 to 4,000 layers in the final Photoshop document.

Tell me about your artistic process.

Looking at my work, it might not come as a galloping shock that I was a massive Lego kid. My process is a bit like building something with Lego without the instructions. In this case, pieces of photos are the Lego blocks.

For a series that might involve landscapes, I will travel to find the right imagery or bring objects to a mini studio to shoot under lights. I end up taking several hundred images of the subject matter. When I have all that material, I start cutting out the different parts of images that I want to work with. I might start with a couple of thousand shots in my camera, then sift that down to maybe 100 images [that] I think actually fits part of the animal’s anatomy.

Then using a reference image, usually of the animal in a zoo or sometimes a sketch that I’ve drawn, I’ll start layering images on top of the animal with these pieces that I’ve cut out. I match angles and lighting to the relevant part of the animal, building up as I go. The process takes anywhere from 30 to 60 hours per image and anywhere between 1,500 to 4,000 layers in the final Photoshop document.

What are your favorite subjects and why? What is your fascination with landscapes?

Ooooooh. That’s tough. My favourite material to work with is snow and mountainous landscapes. I love snow and find it pretty soothing to look at. Working with this material has helped get through some tough periods in my life.

I think part of my fascination with landscapes comes from being curious about the commonality I find between the form and texture of different animals and their habitat, while also playing with scale and the viewer’s perception. Put simply, I also just really enjoy hiking and exploring nature. This is one way to turn that into meaningful employment.

How do you see your art fitting into the world as it is currently? Is there a direction you want your art to take in the future?

I think some of my work really strikes a chord with people in a world where the effects of climate change are becoming much more apparent to us. As the lockdowns here ease, I want to work on more projects that look at these issues, especially habitat destruction here in Australia. Being in Melbourne, I’ve been pretty hamstrung [since] I can’t wander out to shoot new material.

Another project I’m developing, which is [currently] on the backburner due to COVID, looks at displaced indigenous people. I want to partner with various groups to create portraits of indigenous people made from the landscapes of the lands they call home. For example, the first Australians made from the Northern Territory, Native Americans made from the Rock Mountains in North America, Mongolians made from the steppes there and so on.

The idea comes from a commonality that you often see in the skin tone of these people and the earth of their homelands. To me, it’s emblematic of the far more harmonious relationship they often have with their land than their invaders have.

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

I find my work has a tough time fitting into conventional categories of work. It’s too heavily manipulated for photography competitions and too photo-real for illustration. Many fine art critics find this kind of digital art objectionable. For example, this year I had my first ever review by a major publication for my second solo show, in February. The critic’s editor instructed him to justify it by saying , “why does being good at Photoshop make it art?” Consequently, half the review was on that topic rather than on my work.

Because of this, sometimes I feel like I’m wasting my time and money entering my work for awards. I know that there’s a chance my work might simply be discarded regardless of its quality. By contrast, the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is very open minded to new mediums and styles of work, so it felt like a good fit. I love so much of the work that BBM features and I wanted my work to be alongside that.

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

The biggest thing is [that it has] put me in touch with several other established artists, in similar fields here in Melbourne, who I hope to stay in touch with and meet post-COVID. I had no idea that there were so many near me.

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

Of course, especially to artists in newer digital mediums. There are a few awards and publications that bridge the divide between digital and traditional art as well Beautiful Bizarre.

Josh Dykgraaf Socia Media Accounts

Website | Instagram

The post To Live in Agreement With Nature: Digital Photography by Josh Dykgraaf appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Most of us have heard the expression of insanity being the repetitive act of something and expecting different results each time. But what if that isn’t really the case? In some ways, it contradicts the adage practice makes perfect. So in order to better understand these philosophical ramblings, look no further than the brilliant and seemingly insane Richard Stipl. The sculptor artist takes his time creating these astounding pieces, all modeled after his own mercurial visage.

Richard Stipl’s entry to the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize entitled Dream of the Prophet gives a peek at the forbidden peaks of the mind. The intricately carved out landscape tells a story, and perhaps helps explain just how beautiful the mind can be.

Richard’s other sculptures, meticulously sculpted as clones of the artist, reveal much about humanity. The nude figures, a window to vulnerability, are often adorned in corporate logos and tattoos as they express an art within the art. However, it seems that Richard’s focus is less on the outer shell and more into the psyche with sculptures opening up the inner workings of the mind. Even his vastly expressive aspect details the sheer complexity of the human spirit.

Who are some of the artists that have inspired you and what is inspiring about their work? What are some of your favorite pieces from them?

Lately, I have been inspired by a lot of women artists. They have a sensibility that is more fluid and tactile and speaks to me in a beckoning voice. Berlinde de Bruyckere’s rawness, both stunning and overwhelming, stops the viewer in their tracks. Though all of her pieces are great, We Are All Flesh tells it all. Kiki Smith’s work is full of myth and storytelling. The interaction of strong animal symbolism is primal and hits at gut level. I love Juul Kraijer’s drawings. They are so sensual and the deceptive softness pulls you in and locks you in her world. Louise Bourgeois, Paloma Varga Weisz, and Carol Bove are also strong influences.

I am a painter first, a sculptor second.

Who are some of the other artists who have affected your career?

My mentor Evan Penny, I admire greatly for his necessary wisdom during my formative years as a sculptor. His openness about experiences in search of the big questions in life and art have been very helpful. Along with Evan comes the heavy hitter Ron Mueck, who is someone that you cannot get around easily. He is the reason why I gave up on pursuing the hyperrealism game. You just cannot win with this guy; he’s got you beat before you enter the gate. Next is Gehard Demetz; I keep my eye on [him] at all times. His prowess as a wood sculptor is unmatched and keeps you on your toes. He is the best of them. As an all-around talented artist, with unmistakable and unmatched powerhouse-wow-effect, Nicola Samori gets me every time. His strength in both painting and sculpture is something not to be ignored or taken lightly. 

The biggest inspiration for me is the wood carved sculpture of the late gothic and early Renaissance. They are represented best by sculptors such as Tilman Riemenschneider and Veit Stoss. The inspiration for my early sculpted work is the renowned Franz Xavier Messerschmidt and his expression of emotion.

What are the steps you took to becoming a sculptor?

I am a painter first, a sculptor second. I studied painting at the OCADU in Toronto Canada in the 90’s in a post modern environment. Ideas and theory were foremost whereas technical skills were viewed as secondary. Content took precedent over form.

You utilize other fine art skills such as painting on your pieces. Why did you choose this medium as opposed to two-dimensional art?

During my schooling, I studied figurative and representational painting. Looking back, I cannot say what made me want to study painting as opposed to sculpture. By the time I presented my graduation show, sculpture and the third dimension had emerged alongside my painting in an ever more crucial role. This led to other experiments in installation and object works down the road and seemed to always be tugging at my sleeve. At times, I caught myself unable to turn away my jealous gaze when confronted with an amazing piece of sculpture from other artists.

After 10 years of painting, I gave it up. It wasn’t getting me to where I wanted to be as far as exposure and the attention I had imagined. The relationship had grown stale and I was bored. Once I made the switch to clay sculpture, using myself as a model, I was totally immersed. I am, however, grateful for knowing how to paint since it brings a different dimension to sculpture and plays an important role in composition and surface finish.

No work is complete until it is tossed into the sand dunes of art history and becomes a palimpsest of visual vocabulary.

What were you doing before you became an artist? Did you attend an art school?

Becoming an artist was a natural development since childhood. There was no doubt in my mind that this is what I wanted to do. This ties in to the previous question and my development in art school in Toronto.

What sort of things keep you occupied when you aren’t working on art?

I have a family now and raising a daughter is no easy task for two working parents. I will be turning 53 this spring so between making art and raising a family, there doesn’t seem to be much time for anything else. When I do get a chance, I love to get out in the woods as a source of inspiration and wonder. At the moment, I am obsessed by the Spanish Baroque polychromed sculpture and am reading and all the books I can get my hands on. 

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

Like many artists throughout the millennia, I am fascinated by the human body. The sculpting process starts with the self; my body and those close to me. It is neither a self-portrait nor a negation of the self, rather a prototype, an any-body. Once a body exists in a time and space, it can set out on a journey, adapt a narrative, and gather associations moving between blunt symbolism and raw emotion. Most of all, they surprise me while they mature into compelling visual experiences, which can in some cases take several decades. Some pieces wait patiently to be shaped into visual poems; dreams weave into layered meanings of symbols, myths and narratives of human experience.

Recently, I incorporated an obsession into my work with collecting objects and items that embody memories or records of the past. I transform and fuse them into new contexts. By introducing small amateur wood carvings alongside my sculptures, there occurs a magical moment that propels an automatic narrative into uncharted territory and unforeseeable situations. As such, some sculptures are easy to talk about while others change their ephemeral meaning over time. The best ones insist that their meaning is perfectly clear without further commentary.

Why do you choose to portray your figures in the nude?

Why the nudity? Most of the figures stem from self portraits. I feel the freedom to strip away all pretenses and expose myself to the viewer and present emotion and vulnerability. No work is complete until it is tossed into the sand dunes of art history and becomes a palimpsest of visual vocabulary. Art is informed by medieval carving and folk art, leftovers of the past century, silent films, iconography, the personal and the social history, architecture, collective conversation, and the psycho biographical vortex. 

Some of my work takes a long time to emerge as a finished piece. They get dragged from studio to studio and lie around for years before they come to a point of completion. Sometimes, by accident or by chance, something clicks and a new meaning emerges, like actors on a stage cast in different roles.

What are your favorite mediums to use and why? Are there any that prove more challenging than others?

My process is strictly defined by the medium. All my sculptures start out in clay. This carries a deeper symbolic meaning when we consider that clay is the dust of the earth mixed with water. Some of the difficult poses I sculpt from photographs but those are somewhat limiting. After a mold is made its cast in bronze or carved from wood. Later, the pieces are painted and sometimes tattooed. Some of my work takes a long time to emerge as a finished piece. They get dragged from studio to studio and lie around for years before they come to a point of completion. Sometimes, by accident or by chance, something clicks and a new meaning emerges, like actors on a stage cast in different roles.

Do you have any plans to take up any other mediums?

I am definitely going to take a stab at marble at some point. I am more or less waiting for the right project to work on using this medium.

How do you see your art fitting into the world as it is currently?

Each era carries with it a certain sensibility that is inseparable from the art that comes into existence at that time as in con-temporary or with-time. That being said, my work has undergone its own developments over the years. My first impulse was to copy nature and to get as close to realism as possible. I wanted to understand anatomy, form, and how the body works. That is why my work appeared along side the great sculptors Evan Penny and Ron Mueck in the Spanish magazine LAPIZ in June 2006. However, once my work was thrown in with other hyper-realists, I realized how limiting and blinding this genre is. My work is more than just being hyper real, and if I veered off course I would be dismissed. So that was a path I chose not to follow. 

Is there a direction you want your art to take in the future?

At some point while working on a multi figure composition my sculptures acquired a life of their own. They explored some really dark places in my own psyche. I had developed a concept of surrogate brothers to help me cope with my blind spots and big ifs in my personal history. In the seminal piece Block Sabbath, this idea is fully developed into a final phase and I assumed the role of a director whose production has gone horribly wrong. The full figures are devoid of any inhibitions and set upon themselves with open ferocity and gusto. They obsessively plunge into ritual ceremony of auto cannibalization, self-ridicule, incantation and targeted self-destruction. Through this orgy of primitive cruelty and human folly, they hope for some kind of a catharsis to elevate themselves from this vicious circle, absolved from their own past. For me, it was another faze and once I could stand back and observe it objectively, I rejected this path as too self obsessed. 
Eventually, I emerged with a vision of creating a unique style of my own that could be expressive but without the brutality. Lately, it has become more completive, almost spiritual, and is likely to stay on this course for some time.

… clay is the dust of the earth mixed with water.

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

A few weeks before the deadline for the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Yasha Young posted one of my sculptures on her Instagram feed. I took that as a sign to try it out. I have never entered a competition and generally don’t apply for grants and competitions. But I thought what the hell, let`s do something different for a change. So with that in mind, I sent in my application.

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

It has been an eye opener to all the different disciplines out there and the amount of quality work that gets produced. It was great to compete on a global scale and to come in second. I was quite shocked actually. I wasn’t expecting anything. The exposure has also been terrific. I am very grateful to BBM and all those on the team and the committees. It is quite a major undertaking to organize something like this on a international level. Respect.

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

I encourage anyone who is creative to enter; it sharpens up your game, forces you to define your position and you get to be a part of something that is bigger than you and the bubble you live in.

Richard Stipl Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Instagram

The post Face Yourself: Mesmerizing Sculptures by Richard Stipl appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

With so many muscles in the human face, it is no wonder that facial expressions so easily convey a vast array of emotions. While many of them are easy to see, there are subtle micro-expressions which aren’t as easy to spot, or to understand. Fortunately, Laura H. Rubin, 3rd place winner for the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, ZBrush Digital Award, is an adept at conveying various states of emotion in her exquisite digital paintings. With her submission titled Apophis, one can see why her art has become so successful.

Coated in liquid black and often staring directly at the viewer, Laura’s figures are reduced to a frozen portrayal of feelings reflected not only in their expression but in the composition of the pieces as well. By adding these intimate details, the portraits become stories. The shadowed bodies pulls the focus of the viewer towards the captured emotions. The accessories, the flowers, and the use of both grayscale and color in her pieces all provide an exquisite work of art.

Laura H. Rubin is a Swiss artist, illustrator and graphic designer based in Thun/Bern. She has been drawing since she was a child, inspired by her father’s realistic drawings. Later she studied Film and VFX before she started working in the advertising industry for several years. Laura is searching for aesthetics in imperfection and loves to give her characters strong emotions. She wants people to wonder what her characters might feel and try to understand what the characters are all about, not just focusing on the surface.

“Apophis”: Apophis is named after an asteroid and Egyptian god, who is the embodiment of dissolution, darkness and chaos. The feathers in the picture symbolize the dissolution of the human being, because already in the Middle Ages black birds or ravens were considered as harbingers of disaster and death.

Who are some of the artists that have inspired you and what is inspiring about their work?

There are probably hundreds of incredible artists that keep inspiring me. Currently it’s predominantly artists like Aykut Aydogdu, with his breathtaking implementations and new ideas which you have hardly see. Or Jaw Cooper, with her wonderful, unique style, and also Eliza Ivanova, who manages to give an incredible meaning to a sketch.

What are some of your favorite pieces from them?

The artwork “Summoning” by Jaw Cooper, “Fanny Flutters” by Aykut Aydogdu and the work “Hungover” by Eliza Ivanova.

What made you want to move away from film and visual effects you were studying in school?

Unfortunately, there are not many opportunities for filmmakers in Switzerland, except in the advertising industry, so I was forced to change industries after I graduated. Fortunately, there were many parallels between my work as a VFX artist and as a designer, so I was able to benefit from my education.

What are some of the jobs you had before you became a professional artist?

For a long time I was not sure which job would be suitable for me, so I was trying quite a few. After finishing school, I started learning painting as a trade (not a painter-artist, but a painter who paints new buildings). Later, I was working as a stylist for a short time, and at the age of 19, I started my training as a film and visual FX artist. At that time, I earned my money as a photographer. After graduation I became a graphic designer in an advertising agency in Bern.

Psychological themes are also very inspiring, as their complexity allows you to make the artworks even more surrealistic.

If you could make the choice again, would you have become a freelance artist sooner?

No, I don’t think so. It took me every second I was working as a designer to develop and learn
how the industry works. If I had gone into business for myself earlier, I would not have had
enough experience to be successful.

What sort of things keep you occupied when you aren’t working on art?

I love reading books. I buy new books every month in order to learn more about any subject that fascinates me. Learning new things gives me a certain feeling of security. I also love spending time outside and taking photos or filming anything spectacular that nature has to offer. The rest of the time I spend with my better half or do sports.

I think the most inspiring things for me are my feelings, things that occupy me and that I try to process in some way. It’s like writing a diary. What is probably present in almost every painting is this melancholic feeling. Although I am basically a very happy person, I am also quite a melancholic person from time to time.

I noticed that one of your bio mentions you were influenced by psychology and mythology. Can you explain this more?

Mythological stories are fantastic foundations for new artworks because they are universal stories that almost everyone knows, so you can rely on the general knowledge of the viewer. A story automatically emerges in their minds without having to explain anything to them about the artwork itself; which is wonderful, because mythological stories are so complex and result in great conversations with the viewers.

Psychological themes are also very inspiring, as their complexity allows you to make the artworks even more surrealistic. A small example: the concept of the psychotherapist and communication scientist Paul Watzlawick. He developed the concept of first and second order reality. He, therefore, assumes that several realities exist at the same time. Trying to paint a portrait on this subject is incredibly exciting, as it forces you to leave your comfort zone.

What else has inspired you?

I think the most inspiring things for me are my feelings, things that occupy me and that I try to process in some way. It’s like writing a diary. What is probably present in almost every painting is this melancholic feeling. Although I am basically a very happy person, I am also quite a melancholic person from time to time. This always sounds a bit negative at first, but without this characteristic, I would not paint. I need these feelings to work; as if melancholy was my pencil.

After watching you use Procreate in a video on Instagram, I noticed you use a skeletal frame to sketch your figures. Is this something you do every time?

Most of the time I use this method when I have no reference image. This is a modified form of the Loomis method, developed by Andrew Loomis, in order to be able to draw portraits and also bodies without a reference picture.

Tell me more about your artistic process. Are you still creating art in other mediums such as clay or photography?

Originally, I drew traditionally on paper and later also on canvas. The change came when I could no longer afford the material during my education, as the tuition fees were very high. During my studies we spent a lot of time drawing storyboards, which made me realize that painting on a tablet is faster and saves paper. I fell in love with digital drawing because the possibilities are actually endless as long as the battery is full. Nowadays I still work with clay or tinker around with other materials, but mostly these are only small projects.

How do you see your digital art fitting into the world as it is currently?

In a world ruled by social media, international communication, and digital friendships, we are
lonelier than ever before, so we have stopped looking as closely at things as we have in the past. In all the hustle and bustle we don’t notice when someone is not feeling well, and that’s why the facial expressions of my characters are often so strongly in the foreground. I want to make the viewers look closer and try to understand what this character might feel.

Is there a direction you want your art to take in the future?

I still see myself at the very beginning, so I hope to give my work an even deeper meaning in
the future. I myself am curious where my work will take me.

I mistakenly was under the impression you had collaborated with Ruben Ireland. Have you done collaborations with any other artists?

I never had the pleasure of working with Ruben Ireland. In the very beginning, I was inspired by George Mayer, who uses light and shadow to create stunning black and white photographs, which are very similar to Ruben Ireland’s work. I hadn’t even heard of Ruben Ireland until people suddenly started asking me about him. Now that I am aware of his great work, several of his paintings in extra large formats hang in our apartment. However, I’m not sure if I’m suitable for collaborations with other artists, but I would definitely not say no to a collaboration with Ruben Ireland!

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

I found out about the event only a few hours before the deadline and spontaneously decided to give it a try. But to be honest, I didn’t have high hopes of winning anything at that time.

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

Incredible experiences! I got to know many new artists and the great and helpful team of Beautiful Bizarre. And, of course, it was great that I was able to present my work “Nocturne” at the Midnight Garden exhibition in San Francisco. Many thanks for that!

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

Of course! You only lose for sure if you don’t try. The participation was a great chance to meet new artists and like-minded people. So you win something either way.

Laura H. Rubin Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram

The post The States of Emotion: Digital Portraits by Laura H. Rubin appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

I truly believe that the real beauty of a human being cannot be seen with our human eyes…

Ju Dha Krist’s art is steeped in shadow. His figures, predominantly female, exude a sense of freedom and power in many of his scenes. Many of their facial expressions also portray an intense emotion while also appearing stark. Their desperation and lust manifests itself in their primal body language, like windows to a darker, more intense universe. Though usually nude, the figures hold the viewer’s attention without exploiting their sensuality. Their naked skin adorned with paint, blood, or shadow instead tell a deeper story. Ju Dha Krist expertly applies his themes on the models making them characters as opposed to figures. The dark art, both in theme and in portrayal, produce a truly decadent setting.

Tell me more about your background in art? How long have you been working with digital art?

I originally went to college for computer programming, but later changed my mind and began teaching myself 3D animation. I’ve now been working with digital art since for 20 years now.

How long does it take for you to do a single piece? Based on your Instagram feed, it seems as though you have been posting quite a bit of new art recently.

Most of my works take around couple weeks to complete. I use Maya and Daz Studio to make the 3D model and then Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom for digital imaging. Americanos have become my best friend!

Is creating art something you do for fun or are you a full-time artist? You have prints for sale, but there aren’t very many. Do you have plans to expand selling prints?

Becoming a full time artist is definitely my goal. But for now I am doing my best to manage my time between my job, as head of the creative department at the company I work at, and my artwork.

Though nearly all of your subjects are nude, why do you avoid full nudity in your work? Many of your pieces come close while still artfully hiding those parts.

I truly believe that the real beauty of a human being cannot be seen with our human eyes so that’s just my way of expressing it.

What has been your favorite chapter or piece? And why?

Chapter 10 Common People, because it just portrays humans, hiding their pain behind their happiness.

Do you have any plans for gallery showings in the future?

Not currently, but I am sending this affirmation out into the universe each and every day!

Ju Dha Krist Social Media Accounts

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The post The Dark Artistry of Ju Dha Krist: A Digital Artist Revealed appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The women of Ruben Ireland’s work are captivating as they stare outwards towards the abyss in quiet contemplation, feeding a wild nature. Some wear visages of animals while others hide their faces in the beautiful contrast of light and shadow. Splashes of color streak through some of his pieces, highlighting but never dominating the perfect balance between opposing forces.

I approach the women in my work from a symbolic perspective, stripping away as much as possible and trying not to include much sense of place or time, omitting artefacts unique to our current time period in terms of style or fashion.

Tell me about your creative process. Do you have any superstitions when starting a new piece? Any moods you need to be in?

It’s very important that I clear my mind when starting a new work. This applies even more during the process, which is a little counter-intuitive since my instinct suggests I should put all my being, including my mind to work. The mind can listen as much as it can talk and it seems creativity lives somewhere within that balance. I’ve gotten into periods of forgetting that and instead, spent a lot of time deeply scrutinizing the work, without taking time to reflect emotionally, which tends to make for artworks that don’t quite hit the mark and lack soul. The trouble is, it’s hard to identify this balance technically and visually; it can only be felt. It’s a self-perpetuating issue then, that can be very hard to see whilst I’m in it. To balance that out, I enjoy reading, watching documentaries, listening to lectures and podcasts. If I could sum that up as a mood, it would be serene curiosity or inspired serenity, something like that.

On average how long does it take you to get a piece done? Do you prefer to work on large pieces or small ones?

I’m very concerned with final print quality, making sure lines and textures translate properly at larger print sizes. This tends to mean each work can take a few weeks, or more, to make. Although I work digitally and am aware that larger brushes are available, I’ve never trusted most of the tools available in Photoshop or Corel for printed work that requires close scrutiny. So I’ve always used a 5-10 px standard paint brush and eraser tool and create my lines, edges, cuts, and details by hand whilst magnified into the canvas. It’s very laborious and time consuming but it’s become an important part of my practice, almost therapeutic and meditative. It also gives me full control throughout the process. I do, however, balance out this laborious process with other elements in my work, like using inks, watercolours, coffee, ash and water. I take an opposite approach [with these] and let randomness and quick movements guide the outcome. Mixing these elements together often comes at the end and can be the most satisfying part [of the process]. I struggle with overthinking and indecisiveness, often changing the direction of an image many times of the course of its manifestation. I take far too long, but for me it’s worth the time.

I find that limiting my colour palette to almost exclusively black and white, puts emphasis on many of the dichotomies I’m trying to look at, the relationship between chaos and order, strength and fragility, anxiety and serenity, joy and despair.

You create women typically in the nude with ever so slightly exaggerated proportions. What can you tell me about your choices here?

I approach the women in my work from a symbolic perspective, stripping away as much as possible and trying not to include much sense of place or time, omitting artefacts unique to our current time period in terms of style or fashion. The naked body can reflect our inherent vulnerability and fragility, not exactly physically but experimentally, along with shadows that talk about obscurity and revelation. Horns can signify strength and power, stars are the knowable unknown, the moon is order, beauty, and the passing of time. Using these universal markers, I’m trying to explore the inner experience, without ignoring the external parallels as well. The idea of slightly skewing proportions comes from the sensory homunculus, a visual representation of how we sense our bodies from within, with certain aspects of the figure vastly exaggerated, almost like a hierarchical diagram of our body parts according to senses. It seems natural that I could explore emotions in a similar way. Giving emphasis to the eyes and mouth, weakening the frame, strengthening the shoulders and hands, enlarging the head slightly and supporting it with a lengthened, narrow neck. I hope to convey a nuanced state that people can read via these forms and relate to on an emotional level.

As limited as your color palette is, how do you make the decision for your colors?

I find that limiting my colour palette to almost exclusively black and white, puts emphasis on many of the dichotomies I’m trying to look at, the relationship between chaos and order, strength and fragility, anxiety and serenity, joy and despair. Introducing colour is a little difficult for me as a message or emotion can be shrouded rather than refined by [adding] it. A specific colour or set of colours can sometimes be the exact catalyst I’m looking for so I’m not averse to colour, just cautious.

Tell me about your favorite piece.

My personal favourite, at the moment, though this changes all the time, would be This Time. I’m really happy with the silhouette and movement of lines in that one. It’s also a piece where I feel like I’ve really captured the emotion I set out to and whilst it’s relatively simple conceptually, there’s a nice ambiguity to the narrative. I also really like Eva, which I made years ago. I’ve often thought of repeating that aesthetic a little in future works. Interestingly, my best selling prints were ones I expected not to be popular at all when I released them. I often wonder if I should repeat elements I wasn’t necessarily as engaged in, but overall, I try not to let sales dictate too much of what I choose to make. Money serves as poor inspiration for an artist. I think it’s more important for me to keep trying to make my next favourite work, that way I can stay motivated and am more likely to just end up stumbling on something that a lot of people want to buy.

While I’ve been releasing works very sporadically over the past few years, I’ve been on a semi-hiatus for around 4 years. It’s a long story that involves a woman and a boat and I won’t go into that, but really I’m just excited to be back to making pictures full-time again; there’s a lot I feel I can still explore in this medium.

You have done a few collaborations with other artists in the past, including commissions from well-known entities. Tell me about your experience. Is it something you look forward to?

I really enjoy collaborations with commercial clients in particular because I get to work with subjects far outside my realm. I can get lost in my comfort zone so exploring themes chosen for me and not by me, really helps to refresh my perspective. I find it really helpful too to discuss an ongoing work with an art director, writer or musician, where normally I’m working by myself with no feedback. I can then re-approach my own work with a bunch of fresh ideas. Working collaboratively with other artists has been a blessing as well. I’ve learned a lot from each experience. It’s a much more free-form workflow than with a commercial client. We tend to just pass the works back and forth, adding and adjusting in turn and without any restrictions. One collaboration in particular with Jenny Liz Rome has lead to a hugely popular print with people. We really had no plan and something just worked with it. I have a few more in the works with other artists and I’m really excited to see what comes from those.

Who are some of the other artists that inspire you?

Really, I’m a cliche and my art heroes of the past will always be Basquiat, Schiele, Kahlo and Klimt but plenty of people inspire me today. I’m a huge fan of Riika Sormunen, Taj Francis, João Ruas, Matthew Stone, Yulia Bas. I’m also currently obsessed with Antoine Cordet’s work.

Any plans to get into other mediums or even mural work?

Possibly, but I’ve no plans to give up my current medium any time soon. I develop mini obsessions with different creative fields though. I spent a fair amount of time last year learning how to make 3D models along with some game design [elements], with dreams of creating a playable experience at some point. I also still play around a little with sculpture and modelling. I had thought to include something like that in a show at some point, although nothing’s worthy of public attention yet. For now, I’m very interested in continuing the work I’ve been doing. While I’ve been releasing works very sporadically over the past few years, I’ve been on a semi-hiatus for around 4 years. It’s a long story that involves a woman and a boat and I won’t go into that, but really I’m just excited to be back to making pictures full-time again; there’s a lot I feel I can still explore in this medium.

How do you see your art fitting in or changing the art scene?

The art scene is in constant flux and so if I have one task, it’s to be in a state of flux myself. It’s an exciting, never ending visual conversation. If I can let go and enjoy the work, I hope to keep making work that people enjoy.

What message do you want your art to convey?

That your pain can be beautiful and meaningful. That your fear can lead to courage and your weakness to strength. That your loneliness is shared and your existence matters.

Ruben Ireland Social Media Accounts

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The post The Unification of Dichotomies: An Interview with Ruben Ireland appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

While almost anyone can pull out their cellphone these days to take some great looking photos, it takes significantly more effort to pull off the photography that Beth Mitchell does. As the 3rd place winner of the Stocksy United Photography, 2019 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, we get a get a deeper look into the creative process of the Australian photographer.

Set up in the fantastical aquatic realms of her imagination, Beth stages very stunning and surreal underwater scenes. She elegantly captures the magic and mystery of the abyss that has endured through legends for centuries. However, Beth has not always been a name in the art world. Before pursuing her artwork full-time, she worked in real estate. She picked up skills in business, networking and marketing herself; skills essential to finding her place as a successful artist. She left the business when she felt ready enough to heed the call of her more expressive side.

To enter the 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize in any of the four Award categories: INPRNT Traditional Art Award, Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award, ZBrush Digital Art Award or iCanvas Photography Award, and for your chance to receive global exposure for your work + share in over US$35,000 in cash and prizes, click here.

My whole life has been consumed with art [and] it was time to give my whole soul to my art.

Surprisingly enough, Beth’s experience with photography came as experience in videography first. At age 12, Beth worked with her father at his video production studio learning the technical side of staging visual arts. By age 13, Beth was already engrossed in Photoshop. As she puts it, she developed an addiction to Deviantart. She made sufficient use of the community of artists from all over the globe. Surprisingly, Beth didn’t make it to University. She took a photo-imaging course as a teenager but her formal art education ended there. The budding artist’s creative endeavors began as she started taking photos of friends and getting into an experimental phase. “While others were [out] drinking, I was focused on creating.”  

On a trip to Italy to find inspiration, Beth discovered her affinity for Renaissance paintings. Interestingly enough, this lead to her interest in Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais. The “maiden in the water” finds her home in almost all of Beth’s photos now and she feels confident the reference will continue to pop up along her art career. Because of this, her work focuses on the feminine form. As with many artists, the female form has long been a source of idealization. From early carved figurines to digital photography, women hold the crown for captivating history and civilization.

For anyone interested in shooting sub-aquatic, Beth has some interesting advice. She explains that the lack of gravity is visually appealing. “It transforms the scene and moves it into the realm of surrealism.” Additionally, the aquatic stage gives her photos a “painting-like” feel, that this impossible moment is frozen in time. Unfortunately, the process is strenuous and has taken her years to refine. The coordination involved between the stage, the props, the photographer and the model all depend on one moment being perfect. Not to mention underwater photography is also weather dependent.  

Her submission to the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is the photo titled “Ariadne”. Beth describes it first and foremost, as “one of my personal favourites [that] I have ever worked on.” Fresh flowers were brought in and photographed individually underwater. Next, Mitchell photographed the models. Professional hair and makeup artists did up the model and she wore a custom tailored costume. Lastly, the post production work began. Beth recalls feeling that this project went smoothly when editing despite all of the elements at play. “I resonated with her most. I enjoyed every moment. It is the Renaissance/Ophelia look and sits beautifully in [my] ‘The Dome’ series.” 

Beth Mitchell entered the Art Prize because “there isn’t another award in the world like it.” She points out that the award highlights art work by novel artists from all over the world. Many of these works stand on their own, and the visually impacting artists are leaders in their field.  

Largely, Beth feels that the honour in recognition, to be “placed amongst some of the finest artists in the world, [and] to be judged by the best” is the most optimal experience she could have received. “It helps in leveraging yourself to get where you want to be.” 

[I would] absolutely recommend this to all artists, particularly those who have developed a style of their own.” She goes on to implore artists who do not fit in with the “institutional” styles to get more involved. “This is the forefront; this is contemporary, and the world is a large place so get yourself in front of the right people. Challenge yourself, work for those accolades, we need them to keep moving forward.

Beth Mitchell’s Social Media Accounts

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The post Liquid Art: The Aquatic Realms of Beth Mitchell’s Photography appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Seeing the artwork of Billelis for the first time can be a bit overwhelming. There are so many details to explore and devour. His digital work often appears as impossible photographs and in those virtuous moments, the realization sets in that his man is indeed a wizard. Beautiful Bizarre Magazine was lucky enough to have Billelis submit artwork into the 2019 Art Prize. As 1st prize winner in the digital art category, we caught up with the UK artist for an interview.

To enter the 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize in any of the four Award categories: INPRNT Traditional Art Award, Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award, ZBrush Digital Art Award or iCanvas Photography Award, and for your chance to receive global exposure for your work + share in over US$35,000 in cash and prizes, click here.

Billelis started young. Creative elements such as illustration, graffiti and of course, digital art, all called to him. Drawing zombies and comics were his thing at first, but he quickly “evolved” into using Photoshop to give his art more depth. Though Billelis attended a school for Digital Arts and Technology, he prides himself on his learning process and exclaims “no one will teach you what you really need to learn to progress as an artist, [it’s more about] trial and error”.

Eventually, the digital artist’s labors were noticed. While many artists simply strive to be recognized, others have the desire to be scooped up by larger corporate entities to earn a steady paycheck. This graphic designer, however, went in the reverse direction. Billelis had some lucrative contracts with big names like Netflix, Coca-Cola, and Nike. The experience provided was worthwhile, despite it being a “journey of serious learning”.

It feels nice when [the client] trusts your creative vision. The feeling you get when your work is seen all around the world is indescribable.

Working in agencies and studios in the past was a great for experience but I never felt like I was doing what I really wanted.

The realization that he could be both bigger and happier finally won over in the “creative argument” with himself. His luck bloomed when he found a representative in NERD Productions who now takes “out the admin stress of being an artist”.

Though human skulls predominantly adorn his work, the digital artist feels inspired by the adage “from death comes new life.” He quotes Edvard Munch as his primary influencer: “From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity.” Billelis works on turning the darkness of death around to celebrate the newness in life. Moreover, he brings an elegance to the art process and focuses on religious iconography to tie it in to a rich history that celebrates art. One can see both the baroque and Gothic influence in his art, mixed in with his ability to bring beauty to the macabre.

Additionally, quite a few Greco-Roman Renaissance themes can be found in his digital art. The timelessness of sculpture has always lived through the centuries and Billelis pays a superb homage to the style. Furthermore, his current “creative addictions”, Dan Hillier an Ettore Aldo Del Vigo, promote his appreciation for his trade. Their styles also bring “incredible respect for the historic subjects in their work” and provide the creative influence artists need.

When asked about the future, the UK based artist provided a simple yet very honest answer, “I don’t have any mad aspirations. I love how it is at the moment. People seem to dig it so I’m happy.” He feels that his work will always stay relevant, as long as people appreciate the dualities of “light and dark, beauty, horror and the divine”.

As for aspirations, Billelis has a humble list. He wants to break into the video game industry more and get the chance to work with other amazing artists. Contrasting, his dream client is the metal band Slipknot. Anyone familiar with their style of entertainment can see how Billelis’ work would fit right in. In the meantime, he has found a hobby in photography. While manipulating reality comes easy to him, his newest challenge is capturing “something as it is without much of my input.”

To demonstrate the UK-based artist’s prowess as a digital artist, look no further than his winning entry entitled “Necro Maria”. The piece was born of a re-imagining of the Virgin Mary in a more “punk modern and dark surrounding.” The submission was a collaboration between Billelis and sick666mick. They felt it was important to keep “the elegance [of the religious icon] while balancing elements of alternative culture and the macabre.” First, the figure started out as a “virgin” sculpture. Little by little, the duo added in elements to capture the divinity in both her halo and veil. Then, they began the deconstruction to “reveal bones and skeletal elements beneath [her skin].” Flawless light effects and the stark background bring the statue to life leaving one to imagine its origin in some sort of twisted church.

Interestingly, the collaboration between himself and Sick666mick was certainly neither the first or last collaboration. Billelis finds “collaboration to be key as an artist. You learn from other artists and more importantly, have loads of fun exploring new ideas together.” Sadly, Sick666mick was not available for the interview but is still credited in the collaboration.

Billelis entered the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize out of appreciation.

I have always loved the magazine and the ethos. At no point did I expect to win and [am] really honoured [to be] chosen alongside Sick666mick. But we felt this piece had something special and was worth a shot.

In addition to a “great personal experience”, Billelis touts the amazing exposure he gained from his experience. He was thrilled to be a part of the Haven Gallery show and gain artistic advice from the staff. He strongly encourages other artists to enter the contest as a resounding “Hell yes!” His experience meeting other talented artists, and simply getting to the finals really stuck with him. In the meantime, check out his website for more from the digital artist.

Billelis Social Media Accounts

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The post Beautiful Darkness: The Virtuous Macabre of Billelis appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Jacquelin started early gaining experience for gallery showings in high school. Now, with an expansive, self-run business and brand behind her, we want to know what’s next!

She has been doing art since she was a child. The dreams of typical kids to become doctors and police officers was not hers. She always knew she wanted to be an artist. In high school, Jacquelin began fine tuning her illustration skills and was able to get an early breakthrough with a few gallery showings. Her time spent as an artist shows in the vast following she has amassed over the years. 

In 2015, the young artist graduated with a degree in illustration and entertainment design from Laguna College of Art and Design. While the college provided her the opportunity to really perfect her skills, her time there was not completely worth the price tag. However, de Leon was able to broaden her horizons. She took classes in 3D modelling and movie production and was able to pick up more fine art skills. The networking was valuable, but she feels she did not grow as an artist in those four years. 

As many artists are only as successful as the art they sell, de Leon began selling artwork while she was still in school. As soon as her projects were graded, her artwork was for sale on her website. Her shrewd business dealings gave her the reputation for being a better teacher than some of the faculty at her school. She was even able to start a new art event to showcase student’s work. The Californian has also had some success obtaining sponsorship and job opportunities from big name companies. YouTube and other social media platforms have helped greatly expanded her online presence.

Recently, the comic book company DC Comics has shown interest in de Leon. In proving that the art world can be a small place, one artist in de Leon’s group through DC consists of Gabriel Piccolo who was featured here in September 2019. de Leon’s experience publishing her own comic book of The Sirens of San Francisco should prove extremely helpful.

Oddly enough, her focus in school was in graphic design and illustration. She has had no professional training with watercolor. She picked up watercolor painting for fun. Now, her name is associated with these wonderfully water-colored worlds she creates. 

Interestingly, her surroundings typically bring inspiration to her craft. The comic book artist starts with an idea in her head then creates sketches and thumbnails. Pinterest helps provide her with model poses and textures. She picks palettes based on her favorite colors and jams out to indie rock to set the mood. As an avid camper and beach-goer, nature plays a paramount role in her paintings. The entire creative process only lasts a day or two and her creations always become products for sale. This is important as she has a massive following online. Unfortunately, her original paintings are usually bought up quickly so gallery showings haven’t been a viable options. One of her goals for the future is to focus on being more of a local artist instead of relying on the internet to supply her with fans. 

When it comes to influencers, Jacquelin’s aren’t completely recognizable in her work. They range from modern artists such as Poni/Hilda Palafox, Heather Day, and Daniel Danger, to Van Gogh and Alphonse Mucha. On the other hand, Japanese anime and the exceptionally unique style that accompanies it are much more apparent. 

While her brand has seen some great success, the watercolor artist wants to get back to the fine art aspect of her work. She is looking forward to making larger paintings and sitting down to properly learn watercolor. With her recognition as an artist, one day she hopes to open a gallery and work space for artists. She would include events like art camps and live paintings. But for now, Jacquelin de Leon will continue to make new art, sell her brand and build her empire one beautiful painting at a time. 

Jacquelin de Leon Social Media Accounts

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The post Comics, Witches, and the Illustrative Art of Jacquelin de Leon appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

While many of her pieces may seem to be of one media, Stella uses various paints, inks, and pastels. Her work even incorporates graphite drawings and colored pencils. Regardless of media, her paintings focus on a solitary Korean female figure. She looks melancholy at times, while at others she seems determined. She holds secrets and stories. In her eyes there is both compassion and violence. Though the many female figures in art emphasize sexuality or beauty, Stella takes a step back to remind viewers that there is beauty in absence. Her figures often disappear behind floral arrangements that hide eyes and bodies. In some of Stella’s older works, the figure’s hair becomes the focus of obscurity, leaving only a porcelain face. Additionally, her paintings incorporate traditional Korean folk art. The outfits and prints bring to life a side not often seen in art.

As though through a metamorphosis, Stella’s artwork has also undergone dramatic changes over the years. Her earlier pieces emphasize lines and many of her portraits are void of color. She uses graphite on watercolor paper for clean elongated lines that flaunt feminine curves. Later, she introduces colors through crayons, ink, acrylics and watercolor. Her mediums also incorporate wood, printmaking paper, and masonite to name a few. Stella even totes some mural art where her floral figures bloom against the harsh cement landscape. Her color choices however, have predominantly stayed the same.

The gentle pastel hues flow beautifully with delicate skin, blushed cheeks and peony stained lips. Some of Stella Im Hultberg’s floral paintings have stunning backgrounds painted in whimsical, dreamlike pastels to contrast the harsher lines of ink and graphite. In addition, one can see the change many of her figures have undergone from fragile feminine wisps to fully fleshed out women, each with their own story.

Stella Im Hultberg Social Media Accounts

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The post The Pastel Floral Paintings of Stella Im Hultberg appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Though he traditionally draws in an anime style, Guweiz expands his portfolio beyond the Japanese art. His attention to detail in his digital brushstrokes rivals that of any traditional painter. While his work may focus on portraits and characters, Guweiz also puts a lot of work in landscape scenery. Seen in pieces where the figure is the smallest aspect, the background takes on a life of its own. Hand crafted foliage and futuristic cities rise up from gray-washed skies. His handcrafted backgrounds expertly set the tone for each piece.

On the other hand, Guweiz’s characters are by far the more interesting subjects. The precision of his ability stretches from complete science fiction fantasy to photo realistic portraits. Though most of the artwork depicts fantasy art, there are several pieces that are beautifully mundane. Guweiz plays masterfully with brushstrokes. While some of his pieces look distinctively more digital, other pieces seem like oil paintings.

In close up portraits, one can see feathery strands of hair, glossed lips and a plethora of emotions on each character. Guweiz also taps into some fantastic costume designs from Japanese samurai armor to everyday outfits, European knights to futuristic flight suits. He plays with the lighting, the weather and even monochromatic pieces. The piece titled Countryside depicts foreboding storm in the horizon. The foreground on the other hand, shows a multitude of small insects that light up the character. Similarly, Spook shows a witch ensconced in shadow but under-lit from the skull in her hand. Each captivating piece tells its own story and some play out a storyline with repeating characters such as the Ronin.

Guweiz Social Media Accounts

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The post Guweiz: Captivating Digital Paintings and Illustrations appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Natalia Fabia artfully combines fantasy with reality, landscapes and portraits, to incorporate her own unapologetic style.

Having graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Natalia has had almost 20 years of both solo and group exhibitions. Her careful brush strokes pay homage to painting giants like John Singer Sargent and Toulouse Lautrec. While Sargent created portraits, Lautrec painted the world around him. Natalia’s art combines both, then mixes in Kawaii, burlesque, and punk rock, with a healthy splash of glitter and confetti. Her paintings incorporate both tradition and rebellion elegantly.

Though many of Natalia’s women are nude as in Rainbow Mamas or lingerie-clad in Pizza Party, she avoids depicting them in ways that sexualize the women. She emphasizes the beauty and sexiness of the female form and clearly establishes that a woman’s body is her own. She supports femininity and selling one’s talents as a profession. Her art also portrays a harmony among women and with their environments. She rarely does illustration, preferring to cast her models in oil paints on canvas. She pulls inspiration from Japanese culture, Christianity, punk rock, fashion designers, and the goth scene. Many of her creations are glamorous in one way or another, as in Blush Moon Indulgence. However, they still tend to play on an everyday life for Natalia.

In addition to painting, Natalia is obsessed with yoga but also teaches art classes. She holds studio hours for prospective artists where they can learn to paint live models from one of the best in the business.

Natalia Fabia Social Media Accounts

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The post The Luscious, Candy-coated Paintings of Natalia Fabia appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.