The concept is simple: to get back to the roots of direct communication. You ask a (preferably genuine, from the soul) question, you get a (no holds barred, brutally honest) answer from their oracles, made up of their highly experienced coaches and mentors.

For this to work, Quarantine Events has thrown social media far out of the picture. They have returned to a delectable source of communication void of third-party control and data scraping. They have returned to the ever-surviving form of the bespoke newsletter. And that’s right – it’s free! Get ready for the Brutally Honest Oracle answering your artistic questions every fortnight.

The twist

Of course, this wouldn’t be Quarantine Events without a twist. At the heart of their incentive to provide a safe space where questions can be answered with truth, there lies an “indispensable quality for this oracle to work”: the answers must all be anonymous.

Each question chosen promises to be answered by one or more oracles, allowing artists to receive multiple points of view. Sometimes contradictory, always opening the mind, the anonymous oracles promise to give you their informed advice based on years of expertise.

You will never know who’s on the other side of the crystal ball. If you knew which mentor was responding, the oracle would be corrupted, just like social media.

Why the anonymity?

If you have managed to go through life using the internet and never once been on the receiving end of some unwarranted offence, you are one of the rare few. From people being ridiculed for asking genuine questions to response videos based on someone else’s response video, the internet – and especially social media – is often a knotted loop of knee-jerk opinions and ego topped with a sprinkling of finely distributed unnecessary criticism.

There are, of course, well maintained “safe spaces”; closely monitored online communities with rules and regulations to instil order and security. These can be shining beacons for like-minded individuals and provide positive experiences. But there will always be capacity for uninvited voices to ruin the vibe within any public platform where genuine conversations may be trying to take place. In the world of social media, every piece of ourselves that we put out there is laid bare for others to do with as they wish. It can be vulnerable and draining. But there is another way. As the Quarantine Events team put it: “email lets us keep our dignity”.

This anonymity also works both ways; those asking the questions can also stay anonymous when submitting. The beauty is that this concept focuses on what matters most: the exchange of knowledge.

There’ll be delightful chaos, contradiction, and paradox. It’s an Oracle! But answers will always be informed and from the experienced.

What kind of questions can be asked?

While artists are encouraged to use their common sense when drafting questions, there is no limit to what – or how many questions – can be asked. “An honest answer requires an honest question. So, be brutally sincere.” Suggests Carles Gomila, Artist & Quarantine Events Director.

“Ask anything about using fear and vulnerability to make art. Anything about the creative process. Anything about how to be an artist. Anything about art education… Just don’t be annoying, and use common sense.” Says their handy FAQ.

The team will be grouping answers for the Brutally Honest Oracle by theme, so with Oracles giving their answers every fortnight, you may have to be patient. Rest assured, however, that each newsletter will have plenty to inspire you.

You don’t need to ask a question to be a part of the Quarantine Events Community

If you’re feeling apprehensive about getting involved, it’s important to remember that the Quarantine team welcome all curious creatives. You don’t even need to input a question to enjoy the Oracle newsletter; just sign up via their website and wait for the fun to glide into your inbox! From exploring self-identity neurosis to career advice and everything in between, the Brutally Honest Oracles are here to guide you, free of judgement.

As someone who receives hundreds of emails a day, sometimes it is hard not to feel overwhelmed when I open my inbox. Believe me when I say that the Brutally Honest Oracle is a breath of fresh air. These oracles’ answers will make your brain tick and fizz. Maybe you’ll be inspired to overcome an internal block or two.

We can all do with a little nudge to bring more art into our lives.

Quarantine Social Media Accounts + additional blogs

Website | Brutally Honest Oracle | The Art Spirit 2025

The post Quarantine Events Brutally Honest Oracle: your art questions answered, no holds barred appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Applications are now closed for Quarantine Events’ final 2024 programme on Lazaretto Island in Menorca, and while they prepare for the incredible October 2024 INTERZONE, Carles Gomila and the team are already finalizing details for their first 2025 adventure. Their week-long workshop in 2025 promises to be both unique and exhilarating, heavily inspired from the timeless wisdom of “The Art Spirit” by Robert Henri. Delving into multiple explorations of the core principles and philosophies encapsulated within this influential book, The Art Spirit event will unveil a transformative one-week experience that blends artistic technique with profound personal insight.

Schools and workshops all focus on “HOW to make art?”. They teach you techniques to make you great. Cool. No complaints here -they’re not the villains.

But no-one asks the big question: “WHY do you make art?”

Robert Henri tackles this in “The Art Spirit,” and so do we. It’s the tough question everyone dodges, but it’s key to being a real, free artist.

Carles Gomila, Artist & Quarantine Events Director

“The Art Spirit,” first published in 1923, is more than just a guide on painting; it is a passionate manifesto on the nature of creativity, art, and the artist’s place in the world. This holistic book has become a bible to many creatives over the decades, including Issue 033 cover artist Jeremy Mann – so much so, that he has agreed to return as a mentor at Quarantine Events to share his own lived-in practices of Robert Henri’s significant teachings.

A great panacea to the troubles which plague mankind

“This book helps put our doubts and wonders, the feelings all artists have across many mediums, into words – and spits it back at you with a smack to the senses. It wakes you up… and could be read daily like the vespers of religions,” muses Jeremy. “While I draw my mentalities from many such great books, and there are many other inspiring books akin to this one, Henri’s vision captured in his writings and other’s notes on his teachings make complete sense to me.”

In-line with Quarantine Events’ ethos of breaking down limitations instigated by the traditional Teacher-Student relationship, mentors for this event won’t be teaching the “right way” to be an artist. For Quarantine Events, there is no such thing.

Their week-long programmes celebrate individual creativity, as such working in perfect harmony with “The Art Spirit” publication. Jeremy agrees: “Luckily, we’re not some sort of prophets preaching this one man’s words, rather it’s an affinity for the philosophy as is interpreted through each of our own completely different experiences. Guidance comes best from those who know their subject and are willing to be honest about every aspect, so I will draw my confidence from that, and be honest no matter how stupid my doubts tell me I could be. I will be doing my best to light those little fires of the art spirit under the asses of all who attend; a little light to carry onward!”

The Art Spirit is like the field guide to all wandering lost souls. Much underappreciated in my opinion, but good in the sense that it remains cherished by those who actually take the time to read to better themselves.

When I read it for the first time… and I’ve read it many, many, times (and each time is the first time)… I always feel the same: I’ve been lost, and these words open my eyes instantly.

I knew I was misled, misplaced and confused, with a general “can’t put my finger on it – what’s wrong here” state of being in this world I find myself, and the words in this book sound like the soothing comforts of a trusted grandfather, calming my nerves, showing me a truth I was overlooking, and inspiring me to continue the beautiful struggle, and most importantly: to appreciate it.

Jeremy Mann, Mentor at Quarantine Events

The Art Spirit 2025 event

 Robert Henri’s Boot Camp

 Dates: April 7 – 13, 2025

 Deadline to apply: December 31, 2024

The Art Spirit Mentors:

Michael Hussar

Jeremy Mann

James McCrae

Nadezda

Sainer

Martin Wittfooth

Each guest mentor on The Art Spirit programme will be overseeing their own boot camp, guiding participants through the book’s philosophy from different perspectives. The approach aims to allow a much deeper expansion of each participant’s mind, allowing every participating artist to come to their own conclusions and access the knowledge and practices shown to them to best support their individual pathways forward. “A multifaceted individual is a golden-handed genius of potential uniqueness.” Says Jeremy Mann. “Usually, you get one teacher who stunts and directs a path. Here, the beauty is that in the end, the attendees will be exposed to multiple viewpoints and in the aftermath, they will digest it how best fits their own life compass.”

Learn more about The Art Spirit 2025 event here

In keeping with the book itself, Jeremy will be focusing on “neither, and both [Henri’s] philosophy and practices, giving neither more importance than the other”. The aim will be to instill the concept of balance in all forms of experience within the formula for ‘successes’. “And of course, I will be sharing in no logical order… just like the book!” he shares with a mischievous grin.

While this may sound a little chaotic – because it is – it’s important to note that chaos isn’t the enemy of progress. Jeremy is confident that his approach will help the attendees best: “Maybe my favourite facet of the book is, as many who’ve recommended it have said, ‘you can open to just about any page, start reading anywhere’.”

Because it’s not about steps to an end. It’s about an open-ended lifestyle, about forming your life into a fully inspiring and creative experience. What results from living this way, is art.

Jeremy Mann, Mentor at Quarantine Events

The evolution of Quarantine Events

The Quarantine Events team are an ever-evolving hub, working with feedback and pushing boundaries to continue their goal in helping artists to truly flourish. As such, The Art Spirit 2025 event will include some new ideas and challenges for the next batch of brave artists signing up to experience Lazaretto Island. Similarly, mentors such as Jeremy Mann and Michael Hussar will continue to bring their own ever-evolving experiences to the table:

“As I grow, so do my teachings and experiences at workshops. Mostly because I learn more about what I could say or do to actually help artists, instead of a clearer idea of what I myself am doing. But the path and pathways, their interconnections, the deeper meaning, the bigger pictures to all I’ve been through as an artist which have guided my own experience of life: I’m learning how to translate into experiences that will help artists guide their own journey into more wondrous directions of their choosing.

“That will be the most important thing I wish to focus on at this edition of Quarantine. Helping the attendees awaken to their potential and giving them enough of a kick in the ass to develop their own confidence to choose their creative life, not let the world of others choose it for them.”

Still unsure?

In-line with past events, Quarantine Events are notoriously secretive, never unveiling the full timetable and keeping what happens on the island, on the island. One thing they can share is that whether you are a seasoned artist or a budding enthusiast, their workshops will provide invaluable insights and inspiration to propel your artistic practice to new heights.

Jumping into the unknown can be daunting, and for those of you who are still unsure, Jeremy has some parting thoughts to consider about what you can expect…

“In some of my dreams, I live in a quarantine world. It’s pure heaven to me there… The site itself is enough to wobble the knees. Creative sproutings from the grounds of a twisted history. No phones, no bullshit, no ego, a mental hospital for the art spirits, a cleansing retreat for world weary souls which can rekindle the fire of life in the hearts of those in need. It can’t solve your problems; it can however present you with the right ones to pursue.”

For more information and to apply to join The Art Spirit 2025 programme, check out Quarantine Events website. Be sure to also sign up to their newsletter to receive further updates!

Quarantine Social Media Accounts + additional blogs

Website | Instagram | Telegram  | Fire Walk With Me article | Deep Dive into Quarantine Events

The post Celebrating Quarantine Events’ “The Art Spirit”: What results from living this way, is art. appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

After I covered the upcoming INTERZONE residency in an earlier article, readers were eager to learn more. Thankfully, the Issue #37 cover artist and 2nd Prize Winner of the RAYMAR Traditional Art Award 2021 is no stranger to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, and was happy to be interviewed about his involvement with Quarantine Events. So, dear readers, we hope that this glimpse behind the veil will entice you to learn more about Quarantine Events and their revolutionary series of art programmes. Enjoy!

Interview with Henrik Uldalen

Let’s start at the beginning; with this being a new endeavour and fundamentally, one big experiment, talk me through how Carles and the Quarantine Events team pitched this to you initially.

It started during summer 2022, when I received a mail from Carles Gomila about this exciting new approach to workshops they’d been working on. Something that would essentially be anything but a traditional teacher-to-student approach. I’ve personally always had problems with the traditional school system, and always had a hard time coming to terms with that when approached by companies wanting my services for workshops. I had previously rejected their offer of teaching at Menorca Pulsar, their previous project, four times in the past for this reason.

Obviously, something changed then with the creation of Quarantine Events. How did their invite make you feel?

Their promise of a structure that was fundamentally different, combined with a highly ambitious programme and artists I’ve been admiring for years already onboarded made me reconsider. That said, me, working and “teaching” in front of about a hundred artists was not something I was ecstatic about. But over the last few years I’ve promised to put myself out of my comfort zone as often as I can, in my artistic practice and in life.

As a mentor, did you work with Quarantine Events to mould the ever-so-secret plan for the earlier “Muse Hacking” artist residency?

Yes, we worked back and forth for a long time to tailor my part of the programme for the week. The programme itself came into life effortlessly as we were very much on the same page from the get-go.

The common schedule was largely left as a surprise, to myself as well, which I’m grateful for. It ended up being a journey of exploration for all the mentors involved, and I think the untamed chaos for us to be confronted with left us all with something more.

From student to artist

In my earlier chat with Carles Gomila, he stressed that “the secret to getting students to stop acting like students is to avoid treating them like students, but instead as true artists”. Did this concept change how you approached your mentorship role?

Yes, it absolutely did – but it also coincided with things I’ve learnt in the past and used in other teachings.

The first thing I always say is that there are a hundred goals that you might have, and there’s a thousand ways to reach that goal. I don’t have the solution for YOU; I have a handful of observations that along the way, might be of help. I don’t know how to succeed in the goals that you have set out for yourself, but you trying to become ME will most definitely be a failure. Alpha omega for me and the way I teach is to try to help the artists find themselves.

Did everything go according to plan (well, as much as is possible when you have the element of chaos as one of the event’s pillars!)?

A few things that happened were definitely not what I planned, but turned out to be a blessing. I try to always embrace the organic processes, and if things lead me down a certain path even though it’s not what I set out to do, I will follow it. One of those moments was sobbing uncontrollably for almost ten minutes in front of the group I was leading. In life, there’s only an illusion of order. If you spend most of your time trying to tame chaos then you’ll spend most of your time doing just that.

That sounds like an intense journey. I know that most of the experience is kept secret, so we won’t go into detail on that, but I’m interested to learn more about the mentor / student relationship. Quarantine Events’ residencies feel more like a community partnership – artists learning together more than the traditional student / teacher dynamic. How did you navigate teaching while avoiding traditional tropes and how did students respond to this?

It was definitely something that felt very different from a normal workshop structure. The first thing I let the artists know was that I don’t know it all. I really don’t. I don’t know what will work for each individual person out there. I would take them through exercises, but if I could tell their style and modus operandi was entirely different, I would try my best to guide them from that vantage point and strengthen what’s already there as opposed to molding that artist to my liking. It also helped to see all the different ways of the other mentors, making it obvious that everyone has different ways of making art, different goals for their work, and that there’s no one-size-fits-all in art.

What do you personally feel is the most important thing that artists coming on the upcoming INTERZONE residency should prepare for?

Besides having an open mind, I think it’s important to know that you’re not there to make a masterpiece, not there to become me or any of the mentors coming, and not there to show off in front of your fellow peers or mentors.

It’s the start of a journey for you and you alone.

New realisations

You obviously enjoyed the experience enough to agree to come back once again. I imagine that you witnessed some moments of true vulnerability, and epiphany, during the original “Muse Hacking Programme” last April. How did the experience affect you personally?

The week touched me in ways I couldn’t have foreseen. Not only because of the wonderful genuine people I got to meet, but the realisations I made about myself and how I want to live my life.

Can you share some of these realizations?

First of all, I came to realise who I should be making art for and what my art needs to be in order for me to be fulfilled. I also had deep conversations with many of the artists and mentors about the idea of community, realising how important it has become for me over the last years.

I was under the impression I didn’t need people around me, especially in art, and that I preferred working in solitude. It’s absolutely not the case for me. I just need people around me that share in the passions for life. Not to sound like a cliche motivational poster, but I need to be together with people that marvel at the food they eat, the art they make, how the light hits the trees.

Given how you yourself have evolved as a result of the earlier residency, are you planning on trying anything new in the upcoming INTERZONE event?

I have a few new ideas I want to try, and the organisers’ plans seem to have changed quite a bit. It will definitely be a new experience for me and for the artists coming to INTERZONE. It will be unknown territory for all involved.

That sounds pretty exciting! To finish: what are you most looking forward to at INTERZONE?

The people. I can’t wait to meet them all and share moments, hardships, and experiences.

Applications are now open for the INTERZONE artist residency taking place from October 14 – October 20, 2024 – and the deadline has just been extended! New application deadline: 10 June 2024 (unless tickets sell out beforehand). For more information and to apply, click here.

Quarantine Social Media Accounts + additional blogs

Website | Instagram | Telegram  | Deep Dive into Quarantine Events  | INTERZONE

The post Exclusive interview with Henrik Uldalen: Exploring Quarantine Events artist residencies appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Cultivating s sense of joy, the immersive botanical elements spring to life from conception to completion. Within this space, reality and fantasy converge – shedding light on the intricacies of the human spirit. In a world that often moves at breakneck speed, David Krovblit’s art beckons us to pause and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

Take time to explore the intricate details, captivating compositions, and subtle nuances that cultivate David’s distinct style. Let us embark on this journey through his imagined universe, where the familiar is imbued with an ethereal charm. Discover his background in commercial photography, his passion for visual storytelling, the transition to fine art collage, and the waves rushing to the shores of his artistic prowess.

This infusion of nature serves as a metaphor for growth, change, and the interconnectedness of all living things.

David Krovblit

Exclusive Interview with David Krovblit

At a glance, your work is vibrant and emotive. It speaks to human experience and conjures conversation with the intensity of narrative. Steeped in energy and curiosity alike, hints of vintage pin-up and botanical wonderlands collide with anatomical illustrations that immerse the viewer… what draws you to these stylistic elements?

The vibrant and emotive quality of my work is a reflection of my deep fascination with the human experience. I find inspiration in the complexity of emotions, stories, and connections that define our lives. The use of vintage pin-up elements adds a nostalgic touch, creating a bridge between the past and the present.

Botanical wonderlands in my art represent the beauty and diversity of the natural world. This infusion of nature serves as a metaphor for growth, change, and the interconnectedness of all living things. Anatomical illustrations, on the other hand, provide a glimpse into the inner workings of our existence, merging science and art to explore the intricacies of the human body.

The collision of these stylistic elements is intentional; it’s a way for me to create a visual language that sparks curiosity and conversation. I believe in the power of art to transcend traditional boundaries and immerse the viewer in a narrative that goes beyond the surface. Each element is carefully chosen to invite viewers to explore the interplay between the familiar and the fantastical, and to find their own meaning within the dynamic tapestry of my work.

I find inspiration in the complexity of emotions, stories, and connections that define our lives.

David Krovblit

Impressively, before moving into fine arts you were an award-winning commercial photographer. David, was photography the beginning of your creative journey? How has it helped to solidify the present? Would you share one of your earliest memories that paved the way to becoming the artist you are now?

It’s fantastic to reflect on the journey, and I appreciate the acknowledgment of my background in commercial photography. Indeed, photography was a pivotal starting point in my creative expedition. It served as a potent medium for me to capture moments, emotions, and narratives in a visually compelling way.

The transition from commercial photography to fine arts was a natural evolution for me. The skills honed in the world of commercial photography, such as composition, storytelling, and an acute awareness of visual impact, have undoubtedly played a crucial role in shaping my current artistic endeavors. Through photography, I developed an acute sensitivity to light, form, and the ability to convey powerful messages within a single frame. These elements continue to resonate in my fine art pieces, adding layers of depth and meaning.

One of my earliest memories that laid the foundation for my artistic journey is a poignant moment captured through the lens. It was an image that encapsulated raw emotion and told a story beyond the surface. This experience ignited my passion for visual storytelling and instilled in me the belief that art has the profound ability to evoke genuine emotions and provoke thought.

As I delved into fine arts, I carried the essence of those early photographic experiences with me. They serve as a constant reminder of the transformative power of art and the responsibility to create work that resonates on a profound level. The fusion of my roots in commercial photography with the boundless possibilities of fine arts continues to be a driving force behind my creative expression today.

Similarly, what shifted your artistic expression from photography to fine art collage?

The shift from photography to fine art collage came about because it allows me to create and experiment more quickly. Unlike photography, where each image is a singular moment, collage lets me blend various elements rapidly. This speed and flexibility in crafting visual narratives suit my desire to explore and iterate at a faster pace, making the artistic process more dynamic and responsive. The ability to assemble and rearrange elements swiftly in a collage aligns with my need for a quicker, more fluid form of creative expression.

This synergy between the digital and the analog not only enriches the artistic outcome but also contributes to a more immersive and fulfilling creative experience, where the best of both worlds come together in each piece.

David Krovblit

Your bio mentions using an “analog process to finish them by cutting and pasting each piece by hand”. Would you share more about this practice and the balance between your creative and mental processes? 

Starting with a digital file in Photoshop and transitioning to an analog process is a crucial part of my artistic workflow. The initial phase in Photoshop allows me the flexibility to experiment with compositions, explore visual concepts, and fine-tune details digitally. Once the digital groundwork is laid, the transition to the analog realm involves printing the elements and manually cutting and pasting them.

This switch from the digital to the physical introduces a hands-on, tactile dimension to the creative process. The analog phase becomes a meditative and deliberate practice, requiring precision and a different mental focus. This balance between digital and analog processes is a dynamic interplay. The digital phase sparks the initial creative vision, while the analog phase brings it to life with a tangible, crafted quality.

This synergy between the digital and the analog not only enriches the artistic outcome but also contributes to a more immersive and fulfilling creative experience, where the best of both worlds come together in each piece.

My wish for those who engage with my work is that they find not just a visual encounter, but a profound and resonant experience. I hope that my art serves as a conduit for emotions, stirring a longing and desire that lingers in the soul.

David Krovblit

I love the humor in that your IG bio says “A slacker with ambition”. Obviously looking at your body of work, slacker is the last thing on earth anyone would word associate – so, will you tell us what that means to you or is it just playful?

Absolutely, that playful self-description in my Instagram bio as “A slacker with ambition” is a deliberate nod to a sense of humor about myself and my approach to creativity. On the surface, it may seem paradoxical, considering the dedication evident in my body of work. To me, it’s a lighthearted acknowledgment of the contrast between the stereotypical image of a slacker—someone lackadaisical or indifferent—and the actual drive and ambition that fuels my artistic endeavors.

It’s a recognition that, despite appearances, creativity doesn’t always adhere to conventional expectations or stereotypes. The term “slacker” adds a touch of irony, inviting a smile and perhaps a moment of reflection on the multifaceted nature of passion and productivity. In essence, it’s a playful way to break down preconceptions and invite people to explore the intersection of dedication and humor in the creative process. After all, creativity often thrives in the unexpected and the unconventional.

We often view art with a longing and needful desire for the experience it invokes within us, the connection it binds in our soul, and the ease of memory it helps us recall. What is your wish for those looking at your work? 

My wish for those who engage with my work is that they find not just a visual encounter, but a profound and resonant experience. I hope that my art serves as a conduit for emotions, stirring a longing and desire that lingers in the soul. Through the connections forged with each piece, I aspire to create a space where memories are not just recalled but are reimagined and reinterpreted.

In essence, I hope my work becomes a source of inspiration, sparking conversations and contemplations that go beyond the immediate visual impact. May it be a journey for the viewer, an exploration of the intricacies of human experience, and an invitation to connect with the layers of narrative woven into each creation. Ultimately, my wish is for my art to be a catalyst for moments of introspection, joy, and a deeper understanding of the beautifully complex tapestry of life.

One of my favorite things to learn about and discover is an artist’s studio – the keyhole to inspiration. Where do you create, and would you briefly take us through your day? Sunshine to sunset…

This is my practice and my discipline… the morning kicks off around 4:30 – 5 am, with the routine of feeding my dog and a cup of ginger tea. By 6 or 7 am, I’m in the studio for an hour or two. Then, it’s off to the beach between 6am – 7 am. I stay till 11 am for a surf session. Post-surf, around noon, I grab lunch and head back to the studio until about 6 pm. Dinner is a brief break before I return to the studio for a few more hours. While this routine isn’t set in stone, it captures the ebb and flow of my creative process.

Some days are all about the beach, and others are dedicated studio days. It’s a flexible rhythm that mirrors the dynamic nature surfing and art.

The artist’s role is shifting dramatically in today’s dynamic landscape. With technology and digital platforms reshaping how we engage with art, I see it as a chance to amplify my reach and connect with a broader audience.

David Krovblit

I spent some time on your website and noticed you have many amazing collections. Bursting with intricacies to pique the imagination, each one feels like journey through your creative mind. Which collection is your favorite? Do you relate more meaningfully to some of your creations? If so, which ones and why?

Thank you for taking the time to explore my collections; I appreciate your kind words. Each collection indeed holds a unique place in my creative journey, but if I had to choose a favorite, it might be my Fabergé grenade Photo series. This particular collection resonates with me on a deeply personal level, as it encapsulates the themes behind my work and set the stage for my path as an artist. It was the first series I created after my career as a commercial photographer and got me moving to the place I am today.

However, it’s essential to note that each creation holds a special significance for me, akin to chapters in a novel that collectively tell the story of my artistic evolution. While Faberge Grenades is a standout for its conceptual nature and historical significance, others have their own charm and meaning, each reflecting different facets of my exploration and expression. It’s this diversity that makes the body of my work rich and continually engaging for me as an artist.

How do you feel the artist’s place in society is changing and in what ways (if any) do you feel you’ll change with it?

The artist’s role is shifting dramatically in today’s dynamic landscape. With technology and digital platforms reshaping how we engage with art, I see it as a chance to amplify my reach and connect with a broader audience. Embracing this change, I aim to use both traditional and digital mediums to explore new horizons and contribute to important conversations. Adapting is key – evolve or die.

David Krovblit Speed Round Questions 

Last movie you watched?  
NAPOLEON

Last song you listened to?  
AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL  – Detroit Grand Pubahs

Last book you read?  
DUNE

Three words to describe your work.
CONCEPTUAL
COLORFUL
HAPPY

Three artist tools you cannot live without.  
PHOTOSHOP
SCISSORS
GEL MEDIUM

One thing you are most proud of.  
BEING ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD WITH MY ART I.E. RAISING MONEY FOR American Heart Association , LAGUNA ART MUSEUM (ART EDUCATION, COMMUNITY)

Lastly, will you tell us about your plans for the rest of the year ahead and what you hope to accomplish… if you could foretell the future, what do you see on the horizon?   

In the upcoming months, amidst the exploration of sculptural dimensions and public art initiatives, I am delighted to unveil a solo show at John Wayne Airport. This exhibition represents a captivating confluence of my artistic expression with a shared space, inviting travelers to embark on a visual journey through my creative narrative. Additionally, the excitement extends globally as my art finds a home in the esteemed collection of an upscale hotel in China, adding a touch of creativity to an international setting.

About the Artist //

David Krovblit is a native of Toronto who now lives in California. His initial training was in photography, and before moving into fine art he was an award-winning commercial photographer. This background is reflected in his technique, which bridges old and new methods of collaging. Before cutting and pasting the images that are his raw material–in the same way as collage artists since the early twentieth century, he uses contemporary digital manipulation to scale and print them in the desired sizes. He then reverts back to an analog process to finish them by cutting and pasting each piece by hand. 

David Krovblit Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | X | Instagram

The post David Krovblit: Rearranging Reality appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

• Would you like to win $10,000 USD cash?
• Exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine curated exhibition in New York, USA later this year?
• Have your work published in the December issue Beautiful Bizarre Magazine?
• Receive global exposure of your practice to galleries, curators and collectors?

If you would, then enter the best work from your portfolio today!

We’re continuing to share a selection of the entries that we have received so far on our websites and social media. So to inspire you to submit your own work, we are excited to share more of the amazing entries that we’ve received so far in the iCanvas Digital Art Award category below.

Grand Prize Winner will receive $10,000 USD cash!

The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize celebrates diversity and excellence in the representational visual arts, in all static mediums including Traditional Art media, Digital Art media, and Photographic media; and all styles from realism and hyperrealism, to pop surrealism and lowbrow.

The Prize seeks to inspire creatives from around the world to pursue a life and career in the arts, and to help careers grow through funding and increased exposure of their work to galleries, collectors and media globally.

iCanvas Digital Art Award

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

• $3,000 USD cash, generously donated by sponsor iCanvas, printers of high quality canvas art prints, priced for every lover of art.
• A Wacom One, Creative Pen Display.  It comes with all the essentials to spice up your digital life. There’s the natural pen feel on the 13.3” screen, the included creative software – even the ability to connect to certain Android devices.
• Rebelle 6 Pro worth USD$149.99, generously donated by Rebelle. Rebelle is the award-winning, hyper-realistic painting software with paint pigments colour mixing, oil thickness, watercolour diffusion and NanoPixel technology, which convincingly mimics the way natural media interact with the canvas and itself.
• A beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy.
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all social platforms).
• Winning artwork printed in the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, as part of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize editorial.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• A coupon to enjoy Linktree PROfor free for 12 months.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

2nd prize winner will receive:

• Wacom Intuos Pro Medium which offers you more natural creative control than ever before. Combined with the super-sensitive Wacom Pro Pen 2, Wacom’s sleek new tablet looks and feels amazing.
• Rebelle 6 Pro worth USD$149.99, generously donated by Rebelle. Rebelle is the award-winning, hyper-realistic painting software with paint pigments colour mixing, oil thickness, watercolour diffusion and NanoPixel technology, which convincingly mimics the way natural media interact with the canvas and itself.
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
• A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

3rd prize winner will receive:

• Wacom Intuos, with a light, super-accurate pen and free downloadable software to suit your style; Wacom Intuos is built to bring your wildest ideas to life.
• Rebelle 6 Pro worth USD$149.99, generously donated by Rebelle. Rebelle is the award-winning, hyper-realistic painting software with paint pigments colour mixing, oil thickness, watercolour diffusion and NanoPixel technology, which convincingly mimics the way natural media interact with the canvas and itself.
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
• A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Grand Prize Winner

The Grand Prize Winner of the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize will receive:

• $10,000 USD cash prize! Generously donated by sponsors RAYMAR, INPRNT, iCanvas, and Yasha Young Projects.
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
• 10 page in-depth interview editorial published in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine December 2023 issue.
• Winning artwork printed in the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, as part of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize editorial.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• 12 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all socials platforms).
• A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

2023 Award Categories

• RAYMAR Traditional Art Award – receives $4,500 USD cash & prizes
• INPRNT Photography Award – receives $3,000 USD cash & prizes
• iCanvas Digital Art Award – receives $3,000 USD cash & prizes
• Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award – receives $3,000 USD cash & prizes
• Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Founders’ Emerging Artist Award – received $1,000 USD cash & prizes
• People’s Choice Award – receives 12 month social media advertising package & prizes. [People’s Choice Award voting opens on 24 August 2023

Entries close: Midnight 17 July 2023 [Los Angeles, USA time]

Entry fee is US$40 to cover administrative costs. Enter the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize today!

Take a peek at some of the wonderful entries we have received so far in the iCanvas Digital Art Award category below.

The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is administered by Australian based, international contemporary art magazine, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Entries Open: 1 February 2023

Entries Close: Midnight 17 July 2023 [Los Angeles, USA time]

The post Check out some of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2023 Digital Art entries! appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Remember: there are now five award categories. If you work in any style of the representational visual arts and any of these mediums you can enter: Traditional Art [pencil, charcoal, pastels, ink, oils, acrylic, watercolour, mixed media, etc], Sculpture [all materials], Digital Art, Photography [digital or analogue]. Additionally, we have also created the new Emerging Artist Award category. You can find more details on the FAQs and Entry Criteria pages of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize website.

US$50,000 in cash & prizes to be won!

We have a huge selection of prizes this year, including cash prizes, products and services that you will love! The overall Grand Prize winner will receive US$10,000 cash and each 1st prize Award winner will receive cash and other awesome prizes.

• RAYMAR Traditional Art Award – receives US$4,500 cash & prizes
• INPRNT Photography Award – receives US$3,000 cash & prizes
• iCanvas Digital Art Award – receives US$3,000 cash & prizes
• Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award – receives $3,000 cash & prizes
• Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Founder’s Emerging Artist Award – receives US$1,000 cash & prizes
• People’s Choice Award – receives prizes

To see the full prize list for each Award Category including 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prize winners click here.

Scroll down to take a peek at what the 1st Prize Winner in each Award category will win, and some of the great entries we have received so far.

Grand Prize Winner of the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

The Overall Winner of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2023 will receive:

• US$10,000 cash prize! Generously donated by sponsors RAYMAR, INPRNT, iCanvas, and Yasha Young Projects.
• Receive a beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy.
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
• 10 page in-depth interview editorial published in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine December 2023 issue.
• Winning artwork printed in the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, as part of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize editorial.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• 12 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all socials platforms).
• A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

RAYMAR Traditional Art Award

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

• US$3,000 cash, generously donated by RAYMAR, creators of the finest panels! Panels are their passion. They craft their panels with the world’s finest materials to serve as the foundation for your artwork. 
• US$1,500 cash, generously donated by Rosemary Brushes, the finest quality handmade Artists’ Brushes.
• US$1,500 worth of art photography and/or Fine Art archival print reproduction from Static Medium.
• A beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy.
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all social platforms).
• Winning artwork published in the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared on social media.
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

To see what the 2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive click here!

INPRNT Photography Award

The INPRNT Photography Award 1st prize winner will receive:

• US$3,000 cash, generously donated by INPRNT, printers of high quality art prints. INPRNT is run by artists, for artists.
• A beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy.
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all social platforms).
• Winning artwork printed in the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, as part of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize editorial.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all socials platforms)
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

To see what the 2nd and 3rd prize winner will receive click here!

iCanvas Digital Art Award

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

• US$3,000 cash, generously donated by sponsor iCanvas, printers of high quality canvas art prints, priced for every lover of art.
• A Wacom One, Creative Pen Display.  It comes with all the essentials to spice up your digital life. There’s the natural pen feel on the 13.3” screen, the included creative software – even the ability to connect to certain Android devices.
• Rebelle 6 Pro worth USD$149.99, generously donated by Rebelle. Rebelle is the award-winning, hyper-realistic painting software with paint pigments colour mixing, oil thickness, watercolour diffusion and NanoPixel technology, which convincingly mimics the way natural media interact with the canvas and itself.
• Receive a beautiful, specially commissioned glass art Award trophy.
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all social platforms)
• Winning artwork printed in the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, as part of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize editorial.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

To see what the 2nd and 3rd prize winner will receive click here!

Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award

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

• US$3,000 cash, generously donated by Yasha Young Projects, arts philanthropist and Executive Curatorial Director for the FOR_M, a new institution currently being developed in New York city
• US$400 worth of services from Stan Winston School, including an all-access 1 year subscription which includes unlimited access to their Course library by The Masters of FX, with new courses added every month. Plus exclusive access to the Behind-the-Scenes Documentary stream.
• US$250 worth of supplies of your choice from Sculpey, making polymer oven-bake clays for over 50 years.
• A beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy.
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
• 3 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all social platforms).
• Winning artwork printed in the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, as part of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize editorial.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

To see what the 2nd and 3rd prize winner will receive click here!

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Founders’ Emerging Artist Award

The Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Founders’ Emerging Artist Award 1st prize winner will receive

• US$1,000 cash, generously donated by the Founders of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, Danijela Krha Purssey and Richard Purssey . Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is a leading publication for contemporary art enthusiasts, featuring in-depth interviews and profiles of leading and emerging visual and wearable artists from around the world. Each issue offers informative, inspiring, and thought-provoking content, perfect for artists, artisan fashion designers, collectors, curators, galleries, and anyone looking to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the contemporary art world.
• A beautiful, specially commissioned glass art award trophy.
• The opportunity to exhibit in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition at Haven Gallery, in New York, USA, alongside 80+ of the world’s best contemporary representational artists.
• One free “Audit ONLY” spot onto any SmArt School class, running at the time that the winner is announced. This opportunity allows a student to log in and watch the relevant classes for the semester (September – December 2023). Note: this “Audit ONLY” spot allows the student to view all classes without participating with questions or feedback.
• Exposure to a successful commercial gallery’s collector base with the opportunity to sell their work.
• 12 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all social platforms).
• Winning artwork printed in the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, as part of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize editorial.
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared on social media.
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• A coupon to enjoy Linktree PRO for free for 12 months.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

To see what the 2nd and 3rd prize winner will receive click here!

People’s Choice Award

Let your voice be heard! The 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, People’s Choice Award public voting will open on 24 August 2023. You will be able to vote for your favourite work from the 140 Finalists [25 per Award category: Digital Art, Photography, Sculpture; 50 from the Traditional Art Award category; and 15 from the Emerging Artist Award category].

People’s Choice Award voting opens: 24 August 2023.

The Winner of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize People’s Choice Award will receive:

• 12 month social media advertising package (Beautiful Bizarre Magazine: 1 million+ followers across all socials platforms).
• Exclusive in-depth interview published on the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine websites + shared across Beautiful Bizarre Magazine social media.
• Profile listing [including artwork gallery] on the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Artist Directory for 12 months. The go-to platform for artists, curators and collectors to discover exceptional artists and explore their work.
• A year’s worth of inspiration – a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.
• + most importantly, receive worldwide exposure for their practice.

The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is administered by Australian based, international contemporary art magazine, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Entries Open: 1 February 2023

Entries Close: Midnight 17 July 2023 [Los Angeles, USA time]

The post Show us what you’ve got! Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize 2023 appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

For Marcela Bolivar, art is less made than manifested. Bolivar pulls from her inmost intuitions, beginning with an idea inspired by a moment, a brief from a client, or her own dreams. Her collages are crafted using 21st century mixed media; a commingling of photographs taken by Bolivar herself and digital elements created through Photoshop. The resulting photomanipulations are as beautiful as they are complex. Her creations have a signature softness, which when combined with bold, powerful hues and unexpected subjects, produce images that are at once earthy and transcendental.

Marcela Bolivar began her journey as a digital artist in her teens when her first digital camera, a low quality piece of equipment, produced imagery she was not happy with. She took the images into Photoshop and began to manipulate the elements she disliked. Over time, her manipulation techniques grew into the multifaceted imagery she produces today. Marcela Bolivar has created pieces for industry leading clients including Penguin Random House and Adobe. Her layered, transformative visions dare the viewer to consider the spaces between reality and fiction, disguise and truth.

Can you tell us more about the process behind your winning piece, Chthonic Tide?

This piece speaks of the artist embodied by the figure of the Magician in the tarot. The Magician is the manifestation of the work on earth, in the material world. I, obviously, took some elements from the tarot, but I let the image appear before me as the plant itself that shines and transforms. After a frustrating series of sketches made to no avail, I finally let myself be freely carried away by the creative resources around me and let each of the elements come into the image without methodical thought. This brought me closer to the idea of the Magician as a conductor, a vessel of the creative force that has the power to manifest on the surface that subterranean world in which our subconscious, our purest ideas, are found.

Most of the photographs taken for this work I already had in my personal image bank but each one has a story. The subterranean part of the fantastic plant is actually a pine tree that dried up in my house and when I cleaned it, it revealed an incredibly symbolic form, its roots formed a perfect space inside, as if something should be kept there.

What inspired the piece? What do the various elements symbolize?

The inspiration came from the figure of the Magician, but definitely what pushed me was to destroy a failed sketch to create something from that ruin. The subway space that I like to evoke in many of my images is where all ideas are born, manifest or dormant. The orb carefully enveloped by the roots is the very nourishment of the plant that shines on the surface.

A consistent theme throughout your work is natural elements interacting with humans in unexpected ways — what do those elements symbolize for you?

I really enjoy representing plants in my work because for me they are inscrutable, mysterious, silent but tireless beings, the very paradigm of alien lives sharing the earth with us. Plants determine the atmosphere of every place they are in and from which they are absent. They are the natural force that insistently returns and transforms everything. In my work, plants represent the organic, the irrational, the otherworldly, and the wild. Everything that a human tries to control, both in the civilized world and in their own being.

Where do you draw inspiration for your pieces?

It depends on what I’m thinking about at a certain time, but I’m often inspired by dreams, words, music. I try to digest everything that aesthetically moves me to know myself better, to enlarge my inner world. I’m normally driven by concepts like transmutation, wilderness, artificiality, human and nature.

I try to digest everything that aesthetically moves me to know myself better, to enlarge my inner world.

You frequently work with publishing houses on book covers — what is your process for a piece that you know will have a home on bookstore shelves? How do you familiarize yourself with the story and decide what pieces of it to represent on the cover?

It’s always a very exciting process. First, I am contacted by the art director who thinks my style might fit a story. After that they provide me with the manuscript and also a brief on ideas that are important, or visual elements that should be illustrated. I do my best to read as much of the manuscript as I can to take elements that speak directly to me. Then I do 3 or 4 sketches and present them to the art director. Sometimes one of these sketches is ready to go to its final version, other times the chosen sketch needs to be modified in another direction. It’s a lot of fun to collaborate with the designers and to know how the image is transformed by the typography; I’m learning more and more to take that into account in my illustrations.

You’ve been a Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize finalist before – how did it feel to be a winner this year?

I never expected it, honestly. When I have applied to the contest I always do it to support the magazine because it is a publication that has supported me a lot to grow in social media and for that I will always be grateful. It is very flattering to be part of such an inspiring group of artists.

Your pieces are complex – a viewer could spend an hour looking at the same piece and still not see all of the hidden details. Do you enjoy layering in symbols and textures that may not appear to the viewer at first glance? Do you feel like your pieces are hiding any secrets?

Yes, I like to think so! Digital art is seen as immediate and lacking in originality or effort. But I think it’s important to show that the inner world of an artist manifests itself with more fluidity and momentum when we find the medium in which we feel comfortable. This gives me the freedom to put details and elements that often go unnoticed but that for me are everything when a work is examined. And I like that, it’s not just a visual treat or part of an infinite scroll on social networks, if you want to stay a little longer looking at an image of mine, you will be rewarded.

Can you take us through how you go about creating a new piece from start to finish?

The most important thing are the ideas. I have a serious amount of notebooks with sketches, ideas that come and go, obsessive ideas, shocking dreams, recurring dreams, all of that goes into a filter where I choose a subject either on the spur of the moment or because I honestly think it’s a great subject that motivates me. Then I make a list of the things I need to photograph to make the image and what other resources I can take from my personal archive. In photoshop, I work a lot with scanned textures from paintings I make and also textures from surfaces I take on trips or outside. I base a lot of my atmospheres on these textures and the whole image slowly emerges from them. After putting in all the elements of the composition, I use more textures and brushes in the last layers of the image and play a bit with the color palette until I am satisfied. The thrill I feel in those last steps is unmatched.

It would be interesting if everyone who is attracted to what I do could see themselves in my images, see in symbols or atmospheres something that they cannot articulate rationally.

What do you hope viewers will see when they look at your work?

I don’t really expect anything. It would be interesting if everyone who is attracted to what I do could see themselves in my images, see in symbols or atmospheres something that they cannot articulate rationally. I am very happy when someone is inspired as I am inspired by the work of others.

Is there any image in your repertoire that holds special meaning for you? What about that image do you connect with?

I really like Cold Vessel. It is based on a sketch that I had been waiting for many years and when the time came to realize it, it manifested itself very strongly. I had just arrived from Madrid where I visited a special Bosch exhibition and the impression lasted so long in me that you can see it reflected in certain details of this image. The image is a portrayal of the sublimation of the human psyche, a bodily and mental transformation, a body that is t

What equipment do you work with to craft your pieces?

I work with a Nikon750, light lamps, acrylic paint, graphite, scanner, molding supplies, Wacom Intuos and Photoshop.

Do you have anything exciting planned for the future? What can our readers look forward to seeing from you next?

Yes! I’m going to spend a good part of this year and early next year illustrating a special edition of one of my favorite books and authors. Dream job.

What advice would you give to new artists who are just beginning in your medium?

I would advise you to take your own photos, references, textures and make every single detail in the image unique. In the days of artificial intelligence and unlimited stock photography, it’s very easy for everything to end up looking very similar and no voice is your own. You need to get up from your desk, get out there and make your own resources.

It’s a way to test yourself, to lose your fear and expose yourself to the world, when you get used to that, you are more free.

Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

Because I like to support this magazine that I appreciate and because it is not bad to know how my art is valued today. It’s exciting to see yourself side by side with inspiring artists and it forms a community linked by the desire to create.

What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

Exposure! haha, well that’s important especially if it’s your work. Plus the certainty and validation of knowing that your art is valued by people who have appreciated a lot of art in their lives or who are dedicated to this. One tends to forget what the perception of the world is when you spend months locked away creating new things.

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

Of course, it seems to me that if it’s in someone’s budget, there’s nothing to lose by entering this kind of contest. It’s a way to test yourself, to lose your fear and expose yourself to the world, when you get used to that, you are more free.

Marcela Bolivar Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

The post Manifested Spaces: The Otherworldly Imagery of Marcela Bolivar appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Realising that the war would not end quickly, the artist began posting his diary highlighting his experiences and thoughts on social media. Each piece becomes a witness featuring accessible texts and collages to allow viewers to understand what is happening in Mikhail’s hometown.

Some pick up a weapon, some volunteer. I am best at creating photo collages and writing.

Born in 1984 in Kherson as a son of ship’s cooks, Mikhail’s childhood and youth were moulded within the ruins of the communist era. The artist explains, “Completely unaware of me, and what I really wanted, I followed in the footsteps of my parents to a career as a naval officer. In search of meaning, I began experimenting with digital photography purely as a hobby. Everything changed in 2009 when I first saw realistic digital collages.” 

Since this very moment, Mikhail has created art focusing on spiritual and philosophical content, exploring the rational and sensual sides of his world. His works have become a tool to explore and transform himself. He hopes “that the discoveries expressed in my art will inspire others to explore and understand the inner self and find their own path on this map.”

The exhibition, “Kherson Diary” at the Cinema House in Kyiv is the first public display of Mikhail Ray’s archive that focuses on the Russian occupation.

Mikhail Ray, “Kherson Diary”

Exhibition Dates: October 20 – November 20, 2022

Cinema House

str.  Saksaganskoho 6 | Kyiv, Ukraine

Tel.: +380 4 4287 4513

Curation and Support //

The exhibition was organised with the assistance of the National Union of Photographic Artists of Ukraine and the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine in the context of a series of showcases highlighting cinematographers and photo artists in the Cinema House. The curator is Valery Leshchynsky, creative lead and art director at Kyivphotos-Hall 2012.

Mikhail Ray Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

The post Mikhail Ray, “Kherson Diary” @ Cinema House appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

And once your attention has been captured, how can you look away from those large, searing eyes? They are gateways to step through and sit with your own emotions. Mirrors held up to society’s current turmoil. But don’t pull back: we are in this together. In her latest major solo show at Corey Helford Gallery, Hikari Shimoda’s starry-eyed children remind us of the energy and will that we need to keep moving forward.

Hikari Shimoda: Fight to Live in the Void

In 2022, it seems the world is on a path of turmoil and despair. My art begins with how I feel and think about today’s society. What I create, aims to visualize a certain perspective on society. Too much information today obscures the truth, which evokes a sense of helplessness, emptiness, and despair in people. In those moments, we must not stop searching for what’s true. To me, fighting to live is repeatedly questioning oneself when feeling empty inside.

‘色即是空、空即是色’ (‘Shikisokuzekuu, Kuusokuzesiki’) is one of the most popular teachings of Buddhism, literally translated as ‘Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.’ I interpret this as ‘there is no truth in a particular form or idea, and the figure or thought of a human being reflects and is shaped by the state of society.’ This teaching appears throughout my Fight to Live in the Void show. These new works are a contemplation of the existence of human beings.”

Opening Reception: June 25, 2022 | 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Artist will be in attendance!

Exhibitions Dates: June 25 – July 30, 2022

Corey Helford Gallery

Main Gallery, 571 S Anderson St (Enter on Willow St)
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(310) 287-2340
coreyhelfordgallery.com

Visiting Hours: Thursday – Saturday | 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Please note: Masks continue to be required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, until further notice.

For inquiries, contact the gallery via sherri@coreyhelfordgallery.com

Hikari Shimoda

Hikari’s signature characters celebrate her own take on the traditional Japanese manga and anime from her youth. Based in Nagano, Japan, Shimoda first studied illustration at the prestigious Kyoto Saga University of Art and Aoyama Juku School. She later began her career as a professional contemporary artist in 2008. It wasn’t long before Hikari Shimoda was selected for her first solo exhibition at Motto Gallery in Tokyo. She has since held exhibitions in galleries worldwide, including in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, becoming an international sensation.

Hikari uses a fascinating mixed media process to create each individual artwork. Many works are intricate collages using newspapers. “Although newspapers are considered old media now, I think they play a similar role to paintings, in terms of fixing and visualizing the events of that era as substances. Noting newspapers are filled with what is currently happening in the world, I intentionally use anonymous characters to express modern emotions through a human being, such as myself.” She explains.

Building on the manga she grew up with, Hikari’s large-eyed children are often dressed in heroic costumes resembling the well-known superheroes and magical characters which exist in an anime sub-genre. This sub-genre often focuses on young girls who use magic, revealing problems and struggles in contemporary society. Through a juxtaposition of brushwork, text, and collage, Hikari brings her own comments on modern society to life. Her characters also explore our complicated relationship with “saviours”, from Christianity’s anointment of Jesus Christ as a saviour of humanity, to our fascination with fantasy heroes.

Each work is a multifaceted exploration of what it is to be human. They are juxtapositions of youth and adult responsibilities, cuteness and horror, bright colours and darker themes.

Press Statement

Hikari’s portraits of children are full of countless possibilities. They are described by the artist as “where fantasy meets reality, past meets future, and life meets death, in a world that is yet to be reborn.”

The children’s eyes in my works, not only reflect their personality, but they also express my own feelings and thoughts.

Featuring 25 pieces (including works from her series “Children of This Planet,” “Question the Focus,” “God Is Dead, But…,” “Defense,” and “Fight the Void”), Fight to Live in the Void marks Shimoda’s sixth solo exhibit at CHG (following her major solo Silence and Affirmation and mini-solo Affirmation of Existence at the gallery in 2020). The spectacular evolution of her paintings continues as she contemplates the drama of the 2022 world stage with this new body of work.

“They are ‘anyone’ who just exists.” Hikari shares. “So, they could also exist beyond the realm of being children and identify with anyone who might appreciate them. Those children who are wearing a vacant expression of despair and solitude are mirroring the emotions of the people who look at them. Those vacant children are, so to speak, ‘cups of my emotions’─ something which I could pour my emotion into. Their sparkling eyes are staring into space, while reflecting both light and darkness, and those horns are a metaphor of wordless emotions, such as fury and despair, that people feel towards unreasonable things in this world.”

With each new piece, Shimoda advances her search for salvation and her deeper understanding of this chaotic world.

Shimoda will be in attendance for the on the opening night from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm in the Main Gallery. This opening will happen alongside All Creatures Great and Small, a five-artist exhibition featuring Ewa Prończuk-Kuziak, Dewi Plass, Matt Dangler, Phillip Singer, and Richard Ahnert. All Creatures Great and Small opens in Gallery 2 plus Ryoko Kaneta’s solo entitled In Our Nature, in Gallery 3.

Hikari Shimoda Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Corey Helford Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The post Hikari Shimoda: Fight to Live in the Void @ Corey Helford Gallery appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

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The aesthetically alluring pleasure dome that French artist Bénédicte Piccolillo has meticulously crafted requires an unrestrained appetite for achingly beautiful historical artwork, taken to a breathtaking new level thanks to her edgy and decidedly modern compositional flair. This is a truly scrumptious collage buffet well worth gorging on.

Voglio Bene’s paradisiacal plane of painterly existence – which came into being just two years ago – was born out of the combined photography and graphic design experience that both Bénédicte Piccolillo (sole artistic director) and Pascal (chief operations manager) bring to the table. The name of their artistic design brand – which means “I love you, I wish you well” in Italian – also references Bénédicte’s nickname, heritage, and unceasing enthusiasm for Italian Renaissance era paintings.

The rapid ascent of the Voglio Bene décor line is certainly a testament to the appealing aesthetic that Bénédicte has nurtured, but it’s her deep-seated passion that continues to stoke the flames of this endeavor. She carries the faith that her grandfather had in her artistic destiny close to her heart, and today, she’s thriving – both professionally and creatively – thanks to the “complete addiction” that she has to her craft. We hope that the following conversation with Bénédicte will wake many of our readers from a deep slumber. The path to a brilliant artistic future begins with the very first step….

Impermanence is a key component of my art. We are all here for a very short time. In a sense, the painters throughout history – their essence – is re-animated in my digital collages.

The juxtaposition of the historical paintings featured in your digital interventions and your final Vogio Bene collages creates such a seductive feast for the eyes! In order to receive a Voglio Bene makeover, what attributes must a work of art possess?

First, there must be a love at first sight attraction. Religious scenes, Madonnas, floral arrangements and certain animals always capture my attention, but portraits of women are especially appealing to me! The subject’s body – often female – must be bare because I like to tattoo them. I also like the spirituality that emerges from some historical works of art, as well as the poetry. Sometimes a single detail is enough to attract my attention, such as the piercing look that Petrus Christus’ little girl has (in his 1470 “Portrait of a Young Girl”), and the cracks in her face, too.

No matter the year, decade, or century, the nude female form will likely to be an enduring inspiration for artists. Is there a deeper reason why you regularly incorporate them into your collages?

I like being able to preserve the identity of historical female nudes, but at the same time, I find it very gratifying to transform them into inspiring modern icons who are strong and assertive. It’s great to be able to convey that good energy to the women who gaze at them.  

Once you fall head over heels for an old master painting, how quickly do you know if it’s going to work in one of your compositions?

It usually only takes me a few minutes to build an artistic concept in my head. After that, it generally takes between 10 to 15 hours to complete a collage using my tablet.

Do you look for feedback from your inner circle before releasing a completed collage into the world?

I receive artistic feedback from just three men in my life – my husband and my two sons (one is thirteen and the other is eighteen). One time, my younger son recommended that I make a few alterations to a piece and he ended up being right!

It’s nice to think that my Madonnas have magical powers and look after the people who put them in their homes. Perhaps my art is a way to thank the benevolent souls above my head.

When you select a historical painting to use in one of your artistic compositions, sometimes just the pose is the main lingering element in your final collage. Which is more important to you: transforming an old work of art into a brand-new image or preserving the spirit of the creative individual who initially brought it into the world?

I imagine that the artists of the original paintings are happy that a new audience is discovering their work – at least I hope so! I try to preserve the essence of each original work while giving it a facelift so that it is in line with modern sensibilities. I also love selecting pieces that will give me complicated design challenges. The more work I have to do, the more excited I get.

Has a masterwork that you’ve incorporated into a Voglio Bene collage ever failed to resonate with your audience?

Figures from the Middle Ages are so far removed from today’s standards of beauty that very few contemporary art fans like the final collage. Nonetheless, I select those type of works because I love them and hope that others will be inspired to learn more about the original artist.

You are in good company with other creatives such as Alexey Kondakov and Volker Hermes who inject classical paintings with unique visual twists. Did your affection for the digital collages of other contemporary artists inspire you to develop your own aesthetic signature?

Classical paintings have always been very inspiring to me, but even more so within the last 4 years. When I started creating digital collages with historical art in 2018, I wasn’t familiar with the various other artists who created their own contemporary interventions.

I transform bad energies into ultra-positive fuel that helps me to keep propelling my goals forward.

Is the Voglio Bene brand really rooted in the idea of demonstrating artistic reverence for the great masters of yesteryear? 

Absolutely. I believe that far too many of the masters’ works have been forgotten, so appropriating them is my way of sharing these gems with the contemporary art community. I like imagining that the original artists are happy to be recognized by a new audience.

What might someone who is entirely unfamiliar with the old masters be surprised to learn about them?

Certain old-world painters – such as an Italian Renaissance artist who I’m completely crazy about named Carlo Crivelli – were so ahead of their time. He and several of his contemporaries created hyper-real modern works using just a few pigments, a wooden board as a support and rudimentary brushes – that’s it!  

Do you follow a very regimented process to create the Voglio Bene aesthetic, or are you highly experimental?

I spend hours extracting elements from historical paintings and then transforming figures with make-up and tattoos. Once an entirely new character with all of those visual flourishes finally emerges, I create the environment and the atmosphere surrounding them. When I think my work of art is finished, I send the image to my phone so that I can view it in a smaller format, which helps me to spot any areas that need improvement.

La Santa di u Niolu and Marie Madeleine are both quite reminiscent of the otherworldly, over-the-top aesthetic of Pierre Commoy and Gilles Blanchard (aka Pierre et Gilles). Are they among your top art heroes?

I’ve heard the Pierre et Gilles comparison before, which is very gratifying. As far as my favorite artists, they tend to be found in museums. I’m in love with Carlo Crivelli, Sandro Botticelli, Fra Angelico – Italian Renaissance art drives me crazy. I also really like Roberto Ferri because he has such amazing talent and his paintings are as beautiful as Caravaggio’s.

The creative process is simply vital for me. Producing things makes me feel good and through my art, I believe that I can transmit positive energy to others.

Aside from the historical paintings that are crucial to your aesthetic, do you draw on other creative inspirations?

I pour a lot of feelings into my collages through meditation and constant contemplation. Classical music and requiems – which often stir my emotions – are also a regular part of my creative routine. When the viewer looks at my work, maybe they can sense all of this.

I am also inspired by haute couture, major decoration brands such as Fornassetti, song lyrics, small elements from advertisements, and social media accounts such as Beautiful Bizarre’s. I stuff myself with images for several hours a day, some of which immediately inspires creative concepts.

When the beholder looks at a Volio Bene collage, what do you want them to feel?

I hope that those who gaze at my work experience the same sense of joy that I did when I first discovered the original painting, and that they dissolve into the story that I tell. I always share my artwork narratives on my social media accounts as well as in my brand catalogues and other forms of communication because I like people to understand my creative approach. More importantly, I hope that they’ll be inspired to experience the original painting in a museum setting.

Your collages appear extremely gothic – and at times even romantic with a punk rock sensibility – but their main commonality is a spiritual omnipresence. Is part of your creative goal to sweep the beholder away to a house of visual worship?

If the spirituality in my art can somehow spread good vibes and elevate the beholder, that makes me happy. It’s nice to think that my Madonnas have magical powers and look after the people who put them in their homes. Perhaps my art is a way to thank the benevolent souls above my head.

I believe that far too many of the masters’ works have been forgotten, so appropriating them is my way of sharing these gems with the contemporary art community. I like imagining that they’re happy to be recognized by a new audience.

There is also a memento mori-esque quality to your art – whether via crackled finishes, moths, physical wounds, or actual bones – that reminds the beholder of the impermanence of the human condition. Why is that theme important to your aesthetic?

Yes, impermanence is a key component of my art. We are all here for a very short time. In a sense, the painters throughout history – their essence – is re-animated in my digital collages. Maybe in the distant future, other creatives will find my work inspiring enough to follow suit. In any case, I am leaving a small mark – the search for immortality, perhaps.

Of all the design flourishes that you incorporate in your art, tattoos seem to be a signature element. What draws you to that type of personal adornment?

I love the world of tattooing and got my first one at the age of 18 and a day. Tattooing paintings has been a big part of my signature aesthetic for years – some of my muses wear digital versions of the tattoos that are on my own skin. Many times, the tattoos included in my collages are representative of personal and meaningful messages. I like the sexy, outrageous quality that they can impart to a work of art that has historical origins.

Do you think that your art has more widespread appeal because your muses are tattooed?

Yes. I think tattooing gives my work a rock n’ roll feel, plus my tattooed imagery reinforces the messages that I want to convey. I also really like making the inkwork look realistic – as if it was always a historical part of the painting.  

Are all of your digital tattoos entirely of your own design? Have you inked any of those designs onto your own skin?

My digital tattoos are a blend of many visual inspirations which I prefer to keep under lock and key. Only one of them is inked on my body because of its symbolism – my sacred butterfly.

Do you intend to branch out into tattoo art or sell Voglio Bene temporary tattoos?

I’ve considered temporary tattoos in the past – they will come!

I hope that those who gaze at my work experience the same sense of joy that I did when I first discovered the original painting, and that they dissolve into the story that I tell.

Tear drops are etched underneath the eyes of many of your muses, which is conventionally representative of mourning, revenge, or murder. What is your reason for integrating that symbolism into your art?

My Madonnas often cry because they are full of strength and will fight against adversity or have already emerged victorious. For me, it is symbolic of determination rather than something sad.

The push and pull of extremes – such as soft porcelain skin emblazoned with edgy tattoos or lush floral elements versus darker iconography – can be found in the vast majority of your visual compositions. Is that a design choice, or it is just reflective of the lens through which you view life?

I think it’s just my mind guiding my hand. I love flowers as well as bright, deep colours, which is funny because I always wear black. I also add a lot of butterflies to my collages because they are as beautiful as flowers and are representative of the spirits that surround us.

Your visuals – more tattoos, more flowers, more jewels, more color – seem joyfully maximalist. Is that a carpe diem reference?  

The truth is that emptiness scares me. I definitely like maximalism because it’s reassuring. That’s probably why there is no more space on the walls of my showroom, plus I’ve already filled two cabinets of curiosities!

Every new work of art that I create and every product that I develop fills me the kind of joy that a child would experience on Christmas day.

Which Voglio Bene collages are most representative of your heart or mirror who you are as a person?

There are many women in my work that represent me, but the voluptuous brunette in “Tourmente” – who is determined to fight and will never give up – is emblematic of my personal experiences. The snakes in that collage represent past difficulties with family. Unfortunately, success always brings jealousy. I transform bad energies into ultra-positive fuel that helps me to keep propelling my goals forward. I channeled a lot of feelings into “La Santa di u Niolu” – she is a Corsican saint from my native island.

Which piece was the most creatively gratifying to make?

I love “L’automne” because the technical work was very precise. Making the baby in her arms disappear was very tedious.

Your aesthetic seems like it was meant for wearable art. Do you have any plans to partner with fashion brands?

My decoration brand consumes a great deal of my time, but I am going to give a clothing line deeper consideration. Perhaps it will come in due time.

You began creating collaged street murals two years ago. How did that creative outlet come into your life? Do you still see a way to fit that into you ever-busier schedule?

I remember seeing a video clip of a local muralist working on one of his street murals, which made me think, “Ok. I can do that, too”. I’ve created fifteen urban art collages so far, ranging in size from small to monumental. I will continue to do it when the inspiration strikes or to commemorate noble causes. I believe that leaving a positive message on a wall – incorporating drawings and kind words – is a life-altering act of love that can lift others up.

I like being able to preserve the identity of historical female nudes, but at the same time, I find it very gratifying to transform them into inspiring modern icons who are strong and assertive.

You were recently contracted to give the interior of a historical building in Seattle, Washington your distinctive Voglio Bene touch. Your project – which is expected to last for four years – seems to be quite hush-hush. Are you allowed to disclose any details?

The history of the building – which is pretty fascinating – fits perfectly with my visual aesthetic style. My friend Christian Collot, who is a very talented decorator who works on majestic sets, recommended me for this project, which will be my biggest to date. When the owner of the building saw my art, a contract was drawn up immediately. I hope to be able to tell you more about it soon, but in the meantime, I will be in America soon (my first time!), which is very exciting.

Has the success of your Voglio Bene brand taken you by surprise, or is it the result of working every waking moment? Are any other amazing projects in the works for you?

I knew the brand would be successful, but of course it requires a great deal of focus and energy. I work all the time, and sometimes in the evenings, as well. Fortunately, now it seems as though projects are falling from the sky – I even signed a publishing contract that will happen at the 2022. At this point, I genuinely feel happy and free.

It seems as though the act of creating is a spiritual experience for you. In your list of artistic priorities, is that just as important as sharing the result of your creative efforts with the world?

The creative process is simply vital for me. Producing things makes me feel good and through my art, I believe that I can transmit positive energy to others. Every new work of art that I create and every product that I develop fills me the kind of joy that a child would experience on Christmas day. I hope one day to write a book on personal development because my journey has been very complicated, but perseverance pays off. It’s very important that I share ideas that can motivate others to follow their dreams.

Voglio Bene Social Media Accounts

Website | Instagram | Facebook

The post Divine Digital Resurrection: Voglio Bene’s Love Letter To The Masters appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

So get comfortable, and prepare to find out more about of one of the world’s most accessible online art galleries.

Interview with Marc Scheff, Founder of Every Day Original

So you, Marc Scheff, are the founder of Every Day Original. What a game changer for art collectors! How did this all start?

It’s really kind of you to describe it that way, and it’s interesting timing to discuss our gallery, which from the beginning has been exclusively online.

Our model is simple. We post one piece of original art every single day, almost always for under $500. Most work is $200-400, which gives artists room to try new things. The idea came from a desire to make collecting art more accessible, in a very physical sense. We know that lots of people can’t get to the shows and conventions where so much of the opportunity to collect and commission is centred. Not everyone who wants to collect art lives near enough to gallery towns to frequent openings and shows in person.

At these shows, we also saw lots of artists and art-lovers with small budgets and big love for art. We wanted to make it possible for more people to start a collection.

But, your question, how did it start? It started over a glass of wine at an opening at the Society Of Illustrators in New York. A friend planted the idea for me to create a website with daily art. I thought it could work if I could get a group of artists to post together. It might even look something like a gallery. I have a degree in computer science, so I actually built the prototype that very night. 

Over the next two months I fine-tuned the site and approached a lot of artists, many of whom I only knew from their work, and asked them to join our fledgling concept gallery. I will always be grateful to those first artists who said yes and made Every Day Original a success on day one.

From concept to reality

Was it easy to bring your idea into reality?

Well, it’s like the famous story about Picasso charging thousands for a sketch, it took me a lifetime to figure out how to do it as quickly as we did.

There were a few pieces that came together pretty perfectly for this project. As an artist, I understood the landscape of putting art out in the world for sale. I had also recently gathered a group of artists for another project and saw the benefits of working as a team rather than as a solo effort. I’d also recently started Drawn + Drafted with Lauren Panepinto, and we were already creating and seeking new ways to support artists with online resources. Finally, I was very familiar with designing and building websites. I could see all the pieces fit together and how to build it, and had a pretty good idea of the bits I would have to learn, too. It just seemed immediately possible.

The work really began when I spent a few weeks talking to artists and getting them set up to use the site, which involved a lot of making (and breaking) new processes and implementing documents to make it more seamless for everyone who would use the site, artists and buyers.

While that first prototype was up quickly, it was maybe 2-3 months after that original glass of wine to fine tune and then launch.

The launch

How was the initial feedback from people once you went live – did it work?

It really did work. People loved it and bought a lot of work that first week!

We did a few things that seemed to help our launch. First, we pre-populated the site with art. This meant when people went there it would seem full and welcoming, rather than an empty shell. We had each artist post 3-5 pieces and backdate the pieces. I definitely noticed a sense of urgency from people when they found it online that first day and thought they might have been missing out on something.

Second, we told artists not to say anything as we built the site. We set a day and time and agreed to all share on social media basically at the same time, our attempt at a small internet spike. Since it’s such a close community lots of artists and collectors had their feeds saturated with our launch announcement from multiple people.

We helped artists sell a lot of work right out of the gates and we inspired a lot of people to start their art collections. That felt amazing.

It’s not all fun and games

Were there any moments where you regretted starting this Every Day Original?

Any small business owner who tells you they have no regrets is trying to sell you something (as they should be, but you know what I mean).

I won’t say I had any regrets per se, but there were difficult times. Lots of parts of running a gallery aren’t super sexy. Sometimes customers are unhappy. Other times, the artists aren’t happy. Sometimes things break on the website. Sometimes you try a new direction or a new feature and it doesn’t really work.

The hardest days for me are when something goes wrong and I just can’t undo it. For example, we had a collector miss out on a piece because of a bug on the site. Someone else bought it and we can’t undo that. We do everything we can to make amends, to find an alternate solution, a different piece, a private commission. But I just know how disappointing that feels.

That said, it’s very easy to focus on what’s going wrong in any given moment. It’s a lifelong practice to focus on what’s going well and to focus and grow that. I keep my focus on doing what is best for our artists, and for our collectors. Again, I’m glad we have managed to fail forward, and use those moments as opportunities to learn and grow.

A little side story

We had the good problem of people getting frustrated with artwork getting bought by others so quickly that they didn’t get a chance to buy it. So, I decided to make this a mailing list feature.

Most galleries have a collectors’ preview list, right? It’s a free email list. From it, you get a heads up before a show and can buy work before a physical opening. That’s hard to do when we release work everyday. But we wanted this perk for the folks willing to join our mailing list. So, I hand-coded a feature (#humblebrag) that only shows the buy button to the people who click on the link in our daily email. This gives them 30 minutes of time to buy a piece before the purchase button goes active. We turned a point of frustration into a perk for the subscribers and it’s been a mainstay ever since.

Growth alongside its artists

Every Day Original is now an online platform which everyone in the art circles knows about. You’re now celebrating 5 years and massive congratulations to that! How has Every Day Original grown since its initial inception all those years ago?

Everyone? That’s awesome, thank you!

Our artists have grown and that’s gratifying. We’ve been operating long enough to see artists sell their first piece with us and then use it to springboard a bigger fine art career. That works in part because our roster feels like a family. I think back to many group dinners and toasts over EDO as a shared connection between artists. I think the daily model reduces some of the feeling of competition you can see in the art world. We also freely connect artists and collectors; it helps us fulfil our mission.

My background in community building and events has always led me to believe that a more open structure leads to stronger roots. It’s not easy, always, but I think we’re seeing good payoffs for the group.

And some things don’t need or want to scale bigger. Our basic model of one piece of art every single day, almost always for under $500; that’s a formula that just doesn’t want to get messed with. We have tried lots of new things. However, it’s clear that anything new we do just has to respect that this basic model is the appeal for most people. Whatever else we do, it can’t get in the way of that.

Some have floated the idea of opening a physical location. However as an exclusively online shop, we have a lot of flexibility. My family and I are self-quarantined right now, and I am grateful for the ability to still work in exactly the same way for our artists and collectors (in between childcare and home-schooling!). Also, we have Odera Igbokwe who is instrumental in getting the day to day email and social media handled. No small feat and have to shout them out here!

Still, we have found ways to grow. For example, we now offer work for over $500, just in a separate gallery arm on the Artsy platform. We have artists and collectors who have grown through EDO and want to deal with bigger pieces. Additionally, we tightly curate from just a few artists who have work ranging in price from a few hundred bucks to the low thousands. We are starting to build this up and have some really great work up there right now. Take a look. More to come!

Drawn + Drafted: expanding beyond Every Day Original

What do you think the future holds for Every Day Original, and for you?

Connecting collectors and artists continues to be our past, present, and future at EDO. That means finding new great work for our collector base and finding new collectors to join the community.

As for what’s next, I’ll tease a secret…

We have two projects in the works that will build on the Every Day Original model. I can only say it’ll allow us to work with many more artists and immediately deepen relationships with new audiences.

Every Day Original is just one project under the umbrella of Drawn + Drafted that Lauren Panepinto and I share. The basic mission of that umbrella is to help more artists make cool stuff and make a living doing it. EDO is one of the ways we do it. We also run an online course and community through Gumroad and Slack. This is for artists who want to take their business to the next level.

As for me, the truth is COVID-19 turned everything upside down. I have a little bit of stability, for which I’m grateful, but I also have two kids who are now home all. the. time. So I’m using my now very limited time to focus on these projects above, and enjoy my time with my kids.

Interested in Every Day Original? Join the mailing list to enjoy art previews and new projects.

Every Day Original social media accounts

Website | Artsy | Twitter | Instagram

Feature image by Tiffany Dae [sold].

The post An Inside Look Into Every Day Original: Special Interview with Marc Scheff appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Looking at the mixed media portraiture of Barbara van den Berg, there is an instantaneous delight as her imaginative protagonists gaze back, steeped in childhood reverie and abundant vibrancy.

Bursting at the seams with curiosity and intrigue that is equally shared with its viewer, Barbara van den Berg’s collage work fuses a well-crafted compositional style with nuanced femininity. With her playful aesthetic and emotional timbre, each surreal patchwork portrait hearkens back to simpler times. Memories of hopscotch and rattling metal swing sets counterbalance the echo of children’s laughter, seemingly palpable elements of her artistic ability to summons the ‘feel good’. Each piece is vigilantly crafted to shape her unbounded imagination, inviting you to learn more… and asking you to embrace human connection.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Barbara van den Berg to gain further insight into her work, narrative visions, and plans for the year ahead. I hope you enjoy!

The technique of collage is about the social engineering of society, the appearance of our time in which we think we can make everything our own way with individual happiness as the highest good.

Interview with Barbara van den Berg

Thank you so much for taking time to share with our readers, Barbara. Let’s start from the beginning. What do you feel has nurtured your creativity and artistic journey the most?

I’ve been fascinated by people’s behaviour from a young age. As a child, I lived in an almost perpetual state of observation, constantly fascinated by human behaviour: how do we relate to each other, how do you show your feelings, or not. How do we make contact with the other? I wanted to understand and express what I saw and felt; I already did this by drawing and painting at a very young age.

This later manifested itself in making artworks of people grouped together looking for contact. Everyone is crying out for attention, but no one really sees the other. You feel friction between what we show on the outside and what we feel on the inside. I play with this paradox, with bright, vivid colours that leave the semblance of happiness and celebration.

Since I had two daughters, I have been inspired by their inexhaustible imagination and curiosity about the world. They are so real, sincere, open and playful. They still have a vulnerability and naivety that I admire. Children can keep looking at you without looking away. They make contact without words; that way of making contact fascinates me.

That’s how my digital collages came to life, showing children in bright colours with an ‘open mind’. Their wide-eyed gazes and slightly chubby cheeks accentuate a childish innocence. They take on a doll-like appearance that is somewhere between being human and a puppet. These children symbolize innocence, playfulness and vulnerability. They look at the world with natural curiosity. The technique of collage is about the social engineering of society, the appearance of our time in which we think we can make everything our own way with individual happiness as the highest good.

In the series ‘Cry if you want to’ in which I paint the dictators of the world as crying boys, I had the question: what were these influential men like as children? What happened that made their fragile innocence, which we were all born with, disappear? The message in these works is not dark, but a gentle reminder that we all begin with the purest naivety about the world, and as adults we can strive to preserve this power within us.

If you had to single out one piece that correlates to a sentiment within yourself, which would it be and why?

The work Aphrodite from the series ‘Look at me’ is very special to me… because of two reasons. The first is because this is the first work of art that I have made in this style, digital collage. I made paintings before I started making collages, though I did use the collage style to sketch for my paintings, but not for a piece of art.

The second reason is because Aphrodite is a combination of my two daughters. For example, I used the eyes of my oldest daughter and the hands of my youngest. The dress is made from pieces of pictures of mine and their skin.

I called her Aphrodite, an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, beauty, pleasure, passion and procreation.

In collages, I can emphasize our differences and similarities. I create one new person out of many different people with different skin colors.

Why do you work in portraiture and what elements of collage do you enjoy most?

Portraits are a reflection of yourself. There is recognition. People like to see people. We see ourselves in another person and we get to know ourselves better through the other person.

I like the directness of a frontal portrait, there is no way out. Because she looks at you, like only a child can, very directly without looking away. At the same time, they are playful and loving and invite the viewer to make contact.

It is challenging to create a new image with existing material. Some of my collages are the mix of up to 20 different characters. It is a patchwork of people. In collages, I can emphasize our differences and similarities. I create one new person out of many different people with different skin colors.

What do you feel is the most integral part of your work in terms of visual expression, style, and narrative?

My works of art are always about the human and our behaviour. In my digital portraits, the desire to make contact with the other is expressed by the big friendly eyes and hand gestures that invite you to make contact. The story is already present in my subconscious, but the images arise first.

I find it interesting how, by using pieces from different people, a new human being is created; this emphasizes how we are connected. People are so focused on the differences, even afraid of the unknown, because we don’t know. While in my opinion we are much more ‘one’; longing for the same things and having the same struggles.

How has it changed and evolved over time?

In the beginning, I was fascinated by people’s extreme behaviour, extreme emotions, absurdities, ugliness, sexuality, bestiality. When I had children, there was a need for a certain kind of beauty. I started looking for beauty in the fragile, the playful and the connected. My style developed from coarse painting to more refined style with more detail. That’s how my digital collage came about. But the core of my art has never changed; it’s always about making contact.

When looking at your work, it’s difficult not to smile. There’s so much joy and emotion conveyed through the many expressions of your subjects. What do you feel is the most significant aspect of your work and what do you hope each will communicate to the viewer?

Haha nice! It is indeed important for me that my work radiates something positive. It makes you smile and second hopefully lets you think about making real contact and connectedness.

We live in a world with many temptations. With the arrival of mobile devices and social media, we take less time to make real contact with each other. How do we deal with our feelings and emotions? I notice the temptation with my daughters, the attraction of a screen. It’s so important to develop their creative and social skills in real life. Learn to go to someone to say that you like that person, instead of sending an app. For me that’s beauty, the human discomfort in all its stratification. That’s what fascinates me and drives me.

I make my artworks in Photoshop or by hand. I cut out the parts of the face and body very roughly, with straight angles; I don’t want to make it more beautiful. I want you to see the lines and the layers. I do edit the colors sometimes.

Could you briefly take us on a walk through your creative process?

I need a period of time to collect life observations. In this time, I do not create anything, only in my mind and subconscious. I go to the museum, theatre, films or documentaries. I play with my children, walk on the beach, and look at people in the street. Suddenly something bubbles up, an idea that I cannot fully put into words yet. Then I start making a lot, it can be 10 to 20 works in a month. After that, it all falls into place. It’s about things that keep me busy, the little things in life or frustrations about the world.

When I start working at an artwork, I collect the material while I make it. I have an image in my head and then I look for pictures of the right eyes or hands, skin and ears. I cut them roughly and look for the right position and proportions. When she looks at me and she comes to life; I know I am on the right track.

I collect images of children, mostly girls and women from old glossy magazines or pictures from the internet and from my two daughters and friends. I also regularly use parts of myself, my hands in a specific position, mouth with lipstick, a piece of my cheek etc.

I make my artworks in Photoshop or by hand. I cut out the parts of the face and body very roughly, with straight angles; I don’t want to make it more beautiful. I want you to see the lines and the layers. I do edit the colors sometimes.

Combinations of different skin colors and playing with the proportions of the body and face creates an estrangement that I think is fascinating. For example, I combine adult hands with the face of a child… I make the eyes bigger, the ears smaller… and I use photos of plants, animals, fabrics, food and clothing items. In the artwork “Josephine” I made a dress of candy and the artwork “Evaline” has wings of a bird as a collar.

How do you explore and maintain the integrity of your vision each time you begin a new piece?

My intuition is very important; I have to feel if it is right. I have difficulty putting it into words. My visual is so much stronger. If I look at my artwork, I need to feel something… an emotion. It feels almost like giving birth, she is born and comes to life.

I gave birth to many children, hahaha. Two real ones and many in art. My art girls and boys ;-)

Sometimes I work from an idea, but it also happens when I start a series and suddenly I see what it is about, what has been on the surface all the time. A title and my vision for the series come up. I feel butterflies in my stomach, as if I am in love; then I know I’m going in the right direction.

One last question… What’s on the horizon for 2020?

I have a few ideas that I’m excited to develop next year. I am working on a new series about people and nature. The world is changing. How does human relate to nature? Who is ultimately stronger? Or can we find a good balance?

Another branch that I am exploring is making digital collage portraits on assignment. I am now working on collage portraits of two children from a client.

I have new collaborations with galleries, Miva Gallery in Sweden, MPV Gallery and Kroon Gallery in the Netherlands as well as ZK Gallery in San Fransisco. I’d like to find a gallery on the Asian market, because earlier artworks have done well there.

Barbara van den Berg  Social Media Accounts

Website | Facebook | Instagram

The post Patchwork People: The Whimsical Collage of Barbara van den Berg appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Before this year’s High Art contest is even over, The Natural Cannabis Company is already celebrating. Not only have over 1,800 entries been submitted to them over the past three weeks, but NCC have broken their current record of submissions, from 84 to an incredible 101 countries taking part! There are only a couple of days left to get in on the action before it closes on March 21^st, so don’t miss out on your opportunity to submit and win High Art 2019 – and be part of record-breaking history!

The winning artworks are also used to decorate future packaging for The Natural Cannabis’ products, including bios about each of the artists, and sharing their artwork with the world!

Back then, it was the first time I had the courage to submit my art to a competition, and I became a finalist that year. I was shocked that I made it that far, and it’s one of the things that pushed me to make the change from studying medicine to art full-time.

Every year I check to find out when the High Art competition is happening, because I always love their topics and find them to be very inspiring. I just love browsing through other people’s art and checking it all out. There’s something about the High Art community that’s so nice and relaxed, that it inspires me too.”

Veronika Vajdova a.k.a. Wer0ni, previous High Art Finalist.

Wer0ni (Veronika Vajdova) – Dive Deeper

High Art aims to celebrate artwork from around the world, with a focus on the appreciation of being high, both while creating art and as an experience in itself. Utilising cannabis is not a requirement to enter the competition. Natural Cannabis works within the states in which the drug is legal, yet they didn’t want to close the contest to those living in areas where it is not. As such, the non-acquisitional contest is open to those who don’t smoke marijuana as well as to those who do.

As with every year, the main focus is on the annual theme. This year, they are looking for artwork based around Technology, and the grand prize winner will receive $15,000 USD plus a $10,000 USD donation will be made in their name to a deserving international charity. For more details on submitting and the prizes, head over to the High Art section of the Natural Cannabis website. It’s free to enter, so why not submit!

Celebrity Jury Panel

As if that wasn’t enough, in addition to their steadfast panel of High Art creators judging for 2019, The Natural Cannabis Company have enlisted three celebrities, each of whom are well-respected within their own fields of artistry. [From Natural Cannabis website:]

Mondo Porras: Godfather of Choppers

World-famous motorcycle builder of Denver’s Choppers and builder of the award-winning High Art Chopper, Mondo Porras lends his skilled eye to evaluating this year’s High Art entries. Mondo has made frequent appearances on Discovery, ESPN and Speed Channel.

Anne and Julien: Hey! Magazine

Although this duo counts as a single judge, Anne and Julien bring their years of experience in the world of art to the judging panel. Hey! explores art and pop culture through an art magazine, exhibitions, and art shows. Anne is the publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Hey! and curator of exhibitions. In addition to his work with Hey! Julian is a music policy consultant and programmer.

Donnell Rawlings: “Ashy Larry”

Best known for his appearances as Ashy Larry on Chappelle’s Show and his work on hit HBO series The Wire, talented actor and comedian Donnell Rawlings lends his creative eye to the High Art 2019 judging panel.

Art has always been ingrained in my body and soul some way or another whether it be music, painting… designing. I’ve grown up believing that art gives us the ultimate freedom to express our ideas and beliefs in ways that bridge barriers like language, culture and religion. As such, stepping in to the role of High Art Director has been the perfect opportunity to work with a team that truly believes in supporting this. High Art asks everyone, no matter their experience, culture, religions or beliefs to express their views on a commonly misunderstood (but obviously known WORLDWIDE) unifier, cannabis!

Each year, we hear stories of inspiration; artists who risk their lives to support the use and expression of cannabis and their art, and we are honoured to help give them a platform to get their stories out there! We are proud that over half the world (we reached artists from over 100 countries this year!) supports cannabis and can see its ability to inspire creativity and unity.

We will continue to nurture artists from around the world in expressing their creativity, and to send the message to the art community that: ART IS ART – DIGITAL ART IS ART, and we will do everything in our power to spread this message and the beautiful art that proves it to the entire world!

Noa Commendador, Art and Media Coordinator at The Natural Cannabis Company.

Don’t fancy submitting but still want to join in with the fun? The Natural Cannabis Company continues to engage with their followers in multiple levels; head over to the High Art 2019 website to see this year’s submissions as they come in, and add your vote as to which artworks should move through to the finals!

Eva Redamonti – Turn Off Your Phone

Mina Elise – Sativa

Nyki Way – Spirit

Pablo Gerardo Camacho – Ode to El Plum

Rafael Silveira – Dry Mouth

Lucas Quinn – Nihilist’s Breath of Purpose

Kirren Jones – Space and Mind

Stephen Bossler – Psychephoria

The post Breaking Records with High Art 2019 appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

It is this energy and love for art that saw Dona Frank, Founder & Managing Member of the Natural Cannabis Company, create the High Art annual competition. “Six years ago, we decided that we wanted to marry our passion for art and our passion for cannabis.” She explains. “And now we are displaying your art all over the world.” And so High Art was born, celebrating universal creativity and allowing the opportunity for The Natural Cannabis Company to produce amazingly unique packaging for their premium cannabis products.

2018 High Art Finalist – Anton Lee: The Tower

2018 High Art Finalist – Ejiwa Ebenebe: Clara

“We put your art everywhere!” Dona laughs, “The winners’ art is put all over our packages – we credit you as the artist on the back of our boxes, telling your story [artist bio], for the whole world to see. Even more fun, we put your artwork on our smaller containers too and it will exhibit in the High Art Gallery in Santa Rosa. Every year we do a book featuring all of the finalists and winners. We’ve also brought [the winning works] to Art Basel in Hong Kong and Miami, to Amsterdam, Paris and London. We talk about you [the artists] all the time – our social media is constantly sharing your works!”

Since its inception, High Art has continued to grow annually, reaching 5,000 entries from 84 countries. Open internationally and with free entry, this year’s theme is TECHNOLOGY. Think artificial intelligence, future utopias (or dystopias), digital art, computers, video games… the list goes on! However, as with previous years, the theme is a guideline to help inspire your art. Previous years have included the themes of Freedom, Psychedelia & Surrealism and Sacred Geometry, and each year has seen an impressive array of mediums, styles and concepts, with a vast selection of different artists making up the Finalists and Winners.

2018 High Art Finalist – Mark Hensen: Paintbrush Warrior

Philip Bosmans: Everything is going to be OK

Artists have been inspired by marijuana for decades, and time has seen the evolution of the cannabis art movement throughout different cultures, especially as more and more countries have legalised this plant. One of the goals of the High Art contest is to spread the beautiful and mesmerising art created and the cannabis stories surrounding the pieces, celebrating the creativity and real-life experiences linked to this psychotropic drug.

“Through our High Art Facebook group, I had an opportunity to speak with our artists.” Says Noa Commendador, Art and Media Coordinator at The Natural Cannabis Company. “Their stories bring light to the competition. These are people who can lose their hand for using cannabis in their country. Who can be been jailed for trying to treat an ill family member. We live in a small bubble here in California, and the competition helps remind us how lucky we are.”

2018 High Art Finalist – Mike Oncley: Onjha

But the prize doesn’t aim to encourage the illegal use of the drug; Natural Cannabis itself works within the states in which marijuana is legal. In-line with this, it is not a requirement that artists submitting to the contest consume cannabis. The non-acquisitional contest, created in association with Juxtapoz Magazine, is open to those who don’t smoke marijuana as well as to those who do:

“Sometimes people say to me: I don’t smoke cannabis, I don’t have anything to do with it. Well – this contest is about art. It’s about technology.

We went around the table [with our team] and discussed the theme of technology, and it was fascinating how technology meant something different to everyone.” Says Randy Barnes, Marketing and Media Director at The Natural Cannabis Company.

Sasha Kavalenka: Lovely Lady Lungs

Ryan Morse: Exhaling The Cosmos

The First Prize Winner of 2019 will receive US$25,000 in prize money, US$10,000 of which will be donated to a non-profit organisation from a shortlist created by The Natural Cannabis Company. High Art 2018 saw grand prize winner Mike Oncley receiving US$15,000 and a US$10,000 donation in his name to American Red Cross. “It will be companies such as Doctors Without Borders and the International Red Cross – the reason we choose [bigger organisations like this] is because they help people all around the world. We have winners from all over – Australia, Egypt, India for instance – and we want to make sure that whoever you are donating to, helps anywhere around the world.”

“Pretty please – blow my mind and toss up the deuces to those that don’t believe in electronic art. Pay homage to technology then interpret and express it in your own way.” – Dona Frank, Founder & Managing Member of the Natural Cannabis Company

Fancy submitting to this year’s High Art? The contest officially opens on Wednesday February 20, 2019.

You can submit through Instagram, Facebook and email (keep an eye out on their website to discover this year’s hashtag for submission!), though primarily submitting from their own website is best. To find out more about High Art 2019, the full guidelines and the submission process, you can head over to the Natural Cannabis website to watch a special introduction video giving you all the details you will need.

Josh Tremblay – Red Yellow Blue

Yunuen Esparza – Vaca

Sam Charboneau – My Freedom

Oniria Hernandez – Diskordia

Lena Klyukina – Where is your god

Anton Lee – Illusion

Daniel Wesson – Monoloco

Ayan Padilla – Liberty

The post High Art 2019: Welcome to the year of Technology appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Complex and detailed collages with pop culture vintage beauties, fiercely independent and submerged in earthy colours, are the best way for me to describe Handiedan’s works. Tiny fragments that create a visual narrative that is nostalgic, with touches of dark vestiges. As the viewer, we stand back away from a piece and we don’t see snippets and scraps, these are images made from fractured parts of something that once had another life, on a different page.

I spoke with Handiedan about her incredible upcoming exhibition at Jonathan LeVine Projects this October. ‘The fourth dimension: Time’ is Handiedan’s most personal show to date and comprises a selection of new works sharing the artist’s complex experience of passing and evolving through time.

The Fourth Dimension: TIME

Handiedan Solo Show

Website | FB | IG | Twitter

Exhibition Dates:

14 October – 11 November 2017

Jonathan LeVine Projects

888 Newark Avenue | Suites 415 and 344 |Jersey City

About the Show:

‘The fourth dimension: Time’ is Handiedan’s most personal show to date and comprises a selection of new works sharing the artist’s complex experience of passing and evolving through time. Handiedan’s collaged bas-reliefs give visual form to the wonderings, memories, visions and unconscious associations stemming from it.

Deeply influenced by scientific and spiritual interests – from Quantum Physics, Cosmology and Numerology to Sacred Geometries, Metaphysics and Eastern Philosophies – her art embraces the various forms of vital energy endlessly permeating the universe and mirrors the eternal motion of life in its kaleidoscopic manifestations.

Recently Handiedan has focused on the Fourth dimension of spacetime as a privileged standpoint from where this perpetual and ever changing flow can be deeply perceived as a continuum.

Protagonists of the works are the iconic pin-ups clearly inspired by the burlesque universe. The artist digitally composes their bodies by assembling anatomical parts of different pre-existing pin-up images from the 1920-1940s, transforming them into images reminiscent of the Neo-Classical and Victorian ages, the Parisian Belle Époque, up to the 1940’s and Post-War sexy imagery.

With luscious liveliness their forms bend in and out the background to personify Handiedan’s investigation in femininity. They stand for the Lover and the Mother, embodying sexual freeing and tender love, strength and vulnerability.  At once mistresses and goddesses, these creatures are endowed with a symbolic power that can be traced down to the archetype of Mother Earth (or Mother Nature) in which all ancient cultures identified the natural course of the circle of life with its transitory stages of birth, change, decay and renewal.  Other recurrent images in the work refer to this: the skull, traditionally a visual reminder of death, and the butterfly, a living example of transformation and evolution.

Handiedan is always inspired by the the Golden Ratio, also known as divine proportion, whose presence in all realms from quantum levels to the eternal motion of planets and galaxies is proof of a universal law connecting everything. The pin-ups inhabit a visual world filled with Fibonacci spirals, fractal patterns, planetary charts and the sacred geometric form of the Flower of Life, all scientifically or symbolically representing the universal harmony ruling nature and life.

The pen drawings and doodles ‘tattooed’ on the bodies and in the background, like her cartoon-like alter ego, Amėlie, stand for Handiedan’s personal involvement in this energy flow. The background also incorporates ornamental details like old currencies, stamps, music sheets, share certificates, science maps, playing cards and cigar bands collected from Handiedan’s travels around the world and filled with hidden personal meanings. The vintage aspect of the items suggests their own hidden stories and the artworks release an evocative power both on a personal level and from a cultural point of view, ideally traveling through real and symbolic places distant in time and space.

Handiedan gathers all those visual fragments that trigger her own personal associations and digitally combines them on the computer following a fast-paced intuitive drive. The creative process shifts into a more meditative slow-paced stage as she assembles the printed layers of paper with refined craftsmanship. Each detail is printed on multiple sheets of paper that are masterfully hand-cut and carefully pasted over to reach a sculpted quality. The found collage material is also weaved and patiently pasted through the layers. While the collage technique naturally lends itself to the combination of the most diverse elements, the multi-layered depth gives material shape to the fourth dimension and enables to fully experience the interconnectedness of everything. As a result, Handiedan’s art carries an organic unity and the visual motifs used by the artist harmonically coexist into a single yet richly complex experience that instantly strikes for its exuberant liveliness while the countless details scattered all over ask for the gaze to slowly wander and linger around it.

Firstly, in the unlikely event our followers may not know your work, can you tell us a little about your process and how you create your amazing pieces?

There are two phases in creating my collages. My creations are a complex layered ‘cut and paste’ mixture of both digitally and hand cut paper collages and found material.

The first phase consists in digitally put together the found imagery. Classic pin-up body parts over a backdrop of baroque and Victorian designs, culled out of international currency, old music sheets, insurance and share certificates, science and solar system maps and my own pen-drawn character and doodles.

This digital design is the basis for a series of hand cut collages.

The second phase entails re-building the basic design through multiple printing and ‘weaving’ original collage material with the printed paper layers. This again could be culled from international currencies and stamps, antique sheet music ornaments, playing cards, cigar bands, Asian newspapers, science maps, share certificates and whatever fits.

I keep collaging till the artwork stands out in a relief of paper layers, almost three-dimensional. Then I add some final touches through sketching and doodling on the piece and finally I mount the collage on a carefully selected ornamental frame “mostly antique” that becomes part of the artwork itself.

I am loving where we are headed in the art/VR movement. I know you recently worked on a VR project titled ‘Handria’. This is whole new way to create, can you tell us more about this project and what was involved to create Handria?

Yes, thank you! I’m super excited about this development and movement and even more excited by being able to explore the possibilities of it. A great inspiration.

Last summer I was invited by RIOSD to be part of their VR project and to create a Handiedan’s collage universe in VR with the Tiltbrush software. I went ‘underground’ for 55 hours into VR, creating a 3D virtual collage art & drawings universe, named Handria.

‘Handria’ has been presented by the RIOSD team at Edinburgh Fringe, Future Play Festival, that started  the 3rd of August and runs till the 26th and I can’t wait to show you more in the near future, when I’ll be traveling to the US.

I’m excited for your solo show and to see your new mixed media hand cut collages at Jonathan LeVine Projects, in October. How is the preparation going for that show? Are you able to share any of the pieces or the theme with us yet?

The preparations are going very well and I’m super excited to show you the new art. The theme and show title is ‘The fourth dimension: Time’. It will be my most personal show to date and comprises a selection of new works sharing my complex experience of passing and evolving through time.
It’ll be influenced by my scientific and spiritual interests – from Quantum Physics, Cosmology and Numerology to Sacred Geometries, Metaphysics and Eastern Philosophies.

So many hours are spent creating your works, what’s a day in the studio like for you? How do you keep yourself entertained while creating the collages?

I tend to keep it like a regular work with weekdays and try to keep up a healthy rhythm: 7-9 hours a day, 5 days a week. I listen to music, audio books, documentaries, movies, have a good walk or lunch break on the side of a canal, and watch the boats passing by.

Your vintage pin-ups feature predominantly throughout your work, where did your initial interest start, and what/who are your inspirations?

My strong fascination for all different kinds of old and vintage graphic material inspired me to start collecting and combine this imagery into one strong image. I’m always inspired by the (photo) graphic, collage and cartoon world.

There are so many hidden symbols and meanings in your pieces, you can spend a lot of time viewing those details scattered throughout the background, I would love if you would elaborate on these patterns and symbols and why they are important to you?

Symbols teach you a lot about life, they tell the story of life and elaborate hidden stories that can’t be explained literally. Examples of symbols that are strong subjects in my new work are the skull, the butterfly and the golden ratio. All of them refer to ideas of rebirth, growth, transformation, the eternal motion of life, energy, time, everything is (part of) the same all.

I can’t finish without talking about your large scale murals, which  are mind blowing and often in the perfect surroundings, featured on stunning buildings! How do you begin the process for these works? What’s the hardest part about creating these walls?

After I receive the exact wall dimensions, I digitally design the piece for the wall. Bringing my pieces outdoors is not just an enlargement and just pasting paper on a wall, but it feels as an extension of my art. I want to integrate and fuse the image with the building. The building has to suite the image and vice versa. They correspond and become one. It’s like my original collages: every piece has its corresponding frame. A fusion of artwork and frame. It is actually difficult to name the most difficult part, as I see the process as a whole. From getting the design with all the measurements into the exact fit for the building, till getting up in the lift, spending long days in unexpected weather while pasting the paper on the stone walls.

Apart from your upcoming solo show, what can we expect to see from you in the next year?

I will be working on new mural projects, a selection of group shows and I’d like to spend time to develop the VR Handiedan universe. This gives me so much energy and I am super excited to explore the boundaries of this new technique and looking very forward to share more with you!

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The post Interview with Handiedan + The Fourth Dimension: TIME @ Jonathan LeVine Projects appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

A full-range of style and technique is displayed in Daniel’s work; abstraction, realism, and non-objectivity are all present throughout the body of paintings and works on paper.

“My process is all about experimentation and trying to create expressive images. I have my drawings hanging on my studio wall so I can try and compare my drawings to see what works and what doesn’t. I usually work on multiple pieces at a time jumping back and forth from one piece to another. I work with mix media which includes but is not limited to, charcoal, ink, graphite, soot, acrylic paint, and beeswax. I find inspiration from nature, and by artists like Patrick Graham, Cy Twombly, and Nicolai Fechin, as well as the city I live in, San Francisco.”

If one were to make a connection to art history, some of the work Daniel has produced could be considered reminiscent of collage artist Robert Rauschenberg. Rauschenberg created a lasting legacy with his “combines”, layering prints of found images with expressive applications of paint, the product being a nontraditional exploration of media. The blending of media with various methods was ground-breaking at the time of Rauschenberg’s rise, but now the technique is standard in contemporary art. The way images were overlapped and placed on a canvas determined the meaning and reception of the piece. The complexity of a piece is based upon the number of elements added by the artist.

When asked about the possible comparison between Rauschenberg’s work and his own, Daniel replied:

“I can see the comparison of my work with Rauschenberg’s work alongside other collage artists’ work. I definitely take the same approach to composing my artwork like a collage, editing different elements and combining them all to create one cohesive and somewhat cryptic image. Much like Justin Mortimer who will base his paintings on some of his collage work, most of time I will try to figure out exactly how I will edit the figures in my work before I begin creating, but recently I find myself jumping directly into the creative process, adapting with the image along the way.”

The figurative aspect of Daniel’s work is a reflection of many years of meticulous studies and a deep interest in human anatomy and figure drawing. Unlike with strictly non-objective, landscape, or still life, Daniel found himself drawn to artwork displaying figures with an explicit or implicit narrative. “My current work revolves around portraits and figurative narratives to explore ideas about empathy, identity, and consciousness. I am always trying to find a balance of structure and freedom in my work to help create a balance of techniques and an interesting rhythm in my art.” The figures Daniel intertwines with his colorful marks are used to “compliment the expressive abstraction and chaos of the background and vice versa.”

An interesting aspect of Daniel’s work is his age; he is only twenty-three years old, just graduating with his BFA at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco in 2014. Daniel says that his age doesn’t actually play a big role in the influence of his artwork, but of course trying to find a solid voice and to learn and grow as an artist while trying to establish a body of work and a career is challenging. Even at his age, he is already conscious of the importance of not falling into a mundane comfort zone and approaches each piece with and uneasiness or apprehension to maintain a level of freshness and spontaneity. Currently he is inspired by work that challenges him to slow down and really think, so he strives to do the same for people who interact with his work, so they can see art differently, feel connected, and be inspired as well.

See more of Daniel’s work here: Instagram | Website

The post The Mixed Media Work of Daniel Segrove appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Christine mixes her realistic drawing style with elements she is fascinated by. If you look closely you’ll see a lot of her favorite objects pop up in her work: cathedral ruins, sacred geometry, decorative iron fences, peonies and lace. The intricate patterns of the architectural elements and lace look fantastic when they’re cut from paper; they bring a majestic element to the pieces. To add a touch of color to the picture Christine uses watercolor washes, all in her favorite muted tones. By her well considered placement and smart use of white space the collages never feel too overwhelming or swamped, even though she uses quite a lot of elements.

You can find more of Christine’s work on her website. Make sure to check out her paper orbs as well, they are amazing.

The post Intricate, Layered mixed Media Collages by Christine Kim appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

“I try to find the beauty in darkness and reflect that in my work” – V. Marcone

I wouldn’t be able to tell you the first time that I came across Vincent Marcone’s work, but I can explain the feelings it unleashed: it was as if I was remembering a long lost dream, a memory I had never quite understood. Canadian born Vincent Marcone, AKA My Pet Skeleton, has tapped into something that lies just underneath consciousness, merging darkened memories of ancient fairytales and human insecurities with simple beauty and delicate textures. Heavily influenced by his German Grandma, Vincent grew up on the old traditional tales from a long lost Europe as he breathed in each tale deep into his subconscious, guiding his future path. And so My Pet Skeleton was born.

His prints have become well known around the world under the alias My Pet Skeleton, but Vincent Marcone is more than just an Emmy and Juno award winning artist; film maker and musician, Vincent is internationally renowned. Since his grandmother’s tales he has been attracted to the “dark art”, stripping back the layers decade by decade, uncovering the heart of folklore and fairytales. Creating his own tales of playful woe and curious macabre, My Pet Skeleton seeks to bring to life worlds beyond the norm. In recent years, his short animation The Lady Paranorma which follows the life of a woman who can hear spirits but cannot see them, won Best Animated Short at New Orleans Film Festival 2011 as well as being recognised in 25 other film festivals around the world and is most definitely worth a watch. As if icing on the cake, all of his animations are complimented by music created by the band he is in, Johnny Hollow.

For those who are more interested in traditional art, My Pet Skeleton has respectfully adapted the art of printmaking. Moulding it into his own forte of creation MPS brings to life more of his characters, echoing folklore and reflecting the true faces of fairytales with their grim and gritty undertones. “My studies in intaglio print making really lead me to cultivate my own artistic style” explains Vincent, “Though I work digitally, I’m constantly importing textures that I created from dipping metal plates into acid when I was a print maker. It could be argued that ‘print making’ is really the first version of ‘Photoshop’. Many of my digital pieces look as though they may have come out of a hand turned press.”

At a first glance at My Pet Skeleton’s artwork it’s clear to see the fine line between distinguishing digital and traditional printmaking productions, and it’s this amalgamation of traditional and modern methods that has helped to gain him a significant fan base. It’s hard not to find a multitude of emotions triggered in his work, connecting the viewer to childhood memories, absorbing the glamour and macabre, and constantly searching to understand the message behind each piece. My Pet Skeleton connects with aspects that have helped to make traditional fairytales continue to thrive throughout hundreds of years; Drawing you in with intrigue and beauty you connect with the characters, finding yourself encouraged towards an exploration into the darker side of fantasy. In that simple moment of equilibrium between beauty and darkness, My Pet Skeleton sits waiting for you.

Designing a new piece of work can anywhere for a day to a month depending on the level of detail the environment needs. In my chat with Vincent he explained some of the method in his processes:

“I’m constantly writing out bits and pieces from what I can remember of my dreams. My dream journal acts as a kind of Jungian archive to inspire story lines, colour and compositions in my work. My pieces start as very loose concept and then I fill in the gaps with some surreal imagery that lingers in my journal. I will start out with a sketch, painting or a photograph as the subject which usually starts as the centre piece of my composition. I then paint the world around it bit by bit by bit. The composition of the image is constantly shifting and moving until I’m comfortable with the way it sits on the canvas…I feel really good when I’m creating something new. It kind of feels like casting a smoke signal into the sky.”

Art prints – including limited edition and signed prints – can be bought from the My Pet Skeleton Etsy shop. Make sure to keep your eyes open on this website as stock being sold is constantly changing! His work can also be found at the online shop Prints on Wood who basically do what it says on the tin. Currently building up my own collection from My Pet Skeleton I can’t wait to see what Vincent creates next, and with the rest of the world, I count down the days with baited breath.

The post Delving into Folklore & Dreams with My Pet Skeleton appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

I have one of Handiedan’s beautiful large prints on my gallery wall at home.  The quality of the print is spectacular, truly capturing the 3 dimensional nature of her collage work, I can’t recommend them highly enough!

Flux No.2
Art print giclée
315 gsm Innova Soft Textured
Natural White
16.5″ x 23.4″ / 42 x 59,4 cm
Signed and numbered
edition: 100

€95,-

Cosmos No.1 (large)

Art print giclée
Semi glossy Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta 325 gsm
33.5″ x 47,25”
Signed and numbered

Edition size of 2

$ Inquire

Alectrona No.2 (large)

Art print giclée
Matte Hahnemuhle Museum Etching 350 gms
35.5″ x 47,25”
Signed and numbered

Edition size of 2

$ Inquire

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